How to Make a Mexican Bowl

I really love Mexican food and so does my husband.  One of the hardest things we have ever done is to give up eating at Taco Bell.  However, we have found that there are lots of easy Mexican meals that we can make for a lot less money that are a lot more delicious than the over processed, mostly synthetic junk that you get at a fast food restaurant. 

One of our favorite fast and easy Mexican meals is a little something we call a Mexican Bowl.  It is not only flavorful and yummy, but it is filling and inexpensive to make, not to mention quick and easy.  You can also make it meatless and it is just as good.  What could be better?

Mexican Bowls are great made with hamburger, port, chicken, steak, just about any meat or poultry you can think of.  I usually make it with hamburger because it is less expensive and I can put taco seasoning in it.

Ingredients:
 

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup green pepper, chopped medium
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, undrained
• 1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (mild or hot)
  
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
• 1 1/3 cups thinly sliced lettuce
  
• 1 cup Mexican cheese, small shreds
• salt and pepper
  
• sour cream
• tortilla strips or crumbled chips
  

 Directions:

1. Cook brown rice according to directions
2. Fry hamburger in a skillet and add taco seasoning (if you want to use meat)
3. Put one tablespoon of olive oil in another skillet and add garlic, onion and green peppers and saute for 2 minutes
4. Add rice and salt and pepper if needed
5. I fry the rice till it has a slight crust on it, but if you prefer soft rice, skip this step  
6. Set this mixture aside
7. In a medium sauce pan pour about half the liquid from the can of black beans and drain off the rest
8. Add the beans, hamburger, Rotel, onions, cilantro and lime juice and bring to a boil
9. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered
10. In separate bowls, place the rice mixture on the bottom, then layer the hamburger and Rotel mixture on top of that
11. Sprinkle cheese over the top, then lettuce on top of that
12. Top with sour cream  and tortilla strips or crumbled chips

I usually serve this with chips and salsa and chilled lemonade.  If you prefer a more creamy consistency, you can make a sauce to pour over it, kind of like dressing on a salad.  The sauce is simply two parts salsa to one part sour cream.  Just put them together and stir with a spoon.

Hope you enjoy your Mexican bowls.  Leave a comment and let me know how you and your family liked them.

Have a great week,

Jade    :)

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