I love anything that’s quick and healthy, and this is one of my favorites. It’s also vegan, gluten-free and low-glycemic.

This is a great dish to whip up to finish off any left over ingredients from making mexican food. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover brown rice from takeout.

It’s not technically traditional Gallo Pinto (a popular dish in Costa Rica) but it’s pretty close. Play with this recipe to use up leftover ingredients – add a handful of any chopped greens, leftover cilantro, chopped onion of any kind, etc. You really can’t go wrong.

The recipe is quick and dirty, but the result is yummy and healthy!

Stick to brown rice and the freshest ingredients possible.

Gallo Pinto

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 2 (can easily be doubled)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (either left over from take out or prepare 1 cup dry brown rice to package instructions to make about 2 cups cooked)
• 1 14 ounce can black or red beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa, purchased or made fresh
• 1/2 avocado, seeded, peeled & medium chopped
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube, if you have one
• Sea salt

Recipe:
Prepare the rice according to package instructions in a medium pot; add a vegetable bouillon cube or 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt for flavor. If using leftover takeout rice, add 1 tablespoon purified water and heat it in a medium pot over low on the stove for about 10 minutes until it’s warmed through. Remove from heat. Add the drained beans, salsa, avocado and any other veggies you need to use up, up to a cup. Stir well to combine; add sea salt to taste* and another tablespoon of water if needed. Cover the pot and warm on low to let the entire dish warm through.

This dish tastes great warm, room temperature or cold and will keep in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

*The amount of sea salt needed will depend on the amount of salt in the bouillon cube, rice and salsa. If you’re bouillon cube is salt-free or you’re not using one, add the 1/2 teaspoon to the rice while it cooks. Then add a pinch of salt as you add each ingredient to the dish, tasting as you go for the right flavor.

Gallo Pinto (a.k.a Quick & Dirty Rice And Beans)

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• Author: Elizabeth Rider
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups cooked brown rice (either left over from take out or prepare 1 cup dry brown rice to package instructions to make about 2 cups cooked)
• 1 14 ounce can black or red beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa, purchased or made fresh
• 1/2 avocado, seeded, peeled & medium chopped
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube, if you have one
• Sea salt

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Instructions

Prepare the rice according to package instructions in a medium pot; add a vegetable bouillon cube or 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt for flavor. If using leftover takeout rice, add 1 tablespoon purified water and heat it in a medium pot over low on the stove for about 10 minutes until it’s warmed through. Remove from heat. Add the drained beans, salsa, avocado and any other veggies you need to use up, up to a cup. Stir well to combine; add sea salt to taste* and another tablespoon of water if needed. Cover the pot and warm on low to let the entire dish warm through.

This dish tastes great warm, room temperature or cold and will keep in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

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Notes

The amount of sea salt needed will depend on the amount of salt in the bouillon cube, rice and salsa. If you’re bouillon cube is salt-free or you’re not using one, add the 1/2 teaspoon to the rice while it cooks. Then add a pinch of salt as you add each ingredient to the dish, tasting as you go for the right flavor.