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
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats $0.09
- 1/2 cup riced cauliflower $0.21
- 1/2 Tbsp butter $0.07
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon $0.02
- 1/8 tsp salt $0.01
- 1/2 cup milk* $0.19
- 1/4 cup water $0.00
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar $0.04
- 1 Tbsp chopped pecans $0.13
Instructions
Microwave Instructions
- 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
Nutrition
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.
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