Cauliflower Spanish 'Rice'

Shannon Beigert

This recipe is a delicious and healthy take on the traditional Spanish rice that my family loves to eat as a side dish with refried beans and tacos or enchiladas.

Ingredients

2 16-ounce packages of frozen riced cauliflower 
One half of a sweet onion, finely diced
One half of a green bell pepper, finely diced
One fourth of a cup of frozen green peas
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or very finely diced
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
5 oz. (half of a 10 oz. can of) enchilada sauce
8-10 cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
6-8 pimento stuffed olives, each horizontally sliced into 3 disks
Shredded cheese as a garnish (optional)

Instructions

In a large cooking dish, place the frozen cauliflower on medium low heat, and stir to break up any chunks and cook.  Note: I do not add water when cooking the cauliflower rice because, as it thaws, a little water will release. The goal is to allow the water to evaporate as part of the cooking process. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes, and you should stir the cauliflower from time to time to ensure even cooking.

Meanwhile,  add oil to a large frying pan and cook the onions, garlic and green peppers until the onions are translucent. Add the frozen peas and continue to cook. Add the cumin and stir all of the ingredients in the pan together until the peas are cooked.

Then add the onion mixture to the cooked cauliflower and incorporate all of the ingredients together. Add the enchilada sauce until all ingredients are coated, mixed thoroughly and heated. Remove the pot from the stovetop and add the olives and tomatoes, stirring all ingredients together thoroughly.

Plate and sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Shannon Beigert is a chef and baker who loves to entertain guests at her Olympia home. If you want to let her know that this recipe worked well for you, send her a note at  shannon@theJOLTnews.com