Spanish "Rice"

A friend of mine sent me this Spanish Rice recipe a while back, which uses cauliflower instead of rice...brilliant! I added ground beef to make this a one pot meal. I used maybe 1/3 of that huge cauliflower from yesterday's CSA Basket. After a rough chop on the cauliflower, I added a couple handfuls to my blender and pulsed to make the "rice". I used celery in place of peppers, and I used taco seasoning when I ran out of chili powder. I made 6 cups of riced cauliflower, so it took me a while to get the dish seasoned properly. As a result, I overcooked the cauliflower, but I still thought it turned out quite well, very similar to Spanish Rice. I love that I can make a double batch and have plenty of leftovers for the busy weekend. Hope you enjoy!

Spanish "Rice"

2 lb grass-fed beef
6 c riced cauliflower
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
3 TB bacon grease
pepper
1 tsp pink salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 tsp taco seasoning
3 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, (drain and reserve juice)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

Brown beef and set aside. Melt fat in a large pot and saute onions until they begin to soften. Add celery, garlic, and spices. Stir thoroughly and allow to cook til softened. Add tomatoes and paste to pot and stir. Add beef back to the pot and mix well. (Add reserved tomato juice if mixture is too dry.) Once everything is mixed, add the cauliflower and continue to cook over Med heat, stirring often. Cook til cauliflower has reached the desired softness, about 5-10 minutes. If the cauliflower does not soften, you can add some of the reserved tomato juice and cover a few minutes.