If you’re searching for the perfect side dish for your Taco Tuesday (or any day!) … look no further! This Spanish Cauli-Rice is low carb, and still packs all of that perfectly-seasoned goodness of your typical spanish rice.
It comes together in minutes, especially if you have some store-bought riced cauliflower. That stuff is SO HANDY to keep around when you want a quick meal. However, you can easily rice up your cauliflower in your food processor or blender. Personally, I keep bags of frozen cauliflower florets in the freezer at all times. I thaw them slightly, and then throw them in my blender. I pulse it a few times until the cauliflower is the size of rice, and it’s ready to cook! Super simple!
Pair this Spanish Cauli-Rice with tacos or serve it in a burrito bowl with lots of toppings! It’s sure to be a hit!
Sloppy Joes was a big-time comfort food for me growing up. I feel like everyone ate theirs a little different – some on buns or in a wrap, some covered in onions or mustard, some with shredded cheese, or some just PLAIN.
For me, I almost always ate it with mustard, shredded cheese, and onions…and corn chips. To this day, I eat it very similar. I scoop up that sweet tomato-y goodness with plantain chips, but leave off the cheese most of the time. Not because I don’t want it or never eat it, though! We just rarely keep cheddar cheese in the house. Thanks to my lactose-intolerant hubby, cheese is a rarity! I never thought I’d say that! I’ll go as far as saying that I don’t really miss all of that dairy. I used to be obsessed!
I love to stretch out meals to save some extra change. This way, it’s more affordable to use quality proteins. This recipe only calls for one pound of ground beef, but makes 5-6 good-sized servings … thanks to lots of veggies! I cook the veggies down enough (and chop them small!) that you don’t even notice they’re in there – a tip, courteous of my mom who used to cook for a bunch of school-aged children each week. It’s a great way to sneak some in for those picky eaters in your family. I get no complaints when I serve these for dinner, that’s for sure!
Note: It’s highly recommended to simmer this for at least 30 minutes, however, it’s not completely necessary.
On any given day, if you ask me if I want tacos or nachos, 9 times out of 10, I will say YES. This fajita-inspired, taco meat is perfectly seasoned with spices you probably already have in your cabinet. Therefore, no overly-salted, seasoning packet needed here! This meat combines all of the flavors of fajitas in an easy-to-cook, foolproof dish!
It goes great on tortillas or piled up on chips with tons of toppings…including my dairy free Pepperjack Cheese Sauce. I think I make a batch of that almost every week! Ready to dig in, yet? Here’s the recipe!
In a nonstick sauce pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat, sauté peppers and onions in oil for 3-4 minutes or until they have just began to soften.
Add your ground beef to the skillet and begin to break it up.
Add all of your seasonings to the ground beef and continue to break it up while it cooks.
After the beef has browned on all the edges, (this should take about 5 minutes), add the water.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked away.
And...you're done!
Recipe Notes
*If you are using the cheapest ground beef for this, depending on the brand, you will often find that the fat content is higher, therefore, there will be more grease. Depending on how much fat is left after browning, reduce the water to 1/4 cup, first and see if you need more liquid after that.
My ground beef ratio is usually 85% lean/15% fat and I never have to drain excess. Personally, it's worth the extra dollar or two to buy quality meat. Just keep that in mind!
This side dish is delicious and practically effortless. Besides some mixing and chopping, it’s so simple to throw together while making whatever else you decide to pair it with.
The other night, we had this with bun-less turkey burgers. So simple, but so delish. Simple is good sometimes. Good food doesn’t have to be complicated!
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Balsamic & Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli
In a large mixing bowl, combine vinegar, oil, and seasonings.
Chop sweet potatoes into 1 1/2" bite-size pieces.
Add sweet potatoes and broccoli florets to the bowl and gently toss to coat.
To a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, evenly spread out the potatoes and broccoli. The less touching of the vegetables, the quicker they'll cook and the crispier they'll be!
Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and flip the potatoes and broccoli.
Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately. I like to drizzle everything with a little melted butter for extra richness and flavor!
This is one of the most simple and comforting soups that I make! The Instant Pot cooks this soup in 5 minutes. If you haven’t heard me say it before, here I go again…I LOVE MY INSTANT POT! For this recipe, I only quarter the onion, and use a bag of frozen cauliflower. There is such little work involved! This creamy soup is so versatile and can be a base for so many other soups. I usually turn it into a Loaded “Potato” Soup or a Cheeseburger Chowder.
It may be dairy free and low carb, but it is still super creamy! This soup tastes so similar to a Cream of Potato soup, but, instead, is filled with a much healthier veggie! Personally, I’m always in need of more veggies in my life! White potatoes have practically no nutritional value and are packed with carbs that turn into sugar. They are delicious and technically, WHOLE FOODS, but we should keep those to a minimum. Using cauliflower instead is a great, guilt-free substitute. Small changes like this every now and then can mean big things for someone’s diet and health.
P.S. If you do not have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, see the notes below* for an alternative stovetop method. It will take a bit longer, but still be delicious! The only other appliance that you will need is some type of blender. I typically use a handheld immersion blender for this.
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5-Minute Instant Pot Creamy Cauliflower Soup {w/stovetop option}
Cashew yogurtsub sour cream or dairy free alternative of choice
Instructions
To the Instant Pot, add all of the ingredients with the exception of the yogurt and butter.
Attach the lid, turn the valve to seal, and set for 5 minutes (make sure its on High Pressure.) It will take 5-10 minutes to come to pressure, as well.
When the timer goes off, turn the valve, and do a quick release.
Once the pin has dropped and all of the pressure has released, remove the lid, and add the butter to the Instant Pot.
Use your immersion blender (or countertop blender) to puree the soup until it is completely smooth!
Drizzle with yogurt or sour cream before serving. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
*Stovetop method:
In a soup pot over medium heat, saute onions in 1 tbsp of avocado oil, coconut oil, or ghee/butter. You'll want to dice the onions for this cooking method.
Once the onions have become soft and translucent, add the remaining ingredients (besides the butter and yogurt.)
Bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked and very tender.
Remove from heat and add the butter to the soup.
Transfer the soup to your blender or a metal bowl to use the immersion blender.
Puree until completely smooth.
** Chicken Bouillon Paste - This is my favorite brand and one of my favorite things to use in dishes! If you decide to use Thrive Market (it's a couple dollars cheaper on there), send me an email and I can get you a link for a discount off your first order!
Finger foods that you can dip in Ranch dressing is a love of mine! There’s just something about dipping crispy foods into creamy goodness. I usually whip up a batch of my Southwest Ranch Dressing to go with these, but they are delicious with so many different sauces or on their own!
I never get a complaint when I pair these with my Boneless Buffalo Wings. It’s a healthy meal that feels like a cheat meal. That’s my kind of food!
Who doesn’t love those one pot meals? This meal is all cooked at the same time in your Instant Pot! That’s right, no oven and no big boiling pot of water for those potatoes. It does use more than one dish, but the fact that you can make these two dishes at the exact same time, in the same pot, is mind-blowing to me! It just doesn’t get any easier!
For this recipe, I made four personal sized versions of my Mom’s Traditional Meatloaf. I used quality grass-fed and finished beef, which, in my opinion, adds so much good flavor to your meal. If you’ve never tried it, do yourself a favor and go get some! It’s not just a fancy title slapped on ground meat. Not only is it better for you, it’s much more delicious! My favorite is Strauss Ground Beef. Check out their website straussbrands.com to find it nearest you.
You can substitute your favorite meatloaf recipe (1lb ground meat recipe) in place of this, though. You can also opt to make one meatloaf, instead of four personal ones. The cooking time may need to be extended 10 minutes or so depending on the size dish that you use. Just keep that in mind!
Follow the recipe for my Mom's Traditional Meatloaf and combine ingredients in a bowl.
Separate meatloaf mixture into 4 small loaf pans (I just used the disposable ones) or in one glass dish that fits inside your IP. They even have silicone baking dishes on Amazon. Just note, if using one dish, you'll have to increase the cooking time for 10-15 more minutes, depending on the thickness of your meatloaf.
To your Instant Pot, add the diced potatoes and water.
Lay your trivet directly on top of the potatoes, and layer the four loaf pans on top of the trivet.
If they stack up too high (i.e. they go above the "Max" line on the inside of the pot), remove some of the potatoes from the bottom, replace the four pans, and add the potatoes around the edges of the loaf pans.
Attach the lid on top of your IP and seal the valve.
Press the Meat/Stew button (Or Manual - it doesn't really matter), press "Adjust" until the pressure is set to "More," and set the cooking time for 35 minutes. The IP should take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
When the timer goes off, do a QR (quick release) and remove the lid.
Remove the meatloaf pans and drain excess fat off of each.
Remove the trivet and drain the water from potatoes.
Optional: Your meatloaf doesn't look the prettiest at this point, and doesn't have any bit of a crust. This step helps that, but is totally optional! Place meatloaf pans on a baking sheet under the broiler on Lo for 3-4 minutes to crisp up the top layer.
To the warm potatoes, add remaining ingredients: butter, yogurt/sour cream, nutpods/milk, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. I like slightly clumpy potatoes, so I just use a wooden spoon to gently mash them. If you don't like any clumps, use a handheld mixer to whip them up - all right in the same pot!
Serve on their own or with your favorite gravy! Despite my LOVE for gravy, I find that these potatoes need absolutely nothing more. They're rich and delicious on their own.
Chori Pollo has been a mexican favorite of mine since the first time I had chorizo. I almost always choose chicken over beef or pork, however, the combination of chicken with the spicy sausage is perfection and I can’t pass it up!
This dish combines all of those flavors with one of my other favorite things – SOUP! It’s also made in the Instant Pot – yet, ANOTHER one of my loves. However, you can make it on your stove top or in your crockpot, as well. It’s will just take a little bit more time.
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Instant Pot Chori Pollo Sopa (Chicken & Chorizo Soup)
With your instant pot set to "Saute", cook onions, jalapeños, chorizo, and chicken pieces for 3-5 minutes or until onions have began to soften. TIP: Sautéing your food for a couple minutes in the beginning will help the pot come to pressure quicker.
Add remaining ingredients to your Instant Pot and stir to combine. Hit the "Cancel" button to take it off of "Saute" mode.
Attach the lid and turn your valve to seal. Press the "Soup" button, adjust the time to 15 minutes, and let it cook!
When the timer goes off, turn the valve to vent, and do a QR.
Serve with chopped green onions, sour cream, avocado slices or my Pepperjack Cheese Sauce (dairy free). See recipes notes for a link to the recipe!**
Stovetop Instructions:
In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté onions and jalapeños for 5-8 minutes until the onions have become translucent.
Add sausage and chicken to onions and peppers and cook for 5 minutes.
Add spices, broth, and cauliflower rice to your pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn your soup down to low and let simmer until ready to serve.
Crockpot Instructions:
Add all of the ingredients to your crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.
Recipe Notes
*I thaw (or cook for a couple minutes) the frozen cauliflower and then pulse it in my blender for a few seconds to "rice" it. MUCH EASIER than breaking down a fresh head of cauliflower and "ricing" it. You can sub a bag of frozen riced cauliflower. It usually only comes in 12 oz bags; if you prefer not to use a partial second bag, reducing the cauliflower to 12 oz won't hurt the recipe.
Yes, it says dairy-free! I can see your eyes rolling and your head shaking now. I’ve been there! I promise, though, you won’t miss it in this sauce! There is so much flavor that you won’t realize that it’s missing the cheese!
Opting out of dairy in your meals can do so much good on your digestion and your skin! You may not even realize the effects it has on you, until you give it up for a week or so and then go back to it! You’ll notice a difference! Give it a try! There are so many awesome products out there now that can help make the transition so easy! Your gut will thank you!
In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together cream cheese and butter until melted and combined. This should take 2-3 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and seasonings and combine.
Add Nutpods, cashew milk, and juice from the lemon and whisk together until well combined. (if you're using it, add nutritional yeast now, as well)
Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 5-10 minutes or until ready to serve!
I like to serve this sauce over our favorite pasta and top it with shredded, cajun-seasoned chicken thighs! DELISH!
Recipe Notes
*You can substitute cashew, coconut, or almond milk. The sauce just won't be as rich and creamy. Start with a cup and add more until desired consistency is achieved. You could also add a tablespoon or two more of cream cheese for extra creaminess!
If you tolerate dairy, some quality heavy cream could be used here as well!
**Many people have found that too much nutritional yeast can upset their stomach. So, it's totally optional here. I tend to use it more often in regular alfredo sauces. Taste the sauce before you add it and see if you even need it! Personally, the cajun spices in this recipe add plenty of flavor for me.
I’m pretty sure that I could drink ranch dressing like a beverage, almost. Or, at least, eat it like a soup. haha! I apologize if that grosses you out, I just love ranch. You’ve probably heard me say that before. I love it so much that the officiant of our wedding worked that into our vows. Yea, that’s how much I’m obsessed with it.
This dressing is up there with my favorite! It’s a spicy variation of it, and it is amazing! My husband loves it too. Anything that he can dip in this, HE DOES.
It goes great with chicken nuggets, chicken strips, wings, or on top of a burger. Just pour it over everything and you’ll be just fine!
I also use it for my Southwest Chopped Salad! If you love the chipotle flavors, you’ll definitely want to check this salad out!
Add all ingredients to a food processor or use an immersion blender and combine until smooth.
Recipe Notes
*If you don't have Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime mayonnaise, that's ok. Regular/homemade mayonnaise will work, you will just have to add a couple tablespoons of fresh lime juice and extra seasonings. I'd start with an extra 1/4 tsp of each: chipotle powder, garlic powder, and onion powder - then add more if you feel that you need it!
**You can sub cashew, almond, or coconut milk. Just start with 4 Tbsp and add more until desired consistency is reached.
***Unless you know that you really like the dill flavor, start with only 1/2 tsp - then add more to your liking.
