Quick Tacos |  |
We eat some version of this recipe frequently at my house. Its flexibility makes it easy for anyone here to cook or "assemble".
First, the beans. Choose black or pinto beans. Most of the time, I soak dry beans before I go to bed, then cook them in the morning while I'm getting ready. They take about 30-45 minutes so both steps fit into my routine surprisingly easily. But we do keep several large cans of beans in the pantry for nights when we need a quicker option or if it's an "assembler" vs. a cook who's preparing the meal. I usually sauté an onion and some garlic with a little cumin and oregano, then add the beans when the onion is soft and translucent. Sometimes we add 1/2 -- 3/4 cup of frozen corn. Cover and warm through.
For the rice, I often choose among brown, wild, forbidden or wheat or rye berries, or any combination for a smorgasborg of nutrients. And I tend to combine the rice medlley and water in my rice-cooker (or pot) when I'm cleaning up from dinner the night before, exactly when I set the beans to soak. Alas, we keep a bag of the quicker-cooking brown rice in the pantry too. This cooks in about 8 minutes. Between that and the canned beans, we always have ingredients on hand for a 20-minute meal.
Serve with any combination of the following, as per your preference and availability.
- Grated cheese - we use cheddar, colby, or jack
- Salsa
- Tofu sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Sautéed summer squash and/or bell pepper
- Diced tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Warm whole wheat tortillas
