Mexican Rice Bowls

I shouldn’t be allowed to wear my workout shoes. Anywhere. Even the the gym. They smell like living hell.

So yesterday, I thought it would be a good idea to drink about 20 ounces of water per class. And I taught 3 classes. Do the math. Then drank a coffee and another glass of water. Worked out. Then another glass. So if I’m doing my math right, that’s like 1,000 ounces. Ok, not really. But it’s a lot of ounces since I still drank a couple more glasses through the day. But I didn’t feel healthy or refreshed. I felt bloated and uncomfortable. And I barely peed. What does that mean? Am I dying. I don’t know about this whole drinking water thing. I feel like a water balloon. But not the firm water balloons that will definitely pop when you throw them. No, no. I feel like the big floppy ones that bounce right off that ground and almost become a flat pancake. Is any of this making sense to you? Me neither.

I know this isn’t the most creative recipe I’ve ever created, but it’s delicious. And easy. And I’m way more into easy these days. Especially since I leave for Lake Powell today and I had to use up everything I had in my fridge before I left. So…sorry for not being sorry!! Remember my trip to Lake Powell last year? It was fun. I wonder if it will top it this year. To be continued…

I’m frightened about the sun in Lake Powell. I haven’t really tanned whatsoever this summer, which is the first summer ever, so my skin is only a slight bronze from the tanning lotion I’ve been slathering on. Only sometimes because it smells sketch. Jergens commercials about their lotion not smelling is total bull. Don’t believe them. It turns you nice and orangey, but it smells weird.

What’s up with the pretzel bun obsession nowadays? I don’t get it.

Ok before I leave you, I have to tell you about a new favorite product I recently tried. The company is called Sweety P and is a paleo-inspired bakery. They have mini loafs and bite size treats which include flavors of cinnamon, chocolate chip, banana bread, and chocolate zucchini. It’s the perfect sized treat for a snack or dessert. I became instantly obsessed with these little bites of joy. And they aren’t too sweet, just sweet enough to satisfy that cake need. I love cake. Check them out here!

picture courtesy of Sweet P
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Mexican Rice Bowls

  • Yield: 3-4 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1/3 cup broth or water
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 pound pork chorizo
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • salsa of choice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Run florets of cauliflower through a food processor using the shredding attachment, to rice the cauliflower. Or use a grater and crate the cauliflower until you have small pieces.
  2. Place a small saucepan over medium heat, add cauliflower and broth or water and a bit of salt to the pan and cover to let steam for about 10 minutes. Mix a couple times to keep from sticking to the bottom.
  3. Once cauliflower is soft, add garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro, lime, and a bit of salt and pepper.
  4. While rice is cooking, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook chorizo and ground beef. Break up into small pieces and cook until cooked through completely.
  5. Dice onion and avocado.
  6. When cauliflower rice and meat are done cooking, add rice, meat, onion, avocado, and salsa to a bowl.

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PaleOMG Mexican Rice Bowls

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Oh, Hi! I’m Juli.

I’m a food hoarder. And a really bad dancer. If you don’t know me well, you will probably not understand my humor. Therefore, I apologize ahead of time. Thanks for listening to my ramblings of my ever-changing life and trusting my kitchen mishaps. Your trust in me is appreciated.

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62 thoughts on “Mexican Rice Bowls”

    1. I just read the article you posted and I too found it interesting. I’m always catching crap for not drinking “enough” water, but I drink when I’m thirsty not because it’s a habit that I’ve formed. Thanks for sharing!!

  1. Thanks for sharing ideas even as simple as this sometimes. It helps break the “what’s for dinner” rut with the plus of being a manageable, quick recipe.

  2. I can’t wait to try this recipe. 🙂 And I’m also really weirded out by the fascination with pretzel buns. Am I missing something?

  3. I live mexican food. Thanks for another recipe to add to the mix. I found a great (and easy!) paleo mole’ recipe on thefoodee.com that will be yumm-o to add to this dish. Thanks!

  4. I saw on Pinterest another cool way to make cauliflower rice if you don’t have a food processor. Roughly cut the cauliflower into uniform sizes and place in a blender. Fill the blender as high as you can with water and then blend for 5 to 10 seconds. Then you strain the water out and you have cauliflower rice.

    1. I love this! I don’t have a food processor and the last time I grated cauliflower, it got all over my counter and floor. It was a mess and a huge pain to do

      Thanks!

    2. Cristina, thanks for the cauliflower rice tip! Made it last night with this method, it’s genius. It ends up being pretty close to cous cous in texture/size but I loved that. I’ll be making much more of it now!

    1. I buy frozen cauliflower and cook it in the pan with the broth. As it cooks, I chop/mash it up with a wooden spatula and/or a fork. Turns out pretty rice-like. Its way quicker and prevents me from getting cauliflower pieces all over my kitchen and I don’t have to clean the food processor!

      1. Thanks Aubrey! I’ve been wondering if there was an easier/less messy way of doing the cauliflower rice w/out a food processor. When you say “with the broth” what exactly do you mean?

  5. Cooking this tonight. What is your favorite goto snack when you are craving something sweet , and you must have instantly?

  6. I felt the same way but I was OVER drinking water and had hyponatremia! When you drink too much water and don’t eat enough salt… it was so weird and I felt like crap and bloated. Your body holds on to the water because your sodium is so low… blah blah blah. It was crazy and I think because eating paleo, you tend to eat less sodium (packaged foods). I learned a lot and have been eating pickles like crazy! 🙂

    Also- this looks reallllllly good and easy.

    p.s. do you remember meeting me at Regionals in D.C.? I almost cried haha

  7. I totally don’t understand that whole drinking the whole ocean of water idea thing either. Its actually not good for your metabolism at all. I actually look 3 months pregnant when I drink too much water.

  8. uggg, water. I have been told by my doctor to drink up…my kidney function tested low, too low, and I need to be super hydrated for the retest….it is a living hell.

    Had a big ol serving of cauliflower rice last nice, with lots of curry….yum. Your simple dish looks simply delicious!

  9. Forget what you said about this bowl not looking good. I think it looks fantastic! If I could, I would eat it off of my computer screen if I could.

    And the Sweety P treats are AMAZING!!! I live in the Boston area and was able to try them at a book signing Diana Rodgers had a few weeks ago. My kids devoured the chocolate chip balls. I love both the banana and zucchini breads. YUM!!

  10. Funny you say that about pretzel buns. I just passed a Wendy’s yesterday and read that on a sign. I thought hugh I wonder what THAT would taste like?
    Keep up the great work on the pics and food recipes. You are amazing. Everytime I want to jump off the paleo wagon I see something else I gotta try. The only thing I would add would be scallions or cilantro. We tend to eat with our eyes and the more color the better!!
    Thanks paleo girl!

  11. Tried avocados for first time ever this weekend and was impressed so this recipe is timely for me to try… I went from sun bunny to a vampire avoidant of the sun too. I usually do the lotion tan at least, I didn’t even bother this summer, my first ever as a Casper (i.e. Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoon character).

  12. Really great recipe! I’d probably suggest using Cumin and Oregano in the meat to get that “Mexican” taste, but a solid, easy, and delicious recipe! Steaming the cauliflower rice is actually a great idea I’ll have to try.

  13. We just started a “paleo challenge” at our box and I have been searching for easy recipes. Love the Mexican Rice bowl, easy is good. The baked stuff looks good too, but, I have discovered I can’t eat nuts of any type which sucks and eliminates a lot of recipes due to the “almond flour” I’m going to try tapioca and see how that goes. Would love any suggestions.
    Tks,

  14. I made this last night soooo easy to make and very yummy! My husband is super pricky and he loved the Cauilflower Rice!! Great idea as always Juli!

  15. LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this for dinner last night! Actually, my whole family circled around the kitchen when I was cooking and devoured it! HAHA none of them “like” cauliflower!! How great is that!? Make it in a different form and they gobble it up!! Thank you! And love your website and I’m glad I can’t smell your smelly shoes through it!! Great recipes, thanks much!

  16. I just made this…it was amazing!! I have never had cauliflower rice before, it was amazing im a carboholic and this was a nice illusion of white rice! I will making this again very soon!!! I want to thank you so very much for sharing these recipes. Paleo has changed my life! Cant wait to try your other recipes! THANKS SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!

  17. I had to let you know how much I enjoyed this recipe. It is so simple and so delicious. I just started eating paleo a few weeks ago and I wasn’t sure if I just loved it because I was so hungry or if it was a delicious as I thought. I fed it to my husband, father and sister who are all non-paleo and they LOVED it too. My husband thought he was just eating regular rice. It is an amazing recipe and so simple. I will make this a lot!! Thank you for this – it affirms that I can do paleo and can eat delicious food.

  18. I just realized that this recipe was supposed to feed 4 people. Whoops! My non-paleo boyfriend and I scarfed down two giant servings for dinner last night. Scrump!

  19. This was so yummy – I made it with turkey instead of beef and added the cumin and oregano to the meat as per the other commenter.

  20. The cauliflower rice was so much better than I anticipated–the spices/herbs really made it a standout!

    My version incorporated previous suggestions: I cooked ground turkey with chopped onion, cumin, oregano, S&P. My bowl also included lots of chopped red/orange pepper, tomatoes, and scallions. So delish!

    Another awesome recipe, Juli! Thanks!

  21. I’m addicted to this recipe. Mostly because I’m addicted to Mexican food and anything that has avocado on top!

  22. Just made this last night as my first paleo dish. An excellent substitute for a burrito or basically any of my mexican food cravings. Thank you!

  23. Gillian Pensavalle

    Omg what a plonker I am.!
    Thought of trying cauliflower rice been looking in all the supermarkets in the rice section :-/ haha

  24. O-M-G!!! I never knew there was such thing as cauliflower rice. We just ate this recipe for dinner and it was amazing!!!

  25. My kids were excited over this dish.. They asked for more smashed potatoes! 😉 Although I didn’t use chorizo just doubled the ground beef. I am so thankful to find your website as I have always been scared to add spices, ect not knowing what to use and since we joined cross fit we have been eating paleo for the past 3 months and what a difference!

  26. I made this tonight and it was so good! Will become one of my favorite dishes. I’m looking forward to trying other recipes from your site. Thank you for sharing!

  27. First – love your site and just bought your cookbook. I’m probably the only nerd who related to your first sentence about your shoes, but here’s a fix from a fellow Coloradoan. Sprinkle a little baking soda in each shoe and each sock for about a week and that should kick it (pun intended). It changes the PH balance so the bacteria won’t grow.

  28. Me too, your first sentence reminded of the time my husband put he’s expensive work boot on the front porch to air out and a stray cat pee’d in them LOL

  29. This recipe is *definitely* a keeper!! Made this last week and we both gobbled it up. Surprisingly tasty and filling. We saved the leftovers (minus the avocado) and my husband re-heated for lunch with a big dollop of guacamole. He said it was just as delicious the next day!

  30. I always follow the rule that if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Drinking water happens 5-6 times a day. No set amount, just what my body tells me it needs. Unfortunately I suffer from chronic Uric acid kidney stones on a much too frequent basis. I spent my first 35 years in Texas but now live in PA and I haven’t gone this long without any stones!!

  31. Found your website today and made this tonight. It was AMAZING! Holy Cow, even my uber picky carb loading husband loved it!

  32. This is my favorite receipt EVER! I was very skeptical about the cauliflower “rice”, but it was better than I could have ever imagined. The seasoning in it was fantastic. I also had another thing going for me…I used grass-fed organic ground beef (no chorizo – I doubled the beef) and I could identify the difference from regular(?) ground beef simply by the smell while I was cooking it! This beef had so much flavor…it was incredible! I don’t think I can ever go back to non-grass-fed, non-organic beef! Thank you for your creativity and willingness to share!!! 🙂

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