Shaun-ta's Southwest Black Beans and Rice

I am sharing with you today another great Food Storage Recipe that my family really enjoys.  I actually adapted this recipe from another dish that we really like to make it vegan, as we been striving to eat less meat and add more beans and legumes into our diets. Another bonus is that it is a quick and easy one dish meal.  I hope you enjoy it too!

 Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1 & 1/2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1 (15oz.) Can Black Beans, drained  (or about 2 &1/2 Cups cooked black beans)
1 (14.5 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes (Southwest Style)
1 Cup Frozen Corn or 1 Can Corn, drained
1 Cup Rice
1 & 1/2 Cup Water

Combine water, tomatoes, rice, and 1/2 tsp. each of chili powder and seasoned salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is almost tender. Add beans, corn, and remaining seasoning. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is completely tender and liquid is completely absorbed. Top with shredded cheddar cheese if you like.
I served this with cheese quesadillas. They would also be great served inside a tortilla or along side some corn chips.

Don't be afraid to change things up in recipes. If you want it a bit spicier add more chili powder. The recipe I adapted this from has chicken in it. This is a great addition. Simply cook some seasoned (with some of your chili powder and season salt) bite sized pieces of chicken breast in about a tablespoon of oil and add to your dish at the end. I used long grain white rice, but you can substitute brown rice or instant rice just adjust the amount of water used and your cooking time accordingly. If you don't have southwest style tomatoes just use a bit more seasoning and add some green bell pepper or a can of green chilies to it. There are tons of possibilities.