Mexican Cauliflower Rice

This Mexican riced cauliflower was a staple during my 60 lb weight loss journey. As a Mexican American, I didn’t want to give up the dishes and flavors of my culture, that are truly soul food to me, while trying to lose weight, so this side dish was born.

Riced cauliflower is so often treated as bland rice replacement diet food. Cauliflower is a mild vegetable and can actually take on a lot of flavor. Here, instead of treating it as a rice replacement, I tried to infuse the flavors that I love into one of my favorite vegetables, to get a side dish that reminds me of the food my family makes, while still letting me fill my plate and increase the volume i get to eat.

Volume eating is one way that helped me lose 60 lbs. Increasing the amount of non starchy vegetables I ate helped me to feel full and increased how much fiber I ate, which has a myriad of health benefits. Some examples of non starchy vegetables include not only cauliflower but also, leafy greens, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, eggplants, and many others.

I love to pair this cauliflower with refried beans and tacos, creating a balanced plate full of protein, carbs, healthy fats and fiber. On my weight loss journey I still ate and enjoyed carbs, but i tried to limit my intake of starchy vegetables or grains to one serving per meal, as carbs are the least satisfying macro and I was always aiming to increase my satiety so that a calorie deficit wouldn’t feel difficult at all. Having this riced cauliflower meant i could have my tacos and still get the flavors i wanted from rice, without the extra unsatisfying carbohydrate.

Recipe:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 a yellow onion diced

3 cloves of garlic chopped

24 oz frozen riced cauliflower

3 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne

salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan, add diced onion and sautee until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add frozen riced cauliflower and cook until warmed through. Add spices and tomato paste. Cook until all water has cooked out of the riced cauliflower and serve.