Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad and Bison Tacos

As part of the Mamacita Program, we cook healthy meals together. On this day, we made a tabbouleh salad with cauliflower instead of grain and some bison tacos!

Tabbouleh Salad

​This vibrant salad is our take on classic tabbouleh. Parsley plays a big part here— it’s not just a garnish! There is some evidence that parsley supports kidney function. Parsley also has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, being high in vitamins K and C, and beta carotene. It is also high in iron and helps to encourage digestion. 

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil, divided 
1 cauliflower head
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
1 garlic clove, minced 
​1 cucumber, cut into half moons
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 
½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped 
¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup sliced almonds
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

Instructions
1. Remove hard stem and outer leaves of cauliflower. Cut into small florets. Place florets in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Pulse until finely chopped. It will resemble couscous. Set aside. 

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped cauliflower. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, stir together remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic. Set aside. 

4. Transfer the cauliflower to a medium bowl. Mix in the cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, mint, green onions, and sliced almonds. Season well with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the top. Toss well to combine. 

Bison Tacos

Ingredients
Beef, bison, or chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
1 med finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cilantro
Corn tortillas

For the seasoning:
(most times I will make a 3x batch of this and use extras later with different meats)
2 tbsp chili powder (if I make enchiladas I'll do the pods)
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp onion powder 
2 tsp garlic powder 
1 pinch oregano 
1 pinch thyme
1 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. In an iron skillet or saucepan over med-high heat, add olive oil and saute onions until translucent. Then add garlic.  
2. Add beef, bison or turkey (I like ground chicken), followed by the rest of the seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes and it should be ready to go. 
3. Serve in corn tortillas with lettuce tomatoes and cilantro. 
We also enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day  with rice and beans or on top of sweet potatoes! All delicious! For more veggie combos, I added red, grean, and yellow peppers, zucchini, or chayote. It is a good go-to recipe we enjoy every week. 
If you don't do tortillas, put over sweet potatoes.