One of my favourite things about being a food blogger are all of the opportunities we have to be creative. As a food blogger, I have the opportunity to create, create and create. Whether it’s through creating a new recipe, or adapting one to suit my tastes, writing posts or staging and photographing my dish in the perfect light with the perfect exposure, running a food blog is a highly creative process. I think that running any blog for that matter is extremely creative.
I was lucky this month when I was assigned Making Memories… as my blog for The Secret Recipe Club. First of all, I have to point out that her URL is “makingmemorieswithyourkids”, um hello fun mom! I have to say, after falling head over heels with her url, looking through Erin’s blog gives every creative person exactly what they crave – inspiration. Her creative ideas and activities she does with her two adorable children just make me smile. Especially in a time when lots of kids are spending so much time on computers, TVs and video games, it’s nice to see someone who is inspiring and shaping their creative minds. And of course, there are recipes – we cannot forget the recipes! So many recipes for yummy treats and sweets. Cinnamon Roll Pancakes anyone?
I love Mexican food so when I stumbled upon her recipe for Taco Rice and Beans, I decided to put my creative mind to use and put a bit of a Living Lou spin on Erin’s delicious sounding recipe. I knew that our posting date was a Monday so I Meatless Monday-fied this recipe, it’s now a hearty and filling vegetarian meal.
Mexican Rice
Adapted from: Making Memories…
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Sriracha (Hot chili sauce) or any favourite hot sauce such as Franks
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 bayleaf
1/2 19oz can black beans
Directions
In a pan, heat olive oil and saute onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant. Add in the diced green peppers, taco seasoning and cumin and cook for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste with the sriracha or hot sauce.
Once green peppers have started to soften, stir in the tomato paste/sriracha or hot sauce mixture into the pan. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add in 2 cups of water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 18 minutes or until rice is cooked and no liquid remains.
Once rice is cooked, remove bayleaf and stir in cheese and black beans.
I hope you enjoy my take on Erin’s Taco Rice, what’s everyone else having for Meatless Monday?
- Lou
This is a lovely idea for a one pot meal!
Thanks so much for the kind words! I love your spin on this dish! It was so good! Hope you liked it too!
Absolutely adored it, thanks for the great recipe!
I love Erin’s blog. That rice sounds perfect for my Mexican food loving gang. Your photos looks delicious.
This looks like a great recipe. It is fun cooking with you in the SRC. Hope you are having a great day and thanks for sharing!
Miz Helen
Rice, beans, and cheese? Color me happy! Oh, and I love your bowl! It’s so pretty.
Stopping by from group B. So fun to be in the Secret Recipe Club with you. Great Post! This rice looks delicious! It sounds like your version would be a great side some of my Mexican meals!
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to drop by my blog and check out my SRC recipe this month: Avocado Omelet
YUM! Your rice looks delicious! Great SRC choice!
Sounds like a great flavored rice and it looks delicious too.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my group “A” SRC recipe this month: Welsh Cakes.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
What a nice meatless meal – great choice for SRC – I think my kids would enjoy this!
Well hi there! Wow, what a nice blog you have. I linked over right away after reading your secret recipe blog hostesses description of your blog. She was right!!
I’m new to the SRC this month. I hope you’ll stop by and pay me a visit.
:)
ButterYum
I love that you made this into a meatless main dish! Great flavors and perfect for a cool fall day!
Looks tasty and cozy for the fall:)
This looks so delicious! What a great meatless main dish! I am adding this to my bookmarks to try soon!
Stopping by from SRC!
rice and beans is such a comfort food – your version looks great!
My husband absolutely loves Mexican rice, and I hate that he doesn’t let me make it at home. He always buys those disgusting boxes and I won’t eat them. THIS recipe I will eat. THIS recipe he will eat.
He doesn’t have a choice. Great choice this month!
P.S. I love your blog, but then you already know that – I have a pretty long list of “to try” from your blog. I loved being assigned you this month! :)
Thank you!!
Looks like a great Mexican side! You have a great blog and such nice photography… I am now following your blog by email :)
Check out my SRC post if you like!
http://steaknpotatoeskindagurl.blogspot.com/2011/09/septembers-secret-recipe-club-reveal.html
Yum! Looks great — I’m loving SRC, so many new recipes to try!
I love Mexican Rice, great recipe!
Thanks for participating in the SRC with me (Group B). Here is my post from this month: Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Pot Pie.
http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2011/09/pioneer-womans-chicken-pot-pie-secret.html
love mexican rice!
My kind of recipe! I love Mexican anything….being from Texas. Stopping by from SRC and glad I did. Check out my pumpkin scones.
This is the perfect side dish! Fun being in the Secret Recipe Club with you. I baked up tarts this month for Group C http://su.pr/2rtACr
[...] so many new blogs and has given me two of my favourite staple side dishes, Garlic Parmesan Orzo and Mexican Rice – both are so good! For this month’s recipe I’m finally veering away from side [...]