Foodie Friday: The Bean-Inspired Taco Bowls

Welcome to Foodie Friday, dear reader. On Wednesday, The Bean had her wisdom teeth removed. This turned into an ordeal that none of us truly anticipated. My poor girl. All four of her wisdom teeth were impacted. The bottom teeth required extended incisions, and the teeth had to be broken into pieces to be removed. I am fairly cautious about giving my girl painkillers and almost requested that they not be sent to the pharmacy. Boy, am I glad I didn't do that! I feel she has a very high threshold of pain, and she was in tears for three days. She took "the good stuff" for three days along with 800 mg ibuprofen, and it merely took the edge off. Let's say we are all happy this is behind her, and she is now on the mend.  

The only thing my girl wanted to eat the entire week was taco bowls. I feel I indulge my daughter's requests all the time, but given the situation, I took the attitude, " Ask, and you shall receive." Eric and I took turns driving to Taco Bell to pick up taco bowls for our little buddy. However, after looking at the ingredients,  I was like I can make this very easily. So, I did. 

It's a very simple process. You can simplify it further by using taco seasoning packets and taco rice packets, or go homemade and make everything from scratch. For a quick and simple meal, I used the packets. If I weren't on a time crunch, I would make everything from scratch. I'll include the diy taco seasoning recipe and taco rice recipe if you are more ambitious. I use a rice cooker to make all my rice dishes. It's like a slow cooker for rice. I don't have to worry about losing focus and burning the rice, which is a real problem in our house. Sigh. 

The Bean-Inspired Taco Bowls

Ingredients:

• 2 packets Knorr brand taco rice
• 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 packet taco seasoning mix
• 1 can of black beans
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
• sour cream to taste
• taco sauce

Directions:

Prepare the rice according to the package directions

Cook the ground meat, drain it, add taco seasoning, and follow the package directions

Rinse the beans, drain well, and store in a bowl

Assemble the bowls by layering the rice, meat, beans, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and taco sauce. 

Enjoy. 

You can add additional toppings such as diced tomatoes, onions, or guacamole.

DIY Taco Seasoning: 

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
• ½teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• cayenne pepper, optional

Mix all ingredients completely. Store in an airtight container or use immediately. This recipe can be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled. 

 

Easy Taco Rice in the Rice Cooker

• 1 cup long-grain white rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
• 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (or 1/2 pack)
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (e.g., Ro-Tel), undrained. I used the mild option, but you do you. 

Mix all ingredients in the rice cooker. Set to the "Cook" Setting. Don't open the lid. When the cooking cycle is over, allow the rice to rest and fluff with a fork before serving. 

 

This recipe is straightforward and comes together very quickly. This recipe could be doubled or quadrupled to feed a crowd. The ground meat could be cooked ahead of time and added to the crockpot. It lends itself to creating a "bar" for entertaining. The Bean is always happy with taco anything, so this is a win with our family. I hope you enjoy it as well. 

On this lovely spring day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy simple and delicious food, and keep washing your hands.