Pineapple Tofu Cauliflower Fried Rice

Goodness do I love some fried rice. Well just rice. In general. I could have rice several times a week and not feel badly about it. Not one bit. But I do realize that in an attempt to be healthy, I should focus on having more vegetables in my life.
Enter cauliflower. I know, not all of us are into cauliflower. It’s a weird vegetable with this super strong flavor when it’s raw and kind of a weird texture. It definitely is an acquired taste BUT here’s the awesome thing about it: it’s versatile AF.

It’s easy to roast, to steam and mash, it’s easy to chop in your food processor and turn into “rice”. The other benefit is that it absorbs whatever seasoning you put on it like a sponge so you can be heavy handed on the spices and not have to worry about messing it up. My rule for cauliflower and spices is this: the more, the better. The biggest benefit of that is the spices will mask its original flavor making it more appealing to even the pickiest of eaters. And by pickiest eaters, I mean our children.

So while my child might avoid the tofu like the plague in this dish, she’ll totally get down on everything else in it (including the eggs I snuck in because she’s generally not a fan of those either) without a second thought. When everyone in my house is eating the same thing at the same time(ish), I call that: A Mom Victory.

The bigger aspect of this victory was the low maintenance prep and cooking, making it an ideal meal for a weeknight and for some meal prep/leftovers if you’re into that sort of thing.

Pineapple tofu fried rice

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6 people

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon of minced ginger

1 head of cauliflower, stem and leaves removed

1 package of frozen vegetables

1 package of firm tofu, drained

1 pineapple, skin and core removed, diced

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup of soy sauce, divided

1 tablespoon of Sriracha

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. After you drain your tofu and gently squeeze out any remaining liquid, toss it in 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping it over halfway through.

While it bakes, grab a deep saute pan or a wok, add in your olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add in your garlic and ginger cooking for around 2 minutes or until fragrant. Then add in your frozen vegetables, stirring occasionally until reheated. Either dice the HECK out of your cauliflower until it resembles rice or put it all in your food processor and select the chop option until it resembles rice, then add it into the pan with the vegetables, along with the remaining soy sauce and sriracha, sauteing until well combined and heated all the way through, around 10 minutes.

Make a well in the middle of the cauliflower and vegetables and add in your beaten eggs. Let those eggs cook, stirring occasionally for around 5 to 8 minutes or until you have scrambled eggs, and then mix into the cauliflower and vegetables.

After the tofu is done cooking, add it into your pan with the pineapple, saute for another few minutes until well combined and heated through.

Serve hot and enjoy!