Autumn Beans and Rice

It hasn't cooled yet, but we all want to start eating Fall foods.  I was over with summer before it started.

This meal-in-a-bowl recipe is quick and easy, nutritious, and satisfying.  I chose to cook the beans from scratch, but you can open a can to cut significant time off the preparation.

Not directly part of the recipe, but I'm trying a new thing with store-bought cilantro.  I can never seem to use a whole bunch before it starts to get slimy and gross.  This isn't an issue in the winter and spring, when I go and pick whatever I want off my own plants.  I saw a hack that has you rolling the washed and dried greens in a towel and refrigerating.  It's supposed to work with any herb or leafy green.  Let you know in a few posts if it made it all the way through the two weeks I planned to need it.

I ended up putting a whole lot of garnishes on this one, then realized I hadn't put on the cheese, yogurt, or cilantro yet!  It was really good, and I loved finding new pockets of ingredients.  It felt like I had gone out to eat somewhere they build your salads or meal bowls.

*2/3 C dry pintos or black beans, or 1 can drained and rinsed
*1 C long grain rice
*1 C frozen corn
*1 C diced tomatoes
*1 avocado or frozen avocado chunks, for garnish
sour cream or Greek yogurt for garnish
*1/2 C shredded cheese of choice, for garnish
Other garnishes such as cilantro, olives, diced green onion, etc

1.  If cooking the beans from dry, soak 8 hours, drain, and simmer 2 hours.  I also added cumin, salt, paprika, and onion to mine during the simmer.  You could add those to canned beans as well, but it won't infuse them.

2.  Cook rice according to package directions.  Simmer or microwave corn according to package directions.  If you want to have this as a cold salad, steps 1 & 2 are do-aheads.

3.  While everything else is cooking, prepare your garnishes.  Chop tomatoes and onions, scoop avocado, shred cheese, etc.

4.  To assemble, spoon beans and rice into each side of serving or individual bowls.  Top with small piles of corn and other garnishes.  Add a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle on cheese, and finish with herbs.  Can be served at once or packed for a to-go lunch.

Difficulty rating  :)