12 Paleo Cauliflower Recipes That Prove You’re Not Missing a Thing

Sally Jones
Jul 21, 2016

One of the first things you notice once you’ve gone Paleo is that cauliflower heads have taken over your veggie drawer. And that makes you happy, because cauliflower is the versatile vegetable that makes you forget your former comfort foods. Low in carbs and calories but packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, it’s delicious in a silky soup, of course, but it’s also a completely tasty substitute for mashed potatoes, fried rice and pizza crust. And, pro tip: It’s a great thickener for non-dairy sauces. Here are 12 recipes that show why plain old cauliflower is a Paleo powerhouse.

1. Cauliflower Fried Rice: When you find yourself craving fried rice, grain-free cauliflower rice comes to the rescue! The secret ingredient to get that Chinese fried rice flavor is liquid coconut aminos, which has the umami flavor of soy sauce but is completely Paleo — and even Whole30-compliant! Vegan and GF friends will love this one too. (via Little Bits Of)

2. Cauliflower Tikka Masala: This one’s like everyone’s favorite paneer tikka masala, minus the heavy cream and cheese. This GF adaptation has all the curry taste you crave, but it derives its creaminess from coconut milk. Add a drizzle of cashew créme at the end to make it even creamier. (via Vegetarian Gastronomy)

3. Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce: To make this Alfredo taste-alike recipe Paleo, just substitute a sprinkle of yeast flakes for the Parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast has a salty flavor and mouthfeel that’s similar to cheese, and most Paleo eaters — including ThePrimal Blueprint author Mark Sisson — find it compliant. Ladle this divine sauce over morning eggs for a tasty Benedict, or over fish, zoodles or cauliflower rice at dinner. It also makes a delicious white pizza sauce on a grain-free crust. (via Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet)

4. Paleo Shepherd’s Pie: This is everyone’s favorite comfort food that signals to Paleo converts early on that you can do this. Full of savory grass-fed beef and veggies, this shepherd’s pie is topped with a decadent mound of mashed cauliflower. The casserole can be made ahead and frozen. Bonus: Next-day leftovers taste twice as good. (via Foraged Dish)

5. Cauliflower Roasted Red Pepper Soup: This silky soup is simple to make, and *so* satisfying. Coarsely chop red pepper and cauliflower, then roast them in the oven until caramelized. The rest of the recipe comes together quickly in a soup pot and is ready to eat in under an hour. It’s Paleo, vegan and GF. (via Gal on a Mission)

6. Low-Carb Cauliflower Hummus: If it was once a fave go-to food, you’ll at some point find yourself yearning for hummus. This taste-alike is just the thing to crush that craving. Creamy and sesame-nutty, it’s Paleo-friendly, vegan and GF. Scoop it up with red bell pepper chips; one creamy bite, and you’ll swear it’s the real thing. (via I Breathe I’m Hungry)

7. Chicken and Cauliflower Yellow Curry: This spicy and delicious curry bubbles up rich and creamy thanks to coconut milk. Substitute arrowroot flour for the corn starch and serve it over riced cauliflower for a perfectly Paleo meal that’s also GF. (via I Food Real)

8. Kimchi Fried Cauliflower Rice: When you’re craving the combo of spicy kimchi with warm rice and veggies, this will be your go-to. Kimchi is fermented, so it’s loaded with healthy, gut-loving probiotics. Even better, the tangy flavor adds a zing to everything it comes into contact with. This flavorful dish is light, but it really hits the spot. (via In Sonnet’s Kitchen)

9. Cauliflower Rice Fish Taco Bowls: This colorful and delicious fish, paired with avocado and mango, is ridiculously easy to make. Just leave off the yogurt sauce to make it Paleo-compliant. The cauliflower rice is exactly the right accompaniment; feast your eyes and your taste buds! One bite and you’ll feel transported to a tropical island. (via Julie’s Eats & Treats)

10. Tandoori Chicken & Curry Pineapple Cauliflower Rice: This complexly layered dish is so delicious, it will tempt Paleo and non-Paleo guests alike. The oven-roasted cauliflower rice is spicy-sweet thanks to pineapple chunks, curry and coconut oil. Almonds and raisins add just the right chewy crunch too. But the star of the show is the chicken. It’s spiced just right, and *so* tender that it falls right off the bone. (via Well Fed)

11. Easy Roasted Cauliflower: This dish is so basic that you rarely see a recipe for it, but it’s a must-have in your Paleo-cooking repertoire. Any time you’re in need of a quick side dish, grab a head of cauliflower, slather it in a mixture of olive oil and ghee, season with salt and pepper to taste and bake it in a cast-iron skillet until it’s golden brown. You won’t believe the complex caramelized flavor that emerges. Even kids will happily gobble it down. (via Kara Carrero)

12. Coconut Curried Cauliflower Soup: If you love Thai curries, you’ll love this soup. Paleo and vegan, it’s super creamy but dairy-free. You can adjust the heat by using more or less Thai chili paste. (via The Endless Meal)

Are you drooling over these Paleo cauliflower recipes? There’s more where that came from. Follow us on Pinterest.

Not Close With Your Family? Here's How To Have a Joyous And Connected Holiday Season

Last year, some of us celebrated the holidays apart from our families for the first time. COVID has brought with it many changes, some of them arguably positive (like increased flexibility to work from home), some difficult (such as the realization of vastly different political and social views between family and friends), and some horrible (obviously, the health implications of a global pandemic). However, for some of us, celebrating the holidays without family members isn't exclusively due to COVID. In addition to so many of us living in different areas than our families of origin, some of us simply don't have close bonds with the people we grew up around. Sometimes, this can cause loneliness.

If you're not close with your family members, the holidays can be a difficult time. This is doubly true if you don't have a close circle of friends to call upon. But make no mistake, if this sounds like your situation, you're not alone — there are thousands of other people going through the same struggles you are. We sat down with Irad Eichler, founder of Circles, a website that connects people who are sharing similar struggles, like heartbreak, grief, or loneliness. Here are some of Eichler's tips for coping — and even thriving! — during the holiday season when you're not planning on spending it with your family, for one reason or another.

Don't Fall For "Perfect Families" On Social Media

Laura Chouette

The first VERY important step to having a joyous holiday season when you're going it alone is to stop believing the narrative that others' family situations are perfect, Eichler says.

"Remember people only post a moment in time, and only the moments when they look their happiest and best."

In addition to the fact that everything you see on social media is curated for the 'gram, it's also important to remember that by focusing on what others have and you lack, you risk failing to see the great things at play in your own life.

"These holiday periods can become a time of focusing on who and what we don't have, rather than who or what we do, and can cause a negative spiral into depressing and dreadful feelings of inadequacy," says Eichler.

Gratitude is the reason for the season, after all. So instead of only seeing the negative, try some gratitude journal prompts to help you focus on what's actually really wonderful about your life right now.

Make An Effort To Deepen New Connections

Joel Muniz

While it may seem like everyone has friends and family to spend time with during the holiday season, that doesn't mean no one is available for deepening a blossoming relationship or new friendship.

"Make a list of people you can or would like to connect with, and try to reach out to at least one of them," advises Eichler.

Reaching out doesn't have to mean a big plan or an hour-long conversation. Even a quick text letting a friendly coworker know you're thinking about them can go a long way toward deepening the relationship and moving it in the direction of closer friendship.

Don't have an acquaintance in mind? Then it's time to make new acquaintances. What's more in line with the Christmas spirit than attending a Meetup or event full of people eager to make new friends?

"Join groups with similar interests to yours, such as hiking, baking, or games. Push your boundaries and be brave - you might find new people who have much in common with you."

Give Back

Priscilla Du Preez

The holiday season is a great time to focus on giving back to your community, and coincidentally, acts of generosity and kindness are known to reduce loneliness and help people feel happier. One study found that knowing a few of your neighbors and doing small acts of kindness for them — such as cheering them up, listening to them, mowing their lawn, providing advice about local business recommendations and job opportunities, and chatting over the fence — was statistically correlated with feeling less lonely and having a lower risk of depression.

Helping out elderly neighbors can be a particularly gratifying way to give back.

"Notice older lonely people in your neighborhood or community who might have no family at all, and offer to help them," says Eichler. "These can become mutually meaningful connections, and help you 'adopt' a grandparent."

Connect With Others Online

Thought Catalog

Finally, use the Internet for its highest and best purpose: to connect people. Whether you're using Meetup to find in-person events, digital forums for having conversations about special interests, or programs like Circle for getting support from others in your situation, the opportunities to create new connections are practically endless.

"There are many interest groups that can be found digitally, where or any person can connect with others in the same life stage, going through the same challenges, or who would like to explore the same interests," Eichler states. "Meaningful connections can be formed easily in these circumstances. The Internet enables us to find and connect to people all over the world who fit this, and to whom we can become more easily attached, as we are able to find people with the exact interests that energize us."

If you're struggling with loneliness, you're not alone. Connect with our digital community of makers and creatives here at Brit+Co by following us on IG and signing up for our newsletter!

This post has been updated.

relationship advicewellnessfriendshiprelationshipsholidays

Zach Bryan & Brianna Chickenfry's Break Up Is COMPLICATED — Here's What To Know

Zach Bryan and Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia's explosive breakup is everywhere right now. From his seemingly one-sided social media posts to all the bombshell revelations she keeps dropping, it's clear this split is NOT amicable. Both parties are dropping tons of lore, info, and everything in between — including new music?! — right now, so it makes sense if you can't keep up. Luckily, I'm here to help break this breakup down for you! Here's everything you need to know about Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry's relationship...or lack thereof.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

October 22, 2024 – Zach Bryan Announces His Breakup With Brianna Chickenfry

On October 22, 2024, after some recent speculation that Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry split up, Zach took to his Instagram stories. The country star said, "Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with [each other] and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I'll always thank her."

He continued, noting, "I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways. I am not perfect and never will be. Please respect Brianna's privacy and space in this and if you have it in your heart, mine too."

To wrap it all up, he closed by apologizing to his fans. He said, "With everything I am and to anyone I let down, I am sorry. I try my best in everything. I failed people that love me and mostly myself."

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

Brianna hopped on her own Instagram stories shortly there after. She posted, "Hey guys I'm feeling really blindsided right now. Gonna hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately, when I'm ready I'll be back and ready to talk. I love you guys so much thank you for all of your kind words. Remember you are so loved and everything's always gonna be okay 🫶"

The Brianna got on Youtube next, posting a raw, emotional video about the situation. Sitting on the floor of her bathroom, she opened up as much as she could in the moment about her breakup. She said, "I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up. He didn't text me, he didn't call me. I just woke up to a bunch of texts, like, 'Are you okay?'"

Brianna, with her teary eyes and red face, explained she's been crying for "five days straight." She said, "I'm at the point where it's like, how can you give someone everything and love them so unconditionally, like through stuff that you shouldn't because you just love them and you want them... like you see the good in them?"

The internet personality said that this is all "so embarrassing" and "really, really heartbreaking." She elaborated that the couple broke up on October 21, but wanted to process on her own and "didn't want it to be public."

Much like her Instagram story, she told her audience that she'll come back when she's ready.

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

November 7, 2024 — Brianna Claims Zach's Emotionally Abusive, Wanted $12Mil NDA

Well, it appears this week, Brianna decided she's ready. On Barstool Sports' BFF's Pod November 7, 2024, Brianna gave an inside look at the breakup unlike any other. Not only did she claim Zach was abusive, but she also alleged that he offered her a $12 million NDA to "not talk about the relationship."

After saying it's been the hardest year of her life, she said. "I'm still scared right now because I'm scared of him. My brain's rewired and I'm scared to make him mad and last week, I didn't want to talk about it 'cause I was scared."

Brianna then described the alleged emotional abuse. She noted that everything was cyclical and that he would build her up only to break her back down again. "There was always another excuse as to why he was treating me so poorly and why I'm crying myself to sleep every night, why he's screaming at me," she said. "And then you wake up, it's the apology, it's the 'I'm going to be better like I need you in my life,' but if you've been through this — I don't expect people to understand emotional abuse if you haven't been through it. I hope you never have to go through it but if you've been there you know what I'm talking about."

Not only does Brianna allege she was offered an NDA, but she said that other women that came before her had to sign their own agreements. She declined the offer because she didn't want to "sign away [her] experiences and what [she] went through to protect someone that hurt [her]." She also wanted to share this experience for other women who've suffered something similar.

And when it comes to the logistics of losing out on the famous lifestyle and alleged $12 million? She said, "It was never about the money — I was with the dude because I loved the dude."

Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival

November 8, 2024 — Zach Quit Touring Amid Abuse Allegations

On November 8, 2024, Zach posted on Instagram — where he clearly loves to share all his big news — that not only is his new single "High Road" out today, but that he's also ending his tour early. Read his full statement here:

After not being home for a year and a half I drove out to my mothers gravestone in the dead of night a few days back on familiar Oklahoma roads and I came to realize just like in the past, that she never would call me again

Told her I quit touring because I got accepted to get my masters in Paris next year, I told her I was back in Oklahoma, told her about all my best friends in New York and all the nights we howled with the moon, told her about the immeasurable laughter my band and me have shared these last five years, all the calluses on my finger tips, every tear shed, told her about making it on The Rolling Stone and most importantly told her about porch swinging with my beautiful sister.
I wrote the chorus for this song a month or two back and finished it when I realized I was blessed with all these things.

I figured it was about time I released it.

Thank you guys for listening to ‘This Worlds a Giant’ last night and thank you to all the people who love me; who have truly carried the weight with me.

Seems that all these Quiet Dreams have gotten much too heavy but I’m home now and I’ll hold you through the pain.

High Road is out today and I appreciate all of you"

Looking to stay up-to-date on all your fave celebs? Follow us on Facebook for more!

celebritiescelebrity newscelebrity breakupscelebrity couples

83 Budget-Friendly Finds Under $30 That'll Have You Gifting Ready This Season

Discover 83 Amazon products under $30 that are nothing short of pure gold. From stylish fashion finds to the latest beauty trends, these steals offer exceptional value without compromising on quality. We always ask, what's better than the perfect gift? Well, it's the gift that also doesn't break the bank! We're confident you'll find something in here to at least appease a few loved ones this holiday season.

Thanks for reading about our favorite finds from across the internet! FYI: We participate in affiliate programs and may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.