Beef Fajita Burrito Bowls | PALEO, Whole30

You guys know those McCormick spice packets?  The ones where you just add meat, water, a can of beans, etc. and *wah-lah*:  you have instantly delicious taco meat, turkey gravy, spicy chili, or whatever you bought a packet for...?  I always thought those were the best.

I could find those spice blends at almost any grocery store, even the country market by my old house in the hills in the middle of nowhere.  Even they had those packets.  And with a few additional cheap, easy ingredients- I felt like a real chef.  Like I could make just about anything taste good.  

My specialty was this chili where I would add a couple of different types of beans, ground turkey, and chopped peppers.  I would top it with crumbled chips & a ton of shredded cheese.  I loved the flavors so much but didn't want to "overdo it", so I would serve myself a tiny portion and savor every last calorie.

Fast forward a few years, to when I found the Paleo diet and began to embrace whole foods and truly nourishing my body.  I ditched the beans from my recipes, once I realized that having a queasy stomach after eating was not "normal".  I quit buying shredded cheese by the boatload from Costco, and realized that I didn't really miss it.  I added more quality meats and vegetables to my diet.  I even began taking a second look at my spices.

And that's when I realized how sneaky some ingredients could be.  I always thought of a "spice blend" as just that:  an ingredient.  But conscious, healthy eating made me look twice at the list of stuff in these packets I was buying.  Why was there enriched wheat flour or modified corn starch in my spices?  I thought they were a packet of.... SPICES.  And what the heck was "thiamine mononitrate"?!  (PS:  I googled-- it's a synthetic vitamin)

The point of this ramble is:  I get that convenience foods are well, convenient.  But saving a little time is not always worth a sacrifice as far as quality ingredients go.  

Make your own spice blends!  Then you can adjust them to meet your tastebuds just right, and will have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what's being sprinkled into your dishes.

And if you find just the right blend, like the concoction I came up with to spice this fajita beef?  You may be in for a real treat-- that's better than the original!

Nowadays I stick to my own individual spices that I mix & match to create simple yet delicious blends.  But for today's recipe, I pulled out all the stops & added a secret, special ingredient to make things almost-cheesy and extra rich & delicious, just like those good ol' packets (hint:  it's not enriched wheat flour ;) ).  Nutritional yeast is my secret, and I'm so excited to share it with you guys!

Give these ground beef fajita burrito bowls a try, and dress them up however you like!  The ingredients are simple, clean, and even Whole30 compliant.  I know you will love them!

And before I move on to the recipe, I challenge you to check out your spice blends!  Even if they're not in packet form, you may find a few sneaky ingredients that you didn't expect (chili powder is one that surprised me!)

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• Fajita Burrito Spice Blend:
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast*
• 1 1/2 tsp each:
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• chili powder
• cumin
• 1/2 tsp each:
• salt
• red pepper flakes
• oregano
• 12 oz cauliflower rice
• 1/2 of a fresh lime, juiced
• fajita vegetables*:  
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• optional garnishes:
• sliced avocado
• lime wedges
• chopped red onion
• chopped cilantro
• compliant salsa
• hot sauce
• chipotle cream sauce
• thin sliced spinach, cabbage, or romaine

Directions:

1. Combine the taco spices in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high.  Cook the ground beef until crumbled and almost browned (about 5 to 7 minutes). 
3. Add the fajita vegetables, and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft (about 3 to 5 minutes).  Stir in the spice mixture and tomato paste, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if needed (this will depend on how much fat renders from your ground beef-- more lean= more moisture needed).  Simmer to let the flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
4. Steam the cauliflower rice until soft, either on the stovetop or in the microwave*.  Squeeze half a lime over top and stir.  Cover and set aside.
5. Assemble the burrito bowls with cauliflower rice on the bottom, topped with the fajita beef mixture.  Top with your favorite garnishes & serve!

*Notes:

• Nutritional yeast is optional but adds a delicious almost "cheesy" flavor and gives the meat a great texture!  I highly recommend it!
• I take shortcuts on this dish by substituting frozen veggies when I have them!  I use frozen riced cauliflower instead of fresh, and a bag of pre-grilled & sliced fajita vegetables in place of the peppers and onions.  An option if you're trying to save time!
• Another shortcut- I steam my cauli rice in a glass bowl in the microwave.  I heat for a few minutes at a time, topped with a damp paper towel, until the cauliflower is soft and heated through.