Cauliflower will be a go-to staple vegetable in your low-carb kitchen! 100 grams of raw cauliflower contains only five grams of carbs, three of which are fiber.

Having a substitute rice recipe will be essential and this cauliflower ‘rice’ with red pepper and leeks is delicious and full of flavour. But, be warned, there is a messy part to this recipe, and that is operating the food processor or getting an arm workout with the trusty ol’ grater! Other than the mess, it’s a super quick and easy side to make and it works fantastic with almost any curry.

Process the raw cauliflower in a food processor until it’s a rice-like consistency.

Tools

• Food processor or grater

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head, ±600g
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts), roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red pepper, diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley

Method

1. Break the cauliflower into small florets.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower and leeks until it’s a rice-like size. For best results, do this step in batches. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a grater). Set the ‘rice’ aside.
3. Heat a pan to medium-high and add the coconut oil.
4. Add the garlic and red pepper to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the processed cauliflower and leek and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Once the cauliflower ‘rice’ is cooked, remove it from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.
8. Serve as a side dish or with your favourite curry.

Leeks are mostly sold in bunches of four to six. It can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator and cooked it will last for up to two days in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, leeks don’t freeze well. If you have any leftovers, here are a few ideas:

• Planning on making some roast veggies? Cut them up in large chunks and add them to the mix.
• You can also use leeks in omelettes, quiches or frittatas.
• Leeks can also be used as an onion substitute.
• Usually, only the white and light green parts are used in recipes. If you don’t want to waste the green parts of the leeks, add the green cuts to vegetable or chicken stock.