Burrito Bowls

serves 4-5

MAIN COMPONENTS:

  • “Spanish Rice”
  • Taco Meat
  • Quick & Easy Black Beans

“SPANISH RICE”— This is my VERY LOSE interpretation of Spanish rice.

I made a batch of white basmati rice (about 3 cups!) in our rice cooker  (best wedding present ever BTW!). When completed, I stirred in about 1/3 cup medium chunky salsa to the mix. If you use a chunky salsa, it’s nice to have tomato, green chiles and onions in the rice. Hello texture & flavor! I added a few dashes of hot sauce to spice it up and then I let it hang out in the rice cooker until I was ready to assemble the bowls. Chopped cilantro is a welcomed addition to this spanish rice. It makes it taste even better. This takes about 30 minutes or so.

TACO MEAT

I browned  1lb. ground beef  in a skillet over medium heat, I drained the fat and then added a packet of taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, half of a chopped yellow onion, and cooked until done water was reduced and onions were translucent. 10 minutes total.

QUICK & EASY BLACK BEANS

On the stove, I emptied a 15 oz. can of black beans, added 1/2 diced yellow onion, two cloves chopped garlic, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon  ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and a few dashes of hot sauce into a medium saucepan. I let that cook on the stove over medium heat for about 10 minutes until beans broke down, making sure to stir constantly. Finish with salt & pepper! It’s actually better if you don’t rinse your beans out before you cook them. And if you find them too thick, add a little bit of water while you’re cooking.

TOPPINGS:

  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
  • 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 chopped avocado
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • fresh lime juice

(these are rough estimates but make sure you have at least these amounts…)

ASSEMBLY:

In a bowl, layer the rice, scoop on black beans & taco meat. Add the cheese on top, so it will melt  from the heat of everything below and follow with your favorite toppings. Sour cream & hot sauce are a must!