CocoNut lime cauliflower rIce

Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice

A lower carb side with bold fresh flavors, this cauliflower fried rice is sure to please! Bursting with the richness of coconut and the freshness of lime, it feels like an indulgence at only 150 calories per cup!

I have been playing around with cauliflower rice for a while now, but usually keep the rice itself simple and focus on creating saucy flavor with whatever else I am eating it with. But for this version, the creamy rice is the flavor star! I topped this with spicy shrimp that had been cooked with lots of chili, garlic, and a touch of lemongrass. Topped with some crushed peanuts, and you have a healthy Thai inspired dish for dinner that comes together quickly!

To save time, I buy pre-cut cauliflower packets. You can certainly buy a cauliflower and chop it up into pieces and pulse it in the food processor to save money. I used to do it this way and it is fairly easy, but I end up with cauliflower all over the counter and kitchen floor. Has anyone else noticed how cauliflower gets literally everywhere?! The pre-riced ones are more expensive for sure but it saves me time and clean up efforts so I find the splurge worth it.

Because I'm cooking with the intent of having leftovers for Omar and I, I bought 2 bags (a little over 6 cups worth). If you are only cooking for one - halve the recipe for 2 large or 3 medium sized servings.

​Final note - I find that if I make my own cauliflower rice, my processor gets me some small pieces and threatens to become mush when overcooked. But the bagged ones are bigger and can be cooked longer. Make sure if you are making your own cauliflower rice that you keep the pieces a bit larger since they will shrink during cooking.

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This creamy coconut variation is a flavorful lower carb alternative to rice.
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
- about 6 heaping cups of riced cauliflower (two pre-cut bags or 2 small heads cauliflower)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- zest of 2 limes - divided use
- juice of 2 limes - divided use
- 14.5 oz can of lite coconut milk
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut 
- 1 tbsp fish sauce or low sodium tamari

Directions:
1. Melt the coconut oil in a pot over medium high heat. Fry the cauliflower in the oil for a few minutes, keeping the heat high and stirring frequently.

2. Add 1 tbsp of lime zest, 1/4 cup of lime juice, the coconut milk, and the fish sauce or tamari and stir well. Bring to a boil and continue stirring until some of the liquid evaporates. The time will vary here depending on the thickness of your cauliflower. Mine was good to go after 5 minutes. You'll have liquid remaining and that's exactly what you want. Not soupy but not dry either. 

3. Serve into individual bowls and garnish with additional lime zest and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Don't skip the fresh stuff post cooking. It really helps boost the flavors. 

Serve immediately or let cool and enjoy chilled!