"Burrito In A Bowl"

Someone sent me a Weight Watchers recipe recently that is too good not to share.

Especially since the food downfall in our house tends to be Mexican food -- how can you eat out and deal with all that lardy, cheesy excess?  And how do you know, even when you special order for none of that, if it's actually been taken out of your food?

The key for me is to make it at home.  But, alas, that takes quite a bit of time, usually, which means we don't eat yummy Mexican food as often as we'd like.

The solution?

Here's one healthier, easier idea (and it is vegetarian, too!) that is like a burrito in a bowl:


Mexican Brown Rice Casserole

cooking spray
4 cup(s) cooked brown rice
1 1/4 cup(s) salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
15 oz canned fat free refried beans
10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
1 Tbsp chili powder
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl
3/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish. In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top. Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired), cut into 6 pieces and serve. 6 points per serving.

You can absolutely use leftover brown rice in this.  It is really filling and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day, too.

(Lovely pepper photo via Darwin Bell.  Love the colors in this!)