Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Let's have a moment of honesty.

How many of you (us) have tried "diet" food?  I'm talking meal-replacement shakes and bars, frozen meals, and even just those brands that try to sub out your favorite flavors for a super food stand-in?  Uhh, sorry, but there's no way you're convincing me that those cacao nibs are better than milk chocolate chips, so stop trying to put them in "sweets".  Not only is the taste different (or lacking), but it's more expensive because it's supposedly better for me.

I'm going to probably hate myself for admitting this, but if I had to guess, I would estimate that I've spent over $2,000 in the last 10 years on food that was imitating the food I really wanted.  

TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS!

That's like, six designer handbags.  That's a decent down-payment on a new car.  That's half of my tuition for next semester...

It's also an embarrassing chunk of change to admit to.  And, the worst part is, that's not even counting the non-edible investments I've made to lose weight.  I'm talking the punching bag I bought and never used, the physio-balls, the free weights, the stationary bike, the gym memberships, the subscriptions, the prescriptions and all that other nonsense.  

I don't even want to guess how much money I've wasted.

Nowadays, I try to be a little wiser.  I know myself enough to know that those things won't work, mostly because they consistently haven't worked.  My next focus has been on taking foods that are inexpensive, easy to find and worth eating anyway, and use them in meals to replace the bad stuff.

The biggest problem I've had is convincing my brain.  When I'm missing the feel of chewy bread or silky smooth pasta or creamy potatoes, a salad is generally not going to trick me into thinking I'm satisfied.  That's one reason I truly believe that people (like me) can be addicted to carbohydrates.  

If I want to succeed, I have to find things that legitimately fool me into fullness. 

This is one of the only things I've found so far that has worked for me, so naturally, I have to share it with you!

Cauliflower rice is, like, my new thing.

I'm not even a habitual rice eater, as I much prefer pasta, but this is definitely working.  I've been experimenting with cauliflower as mashed potatoes, breadsticks and even pizza crust, but the rice version has been by far the most believable thus far.

This Cilantro Lime version is great for me because I love rice in burritos, but the redundancy of carbs in burritos is insane.  I mean, rice wrapped in a tortilla shell?  That's overkill.  Delicious overkill.  

I love that I can keep my burrito shell, and still feel content with the cauliflower rice.  If I really want to go low-carb, I can make a burrito bowl without the shell and still feel full afterward.  

WIN!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

1 head cauliflower
1 cup water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp lime juice
Salt & Pepper to taste


Cut cauliflower into small florets and pulse in a food processor until you get the size of grains of rice.

In a large pot, cook the cauliflower rice with water over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is soft.  Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients.  

Serve hot.