Jessica! You Win!!!!!!!

Vegan MoFo IV, Day #23, Week #4: Vegan Mish Mash and Whatnot

Thanks so much for your responses to Mini-Challenge #2. It’s tough getting real vegan food in an un-vegan world, but you guys are making it happen in some mouth-watering ways. Well, some of you, anyway. Some of you are just eating water and salt packets, as I expected. While every submission was intriguing, I chose the winner with a random number generator and lucky number 10 popped up–so no more lettuce sandwiches for you, Missy! Although I totally know what you mean about how something so simple can be so absolutely satisfying when you’re used to settling for things you don’t really want because they are your only options. This rhetoric can also be applied to relationships, but please don’t settle for a simpleton until absolutely necessary. Congrats to Jessica; Vegan Express will be comin’atcha shortly!

Jennifer’s suggestion of rice and beans and veggies is actually one of my favourite things to eat in this entire universe. Red Burrito in Vancouver makes a crazy-yummtastic burrito in a bowl that I try to eat at least 3 times whenever I’m on the mainland. Although people with fancier mouths may complain that it’s the Subway of pseudo-Mexican food, any place that squeezes lime on what I’m eating is AOK with me. Ryann Salik of MyWholeDeal.com also makes a pretty fantastic little rice bowl. Check it out below:

Ryann's Ranchero Salsa is the BEST! Just ask Ryann! No, but seriously, this stuff MAKES the rice bowl, fo sho.

Canadian Tex-Mex Rice Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 cups brown rice
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tsp  cumin
- 1 tsp  sea salt
- 3/4 cups prepared Picante Sauce, Pace has an excellent Vintage
- 2 cups Ranchero Salsa, seriously. Make this. You shan’t regret it.
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 cups black beans, cooked
- 1 1/2 cups corn , cooked or canned
- juice from 1 lime
- sea salt, to taste
- pinch each cumin and coriander, optional
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, optional

METHOD:

1. Prepare rice according to package, using stock instead of water and adding Picante, cumin and salt to the mix.

2. Toss together tomatoes, corn, black beans, lime juice, salt, spices and cilantro, if using.

3. Stir Ranchero Salsa into prepared rice. Top individual bowls of rice with veggie mix or stir it all up tasty. It’s your whole deal now.