10 Minute Mexican (Brown) Rice
If any one knows me fairly well, they know my favorite type of food is Mexican, despite being Italian... those two cultures are basically the same, right? Big, loud families, lots of kisses on the cheeks, massive gatherings around food, recipes with TONS of carbs... LOL. Speaking of carbs, I always feel bloated and gross after I eat Mexican, but I always crave it, I love to cook it, and it's my favorite food to eat. So I decided I needed to find some healthier alternatives to start making in the kitchen that wouldn't sacrifice in flavor but would curb my appetite and still be semi-clean.
During my search, in which I was very determined, I came across skinnytaste - a wonderful page full of healthy, quick recipes that are categorized and labeled with an amazing 'recipe key' (i.e. gluten free, vegetarian, paleo, freezer friendly, etc). You should most definitely check it out! I came across this Quick Mexican Brown Rice recipe and conveniently had almost all of the ingredients and simply made modifications with what I did have, which actually made the recipe even MORE quick, without sacrificing flavor.
I swapped out real whole tomatoes for canned petite diced tomatoes, real garlic for garlic paste, and real cilantro for semi-dried cilantro. I also omitted the jalepeños since I did not have one, however I most likely would have left this out anyway so it wouldn't be too hot for my toddler. Aside from cooking the brown rice, it took me less that 10 minutes to make with only 1 pan, and was such an easy clean up. I will probably start making a batch of this once a week for the whole family so we (I) can curb that craving when it hit's (which is daily).
During my search, in which I was very determined, I came across skinnytaste - a wonderful page full of healthy, quick recipes that are categorized and labeled with an amazing 'recipe key' (i.e. gluten free, vegetarian, paleo, freezer friendly, etc). You should most definitely check it out! I came across this Quick Mexican Brown Rice recipe and conveniently had almost all of the ingredients and simply made modifications with what I did have, which actually made the recipe even MORE quick, without sacrificing flavor.
I swapped out real whole tomatoes for canned petite diced tomatoes, real garlic for garlic paste, and real cilantro for semi-dried cilantro. I also omitted the jalepeños since I did not have one, however I most likely would have left this out anyway so it wouldn't be too hot for my toddler. Aside from cooking the brown rice, it took me less that 10 minutes to make with only 1 pan, and was such an easy clean up. I will probably start making a batch of this once a week for the whole family so we (I) can curb that craving when it hit's (which is daily).
Recipe
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INGREDIENTS
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DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and tomatoes - sauté about 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute.
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2. Add the tomato paste, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper, stirring to evenly coat the onions and tomatoes.
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3. Add the cooked rice and stir until all rice is coated in red sauce. Cook for additional minute, or until heated through. Serve with cilantro and lime wedge. Enjoy!
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I seasoned mine with cilantro, then added pinto beans and a dash of shredded cheese over the top. I always have canned beans on hand, so I slightly drained the beans and cooked them with some Cholula sauce to add a little kick. And by cook, I mean I threw them in the microwave! I wasn't kidding when I said this rice was easy to cook, and it's even easier to turn into a meal! You can always top it off with shredded chicken, shredded beef, ground beef, shredded pork, etc.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
NUTRITIONAL INFO
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Servings 7
Serving Size 1/2 Cup Amount Per Serving *Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet |
Calories 163
Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat 0g Monunsturated Fat 1g Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 0g |
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 268mg Potassium 253mg Total Carbohydrate 32g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 2g |
Protein 4g
Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 6% Calcium 2% Iron 6% |