I’m a food trend nerd. I love nothing more than learning about the way people are preparing food, sharing food, and eating food. I attend food conferences and expos and scout for new trends, seeing if I can spot them myself before I read about them in the media days after. It’s an addiction.  I recently was reading a trend report on a Friday night (it was a wild evening, let me tell you…) and in the report it said: cauliflower is the new kale.

I’ve shared my love of cauliflower with you all, right?! If not, here’s a general summary: I love cauliflower. It’s this super versatile vegetable wrapped in a seemingly boring appearance, but with so many possibilities. From riced cauliflower to mashed cauliflower to cauliflower buffalo wings to cauliflower pizza crusts, the opportunities are endless and it BLOWS. MY. MIND. And while I am certainly not gluten free and love a good ol’ serving of brown rice from time and again, I also LOVE playing with veggies and sneakin’ the little guys into any dish I can.

So for all of you newbies exploring this veggie for the first time, I am embrace you with open arms. Welcome to the good life! Here is one of many cauliflower rice recipes that you will find floating the web. I’m not saying it’s the best out there. But it is pretty darn good, so let’s just leave it at that.

Caulifornia Breakfast Bowl

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1/4 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1/4″ thick
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1/4 cup canned black beans
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 cup cilantro
• 1/4 avocado, diced
• 1/4 lime

Instructions:

1. To rice cauliflower: pulse florets in a food processor until finely chopped or grate by hand with a traditional box cutter.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add onions and sauté for about 3 minutes or until they start to appear translucent.
3. Add mushroom and spinach and sauté, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, rinse and drain black beans. In a small sauce pan, heat black beans and 1/4 cup water over low heat. Let simmer for a few minutes until hot. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Add cauliflower rice to the vegetables and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until rice starts to appear golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. In a separate small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Once pan is heated, crack egg and gently slide into pan. Cook until whites are firm and small bubbles begin to appear. Flip with a spatula and cook on the other side for 10 seconds. Remove from heat.
7. Transfer cauliflower mixture to a bowl. Top with fresh tomatoes, black beans, and cooked egg.
8. Garnish with cilantro, avocado, and squeeze lime over the top. Serve and enjoy.