1cupriceand 2 cups chicken stock, chicken broth, or water
2cupschicken brothor stock or water, for cooking the rice
1tablespoonbutter
1large lime(2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
1/3cupfinely chopped cilantro
Taco Meat
1poundextra-lean ground beef85/15 or higher
1tablespoonchili powder
1teaspoon EACH:paprika, cumin
1/4teaspoonground cayenne pepper
1/2teaspoon EACH:oregano, salt, and pepper
1/2cupmild picante sauce (found right next to salsas in the grocery store)
Toppings
1can (15 ounces)black beans,drained and rinsed
1can (15 ounces)fire-roasted corn, rinsed
Sharp Cheddar cheese (grated), sour cream (fat-free or low-fat is great!), fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, fresh avocado, fresh tomatoes, or quick pico de gallo (See Note 1 for recipe)
Instructions
Cilantro-Lime Rice
Bring 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the butter and rice and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through and tender. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and salt + pepper to taste.
Taco Meat
Heat a large skillet and add in the ground beef. Cook and crumble until browned through (draining off and discarding any grease). Stir in the seasonings (chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, oregano, salt, & pepper), and heat until fragrant. Mix in the picante sauce; stir, and cook until warmed through.
Assembly/Meal Prep
To serve as a meal: Layer the rice, taco meat, beans, and corn (warm beans and corn by tossing with hot rice or hot taco meat) and your favorite toppings such as grated Cheddar cheese, a spoonful of sour cream, fresh lime, fresh cilantro, fresh diced/sliced avocado, and fresh tomatoes or easy pico de gallo in individual bowls or plates.To see how to repurpose the meat, beans, and corn into an amazing taco salad, see the last paragraph of the blog post.
Meal Prep: Add cooked and cooled rice, cooked and slightly cooled beef, beans, and corn to your meal prep container. Separate toppings into individual containers or plastic bags. Cover/seal everything tightly and refrigerate for 4-5 days. Warm rice, beef, corn, and beans mixture in a microwave or skillet together and add the prepared toppings.
Notes
Note 1: To make a quick pico de gallo: Combine 1 cup chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons diced red onion, 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.