Amazing Cauliflower "Fried Rice"

Cauliflower “Fried Rice.” Make this. Trust me.

People ask me all the time if I follow a low carb diet. The answer is absolutely not. I prefer to think of it as a "smart" carb diet. For example: I eat lots of fruit. You know what is in fruit? Yep, carbohydrates. But the they are carbs your body can recognize and use to fuel your day. Do you know what is in that breakfast cereal bar you just ate? Probably not, unless you studied the label, but I can guarantee your there was a plethora of carbohydrates. The problem comes about when those carbs are actually factory created chemicals that smell good and look good, but are completely unrecognizable to the human body.

 So, yes, I choose to be as educated as I can about the food that goes into my body, including the sources of carbohydrates I include into my diet. I'm smart about them, But, no, I don't avoid them. There are definite times and places where grains make the recipe. Throw up your hands and rejoyce! This is not one of them. You'll never miss the rice. We actually told a little fib at dinner and told the kids this was just like the fried rice they love from our neighborhood sushi restaurant. They both ate an entire bowl and never once balked at the taste or texture of the cauliflower. Victory!

Anyway, needless to say I loved the way this turned out. I'm even planning to meal prep it next week for my lunches. 

As a little tip...You’ll want to marinade the pork for several hours or overnight. So make sure you allow yourself time for that. It’s a worthwhile step. Other than that, this recipe couldn't be easier. 

Here you go:

Marinade Recipe: In a zip lock bag combine the following-

3tsp minced garlic

2tbsp Tamari or Low sodium soy sauce

1tbsp dried minced onion flakes

1/4tsp black pepper

1tbsp sesame oil

1tbsp rice wine vinegar

1lb boneless, center cut pork, chops sliced into small thin pieces.

For the stir fry:

1tbsp sesame oil

2-3 tsp minced garlic

1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped

1c green sweet peas, I used frozen

3 scallions, finely chopped including stems

1c of shredded carrot

2 large eggs

For the “Rice”:

2 bags of pre-washed cauliflower florets or a large head of fresh cauliflower. Wash if necessary.

2-3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Begin by ricing your cauliflower. Place the contents of one bag or ½ a head of cauliflower into the bowl of your food processor and pulse until it is the consistency and size of grains of rice. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Repeat with second bag or second ½ of the cauliflower.

In a very large pan, warm 1tbsp sesame oil over medium heat and sauté onion until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic carrots, peas and scallions and cook until carrots have softened.

Next, push all the vegetables to the perimeter of pan and add the pork and marinade. Cook the pork thoroughly, but do not incorporate the vegetables until the pork is fully cooked, about 4 minutes depending on how large or small you cut the pieces of meat.

After the pork is fully cooked, combine it with the veggies by stirring gently and once again push the meat and vegetables to the outer edge of the pan. Crack one egg at a time into the center of the pan and season with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs and incorporate them into the mixture.

You are ready for the final step. Retrieve your riced cauliflower and pour the entire bowl into your sauté pan. Before you stir, top the cauliflower with 2-3tbsp low sodium soy sauce and then stir to mix all the ingredients evenly. No need to really “cook” the cauliflower, just warm it through. 

Garnish each serving with 1/4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

*I also added a sprinkle of dried red chili flakes to my rice. I did not include this in the recipe because I prefer to keep my recipes more child-friendly. Personally, I think great either way, but the heat from the chilies is really tasty.

Hope you enjoy it!

Savory Sage & Butternut Squash Soup

Savory Sage and Butternut Squash Soup

For the past few weeks I've been participating in a nutrition and exercise challenge from the Barre3 Studio where I teach classes. I wanted to come up with some recipes that both satisfied my cravings for warm comfort food and fit within the guidelines of the challenge. One of my very favorite recipes born out of the challenge was this Savory Sage and Butternut Squash Soup. It is delicious and so simple that it can literally be made in 10 minutes. If you have dietary restrictions, you'll also be happy to hear that it is dairy free, soy free, gluten free and could very easily be nut free, if you choose. 

I paired this soup with a simple Greek Salad topped with grilled chicken. It is perfectly creamy and I love the natural sweetness of the squash paired with the sage. I think it's perfect for lunch or as a first course next time you host friends for dinner. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

36oz of Fresh Butternut Squash cubes or 3 (12oz) bags of pre-sliced butternut squash cubes. (I buy Green Giant butternut squash cubes in the produce department near the bags of fresh broccoli, green beans, etc.)

1 tbsp coconut oil

¼ tsp dry sage

¼ tsp dried chili flakes

Salt to taste, at least ¼ tsp

Black pepper to taste

2 cups vegetable broth (I prefer Swanson’s 100% natural)

Dry Roasted Pepitas, Pumpkin Seeds or Sunflower seeds 

Serves 5

Method:

1.  Pierce each bag and place all three bags of butternut squash cubes in the microwave on high for 7 minutes. ***If using fresh squash and your prefer not to microwave steam the squash: Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with coconut oil or non-stick spray. Place squash cubes on the tray in a single layer and roast at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until softened and move on to step 2.

2. Pour broth, seasonings, coconut oil and cooked squash in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Additional broth can be added if you prefer a thinner soup.

3.  Top each serving with 1 tbsp of seeds and enjoy.

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

It is no secret I'm in love with my Creamy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oatmeal. I've been eating it every morning for months, but every now and then it's good to change things up. Fall fruits are my favorite to mix with oats...pumpkin, apples, raisins, cinnamon...its like having dessert for breakfast. I even joked with a friend today that I wake up every morning looking forward to breakfast...like skip the snooze button to get to the fridge and heat up my breakfast look forward to it. Plus, its little gift from heaven when the peanut butter gets all melty and gooey over the top of the oatmeal. Trust me, its amazing. I hope you love these as much as I do. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 large apple, any variety (I prefer Jazz or Fuji)

2 tbsp reduced sugar Craisins or raisins

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 packet of Stevia

¼ tbsp apple pie spice

2/3 cup old fashioned oats, not instant or 5-min oats

2 tbsp chia seeds

1 scoop of Whey protein, vanilla or cinnamon flavor

3/4 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

½ cup cottage cheese, 2 or 4% but not fat-free

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp cinnamon

2-3 tbsp real maple syrup

2 tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter

*2 servings

Method: 

1   1. Clean and chop apple into small pieces, approximately 1/2 inch cubes .  Warm coconut oil over medium heat and add chopped apple, craisins/ raisins, apple pie spice and stevia.  Cook until apples are softened, but not mushy. Remove from heat and set aside.

2   2. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well.

3   3.  Divide oat mixture between two air-tight containers, such as mason jars.

4   4.  Top each jar with ½ the cooled apple mixture and refrigerate overnight.

5   5.  In the morning, warm oats for 1 minute and stir well. Microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds and stir again. Top with 1 tbsp of almond butter or peanut butter and enjoy.

Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan

When I think of my favorite comfort foods, there seems to be a few reoccurring themes. Evidently I really like cheese and fried goodness. This recipe for my Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan skips right over the bad fried part and goes straight to the melty, cheesy goodness. I love this meal because I can get it to the dinner table in about a 1/2 hour and I feel like I'm getting a really indulgent meal with out a lot of effort in the kitchen or miles to run afterward.

Here is what you'll need for chicken:
1/2c Plain or whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tbsp dry parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4c Egg substitute or 1 egg, well beaten
1c pasta sauce. I like Wild Oats Organic Sauces
1c Part-skim Mozzarella cheese
1lb Chicken breast strips or thin sliced chicken breasts

For Salad:
6 c Shredded Iceberg Lettuce
1tsp olive oil
1tsp apple cider vinegar
1tsp stone ground mustard
2tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

For zucchini:
3 medium zucchini
1tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely minced garlic (I like Spice World Minced "squeeze" garlic)
Salt and pepper to taste

Here's how to make the recipe:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Set up your breading station: Line a pan with parchment paper or foil. Next, place the beaten egg or egg substitute in one bowl and the bread crumbs in another. Add garlic, parsley and 1/4tsp salt and 1/4tsp pepper to the bread crumbs and mix.

2. Dip each piece of chicken or breast strip in to the egg and let excess drip off. Next dip into bread crumbs, lightly pressing to help crumbs stick. Place on baking sheet.

3. Place the baking sheet in the oven. For these strips, the cooking time is approximately 20 minutes. For a larger breast, allow upwards of 30 minutes.

4. While the chicken cooks you'll want to prep your side dishes. For the zucchini:
Rough chop the zucchini while you heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add zucchini, garlic and salt and pepper to the pan and toss to coat with the olive oil. Cook until tender, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. For the salad: Add lettuce to a large bowl with a tight lid. In a small bowl, mix oil, vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings and mix well. Add salad dressing to the bowl and place lid on the container. Shake to distribute the dressing. Immediately divide into serving bowls and top with black pepper.

6. After your chicken is fully cooked, remove from oven and set oven to broil. For these strips I grouped 3 strips together and topped each serving with about 1/4c of mozzarella.

7. Return the chicken to the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

8. Heat sauce in a small sauce pan or microwave. Move each portion to a plate and top with 1/4 of the warmed sauce.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does. Feel free to leave comments and suggestions!