PERFECT CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST

The Secret To Perfect Cauliflower Pizza Crust

ORIGINAL POST FOUND HERE 

By Megan, on January 18th, 2012

Pizza has to be one of my favorite meals EVER.

 Gooey cheese, chunky tomato sauce… I’m already drooling.
But since traditional pizza is mis-combined, thank goodness for whoever came up with the idea of making a cauliflower-based pizza crust. Now we can have our crust AND cheese, and eat it, too! All without feeling sluggish and greasy afterward.
You may remember that I’ve tried my hand at a cauliflower crust before. It was fine, but definitely more egg-y than traditional pizza crust—> and it certainly couldn’t be picked up by hand!
Luckily for us, Doris has taught me the secret to making perfect cauliflower pizza crust.

 The kind you can pick up with your hands.
The kind that will fool your family.
The kind you’ll want to eat again and again!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
makes 1 large crust
Recipe courtesy of Doris Choi
Ingredients:
4 cups cauliflower rice, steamed and strained
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup soft goat cheese (chevre)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of salt
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400F, then get to work on your crust.
Step 1: Begin by making your cauliflower “rice.”
Simply pulse batches of raw cauliflower florets in a food processor, until a rice-like texture is achieved.

Step 2: Steam & Strain the rice.

Fill a large pot with about an inch of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the “rice” and cover; let it steam for about 4-5 minutes. Drain into a fine-mesh strainer.
Now here comes the secret:
Once you’ve strained the rice, transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel.

 Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEEEEEEZE all the excess moisture out!
It’s amazing how much liquid will be released, which will leave you with a nice and dry pizza crust.
–
Step 3: Make & Shape the dough.
In a large bowl, mix up your strained rice, beaten egg, goat cheese, and spices.
Don’t be afraid to use your hands! You want it very well mixed.

 It won’t be like any pizza dough you’ve ever worked with, but don’t worry– it’ll hold together!
Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It’s important that it’s lined with parchment paper!)

 Keep the dough about 1/3″ thick, and make the edges a little higher for a “crust” effect, if you like.
–
Step 4: Bake!
Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400F.

 The crust should be firm, and golden brown when finished.
–
Step 5: Load on the Toppings!
Now’s the time to add all your favorites– sauce, cheese, and any other toppings you like.

 This goat mozzarella is ridiculously good, without a “goat-y” flavor.

 Time-Saving Tip: I recommend making a double-batch of cauliflower pizza crusts–> make one for now, and save one for later. After baking the crusts and adding the toppings, wrap up the whole pizza in foil, and FREEZE it for a quick “frozen pizza” to enjoy another night! Simply thaw and bake at 400F, as directed below, until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Return the pizza to the 400F oven, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, just until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
Then slice and serve immediately!

 There is something so comforting to me about eating retangular-shaped pizza slices.

 It’s reminiscent of cafeteria pizza… only WAY better.
Hope you try this the next time a pizza-craving strikes!

GARLIC CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients:

* 1 small head of cauliflower
* 1 tablespoons virgin olive oil
* 2 large cloves garlic-minced
* 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
* Dash paprika (optional)
* Pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large kettle, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
2. Trim cauliflower and break into flowerets.
3. Drop into boiling water and cook about 2 minutes.
4. Drain in a colander.
5. In a large, non-stick skillet, heat oil and toast garlic.
6. Add cauliflower and sesame seeds and saute for 1 minute.
7. Dust with paprika and pepper before serving (optional).

Makes 4 Servings

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 76
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1 Fat

CAULIFLOWER POPPERS

CAULIFLOWER POPPERS

Cauliflower Poppers

1 small head cauliflower
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder, or more to taste
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbls oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower florets into grape-sized pieces and toss with oil. (There should be about 4 cups.) Place cauliflower in a medium bowl; add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and toss well to coat.

Coat baking sheet with foil. Spread cauliflower on sheet and bake until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy, stirring halfway through, about 15-20 minutes.

The whole recipe has 14g of carbs and 

6.6g of fiber for 

7.4 net carbs.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Description

Use grated Cauliflower to make a low carb pizza crust!
This recipe really assumes you understand how to make a pizza. This is just a crust recipe - it's up to you to actually put toppings on it.
Taken from here.

Ingredients

Recipe includes base + 1 of the spice mixes

Recipe Base

• 1 cup cooked, grated cauliflower
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Original Spice Mix

• 1/2tsp fennel
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp parsley

My Spice Mix #1

• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 t garlic salt
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. If using frozen cauliflower, cook in microwave using as little water as possible. If using fresh cauliflower, roast in oven at 350 for 30 minutes (This could probably be microwaved, as well, but I haven't tried it). Do NOT boil to cook - this adds entirely too much water.
2. Use a food processor or cheese grater to grate the cauliflower. Some variations of this recipe mention using a potato ricer, but it doesn't work so well.
3. Mix the grated cauliflower + cheese + egg. I added my spice mix into the base mix. You can also sprinkle it on top.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes (15-20+ minutes for double recipe)
5. Pull pizza out, let pizza crust cool to solidify a bit - not nessicary, but makes the crust more solid - this'll take ~20 minutes.
6. Add toppings and broil until the cheese is melted on top. This could also be baked, but that will take longer and potentially make the crust soggier.
7. Enjoy!

Notes

• Moisture is the enemy here. Too much moisture makes the recipe too flimsy. It's completely edible, it's just not as stiff as it could be.
• This recipe could just make breadsticks, or rolled thin and made into 'noodles' for lasagna or tortillas.
• I made this recipe with dehydrated cauliflower and it turned out quite nicely. I doubled the recipe and used 1/2 cup of dried cauliflower and 3 eggs instead of 2. I ended up putting about 2/3 cup of water in with the cauliflower.

serves 4- 6 for one recipe (10" pizza) not including toppings:

For 6, per serving:
calories: 73 calories
effective carbohydrates: 1.5
total carbohydrates: 2
fiber: 1
protein: 5 grams
fat: 4 grams

For 4, per serving:
calories: 108
effective carbohydrates: 2
total carbohydrates: 3
fiber: 1
protein: 7 grams
fat: 6 grams

GERMAN CAULIFLOWER SALAD

German Cauliflower Salad

Ingredients:

16 ounces frozen cauliflower
4 slices bacon, chopped, cooked until crisp
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the cauliflower until very tender; drain and chop in bite-size pieces. In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, parsley, pickle juice, salt and pepper. Stir in the cauliflower until well coated. Add the bacon and mix in. Serve warm or cold. To serve warm, heat on a low power setting in the microwave, but don't let it boil.

Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
132 Calories; 
12g Fat; 
3g Protein; 
5g Carbs; 
2g Fiber; 
3g Carbs; 

3 WW points

CHEESY CHICKEN CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER

Cheesy Chicken Caulflower Chowder

 

This is a thick and substantial chowder that is comfort food at it's best. You could leave out the chicken and add more cauliflower for a warm and filling vegetarian meal. Serve with hot

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
3 cups chopped cauliflower (about 1 head)
Two 14-ounce cans, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Splenda
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 cups cubed cooked chicken - rotisserie chicken is perfect
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil and butter until soft. Add carrots, cauliflower, broth, Splenda, nutmeg, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add chicken and heat through. In a small bowl combine flour and milk until smooth. Add to chicken mixture. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese and cheddar. Stir until melted.

Makes 8 servings.
Per Serving:
Calories 222;
Fat 9 g;
Carbs 7 g;

Protein 22 g

BROCCOLI WOCCOLI

Broccoli Woccoli
Use with a bag of pre-shredded broccoli & cauliflower; makes this recipe super quick.
INGREDIENTS
16 ox bag of pre-shredded Broccoli & Cauliflower (4 cups)
2/3 cup light whipped salad dressing (do not use fat free mayo for this recipe)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 tsp Splenda
2 tbsp bacon bits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (low fat)
1 large cut up apple - firm and tart
Parsley, salt, and other spices you like with veggies. I sometimes use a little paprika.
DIRECTIONS
Mix all the ingredients except the bag of shredded broccoli & cauliflower.
Pour mixture over the broccoli & cauliflower. Mix well. Refrigerate for several hours.
Divide into small containers for easy snacks or server the next day for a wonderful salad with dinner.
This tastes best after one day in the refrigerator!
Will last up to 5 days in the fridge.


Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 60

Total Fat:	2.6g
Total Carbs:	6.2g
Dietary Fiber:	0.9mg
Protein:	2.3g

CHEESY CAULIFLOUR SOUP

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped green onion
4 cups chicken broth
2 packages (8 ounces each) fresh cauliflowerets
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups shredded pepper-Jack cheese (6
ounces)
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce 

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add green onions and saute about 3
minutes or until tender. Add 3 cups broth; bring to boiling. Add cauliflowerets; return to
boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 6 minutes or until cauliflower is almost
tender.
2. Whisk together flour and remaining 1 cup chicken broth in a small bowl. Stir into
saucepan. Bring to boiling; cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes or until soup is
thickened.
3. Remove soup from heat. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in roasted red peppers,
salt if using and hot-pepper sauce, breaking up red peppers with a wooden spoon.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories: 294
Protein: 15 g
Fat: 15 g
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Fat

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Cauliflower Soup
 Creamy cauliflower and Parmesan cheese soup with just a hint of sweetness.

Ingredients

1 cauliflower, medium head
2 medium shallots , chopped
3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp light honey
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper

Directions  
1 Put the cauliflower, shallots, and milk in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for approximately 35 minutes.
2 Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. While blending, drop in the cheese and mix until smooth.
3 Blend in the lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts
Makes 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories	157.4
Total Carbs	15.6 g
Dietary Fiber	2.2 g
Sugars	11 g
Total Fat	7 g
Saturated Fat	4.5 g
Unsaturated Fat	2.5 g
Potassium	272.8 mg
Protein	10.2 g
Sodium	420.5 mg
Dietary Exchanges 1/4 Fat, 1 Meat, 1/2 Milk, 1 1/4 Vegetable

CAULIFLOWER POPCORN

CAULIFLOWER POPCORN

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
3 Tbsp
olive oil
2Tbsp
Mrs.Dash Table Blend

Cooking Instructions

(1)preheat oven to 450 degrees F(2)cutout and discard cauliflower core and thick stems.Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of popcorn.(3)toss thoroughly in a bowl with olive oil and Mrs.Dash table blend.(4)spread cauliflower on a sheet pan and roast for approximately 60 minutes or until nicely browned(thats the carmelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness)(5)turn 3 or 4 times during roasting the browner the floerets the sweeter they will taste.serve immediatly. 
serves 8 serving size 3.8 ounces 
prep time 10 minutes 
cook time 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Servings Per Recipe: 1

• Cal.71 %of cal. from fat63%
• Total Fat 5g
• sat.fat1g. unsat fat.4g
• trans fat0g
• Cholestrol 0mg
• Sodium
• 32 mg
• potassium 318mg
• carbs 5g
• fiber 3g
• protein 2g

CAULIFLOWER GRUYERE AU GRATIN

Cauliflower Gruyére au Gratin 

Preparation time: 10 min	Servings: 6
Cooking time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1-1/2 tbsp all purpose flour

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup half and half

1 head cauliflower, leaves trimmed

1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

Cooking Directions:

Place whole cauliflower in 1 inch water in a covered saucepan over medium high heat. Steam 10-12 minutes until almost tender. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When bubbly, stir in flour to combine. Gradually stir in half and half. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and salt and pepper to taste until cheese is melted. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place cauliflower in a buttered casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower. Bake 7-10 minutes until bubbly and top is golden. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 150

% Calories From Fat 72%

Total Fat 12g

Saturated Fats 7.1g

Mono-unsaturated Fats 3.3g

Poly-unsaturated Fats 0.6g

Cholesterol 35mg

Sodium 65mg

Total Carbohydrates 8g

Dietary Fiber 2.5g

Sugar 0.1g

Protein 6.4g

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower, Brown Butter, and Basil

In this easily assembled meal, vermouth-laced brown butter imbues cauliflower with deep flavor, while a basil garnish adds color and freshness. 

Serves 4

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head cauliflower (1 lb.), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (about 4 cups)
1 lb. all-natural (dry-packed) sea scallops
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

---

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil to the skillet. When shimmering hot, add the scallops in a single layer. Cook until golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the scallops are barely cooked through, about 2 minutes more (if you cut into one, it should still be slightly translucent in the center). Transfer to another bowl.

Swirl the butter into the skillet, add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until the shallot softens and the butter begins to brown, about 1 minute.

Add the vermouth and bring it to a boil, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Return the cauliflower to the skillet and season with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower florets are tender, about 6 minutes.

Return the scallops to the pan and toss to heat through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the basil, and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with a simple side: Sauteed Spinach with Shallots.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 300; Fat (g): 17; Fat Calories (kcal): 150; Saturated Fat (g): 5; Protein (g): 21; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 8; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 270; Cholesterol (mg): 55; Fiber (g): 2;