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!

---

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!

---

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

Baked Vegetable Chips

I love this recipe because it allows me to eat chips without feeling quite so guilty. You can take just about any root vegetable, slice it thin, and then bake it until it's crispy! 

Pick one or more of the following:

• BEET
• BUTTERNUT SQUASH (my second favorite!)
• KALE
• PARSNIP
• POTATO
• SWEET POTATO (my favorite!)

You will also need:

• OLIVE OIL
• SALT

Start off by peeling your vegetables. Then, use a mandolin or a sharp knife to cut your vegetable of choice into 1/8th to 1/16th inch thick slices (or as thin as you can get them). 

Next, soak the slices in a bowl of water for about an hour. This will help the chips crisp up by removing some of the excess starch. 

Sweet Potato

After an hour, drain the water...

Beets & Butternut Squash

...and lay the slices out on a paper towel to dry. Sprinkle some salt onto the slices while they dry to help pull the water out. Pat dry with another paper towel. While the chips are drying, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 

Once the chips are relatively dry place them onto a baking sheet and drizzle on some of the olive oil. Make sure that none of the chips are touching. (I sprinkled a little cinnamon on the sweet potato chips)

Sweet Potato

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chips are crispy. How thin you slice the chips will determine how long they will need to actually bake.

Butternut Squash

Once the chips are out of the oven, sprinkle with a little bit of salt or other spices and eat up!

Butternut Squash & Parsnips

These chips are best eaten fresh. You could prepare them ahead of time, but make sure not to bake them until the day you plan to eat them!

---

Baked Vegetable Chips

Ingredients:

Pick one or more of the following:

• BEET
• BUTTERNUT SQUASH (my second favorite!)
• KALE
• PARSNIP
• POTATO
• SWEET POTATO (my favorite!)

You will also need:

• OLIVE OIL
• SALT

Directions:

1. Start off by peeling your vegetables. 
2. Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to cut your vegetable of choice into 1/8th to 1/16th inch thick slices (or as thin as you can get them). 
3. Soak the slices in a bowl of water for about an hour. This will help the chips crisp up by removing some of the excess starch. 
4. After an hour, drain the water and lay the slices out on a paper towel to dry. Sprinkle some salt onto the slices while they dry to help pull the water out. Pat dry with another paper towel. While the chips are drying, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 
5. Once the chips are relatively dry place them onto a baking sheet and drizzle on some of the olive oil. Make sure that none of the chips are touching. 
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chips are crispy. How thin you slice the chips will determine how long they will need to actually bake. 
7. Once the chips are out of the oven, sprinkle with a little bit of salt or other spices and eat up! 
• Note: These chips are best eaten fresh. You could prepare them ahead of time, but make sure not to bake them until the day you plan to eat them!

---

Balsamic Chicken

My husband and I made this for dinner last night and we both really liked the marinade on the chicken! We made balsamic chicken with onion, tomato, mushrooms, and a side of potatoes. The marinade is quite simple. All you need is:

• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 3 Tbs BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• 2 tsp DIJON MUSTARD
• 1 clove GARLIC
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, cut in half long-wise 

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Place the chicken into the marinade and make sure that there is a good coating of the marinade on the chicken. Heat the oil in a skillet on the stove. Once the oil is hot, pour the chicken and the marinade into the skillet. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side (or longer if you have thick chicken breasts). And that's it!

We cooked up some onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes with the chicken and then baked some cubed potatoes to have on the side! Yum!

Bon Appetit!

---

Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 3 Tbs BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• 2 tsp DIJON MUSTARD
• 1 clove GARLIC
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, cut in half long-wise 

Directions:

1. Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. 
2. Place the chicken into the marinade and make sure that there is a good coating of the marinade on the chicken. 
3. Heat the oil in a skillet on the stove. Once the oil is hot, pour the chicken and the marinade into the skillet. 
4. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side (or longer if you have thick chicken breasts). And that's it!

---

The website where I found the marinade is: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=50441

Banana Ice Cream

If you are looking for a healthy ice cream alternative then look no farther! If you freeze a BANANA and then puree it in a food processor with a splash of MILK it becomes creamy and tastes like banana ice cream!

Here are some tips:

• Cut the banana into small pieces before freezing so it will be easier to puree
• Add a splash of VANILLA or some COCOA POWDER for more flavor!

Below is a picture with cocoa powder added.