Tag: meals

Camping Rice and Beans

NOTE: This recipe can be varied when it comes to what spices and added vegetables are on hand.  Basic beans and rice can work with a little salt and pepper.  Other spices that you like can be added to this to make it more flavorful. A cajun spice blend is perfect for rice and beans, for example.  The tomatoes, whether fresh, canned, or spicey Rotels and the canned chilies add some nutrition and flavor to the rice and beans; however, they are optional.  Other things can always be added if desired and on hand such as a small can of chicken, a few shrimp, pieces of cooked fish, even bits of beef jerky. use your imagination to add to this basic foodstuff.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup white rice
  • 1 cup chicken stock, chicken bouillion or water
  • Cooking oil oil – approximately 2 Tbsp.
  • 1 Tsp ground cumin (optional)
  • 1 small to medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely diced
  • 1 cup cooked pinto beans
  • 1 small can chopped green chilis
  • 1 small tomato, diced or small can stewed (or small can Rotel for spice)
  • Salt, as needed
  • Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Serves 2

  1. Cook the rice Cook the white rice as desired. See How to Cook Rice
  2.  Cook the aromatics and beans Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a few teaspoons of oil immediately add the cumin (optional spice). Stir the cumin into the oil, let it cook until fragrant (30 seconds), add the garlic and onion and stir till the onion is translucent. Add another small amount of oil, then pour in the beans. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes, cooking off most of the liquid and letting the beans fry.
  3. Add chilies and tomatoes Add the can of chilies and tomatoes, stir, and cook for another few minutes. Salt as needed for flavor, then add in hot sauce (or cayenne) to desired level of spice.
  4. Combine and serve When the rice is done, add it to the pan of beans and stir everything together.

Big, Bold Bean Bowls

After dining at Chipotle Grill, we discovered bean bowls and found that we could make them at home. Not only could we make them at home, we could make them even fresher than what Chipotle Grill offers. These bean bowls are all you need for a meal and are healthy. There are 3 main things that go into one of our homemade bean bowls:

Ingredients

1. Meat

Grill your meat if you can; otherwise, broil in the oven. Spice with garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Once the meat is cooked, cube into small pieces. We’ve used chicken (preferred), lean pork, or steak. All are good. Once large chicken breat, one lean pork chop (butterfly cuts work well, or a small steak is all that you really need.

2. Fresh Salsa

  • Cubed, fresh tomatoes (2-3 medium sized)
  • Cilantro, minced to taste
  • Fresh, Hot peppers (jalapeno, serrano, chili, cayenne, tabasco) any of these work and use to your heat level
  • Lime Juice (a good squeeze of one half)
  • Tablespoon of Olive Oil
  • Minced, fresh celery (1/4 stalk)
  • Finely chopped, fresh onions
  • Shredded Lettuce (on the side)

Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl
3. Beans

  • One can of pinto or black beans (we prefer pintos)

BOWL PREPARATION

  1. Place a single layer of beans in the bottom of the bowl
  2. Add a layer of meat over the layer of beans
  3. Add a layer of the fresh salsa on top of that
  4. Optionally, you can add small dollops of yogurt or sour cream on top of the fresh salsa
  5. Add a layer of lettuce on top (alternately, you may place a layer of lettuce on the bottom as Chipotle does)

NOTES: Vegetarians can obviously omit the meat. Adding some hot, commercial salsa or additional fresh hot peppers will kick it up an extra notch. We found that 2 serrano peppers will make it nice and heated; on the other hand, one will definitely suffice for those who have a low heat tolerance.