I’m a food trend nerd. I love nothing more than learning about how people are preparing food, sharing food and eating food. I attend food conferences and expos and scout for new trends, seeing if I can spot them myself before I read about them in the media. It’s an addiction. I recently was reading a trend report on a Friday night — it was a wild evening, let me tell you — and the report said, “Cauliflower is the new kale.”
I love cauliflower. It’s this super versatile vegetable wrapped in a seemingly boring appearance, but with so many possibilities. 
From riced cauliflower to mashed cauliflower to cauliflower buffalo wings and cauliflower pizza crusts, the opportunities are endless and it blows my mind. And while I am certainly not gluten-free and love a good ol’ serving of brown rice from time to time, I also love playing with veggies and sneaking the little guys into any dish I can.
So for all of you newbies exploring this veggie for the first time, I am here to embrace you with open arms. Welcome to the good life! Here is one of many cauliflower rice recipes that you will find floating around the web. I’m not saying it’s the best out there. But it is pretty darn good, so let’s just leave it at that.
Caulifornia Breakfast Bowl
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup diced white onion
- ¼ cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick
- ½ cup spinach
- ¼ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup water
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup diced tomatoes
- ⅛ cup cilantro
- ¼ avocado, diced
- ¼ lime
Instructions
- To rice cauliflower, pulse florets in a food processor until finely chopped or grate by hand with a traditional box grater.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Add onions and sauté for about 3 minutes or until they turn translucent.
- Add mushroom and spinach and sauté, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes.
- In a small sauce pan, heat black beans and water over low heat. Let simmer for a few minutes until hot. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add cauliflower rice to the vegetables and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until rice starts to appear golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a separate small skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Once pan is heated, crack egg and gently slide into pan. Cook until whites are firm and small bubbles begin to appear. Flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for 10 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Transfer cauliflower mixture to bowl. Top with fresh tomatoes, black beans and cooked egg.
- Garnish with cilantro and avocado and squeeze lime over the top. Serve and enjoy.
Marissa Thiry, RDN, is a nutrition communications specialist in Orange County, CA. She is a blogger at New Kid On The Guac and a strong advocate for a balanced and active lifestyle, filled with wholesome and delicious food. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
