Do you ever find yourself completely dumbfounded by the simplest, most seemingly obvious recipes/flavor profiles? This happens to Hope and me on the reg. As people who are so passionate about food and who develop new recipes weekly, you’d think these dumbfounded occurrences would happen less frequently. But, nah. We continue to be amazed by the never-ending possibilities food has to offer.

When I started dating my [half-Korean] boyfriend, I was introduced to his obsession with kimchi. He buys it by the jar every chance he gets and eats it straight from said jar. I have to admit I was kind of freaked out by kimchi at first (I blame the smell), but as a fermented-foods-loving foodie, I eventually grew to enjoy kimchi with Korean dishes. I haven’t graduated to eating-it-from-the-jar status quite yet.

Obviously, I cook at home a lot, and I always strive to cook healthy, nutritious, balanced meals. It’s always rewarding to sit down and enjoy the fruits of my labor, but it feels extra rewarding when I get my boyfriend’s seal of approval. He’s a tough critic and tends to prefer foods of the less-healthy variety, so I’m constantly thinking up (sneaky AF) ways to impress him with healthy yet delicious meals. Enter: kimchi cauliflower fried rice.

Cauliflower rice is a weekly staple in our kitchen, but it usually acts as a side or a base for the main star of a dish. Until now! This simple dish packs so much flavor and texture between the kimchi, sesame oil, runny egg yolk and crispy fried egg white. Not to mention, it all comes together in about 20 minutes.

By using coconut aminos in place of soy sauce, cauliflower in place of rice, and by using a kimchi without granulated sugar, we’ve created this soy-free, dairy-free, grain-free, added-sugar-free (paleo and Whole30-approved) vegetarian dish that will knock the socks right off your tastebuds. And just like that, another dumbfounding moment for Hope and I in the kitchen has happened. We hope you enjoy this simple dish as much as we do!

Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 10 oz riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup kimchi, including juice (check your ingredients labels for added sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat sesame oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add kimchi and mix until thoroughly combined. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add cauliflower rice, coconut aminos, and salt, to taste, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower rice is soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, gently crack eggs into skillet and fry until whites are cooked through.
5. Divide cauliflower rice mixture evenly between two bowls, top each with a fried egg and garnish with sliced scallion.

Yield: 2 servings

244 calories per serving • Fat: 11.7g • Carbohydrates: 23.3g • Protein: 10.2g