Taco Bowls With Lime Cilantro Rice

We had the most amazing meal at one of the best "fast food" places in America.

Chipotle.

Believe it or not it was our first experience....I know, I know, it probably seems like we live under a rock. We don't but, because of where we are, North Central Iowa, it is considered "rural". Meaning corn and soy bean fields as far as you can see, Windmill farms (yes-they're back here also), and livestock. The Heart of America.

It also means, I can totally relate to Ree Drummonds, The Pioneer Woman. Our community consists of about 2100 people, with a 2 block Downtown on Main St. Quaint....I know.

But, we are only 120 miles from Minneapolis/St. Paul or Des Moines, IA. And we are also only 90 miles away from Rochester, MN, home of the Mayo Clinic. So we happened to be in Rochester for our youngest daughter's sporting event and afterwards we went to Chipotle with some other parents and players.

Blown away!!! What have we been doing all these years driving by these establishments (they're in all of the cities mentioned above)?

Really fresh, tasty good food. Kind of like a Subway on Fresh Mex steroids.....haha.

Anyway, having been so impressed, I decided to create a riff on their burrito bowls and so I made....

 

@Sourdoughnative

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups long grain Rice-cooked according to the directions

1 Lime, zested and juiced

1/4 cup Cilantro, minced

2 tbsp Veg. or Canola Oil

1 tsp salt

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 pkg. taco seasoning, (or 1 tsp Cumin, Garlic and Onion powder and 1 tbsp Chile Powder)

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce ( I used Rotel brand)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained. 

1 cup frozen corn kernels or 1 can drained. 

Various Toppings:

Shredded Lettuce

Salsa

Shredded Cheese

Sour Cream

Green Onion

Olives

Avocado

Directions:

1. Cook rice and set aside to cool slightly. 
2. Meanwhile, brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet. Add in seasoning and tomato sauce (you may need about half a can of water), and simmer for 5-10 minutes. 
3. Add in black beans and corn and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for another 5-8 minutes. 
4. Mix lime zest, juice, oil, cilantro and salt in a large bowl. Mix in cooked rice and toss to combine, cover and set aside. 
5. In large shallow bowls, serve a bed of rice, layer over the meat mixture and cover with cheese. Now pile on the toppings!!! Serve with tortilla chips and you have a winner, winner Taco Dinner!!!

*Oh and by the way, I could have eaten the whole bowl of rice myself....so good.

Shared on Make Ahead Meals For Busy Mom's, Melt in Your Mouth Monday's
Shared on Taste and Tell Thursdays