Dr. G's "Rice & Beans"

You know you've been on Gundry for a while when cauliflower sounds like a stick-to-your-ribs kind of food. Cauliflower has become somewhat of a comfort food for me.  When I first read Dr. G.'s recipe for "Rice & Beans", I thought it sounded a little strange. But, when I read it recently, I thought, "sounds delish!" And delish it is!  This is absolutely a stick-to-your ribs meal that won't be mistaken for the real thing, but is no less satisfying and comforting.

Here's the recipe from page 232 of DGDE:

1 head cauliflower

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 chicken or turkey Polish sausages or kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced or chopped

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, such as Emeril's

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano 

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon soy flour

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen shelled edamame (green soy beans)

Sea salt and cracked black peppercorns to taste 

Tabasco or other hot sauce

Cut the cauliflower into pieces and pass through the shredder blade of a food processor or a cheese shredder to form rice-size pieces.  Set aside.  Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, oregano and thyme.  Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and are starting to brown.  Stir in the soy flour.  Add the edamame, and cook for 5 more minutes, or until they are fully warmed.  Add the cauliflower "rice" and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to warm through.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and scoop 1 cup of the mixture into a food processor and pulse until creamy.  Return this paste to the skillet and stir.  Add a little hot water to adjust the consistency; the dish should be quite thick.  Serve in bowls.  Add Tabasco or other hot sauce.

Phase 2: Replace sausages with 4 Boca Burgers or Boca sausages, added along with the edamame.  Serve over sauteed spinach.

Phase 3: Reduce the amount of edamame and Boca "meat" by half, and add 1 (5-ounce) bag of prewashed spinach or 1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, thawed. Serve over raw spinach or romaine lettuce. 

I ran the cauliflower through a food processor.  My "rice" was a combination of pellets and shreds.

I sauteed the sausage, onion, bell pepper, garlic and spices as recommended, but left out the celery - not a fan.  I used two andouille sausages.  You can see my wine and copy of DGDE in the background - my two cooking essentials!

Here's the sauteed mixture with the edamame.  It probably took a little longer than 5 minutes to fully warm all the soybeans.  I used almond flour instead of soy flour - I don't have it on hand.  

Here's my FULL skillet with the sauteed mixture, edamame and rice.  I think I need to put a new, larger skillet on the wedding registry!

My doggie Lou would disagree.  He thinks my skillet is the perfect size for ensuring spill over.  Here he is licking up my mess!

I had to add a little water to make the paste.  I picked out the sausage for this step - pulverized meat just doesn't sound appetizing to me!  

It all came together beautifully and the tabasco was a yummy, spicy addition.

Coming up... a Phase 2 version of this meal with veggie "meat".   I think I also see Jambalaya with cauliflower "rice" in our future.