If you have leftover rice on hand already, this one-pot dinner feels rejuvenating for a weeknight meal and is flexible according to your preferences (can be vegetarian/vegan or goes well with meat; you can use a lot of vegetables or a little; you can make it spicy or mild). The convenience of cooking in one pot keeps us making this recipe often.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ½ to 3 cups prepared rice or 2 cups uncooked brown rice, rinsed and cooked
- 1 yellow onion, chopped or diced
- 2-4 carrots, washed, chopped, or sliced
- 1-2 red or green peppers, washed, seeds and pith removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-2 ribs of celery (optional), washed and chopped
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (a fistful; optional)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Hot sauce (optional) and/or medium or hot salsa (optional)
- About ¾ pound of ground beef, ground turkey, or ground bison OR skip all meat
- 1 can (15 ounces) of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes OR 1-2 large fresh tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
- Avocado (preferably) or other vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS:
- [If making rice]: In a saucepan, combine 4 cups water and a large pinch of salt and a touch of oil/butter. Bring to boil. Add 2 cups rinsed rice and lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the rice absorbs the liquid and the grains are tender. Set aside. (You can skip this step by buying already prepared rice, either frozen or on the grocery store shelves, or by using leftover rice).
- In a large pot (6 or 8 quarts or so), heat a thin layer of oil over medium to medium high heat. Add the meat, if using, break it up with your spoon, and occasionally stir until meat begins to brown. Add the onion, stirring once in a while, for about 5 minutes, until onion softens. If things start to stick, add a little water. Then add the chopped vegetables you are using until they are just starting to soften (don’t overcook), probably only 2-3 more minutes or so.
- Lower heat. Add the rice and tomatoes/salsa/hot sauce and the chili powder and cumin, and stir until everything is well blended. This should take only 2-3 minutes. At the end, add the kidney beans and stir through, add some salt and pepper, and adjust any seasonings. Turn off heat. Top your bowls with cilantro if using.