Cauliflower Rice Pudding Is the Holy Grail of Desserts

Impact

Take one look at Pinterest and it's crystal clear that the humble cauliflower was exposed to one too many motivational posters growing up.

Never has there been a vegetable that so embodies the idea that "you can be anything you want to be" quite as literally as cauliflower. The cruciferous cruncher has been transformed into everything from pizza crusts, to alfredo sauce to "bread" for a grilled cheese. Most recently, it's made its way into rice pudding. 

Yep. You can eat cauliflower for dessert.

Synthia Link/Cookies to Kale

Paleo-leaning food bloggers have long used cauliflower as a low-calorie and low-carb substitute for rice by simply chopping or shredding the vegetable into fine pieces, then steaming the "grains" to cook. (The concept has become so popular that Trader Joe's has even started selling bags of "riced" cauliflower.)

Naturally, cauliflower rice pudding came next. 

Cauliflower owns the masquerade ball.

For those thinking cauliflower rice pudding would taste like some sweet, hot vegetable mush, Cookies to Kale blogger Synthia Link ensures that the dessert is "creamy, chewy, and perfectly sweet."

Looks-wise, the dish really does resemble a classic rice pudding, and it's essentially made with the same technique. But first, the cauli florets need to be shredded into rice. Once that's done, the "rice" is simmered with milk, sugar and spices like cinnamon until the mixture is thick and creamy. 

Synthia Link/Cookies to Kale

When it comes to cauliflower rice pudding, there's plenty of room to think outside the box. Transform a standard recipe into a chocolate version, or spike the recipe with cardamom to mimic "kheer," an Indian rice pudding. 

It's a dessert that counts for a serving of vegetables.

If you're into the whole "two birds, one stone" thing, you'll be glad to know that this dessert totally counts as a serving of vegetables. Plus, cauliflower has a slew of health benefits: It is high in fiber and vitamin C, and it's low in calories. With that in mind, it can be eaten as breakfast, a snack and a dessert without getting that lingering feeling that your mom is somewhere shaking her head in disappointment.

Could this be the holy grail of desserts?  In the words of Drake: What a time to be alive.  

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