Tasty Tuesday: Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry

I'll admit that I usually rely on bottled sauces when I make stir fry at home. It's obviously much easier to use a bottled sauce than to make my own, but I also feel like I haven't quite mastered Asian style cooking ... So I think I just assume my homemade sauces won't be as good as what's in the bottle.

But this homemade sauce? So so good.

To be completely honest, I just made this stir fry to use up a red bell pepper and some diced pineapple we had in the fridge. I came across a recipe on Pinterest (the link can be found below) and then decided to make a few changes. I thought it would probably be decent, but I didn't even know if it would be worthy of a blog post.

I don't know why I had such low expectations ... This was delicious! The flavors really popped, and, as the name suggests, there's a perfect blend of sweet and spicy. (Though you could certainly alter the amount of Sriracha if you're not a fan of spicy food). It's also pretty healthy since there's no breading/coating on the chicken, which is always a plus!



As written, this recipe made two generous dinner portions and a small lunch portion. If you're cooking for more than two people, you can always double the recipe.

Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry

Adapted from a recipe on Carlsbad Cravings.

Ingredient List (Stir Fry):

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into long strips and then halved
• 1 cup onion, cut into long strips and then halved (I used a sweet onion, but anything except red onion would work well for this recipe.)
• 1-1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Instructions (Stir Fry):

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2.  Add the chicken, garlic salt, black pepper, coriander, and ginger to the skillet. Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and no pink remains.

3.  Once the chicken is cooked, pour in the pineapple juice. Give everything a good stir and allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes.

4.  Add the red bell pepper and onion to the skillet. Cook until just softened (about 5 minutes), then add the diced pineapple and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

5.  Toss the stir fry mixture with the sauce (directions below).


Ingredient List (Sauce):

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1-2 tsp Sriracha (I used 2 tsp initially and then added more Sriracha after tasting my sauce, but I didn't measure out the additional amount. I'd suggest starting with 1-2 tsp and then adding more if it's not spicy enough. If you like milder flavors, you'll probably want to stick with 1 tsp.)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions (Sauce):

1.  Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.  

3.  Mix the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha, and honey with the garlic and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.

3.  In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch. 

4.  Pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. (The sauce will become very thick and glossy, and it will look a little gelatinous. Don't freak out if this happens! It will mix in with the stir fry ingredients just fine.)

5.  Add the sauce to the stir fry ingredients in the skillet, and toss several times to coat thoroughly. Serve over rice.

Tasty Tuesday: Thai Turkey Meatballs in a Red Curry Peanut Sauce

Meatballs are one of my favorite things, but I don't make them as often as I'd like. They're not as time consuming as some dishes, but they're also not something I generally feel like making after a long day at work or a busy weekend day running errands.

When I do make meatballs, I stick with the classic Italian variety a lot of the time. I mean, spaghetti and meatballs is total comfort food. However, I also really like to switch it up and experiment with different flavors. (And as I was writing that I realized that I've never posted a recipe for classic Italian meatballs, nor have I even posted any meatball recipes using anything other than turkey. I guess I'll have to change that at some point!)

Today's meatballs once again fall under the turkey category. And, as you probably guessed from what was said above (and the title of this post, obviously!), they're not classic Italian meatballs.

It's no secret that we love curry in our house. I've only posted a couple of curry recipes in the past (including the ridiculously simple Green Curry Chicken that is Eric's absolute favorite meal), but we make it quite a bit. We also get Thai and Indian food out a lot, and often order different types of curry at those restaurants.

Anyway, the point is that we love curry ... So obviously I'm always very open to trying new curry recipes at home.

I'll admit, though, that I really wasn't expecting to be blown away by this recipe. I thought it would be pretty good, but sometimes peanut sauces are too sweet or overpowering. I wanted to give it a try (mostly because we had all of the ingredients on hand with the exception of green onions, fresh cilantro, and coconut milk), but I didn't know if it would even end up on the blog. 

I have a few other recipes I made a while ago that I still need to post, but I bumped this one up to this week because it was that good. I felt like I had to post it immediately! 

The sauce wasn't very spicy at all (though you can certainly make it spicier by adding more Sriracha), and it was sweet without being too sweet. The flavors of the coconut milk, red curry paste, and peanut butter blended perfectly so that one ingredient wasn't overpowering the rest. Eric even commented that he liked that the flavor of the peanut butter wasn't too strong. You can taste it, of course, but it's not the only thing you'll taste. 

As far as meatballs go, this recipe came together pretty quickly. I read somewhere (probably a food blog, but I can't remember which one) that Asian style meatballs should be blended in a food processor instead of being mixed by hand like a more traditional meatball. I have no idea whether or not this is actually true, but I took that advice and mixed these up in my food processor. I was kind of worried that they wouldn't stay together as I was shaping them because they seemed pretty fragile (and wet and mushy, but that just sounds completely unappetizing), but they were fine after I baked them. 

The sauce was also really simple. It only uses a few ingredients, and is done in just a few minutes. (Clearly a win!)

Thai Turkey Meatballs in a Red Curry Peanut Sauce

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Jo Cooks.

Ingredient List (Meatballs):

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3-4 green onions, white parts removed (You can chop these if you want, but since I mixed my meatballs in the food processor, I didn't bother. They'll get chopped up and mixed in with the rest of the ingredients so you really don't need to chop them yourself unless you're planning to mix your meatballs by hand.)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (Again, you can chop this up if you're planning to mix by hand, but otherwise I say be lazy and dump it into the food processor. Why do more work when your kitchen appliances can do it for you?)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions (Meatballs):

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, coat with cooking spray, and set aside.

3.  If you're using a food processor to mix the meatballs, add the ground turkey, green onions, fresh cilantro, fish sauce, red curry paste, Panko breadcrumbs, egg, sea salt, and black pepper to the food processor and blend until everything is combined. (This shouldn't take long.) If you're mixing the meatballs by hand, simply add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and start combining them with your hands.

4.  Once the ingredients have been mixed together, begin shaping the meat mixture into meatballs. I'm not great at making meatballs that are perfectly uniform, but I managed to get a total of 18 meatballs out of this.

5.  Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, making sure to keep them as evenly spaced as possible.

6.  Bake the meatballs in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked and the meatballs are beginning to brown a bit. (30 minutes was the perfect amount of time for mine.)


Ingredient List (Red Curry Peanut Sauce):

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 14 oz. can coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk.)
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 heaping tbsp peanut butter (I used crunchy because that's the variety we always buy. I worried that it might make the sauce too chunky, but I really didn't notice the tiny pieces of peanut while I was eating so I think it blended into the sauce pretty well. You can kind of see the peanut pieces in the pictures, but, like I said, they didn't make the sauce too chunky or crunchy. I say use whatever type of peanut butter you normally like to eat.)
• 2 tsp Sriracha (You can always adjust the heat of the sauce by adding more or less. I know everyone's definition of "spicy" is a little different, but neither Eric nor I thought the sauce was very spicy at all at this level.)

Instructions (Red Curry Peanut Sauce):

1.  Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2.  Once the oil is heated, add the red curry paste and cook for about a minute.

3.  Add the coconut milk, brown sugar, peanut butter, and Sriracha, stirring constantly until the peanut butter, curry paste, and brown sugar have blended well into the coconut milk.

4.  Turn the heat to low and allow the sauce to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Since it only takes a few minutes for the sauce to cook, you don't really need to start making it until about 10-12 minutes before the meatballs have finished baking.)

5.  Once the meatballs are done, add them to the sauce and gently stir. Add additional fresh cilantro (if desired), and allow the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for about 3-5 minutes.

I served these meatballs over jasmine rice with a side of steamed broccoli and cauliflower. So good!

Tasty Tuesday: One Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love one pot meals. My least favorite part of the cooking process is cleaning up, so the fewer dirty dishes I have at the end of the evening, the better.

Today's one pot meal is also super simple (I used a couple of previous recipes I've shared as inspiration to create a new dish, so it's clearly not something you need to be a master chef to make!) and quick enough to make on a weeknight.



When I make meals with Cajun flavors (like this Creamy Cajun Pasta or this One Pot Turkey Kielbasa Dirty Rice), I always make my own Cajun spice blend. You can obviously buy a Cajun spice blend at the store to use, but I always have all of the spices I need on hand and it doesn't take that much effort to mix them in a small bowl.

I also like the fact that I can adjust the spices a bit. For this particular recipe, I decided to make it a little spicier by adding a little extra cayenne pepper and added some smokiness by using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. The recipe below reflects these changes, but feel free to adjust the spices to your personal tastes (assuming you decide to make your own Cajun spice, of course).

One Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.

Ingredient List:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 3 large chicken breasts.)
• 2 cups long grain white rice (I've tried making one pot meals with other types of rice, but I've found that long grain white rice is the only rice that consistently works well with these types of dishes.)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 2 tbsp butter (I used low fat margarine.)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (You can also use regular paprika if you don't have smoked on hand, or if you're not a fan of that type of smoky flavor.)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (This will give it quite a kick, so if you're not a fan of super spicy food, I'd recommend cutting back on the cayenne. I recommend using at least 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper in Cajun style dishes.)

Instructions:

1.  Whisk the smoked paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl. (If you're using a store bought Cajun seasoning blend, you can skip this step.)

2.  Heat the 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with the Cajun seasoning (leave approximately 1 tsp for later!) and drop into the skillet with the butter. Cook on both sides until lightly browned and mostly cooked through, then remove to a plate and set aside. (Please note: The chicken doesn't have to be completely cooked at this point. It will continue to cook when it's added back to the skillet later.)

3.  Add the diced green pepper and diced white onion to the skillet, cooking until the vegetables are just softened. (This should only take a few minutes.) 

4.  Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant.

5.  Add the rice, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, dark red kidney beans, tomato paste, and remaining 1 tsp Cajun seasoning to the skillet. Mix thoroughly and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

6.  Cut the chicken breasts into smaller chunks and add the chicken to the boiling mixture in the skillet. 

7.  Give everything a good stir, cover, and turn the heat down to medium low. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is thoroughly cooked. (You'll want to stir this occasionally to prevent sticking.)

And that's it! This recipe makes quite a bit, but I thought the leftovers were just as good.

Tasty Tuesday: Thai Beef Kofta Bowls with Coconut Jasmine Rice

Unless you're new to my blog, you probably already know that I'm always searching for new and interesting ways to incorporate beef into our weekly meal plans. Each year Eric and I buy around 100 pounds of beef from his cousin's farm in western Nebraska. When you're just cooking for two people, that's a lot of meat. (Thankfully his parents let us store it in their extra freezer, and then we just pick some up once in a while to store at home. We have a pretty big freezer in our apartment, but there's no way we could fit that much meat in there at one time!)

Obviously since we have so much of it, we make a lot of beef meals. The only problem is that I get sick of things pretty quickly.

I'm not the kind of person who can have the same meal over and over. I definitely have favorite dishes, but I try to change things up at least a little each week. For example, I'm a huge fan of pasta. I could (no joke) eat it every day. But one of the reasons I love pasta so much is because it's very versatile. I could make pasta every night for a week and never make the same recipe twice. (I won't, though, because Eric doesn't love it quite as much as I do. Also, neither of us really wants to gain a bunch of weight by eating tons of pasta.)

Anyway, the point is that I like to mix things up when I cook and avoid making a lot of really similar meals all in a row.

So when I came across a recipe for Thai beef koftas, I was immediately intrigued. I'd never made koftas at home, but the dish looked really simple and we already had the majority of the ingredients on hand. Since Eric and I love all-in-one meals (particularly rice bowls!), I decided to turn the original recipe into a rice bowl complete with delicious coconut jasmine rice.


The result was awesome! I feel like I'm always saying how great the recipes I post taste (though, really, I wouldn't bother posting them here if I didn't think they were good), but this is one of the best things I've made in a while. As we were eating this I kept saying, "I think this is my new favorite beef dish."

If you're ever stuck wondering what to do with ground beef, you should definitely give this recipe a try. (Especially if you're a fan of coconut curries!)

Thai Beef Kofta Bowls with Coconut Jasmine Rice

Adapted from a recipe on Sweet Peas and Saffron.

Ingredient List (Koftas):

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp red curry paste (I usually use the Thai Kitchen brand.)
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce

Instructions (Koftas):

1.  Mix the fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic salt, ground ginger, Thai red curry paste, soy sauce, and worcestershire sauce together in a large bowl. Stir until everything is well combined.

2.  Add the beef to the large bowl, and, using your hands, mix the meat with the other ingredients.

3.  Shape the meat into elongated meatballs and then place on a grill over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes (or until the meat is completely cooked through). If you're using a traditional grill, you may find it easier to stick skewers through the koftas in order to turn them every couple of minutes. We just used our little George Foreman grill, and Eric lowered the lid so that both sides of the meat were cooking at once. It took a little less time and effort to cook it this way, though it obviously flattened them out a little more.

4.  When the meat has finished cooking, set the koftas aside on a plate until you're ready to assemble the bowls.

Ingredient List (Vegetables):

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin strips
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions (Vegetables):

1.  Add the sesame oil to a medium skillet and heat over medium heat.

2.  When the oil has heated, add the thinly sliced red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and red onion to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables have just softened, stirring regularly.

3.  Once the vegetables have finished cooking, set them aside until you're ready to assemble the bowls.

Ingredient List (Coconut Sauce):

• 1/2 cup lite coconut milk (I used lite to make it a little healthier, but you could also use regular coconut milk.)
• 2 tsp red curry paste 
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 3 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Juice from 1/2 a lime (I didn't measure this out exactly.)

Instructions (Coconut Sauce):

1.  Whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice in a medium bowl.

2.  Set the sauce aside until you're ready to assemble the bowls.

Ingredient List (Coconut Jasmine Rice):

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 1/2 cups lite coconut milk (This should use up the rest of a 14 oz. can of coconut milk.)
• 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions (Coconut Jasmine Rice):

1.  Bring the rice, coconut milk, and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.

2.  Cover and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly evaporated.

3.  Remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes before fluffing with a fork.

4.  When the rice has finished cooking, assemble the bowls by adding the rice first, vegetables, koftas, and then topping with the coconut sauce.

I know that looks like a lot of steps, but it's actually a really simple meal to put together. I'll admit that it helps a lot if someone else can help with the cooking, but it's not impossible to do it all yourself. (I'm lucky because Eric usually helps me with most of our meals. In this case, he sliced the veggies while I prepared the meat, then he grilled the meat while I made the coconut sauce and cooked the veggies and rice. It just sped things along a bit.)

One final note: even though this uses red curry paste in both the koftas and the coconut sauce, this dish isn't what I would consider spicy. I think the flavor of the curry definitely comes out, but all of the other flavors stand out as well and there's not much (if any) heat.

Tasty Tuesday: One Pot Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

I've mentioned this a couple of times before, but I've been trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our weekly meal plans. We'll never go completely vegetarian (we both enjoy meat and seafood way too much), but I think it's nice to switch things up once in a while.

Budget Bytes is probably my favorite resource for vegetarian recipes.  Stephanie mentioned Budget Bytes in her Three on Thursday post last week, and I completely agree with everything she said. There are a ton of creative, simple, healthy, budget friendly meals on that site (with and without meat!), and, while I usually tweak the recipes, everything I've tried so far has been delicious.

The meal I'm posting today is no exception. I made several changes to the original recipe, and the end result was amazing.

This is probably one of the best, most flavorful vegetarian dishes I've ever made. I love that it's something a little different as well ... It's not my standard pasta dish or curry. (Though I'm definitely not knocking either of those things. I mean, my other favorite vegetarian dish is Red Curry Lentils with Coconut Jasmine Rice.)

There's just so much to love about this meal. I love that it can easily be adapted to fit your tastes. I love that it's super easy to throw together and requires minimal effort (and minimal cleanup!). I love that it's not only delicious but also pretty healthy. And, perhaps most of all, I love that my meat loving husband thought it was awesome (and didn't even say anything like, "This would be even better with some chicken!").

One Pot Spanish Chickpeas and Rice

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Budget Bytes.

Ingredient List:

• 2 14 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 lemon
• 4 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 1/3 cup olives + 1 tsp brine (You don't have to add the brine, but I think it adds a little extra flavor. And if you're not a fan of olives, you can skip them altogether.)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup uncooked rice (I used long grain white rice. I've tried a few different types of rice in these one pot meals, and this seems to consistently be the best.)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (You'll really want to use smoked paprika for this recipe. I felt like it added a certain depth of flavor that I don't think you'd get from regular paprika.)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (If you're not a fan of spicy food, I'd cut it back to 1/4 tsp. I thought the spiciness was pretty subtle, but Eric said he noticed the heat.)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Once the skillet has heated up, add the garlic and cook until just fragrant (between about 30 seconds and 1 minute).

2. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and sea salt to the skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring regularly to combine with the garlic and hot oil. 

3. Add the onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Stir several times to coat with the oil, garlic, and spices, and cook for about 5 minutes (or until the vegetables are just beginning to soften).

4. Add the rice and mix thoroughly. Allow the rice to cook for about 1-2 minutes.

5. Pour in the chickpeas, olives, olive brine (if you're using this), diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir all of the ingredients together until well combined.

6. Turn the heat up to medium high. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

7. Once it has reached a boil, squeeze in the juice from the lemon and stir to combine.

8. Add the bay leaves, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes (or until most of the liquid is gone), stirring occasionally. (I did have to turn my heat back up to medium low after I checked on it the first time because there seemed to be a lot of liquid left. It should be fine if you turn the heat up a bit, but you'll want to stay a little closer to the stove and stir a little more frequently to make sure the rice doesn't start sticking.)

9. After it has finished cooking, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid, remove and discard the bay leaves, and fluff the rice with a fork.

This makes a lot, so you should have plenty of leftovers (unless you're feeding a lot of people). And don't worry ... It still tastes great after being reheated!

Tasty Tuesday: Turkey BBQ Ranch Rice Bowls

I feel like I probably should have shared this recipe last week since it's a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but I already had my Vegan Chana Masala post ready to go so I decided to push this one back a week. The good news? This would be just as delicious with shredded chicken.

I know a lot of people love making turkey sandwiches with their Thanksgiving leftovers, but I've never been much of a sandwich person. I don't hate sandwiches or anything ... I just typically prefer other types of meals.

So when Eric's mom sent us home with some leftover Thanksgiving turkey, I wanted to come up with a simple but delicious way to use it without resorting to sandwiches. After searching our kitchen for random ingredients I could toss in with some turkey to make a filling and tasty meal, I came up with this very simple rice bowl.

I love rice bowls (some of my other favorites include this Chicken Veggie Avocado Rice Bowl and this One Pot Turkey Kielbasa Dirty Rice), so it's probably not too surprising that "rice bowl" was the first thing that popped in my head when I was trying to figure out what to do with my leftover turkey. (It probably also helps that we always have plenty of rice on hand!)

Even though this isn't much of a recipe (I mean, it really doesn't get much easier than this), I'm proud of it. I always feel really accomplished when I come up with something on my own (even if it's super simple), and I feel even more accomplished if I can come up with something on the fly using only random ingredients already lying around my kitchen. (Okay, I feel like a fucking rockstar when I do that, but that's a little embarrassing to admit.)

Anyway, this isn't the most beautiful or interesting meal I've ever put together ... But it's delicious. And simple. And cheap (especially if you already have these ingredients on hand). Clearly all of those things make this dish a winner.

Turkey BBQ Ranch Rice Bowls

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.

Ingredient List:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken, if you prefer that), shredded or cut into chunks
• 1/2 of a large yellow onion, sliced into long, thick strips
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/3 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a cheddar Jack blend.)
• 1 cup cooked rice, for serving

Instructions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

2.  Add the sliced onions to the oil and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until completely softened. (You'll want to stir the onions occasionally to prevent them from getting overcooked on one side.)

3.  Season the onions with the garlic salt and black pepper, then reduce heat to low.

4.  Stir in the cooked turkey (or chicken), BBQ sauce, and ranch dressing. (I chose to use a 1:1 ratio of the sauces, but if you'd prefer one flavor to stand out a bit more, you can adjust the amounts you use accordingly.) Stir the mixture several times to thoroughly combine, and allow to warm over low heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until completely warmed through.

5.  Top with shredded cheese, cover, and remove the skillet from heat. Let it sit until the cheese has melted, then serve over rice.

Like I said, this is really easy and it uses a lot of ingredients that most people probably have in their kitchen anyway. As written, this made enough for two fairly large bowls. It could easily be doubled (or tripled!) if you need to serve more people, though. 

Tasty Tuesday: Vegan Chana Masala

If, like me, you're still having some difficulty getting back into the habit of a normal (and at least somewhat healthy) meal plan after the gluttony that was last Thursday, today's recipe might be just what you need.

I've been trying to make an effort to cook meatless meals a little more often lately. I still use meat a lot, but sometimes it's nice to switch things up a bit. Plus, meatless meals help us get even more veggies and beans into our diet and help cut down our grocery bill a bit!

After reading Kristen's great post on 20+ delicious things you can do with chickpeas several months ago, I was determined to try cooking with them. I'd eaten plenty of things containing chickpeas (hummus, falafel, etc.), but I'd never actually made anything with them myself. Obviously it was time to change that, especially since I was already on a mission to come up with more meatless meals!


I'm so glad I decided to branch out a bit because this was really good. It's hearty and comforting (perfect for the chilly late fall evenings we've been having in Nebraska lately!), and, as an added bonus, it's healthy. It's also incredibly easy ... I think I could have made this even back when I was just learning how to cook!

I will say that if you're not a fan of tomatoes, you'll hate this. The tomato flavor is very strong, and you may need to add some additional spices prior to serving. (This obviously depends on your palate, though. I'd suggest tasting it prior to serving and then adjusting the flavor as necessary. As written, the recipe doesn't include any adjustments.)

If, however, you like the flavor of tomatoes, want to incorporate more meatless dinners into your weekly meal plans, and are open to playing around with Indian flavors, this might be the meal for you!

Vegan Chana Masala

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Cookie + Kate.

Ingredient List:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 of a large yellow onion, diced (This was about 1 cup.)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced (If you want this dish to be really spicy, include more seeds or even throw in another pepper. I left some seeds in, but removed most of them since Eric doesn't love super spicy stuff.)
• 1 28 oz. can whole crushed tomatoes in puree (You could also opt to use whole peeled tomatoes and crush them yourself with a spoon if you want a chunkier sauce. If you go with this option, make sure you use the juices as well!)
• 2 14 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 
• 1/2 of a lemon
• 3 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

2.  Add the onion, jalapeño pepper, and garlic to the olive oil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the diced onions and peppers begin to soften.

3.  Stir in the ground ginger, turmeric, sea salt, paprika, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne pepper, and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

4.  Pour in the tomatoes, then squeeze in the juice from half a lemon.

5.  Add the chickpeas to the skillet, and stir several times to incorporate the spices into the sauce.

6.  Turn the heat down to medium low and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes. (The longer it simmers, the better.) Taste and adjust the spices if necessary.

As you can see from the photo, I served this meal over white basmati rice. This will make enough for leftovers, and trust me, you'll want to save some for later ... It's even better the next day!

Tasty Tuesday: Red Curry Lentils with Coconut Jasmine Rice

I feel like I've been sharing a lot of really meaty meals lately, so I decided to switch things up a bit this week and post a vegetarian meal.

I was a little nervous about making this because I'd never made lentils at home before. Well, okay ... I'd made prepackaged lentils with sauce, but that doesn't count. I mean, you literally pop those in the microwave for a couple of minutes and they're ready.

This dish required a little more effort than that, but it was still remarkably easy. As we were eating, I kept saying, "I wish I'd realized before how easy it is to make something like this myself!" It tasted much better than the prepackaged stuff, and it was probably a little healthier since it wasn't packed with preservatives.



If you're intimidated by the thought of making your own curry, don't be. This is ridiculously simple to throw together. You're also using a jarred curry paste for this dish, so it's not as though you'll need to purchase 500 different spices. I honestly felt like I used fewer spices in this curry than I have in some of the other meals I've posted!

I followed the original recipes pretty closely, but made a few adjustments to some of the measurements. This makes quite a bit of curry and rice, but the leftovers taste just as good (if not better!).

Red Curry Lentils with Coconut Jasmine Rice

Adapted ever so slightly from recipes on Pinch of Yum and Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Ingredient List (Red Curry Lentils):

• 1 2/3 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over (If you've never cooked with lentils before, this just means that you'll want to sort through them and pick out anything that looks "weird." Apparently little rocks can find their way into packages of lentils, so if something is discolored or just looks a little "off," toss it.)
• 1 cup white onion, diced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp red curry paste (I like to use the Thai Kitchen brand. This can be found in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores, including Super Target.)
• 2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 clove garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2/3 cup lite coconut milk (I used lite to make it healthier, but you could also use regular coconut milk.)
• 1 14 oz. can tomato puree
• Fresh cilantro for serving

Instructions (Red Curry Lentils):

1.  Cook the lentils according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

2.  Melt the butter in a large, deep saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until slightly soft and golden.

3.  Add the curry paste, Garam Masala, curry powder, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper to the onion and butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

4.  Stir in the tomato puree, and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes.

5.  Add the cooked lentils and coconut milk. Stir several times to thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. (It's best to let the curry simmer as long as possible!)

6.  Serve over coconut jasmine rice (recipe below) and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Ingredient List (Coconut Jasmine Rice):

• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 1/3 cups lite coconut milk (This should use up the rest of a 14 oz. can of coconut milk.)
• 1 2/3 cup water

Instructions (Coconut Jasmine Rice):

1.  Bring the rice, coconut milk, and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.

2.  Cover and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly evaporated.

3.  Remove from heat and allow to rest for a few minutes before fluffing with a fork.

This was seriously delicious. Eric even loved it, and he doesn't always love vegetarian meals. (To be fair, he did say "Maybe you could add chicken to this when you make it again," but then he admitted that it was really filling and tasty just as it was ... He just prefers meat with his meals.)

And, as you can see, it's a really easy meal to throw together. It's also pretty healthy, which is really important to me right now. September was kind of a "Fuck it, I'll eat and drink what I want!" month for me, so I really need to start focusing on eating a little better, cutting back on the alcohol, and getting back into an exercise routine. (But that's another post entirely.)

All rambling aside, you should definitely give this a try. If nothing else, it will prove just how easy it can be to make a (mostly) homemade curry!

Tasty Tuesday: One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

I can't say enough great things about this recipe. It was amazing!

I love dinners that are simple enough to make during a busy weeknight, especially if they can be made in one pot. Based on that alone, I knew this meal would be a winner.

I didn't expect to love it as much as I did, though. It was flavorful and delicious, and tasted like something that took considerable time and effort to make. 

And the rice was perfect. Sometimes the rice in one pot meals isn't as fluffy as I would like, but somehow the rice in this dish turned out exactly the way I'd hoped it would.

I made a few changes to the original recipe, but it really didn't need much tweaking. This is definitely one of those cases when keeping things simple is best!

One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Creme de la Crumb.

Ingredient List:

• 6 thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp low fat margarine or butter (I used low fat margarine.)
• 2 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Italian Medley
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 12-15 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (plus additional for serving, if desired)

Instructions:

1.   Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

2.  Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds (or until fragrant).

3.  Season the chicken on both sides with the sea salt, black pepper, dried parsley, oregano, and Mrs. Dash Italian Medley, then add it to the skillet. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, then remove to a plate.

4.  Add the rice, chicken broth, and white wine to the skillet. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the ingredients in the skillet.

5.  Place the chicken on top of the rice and liquid, then cover and simmer over medium low heat for 20-25 minutes (or until no liquid remains).

6.  When about 3-5 minutes of cook time remain, add the sliced grape tomatoes and replace the lid.

7.  After it has finished cooking, sprinkle the top of the chicken and rice with the crumbled feta cheese.

As you can see from the second picture, I served this with a side of oven roasted asparagus. So delicious!

Tasty Tuesday: One Pot Turkey Burrito Bowls

It's no secret that I love one pot meals. (And really, doesn't everyone?) The fewer things to clean after making dinner, the better. It's not as though we don't have a dishwasher (I don't think I could ever live in a place that didn't because really I hate washing dishes!) ... But we always wash our pots and the majority of our other kitchen utensils by hand.

So when I found a one pot burrito bowl meal online, I knew I had to try it. Burrito bowls are one of the easiest things to make, and we make them often. They're great because you can pretty much throw anything into one and it will taste amazing. (Here's a chorizo potato burrito bowl I shared previously that utilized the leftover filling from the enchiladas at the beginning of that post.)

This burrito bowl was no exception. If rice, meat, beans, and chilies all cooked together with melty cheese and fresh tomatoes on top sounds like your kind of thing, you should definitely give this recipe a try. And feel free to change it up ... There are so many options when it comes to a meal like this!

One Pot Turkey Burrito Bowls

Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on No. 2 Pencil.

Ingredient List:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1 10 oz. can mild Rotel
• 1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cilantro
• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar Jack cheese
• 1 tomato, diced
• Diced green onions for serving (optional)
• Salsa for serving (optional)
• Sour cream for serving (optional)
• Guacamole for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2.  Season the ground turkey with the garlic salt and black pepper and add it to the heated skillet. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.

3.  Add the red onions, and cook until just softened.

4.  Push the meat and onions to one side of the skillet. Pour the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in the other side and cook the uncooked rice with the oil for about 2 minutes (or until some of the grains begin to turn golden brown).

5.  Stir in the black beans, Rotel, diced green chilies, water, cumin, chili powder, cilantro, Mexican oregano, and cayenne pepper.

6.  Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let the mixture cook for about 20 minutes (or until the rice is tender).

7.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Remove the skillet from the heat, cover, and let sit for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.

8.  Top with the diced tomato and, if desired, diced green onions. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

As I said earlier, there are so many ways to make this recipe your own. You can change the type of meat you use (or skip the meat completely). You can use another type of cheese (I'd suggest pepper jack or a Mexican blend). If you hate beans, leave them out. Add a jalapeño pepper for more spice. Do whatever you like ... Just make sure you give this a try!

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Veggie Avocado Rice Bowl

I feel a little embarrassed sharing this as a "recipe" because it's so ridiculously easy to throw together that instructions probably aren't required. We've been making it about once a week lately, and it's quickly becoming one of our favorite weeknight meals.

This bowl is filled with simple ingredients: rice, spiced grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and fresh smashed avocado. There's obviously nothing fancy or intimidating about it. But, for whatever reason, this combination is amazing. I actually crave this meal now (which is probably why it keeps popping up on our weekly menu).

And, unlike many of the other delicious meals I share on this blog, this one is actually pretty healthy. It's not super low calorie, though, so if you're trying to cut back, you could always grill the veggies instead of roasting them in olive oil, reduce the amount of avocado, and/or substitute quinoa for the rice. I may try some of these substitutions at some point, but right now I'm happy to eat fewer calories at lunch and then chow down on this at dinner. It's so worth it!

Chicken Veggie Avocado Rice Bowl

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.

Ingredient List:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into slices and then halved
• 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 avocados
• 1-2 cups cooked rice (I've been using long grain white rice, but any type of rice will work.)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp black pepper, divided
• 2 tsp chipotle chili powder, divided
• 2 tsp garlic salt, divided
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano

Instructions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Preheat the grill. (We live in an apartment, so we just use a little George Foreman indoor grill. It doesn't take very long to heat up, so it's fine to start it up around the same time as the oven. I've never actually used a "real" grill, so I'm not sure how long it takes to heat up ... I'm guessing not more than 10-15 minutes, which should give you more than enough time to slice the veggies and add the spices to the chicken while you wait.)

3.  Place the chicken in a medium bowl and rub both sides of each breast with the following spice mixture: 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp chipotle chili powder, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp Mexican oregano. (You can either mix all of the spices together beforehand in a small bowl, or add each one individually.)

4.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.

5.  Place the sliced red bell pepper and grape tomatoes on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp sea salt.

6.  Allow the vegetables to roast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. (The tomatoes should begin to burst a bit when they're ready, and the red pepper should soften while still retaining a bit of crunch.)

7.  While the vegetables are cooking, add the spiced chicken to the grill. Grill until completely cooked through. (This should take between 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.)

8.  Once the chicken has finished cooking, dice it into smaller chunks. (Eric usually takes over the chicken portion of this meal, and he likes to cut the chicken up into really tiny pieces. It works well for a bowl like this because you'll get some chicken in each bite. It's obviously not necessary to cut the chicken so small, however, I would recommend cutting it up a bit so you don't just have a big piece of chicken sitting on top of your bowl.)

9.  Smash the avocados in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp chipotle chili powder and 1 tsp garlic salt, and mix well.

10.  Spoon rice into bowls and top with veggies, chicken, and smashed avocado.

This meal just screams summer to me, so make sure you try it before the season is over. Trust me, you'll be happy you did!

Tasty Tuesday: Herb Butter Rice

Okay, I know what you're thinking ... The picture accompanying this post looks eerily similar to the picture used in last week's Tasty Tuesday post. (And you're right.)

But I haven't lost my mind. I'm not posting the same recipe 2 weeks in a row. This week I'm actually posting about the rice you see under the fish.

This rice was actually what I would call "a happy accident." I've never claimed to be great at coming up with creative side dishes for my meals ... In fact, I typically serve most dinners with a side salad, Steamfresh vegetables, and/or plain rice. But that gets boring.

When I made the Mediterranean Tilapia, I initially planned to just serve it with plain basmati rice. After some thought, I decided I wanted more flavor so I added some chicken broth to the rice. That didn't seem like enough, though, so I started adding a few more things to the pot. The result was a simple side dish that added just enough extra flavor to perfectly complement the fish.

Herb Butter Rice

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.

Ingredient List:

• 2 cups dry white basmati rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp low fat margarine or butter (I used low fat margarine to try to cut some calories.)
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp Mrs. Dash Original blend
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried rosemary

Instructions:

1.  Add all the ingredients to a large pot.

2.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.

3.  Allow the rice to simmer for about 15-20 minutes (or according to the instructions on the package of rice you're using, as many will differ).

4.  Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork or spoon. 

A word of warning: this does make a lot of rice (enough for 2-3 meals, depending on how much you eat and how many people you're feeding). It reheats nicely, but if leftover rice isn't your thing, I'd suggest cutting the recipe in half. 

Tasty Tuesday: Chorizo Potato Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

When I shared the results of my monthly personal challenge for February, I promised I'd post my (somewhat) original recipe in my next Tasty Tuesday post. Then I moved to Blogger and spent 2 weeks tweaking everything and that post never happened.

Today I'm making up for that, though. And, as an added bonus, I'm also sharing what I did with the leftover filling. It's not a new concept by any means, but it's a slight variation of one of our favorite quick weeknight meals (also known as what I do when I've forgotten to plan for anything else and don't feel like making a frozen pizza or getting takeout).

I couldn't get a great picture of these enchiladas, but trust me ... They're delicious!

I realize that from this picture these enchiladas look almost identical to the chicken enchiladas I posted a long time ago, but I promise that the sauce is the only thing that's the same. I'd never had chorizo potato enchiladas with anything other than a red sauce, so I decided to take a risk and use this amazing sauce instead. And it was phenomenal! The flavors of the chorizo and potatoes paired wonderfully with this green chile sour cream sauce. So well, in fact, that Eric kept complimenting the meal as he devoured the enchiladas on his plate.

Don't just take my word for it, though. Try these enchiladas for yourself ... You won't be disappointed!

Chorizo Potato Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe. (Sauce adapted from a recipe on Taste and Tell.)


Ingredient List (Filling):

• 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into very small (about 1 inch) chunks
• 0.75-1 lb chorizo sausage (I used 0.75 lbs, and that was plenty)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup white onion, diced 
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

Instructions (Filling):

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2.  Add the diced potatoes and onions to the skillet and season with the garlic salt, black pepper, chipotle chili powder, and Mexican oregano. Cook over medium heat until the onions and potatoes have softened a bit and the potatoes have started to brown.

3.  Crumble the chorizo sausage into the skillet with the potatoes and onions, cooking until completely browned.

4.  Stir in the black beans, and allow the mixture to cook for approximately 2 minutes (or until completely warmed through).


Ingredient List (Enchiladas):

• 10 corn tortillas (soft taco size)
• 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (I used Sargento 4 Cheese Mexican blend, which, according to the package, includes Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero cheeses)
• Cooked chorizo and potato mixture (from recipe above)

Instructions (Enchilada Assembly):

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

3.  Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave (I zapped mine for 15-20 seconds) to make them more pliable.

4.  Place a tortilla on a plate and fill it with some of the cooked chorizo and potato mixture and some of the shredded cheese.

5.  Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it seam side down in the 9x13 inch pan. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you've used all of your tortillas, taking care to place an equal amount of filling in each tortilla.


Ingredient List (Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce):

• 3 tbsp low fat margarine or butter (I used low fat margarine)
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream to try to lighten the recipe up a bit, and it worked just as well as regular sour cream)
• 2 4 oz. cans diced green chilies

Instructions (Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce):

1.  Melt the butter in a small pan.

2.  Stir in the flour and whisk for approximately 1 minute.

3.  Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and cook over medium heat until thickened and no lumps remain.

4.  Stir in the sour cream and green chilies until well combined.

5.  Pour the sauce over the pan of enchiladas and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

6.  Bake the enchiladas for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

As I said earlier, you'll likely have leftover filling unless you stuff your enchiladas to the point of bursting or opt to make multiple pans of enchiladas (and, if you do that, you'll definitely need to double or triple the sauce recipe!). As I also said, we weren't exactly creative with our leftovers. 

I'm going to share what we did anyway, though, because the result was a delicious, simple meal that not only used up the leftover filling but also the leftover black beans (I used canned black beans and I saved the remaining beans after measuring out 1/2 cup for the enchilada filling). I hate wasting food, so it made me happy to avoid throwing anything out!

This is so good, you don't even realize you're eating leftovers!

Burrito bowls are a favorite lazy night meal in our house. Sometimes we brown some ground beef or turkey or grill some chicken and mix that with black beans, onions, green chilies, and spices. Sometimes we omit the meat completely and just have vegetarian burrito bowls. And sometimes we make burrito bowls in order to use up leftover enchilada or burrito filling. No matter the version, burrito bowls are always a hit with us!

Chorizo Potato Burrito Bowls

A Divulge and Indulge original recipe.

Ingredient List:

• Leftover filling from the Chorizo Potato Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce (from recipe above)
• 1 1/4 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups cooked rice (I used basmati because that's what we had on hand)
• Shredded cheese for serving (I used the same 4 cheese Mexican blend I used in the enchiladas)
• Sour cream for serving
• Salsa for serving
• Guacamole for serving

Instructions:

1.  Mix the black beans together with the leftover chorizo and potato filling and heat until completely warmed through. (I honestly just microwaved ours for about 3 minutes and it tasted great, but you could also dump everything into a pan and cook it on the stovetop if you prefer that method.)

2.  Spoon rice into a bowl and top with the black beans and filling.

3.  Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

I just had to add another picture to show off all the layers in the burrito bowl.

Burrito bowls are seriously simple meals that taste amazing. If you're a fan of Chipotle and/or Qdoba burrito bowls, this is a great way to get your fix without spending $8.00 (or however much they are these days since I can't remember right now).