Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. “It” in this case being cauliflower used as a replacement for flour in pizza crust, mashed as a substitutes for potatoes, or cut into florets and roasted with a couple of tablespoons of olive, salt, and abundant ground pepper.
The vegetable your mother made you eat boiled as a child was hiding its exciting alter-ego, which has emerged into the light of day as more and more Americans seek to cut back on carbohydrates.
Savvy to that trend Chipotle Mexican Grill has announced that it will test “cauliflower rice” (raw cauliflower that has been coarsely grated or riced) as a substitute for the grain. CNBC reports:
Consumers will be able substitute cauliflower rice in place of white or brown rice at 55 locations in Colorado and Wisconsin, starting Wednesday. The new option is made with grilled cauliflower and seasoned with cilantro, lime juice and salt and will cost an extra $2.
In early 2019, Chipotle sought to attract customers who follow trendy diets like Paleo and Whole30 with its line of Lifestyle Bowls.“To date, one out of three new menu item requests from Chipotle customers is for Cauliflower Rice,” Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt said in a statement on Monday.
Should the trend make it to the Big Apple, don’t pooh-pooh it as a health food craze. Since its rebirth, cauliflower has become a staple in my home. Try it once, and you’ll be hooked, too.
