This week when I sat down to meal plan, I went with a theme: Mexican. Kendrick and I have become more aware of what we spend at the grocery store, and have been trying to plan better. We have our breakfast routine down…we eat oatmeal everyday, so that makes it easy (and affordable), but when it comes to dinners – I tend to make whatever meal sparks my interest. I love the ease of making chili- everything in one pot, minimal clean-up..and lots of leftovers. But, since winter is over, I didn’t want to make a hearty soup. So, this One Pan Mexican Risotto was the perfect solution!

 
Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3/4 of a large onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilis (I bought the Fire-Roasted Tomatoes from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 can organic black beans
• 1 cup white rice (NOT minute rice)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 lime, freshly squeezed
• cilantro, to garnish
• avocado (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• tortilla chips

 

How to Make:

1. In a large pan, brown beef.
2. When beef is lightly browned, add diced onions and peppers.
3. Cook until beef is fully cooked, onions and peppers are soft.
4. Add can of tomatoes with green chili- no need to drain.
5. Add rice, water and broth.
6. Stir well to combine.
7. Add in spices and mix, cover.
8. Bring to a boil.
9. Once boiling, turn heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is soft and liquid has cooked off.
10. Drain and rinse the black beans.
11. Add in the beans, and top with cheese, stir in until it melts.
12. Add the juice of half a lime.
13. Let individuals add their own toppings: fresh cilantro, sour cream and avocado, and serve with tortilla chips.
14. You can also add this mixture to tortillas and wrap it up like a burrito (this was my husband Kendrick’s preferred method.)

 

Also, completely unrelated to food, I recently finished a great book that a friend of mine lent me called, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Paul was a neurosurgeon around the corner at Stanford, when he became ill with stage IV lung cancer. The book is a beautifully written memoir about his life as a doctor, his reflection on death and the challenges he faced as both doctor and patient in his final years.  It’s not for the faint of heart, so definitely keep your tissues handy!

You can purchase the book here.

 

Thanks for reading!

xo