Hold the rice and give me two scoops of whatever THAT is. Faux RICE.

Written by Elin, with research presented by Coach KC

Illusion is the first of all pleasures. -Oscar WildeCoconut 'Cauliflowered' Rice

Oscar Wilde hit the nail squarely on the head and I have the faux rice to prove it.

I made this recipe for a group of 27 decerning Hawaiian friends and family.  You live in Hawaii, you KNOW how we feel about our white rice.  Take my first born and the dog but DO NOT touch my rice pot.  Over one meal I saw every tentitive fork full turn into a broad 'Are you kidding me?' look of amazment.  "This is not rice, but I do not care", I heard over and over.  Mission accomplished and then some.  I not only found a substtute for rice on our communities plate but low and behold a REPLACEMENT!  

Paleo Coconut ‘riced’ Cauliflower

*Ideally the easiest way to make this dish is with a food processor but a regular box grater or hand held large cheese grater can be used.

Ingredients

Head of cauliflower

3 Tablespoons Coconut oil

2 cups Kale, spinach, or chard-chopped fine

Salt & Pepper

2-3 Tablespoons Coconut butter (See recipe below)

¼ (or to taste) cup mac nuts

Cut cauliflower head into 1/8 ths or smaller depending on the size of your food processor. Process with the shredder blade attached.  Empty into bowl and repeat until all sections are shredded.

Heat 1 Tabelspoon of the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat then add chopped greens. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and sauté until they are wilted and have released a good amount of moisture, about 2 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Place pan back on heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.  Add shredded or ‘riced’ cauliflower to the hot pan and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper.  Stir the cauliflower to evenly coat with coconut oil and then let the mixture cook with out stirring for 2 minutes.  What you are looking for is for a light browning of the cauliflower.  It may take a bit longer depending on your stovetop and type of cookware.  Once the cauliflower begins to lightly brown, add the reserved greens, chopped nuts if using, and coconut butter.  Stir until coconut butter is evenly coating ‘rice’.  Transfer to a serving bowl and gently stir in fresh mint.  Pat yourself on the back for a job well done, and enjoy!

Coconut Butter An example of UNSWEETENED coconut flakes, there are many brands or find in the bulk food bins at the natural food store.

Also know as coconut mana, coconut butter is a crazy delicious option to choose in place of regular nut butters.  It can be purchased from healthfood stores, but it is extremely easy to make for a fraction of the price. Packed with body loving fats, fiber and nutrients, it creates a powerhouse of a snack when paired with your favorite fresh fruit or blended into smoothies. The cheapest option is to purchase the coconut flakes from the bulk section at the healthfood store (make sure not to use the sweetened flakes in the baking isle of a traditional grocery store).  For a smoother spread, add a few tablespoons coconut oil.

Ingredients

About 5-6 cups Unsweetened flake or shredded coconut

2 Tablespoons Coconut oil (optional)

Place coconut into blender and pulse until it no long falls into blades. (if using a high powered blender you can do in one large batch.  If using a traditional blender do in ½ to ¼ batches.)

Using a spatula push coconut down the sides and pulse.  Scrape down sides again and add coconut oil.  Repeat this a s many times a needed until enough friction has been created to begin heating the mixture and it blends freely.  Let mixture run on high until fairly smooth 2-3 minutes.

Cover in a air tight container and store in a dark place.  To cool and it will solidify and be difficult to spread, no worries though just run the closed jar under warm water and it softens right up.

Please think twice about eating RICE! -By Coach KC

Whats wrong with RICE? The most current research says, it's a risk to your health

From the Harvard School of Public Health comes new research. "Eating white rice on a regular basis may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, according to new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) research.

HSPH researchers from the Department of Nutrition—led by Emily Hu, research assistant, and Qi Sun, research associate—reviewed four earlier studies involving more than 352,000 people from China, Japan, the United States, and Australia who were tracked between four and 22 years. The researchers found that people who ate the most rice—three to four servings a day—were 1.5 times more likely to have diabetes than people who ate the least amount of rice. In addition, for every additional large bowl of white rice a person ate each day, the risk rose 10 percent. The link was stronger for people in Asian countries, who eat an average of three to four servings of white rice per day. People in Western countries eat, on average, one to two servings a week.

The study was published in the British Medical Journal March 15, 2012.

White rice has a high glycemic index, meaning that it can cause spikes in blood sugar. Previous research has linked high glycemic index foods with increased type 2 diabetes risk.

For the full article click HERE to go to the Harvard School of Public Health.

Arsnic in RICE?

And if the nutritional risks aren't enough to get your attention, a recent Nov. 2012 Consumer Reports released a report on independent laboratory tests thatfound inorganic arsenic – a known carcinogen – in some 200 rice products purchased in grocery stores across the United States. The admitted point was to pressure the U.S. Food and Drug Administration into setting a safety standard for arsenic in the American food supply, something the FDA has been embarrassingly reluctant to do. 

For the full report in PDF form please click HERE for Arsenic in your food :Our findings show a real need for federal standards for this toxin.

PLEASE THINK TWICE ABOUT EATING RICE!

For a direct link to more recipes and blog with Elin click HERE.