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One Pot Mexican Rice and Beans with Avocado

One Pot Mexican Rice and Beans with Avocado

In just 15 minutes, this quick and easy Mexican Rice and Beans one-pot meal is served: orange and cumin flavored rice that’s full of whole grains and veggie-packed protein. A new family favorite!

Quick and Easy Mexican Rice and Beans | @TspCurry

Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Florida Department of Citrus. The opinions and text are all mine – and as you’ll see I’m (now!) a big fan of OJ.

Pssst.

I have to get something off my chest.

I…

…am a dietitian and I give my kids fruit juice!

Whew. There it is.

It’s something I couldn’t even tell my children’s pediatrician when we were at the doctor’s for their last visits (at first.)

The doctor was scrolling through her normal list of ‘questions for mom,’ when she breezed by the juice one with “…and I’ll just mark down that they don’t drink a lot of fruit juice.”

She knows I’m a dietitian. And truth be told, I haven’t always been a big juice fan. But I have certainly come around. Waaaay around. #ad Make ONE-POT MEXICAN RICE AND BEANS WITH AVOCADO – Brown rice cooked in OJ + cumin! @OJfromFlorida via @TspCurry Click To Tweet

For one thing, I learned about the powerful polyphenol, hesperidin found in 100% orange juice. (Polyphenols are components in plants which help the plant fight off diseases and bugs – so when we eat these fruits and vegetables, the polyphenols can also help us fight off disease.)

Three potent polyphenols are:

  • Resveratol in wine
  • Catechins in green tea
  • Hesperidin in 100% orange juice

Quick and Easy Mexican Rice and Beans | @TspCurry

But, since my kids don’t drink a lot of wine (ok, none) or green tea (very rarely) Florida orange juice is our best – and most delicious option. In fact, 100% orange juice is one of the few foods in which the powerful hesperidin is found. It also contains a variety of nutrients and minerals, including folate, and of course, vitamin C; it’s also a good source of potassium and magnesium, which help with muscle function and replenish and restore electrolytes

How much OJ do my kids drink?

About 4-6 ounces at a time – in these fun mini-Mason jars.

When do my kids drink OJ?

Usually, it’s for an after-school snack. Since 100% orange juice is naturally sweet (it never contains added sugar) and probably because we used to be a non-fruit juice family, Florida OJ is always a treat. And seriously, what could be easier than pouring a glass of 100% juice and hearing, “Yay, orange juice!”?

And seeing big smiles.

Quick and Easy Mexican Rice and Beans | @TspCurry

Now about this recipe. I’ve mentioned my love for cooking with OJ before – in this Healthy Kitchen Hack. I just swap out water and replace it with 100% orange juice when cooking any whole grain that I really want my family to eat, like sorghum or quinoa.

This recipe was created because honestly, I needed a REALLY quick dinner the other night. It’s perfect for you to serve tonight in honor of National OJ Day or tomorrow on Cinco de Mayo.

This One-Pot Mexican Beans and Rice with Avocado was a big hit with all four kids. The orange and cumin flavored rice was just the right sweet-savory combo. (So much so that I only got a few spoonfuls to taste!) My husband got none – he got home late that night. ):

Oh, and BTW, I did *skool* my kids’ pediatrician in all the benefits of 100% fruit juice – and let her know about potent hesperidin; she was grateful. (:

Which other grains do you plan to cook in OJ? Let us know!

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Quick and Easy Mexican Rice and Beans | @TspCurry

One Pot Mexican Rice and Beans with Avocado


  • Author: Serena Ball
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Description

In just 15 minutes, dinner is served: orange and cumin flavored rice that’s full of whole grains and veggie-packed protein. A new family favorite!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ¾ cup Florida orange juice
  • 2 cups instant brown rice
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 (10 ounce) container cherry/grape tomatoes
  • Optional toppings: Greek yogurt or sour cream, fresh chives

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, ¼ cup water and rice. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 7 minutes, or until rice is tender.
  2. Stir in black beans and cook 1 minute or until heated through. Serve with avocado and tomatoes and optional toppings.
#ad DYK? You can cook rice in orange juice?! ONE POT MEXICAN RICE AND BEANS WITH AVOCADO via @TspCurry - Check out this #Healthy recipe at Teaspoonofspice.com #kitchenhacks

Salma Rafayel

Saturday 26th of May 2018

Your Mexican rice recipe using avocado and red kidney beans is awesome. No doubt it's taste. I also want some variation by adding a few chipotle pepper sauce as it is a Mexican sauce. will it be good?

Serena Ball

Saturday 26th of May 2018

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce would be delicious with the Mexican Rice!

Sheila

Tuesday 15th of May 2018

Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am so amazed how fast and easy to make some so delicious like this. Looking forward to more of your recipes.

Chelsey Amer

Sunday 6th of May 2018

I bet this tastes absolutely DELICIOUS!! Definitely going to try this out!

Serena Ball

Wednesday 9th of May 2018

Rice + cumin + OJ + a bit of salt is seriously one of the most satisfying bowls I've eaten in a loooong time! Thanks Chelsey!

Shirley Tucker

Sunday 6th of May 2018

I was told by a dietician that orange juice is not good for you. In fact,it's no different than giving your kids a soda for breakfast. The sugar content is the same and your body treats it the same way. A heavy dose of sugar in your bloodstream makes your pancreas secrete extra insulin to deal with it. Yes,orange juice has a few nutritional perks, but because diabetes on the rise, in children and in adults,it's best to eat the whole orange.

Serena Ball

Thursday 10th of May 2018

That used to be me Shirley! Now I know about some of the nutrients in OJ that you can't find in other foods. You're also right that it's best to serve a snack that has carbs PLUS protein - in other words, 2-3 of the food groups in a snack. Serving protein + carbs helps everyone's blood sugar stay more stable.

Sara

Friday 4th of May 2018

Love the citrus twist here! Looks delicious!

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