🩺 Dinner Exam: Cilantro Lime Steak Tacos with Cauliflower Rice (3 Gluten-Free Finds!)
🍽️ Tonight’s Dinner on the Exam Table
Tonight we’re doing something a little different on the exam table: a three-product dinner review.
I used:
🥩 Shabu shabu steak (Costco)
🥦 Via Emilia Organic Cauliflower Rice
🌮 Rise & Puff Cassava Tortillas
🥑 Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime Sauce
As always, a quick reminder:
I’m a nurse practitioner but not your nurse practitioner. I only share foods that I personally eat and tolerate, but you should always work with your own healthcare provider to determine what foods are right for you.
If something makes me sick, it never gets posted.
Let’s start the exam.
🩺 HEART Exam #1: Via Emilia Organic Cauliflower Rice
H = Health 🥦
Ingredients:
• Organic cauliflower
Nutrition (1 cup):
🔥 20 calories
🥦 4g carbohydrates
🌾 2g fiber
💪 2g protein
🦴 small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium
There are 21 servings in the Costco bag, and it contains four steamable pouches inside.
⚠️ Important allergy note:
This product is not labeled gluten-free or dairy-free, but the ingredient list is simply cauliflower.
MyPlate Teaching 🍽️
Cauliflower rice is a great way to increase vegetable intake while keeping carbohydrates lower.
On a MyPlate-style plate:
½ vegetables (cauliflower rice works great here)
¼ protein (steak)
¼ grains or starch (tortilla)
This helps balance fiber, protein, and energy.
E = Eating 🍴
Cooking was easy.
I browned it in a skillet for about 10 minutes.
Texture:
✔ soft
✔ slightly tender
✔ still has a small bite
Flavor tip:
I added asada seasoning to match the cilantro lime flavors in the steak.
A = Accessibility 🛒
📍 Costco – Oak Brook, Illinois
💰 $7.69 per bag
Considering the 21 servings, this is a very affordable veggie option.
R = Rhythm Rating ❤️
Sinus Rhythm
Solid pantry staple.
Healthy, easy, and versatile.
T = Tell Others & Tips 💡
If you're new to cauliflower rice:
✔ cook it in a pan instead of microwaving for better texture
✔ season it like regular rice
✔ pair with bold flavors (tacos, stir fry, curry)
🩺 HEART Exam #2: Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime Sauce
H = Health 🥑
Certifications:
✔ Certified Gluten Free
✔ Paleo Certified
✔ Keto Certified
✔ Dairy Free
✔ Soy Free
✔ Non-GMO Verified
✔ No Sugar Added
✔ Vegan
First three ingredients:
• Water
• High oleic sunflower oil
• Roasted poblano chiles
Nutrition (¼ cup):
🔥 80 calories
🥑 7g fat
🌽 4g carbs
🌾 1g fiber
💪 1g protein
🧲 small iron & potassium
⚠️ Shake well before using.
If you don’t finish the packet, refrigerate leftovers and date the container (a habit from my healthcare brain).
E = Eating 🌮
I sautéed shabu shabu steak in olive oil.
When the meat was almost finished cooking, I added the cilantro lime sauce and reduced the heat.
First bite impressions:
🌿 clear cilantro flavor
🍋 bright lime taste
🔥 not spicy (at least to me)
It paired beautifully with the steak.
A = Accessibility 🛒
I bought a variety pack on Amazon.
💰 $46.99 for 5 sauces
➡️ about $9.40 per packet
Yes, that’s pricey for sauce, but I wanted to try the flavors.
R = Rhythm Rating ❤️
Tachycardia
Big flavor boost with minimal effort.
T = Tell Others & Tips 💡
Great uses for this sauce:
✔ taco meat
✔ grilled chicken
✔ shrimp bowls
✔ rice bowls
Add extra lime or avocado to stretch the sauce further.
🩺 HEART Exam #3: Rise & Puff Cassava Tortillas
H = Health 🌮
Ingredients (5 total):
• Cassava flour
• Modified tapioca starch
• Psyllium husk
• Water
• Avocado oil
• Honey
• Sea salt
Label highlights:
✔ Gluten Free
✔ No seed oils
✔ No preservatives
✔ No gums
✔ No bleach or conditioners
Nutrition (1 tortilla):
🔥 80 calories
🥑 2g fat
🌽 15g carbs
🌾 2g fiber
💪 0g protein
E = Eating 🍴
Preparation instructions are important:
✔ keep refrigerated or frozen
✔ cook before eating
My experience:
✔ tortillas were soft
✔ they did not fall apart
✔ they did not really rise and puff
Leaving them longer on the pan didn’t help — they just started to burn.
I sprayed the pan with avocado oil, but honestly less oil would have been better.
Flavor:
You can definitely taste the cassava flour texture, which is typical for cassava-based breads.
Funny moment from dinner:
My husband liked them so much that I had to pause my own dinner and cook him another fresh tortilla mid-meal.
Fresh tortillas win every time.
A = Accessibility 🛒
📍 Whole Foods – Willowbrook, Illinois
📍 6300 S Robert Kingery Hwy
💰 $7.99 for 8 tortillas
R = Rhythm Rating ❤️
Sinus Rhythm
Good gluten-free tortilla option, especially for cassava lovers.
T = Tell Others & Tips 💡
Best cooking tips:
✔ medium heat
✔ minimal oil
✔ cook just until warmed
Overcooking = quick burn.
🍽️ Final Dinner Plate
My final plate looked like this:
🌮 Cassava tortillas
🥩 Cilantro lime steak
🥦 Cauliflower rice
MyPlate balance:
✔ protein
✔ vegetables
✔ starch
A simple dinner that was gluten-free, dairy-free, and full of flavor.
And yes… I eventually got to sit back down and finish my own dinner.
Thanks for being here and following along as I review foods to help families live safe, happy, healthy.
You can find more reviews at:
🌐 www.glutenanddairyfreenp.com
Question for you:
Do you prefer cassava tortillas, corn tortillas, or lettuce wraps for taco night?
