If you all know then your fully aware of the challenge I have embarked on with Lori from Recipe Girl, Ten in 2010.  Well I am proud to say that it has been two weeks and 3 days and I have lost 11 pounds.  I know pretty crazy.  I told myself that a new year meant a whole new Tasha.  I can officially say that i feel better everyday.

Kinda crazy… I know!  Especially since if you all know me you know how much I LOVE food!  Now don’t get me wrong I am still cooking and baking up a storm in my kitchen, come one now I have a family to feed.  I am just eating better for myself.

When I came across this recipe Brown Rice and Black Beans I knew I had to try it.  So for all of you who can’t let go of the rice element then try Brown rice.

It’s a great alternative… I promise!

Start with assembling your ingredients.  You’ll need an onion, red pepper, a can of corn, a can of black beans, garlic, chicken stock, and I added a tomato.

Oh yeah, how could I forget the main ingredient… brown rice.  It’s really not that bad guys

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Add broth and water; cover and bring to boil. Remove pot from heat; stir in rice and salt. Cover and bake rice until tender, 65 to 70 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and black pepper. Serve warm and with sliced lime wedges.

Brown Rice and Black Beans

(adapted from The Way The Cookie Crumbles)

Ingredients

4 tsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2¼ cups water
1½ cups long-grain brown rice
1 tsp. salt
1-2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup corn kernels (fresh from cob, or frozen and thawed)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Add broth and water; cover and bring to boil. Remove pot from heat; stir in rice and salt. Cover and bake rice until tender, 65 to 70 minutes.

Remove pot from oven, uncover, fluff rice with fork, stir in beans, and replace lid; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and black pepper.

Serve warm and with sliced lime wedges.

Enjoy!

Each week we round up our most yummy posts and recipes from our friends at the Kitchn.

This week, the kitchn brings us a heaping bowl of tender meatballs in tomato sauce… perfect for a cold day.

Also in the kitchn, a cookbook devoted to grits, no-stir polenta, chewy chocolate (low-fat) cookies, and yummy butternut squash pasties.

• Glorious Grits by Susan McEwen McIntosh: A whole cookbook, including more than 100 recipes in all, simply devoted to the wonderfulness of grits.

• Marcella Hazan’s No-Stir Polenta: That’s right, it can be done without stiring, “Polenta is like risotto, but…”

• The Best Chocolate Chewy Cookies Ever (& Low-Fat Too):  These cookies look to die for, plus there low-fat, gotta try.

• Recipe: Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties:  These Pasties are a vegetarian’s dream snack to munch on.

Each week we round up our most yummy posts and recipes from our friends at the Kitchn.

This week, the Kitchn rounds off this weeks appetizers with a scrumptious chick-pea pancake.

Also in the Kitchn, ten most riskiest foods, Japanese citrus fruits, brown butter ice cream, and how to make apple butter.

• Top 10 Riskiest Foods: Are You Concerned?: The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer watchdog group, recently released this controversial report.

• A Roundup Of Some Japanese Citrus Fruit: Come and discover this small islands wide assortment of citrus fruit.

• Autumn Recipe: Brown Butter Ice Cream: This ice cream is the perfect topping for any warm fall dessert.

• Apples Galore! How To Make Apple Butter: If you have never tried this easy made butter which is just applesauce slowly cooked down.