It’s been an interesting year, hasn’t it? I’ve been on a bit of a bender lately, getting rid of (or at least, reducing) paperwork that’s been piling up and holds little interest for me. I have so much that I had to buy more paper (as in, paper file folders) to store all that paperwork in which seems redundant, but living in a place where paper…
It’s been an interesting year, hasn’t it? I’ve been on a bit of a bender lately, getting rid of (or at least, reducing) paperwork that’s been piling up and holds little interest for me. I have so much that I had to buy more paper (as in, paper file folders) to store all that paperwork in which seems redundant, but living in a place where paper still rules supreme, and digitizing takes as long as filing, I’m stuck filing and storing.
One change in the world of paper has been food blogs, which started out for many as being places where you could “store” and share your favorite recipes. But I’ve noticed over the last few years that food blogs have become a lot slicker, more polished, and often “aspirational.” While I’m jealous of those who have the talent, and patience, for writing for search engines, and arranging flowers on top of multi-layer cakes, I really just enjoy cooking and baking.
Scotcheroos!!!! If you’ve had a scotcheroo, you know of their goodness. And if you haven’t, get ready to be WOWED! Scotcheroos are similar to Rice Krispie Treats but they are loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch. They are …
Scotcheroos!!!! If you’ve had a scotcheroo, you know of their goodness. And if you haven’t, get ready to be WOWED! Scotcheroos are similar to Rice Krispie Treats but they are loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch. They are soft, chewy, super sweet, and a little salty, thanks to the flaky sea salt that gets…
Our soft pretzel bites are one of the most popular recipes on our blog. They have been for years, everyone loves soft pretzels. Well, Josh decided it was time to turn our famous soft pretzel bites into something BIG! He made homemade soft Pretzel Rolls…
Our soft pretzel bites are one of the most popular recipes on our blog. They have been for years, everyone loves soft pretzels. Well, Josh decided it was time to turn our famous soft pretzel bites into something BIG! He made homemade soft Pretzel Rolls and they are GOOD! Maybe too good, ha! We can’t…
It’s no secret that I am a cookie monster. I have created hundreds of cookie recipes over the years. I love them all, but this Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie (aka pizookie) is the ultimate cookie dessert! This giant chocolate chip cookie is made i…
It’s no secret that I am a cookie monster. I have created hundreds of cookie recipes over the years. I love them all, but this Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie (aka pizookie) is the ultimate cookie dessert! This giant chocolate chip cookie is made in a cast iron skillet so you don’t have to scoop the…
A few weeks ago I made some riced cauliflower and stashed it in my freezer. Since then I’ve been adding a little here and a little there to just about everything. It’s such a versatile way to bulk up recipes and add some extra fiber. This week I stirred some into my morning oats and OMG it was so good! Who would have thought? So today I present to you my Cinnamon Pecan Cauli Oats. A totally unexpected winner!
Look at that bowl of oats. You can’t even see the cauliflower in there! And I promise, it doesn’t taste like cauliflower, either.
What Does it Taste Like??
Okay, I know some of you are cringing reading about this right now, but let me promise you, these cauliflower oats do not taste or smell like sulfur (you know, that classic cauliflower smell). The cauliflower itself barely has any flavor, so it’s easily masked by the cinnamon, brown sugar, and milk.
And the texture? It’s absolutely delightful. I don’t know how else to explain it other than that. If you’re someone who has avoided oatmeal because it’s too goopy, you’ll welcome the added texture of riced cauliflower.
What Kind of Oats Can I Use?
The cooking method listed below will work for quick oats, rolled oats, or old-fashioned rolled oats. I highly suggest using old-fashioned rolled oats because they give the most texture. quick oats are more processed and tend to create that more gloopy-gluey texture that so many people dislike about oatmeal.
While you can certainly add cauliflower rice to steel-cut oats, you’ll need to follow the cooking instructions on the package for your steel-cut oats. They require more liquid and a much longer cooking time than rolled oats. You shouldn’t need to change anything about the cooking method when adding the cauliflower rice. Just add it in with the oats and go with it, or if you want more texture, add the cauliflower rice toward the end of the cooking time (about 5 minutes or so) so it doesn’t break down as much.
Do I Need to Cook the Cauliflower Rice First?
Nope, the cauliflower rice will cook right along with the oats, so whether you’re using fresh or frozen riced cauliflower, just toss it in there with your oats. No need to thaw frozen cauliflower rice first.
Cinnamon Pecan Cauli Oats
Adding a scoop of riced cauliflower to your morning oatmeal is an easy and delicious way to add more vegetables to your day!
Combine the rolled oats, riced cauliflower, butter, cinnamon, salt, milk, and water in a bowl. Stir to combine.
Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring every minute or as often as needed to avoid the oats from boiling over (you'll need to stir more often toward the end).
Stir in the brown sugar and pecans just before serving.
Stove Top Instructions
Combine the riced cauliflower, butter, cinnamon, salt, milk, and water in a small sauce pot. Stir to combine.
Bring the pot up to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Once boiling, add the rolled oats and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low and let the oats simmer for three minutes, stirring occasionally. After three minutes, turn the heat off and allow the oats to rest for 2-3 minutes.
Top the oats with brown sugar and chopped pecans just before serving.
Notes
*Any type of milk (dairy or non-dairy) can be used for this recipe.
How to Make Cinnamon Pecan Cauli Oats – Step by Step Photos
To make your cauli oats in the microwave, combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup riced cauliflower, ½ Tbsp butter, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ⅛ tsp salt, ½ cup milk (any type of milk), and ¼ cup water in a bowl. Stir to combine.
Microwave the ingredients for three minutes, stirring every minute or as often as needed to prevent it from boiling over (this tends to be more often toward the end of the three minutes.
Top the bowl of oats with 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp chopped pecans just before serving.
To make your cinnamon pecan cauli oats on the stove top, combine ½ cup riced cauliflower, ½ Tbsp butter, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ⅛ tsp salt, ½ cup milk, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepot. Stir to combine.
Place a lid on top and bring the saucepot up to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, stir in ½ cup rolled oats, then reduce the heat to low. Let the oats simmer over low for three minutes, stirring occasionally.
After simmering for three minutes, turn the heat off and let the oats rest for a few more minutes, with the lid on top.
Top with 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp chopped pecans just before serving.
The search for the BEST oatmeal cookie is over! And it just happens to be vegan and gluten-free. These chewy oatmeal cookies are studded with raisins, laced with cinnamon, and oh so perfect. Plus, just 30 minutes and simple methods required! Let us sho…
The search for the BEST oatmeal cookie is over! And it just happens to be vegan and gluten-free. These chewy oatmeal cookies are studded with raisins, laced with cinnamon, and oh so perfect. Plus, just 30 minutes and simple methods required! Let us show you how it’s done.
These cookies start with a wholesome base of almond flour, rolled oats, and our DIY gluten-free flour blend.
This post is sponsored by Kroger Bananas are one of the foods that we ALWAYS have in our kitchen. They are on my grocery list every single week and luckily my Kroger store always has a big selection of bright yellow bananas. We eat them plain, make smo…
This post is sponsored by Kroger Bananas are one of the foods that we ALWAYS have in our kitchen. They are on my grocery list every single week and luckily my Kroger store always has a big selection of bright yellow bananas. We eat them plain, make smoothies, and when they get too brown, we…
I love a good oatmeal cookie. They have always been one of my favorites and I didn’t think they could get any better until I met Oatmeal Scotchies. My dad is a HUGE butterscotch fan and he introduced me to these cookies when I was little. We alwa…
I love a good oatmeal cookie. They have always been one of my favorites and I didn’t think they could get any better until I met Oatmeal Scotchies. My dad is a HUGE butterscotch fan and he introduced me to these cookies when I was little. We always had butterscotch chips in the pantry so…
I’m sooooo ready for the lighter foods of spring and summer! This week I made a deliciously light and fresh noodle bowl with crispy tofu, fresh vegetables, and a simple peanut lime dressing. I’m just loving all the cold crunchy vegetables and the light and airy rice noodles in this bowl. As always, I’ve got some substitution options for these Peanut Tofu Noodle Bowls below, so make sure to keep reading!
What Kind of Noodles Can I Use?
I love rice noodles for this bowl because they’re super light and they taste great cold. I used a vermicelli style rice noodle because that was what was available at the store, but a slightly wider noodle would probably work best (wider noodles tangle less).
If you don’t have rice noodles available or want a less expensive option, these bowls are very similar to my Cold Peanut Noodle Salad, which uses whole what spaghetti, so I think that could also work here.
A third option is to serve these bowls over rice in stead of noodles. Jasmine rice would be my pick!
A fourth option is to serve this like a salad over shredded cabbage or lettuce.
Can I Substitute the Tofu?
Sure! I think both chicken and shrimp would also go great in this bowl. For chicken, just cube it up and sauté in oil until cooked through. You could even toss it in a little bit of the peanut dressing, making sure to save some for the rest of the bowls. For shrimp, just make sure they’re peeled and tails removed, then sauté in oil over medium until they’re opaque and pink (this only takes a few minutes).
Are Tofu Peanut Noodle Bowls Served Hot or Cold?
I eat this bowl cold. When you make them fresh the noodles may still be slightly warm or room temperature, but they’ll be cool enough to not heat the rest of the ingredients. The tofu also cools very rapidly.
How Are the Leftovers?
These bowls hold up pretty good in the fridge! The tofu doesn’t stay crispy, like any fried food, but it’s still tasty in the bowl. You can refrigerate these bowls, with the dressing kept separately, for about 4 days.
Peanut Tofu Noodle Bowls
These Peanut Tofu Noodle Bowls feature light and airy rice noodles, cold crunchy vegetables, and a deliciously bright peanut lime dressing.
Start by pressing the tofu. Remove the tofu from the package, then place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Place a cutting board, plate, or another flat object over top, then place something heavy on top of that, like a cast iron skillet or a pot of water. Let the tofu sit with the weight on top for about 30 minutes to press the excess moisture out of the tofu.
While the tofu is pressing, prepare the peanut lime dressing. Combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, lime juice, soy sauce and oil in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Set the dressing aside.
You can also prep the vegetables while the tofu is pressing. Slice the red bell pepper, slice the cucumber into thin sticks, shred the carrot using a cheese grater, and remove the cilantro leaves from the stems (or just roughly chop them).
After the tofu has been pressing for about 30 minutes, pour off the excess water from the baking sheet. Transfer the pressed tofu to a cutting board, and cut the block into ½-inch cubes.
Place the tofu cubes in a bowl or shallow dish and sprinkle with salt and cornstarch. Gently toss the tofu cubes until they are coated in cornstarch.
Heat the cooking oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu cubes and cook on each side until golden brown and crispy. Once crispy, remove them from the heat.
Finally, cook the rice noodles. Bring a pot of water to a full boil, then add the noodles. Boil only for about three minutes, or the recommended time on the package. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water. Let the noodles drain well.
To assemble the bowls, place ¼ of the noodles in the bottom of each bowl. Top with some bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, cilantro, and crispy tofu. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts over top, then drizzle with the peanut lime dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
*Any light, neutral-flavored oil will work here, like canola, peanut, sesame (not toasted), avocado, grapeseed, etc.
How to Make Peanut Tofu Noodle Bowls – Step by Step Photos
Start by pressing the tofu. This removes the excess moisture and takes about a half hour, so start with this first. Remove the tofu from its package and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Place something flat on top, like a cutting board or plate, then place something heavy on top of that. I use a cast iron skillet, but a pot of water also works. Let it press for about a half hour. You can see in the photo above all the water that came out.
While the tofu is pressing, make the peanut lime dressing. Add 3 Tbsp natural-style peanut butter, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 clove of garlic (minced), ½ tsp grated fresh ginger, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp soy sauce, and ¼ cup neutral oil (anything light flavored) in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
You should also have time to prep the vegetables while the tofu presses. Slice one red bell pepper, one cucumber (depending on the size you may only need half), grate one carrot using a cheese grater, and pull about ½ bunch cilantro leaves from the stems.
After the tofu has pressed, transfer it to a cutting board and cut it into ½-inch cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl or shallow dish, then sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and 2 Tbsp cornstarch. Gently toss the tofu until it is coated in cornstarch.
Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove the tofu from the heat.
Lastly, cook the rice noodles. I used vermicelli, but if you can find a slightly wider rice noodle that may work better because they won’t tangle as much. I used one 8 oz. package of rice noodles.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles and boil for about three minutes, or the recommended time on the package. Drain the rice noodles in a colander and rise briefly with cool water. Let them drain well.
Now it’s time to build the bowls! Place ¼ of the rice noodles in each bowl. Top with bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, and tofu.
Top the bowl with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro.
And finally, drizzle that delicious peanut lime dressing over top of the peanut tofu noodle bowls when you’re ready to eat!
Don’t you love a sweet breakfast or brunch recipe?! Count me in! I love including something indulgent with the most important meal of the day. This Coffee Cake recipe is an absolute favorite of anyone who tries it. It has a classic, comforting fl…
Don’t you love a sweet breakfast or brunch recipe?! Count me in! I love including something indulgent with the most important meal of the day. This Coffee Cake recipe is an absolute favorite of anyone who tries it. It has a classic, comforting flavor and fills your home with the smell of buttery vanilla and…
