Revamping Fast Food Favorites: With Cauliflower Rice!

Hello friends hope you are all doing well! It has been great seeing some hopeful news of nations opening up globally, hope this is the beginning of the end and that we can all go back to normal very soon! In the meantime, I try to optimize my fitness and nutrition. I was even considering adding fitness and nutrition topics to my channel more often because I am so passionate about it!

When NBC invited me to share a recipe for the new year, I immediately thought of my cauliflower fried rice recipe. I use cauliflower rice in all sorts of dishes, because it absorbs flavor, is full of filling fiber, and is a fraction of the calories or regular rice. That means I can add more ingredients to make the dish that much more delicious! No need to detox and live on kale all of January to make up for holiday binges. The best way to get on track is to make interesting, satisfying meals that don’t compromise on flavor.

Next to Middle Eastern food, I would say my other favorite category of cuisine is Asian–I absolutely love Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai and Chinese food. So when I am not cooking up middle eastern food at home, I enjoy making Thai curries, Korean bibimbap bowls, Vietnamese Pho, or….this Chinese style fried cauliflower rice:

The ingredients are so simple and easy to find, and you can use chicken or tofu if you are not a fan of shrimp. I love that cauliflower rice does not need to be steamed an extra 20 minutes. This makes a super quick dish you can make in minutes if you come home starving yet don’t want to succumb to greasy fast food. I also love to make Mexican style protein bowls with cauliflower rice, and I have included those two recipes below! To see my appearance on NBC sharing my favorite healthy recipe, click on the video below:

Fried Cauliflower Rice (Serves 2) 

  • 4 eggs, whisked 
  • 2 tsp sesame oil (divided) 
  • 2 small or one large carrot, chopped into cubes
  • ½ cup frozen peas (you can eliminate the first step if you find a frozen peas and carrot blend)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cauliflower rice
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (can use low sodium if you prefer) 
  • 1 cup ready cooked bay shrimp

In a wok or large skillet, add 1 tsp of the sesame oil, then add the whisked eggs. Scramble until cooked and set aside. Add another tsp of sesame oil, and the garlic and scallions together for about 1 minute. Add the carrots and peas and saute for about 3 minutes or until the carrots are al dente to the bite. Add the cauliflower rice, soy sauce, and shrimp and saute until the shrimp is warmed through. Top with the scrambled eggs and combine. Serve immediately

Cauliflower Rice Taco Bowl (Serves 2) 

  • 2 tsp avocado or olive oil
  • ½ small onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped into cubes
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 cup cauliflower rice
  • 8 ounces ground turkey

Optional Toppings

  • Sour cream
  • Avocado or ready made guacamole
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • Salsa Fresca

Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet, and add the onion and bell pepper. Saute about 5 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the ground turkey, cauliflower rice, and taco seasoning and saute until the turkey is cooked through. Serve in a bowl and add any optional toppings. 

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