This recipe, inspired by The Foodista, has a real kick and is a great option when vegetarians and meat eaters dine together. Since I don’t eat meat and Ryan does, this meal is a great way to avoid making two meals for dinner (a double gold star in my book).
Typically, I try to take recipes that I find online, in books or are referred to me by friends, and make a few tweaks to the ingredients to make them a little healthier. Sometimes a few small changes can go a long way. For example, I used brown rice in this recipe instead of arborio rice, which is one of the standard rices used for risotto, but is a white rice. Brown rice is white rice without the brown-colored bran and germ layers removed. Brown rice is a whole-grain. White rice is a processed and refined grain. Since brown rice still has its shell, it offers more fiber and nutrients than white rice which has been “stripped” of its shell. Brown rice is a healthier option because it is absorbed into your blood stream more slowly, keeping your blood sugar level so you avoid the spike followed by a crash in your blood sugar, energy level and mood. You will also feel fuller longer. A whole lot of pluses for just a small change in the color of your rice.
I prefer to water sautee my vegetables whenever possible to reduce the amount of fat calories. Fat calories are important, don’t get me wrong, but they can come from more nutrient-dense sources like avacados, nuts and seeds instead of oil to really maximize the benefits.
For added flavor for us vegetarians, I cooked the cajun flavored turkey sausage and beans together in the slow-cooker to allow the flavors of the sausage to seep into the beans. I definitely tasted the cajun-kick in my dish even though I didn’t have a bite of sausage. I am very sensitive to spicy flavors, but this level of spiciness was just right.
Ingredients:
1 cup of brown rice, cooked
2 husks of organic corn, boiled, cooled and then separated from the husks with a knife (if you are short on time, canned corn will work too)
1/4 cup of onions, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 pieces of organic turkey or chicken sausage, grilled and sliced into 1/2″ pieces (I recommend cajun-flavored)
2 tbs of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup black beans, cooked
1 tbs of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh lime juice to taste (I used the juice of 1/2 lime)
Directions:
Water sautee onions and garlic about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown and aromatic. Add to cooked rice and stir gently. Add the corn, sausage, beans, cilantro and lime juice to the rice mixture and season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning according to your liking. Spoon some guacamole (recipe below) on top and you’re all set!
Guacamole (inspired by The Foodista)
Ingredients:
2 large, ripe avocados, mashed with fork
1/3 cup of chopped onions
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
The juice of 1 good lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all prepped ingredients in a small to medium bowl and mix with a fork. Make sure to keep tasting the mixture periodically and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Rice cookers are amazing kitchen appliances. It makes me wonder how we ever lived without them!