Adjust your saddles, folks, because if you’re looking for a low-carb, vegetarian-friendly dish, this is one you’ll want to lasso in. What this dish lacks in four-legged animals, it more than makes up for in flavor.

So hold onto your hats and get ready for a recipe that will knock your boots off!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 – 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Salt & pepper
• 4 cups cauliflower rice (about 1 lb)
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp minced/puréed chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 pint chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 jalapeños thinly sliced
• 1/4 cups chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar/jack shredded cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes until tender.
3. Stir in garlic, oregano, and cumin, and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add cauliflower rice, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook about 3 – 5 minutes until rice is tender but not mushy.
6. Add tomato paste and chipotle and stir until evenly combined.
7. Add beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, and cilantro, and stir until combined.

*Optional—top with cheese and cover with lid and cook until cheese is melted, about 3 – 4 minutes.

Stir and top with cilantro, lime, sour cream, salsa, or any topping of your choice.

Chef Tips: If you want to save some time and don’t want to have to “rice” your cauliflower, Costco sells 1-pound bags of riced cauliflower. They come in a pack of two and are really a time saver.

Since I don’t frequently use chipotle peppers and this recipe only calls for a quarter cup, I save the remaining mixture and freeze. This does very well when frozen and thaws in no time at all.

If you want to kick up the protein or you are just not too keen on vegetarian cuisine, you can add shredded chicken, turkey, or ground beef. If using chicken, I would use 2 cups, and if using ground turkey or beef, I would use 1 pound.

Feel free to add more vegetables. I have made this before and added 1 cup corn, so if you have some vegetables that are sitting around in your refrigerator you don’t want to spoil, throw them in!