Oregon Transplant: Bean and Rice Burrito Bowls

Y'all know I love Mexican. You should also know that burrito bowls are one of my favorite things ever. Ever. I love tortillas, so I love my burritos, but let's face it. A bowl full of the good stuff you usually cram inside the burrito can feel so much healthier than chowing down on a burrito-sized tortilla. And, if you like lettuce in your burrito (call me Rabbit, cuz' I sure do!), it's almost like having a salad. Only the dressing is a combination of guacamole, salsa, and creamy beans which intertwine into the best possible partnership. Break out your tortilla chips, peeps, and let's talk burrito bowls!

All right, let's start with the beans. I actually made this recipe when the hubby's work was crazy with their summer project. He was working late every night with the company buying him dinners, and I was wanting something I could eat for a couple of days. Let's face it, it's me we are talking about, so I was also looking for something Mexican-inspired. When I came across a recipe for easy pinto beans with Mexican seasonings, I jumped. I used a can of beans to make the recipe even easier. You really just sauté some garlic and onion, then add a can of beans and a can of Mexican-spiced tomatoes (like Rotel). Add in chili powder, cumin, salt, cilantro, and heat it all up. Boom! You're done. I'd say a can of beans made enough for 3-4 servings, and kept my tummy happy for the next couple of days.

You guys know it wouldn't be a Mexican night in my house with out Spanish Rice!

That's a garden grown jalapeño in there! I mean, staring at this bowl of yumminess- even at oh, 6:56 am- is making me drool.

Finished with a sour cream drizzle. Yeah, all I did was put sour cream in a squeeze bottle. I'm fancy like that.

You guys know I usually post on Mondays. Well, I never got around to it. After having our niece and nephew for the weekend, it was an unusually busy day. I was 0 to 60 from the moment I woke up. We're talking 5-6 loads of laundry, vacuuming up loose glitter from my niece's clothes that found itself all over the house, mowing an overgrown lawn, and heading to the grocery store to restock the house in fruit. There was nary a second to work on the blog. That also includes the glut of photos I've worked up from last week. Over 300, yikes. I was hoping to get to them yesterday, but no dice. Hopefully today!

Path to the Cure was also this weekend. The hubby and I took our nephew with us. It was his first race event, and as he later told us, the first time he'd ever done 3 miles. It was cute, before the race, he was telling the hubby and I how fast he was and that he would probably win. The hubby and I shared a smile, because when you're a kid who's never run 3 miles, you have no idea how far that actually is. Sure enough, he started out in a dead sprint and quickly lost his momentum. The hubby stayed with him the whole race while I raced ahead to get a picture of him crossing the finish line. We took him out for a burger afterwards to celebrate his first race. Over dinner, he told us how hard that race was, but how happy he was that he finished. He said that he had wanted to quit, but that if my mom could fight cancer 3 times, he could finish that race. Awwww! Such a sweet boy! I told my mom what he said, and I do believe she got a little misty :)

The hubby and I are hoping we got him hooked on running. We shall see!

Happy Tuesday everyone, have a great day!

Ingredients (serves 1):

Beans-

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14.5 oz) can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (10 oz) can of Mexican-spiced tomatoes (like Rotel)

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp cilantro, minced

1 1/2 cups lettuce

1/2 cup Spanish rice

2-3 tbsp Salsa

2-3 tbsp Guacamole

1 jalapeno, sliced

2 tbsp shredded Mexican cheese

1 tbsp sour cream

Directions:

1. Prepare the pinto beans- In a large skillet, warm olive oil. When warm, add onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

2. Place lettuce in a salad bowl. Top with Spanish rice, salsa, guacamole, jalapeño, cheese, and sour cream. Add 1/2 cup of beans on top. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe