Older Bolder Life

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Recipe: Vegetables

The Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday: Crispy Verde Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

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We’ve come to really enjoy deeply and creatively flavored cauliflower rice this year, like this Ginger Pecan Cauliflower Rice Pilaf or this Asian Fried Cauliflower Rice. Buying pre-riced, frozen cauliflower makes it even easier, and there are several organic brands widely available (I’ve been buying of late from Costco) which are consistently good and quite tasty.

When a version of this Crispy Verde Cauliflower Rice Pilaf showed up in my feed from Bon Appetit recently, I wondered if there was a way to get riced cauliflower crispy, and set to experimenting a bit (and pestering my friend Chef Libby in Austin). As you cauliflower rice fans know, it does tend to release moisture when cooking, and if you’re not attentive to time and heat, can make your cauliflower rice dish seem a bit soggy.

The trick is to sauté this cauliflower prep twice, once to dry it out a bit, then you rest it on a paper towel-lined plate before crisping it in oil a second time.

This recipe is wonderfully tasty, given the multiple herbs and peppers called for in the sauce; use any combination of green herbs you care too. We’re big cilantro fans, so I skewed this recipe that way, and be generous with the serranos too – the sauce may taste too spicy at first when tasting it alone, but the cauliflower really mellows out the final flavors, as do the two different peas and the green onions.

Note the source recipe used a couple of tablespoons of miso; if you’re avoiding soy, use your favorite umami-rich substitute (I usually reach for tamari, coconut aminos, or tahini). Chef Libby argues that white miso’s taste is so unique, it’s hard to sub, and it does contribute to the final flavors…

Finally, the roasted pistachios add a flavor and texture you don’t often come across, and good feta is always tasty. Don’t be put off by a long set of instructions below, this one’s pretty easy and actually comes together pretty quickly. And wow, this one’s very good.

1 pound bag frozen riced cauliflower OR 1 medium cauliflower, riced

1/2 cup raw pistachios

2 cups cilantro (see note)
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup mint and/or dill
2-4 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, roughly chopped
1/3 cup + 3 tbsp avocado or EV olive oil
Juice of 2 fresh limes (1/4 cup)
2 tbsp white miso or your sub of choice
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp good salt

3/4 cup good feta, crumbled
6-8 ounces sugar snap peas, thinly sliced on diagonal
4-5 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
1/3 to 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional, see note)

1 cup fresh shelled or frozen peas (optional)
Additional good salt to taste

Fire the oven to 350 and toast the pistachios until nicely browned (5-7 minutes); cool, then roughly chop.

Now sauté the cauliflower in a dry nonstick skillet over medium-heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You’re not trying to brown it here, you’re cooking off some of the water in the cauliflower to dry it a bit. Remove to paper towel lined plate when the skillet dries out 7 or 8 minutes in.

Meanwhile, into the blender go the herbs, the chiles, 1/3 cup of your oil of choice, the lime juice, white miso (or sub of choice), water, and salt. Blend until smooth, and taste for salt and heat. You want this herb mixture to be spicy; the cauliflower tones it down, so you may need another pepper (or two).

Now wipe your skillet clean, add 2-3 tbsp of oil, and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the cauliflower back to the skillet, smoothing it out in a single layer and compressing a bit with a spatula. You’re goal is to crisp and brown the cauliflower here; after a minute or two turn the heat down to medium and DON’T stir for 6-8 minutes until it’s browning and getting crispy.

During the sauté process above, into a clean bowl go the sliced sugar snap peas and green onions (thinly sliced on a diagonal), the crumbled feta, the raisins if using, and the pistachios; toss gently to combine.

When the riced cauliflower is beginning to brown and crisp, add the peas, and cook for another couple of minutes until the peas are just tender.

Finally, stir the cauliflower rice into the vegetable and cheese mixture, stir in the herb drizzle, and toss to combine.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday: Grilled Poppers with Smoked Gouda

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We love to grill around our house, and we love spicy foods from our native Texican cuisine and that of nearby New Mexico.

That said, I have to admit we’ve eaten a lot of jalapeño (and other pepper) poppers over the years, even some back in our pre-Primal/Paleo days that were breaded and deep-fried in the franken oil of the day (dammit).

Like many of you we’ve cleaned up our popper act considerably, and still enjoy them with friends for appetizers and the occasional main course, the most outrageous being a bacon-wrapped, smoked pulled pork and cheddar popper bomb that we served at a party a few years back.

As we lean these days toward more simple preparations (most of the time) that highlight great ingredients, a few days ago I made these Grilled Jalapeño Poppers with Smoked Gouda to accompany an artisanal chicken sausage I’d run across at our favorite market here in the city. Don’t skip adding the fresh ground pepper to the cheese mixture by the way – it adds a great flavor point and interesting texture too.

Hot off the grill, sprinkled with a coarse sea salt, drizzled with fresh lime juice and just a little of a very nice California extra virgin olive oil, and finally sprinkled with fresh cilantro, these were probably the best popper we’ve ever crafted in our kitchen. Gouda is such a wonderful cheese, the smoked version adds a nifty touch, and it’s a great melter.

Many thanks to Chef Libby in Austin; it pays to have a genius friend in the professional kitchen.

18-20 large jalapeño and Fresno chiles
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 and 1/2 cups smoked Gouda, finely grated
1-2 tsp fresh coarsely ground pepper
Salt to taste

Optional
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime quarters
A light drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil

Cut the washed peppers in half lengthwise but leave connected at the stem end; using a grapefruit spoon, scrape out the seeds and membranes from the peppers.

Combine the room-temperature cream cheese and grated Gouda in a bowl; add a little salt and grind in the fresh pepper. Mash it up well, then carefully spoon the filling into the peppers, taking care not to overstuff and closing the peppers back together when they’re full. They’ll hold together better cooking if you throw them in the fridge for an hour or two.

Fire the grill (live fire is best!).

Now place the peppers on the grill over direct heat and cook for at least three minutes per side; you’re looking to soften the peppers and have them begin to brown (charring a little is fine) and have the cheese melt inside.

Pull the peppers, sprinkle with the cilantro, spritz with the fresh lime quarters, and go to it (I like to add a little more coarse salt too!).

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Veg Wednesday: Asian Fried Cauliflower Rice

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Count me among those who considered rice a staple growing up; around our household it was white rice. My grandmother made a wonderful rice pilaf and Cajun-styled dirty rice, and ever since I tasted a Tex-Mex inspired spanish rice at an elementary school “girlfriend’s” family ranch party in the pasture (replete with a plywood wooden dance floor and two crusty old fiddlers), we’ve been making that same Tex-Mex rice at home.

I should note that rice was a staple up until about four years ago.

Going full on Primal/paleo back then, rice was interestingly one of standby carbs that I initially missed the most. Like most of you, those cravings fairly quickly subsided, and having been eating keto now for just about a full year, the thought of eating conventional white rice hasn’t ventured anywhere near our menu plan in quite a while.

Admittedly we were a little slow to warm up to the cauliflower rice movement, though after some cajoling and coaching from our friend Chef Libby in Austin, and playing around with some better recipes and techniques, we’re now zealots for a well-spiced, flavorful cauliflower rice dish.

There are host of great recipes out there, and this Asian Fried Cauliflower Rice version is an amalgam of some of our favorites, and pulls in some of the defining features of the Americanized-version of fried rice that many of us have enjoyed at Chinese eateries over the years (like a bit of diced carrot, and peas), though packs in much more flavor and spice, including using a generous handful of fresh herbs. (I like this one with a big dollop of sriracha like in the image below.)

Fried rice is a great way to dress up leftover proteins (I really can’t think of one that wouldn’t work), and another great reason to keep a bag or two of cauliflower rice in the freezer for use at any time. The bacon works very well here, and the eggs are a classic touch as well.

Finally, if you have a mini-food processor or chopper, it’s a cinch to mince the garlic and ginger (maybe a jalapeno or serrano too), though grating on a microplane grater is uber-easy too. We think the both the fish sauce and toasted sesame oil are essentials, you make the call.

1 medium head cauliflower, riced, or 1 lb bag prepared riced cauliflower

4-5 slices thick-cut bacon, thinly sliced OR other meat (see above)
2 large pastured eggs

1 small onion or 2 shallots, diced small
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise, then cut into small slices
4-5 ounces fresh mushrooms, stemmed, trimmed, thinly sliced
1.5 inches of fresh ginger, minced or grated (see above)
1 large garlic clove, minced or grated (see above)

2-3 green onions, trimmed, green and white parts, thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
2 tbsp Thai basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
1 tbsp or more good fish sauce
1 tbsp or more coconut or rice vinegar
1 tbsp or more toasted sesame oil

Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Optional
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 or more jalapenos or serranos, minced
Sub riced broccoli for part of the cauliflower
Add a handful of chopped baby spinach or kale
Thai-style chili paste or sriracha
Bean sprouts, more cilantro or basil to add at service.

Prep the cauliflower if starting with fresh; you’ll speed your kitchen time to prep all the vegetables and herbs as well. Gently whisk the eggs in a cup/bowl.

Sauté the bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy; remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; quickly cook the whisked eggs until firm, then remove to a plate/cutting board and cut into thin strips.

Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the onions (or shallots) and carrots to the pan, once they begin to soften add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have given off their moisture and begun to caramelize a bit. Add the ginger and garlic, along with a shake or grind of salt and pepper, and cook for another minute or so until you can really smell the ginger.

Now add the cauliflower, along with another shake/grind of salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring now and again, until the cauliflower begins to tenderize (you don’t want it mushy).

Now add half the green onions, the chopped herbs, the tamari or coconut aminos, fish sauce, vinegar if using, chopped egg, and the toasted sesame oil. Add the frozen peas now if using, as well as the chopped spinach or kale.

Stir quickly as all the add-ins get warm, taste for salt and pepper, adjusting as needed. Stir in the bacon and egg, then sprinkle the rest on top at service, along with the remainder of the green onions, and additional cilantro or basil as desired.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Veg Tuesday: Slow Roasted and Grill Finished Cabbage

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We’re big cabbage fans around our camp; cabbage is incredibly versatile, can either be a supporting player or the star of the show, is hardy, stores well, and readily available for most of us around the country.

When this recipe popped up in Garden and Gun’s feed a few months back, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first, though finishing vegetables on the grill, or just plain grilling vegetables is pretty much always a great prep, and done right, wins over even the pickiest eaters.

We cooked this up yesterday afternoon, and it was amazing to say the least. We’re real-wood fire people in our grill and smoker worlds, and using a very good butter also pushes this dish over the top.

1 medium-sized cabbage, loose outer leaves removed, stem trimmed flat
2-3 tbsp good butter
1 medium lemon, quartered

Optional toppings
Finely chopped chives or thinly sliced green onions
Toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds
Your favorite spice mix

Preheat the oven to 300, then roast the cabbage whole on a foil-lined baking sheet until a small knife can easily penetrate to the core, roughly 2 hours.

Remove from the oven, fire your grill, and melt the butter.

When the cabbage is cool enough to handle, peel away the dark outer leaves until down to less-brown layers, cut into quarters, brush with the butter and dust with any spice or spice mix you’re using, and grill until slightly charred and well marked (won’t take long).

Pull from the grill, brush once more with the butter, spritz with the lemon, and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Tuesday Veg 5 March: Ginger Pecan Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

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Our friend Chef Libby down in Austin has been playing around with cauliflower rice pilaf recipes over the past few weeks, working on something with a bit of Texas flair for some events on her spring calendar coming up.

In Texas, that means of course incorporating pecans instead of the classic pilaf sliced almonds, and to her palate ginger seems to play very well with the butter (or ghee) toasted pecans.

Her team has been using the organic pre-riced cauliflower in 5-cup bags from Costco for some of their experiments in her kitchen, and I’ve sized the following recipe down to fit that or a medium-sized cauliflower head you rice yourself.

Libby notes the fresh ginger really makes this recipe pop, though I made a recipe yesterday with powdered ginger (no fresh ginger in the house!) and it was delicious. You’ll want to try this one; it’s tasty, spot on in terms of macros, and presents very well for impressing the family or guests at the table.

1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and riced, see notes above
5-6 green onions, green and white parts separated
3-4 tbsp butter or ghee
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1-2 tbsp finely chopped ginger (or 1/2 to 1 tsp ground ginger)
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Good salt to taste

Optional
Alternative spices: Garlic, cinnamon, your call
3-4 tbsp chopped golden raisins OR
1-2 chopped medjool dates

Rice your cauliflower if using fresh. Prep the green onions: trim and clean, chop the white parts, then thinly slice the green stems on a steep angle and set aside.

Melt 2 tbsp of the butter/ghee over medium heat, and sauté (toast) the pecans until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from the heat, stir in the ginger and red pepper flakes, sprinkle with salt, then scrape into a large bowl.

Into the same skillet goes the remainder of the butter/ghee over medium-high heat, then the white parts of the onions; sauté for several minutes until just beginning to caramelize around the edges. Add the cauliflower, and raisins or dates if using, drop the heat down a notch, and cook for 4-5 minutes (longer if using frozen) until the cauliflower is just beginning to get tender.

Now scrape the cauliflower onion mixture into the bowl with the nuts, stir to mix, and adjust the salt to taste. Top artfully with the sliced onion greens and go to it.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday: Green Chile Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

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Having spent a fair amount of our respective childhoods and later married life wandering around the Southwest, particularly New Mexico and Colorado early on, my wife and I developed a genuine love for green chiles, particularly those grown in abundance in New Mexico.

We’ve accumulated a host of recipes over the years featuring those chiles, and often work them into other recipes where you might not expect to find them, like this Green Chile Cauliflower Mac and Cheese inspired casserole.

There are host of similar recipes floating around, and we’ve come to appreciate this one in particular for several reasons. Roasting the cauliflower (instead of microwaving as is commonly done) adds a layer of caramelized flavor (we opt for shorter roasting times to give the cauliflower a bit more tooth), the coconut milk adds just a hint of tropical undertones and a load of healthy fats, and the green chiles bring their magic to the dish.

You can of course vary the cheese to suit you, add bacon (we almost always do), and we’ll even caramelize onions to throw on top too. Try a batch with the chopped pickled jalapenos sprinkled on as well…

8 cups cauliflower, chopped to uniform size (mid-sized head)
2 tbsp avocado oil or EVOO
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

1 cup full-fat coconut milk
6 ounces full fat cream cheese, room temp
1-2 tbsp hot sauce of choice
1-2 tsp Dijon or Creole mustard
1 tsp salt
4-5 ounces mozzarella, grated/shredded
4-5 ounces Monterrey jack, pepper jack, or cheddar cheese, grated/shredded
4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
1-2 ounces cheese of choice, grated/shredded, for topping

Optional
Caramelized onions
2-4 slices crispy bacon, crumbled
1-2 tbsp finely chopped chives
Chopped pickled jalapenos

Fire the oven to 425.

Prep the cauliflower, sprinkle with the oil, salt, and pepper, and roast for 15-25 minutes (see above, we like ours with a bit more tooth). Set aside to cool and turn the oven down to 350.

Meanwhile, combine the coconut milk, cream cheese, hot sauce, mustard, and tsp of salt in a medium saucepan; heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in the green chiles, and set aside.

Once the components have cooled sufficiently to not melt the cheese immediately, combine the roasted cauliflower, the coconut milk mixture, and the 2 larger piles of cheese. Add the bacon if using, and stir to combine.

Spoon the mixture into a glass baking dish (we use and 8×8), cover with foil, and bake for 45-50 minutes until bubbling. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 2 ounces of cheese and the caramelized onions if using, then back into the oven for 10-15 minutes more. You can certainly fire the broiler to melt and brown the additional cheese as well (4-5 minutes).

Let rest for a few minutes before topping with the chives and chopped pickled jalapenos just before serving.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 16 January: Grilled Cabbage, Jalapeno, and Onions

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For the next several days here in North Texas we’re about to enjoy a reprieve from winter (such as it is down this far South); we’re adjusting our menu accordingly, breaking out the grill and pondering several nifty grilled protein options.

One of the things my lovely wife asked for was this Grilled Cabbage, Jalapeno, and Onion dish; you could call it a side, a salad, or probably even a slaw.

Grilled vegetables are ridiculously tasty and in reality shockingly easy to prepare; you might not have grilled much cabbage before, if not, this recipe will be one you’ll come back to again and again.

There’s nothing overly fancy about the simple lime, onion/shallot, cilantro, and oil “dressing” here, you could of course substitute any favorite vinaigrette in here (maybe a warm vinaigrette with bacon…).

As always, consider this a starting point; it would probably be great with grilled endive or radicchio, a quarter of red cabbage, different peppers, and even grilled avocados…

1 medium head of green cabbage, core intact, quartered
2 medium sweet onions, halved, root end intact
3-4 jalapeno peppers, stem intact
1-2 bunches green onions, trimmed
6 tbsp avocado oil (or EVOO)
Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper

1/3 C fresh lime juice (or more)
1/4 to 1/2 small red onion or large shallot, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Fire your trusty grill (or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat).

Prep the cabbage, sweet onions, jalapenos, and green onions, then drizzle with 4 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until well marked/charred, 3-4 minutes for scallions, 5-7 for the peppers, and 10-12 for the cabbage. Remove from the grill when done, and cool slightly.

Now cut the peppers, green onions, and sweet onions into bite-sized pieces; core the cabbage quarters and cut into bite-sized pieces, place everything in a large bowl.

Toss to combine the vegetables, then add the red onion (shallot), lime juice, 2 remaining tbsp of oil (may want more), and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir to combine well.

Serve immediately or hold in the fridge for a few hours.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 2 January: Fasolakia (Greek-Style Green Beans)

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I’m almost ashamed to admit that my lovely wife and I had never truly tasted genuine Fasolakia (Greek-style green beans) until a couple of years ago, at a then newly discovered wonderful little family-owned Greek place in a nearby town.

The tender green beans, coated with a rich, tomatoey, and well-spiced sauce became a favorite and often were part of a Greek gyro salad dinner for us in the months following our discovery. The restaurant is owned and managed by a charming Greek immigrant in his late 70s; he’s working every single day we venture in, and always welcoming and chatty.

I finally pestered him for the spices used in their version of this dish, and he rattled off the list below, including the admonition to use “lots of garlic and oregano”, and to not forget the spritz of fresh lemon juice at the end.

We also follow his technique of simmering for 15 minutes on the stovetop and then braising in the oven to finish, though you’ll find lots of recipes that complete the entire process on the stovetop. And while we most often prefer to use fresh vegetables, this is one recipe where frozen green beans work like a charm.

1.5 lb fresh green beans, or bout 8 cups frozen green beans (2 small bags)
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp avocado oil or EVOO
1 medium onion, trimmed, grated
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 tbsp good dried oregano (maybe a bit more)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 14.5-ounce cans organic diced tomatoes
3 tbsp organic tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Good salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
Optional: 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

Preheat your trusty oven to 300.

Heat 1/4 cup of your oil of choice in a dutch oven or oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion (and any onion juice that’s collected while grating). Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the onion has softened and is just beginning to color and the liquid has reduced a bit.

Sprinkle in the dried oregano, cumin, and the garlic, sauté for another minute or so, then add the green beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, along with at least a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook (uncovered) for 15 minutes, stirring several times. Now cover and pop into the oven for another 30-40 minutes (check halfway through to see if you need to a little water). When the beans are tender, stir in at least another tbsp of oil, 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and the parsley. Adjust seasonings and serve hot.

Enjoy.