Even though I’ve posted many recipes in which some sort of cooking method is involved, most of the foods that I consume on an average day are raw. A typical day goes a little something like this: I have a gigantic fruit and veggie smoothie for breakfast (yum!), lunch consists of a large salad and maybe some Avocado Nori Wraps or an open-faced veggie sandwich, and for dinner I’ll have another salad and then this is when I’m most likely to eat a cooked meal (though it can often be raw, too). Even my snacks and most of my desserts are raw. Now, I’m not saying that I could ever subscribe to a completely raw diet because I do believe that there are many healthy foods–such as grains and winter squashes–that should be cooked, but I have come to prefer eating most fruits and veggies in their ripe and natural state and enjoy knowing that I’m getting the most nutritional bang for my buck by eating them raw.

I think the hardest part about transitioning from a diet of highly processed and cooked-beyond-recognition foods to one that is mostly raw is overcoming the false notion that the uncooked meals aren’t exactly filling or fun. The truth is, raw foods can be very filling and totally fun! And this raw Spanish Cauliflower “Rice” dish is the perfect example of both!

It’s funny how you can hate a certain food as a kid and then come to love that same food as an adult. When I was younger, just the very thought of cauliflower made me gag. I don’t care if you camouflaged it in butter and cheese (and I loved butter and cheese), I still would have nothing to do with cauliflower. In fact, I had basically the same relationship (or lack thereof) with most other veggies when I was younger, too. Now, however, I keep cauliflower in my fridge constantly and I enjoy eating it steamed, roasted and even raw.

When I recently found this recipe for cauliflower rice on Peas and Thank You, I got excited and instantly knew that I had to come up with an easy, raw version of the delicious dish. Not only is my Spanish Cauliflower “Rice” packed with TONS of delicious veggies, it is insanely easy to throw together and full of flavor! And best of all, because it’s completely raw, you know you are enjoying all of wonderful nutritional benefits that the veggies have to offer.

For all of you out there who, like me, may have ever had doubts about cauliflower or raw foods, this is the kind of dish that will make you come around–I promise!