Cuban Cauliflower Rice Bowl

 Have you noticed I am really into "bowls." I love the concept of throwing a bunch of healthy stuff together. I also am apparently obsessed with Cauliflower. Which I didn't even notice until I started blogging these recipes and realizing how many involved Cauliflower. Well, it's delicious and I don't care. The inspiration for this one comes from this Eating Well recipe. I just kicked up the spices a bit.  I love that my Kroger lately has had a lot of presliced and prechopped veggies. It made this recipe so easy, bagged cauliflower rice, and presliced Sweet Potatoes and this meal was done so quickly! 

Cuban Cauliflower Rice Bowl

• 1 package of sliced sweet potatoes, or a medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 pinches salt plus ½ teaspoon, divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, divided
• ¼ cup orange juice
• the juice of two fresh limes
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bag cauliflower rice
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1  avocado, diced
• ½ cup fresh salsa or pico

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Toss sweet potato in a medium bowl with 2 teaspoons oil, some salt and pepper,  chili powder and cayenne. Put in a single layer on a  baking sheet covered in foil. Roast until tender- about 10 minutes. 
3. To create a dressing, combine orange juice, lime juice, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 minced garlic cloves, cumin, oregano and a pinch of salt in a bowl. 
4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower rice, a little salt and pepper.
5. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup cilantro.
6. To serve, divide the cauliflower among 4 bowls. Layer bowls with sweet potato, black beans, avocado and salsa. Drizzle each portion with the dressing.

All the Veggies and Chickpea Pasta

This is what you do when it's rounding out farmer's market season, and you have run out of ideas for "new" healthy things to do with zucchini and squash. You throw it all into a pasta. And in this case, you use a chickpea pasta because it's delicious, and filling and wonderful. This was our first time using a pasta that wasn't regular or whole wheat. I was shocked at how good it was, and how much less "pasta" I used because it filled me up more. We used the Banza Chickpea Penne, which is lower in carbs and higher in protein than regular pasta.

All the Veggies and Chickpea Pasta

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head broccoli cut into small florets
• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1-2 zucchini (depending on the size) cut into bite sized pieces 
• 1 squash cut into bite sized pieces 
• 1 large tomato diced
• 1/2 cup of snap peas, sliced on the diagonal into 1/2 inch pieces 
• 1/4 cup basil leaves cut into thin strips 
• 1 8 oz package chickpea penne (I use Banza)
• 2 oz fresh mozarella torn into pieces
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1. Cook Chickpea pasta according to box. DO NOT OVERCOOK. And save about 1/4 cup of cooking water. 
2. In a large skillet (I mean a big one, you will eventually add the pasta in here too), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
3. Add broccoli and squash to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and lemon pepper. Cook until it's tender but still has bite to it, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add in diced tomatoes and cook until heated through. Add in saved pasta water. Add in snap peas.
5. Toss in the pasta and stir to coat and combine well. 
6. Top each of four servings with mozzarella and fresh basil.