Yemista Piperia - Grain-Free, Cauliflower Rice
A year ago, I made the conscious decision to start eating as
healthy and clean as possible. This meant cutting sugars, dairy, pizza (my
favorite), and mostly carbs out of my diet, and coming up with alternatives to
satisfy daily cravings. What I discovered in the last year was that it’s OK to
toy around with traditional, cultural recipes, and experiment with healthier
alternatives as you see fit. It’s fine to replace flour with chickpea flour.
It’s good to replace dairy milk with almond milk, or pasta with zoodles;
potatoes with plantains, and rice noodles with mung bean noodles. It’s OK to
alter old-fashioned recipes carried down, even if they’re near and dear to the
heart.
For myself, it is definitely challenging to think outside of
the box with Yiayia’s recipes because they are delicious as is; my mind and
taste buds are accustomed to her original recipes. All of the food on this blog
has a purpose, a connection to my Yiayia, or my family in general. Life is about
constant change, adaptation and growing; these recipes deserve a new chapter as
well, and as long as they’re still made with the same heart and stories, they’ll
never die, they’ll just evolve!
That being said, yesterday while face-timing with Yiayia, we
were discussing food, of course. She told me she began collecting grape leaves
to make Sarmades (or Dolmades) for when the family visits Greece this summer
(July and late August – Yiayia really plans ahead)! After a few minutes, the
topic of what’s for dinner came up and I said, “I’m making Yemista Piperia, but
without rice!” Now, the best thing about technology is the ability to see
face-to face reactions! The look of confusion on her face was expected, but
then she lowered her eyebrows and sternly said to me, “Yemista den ginete
xoris rize.” Translation: Stuffed
Peppers do not exist without rice!
Well my sweet Yiayia, they do, they did, and they were
delicious! I decided to skip the bulgar, quinoa, and barley that I’d usually
replace rice with, and opted for a grain-free version of this traditional
recipe; cauliflower rice – my new infatuation! I am blown away by the
versatility of this vegetable that I love so much even on its own! Not only was
the cook time cut in half, but I was also able to indulge in guilt free,
carb-free Yemista Piperia, without losing the traditional taste what-so-ever!
I originally posted Yiayia’s Yemista me Kima recipe in 2011,
and don’t get me wrong, the rice version is heaven! I just wasn’t as low-carb conscious
as I am now, and I find it truly enjoyable to discover new ways to make old
recipes. I hope you enjoy my updated take of Yiayia Kiki’s Yemista Piperia:
Yields 6 Servings
Stuffing:
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 lb. Ground Turkey (or meat of your choice)
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 small bunch of dill, chopped
1 cup of riced cauliflower
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder
Tumeric, Paprika are optional
8 Large Cubanelle Frying Peppers
Optional: Meatless to go vegan; I'd replace meat with lentils or mushrooms
 |
| Final look of the stuffing mixture |
- Pre-heat oven to 400
- Saute the onions, garlic and scallions in EVOO until soft, then add the ground meat to brown
- Once meat is browned, add the chopped tomatoes and the juice of the tomatoes; mix and add spices including parsley and dill
- When the meat is browned (approx. 15 minutes), add the cauliflower rice, turn off heat immediately, mix and set to the side
- While you're browning the meat, cut off the tops to the peppers and remove the seeds and veins from inside; arrange in a oven safe pan and sprinkle with sea salt, and add 1/4 cup of water
- Add to warm oven to soften the peppers until the stuffing mixture is done
- Fill each pepper with stuffing mixture to the top and place neatly in the pan, with the opening of the pepper up against the walls of the pan
- Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, and for the last 3-5 minutes, broil on low to brown; a fork should easily pierce the skin
Kali Orexi!
Sophia Eleni
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