Oh summer. Fresh ingredients abound. My little garden is already reaping some harvest. I've got big ol' heads of romaine, so I figured it was high time to bust out a salad. I'm not a big salad fan, but if I do enjoy a salad it's got to have more to it than just lettuce and dressing. Give me a chevre, walnut, pear salad, or a blackened salmon caesar. One of my favorite more-than-just-lettuce salads is a taco salad. I had just picked up a head of cauliflower to make some cilantro lime cauliflower rice and it sounded like a perfect addition to a yummy taco salad. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice was a staple when I was doing Whole30, it's so savory and filling. Add it to a taco salad with some aged cheddar and spicy dressing, and it's a filling salad for a warm evening on the patio. Yum!
Ingredients for Cauliflower Rice (via
)
½ of a large head of cauliflower or a full one if it's on the small side
½ yellow or white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup cilantro, chopped
zest of one large lime
juice from half a lime
2 TBSP coconut oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Grate the cauliflower or use a food processor to get a "rice" texture.
2. Heat a large pan to medium-high and add the coconut oil. Once the oil is melted, add your onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, a couple minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower and cook until it's just cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Add in the lime zest and juice, fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste, and mix together!
For Salad:
Diced Onion
Diced Tomato
Romaine Lettuce, chopped
Corn
Grated
Cauliflower Rice
Hot Sauce for dressing (or use a southwest-type dressing)
My favorite way to make salads is to put everything out in dishes separately and let people build their own salads, that way they can choose their own ratio of ingredients and leave out the ingredients they aren't a fan of. Throw everything together, toss with dressing, and enjoy with a summery beer on a hot evening!
