t was the perfect example of an unfortunate coincidence—on the same day that an orphaned food processor mysteriously appeared in my kitchen, I discovered I had no more points on my meal plan with which to buy groceries. Of course, I have more meals left than I could possibly use before they expire for the semester.

How did I go so awry with budgeting my meal plan? I am still not sure. Honestly, my loss of points was probably due to all of the spices I bought in Weshop, which are now decorating my dorm room and will most likely keep me well spiced until I am 30. My strategy had been to use meals as sparingly as possible because it had seemed I had so few of them and to cook regularly for myself in order to balance everything out. It seemed like such a smart plan at the time…

To compensate for my lack of points, I have now doubled my daily Usdan consumption. Nevertheless, I am still extraordinarily reluctant to stop cooking for myself entirely, especially now that I can play with this new food processor. I will just have to cook more economically. One recipe that fulfills both of my requirements—cheap ingredients and an inordinate amount of chopping—is cauliflower “risotto.”

Risotto is one of those dishes that I enjoy but do not often eat because it is generally not vegetarian, and is calorically dense. This cauliflower risotto recipe, however, replaces the rice with bits of cauliflower and is inexpensive, especially if you already have staples such as olive oil and butter. If you have enough patience to finely chop cauliflower, the food processor is also unnecessary.

It is possible that you are in the same boat as I am and find that your points or your meals have suddenly and alarmingly evaporated. If so, this is a great alternative to eating only peanut butter out of a jar with a spoon for the next month and a half. Enjoy!

Ingredients 
Adapted from food.com

1 head of cauliflower
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter]
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup parsley or cilantro

Directions:
1. With food processor or knife, chop the cauliflower into rice-sized pieces.
2. Boil water and steam the cauliflower in a covered pot for five minutes, then drain out as much water as possible.
3. In another pot, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onions become translucent. Add the peas and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add the cauliflower, salt, pepper, and milk to the saucepan and let it simmer approximately eight minutes until it begins to reduce. Remove from heat, add the Parmesan cheese, and stir well.
5. Garnish with the cilantro or parsley, and serve with your favorite vegetable.