Cauliflower Rice Paella
How are those New Years’ resolutions holding up?
I didn’t make any because, as I like to say, I am on a constant journey of self-improvement. My husband wishes I would hurry up and get there already.
One of the ways I’m trying to improve is by learning balance. And not to feel guilty about it. That’s the hard part.
Would you want to punch me in the face if I said that before we went on vacation I found myself googling “How to not feel guilty about going on vacation”? (I fully intend to take your answer into consideration before I acknowledge whether or not that actually happened.)
One of the things I guiltlessly did on vacation was ready lots of trashy magazines. Then I tried to start a book, but quit and went and bought more trashy magazines.
I love you, friends, but for those who suggested The Hunger Games, what about a young girl getting exiled and forced to hunt other children to the death says, “Fun beach read!” to you?
Of course, reading trashy magazines somehow turned into recipe developing. Who knew magazines had recipes behind the gossip and the only crossword puzzles I’ll ever actually complete? Recipes like paella.
So I took out the seafood. And replaced it with some vegetables. Then I took out the rice. And replaced it with some more vegetables. All garnished with a healthy dose of vegetables.
This paella has ten vegetables in it. TEN!
Five-a-day? I maniacally laugh at five-a-day.
Ha ha.
Ha ha ha ha.
Muhahaha ha ha ha!
Does that sound balanced to you?
Shoot.
Cauliflower Rice Paella
Makes 4 large servings
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 c. celery, chopped
- 1 1/2 t. minced garlic
- 1/2 t. smoked paprika
- pinch of saffron
- pinch of cayenne
- 1 T. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 c. vegetable stock
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 c. frozen peas
- 1 c. cherry tomatoes, split
- 1 14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
- 1/2 c. green onions, minced
- 15-20 Spanish olives
- fresh parsley and lime wedges for garnish
To make cauliflower rice, remove cauliflower from stem and cut into florets. Put the florets into your high speed blender or your food processor and pulse until you reach a rice consistency.
Meanwhile, coat a large, deep skillet with cooking spray or a spritz of oil and sauté onion, celery and peppers for a few minutes, until just starting to soften.
Add “rice” and continue to sauté for another 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic, smoked paprika, saffron, vinegar, vegetable stock, salt, peas, tomatoes and artichoke hearts and heat through, simmering for about 5-6 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add green onions and olives.
Garnish with parsley and lime.
There are lots of ways to make this dish your own, depending on what you are into.
Add tofu. Add soy chorizo. Add sriracha. Add quinoa. Add chickpeas or black beans or edamame.
Or add nothing.
But a fork, of course.
And something special for dessert.
Some fresh fruit and several chapters in The Hunger Games?
More like chocolate chips straight from the bag (or gigantic jar) and an episode of The Bachelor.
It’s all about balance, friends.
Ive been wanting to try cauliflower rice forever this looks great!!!
this looks delish! and why not several chapters in The Hunger Games AND The Bachelor?
I’m sure I could multi-task during the commercials.
That looks delish!
ooh yes. I’ve been wanting to make paella ever since having it in Spain. (Veggie paella in Spain is a must-do if you ever go. So delicious)
I’m also doing the South Beach diet and this is VERY friendly so…it’s happening. Love you for making it.
Never feel guilt out of trashy magazine reading, sometimes it’s relaxing!
I only allow myself to buy People when I’m going somewhere on a plane. I have no rational explanation for this. Maybe so the people next to me will have no desire to talk to me.
I hope you ended up not feeling guilty about the vacation- it sounds like you earned it.
And I like the all-veg paella recipe! It looks so vibrant in the pictures.
Nope, not a bit guilty. It took me a day to warm up to it, but once I was there, I was fully committed! Now I want a vacation every month!
Okay, if you start posting about going on vacations every month I might start to get jealous!!
I know the plot of the Hunger Games doesnt sound very attractive but REALLY it is so good!!!!!!!!!
I’m sure it is! I just have so little time for fun reading that I like it to be fun.
I’ll probably finish it. And by finish it, I mean see the movie.
The movie was written by the author of the book, so I’m sure you won’t be missing much if you just skip it and see the movie. I’m on the third book and they are really good, but I have a feeling the movie is going to be pretty spot on from the book.
I’ll take that as permission. Thanks!
Read the book. Trust me on this. If you enjoy excellent writing and suspense with a side of political intrigue and genuine human emotion, you should read the book. All three of them.
It sounds like a weird concept, but it’s actually some of the best writing I’ve ever read.
I love reading well written books (of course). But I think it makes me a better writer to hear strong writing voices. Thanks so much!
Oh man! Between this and Christin’s (purple bird blog) Cauliflower Pizza Crust, evidently I need to stock up on some cauliflower!
I have another head in my fridge right now. It’s destined for a book recipe though–cracklin’ cauliflower!
This looks delicious!! And everyone seems to be on a Bachelor kick lately! I stopped watching ages ago but now I’m tempted to check it out again.
Do yourself a favor and don’t even go there. I wish I hadn’t.
Now I know exactly how I’m going to use my Field Roast chorizo! Yum!
Yup, fabulous idea!
Hey Mama Pea! So glad you’re back. We missed you.
I made your Tempeh Chili and Cowgirl Cornbread tonight for my carnivorous husband, and he went back for seconds of both! Even after I told him what was (and wasn’t) in it! Fantastic!
Nice! That’s the best testimony ever!
Love this dish! So colorful!
Thanks, Maria. (I get a little embarrassed when I see your comments because I’ve loved your blog for so long!)
I wanted to read on Saturday, but couldn’t seem to focus on it. I wanted to study more! It felt weird that I couldn’t focus on the fun stuff and wanted to get to working! This dish sounds so good! Love the use of cauliflower! I’m always trying to find ways to get Tony and Jay to eat it since Max will eat just about anything with me.
They won’t even know it’s cauliflower, promise!
Oh wow, this sounds delicious! And possibly even simple enough to manage after work – always a bonus in my books
Super, duper simple. Just chop and drop!
I LOVE PAELLA! My mom makes an awesome version! But my love for veggies just might make me love this one more! I love every one of the 10 veggies in this! 5 a day? I get like 500 a day!
Seriously! What I want to know is what everyone does with all the shells in the real version?
i’ll try it for shure!!! looks really good!
This isn’t even “my food”…my food is chocolate and frosting
But seriously this looks…so.good. Cauli, artichoke hearts, peppers…yum!
The beach reads thing. One time I asked people for book rec’s and bought a few based on suggestions and omg I ended up with some…doosies! Like 10 pages in and was in tears and with nightmares and went back to trashy mags and really, I am a mag girl. I don’t read traditional books; I read cookbooks, blogs, or magazines. And I like it like that
I’d eat that!
And the only crossword I’ve ever completed is in People.
I can’t tell if I feel guilty about that or not.
At least we can do it, right! So excited when I read your posts and think about that growing babykins!
I just finished LISTENING to the hunger games and it was most awesome. SO good! When I was on vaca in Mexico I listened to the time travelers wife. I highly recommend listening to your books on vacation…esp. when the sun is beaming down on you. You can close your eyes and relax even more.
That’s where I went wrong. I was listening to country music.
You need to read “In Search of Balance” by Swenson.. and while you’re at it, pick up “Margin.” These have been such encouraging books for me– I keep coming back to them!
http://www.amazon.com/Margin-Restoring-Emotional-Financial-Overloaded/dp/1576836827/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327377223&sr=8-1
Sounds great, thank you!
I said the same thing about Hunger Games and then read it in 1 day on the beach. Go figure.
I love cauliflower rice! I’ve been making it lately and it’s so awesome. Love all the veggies in there. I laugh @ 5, too. 10 for the win!
This was my first time with the cauliflower rice. Now I want to put everything on top of it!
For your next book, can I make a suggestion… Pages that wipe clean. Yes, like the kind you find in child’s cookbook. I’m a walking disaster and have a small kitchen, these two things do not work well together. Please have some compassion for those of us who spill everything we touch and should probably own stock in Seventh Generation, or be confined to a bubble. Thanks!
That is a super great idea. I’m not sure how expensive it would be! I have seen these clear plastic cookbook shields…maybe that would be a good thing to invest in? http://www.kidsmartliving.com/esclaccoho.html
Now I want one!
I love how colorful this dish is!
And “woohoo” to The Hunger Games! I hope you post your thoughts on it once your finished! I read the first two and am nearing the end of Mockingjay at the moment.
Pea D just finished Mockingjay. He much preferred the first two
Really? I liked the first and the third better than the second, myself.
Hmmm. I need to get out of the first couple chapters of the first
I have to agree with Pea D–I am finding the third a bit disappointing as compared to the first two!
He said it felt like the author was obligated to write it. Like she had to squeak a third book out. I guess she got her check, though!
You make me laugh! (can you hear my guffaw up in Portland?) this looks delish! Made your black bean burgers tonight and my carnivore of a husband scarfed down one and asked for a second. Score!
I had no idea cauliflower could so easily turn into rice! This looks delicious. I absolutely loved The Hunger Games series, but I definitely wouldn’t consider it a fun beach read. Something about the beach screams Us Weekly or People instead.
I’ve been reading your blog since shortly before the NorthWest VegFest this fall, but haven’t commented before. I just wanted to let you know how much my 14 year old daughter and I enjoy it. My daughter is always very excited to see a new post. When your book was available at our library as a “Lucky Day” book, you’d have thought she won the lottery.
Anyway, thanks for the recipes and humor – we love it!
That’s fantastic! I hope we got to meet at VegFest? Tell your daughter I said hello and thanks to you both for reading! I love it!
I did come and introduce myself, but I’m sure lots of people did!
I’ve decided the next hip vegetable will be cauliflower. Its my official prediction for 2012. Using it as rice is a brilliant idea. Si
*Simply brilliant. Not si
Ha! I knew what you meant
The more veggies the better. I will definitely be trying this. You sound perfectly balanced to me.
You caught me red handed watching The Bachelor, eating chocolate chips out of the jar, reading your blog…what are the odds?!?!
I knew you were going to say that.
You are taking veggies to a whole new level. Seriously amazing.
I got to try the cauliflower rice! Looks so good!!
I’m making your Protein Packed Falawesomes tomorrow and was wondering if taking out the tofu and adding in 1/2 cup of chickpeas would work (we dont have any tofu in the house right now)? Also, If i dont have nutritional yeast can I just sub in chickpea flour or peanut flour instead?
Thanks mama pea! My family loves your recipes! You re genius!
I would try the chickpeas and the peanut flour. I bet they’ll have a really interesting flavor! Thanks for the support and good luck!
Yum yum yum yum yum yum yum!!!! This is So going on this week’s menu!!! Vacation more often if you come up with recipeas like this!
.
Well, if you say so…
Hi – thanks for the cauliflower-rice idea… I’ve always disliked cauliflower, but maybe this will give it new life. (And maybe I can sneak it in with REAL rice for my husband!). ;o)
Oh for sure, real rice would be great too!
this looks FAB! I’m a huge paella fan!
This sounds delicious, I must try it.
I just started the 21 day Crazy Sexy Cleanse and this recipe will fit in beautifully. Thank you.
Happy to help. Good luck with your lceanse!
Please please please read trashy magazines forever. This is ultimate dinner gold of wonderment.
Ha! You crack me up.
Yummmmmmy! Mama Pea strikes again:) This looks divine! I am all over 10-veg dishes, all over it like white on rice;)
Well played, friend, well played.
This looks so tasty and so pretty and so healthy! What a creative recipe! Who knew magazine gossip would have been the inspiration behind it
Yup, right after discussion of JT/Jessica Biel’s engagement and why Kim Kardashian wants to adopt a baby. It’s amazing I had an appetite at all.
My kind of dish! I hate shrimp, so removing it altogether is my fav part!
And 10 vegetables… I’ll call my doctor and brag!
A constant journey of self-improvement? I love it! I always laugh at resolutions, because I make resolutions all year long. I’m definitely going to borrow that.
haha. I just finished reading the Hunger Games and had no idea what it was going to be about- I surprisingly was pretty hooked (even though yes, it’s pretty messed-up) but I would NOT recommend this for lounging on the beach
Thank you for seeing my point
Okay I love the idea of cauliflower rice. What a fantastic recipe! I’m so excited for your new book lady!
Cauliflower rice? Brilliant.
And stick with The Hunger Games. It’s uncomfortable, but it is so, so good!
If you say so.
Thank you for getting me out of my current food rut. I am making this tonight, and I think I will add some soy chorizo. Can’t wait!
I’m excited to hear what you think!
Oh my goodness! I made it with soy chorizo and added some sun-dried tomatoes. It was out of this world! So happy it made so much, hello leftovers.
Yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed!
Love that you added cauliflower! It is one of my top 5 favorite vegetables but I typically just eat it steamed. This is the second recipe in today’s inbox that had a different variation of it. I am printing this sucker out! I will have to replace the Spanish olives with something else, though. I just can’t stomach their taste.
Do you like kalamatas? Those would sub in fabulously.
only you could make maniacally laughing sound balanced
seriously though, i’m always on the lookout for more veggies and how to get them in my belly!
As you should be.
Have you ever made cauliflower ricotta? I just use the tofu ricotta from Veganomicon and add some steamed/mashed cauliflower. It makes the best lasagna.
Well, now that is just GENIUS. I’ve been avoiding soy lately (I could clear a room, seriously). That seems like the perfect solution!
I think that if you wanted to bump up the protein in this, adding a can of chickpeas at the very last minute would be PERFECT. If you just barely warm them up, they would still have a bit of crunch to them, and MAN that would make a serving of this an over-the-top meal.
Good idea!
I was so confused for a minute. I thought, wait, she said she took out the rice, but it’s called cauliflower rice…oooooh the cauliflower IS the rice. How interesting! This recipe looks fabulous–I think this would be great with some beans added in there.
Oooh I love this! Some days (actually most days) a big bowl of fresh veggies is just what my body craves. The more the merrier! And same goes for trashy magazines on the beach.
If balance always leads you to recipes like this, I’d say you’re doing mighty fine.
While this looks great, and I would enjoy it and I know your kids are great eaters, did they/would they eat this dish? I just wonder?!
Finally someone else who thinks that book is redic. Not sure why so many people want to read about kids killing each other… This recipie looks and sounds delish!
I’m giggling over here. Reminds me of Harry Potter’s monologue on SNL last week where he said, “To all the kids who read the Harry Potter books, thank you. And to all the adults….those books were meant for kids.”
I eat really healthy all day and then shamelessly eat chocolate chips from the bag. EVERY DAY. That’s my kind of balance
glad you had a good vacay! and I’ve totally googled “how to relax on day’s off” before….
No shame, Crista. All the cool kids do that.
Mmmm….cauliflower is my fav!
This looks amazing! I can not wait to try it!
Paella is one of my all-time favorites! This twist looks so yummy. Already sent myself the recipe.
And I can understand what you mean about The Hunger Games. It took me a while to get into it and it is kind of a stressful and disturbing read, but I just finished it on Sat and am hooked. I am going to buy the second book this weekend!
I’m sure it’s a fine book, just not a vacation/beach read.
I know the premise of Hunger Games is odd, but stick with it – it’s a great read! I listened to the audiobook and remember describing the plot to my husband, it’s no wonder he thinks I’m a little wierd.
Bahahaha – I laughed out loud picturing your maniacal laughter at 5-a-day when here you have a nice little 10-a-day dish right in front of you
I am with you Mama Pea. Hunger Games is disturbing it. Did I read it? Yes, it was for book club and then I was the ONLY one totally appalled by it. It’s incredibly disturbing and kinda disturbing how popular it is. I will say it is well written but that’s all I can say.
It remind me a lot of the play Pillowman where the question the role of the author in writing graphic violence and disturbing plots. And that play is written by a playwright known for his violence (Martin McDonagh). Makes you think!
Expecting Adam by Martha Beck seems more up your alley. I think I added more info in the list of recommendations on FB. That is uplifting.
Glad you enjoyed your vacay!
Thanks! I’ll check out your recommendations. I need some uplifting! (and in more areas than one)
This looks fantastic! I’ll leave out the olives since I can’t stand those little suckers!
WOW! That looks delicious!!
I don’t imagine The Hunger Games being a good beach read yet I still want to read it…not sure how that makes sense to me.
Love the ‘cauliflower rice’ idea!! Looks cool
I’m trying to cut down on the grains/carbs I eat and increase the veggies so cauliflower rice sounds like a winner.
looks great! I tried to make paella last week (http://modernworkinggirl.com/2012/01/13/890/). I have to say, yours is much more colourful!
OMG…this looks amazingly good! If you need a good read, “Lunch in Paris” is great….based on true life, love, AND it has recipes (not vegetarian ones, but nonetheless…you can say its research)
That sounds like my kind of book! Thank you!
Perfect timing! I was looking for something to make for dinner tonight and a Veggie Paella sounds fantastic. Yum!
So, I just made this for lunch, having read the post this AM in bed.
It was really good!
Mine looked nothing like your pictures, but it tasted great. Love that it was so veggie dense.
I did add some chrozo flavored tofu which was nice.
Looking forward to the leftovers!
You crack me up! I have to admit I enjoyed the hunger games but you are right about falling back on trashy magazines….nothing more relaxing.
I have yet to try the cauliflower rice but it’s been on my list. Yours looks so good I must try it soon!
I just got your book today. I LOVE IT! Can’t wait to start making some of the recipes in it. Thanks so much for making REAL recipes that my vegetarian kids (well…my whole family) will love!
Thank YOU! I hope you all really enjoy the book!
Just made this and it turned out delicious! It was definitely lacking some flavor so I added more paprika, cayenne and cumin. Once I added extra seasoning it really felt like we were eating paella! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome! Glad you jazzed it up your own way.
We’re huge on cauli-”rice” as a base for all kinds of stews and curries, but this is quite the creative use for it. Love!
Cauliflower Rice–amazing!!
I’m gonna go look for this in your fridge!
This looks so delicious! Thanks for the vegan encouragement. I need it! Also, whenever we beach vacay, it’s trash magazines all the way. Getting interrupted several times an hour to drink beer can cause problems when reading a novel.
i had to chime in on this one because (a) i LOVED the hunger games, despite the morbid plot (b) i actually laughed out loud at your maniacal laughter (c) i then did the same laughter in my head thinking of the poor spaniards who would drop dead at this vegan-ized version of their signature dish. its pretty much not even close, but i wont tell. no rabbits were harmed and thats a good thing.
as for the cracklin’ cauliflower recipe alluded to above…now THAT is one i will be waiting for with open arms.
Please don’t tell the Spaniards.
I absolutely, positively did NOT see the fascination with Hunger Games. However, I read all 3 books because I can’t stand to not finish a book….. and if it’s a series and I’ve read one, then my OCD insists that I read them all. But anyway. Have you ever read any of Laurie Notaro’s books? Now SHE is funny. I think her sense of humor seems to be a lot like yours! Check her out- her FB posts almost always cause me to spew out whatever I’m drinking.
Back to topic- I will definitely be making this dish- perhaps tonight! I also made the tempeh chili and grand ol’ biscuits the other day and that was a score- but so far, BY far, my favorite of your recipes (next to a constant supply of mmmmmm sauce in the fridge) is the baked oatmeal cranberry bars. Those were beyond spectacular!
Have a great day
Well, because of you, I won’t finish The Hunger Games. I’m so glad you like our recipes! I’m making some more biscuits today.
made this last night.. AMAZING! so simple, so flavorful, so many veggies! thanks for sharing such great recipes and stories, love reading your posts!
I am so glad you made it and loved it!
Looks yummy! I put it at the top of my “to make” list! I need to start eating more veggies anyway…I’m a fruit addict and honestly just forget about them until dinner and then proceed an entire head of broccoli… But I did make your book’s delicious Chocolate Cherry Almond Smoothie this morning with SPINACH–and convinced my mom, a chocolate-covered-cherry-lover, that spinach in smoothies is acceptable.
Oh good! I love that smoothie!
New reader here. Just curious why you would substitute the rice? I am all about substituting veggies for less-healthy ingredients, but would brown rice be bad in paella? With 9 other veggies, why cauliflower instead of rice?
I am definitely going to make this.
No real reason, other than that I bought three heads of cauliflower this week.
Plus I’d seen it done before and wanted to try it!
If you haven’t finished The Hunger Games, be sure that you do. and read the other two in the trilogy
They are my all-time faves! That paella is so colorful, I’m sure it’s delicious.
WHo wants to read serious crap while sitting on the beaches of Hawaii? Here here to trashy magazines, chocolate chips and The Bachelor. Sounds like the story of my life. Wait, does that mean my life is one big vacation? I’ll take it. Thanks for this totally delicious sounding recipe. I kinda love the idea that it contains twice as many vegetables as recommended in a day. Does that mean I can eat it today and skip the veggies tomorrow? Not that I would since I’m fairly certain I bleed broccoli given the mass amounts I consume on a daily basis
Ha ha ha, you made me smile. My life is one big vacation too, if that’s the criteria.
Oh YUM! That looks awesome. I love vegetable-heavy dishes!
I love that this has tons of veggies…can’t do green olives though, so I’ll leave those guys out! Oh, and I only buy trash mags at the airport too, how funny!! I somehow rationalize it that I “never” buy them, but traveling I throw out all the rules, that’s what vacay’s are for!!
I just made this for lunch swapping a few things here and there due to my bf’s refusal to eat select veggies… it was amazing. I also used cilantro instead of parsley (I’m an addict), which goes so well with the lime. Yum. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
My pleasure! Glad you guys enjoyed!
I’m typing this comment with a HUGE bowl of this veggie paella in front of me, and it is deeeeelish. I added mushrooms (because I needed to use them anyway), but otherwise followed your reci”pea.” It’s super filling, incredibly good for you, and so darn pretty. Definitely going to be my lunch tomorrow!
Oh my God I made this today at lunch it was so delicious !
I didn’t expect something this good but since I’m on a diet, I wanted to try cauliflower another way (I don’t usually like it especially the smell)
This is outstanding and I had to make a few changes here and there because I didn’t have everything on hand.
Thank you again !!!!
You are quite welcome! So glad you enjoyed.
This looks amazing!
WOW!
This dish is amazing – who knew cauliflower could act as “rice” so convincingly?!
The inclusion of olives and artichokes hearts? Perfection.
I am far from a vegan, far from a vegetarian, but I absolutely love this recipe (and your blog!)
Thank you, Carrie! I hope you’ll keep coming back
Hello :0)
looks lovely, one quick question, how well does this keep/reheat? am I best dividing everything by 4 to make one serving? or will it keep in the fridge/freezer?
Many thanks,
B x
I wouldn’t freeze it, due to the moisture content of the cauliflower, but I think it would be fine in the fridge for a few days.
I know that recipe creators hate these types of questions, but is the saffron really necessary? I’m just trying to decide if I want to shell out $5 for a few pinches. I’ve never tasted it before so I’m not sure how essential it is to the recipe (which looks incredible, by the way!).
I think it’d still be great without it!
Thanks! I can’t wait to try the cauliflower rice thing!
Thanks for such a great recipe! The whole (non-vegetarian) family loved it!