Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl

I’ve been looking for ways to eat more vegetables. I naturally love them, but sometimes the siren’s song of pasta and bread is tough to resist. This is a great way to eat more vegetables without even noticing.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower
Onion
Garlic
Red Pepper
Chicken
Butter
White Wine vinegar or lemon juice
Italian Seasoning
Parmesan

Directions:
Cut cauliflower into florets and pulse a couple times in a food processor. You want it to have the consistency of rice. Set aside.
Saute onion, garlic, and red pepper.
Add chicken and cook until done.
Add a little butter to the pan and add in the cauliflower rice.
Stir to combine, add the vinegar or lemon juice, and let cook for a bit.
Season to taste.
Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Tips:
Anything you’d normally make with rice can be made with cauliflower rice.
Substitute anything in and out of this recipe, it’s just a basic blowl with a vegetable, instead of grain, base.

Soba Noodles with Chicken, Vegetables, and Peanut Lime Ginger Sauce

 

This is a favorite in our house. The Husband requests this at least once a week. I can’t eat it quite as often, but it’s easy, filling, and satisfying.

Ingredients:
Onion
Broccoli
Red Pepper
chooked chicken (optional)
Buckwheat soba Noodles (I love the ones from PCC)
Peanut Lime Ginger Sauce
Sesame Seeds for Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Chop or slice the vegetables, whichever you prefer
Saute vegetables
Add the noodles to the pot and cover
Once the noodles have softened, gently break them apart
Add the sauce
Toss to combine
Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired

Tips:
This can be made with or without chicken (I’ve never tried steak in it, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t be delicious)
Any vegetables your heart desires can be used here

Mexican Inspired Chicken Fried Rice

My second cooking adventure with a cast iron skillet. I think it makes everything taste better. This was thrown together out of various things I had in the kitchen. Nothing like “a little of this and a little of that” type cooking when you’re in the mood to mix food genres!

Ingredients:
Butter
Onion, chopped
Garlic, minced
Frozen Vegetables, chopped
Chicken, chopped
Eggs
Black Beans
Brown Rice, cooked
Salsa
cilantro
Lime Zest

Directions:
Heat skillet and once very hot melt butter
Add in the onion and garlic, cook until starting to soften
Add in the frozen vegetables and saute until starting to crisp
Push vegetables to the side of the skillet and cook the chicken until it has browned
Stir everything together and saute for a little bit
Push everything to the side again and add in the eggs (I used 3) and scramble
Mix everything together and add the black beans and rice
Stir everything together well and saute for another 10 minutes or so.
Once it’s good and fried, add in a just enough salsa to lightly coat everything
Stir in a handful of chopped cilantro and lime zest

Tips:
I used butter with every step. It helps make it crispy without drying everything out.
The best part of fried rice is actually frying the rice and making it crispy. Once everything is added and stirred together, let it sit in the skilled undisturbed so it can crisp up.