Chipotle Style Bean Bowls

Bursting with fresh flavors!

I like going to Chipotle!  They have awesome salsas, fresh ingredients, the food is made quickly, and there is something for everyone there!  Plus, they are committed to using some organic and local ingredients, and I like to support restaurants taking a step in the right direction!  But…its so easy to recreate these flavors at home, and that’s just what we did tonight!  Fresh greens, with cilantro lime rice, black beans and onions, bright red tomatoes, and pan roasted corn…delicious!  There are several different components here, so it takes a little bit of finessing, but each step is super easy and totally worth it.

Chipotle Style Bean Bowls

Cilantro Lime Rice:
1 c rice
2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup water
½ c cilantro
2-3 scallions
juice of 2 limes

This is my husband’s tried and true method for making rice.  Put rice and water into a small saucepan over high heat.  Add salt and taste…the water should taste like the ocean.  Boil until water appears to be evaporated and then lower to the lowest heat.  Cover pan with a paper towel (you may need to fold to fit, make sure the corners don’t hang down into the gas flame!).  Cover with tight fitting lid on top of paper towel.  Let cook/steam for about 15 minutes stir/fluff, and check for texture/doneness.  If rice is tender move on to next step.  If it is not, continue to steam until tender and it reaches desired texture.  Once it has reached desired texture, turn off heat, add cilantro, scallions, and lime juice.  Stir well and then cover again until ready to serve.

Black Beans:
1 tsp olive oil
3 c black beans, cooked or canned (stay tuned for a future post on starting with dried beans…canned will work here too though).
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
½ onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup cilantro
½ cup water

Heat olive oil in small saucepan.  Dice half of an onion and add to oil and brown (or semi blacken as I did tonight…no worries, it all worked out).  Add garlic and brown for a minute more.    Stir in oregano, cumin, salt and cilantro and give it a good stir.  Add water and deglaze any brown bits from the bottom of pan.  Add beans and mix well.  Lower heat and let simmer together while water evaporates.

*Tip: dice the other half of the onion while you are in the chopping rhythm.  Place in a zip top bag and freeze.  Onions freeze fairly well, and work especially well in cooked dishes like soups and stews.  Next time you need an onion you’ll be ready!

ready to use on a busy day!

Crispy Pan Roasted Corn:
2 ears corn
1 tsp olive oil
liberal salt and pepper to taste

Ok, I’ll be honest…I made my corn like this tonight because I forgot about it and didn’t have time to boil water and cook the corn.  Glad I did…it is SO much better this way!  Heat olive oil in small skillet.  Hold ear of corn vertically on cutting board and using a sharp knife, work down each side removing corn from cob.  Gather then corn (it tends to scatter) and put in pan with oil.  Liberally salt and pepper the corn and stir well.  Stir occasionally over medium high heat for about 5 minutes while corn starts to brown.

I could have just had this for dinner!

Wash greens and tomatoes and cut to desired size.  Chop fresh cilantro for garnish.

To build your bowl:
Place a bed of greens in the bottom of your bowl.  Add a scoop of rice on top, followed by a scoop of beans, then corn, then tomatoes and cilantro to garnish.  Dig in as fast as you can!