Baked Mexican Rice Casserole

This weekend I made this casserole recipe from the "Everything Vegan Cookbook" and I was reminded of its easiness and versatility.  You can eat it as is, or use it as taco or burrito filling, or make a salad with it.  Most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry.

Baked Mexican Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 15-oz can black beans

3/4 cup salsa

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup corn kernels

2 cups rice, cooked

1/2 cup grated vegan cheese (optional)*

1/3 cup sliced black olives

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Combine the beans, salsa, chili powder, and cumin in a large pot over low heat, and partially mash beans with a large fork.

3.  Remove from heat and stir in corn and cooked rice.  Transfer to a casserole dish.

4.  Top with vegan cheese and olives and bake for 20 minutes.

*a lot of vegan cheeses actually contain dairy in them!  Look for casein or whey in the ingredients list.  The soy cheeses I have tried haven't been that great, I usually prefer to put more salsa or guacamole on top of this dish.

* brown rice has more nutrients, fiber, and protein than white rice.  My favorite is brown basmati rice.  My kids though love jasmine rice which is white.  If you've never cooked rice before from the bag, here are simple directions:  

Bring 1 3/4 cup of water to boil in a saucepan.  Once it's boiling, add 1 cup of rice.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and let stand 5-10 minutes until all the water is absorbed.