To help you with Week 1 of our Healthy Challenge, I have a yummy low carb recipe to share with you today… Mexican Casserole with Cauliflower Rice! It’s full of flavor, easy to prepare, kid-friendly and gluten free. This dish is a great option for those trying to cut down on their carbohydrate intake.

Here we use “cauliflower rice” (shredded cauliflower) instead of white rice, which only takes a few minutes to prepare in a blender or food processor.

Did you know that you could eat an entire head of cauliflower and you’d still be consuming less carbs than there are in 1 cup of cooked rice!

3 ways to make cauliflower rice:

First wash and cut the cauliflower into somewhat large bite-sized pieces.

My favorite method is to use a blender- add the cauliflower to the blender with enough water to cover. The cauliflower should have enough space to move around in the blender, so don’t pack it too tightly. Blend until it resembles rice, and then strain.
Alternatively, you can add the cauliflower to a food processor and blend until it looks like rice. (Again, make sure you don’t overfill your food processor.)
My least favorite method (cuz I’m lazy!) would be to grate the cauliflower by hand.

Cauliflower, like other cruciferous vegetables, is a great source of:

antioxidants
vitamins (especially C and K)
fiber
chemo-preventive substances which inhibit the formation of breast, colon, liver, stomach, and lung cancers
omega-3 fats

Note: I’ve made this dish with ground beef, but boneless chicken may also be used.

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Mexican "Cauliflower Rice" Casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 clove garlic diced
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced (optional)
1 lb (500 grams) ground beef or 1 lb of boneless chicken, cut in small pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
oregano, cumin, and chili powder to taste
1 head cauliflower
1.5 cups tomato sauce or 2 tablespoons tomato paste with 1.5 cups water
1.5 cups cheddar cheese
toppings: avocado, salsa, lime, sour cream, or fresh cilantro optional

Instructions

In a large skillet (preferably oven-proof), melt the butter. Cook the onions until soft. Add the garlic and jalapeno (if using) and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add the ground beef (or chicken), salt, and seasonings to the pan. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.

To make the cauliflower rice:

While the meat cooks, wash and cut the cauliflower into somewhat large bite-sized pieces. My favorite method is to use a blender- add the cauliflower to the blender with enough water to cover, blend until it resembles rice, and then strain. Alternatively, you can add the cauliflower to a food processor and blend until it looks like rice. (Make sure you don't overfill your blender or food processor.) My least favorite method would be to grate the cauliflower by hand.
After the meat has cooked thoroughly, add the cauliflower "rice" and tomato sauce to the pan. Cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft. Add more liquid if neccesary.
Sprinkle with cheese and put the pan in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese has melted (or just keep it on the stove until it melts). Add toppings of choice. Enjoy!