Mexican Cauliflower Rice

mexican cauliflower rice

What is cauliflower rice, you ask? Well, it’s simply that – “riced” cauliflower. Riced is a cooking term that is similar to “grated”. I love this recipe as a substitute for regular white rice – Bonus! – you’re getting an added vegetable serving! Because of that, it’s low calorie, low carb, and Keto friendly.

To start, wash your head of cauliflower, and remove the stem. I use my food processor with the grater attachment to “rice” the cauliflower florets. This whole process takes less than 5 minutes. Set aside.

You may be thinking – wait, I’ve seen cauliflower rice in the frozen foods section. Well, it’s available pre-riced too, but I like to save a couple bucks and simply use a large head of fresh cauliflower instead. The recipe will work with either version!

Add the olive oil, garlic, and (optional) jalapeno to a sautee pan and allow to cook for a couple minutes.

Once the peppers are softened, add the tomato paste and the seasonings, and stir to combine.

Once all the ingredients are combined, add the riced cauliflower, and stir, integrating all ingredients uniformly.

Once all ingredients are well mixed, add the can of Rotel, juices and all.

Stir well, and continue to cook over medium heat, approximately 7-8 minutes, until cauliflower is softened.

Forgive me guys, I was so hungry, I neglected to take a final photo! But I utilized this just like I would use a Mexican seasoned rice, in my Sweet Potato Black Bean Buddha Bowls, which were delicious! (between the cilantro and the tortilla chips! ha!)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burrito Bowl

Let me know what you think about the recipe! I’ve also used this to serve as a side with fajitas, fish tacos, or any place you would sub regular carb-y rice.


mexican cauliflower rice

Mexican Cauliflower Rice

A delicious "Mexican Food" Version of Riced Cauliflower
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 approximate servings

Equipment

  • food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head cauliflower, riced (or 1 frozen package riced cauliflower)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (or 2 tsp minced)
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste (use more as desired)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 14 oz can Rotel

Instructions
 

  • Clean & remove cauliflower florets from the head of cauliflower. Use grater attachment of food processor to "rice" the cauliflower. Set aside.
  • Heat olive oil, and saute the chopped onion & jalapeno until nearly cooked. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  • Once the garlic is fragrant, add the tomato paste. **Note, depending on how much riced cauliflower you have, you may need to adjust this amount. Just know your finished product will be more "tomato-y" if you use the entire 4 oz container, like I did
  • Add your spices to tomato & veggie mixture, and cook 1-2 minutes to blend flavors.
  • Once blended, add riced cauliflower, and stir well.
  • After cauliflower and tomato mixture are well blended, add the entire can of Rotel, and continue to stir & cook over medium heat until the moisture from the Rotel has evaporated & the cauliflower is cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.
Keyword cauliflower, mexican, vegetarian
Continue Reading

The Only Reason I Workout

Why you should work out with class pass

So I can eat! Guys, I’m going to be totally honest here. I’m not naturally one of those people that enjoys physical activity. Im tall, and long, have horrible spatial awareness, and awful hand-eye coordination… And not to mention that the gym is like, the absolute worst place I can imagine. The monotonous frustration of walking on the treadmill and not going anywhere, or just spinning in place for a half hour is just not. my. thing.

But today, I’m celebrating a big milestone. Today I completed my 100th class with Class Pass! (And whoa, by the way!)  Haven’t heard of Class Pass before? Well, it’s an opportunity to try out private studios in your area at a significantly lower cost than even a 1 month commitment- Upwards of 40-50% savings at times! (Trust me, I did the math *wink*)  Check out locations where the pass is offered- they’re in many of the larger US cities, and have recently expanded internationally. 

Just to reinforce, I know myself, and I’m not going to exercise unless I have someone instructing me on what to do.  I’m just not.  I’ve tried it, and let’s just say I can come up with about any excuse in the book to skip a work out. My husband calls those “MJs” – Marge Justifications.

I NEED that element of accountability. SO, Class Pass has been a great solution for me!  You choose the class type you want, either by exercise, time or location, and sign up through the app. It’s so outrageously easy, and allows me the flexibility to work out in different parts of town if I’m out & about. You’re not just stuck at one studio.

Another reason I’ve been loving my class pass is because I like to modify my exercise routine regularly, and I’ve also gotten exposed to several new styles of exercise I would never have ever tried otherwise.  I can pick up nearly any type of class, nearly any day of the week!

Have I convinced you to give it a shot yet? Well, just to sweeten the deal, you can get a 2 week free trial by using this link!

Me. Post Class #100. I now understand why people take selfies before working out.

I’d love to hear your feedback! Tried it? Love it? What’s your favorite studio/class? 

Continue Reading

Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry

Original Recipe for a quick stir fry weeknight meal

Cooking is something I really enjoy. While trying to stick to our budget recently, I’ve been avoiding extra trips to the grocery store, and so, extra spending. Welcome to my cooking science project that involves only cooking with food I have available in the house! #projectemptythefridge

I started with some frozen, peeled, deveined shrimp (only way to go) and some seemingly random veggies that needed to be used. And it’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine to let food go to waste – if I can avoid it! If you’re using frozen shrimp, allow time to thaw in ice water (if we’re practicing all our food safety skills…)

Chop, slice & dice your veggies. I had a zucchini that was nearing the end of its life, so I decided to throw that in. I thawed a steamable bag of frozen broccoli (that I normally keep stocked) about half way, and sauteed that with the onion in some toasted sesame oil.

Add zucchini once the onion is nearly cooked. You don’t want to add it too soon, or it could potentially turn to mush when it gets overcooked…bleh.

While the vegetables are cooking, blend the rice vinegar, sriracha, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, hot chili oil and soy sauce in a separate container with a whisk. If you’d like to make this sauce thicker, add 1-2 tsp of cornstarch & set aside. This will cause the sauce to thicken as it cooks. This is my preference! As you can see, I keep many of these ingredients stocked!

I like to make a little “well” in the center of the stir fry veggies at this point so that the shrimp are closer to the heat source.

Make a well in the center of the pan to get the shrimp closer to the heat source
Doesn’t look like much of a “well”, does it?

Cook and stir, cook and stir, until your shrimp are firm, curly, and pink. If the shrimp still looks gray, it’s not done yet!

Undercooked Shrimp - example

Once the shrimp are cooked through, add the cabbage and allow it to wilt (1-2 minutes). Adding a lid to allow the cabbage to steam a little bit may speed this process up.

Then add the sauce mixture, and stir into the shrimp & veggie mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until it begins to thicken. Top with your green onion & sesame seed garnish.

And Voila! We served this over rice & I cooked some pot stickers that I happened to have in the freezer. If you made it, l would love to hear your feedback!

*Tip!: If you don’t have the same veggies I used feel free to sub a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables or come up with your own concoction that would taste great in a stir fry dish. The possibilities are practically endless! And the more colors in there, the better!!


Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry

A delicious, and quick weeknight meal that's sure to please
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 lb Shrimp (I chose, peeled, deveined, raw)
  • 1 bag Frozen Broccoli (If using fresh, about 2 cups)
  • 2 cups Chopped Red Cabbage
  • 1/2 each Red Onion
  • 1 each Zucchini, Sliced
  • 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil (Could sub olive oil, but sesame has the best flavor!)
  • 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Hot Chili Oil
  • 2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sriracha
  • 1 tsp Minced Ginger
  • 2 tbsp Minced Garlic (Or 2 cloves, if fresh)
  • 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 2 tsp Corn Starch (optional)
  • 4-6 each Green Onions
  • Sesame Seeds (for garnish)

Instructions
 

  • If using frozen shrimp, allow to thaw in cold water for ~10 minutes
  • Chop & Slice Veggies appropriately. If you don't have any of the ingredients I used, feel free to substitute any ingredients that would taste good!
  • Heat Sesame oil in a wok or non-stick skillet, and begin to cook vegetables. Start with the ingredients that will take the longest to cook. Cook the Broccoli & Onion for 3-4 minutes, then add zucchini.
  • While the vegetables are cooking, blend the rice vinegar, sriracha, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, hot chili oil and soy sauce in a separate container with a whisk. If you'd like to make this sauce thicker, add 1-2 tsp of cornstarch, additionally.
  • Make a space in the center of your pan or wok, and add the shrimp. By making a space in the center, the shrimp will be closer to the heat source.
  • Cook shrimp with the vegetables over medium heat until the shrimp are pink and curl up. They should not appear gray at all.
  • Once the shrimp are cooked through, add the sauce & allow it to thicken.
  • Add cabbage, and allow it to wilt. This will happen faster if you cover the pan with a lid.
  • Add the sliced green onion & sesame seeds to the top and enjoy! Add soy sauce or sriracha to taste. (I love the heat!)
Keyword broccoli, cabbage, sesame, shrimp, stir fry
Continue Reading

Allow me to Introduce You to my friend, Poshmark

How to make some extra cash by cleaning out your closet! Try Poshmark!

Just a heads up: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are entirely my own. Thanks for supporting me!

About a year ago, I opened my Poshmark closet with the intent to resell some gently used clothes, some even new with the tags…shame on me. In the last year I’ve made nearly $900 off the clothing I’ve wanted to get rid of!  Not only do I do a lot of selling on Poshmark, I’ve done a good amount of shopping too. ðŸ˜‰ There are many items in excellent used condition (EUC); however I generally prefer to buy items New with tags (NWT), or New without the tag. (NWOT) New lingo for you?

I got this stellar yellow banana-colored Banana Republic dress that had been worn once! I love this because it’s conservative enough to wear to work, but I can dress it up a little for happy hour too. 🙂  Also perfectly bright for summer!

Dress (similar) // Jacket (similar) // Straw Bag // Shoes

Signing up is easy and you can start selling – or shopping – right away!

Download the app, and use code MSWEARIN for $5 off your first purchase! Happy Shopping, friends!

Continue Reading

Milk Alternatives

Get the real scoop on milk alternatives from your friendly, neighborhood registered dietitian.

Let’s talk milk alternatives – it seems like there is a new dairy alternative on the market weekly! Plant milk, Oat Milk, Soy, Almond Cashew – Coconut!… you name it!

From a personal perspective, I’m lucky that I don’t have an intolerance to dairy; however, I do use milk alternatives for most of my milk use anyway! Part of the reason is caloric and for me, I’m all about including more plant-based foods into my diet when I can!

Full Disclosure: In case you were unaware, RDs have a tendency to have strange thoughts/opinions/behaviors when it comes to their own personal eating habits!

I recently tried the Silk brand Oat milk (let’s face it, because I had a coupon via ibotta) and was relatively impressed with the flavor! Compared to other plant milks, it is thicker, similar to a low fat dairy milk, whereas almond milk is generally pretty watery.

Check out the specs below to choose the style that may work best for you:

Cow’s Milk: For general reference, cow’s ‘whole’ milk is approximately ~140 calories per 1 cup. This contains 8 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein. The percent variation of milk fat from skim to whole is as follows: 0% // 1% // 2% // Whole or Vitamin D (4%). This designation refers to the number of grams of fat in each serving and these calorically range 80-140 calories per cup, respectively.

Dairy milk also packs a huge punch in meeting your daily requirements of calcium and phosphorus. 1 cup of milk contains about 25% of your needed calcium requirements for the day!

Soy Milk – Obviously dairy free; It contains as much protein as a glass of regular dairy milk, and it is similar in carbs & fat to a glass of low fat milk. Soy, being plant based, does provide some health benefits such as lowering cholesterol. It also contains phytoestrogens that some men may worry decrease levels of testosterone; however research has not supported this claim. Other than corn, soy is one of the higher consumed GMO foods. Do your research before you eliminate soy milk for some of these reasons. The bottom line is that soy milk is safe for most people and may offer health benefits.

Nut Milks – Almond milk / Cashew milk / Macadamia Milk / Coconut Milk – Generally, these are much lower in calories, and a great choice for anyone who has a milk allergy or lactose intolerance. These are less than half the calories and significantly less fat than whole cow’s milk. Almond milk tends to come in the lowest in calories, and Macadamia the highest. They generally range 30-50 calories for 1 cup, and the fat content ranges from 2-5 grams per cup. The protein content, however, is very low in most of these milks.

The biggest negatives of the nut milks are that they are primarily made of water, and have only about 25% the amount of protein found in dairy milk. And some brands that have not been fortified with extra vitamins & minerals come in significantly lower in minerals like Calcium & Phosphorus than dairy milk. Vegetarian Friendly – may not always be Vegan. Dairy Free! May contain gluten depending on the brand- so check the label!

“Plant Milk” – generally made from Pea Protein – Are semi-new to the market, and of the brands I have tasted, seem to have a slightly gritty mouth feel. The protein, however, is very high compared to other alternatives, and the calorie content varies depending on the sweetness. The unsweetened varieties come in at about 100 calories or less per cup. Vegan friendly! Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free!

Oat Milk – is pretty new to the market. I recently tried this and was very impressed with the taste & flavor. Oat milk is made by soaking steel cut oats in water. Surprisingly, it is high in many micronutrients, and actually contains some fiber! Calorically, 1 cup is similar to cow’s milk; however, it contains about half the fat & protein. Definitely Vegan! Dairy Free & Nut Free!

Rice Milk – just what it sounds like – from rice! It’s the least allergenic of any milk alternative. Calorically it’s similar to whole cow’s milk/oat milk, but is low in fat, and very low in protein (1 gram per cup). Gluten Free! Vegan! Dairy Free!

For anyone who follows or chooses a restrictive diet, you have a TON of options! What do you drink at home? Any favorites? I can’t wait to see what the next milk alternative is made of!

Disclaimer: I’m aware there are other milks on the market: Hemp / Flax, etc. If you have questions or would like me to add to this post, just reach out!

Continue Reading

LPB – Launch Pad Brewery

Cheers! When you get to Launch Pad Brewery be sure to check out one of the amazing 28+ craft beers!

Friends, I’d like to introduce you to Launch Pad. Charlie and I happened upon this brewery by chance. We live nearby-ish, and as new folks to town ~4 years ago, we stumbled upon a new brewery via several positive Yelp reviews.

A quick snapshot of Launch Pad's exterior logo on the front window.

(I like beer…. Did I mention that?) If you’re a beer aficionado, Colorado will be 100% the craft beer scene you’re excited to explore.

Anywho, Charles and I wandered over to Launch Pad Brewery (LPB) on a random weekend in the summer of 2016. Since our first trip, we’ve been so enamored with their brews. I’m accepting generally of any type of beer, but a little apprehensive about IPAs… I just can’t handle the bittery hops finish… My favorites at LPB are the derivations that they cook up with Belgian beers, anything sour, and the Soyuz collection. Every month they do a “custom” Soyuz stout beer! How creative!

Cheers! They have this great chalk mural logo - which of course was the perfect opportunity for a photo.

I asked for a beer from a friendly bartender, Casey, specifically in reference to whether this particular beer “tasted great or not”…. and his response was “Well, which of our beers don’t taste great?” And he’s totally on point. ALL of their beers – forever – have tasted great!

The head brewer, Paul, is spot on with his beer recipes (not even sure if that’s the appropriate way to phrase that?) But the beer offerings at LPB are 100% authentic and 100% amazing. If the beer is supposed to taste like raspberries, it tastes like raspberries. If it’s supposed to taste like shnoz-berries it tastes like shnoz-berries… (WW anyone?)

Additionally, LPB is so supportive of local first responders and veterans, that we’re thrilled to help support our hard-working, civil service men & women. The Okie in me wants to point out there’s a patch on the wall behind me (cover photo) that is from the air medical service base in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (GO Pokes! *my alma mater – Let me know if you find it!)

You will not be disappointed with a visit to LPB whether you are from Denver or just visiting!!! Tell them Marge & Charlie sent you! 😉 Cheers!!

Had to take a selfie with my handsome husband because the lighting was so great!
#craftbeerisourrocketfuel
Continue Reading