Super Easy Brown Rice and Black Beans (Rice Cooker)

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This super easy brown rice and black beans are made in your rice cooker. Why is it super easy? With as little as three ingredients you can have your rice cooker do all the work. It just takes 1 cup of rice, 1 cup of black beans, and 2 to 2-1/2 cups of liquid (salsa preferred choice).

Post Date: September 7, 2023
Posted by: Donna Spencer

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I had a little bit of chopped onion in the veggie bin, so I threw it in. Other good add-ins would be corn, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potato, jalapenos, or carrots. YUMMMM! Satisfying, easy, inexpensive, delicious, and WFPB!

Grocery List

Produce

Veggies

Pantry

Brown Rice
Black Beans
Salsa
Mexican spices

Misc

Water
Salt
Pepper

Add-Ins and Substitutions

Today I had a little bit of chopped onion in the veggie bin, so I threw it in. 😉 Other good add-ins would be corn, peppers, sweet potato, jalapenos, carrots, or leftover tomatoes.

The 2 to 2-1/2 cups of liquid could be a can of diced tomatoes, a jar of salsa, or half salsa and water. If you are not using salsa, add spices such as 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, and/or garlic powder. Try adding in a few pinches of dried herbs such as parsley, Mexican oregano, or marjoram if you have them.

Use leftovers in a burrito, taco, or rice bowl.

Storing

Best if eaten within 2 days. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition 411

What makes brown rice so good for you? It is the fact that it’s whole—a whole grain. Grains are considered whole when their three original parts are intact: the bran, germ, and endosperm. A grain’s bran is its fibrous outer skin. The germ is its embryo, which has the potential to sprout into a new plant. The endosperm is the germ’s starchy food supply. (P. NPV, Joye IJ. Dietary fibre from whole grains and their benefits on metabolic healthNutrients. 2020;12(10):3045. doi:10.3390/nu12103045). The bran is what you don’t want to miss out on because it seems to be why it takes longer to digest brown rice than white rice. This could also be why eating brown rice prevents your blood sugar levels from getting as high as they do when you eat white rice. (trusted source).

Black beans have numerous health benefits — they are a nutritional powerhouse, improve blood sugar control, and reduced the risk of developing certain chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes (1Trusted Source). Their protein is highly digestible, with a digestibility of 79%. In fact, black beans are considered an ecologically sustainable protein source compared with animal-based sources. They are rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and numerous vitamins and minerals. However, their mineral content may vary, and your body may not absorb iron well due to the presence of anti-nutrients.

Super Easy Brown Rice and Black Beans (Rice Cooker)

Donna Spencer
It is meal time and I'm craving rice. My WFPB “go-to” is brown rice and black bean made in a rice cooker. YUMMMM! Satisfying, easy, inexpensive, delicious, WFPB!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 4 servings
Calories 275 kcal

Equipment

  • Rice Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup uncooked brown rice
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 2 cups liquid May need 1/2 cup more. The liquid could be a large can of diced tomatoes, a jar of salsa, or half salsa and water.
  • 1/4-1 cup Up to 1 cup of leftover chopped veggies consider:: onions, corn, peppers, sweet potatoes, jalapenos, or carrots.
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, and/or garlic powder
  • 1 pinch dried herbs such as parsley, Mexican oregano, or marjoram or whatever you have on hand.

Instructions
 

  • In your rice cooker, place 1 cup of uncooked brown rice, 1 cup of black beans, and 2 cups of liquid.
  • Add in up to 1 cup of any leftover veggies you might have.
  • The 2 cups of liquid could be a can of diced tomatoes, a jar of salsa, or a half salsa and water.
  • If not using salsa, add desired spices such as 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, cumin, onion powder, chili powder, and/or garlic powder.
  • If desired, add in a few pinches of dried herbs such as parsley, Mexican oregano, or marjoram if you have them.
  • Set rice cooker to "rice" setting for one cycle.
  • At the end of that cycle, check for rice doneness. If needed add another 1/2 cup water and set to "rice" setting once again for a second cycle.
  • Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then serve with lime.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal
Keyword black beans, brown rice, rice and beans, salsa

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