[Winter warmer with added chopped apple, vanilla and cinnamon.]
So yes, I imagine you might be wondering about this recipe given its title.
Let me start by saying, I grew up as someone who enjoyed a very conventional diet. In fact, I could have been the poster child for the Standard American Diet.
Lucky Charms, Cap’n Crunch and Froot Loops for breakfast? Check.
[Swirly with an almond butter drizzle, toasted pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and a cinnamon protein ball.]
McDonald’s shakes, burgers, fries, ice cream sundaes and those little boxes of fake chocolate chip cookies every day after high school? Check.
[Shades of beige and brown: topped with a sunflower seed butter swirl, Brazil nuts, coconut flakes, golden berries and cinnamon.]
Dinners of Chef Boy-R-Dee Ravioli, Swanson TV Dinners, Kraft Dinner (ie Macaroni and Cheese for those of you in the US), or franks and beans? Triple Check.
(You see, even though my mom was a home cook who made most things from scratch, we kids loathed her cooking. So we got what we preferred, or else we made our own–hence the franks and beans).
If you had told me in my 20s that I’d end up studying holistic nutrition and run a business around following a highly restrictive anti-candida diet, I would have looked at you like you’d just landed from Saturn (Mars seems too close for how “out of this world” those ideas would feel!).
[Iconoclastic bowl topped with hemp hearts, goji berries and a sprinkle of spirulina.]
In fact, before nutrition school, the oddest vegetable I’d ever eaten was celery. My mom didn’t even have radishes in the house, let alone kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, fresh fennel, daikon, or any of my other current favorites.
So I can relate when you look at the title, “Cauliflower Porridge” and think, “Ewwww! Gross! Is she nuts?? Ptooey!”
But I assure you, none of the above (though my hubby might politely disagree about my being a wee bit nuts).
[Simple swirl of almond butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.]
Even with all my healthy eating behind me, I still hesitated to try this porridge. I mean, it’s made of cauliflower!
Sure, cauliflower rice is nice, and cauliflower pizza crust is fine, but porridge? I mean, porridge is a breakfast food. It’s supposed to be sweet. And sweet cauliflower sounds gross (though, come to think of it, sweet and sour versions do abound).
But I listened to my instagram pals who’d been making it before me, and made sure to follow instructions exactly (ie, you MUST steam and freeze it first; and you MUST use full-fat coconut milk).
I pureed, heated, mixed, and then, with great trepidation, I tasted. And. . . .
Holy cow, this stuff is amazing!! I’m totally addicted! I’ve been making my version of cauliflower porridge almost every morning so far this winter, and couldn’t be happier.
This porridge is thick, creamy, substantial, filling, warming and utterly delicious.
[Dramatic Black Forest bowl topped with brownie crumbs, sugar-free chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of beet powder.]
Much like conventional porridge, its taste on its own is fairly neutral, so you can dress it up with toppings or fruit fillings and enjoy it pretty much any way you please (to wit, all the different variations pictured here!).
And the beauty of it all? It’s grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free and optionally nut-free.
If you’ve been trying to eat healthier but finding the options out there don’t appeal to you, give this Ultimate Cauliflower Porridge a try. Then come back and let me know what you think. 🙂
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[Classic bowl with berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon.]
The Ultimate Cauliflower Porridge
If you love oatmeal for breakfast, this porridge is a great grain-free alternative. It’s got the same creaminess, the same warming, filling nature and a lovely, rich, neutral flavor that can be dressed up with toppings of choice (or not). Plus, if you have frozen cauliflower on hand, it comes together in a flash.
Per serving:
1-1/2 to 2 cups (360-480 ml) frozen cooked cauliflower florets (homemade or purchased)
1/3 cup (80 ml) full fat canned coconut milk
1/2-2/3 cup (120-160 ml) plain or vanilla unsweetened almond, cashew, rice or other nondairy milk of choice
1 heaping Tbsp (20 ml) plain or vanilla grain-free protein powder
2 tsp (10 ml) psyllium husks
Pinch fine sea salt
1 Tbsp (15 ml) xylitol, Lakanto, or other dry sweetener of choice (you can sub with stevia as well)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) nut or seed butter of choice (optional)
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon, optional
In a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients and blend until perfectly smooth. It should be quite thick, almost as thick as soft-serve ice cream. Transfer to a small pot.
Heat and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Stir constantly until it darkens somewhat and thickens up. If it’s too thick for your taste, add a few tablespoons of water until desired consistency is reached.
To serve, pour into a bowl and top with whatever toppings appeal to you (I love some nut or seed butter, hemp hearts, goji berries or coconut). Makes one serving.
Variation: replace about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cauliflower with orange squash or sweet potato. Mmm!
Suitable for: ACD All stages; refined sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, optionally nut-free, yeast-free, vegan, low glycemic.
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How do you cook your cauliflower so it is not watery? Is that why frozen works well?
Does it taste / smell like cauliflower?
Second, what protein powder do you like? Can you use collagen?
Thank you for all the great ideas!
Holly, I’ve boiled it at times or steamed it–both are good. I’m not sure what it is, but I guess some of the “cauliflower” essence is removed when it’s cooked? That way, it doesn’t smell/taste like cauliflower (to me, anyway–and I’m pretty sensitive to it). I think you need a flavored protein powder–I like SunWarrior and Vega as my two top favorites. But any one should do! 🙂
Thank you! I will try it when the family is out…
They object to the smell!
I guess reheating it allows you to thicken it up.
It does get thicker the more you reheat it. 🙂
Just a quick question…. what can i use instead of coconut milk? I had an issue a while back (scratchy throat) with coconut, as I did with almonds, peanuts, and cashews. My gut isn’t well enough to “test it out” again. I really miss the coconut stuff….it’s used in just about every recipe and it’s a bit discouraging not being able to use that ingredient!
I’m still having issues when I eat most veggies. Despite taking digestive enzymes before eating, by late evening I have the most gross gas. I have tried to find out why by researching but I can’t seem to find anything.
Hi Robin,
For this recipe, I’m not sure of what would be a good substitute. I tried it with multiple other milks and none was creamy and rich enough or was able to mask the cauliflower flavor effectively. You could certainly try any other milk you like, but I can’t promise the results will be the same. If you consume regular dairy cream, you might try that. . . or one of the cream substitutes that you can buy in a carton. Hope that helps!
Have been looking forward to this recipe! What a great way to sneak in some veggies on a winter morning (especially instead of a smoothie).
Thanks, Sarah! I agree–so much nicer to have a warm, soothing bowl of porridge than a cold smoothie in winter!! Hope you love it. 🙂
I do not consume any dairy. I have never seen a cream substitute in a carton. Odds are there is something in there that I can’t have. But I would definitely like to check some out. I looked in my local grocery store and they have nothing. Can you give me a few brand names so I can look them up? When I googled cream substitute it just gives me recipes (for things I can’t eat)
I don’t use cream substitutes, but I’d try Silk brand if it were me. Hope that helps.
That would be awesome! ( if I weren’t allergic to nuts and soy. There is usually something significant in the recipe and the substitutes that I can’t have. Ya see why it’s so frustrating for me to find any good recipes? LOL!)
Totally understand. I do work with people one-on-one to create custom recipes for them and teach them how to cook/eat within their own specific dietary restrictions. I’d love to work with you on that to get you back to loving your food! You can find out more here and go from there. Good luck!