Cauliflower Rice
HOLD THE RICE
Growing up in a Chinese household, we ate rice. In fact, a ton of rice. It was served with most meals that Ma Ma freshly prepared at home. And any takeout that Ba Ba cooked at the restaurant for us four kids had a least one white quart-sized container included in the brown paper sack. Like I said, we ate a ton of rice.
Black bean riblets
I remember as a child that I was not fond of rice. It was bland and boring. A white mound beside the glistening, black bean riblets that had so much flavor. It was not unusual that I was left alone at the dinner table staring at that small, scoop of untouched rice and not uncommon for me to hear:
You need to finish your rice before you can leave the table.
Every kernel of rice you leave on your plate will be a blemish on your future husband's face.
I got smart after awhile. When the coast was clear, I would scrape the rice off my plate into the trash. A crumpled napkin would go on top. Dr. Jason's face looks just fine to me.
I eventually learned to eat rice the way that it was intended to be eaten...as a filler. Rice takes on the flavor of the meats and vegetables that are served with it. So I have eaten my share of rice. In fact, as an adult, I love rice!
Now, I feel that it is natural to have green curry on a bed of rice. The grains soak up the spiced-up coconut milk. It is so good, I would use a spoon to eat it.
But now there is a new dilemma with rice! After that second helping of curry and rice, it's lights out for me. A cat nap of 15-20 minutes. You might know it as food coma, right? We all get it after eating a big meal. Guess what? It doesn't happen after every big meal.
The Revelation
After eating more cleanly over the last five years, I don't get "food coma" much anymore. Basically, our family gave up starchy carbohydrates like rice and pasta and breads. Some of us had an easier time with this than others. By eliminating those kinds of carbohydrates, I rarely drift off after dinner. And if I do get that sleepy feeling after a meal now, I know exactly what I ate that caused it. High probability that it was rice in my case.
WARNING: Here comes the science!
Higher glycemic index foods such as rice, pasta, and breads can cause a spike in blood glucose which in turn causes the body to secrete insulin. Insulin rids the blood of excess glucose. An increase in insulin will also in turn affect the amino acid uptake by the body's tissues. Amino acids are the building blocks of our tissues. Tryptophan is not one of those amino acids that insulin stimulates. (We have all heard of tryptophan in the context that your Thanksgiving turkey has lots of it and that's why we get food coma. By the way, that is a misconception.) So tryptophan crosses the blood brain barrier freely since the other amino acids are busy being used by other tissues due to the insulin stimulation. So what does this all mean? Tryptophan is converted to seratonin and melatonin which are hormones that regulate sleep. Or in other words, FOOD COMA happens!
I rarely eat rice now. If I do, it is with Chinese takeout, a special treat maybe once a month. Fortunately, only a half-pint comes with the meal.
Since eating cleanly, our family's vegetable consumption has increased and has expanded in variety. We roast most of the vegetables that we eat. The girls like broccoli, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, kale, beets, and even okra roasted.
Cauliflower is another one we enjoy. I find that cauliflower rice (food processing a head of cauliflower into small bits) can simulate what rice was intended to do...act as a filler and soak up the flavors around it. Here are the steps to rice your cauliflower:
1. Cut and wash your florets from one head of cauliflower. Allow the florets to dry.
Simple? Now, there are different methods of cooking the cauliflower rice that are easy. Here are two of my favorites:
Method One: Microwaving in a glass bowl for 6-8 minutes steams the cauliflower. Throw some curry on top, serve it with a savory dish like black bean riblets or use it to make fried rice. I promise you will not miss the real deal.
Method Two: My favorite method is roasting the cauliflower rice. Cover a shallow baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the cauliflower rice and two tablespoons of olive oil or melted coconut oil and spread evenly on the parchment. Roast at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes stirring every 15 minutes or so. Serve immediately.
 |
| Before |
 |
| Roasted |
Your health is worth taking the time to try a new recipe. If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out. I have plenty of other recipes I can share.
Dr. Lily
Comments
Post a Comment