Healthy Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl

I’ve had to stay away from rice this entire pregnancy because it hasn’t settled well with me, which is a bummer because I’m a huge fan of brown rice. To top it off, rice (and rice flour) is in so many foods/dishes I like, my favorite being burrito bowls.

Have you ever had a burrito bowl without rice? It’s horrible. There’s nothing to absorb the liquid from the salsas, so it’s pretty much a watery mess. I’m looking forward to the day when rice is not the enemy and I can visit Chipotle and not have to skip past their cilantro rice.

For now, I’ve been enjoying burrito bowls at home with a rice alternative, cauliflower rice. Trader Joe’s sells a mean riced cauliflower, which means I never have to go through the trouble of boiling cauliflower and dicing it up with a food processor. A couple of weeks ago, I bought a package and made cauliflower fried rice – it was so quick. Thanks TJ’s for making life easier!

So, cauliflower rice doesn’t compare as far as taste or texture goes, but if seasoned properly is very tasty and healthy alternative. Last night, I decided to make burrito bowls with cauliflower rice seasoned with lime, salt and cumin. The cauliflower rice wasn’t the only healthy aspect of the bowl, I also used ground chicken (instead of a ground beef) and Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream).

While I’ll never believe that cauliflower rice tastes as good as the real thing, I will say this healthier version of a burrito bowl IS just as delicious as one you’d order at a fast casual restaurant.

If you end up making this healthy burrito bowl, don’t forget to tag your photos with #marinamakeseats!

Healthy Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl

Serves 4

Ingredients 

• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 pound of ground chicken
• 8 oz of peach salsa
• 16 oz can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Romaine lettuce, chopped
• Tomatoes
• Additional salsa
• Greek yogurt
• Guacamole/avocado
• Cilantro

Cauliflower Rice

• 16 oz package of cauliflower rice (sold at Trader Joe’s)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• Zest and juice of a lime
• 3 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Mix cumin, paprika, oregano and salt in a small bowl. In a large frying pan, begin cooking the ground chicken over medium-high heat. Sprinkle mixed spices over the chicken and stir to combine. Once the spices are incorporated, add the salsa and mix to combine. Lower the heat slightly and cook the chicken for about 7-10 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the salsa is simmering. Just before the chicken is fully cooked through, add the pinto beans and stir to combine.

While the chicken is cooking, add the cauliflower rice, olive oil, cumin, salt, and lime zest and juice to a large frying pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until cauliflower is softened. Remove from the heat and stir in fresh cilantro.

To assemble the bowl, add a layer of the cauliflower rice, ground chicken and bean mixture and top with lettuce, tomatoes, additional salsa, Greek yogurt, guacamole/avocados and cilantro.