BURRITO BOWLS!!

    There's less than two weeks left of school and I'm pinching pennies trying to work with the random cans and boxes I have in the cabinets to avoid buying things. I had cans of beans, corn and green chilies, tons of brown rice, some chicken and cheese in the fridge, and my first thought: BURRITO BOWLS!!!! What better to do than pile it all in one heaping stack of hot Mexican goodness, seasoned with taco flavoring, smothered in spicy salsa, creamy guacamole and topped with a big spoon of sour cream?!

  

       Such little preparation needed, and it was delicious, and healthy too! Brown rice is a whole grain rich in fiber and antioxidants. Black beans provide 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams fiber per half cup plus they're full of antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function (perfect for finals! and they're cheap!) The salsa is loaded with vegetables, the corn is just good and sweet, and I've already said multiple times all the great things about avocados. Topped with some crunchy lettuce, this is a filling, satisfying and delicious dish for any budget cook! 

        I had leftover ingredients at the end of the meal so I threw it all into a bowl and stuck it in the fridge. By some miraculous way, it seemingly tasted even better leftover - maybe because the flavors had time to set, but it was so delicious! This is one of the simplest meals I've made and I was beyond satisfied. It's definitely going on my go-to list for monthly meals!

Lay all the ingredients out like a smorgasbord and pile it up however you'd like! 

Burrito Bowls

3-4 big servings

Ingredients:

1-1 1/2 large chicken breasts*

1 tbsp taco seasoning

4/5 cups cooked brown rice

1 can black beans

1 can corn

2 tbsp chopped green chilies (or jalapenos)

1 avocado

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

pinch salt

1 cup salsa

sour cream for topping 

Shredded cheddar cheese for topping 

Lettuce for topping, shredded

Directions:

Cut chicken into thirds, place in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a slow simmer over stove for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle. Do not bring to rapid boil because chicken will get tough. Shred with two forks and mix with taco seasoning. Set aside. (If it seems a little dry add a tbsp or so of water or chicken broth.)

Drain and rinse black beans with hot water and set aside.

Cut avocado and remove pit, scoop out insides and mash with lemon juice, cumin, garlic powder and salt and set aside.

Drain can of corn and mix with chopped green chilies.

On plate, layer rice, beans, salsa, corn, avocado, chicken, cheese and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

**If you want to make it even cheaper, try skipping out on the chicken and mix the taco seasoning with the rice instead. Add a little extra beans (maybe a few different kinds!) to make up for the lack of meat, and with all the toppings and flavors, it will still be delicious!