Taco-spiced bean-and-rice salad

Last week’s Hunger Challenge wrapped on Saturday, but I’m still working on recipes that combine the ingredients that I was able to purchase on my $28 budget. I’ll be rolling those out this week for your reading (and eating-on-a-budget) pleasure. I’m also still working on a post that lays out an entire menu for the week.

This very simple salad is no great revelation, and could be made even better with some additional ingredients. Some chopped Cilantro, the juice of half a lime, some sliced black olives, even some shredded Cheddar cheese would amp this up. But if you have very limited ingredients with which to work, this is a simple, nutritious, and delicious option. It can also be heated and wrapped in a tortilla for a quick and affordable lunch or dinner.

I was surprised that it needed more salt than the sodium that already hangs out in your average mass-market taco seasoning, but trust me…it required the flavor boost.

A note on the brown rice: I cooked about two cups of dry rice with four cups of water and approximately three TBSP. of butter in my rice cooker. The same proportions would work when making the rice in a pan. I don’t ordinarily throw butter into my rice when cooking it, but one of the lessons I learned during last year’s Hunger Challenge was the power of some butter to really amp up rice’s flavor and make it much more satisfying. It doesn’t need the Paula Deen whole-stick-of-butter treatment, but that fat addition makes a big difference.

Taco-Spiced Bean-and-Rice Salad
(Makes four main course servings)

2 c. cooked and chilled brown rice
2 c. cooked black beans
2 tomatoes, chopped roughly
1 TBSP taco seasoning
½ TBSP salt

1. Mix the rice, beans and tomatoes together in a bowl.
2. Add the taco seasoning and salt and stir to combine.
3. Chill at least an hour and preferably overnight before serving.