Easy Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Cilantro lime cauliflower rice has been our favorite side dish lately. We are always looking for healthy sides that compliment our main dish and round out a meal. This dish is light and bright with a punch of lime and fresh cilantro.

We often like to double down on veggies for a meal rather than doing a carb, so this cauliflower rice, or cauli-rice, acts like rice but without all the carbs.

Serve this up with our steak fajitas, pork carnitas, or smothered honey lime chicken burritos! It is the perfect compliment to any Mexican meal. Here are all our favorite Mexican main dishes so you can find the one that speaks to you!

What is Cauliflower Rice?

Cauliflower rice is cauliflower that has been chopped up into tiny pieces that resemble grains of rice in size and texture. It can be made at home by putting cauliflower florets in a food processor or it can be purchased already chopped at the grocery store.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

When it comes to easy side dishes, this one is right up there with the easiest. If you don’t buy cauliflower rice pre-chopped, take your head of cauliflower, remove the core and leaves, and break it into florets. Place the florets into your food processor or blender and pulse it until you have small pieces similar to the size of rice grains.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, garlic and cumin and cook until it is fragrant (about a minute). Then add the cauliflower rice, lime juice, lime zest and cilantro and salt to taste and stir everything together. Cook it while stirring until it starts to turn brown slightly. It will take about 5-8 minutes. Serve it up with more fresh cilantro and enjoy!

How to Make Cauliflower Rice Not Soggy

I have found that the key to keeping cauliflower rice not soggy or mushy is to pan fry it or roast it in the oven. With just a little olive oil, the cauliflower will cook up just great on the stove top. Cauliflower stores a lot of moisture inside it, so it doesn’t need any extra moisture added to cook it. Once the cauliflower has been pulsed, you can squeeze it in a cheesecloth to omit some of the extra water.

How Many Carbs are in Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice?

Cauliflower is a popular low carb vegetable because it is so versatile. A cup of raw cauliflower contains just 5 grams of carbohydrates and 3 of those grams are fiber. That’s just 2 grams of digestible carbs!

For this recipe, 1 cup of cauli-rice is 71 calories and only 6 carbs.

Is Cauliflower Gluten Free?

Yes! Cauliflower is gluten free. This recipe is gluten free too and

Cheesy Gruyere Sweet Potato Stacks

A sweet potato recipe that is cheesy and buttery with a burst of fresh thyme! If you want a recipe for sweet potatoes that is a little outside the box but glorious, you have to try these Cheesy Gruyere Sweet Potato Stacks!

Every Christmas we make a cheesy potato dish with gruyere cheese. They are stacked high in a muffin tin and get all crispy and wonderful. This year we decided to make them with sweet potatoes, and we are obsessed with the sweet and salty flavor of these Cheesy Gruyere Sweet Potato Stacks!

I know when we think of sweet potato side dishes, we think of brown sugar and marshmallows, but I’m telling you, friends, the sweetness of the sweet potatoes paired with the saltiness of the cheeses makes the angels sing! And that fresh pop of thyme…I’m happy dancing around the kitchen! Arms waving, eyes closed, licking my lips and my bootie shakin’…you get that visual?!

How to Make Sweet Potato Stacks

I like to get the sweet potatoes prepared first. Peel two large sweet potatoes and then slice them. We always use our favorite mandoline to get those thin perfect slices, but you could totally do it by hand if you don’t have a mandoline. Let’s see those mad knife skills!

When your sweet potatoes are prepped, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. You will use all 12 cups of the muffin tin. Place the sweet potatoes in a bowl and add the melted butter. Stir thoroughly, separating the sweet potato slices by hand if needed. You want everything deliciously coated in butter!

Combine the cheeses, salt, garlic and thyme in a medium bowl or plastic bag. Place two slices of sweet potato into each cup and scoop one teaspoon of the cheese and spices mixture into each cup and repeat the layers until you reach the top of each cup. Be sure your last layer is cheese! You’ll want that yummy cheesy goodness on top!

Place the pan in the oven carefully (you don’t want those perfectly constructed stacks to tip over)! Tent the muffin pan with a piece of foil and be sure the foil does not touch the top of the potatoes. The cheese will stick and then you’ll lose that top cheesy layer (tragedy!). Bake for 15 minutes with the foil and then remove it and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the cheese is starting to turn golden. Scoop those golden delicious stacks from the pan with a large spoon and and serve them hot!

What to Eat with this Sweet Potato Recipe?

This is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Try it along side our Turkey in a Bowl for Thanksgiving or with Prime Rib for Christmas! But you don’t need a holiday to make these! They go great with just about any meal…steak, Read more

Texas Roadhouse Loaded Sweet Potato Copycat Recipe

Who doesn’t love that over the top Texas Roadhouse sweet potato?! Oh, Mama!! Check this copycat recipe out!!!!

Tender sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, that signature Texas Roadhouse honey cinnamon butter, and a heavenly caramel sauce. These sweet potatoes are the best side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a nice Sunday dinner.

Why do I love Texas Roadhouse so much? Is it the house salad with that thick dressing and those darn hard boiled eggs? Is it those rolls that I shovel into my mouth faster than I can say, “one more please!” Actually, I probably am the rolls because I definitely don’t like how loud it is. Cade would for sure, 100% say it’s the Texas Roadhouse Loaded Sweet Potato. Hence this post and my need to create a copycat recipe.

Ingredients for Texas Roadhouse Sweet Potato Recipe

• Sweet Potatoes
• Mini Marshmallows
• Honey Cinnamon Butter: butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and honey
• Caramel Sauce: butter, brown sugar, honey

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. Keep scrolling for all the details!!

How to Make Texas Roadhouse Sweet Potatoes

First you’re going to start with the butter and I cannot emphasize enough, real butter is necessary. No margarine. Sorry. And if you’re like us you’ll want to make extra for soft rolls like our famous potato rolls or homemade rolls.

Then there’s the caramel sauce. I really think this is more a dessert than anything else, but we can all pretend I didn’t say that when you eat it with your big, juicy steak at dinner. The caramel sauce actually keeps really well and heck, you could eat that caramel over ice cream if you wanted!

But really, these sweet potatoes are the best because it’s honey cinnamon butter, caramel and lots of gooey marshmallows. I tell Cade over and over it’s more like dessert than a side dish, but he just gives me that little smile and dives in.

All you do is bake the sweet potatoes, and then top with the butter, marshmallows, and caramel sauce. Then you bake it a little longer to get those marshmallows roasted, and you’re done! You could even switch the oven to broil to toast them up really quickly. You’ll only need a minute or so on broil, so keep a close eye on them!

Are Sweet Potatoes Healthier than Regular Potatoes?

Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes are an excellent source of fiber with a great nutritional punch.

Sweet potatoes have fewer calories and fewer carbs, but more sugar. Sweet potatoes are also higher in fiber.

Sweet potatoes are higher in vitamin A, providing 400% of daily

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese “Croutons” [+ Video]

This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup is easy to make, and we topped it with grilled cheese croutons just for fun! A simple dinner that kids will love!

I know that I can’t be the only one that still has tomato coming out her ears. Right? I was wracking my brain about what to do with our huge colander stacked high with tomatoes, when I suddenly thought, what if I use those flavors, but make a soup to help move us into fall?

DING DING DING! Creamy tomato basil soup with mini grilled cheese croutons was born.

I love those little grilled cheese bites that act like little croutons in the soup. I’m not even kidding, it’s so delicious together.

Ingredients in Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

To make this easy fresh tomato soup recipe, you’ll need the following:

• Fresh tomatoes
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Onion
• Salt and pepper
• Dark brown sugar
• Chicken broth
  • PRO TIP: If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
• Heavy cream
• Fresh basil leaves
• Baguette
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Butter

The measurements for all the ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the end of the post. I actually love to make several batches of this recipe so I can freeze a bunch to eat throughout the whole winter. There is just nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of tomato basil soup with a little fresh parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and a grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dipping! Yes please!

What Are the Best Tomatoes for Tomato Soup?

We recommend using Roma tomatoes or vine ripened tomatoes for this creamy tomato basil soup. Avoid using beefsteak tomatoes, as we find they lack the bold flavor this soup needs. Larger tomatoes also hold a lot of water which thins out a soup.

Should the Tomatoes Be Peeled?

Peeling the tomatoes is optional but I haven’t ever felt like it was necessary. Roasting the tomatoes softens the tomato skin and blending them breaks them down until you would never know the skins were on. If you do want to peel them, the skins should slide off easily right after roasting the tomatoes.

How to Make Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Making tomato basil soup with fresh tomatoes is easier than you might think! Here’s an overview of the recipe:

1. Roast tomatoes: Roast the tomatoes until soft and then let them cool a little.
2. Blend: Add the tomatoes to a blender and blend until pureed.
   • PRO TIP: If you have an immersion blender, you can use that instead. Move the tomatoes to a large bowl or sauce pan and blend the tomatoes there. Then they are easily measured to make sure you have enough.
3. Sauté: Heat up some olive oil in a large sauce pot then add the garlic and onions and sauté until fragrant.<

Grilled Avocado Tacos Recipe

This easy avocado tacos recipe is made with creamy grilled avocados, a little bit of queso fresco, pickled onions and a tangy lime crema. You’re going to love them!

Grilled Avocado tacos, an absolute must this summer! They may not look like much, but trust me before you know it you’ll be shoveling your 5th taco in your mouth.

Recommended Equipment

• Wusthof Knives
• Tongs
• Pastry Brush

Before You Begin…

I like to make the crema before I start doing anything with the avocados or the grill. The flavors meld together if you let it set for a few minutes so the flavor is more bold and fabulous. Our favorite brand of crema is Cacique!

How This Recipe Came to Be

I once had a roommate who made avocado tacos. At first appearance it seemed almost too easy to me, but then she let me try one. And try it I did, over and over, and over again. They were delicious, light, easy and surprisingly flavorful. And then I got married, moved out and totally forgot about them for a few years.

And then enters my darling friend, Lisa. Lisa is a vegetarian and although I’m all about the meat I find myself frustrated for her when people or restaurants don’t have options for vegetarians. I actually think there is no excuse for a restaurant to not have at least a couple of vegetarian options unless it’s something like a place that specializes in just meat, like J Dawgs.

I’m constantly trying my hand at vegetarian recipes ever since meeting Lisa, kind of like this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, and then one day I remembered the avocado tacos. I’m not saying that these are the most over the top, crazy delicious dinner recipe you could make, but they really are super delicious, and perfect for both vegetarian and meat eaters at get-togethers or BBQ’s.

In fact, we eat them all the time, and if it’s lunch and we don’t want to heat up the grill we just cook the tortillas and skip grilling the avocados. It’s still delicious, I promise. And because Lisa started this new search in us, we’ve actually found that we prefer to not eat meat every single night. Our bodies seem to respond better to meat sparingly. Go figure. But I will say, meat and protein in the form of meat is still essential for us. And Lisa doesn’t mind.

Ingredients for Grilled Avocado Tacos

For the Tacos

• Corn Tortillas: We have become obsessed with this Vista Hermosa brand of corn tortillas. They have such great flavor and hold up well.
• Avocado: You want a ripe but firm avocado that can hold up to the grilling.
• Salt and Pepper: Adds flavor to the avocado as i