A fast, healthy take on the classic Mexican staple
"When you swap rice for cauliflower, you leave room for more flavorful and better-for-you toppings," says cookbook author Kristin Donnelly. You can now buy riced cauliflower in the produce section of many supermarkets, however, with a food processor it’s easy to make your own. Donnelly's healthy Mexican-inspired recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
ÂĽ cup diced white or red onion
1 large jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Hass avocados
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound cauliflower rice (about 4 cups)*
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of dried oregano
2 14-ounce cans pinto beans, drained
1 small romaine lettuce heart or 2 cups shredded cabbage, thinly sliced crosswise
Sour cream and hot sauce for serving (optional)
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, toss together the tomatoes with half each of the onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the lime juice. This is your pico de gallo. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In another small bowl, mash the avocados with a fork. Fold in the remaining onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. This is your guacamole. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cauliflower rice and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 8 minutes. Divide the cauliflower rice among 4 bowls and wipe out the saucepan.
4. In the same saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and 2 tablespoons of water and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the beans are hot, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To Serve:Divide the beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and lettuce among the bowls. Top with sour cream and hot sauce as desired.
*To make your own cauliflower rice, start with one 1 ½ to 2 pounds cauliflower. Remove the leaves and core and chop the cauliflower into florets. In a food processor, pulse until the cauliflower is finely chopped and resembles rice.
Also in this series: No-Bake Chicken EnchiladasandSweet Potato Nachos
