Foolproof Oven-Baked Brown Rice

ourbestbites.com
Perfected by America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 1/3 cups water
2 teaspoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread rice in an 8-inch square baking dish.

2.  Bring water and butter or oil to a boil, either in a saucepan or in the microwave.  Keep an eye on it and take it off heat immediately after it starts boiling.  Immediately stir in salt and pour water over rice in baking dish.  Cover baking dish tightly with 2 layers of foil, or heavy-duty foil.  Transfer baking dish to oven and bake rice until tender, about 1 hour.

3.  Remove baking dish from oven and uncover.  Fluff rice with fork, then cover dish with kitchen towel and let rice stand for 5 minutes.  uncover and let rice stand 5 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Note: This recipe makes a very large batch of chili (about 4 quarts).  It freezes beautifully, so I like to make the recipe and then freeze half for another night.  You can certainly halve the recipe as well, which I recommend if you have a small slow cooker.

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced (any color)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1-2 jalapenos, minced
20 ounces ground turkey breast
8 ounces mushrooms, minced (about 2 heaping cups)
2 teaspoons cumin
2  teaspoons kosher salt
½  teaspoons pepper
1  teaspoon oregano
1  teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2  teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes*
1 28 ounce can tomatoes (not drained)
2 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces beef broth (one box/carton)
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (make sure you’re not using pumpkin pie filling :)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

*”Sweet potatoes” and “yams” are often sold interchangeably depending on what part of the country you live in.  Just buy whichever one is orange :)

optional: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro or green onion, and fresh lime juice for serving

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos.  Saute for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender and fragrant.  Add to slow cooker.

In same skillet, heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.  Add turkey and mushrooms and stir to combine.  Sprinkle in cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder and smoked paprika.  (note: the meat will taste very seasoned when done.  Keep in mind these seasonings are not to flavor just the meat, they will season the entire pot of chili, so they are intentionally strong!)  Add turkey mixture to slow cooker.

Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, broth, pumpkin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder to slow cooker and stir til combine.  Place lid on pot and cook for  4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 on low.   Slow-cookers vary greatly in temperature and cooking times, but really, the important thing to note is if the sweet potatoes are tender.

When done, turn off heat and let chili sit with lid off for 10-15 minutes to thicken.  Season with additional salt to taste before serving.  If desired, serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, and a small squirt of fresh lime juice, and any other toppings desired.

Yields: About 4 quarts (16 cups)

Nutritional Information (per 1 cup plain chili): calories: 160, protein: 14 grams, carb: 25 grams, fat 1.5 grams.  Add 2 tablespoons light sour cream and 2 slices avocado for an additional 80 calories.

Pork Chops with Caribbean Rub and Mango Salsa

Ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
4 (6 oz) bone-in center cut pork chops (about 1/2 in thick)
1/2 cup diced peeled mango
1/2 cup diced plum tomato
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl.  Rub pork chops with spice mixture.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  (Or heat an outdoor bbq grill and lightly brush grates with vegetable oil)  Add pork to pan; grill 3 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 145° (slightly pink.)

3.  Combine mango, tomato, cilantro, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl; toss gently.  Serve salsa over pork.

Fyi: 1 chop and 1/4 cup salsa chimes in at only 197 calories and 7 grams fat.  Eat up!

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa

• 
  
• 2 lbs salmon, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
Avocado salsa
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 3 mild hot peppers, seeded and deveined, diced or sliced
• Juice from 2 limes
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Mix the salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, onion and black pepper together, rub the salmon filletswith olive oil and this seasoning mix, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Pre-heat the grill.
3. Combine the avocado, onion, hot peppers, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix well, chill until ready to use.
4. Grill the salmon to desired doneness.
5. Serve the salmon topped with the avocado salsa, and with rice and patacones or thick green plantain chips on the side.