Pineapple and Turmeric Cauliflower Rice with Salmon
[I made this bright and healthy Pineapple and Turmeric Cauliflower Rice with Salmon for Earth Fare! It’s delish, and it happens to be Paleo and Whole30 too π]
Sometimes you realize you’re in the middle of a huge food trend and you think, “what’s going to replace this?”
Honestly, I can’t imagine something replacing cauliflower rice!
And now, thanks to modern convenience and bags of frozen cauliflower rice, it’s easier than ever to eat healthy. And that’s awesome.
Cauliflower Rice is Easy Peasy These Days
I remember back in the day when I used to make riced cauliflower by sending chopped cauliflower florets through my food processor.
Not that it was so difficult to do that, but now that it comes already riced and ready to go, I’m that much more likely to whip it up.
Plain riced cauliflower cooked in olive oil with just a little salt and garlic powder is great, but lately I’ve been loving this colorful variety made with pineapple and turmeric.
Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and gives the rice such a great color.
I love this version sauted up with some onion, ghee or coconut oil, sweet pineapple, and a few pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for crunch.
Finish it off with a little fresh parsley and a squeeze of lime and you’re golden. π
Adding Salmon to Make it a Meal
The turmeric cauliflower rice is the perfect bed for a gorgeous piece of wild-caught salmon.
Since I used canned pineapple in this recipe, I let the salmon marinate for a bit in the juice from the can.
It picks up a little bit of sweetness, and a sprinkle of chili powder adds some heat to balance everything out.
All you need now is a few slices of creamy avocado, some green onions, and a fork to dig in!
PS- If you make this recipe I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram or send me message – those pictures seriously make my day! βΊοΈ
Pineapple and Turmeric Cauliflower Rice with Salmon
Ingredients
For the cauliflower rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
- About 3.5 cups frozen cauliflower rice (1 12 ounce bag)
- 4-5 scallions finely chopped, green and white parts separated
- Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Β½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ΒΌ teaspoon ground ginger
- ΒΌ cup broth or water
- Β½ tablespoon fish sauce (can sub low sodium soy sauce)*
- 3/4 cup no sugar added diced canned pineapple, drained and juice reserved
- 2 tablespoons raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Salt and pepper
For the salmon
- 2 pre-cut wild caught salmon filets, or one larger whole piece
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Sprinkle of chili powder
- Reserved pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
- To Serve
- Lime wedges
- Sliced avocado
- Chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Drain the pineapple from the can and add the juice to a shallow dish. Add the salmon skin side up, place into the refrigerator and allow to marinate for around 10 minutes while you begin the cauliflower rice.
For the cauliflower rice
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the ghee, the white parts of the scallion, chopped garlic, turmeric, and ginger. Saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Next, add the cauliflower rice, the broth or water, and the fish sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Increase the heat and saute until the cauliflower is cooked and the liquid has absorbed, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the pineapple chunks, pepitas and the chopped parsley and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to your taste. Remove from heat.
For the salmon
- When you begin the cauliflower rice, preheat the oven to (high) broil.
- Lay a piece of tin foil onto a baking sheet and remove the salmon from the pineapple juice, placing it skin side down on the tin foil.
- Sprinkle the top of the salmon with salt, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with chili powder.
- Broil the salmon on an oven rack about 6 inches away from the broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the salmon reaches your preferred level of doneness. Flake the middle with a fork to check.
To serve
- Divide the cauliflower rice and salmon between two plates and finish with a squeeze of lime juice, the green parts of the sliced scallion, sliced avocado, and chili flakes (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
*Fish sauce adds a great depth of flavor, and keeps this meal paleo and Whole30 friendly (as long as you use a fish sauce without sugar). If you donβt have it or prefer to use low sodium soy sauce, you can.
3 responses to “Pineapple and Turmeric Cauliflower Rice with Salmon”
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This rice is wonderful! I can’t imagine making any changes with it. Love the seasoning.
When and to what do you add the pineapple?
Hi Barbara! I can’t believe I forgot to add that step in! Sorry! You can add the pineapple chunks to the cauliflower rice when you add the pepitas and the parsley π