Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

This recipe is a great way to cut a few carbs out of your diet. Simply substitute riced cauliflower for regular white rice in your favorite dishes. I like to serve this cilantro lime cauliflower rice with black beans, chicken, shredded cheese, and salsa. Imagine a Chipotle burrito bowl but with riced cauliflower instead of white rice! 

To make this cilantro lime cauliflower rice you will need:

• 1 head of CAULIFLOWER
• 1-2 Tbs COCONUT OIL (you could substitute vegetable or canola oil)
• 1/2 ONION, diced
• 2 cloves of GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 cup CILANTRO, chopped
• 3 Tbs LIME JUICE
• SALT to taste
• PEPPER to taste

Grate the cauliflower using either a cheese grater or a food processor (if using a food process pulse the cauliflower in batches until the desired texture is reached). 

The grated cauliflower should look something like the picture below! The pieces should be about the same size as a grain of rice.

Heat the oil in a skillet over med-high heat and then add the onion and garlic.

When the onion starts to turn translucent add the riced cauliflower. Cook the cauliflower stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes.

Once the cauliflower is cooked through, stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice!

Add salt and pepper to taste and then dig in!

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Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 head of CAULIFLOWER
• 1-2 Tbs COCONUT OIL (could substitute vegetable or canola oil)
• 1/2 ONION, diced
• 2 cloves of GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 cup CILANTRO, chopped
• 3 Tbs LIME JUICE
• SALT to taste
• PEPPER to taste

Directions:

1. Grate the cauliflower using either a cheese grater or a food processor (if using a food process pulse the cauliflower in batches until the desired texture is reached). 
• The pieces should be about the same size as a grain of rice.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over med-high heat and then add the onion and garlic.
3. When the onion starts to turn translucent add the riced cauliflower. Cook the cauliflower stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes.
4. Once the cauliflower is cooked through, stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice! Add salt and pepper to taste and then dig in!

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I based this dish on the following recipe: http://popularpaleo.com/2013/01/07/cilantro-lime-cauliflower-rice/

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

As I established in my post for chicken enchiladas with a green chili and sour cream sauce, I LOVE enchiladas! These enchiladas are filled with ground beef, green chilies, cheddar cheese, black olives, and green onions. They are then wrapped in corn tortillas and rolled in a red enchilada sauce. There are so many great flavors all wrapped up into these little enchiladas! They are perfect for a Mexican fiesta!

To make roughly 3 servings (about 10 enchiladas) you will need:

• 8 oz. GROUND BEEF (I used 80/20, but feel free to use whatever your normally use!)
• 1 small ONION, chopped
• 1 (4 oz.) can GREEN CHILIES
• about 10 CORN TORTILLAS
• 1 & 1/2 cup CHEDDAR CHEESE, grated
• 1 (2.25 oz.) can BLACK OLIVES, chopped
• 4-6 GREEN ONIONS, chopped
• 1/4 cup CILANTRO, chopped

For the sauce you will need:

• 1 & 1/2 tsp of CANOLA OIL
• 1 & 1/2 tsp FLOUR
• 1 (14 oz.) can of ENCHILADA SAUCE
• 1 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1/4 tsp SALT
• 1/4 tsp PEPPER
• 1 Tbs FRESH CILANTRO, chopped

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the oil and flour together in a medium sized saucepan. Then add the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes while you cook the beef.  

Saute the onion in a skillet until they just begin to turn translucent, then add the ground beef. Cook the beef until done and then stir in the green chilies. 

Heat up either a skillet or a large griddle and spray on a little cooking spray. Cook the corn tortillas for about 2 minutes on each side in order to make them easier to fill. (Doing this will prevent some of the cracking that usually happens when you try to roll corn tortillas.)

Once the sauce is done simmering, pour a little bit into the bottom of your baking dish so that it just coats the bottom. (I used a 10 x 10 inch pan, but you could use a 9 x 13 inch pan)

Now it's time to build the enchiladas! Once the tortillas have been cooked on each side, dip them into the red sauce. Make sure that the whole tortilla is coated! Then  layer on the beef mixture, cheese, black olives, green onions, and cilantro!

Next, roll up the tortilla and lay it in the baking pan seam side down! You may need to use a toothpick to keep it from unrolling until you get a few enchiladas into the pan.

Repeat this process until you either use up all of the beef mixture or fill you pan!

Pour the extra sauce over the top of the enchiladas...

...and top with any extra cheese, green onions, or black olives you have left!

Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly!

Top with any extra cilantro and then serve it up!

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Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Ingredients:

To make roughly 3 servings (about 10 enchiladas) you will need:

• 8 oz. GROUND BEEF (I used 80/20, but feel free to use whatever your normally use!)
• 1 small ONION, chopped
• 1 (4 oz.) can GREEN CHILIES
• about 10 CORN TORTILLAS
• 1 & 1/2 cup CHEDDAR CHEESE, grated
• 1 (2.25 oz.) can BLACK OLIVES, chopped
• 4-6 GREEN ONIONS, chopped
• 1/4 cup CILANTRO, chopped

For the sauce you will need:

• 1 & 1/2 tsp of CANOLA OIL
• 1 & 1/2 tsp FLOUR
• 1 (14 oz.) can of ENCHILADA SAUCE
• 1 cup CHICKEN BROTH
• 1/4 tsp SALT
• 1/4 tsp PEPPER
• 1 Tbs FRESH CILANTRO, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Whisk the oil and flour together in a medium sized saucepan. Then add the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes while you cook the beef.  
3. Saute the onion in a skillet until they just begin to turn translucent, then add the ground beef. Cook the beef until done and then stir in the green chilies. 
4. Heat up either a skillet or a large griddle and spray on a little cooking spray. Cook the corn tortillas for about 2 minutes on each side in order to make them easier to fill.
• Doing this will prevent some of the cracking that usually happens when you try to roll corn tortillas.
5. Once the sauce is done simmering, pour a little bit into the bottom of your baking dish so that it just coats the bottom. 
• I used a 10 x 10 inch pan, but you could use a 9 x 13 inch pan.
6. Once the tortillas have been cooked on each side, dip them into the red sauce. Make sure that the whole tortilla is coated! 
7. Layer the beef mixture, cheese, black olives, green onions, and cilantro onto the coated tortilla.
8. Next, roll up the tortilla and lay it seam side down in the baking pan! 
• You may need to use a toothpick to keep it from unrolling until you get a few enchiladas into the pan.
9. Repeat this process until you either use up all of the beef mixture or fill you pan!
10. Pour the extra sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with any extra cheese, green onions, or black olives you have left!
11. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly!
12. Top with any extra cilantro and then serve it up!

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I adapted this recipe from the following blog: http://jamiecooksitup.net/2011/09/ground-beef-enchiladas/

Salsa

I love eating chips and salsa at restaurants but somehow the salsa you buy in stores never seems to taste as good, am I right? Maybe it's just me... Anyway, I have found a recipe for salsa that I think is just as good as the salsa you get from restaurants! It is also incredibly easy to adapt it to your tastes. If you like spicy food, add more jalapeno! If you don't like chunky salsa, chop the heck out of it with a food processor!

If you use the quantities of ingredients I have listed below, it should make about 2 cups of salsa that I would consider to have mild to medium heat. Remember, if you want it hotter (or less hot) just vary the amount of jalapenos!

To make this delicious, restaurant style salsa you will need:

• 1 (14 oz.) can of WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES, separate the juice from the tomatoes, but save the juice!
• 1 (10 oz.) can ROTEL 
• 1/4 cup RED ONION, chopped  
• 1/2 medium sized JALAPENO (de-seeded and de-veined), finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup FRESH CILANTRO
• 1-2 Tbs LIME JUICE
• 1/4 tsp SALT
• 1/4 tsp CUMIN

Start off by roughly chopping the onion and finely chopping the jalapeno. Then throw all of the ingredients (except for the juice from the whole tomatoes) into a food processor...

NOTE: If you don't have a food processor you can still make this salsa, you will just have to chop everything by hand!

...and pulse it until you like the size of the chunks! Then add some some of the juice from the whole tomatoes until you get a consistency you like. (I used about half of the juice.)

Now the best part, taste the salsa! Add more spices, jalapeno, or lime juice until you like it!

Once you are happy with the flavors, serve the salsa with chips and dig in!

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Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) can of WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES, separate the juice from the tomatoes, but save the juice!
• 1 (10 oz.) can ROTEL 
• 1/4 cup RED ONION, chopped  
• 1/2 medium sized JALAPENO (de-seeded and de-veined), finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup FRESH CILANTRO
• 1-2 Tbs LIME JUICE
• 1/4 tsp SALT
• 1/4 tsp CUMIN

Directions:

1. Roughly chop the onion and finely chop the jalapeno. 
2. Next, throw all of the ingredients (except for the juice from the whole tomatoes) into a food processor and pulse it until you like the size of the chunks.
• NOTE: If you don't have a food processor you can still make this salsa, you will just have to chop everything by hand!
3. Add some some of the juice from the whole tomatoes until you get a consistency you like. (I used about half of the juice.)
4. Now the best part, taste the salsa! Add more spices, jalapeno, or lime juice until you like it!
5. Once you are happy with the flavors, serve the salsa with chips and dig in!

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I based my recipe on the Pioneer Woman's salsa recipe: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/restaurant-style-salsa/

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice Copycat

Last weekend we had some friends over for a burrito night and we decided to try to recreate Chipotle's cilantro lime rice. It turned out to be quite easy and delicious!

To make the rice you will need:

• 2 cups RICE (uncooked)
• 4 Tbs LIME JUICE
• 1/2 bunch CILANTRO (1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped)

Start of by cooking the rice. I know, crazy right? Once the rice is cooked you will end up with about 6 cups of rice. You could easily cut this recipe down, but we were cooking for 5 hungry guys so we needed plenty of food!

I then chopped up about half a "bunch" of cilantro and mixed it in to the cooked rice.

Lastly, mix in the lime juice!

Then serve!

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Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice Copycat

Ingredients:

• 2 cups RICE (uncooked)
• 4 Tbs LIME JUICE
• 1/2 bunch CILANTRO (1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped)

Directions:

1. Start of by cooking the rice. (You will end up with about 6 cups of cooked rice). 
2. Chop up about half a "bunch" of cilantro and mix it in to the cooked rice.
3. Lastly, mix in the lime juice!
4. Then serve!

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Chipotle's Corn Salsa Copycat

We made this corn salsa last weekend when we has some friends over for a burrito night! It is incredibly easy to make and tasted just like Chipotle's corn salsa!

To make this corn salsa you will need:

• 12-16 oz. FROZEN SWEET YELLOW CORN
• 2 medium JALAPENOS, seeded and finely diced
• 1/2 medium RED ONION, finely diced (We used a yellow onion because that is what we had on hand, but Chipotle uses red onion.)
• 1/2 bunch CILANTRO (1/2 to 3/4 cup), chopped
• 4 Tbs LIME JUICE (juice of 2 limes)
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER

Put ALL of the ingredients into a large bowl. (No, you aren't crazy, the picture below is missing the parsley.)

Then mix them together.

Boom! Corn Salsa! It's that easy!

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Chipotle's Corn Salsa Copycat

Ingredients:

• 12-16 oz. FROZEN SWEET YELLOW CORN
• 2 medium JALAPENOS, seeded and finely diced
• 1/2 medium RED ONION, finely diced (We used a yellow onion because that is what we had on hand, but Chipotle uses red onion.)
• 1/2 bunch CILANTRO (1/2 to 3/4 cup), chopped
• 4 Tbs LIME JUICE (juice of 2 limes)
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER

Directions:

1. Put ALL of the ingredients into a large bowl. 
2. Then mix them together.
3. Boom! Corn Salsa! It's that easy!

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I found this recipe on the following website: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/04/just-like-chipotles-corn-salsa/

Butter Chicken

My husband found this recipe last year and it has since become one of my favorite chicken dishes! This recipe will make a lot of food but it is good leftover so we just eat it for days! (and I don’t even like leftovers!)

What you will need:

• 4 lbs CHICKEN THIGHS, cut into bite sized cubes (you can use breasts if you prefer)
• 6 GARLIC CLOVES crushed OR 3 tsp MINCED GARLIC
• 2 tsp GARAM MASALA
• 3 tsp GROUND CORIANDER
• 3 tsp GROUND CUMIN
• 1 tsp CHILI POWDER
• 1 tsp PAPRIKA
• 3/4 cup PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
• 7 Tbs BUTTER
• 1 Tbs WHITE VINEGAR
• 3 Tbs TOMATO PASTE
• 4 large TOMATOES, peeled and chopped OR 1 can (28 oz) WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES, chopped
• 1/2 tsp CINNAMON
• 1 cup HEAVY CREAM or COCONUT MILK
• Optional: garnish with chopped CILANTRO

• RICE to serve dish over

First combine the chicken, garlic, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and yogurt in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours. 

In a large pot, melt the butter on the stove. Once the butter has melted, add the vinegar, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and cinnamon. Bring the contents to a boil and stir until the tomato mixture breaks down and is thick (this could take up to 20 minutes depending on how you chopped the tomatoes). 

Reduce the heat and add the chicken. Stir the pot while keeping the mixture at a simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

Once the chicken is fully cooked add the cream and allow the mixture to simmer for a few more minutes.

Serve over rice, top with cilantro, and enjoy!

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Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs CHICKEN THIGHS, cut into bite sized cubes (you can use breasts if you prefer)
• 6 GARLIC CLOVES crushed OR 3 tsp MINCED GARLIC
• 2 tsp GARAM MASALA
• 3 tsp GROUND CORIANDER
• 3 tsp GROUND CUMIN
• 1 tsp CHILI POWDER
• 1 tsp PAPRIKA
• 3/4 cup PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
• 7 Tbs BUTTER
• 1 Tbs WHITE VINEGAR
• 3 Tbs TOMATO PASTE
• 4 large TOMATOES, peeled and chopped OR 1 can (28 oz) WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES, chopped
• 1/2 tsp CINNAMON
• 1 cup HEAVY CREAM or COCONUT MILK
• Optional: garnish with chopped CILANTRO
• RICE to serve dish over

Directions:

1. Combine the chicken, garlic, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and yogurt in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours. 
2. In a large pot, melt the butter on the stove. Once the butter has melted, add the vinegar, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and cinnamon. 
3. Bring the contents to a boil and stir until the tomato mixture breaks down and is thick (this could take up to 20 minutes depending on how you chopped the tomatoes). 
4. Reduce the heat and add the chicken. Stir the pot while keeping the mixture at a simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Once the chicken is fully cooked add the cream and allow the mixture to simmer for a few more minutes.
6. Serve over rice, top with cilantro, and enjoy!

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