Update: I had a blast presenting this recipe on Global News Calgary’s Sunday Morning Show with Joel on October 13, 2018! I prepped enough ingredients for 2 batches and made one so that I could share the finished product on TV, and Joel and I made a batch (kind of LOL) live on TV. We didn’t get to finish it before the commercial break, but after the commercial (not shown in the video clip) we finished talking about how to get the dish into the oven and baked with cheese. It was a neat experience to be live in the news room, with green walls and a green floor everywhere. Thankfully they told me not to wear green, or I’d be a floating head. It was a really neat experience and if there’s ever a next time I hope I’ll sleep better the night before and not be so nervous!
The recipe I used on the show is as follows, but you can really turn the recipe into whatever you want it to be.
1 small onion; 1-2 large garlic cloves; 1-2 cups mushrooms – sauté until jus tender
+ 1/2 red bell pepper; 1 cup zucchini – sauté until jus tender (don’t overcook!)
+ 1 can (398ml) black beans (drained & rinsed); 1 cup corn; 1 breast of cooked chicken – stir
+ 3 cups cooked brown rice (I include a veggie bouillon cube when cooking); 1 can (296ml) enchilada sauce – stir
Transfer to an oven safe dish, top with 2-3 cups shredded jalapeño monterey jack cheese & bake at 425F for 20 mins (or so). Serve with cilantro or parsley. Easy peasy!
Original Post:
This dish is super easy and can be as healthy (or unhealthy) as you want to make it. It freezes well in small containers and makes an excellent lunch for work or school. It’s got everything you need for a good ‘stick to your ribs’ kind of meal – carbs, veggies and protein – all with a little kick of spice to keep you warm from the inside.
I’m not including measurements because I don’t ever measure when I make this. I really don’t think you could mess it up too badly, but I suppose if you’re not experienced in the kitchen you could end up with a soupy bowl of corn and beans!
Ingredients:
Pre-cooked rice
- I used brown, but you could use white. If you’re good with one-pot suppers you could probably make it with Minute Rice and cook it all together. I cooked 2 cups brown rice with 4 cups water in the rice cooker with a cube of vegetable bouillon and didn’t quite use all the rice in this dish.
Chorizo sausage (or other meat)
- I used raw sausage this time but most often I use the pre-cooked chorizo sausage from Costco. It’s cheap and super tasty. You can also use any spicy raw sausage from the butcher, or even chicken thighs (these will just provide less flavour to the dish). You can also go vegetarian and not use any protein (except for cheese!).
Veggies
- Onions
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Bell peppers
- Black beans (rinsed)
- Corn (thawed from frozen is fine)
Enchilada Sauce (the red kind)
- Depending on the amount you’re making, a small or large can may be required. If a small can isn’t enough and that’s all you have, just add canned tomatoes to make the dish as moist as you desire.
Cheese
- It’s gotta be spicy! I used jalapeño havarti but you can use anything. It’s best to buy it in a brick and shred it yourself so that it’s not coated in cellulose and will melt better.
Instructions:
- Pre-cook the rice.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425F.
- Chop the veggies to your desired sizes (I like them chunky) and grate the cheese.
- Open the can of beans & rinse them, thaw the corn (if using frozen) or drain the can. Open the can of enchilada sauce
- Slice the sausages. I used 3 raw sausages. If using the pre-cooked ones from Costco, one is plenty (and may even be too much).
- Saute the sausage on medium heat without overcooking it. Add the onions and sauté until just getting tender then add the garlic.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté for a bit. Then add the zucchini and bell peppers. Sauté until the veggies are softening, but don’t over cook them or the dish will be mushy.
- Add as much rice to the pan as you desire – a good balance is required. Mix in the enchilada sauce – you don’t want it too soupy or too dry.
- Transfer the rice dish to a nice oven-safe dish, sprinkle with a spicy cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top is browning and bubbly.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with chopped parsley or cilantro and a dollop of sour cream if you’d like.
Comments