Santa Fe Brown Rice Bake

One of the most popular recipe searches here at Karina's Kitchen is: brown rice. And why not? It's naturally gluten-free. It's an excellent grain choice for the Mediterranean Diet and the South Beach Diet. It's good source of fiber for both sensitive tummies and hearty omnivore appetites. And it's a complementary protein for earthy vegan tastes.

Santa Fe Brown Rice Bake

Make this Southwestern-inspired rice dish as spicy or as mild as your taste buds prefer. We serve this as a vegan recipe, but if you love cheese, try topping it with fresh crumbled goat cheese.

2 cups raw brown rice- long or short grain
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 sweet or red onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper- red, yellow, or orange
1 fresh yellow tomato, chopped- I found a beautiful heirloom yellow tomato at Whole Foods this week but you could also use green or grape or plum tomatoes, even tomatillos!
3/4 cup roasted or frozen corn kernels*
2 roasted or fresh green chiles of choice, seeded and chopped
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
Sea salt, to taste
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
A touch of cinnamon- my secret ingredient
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
A splash more of extra virgin olive oil to moisten the rice
1 14-oz can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles, with juice

First step:

Cook 2 cups raw brown rice- long or short grained- in 5 cups fresh water. I use a rice cooker to do this, but you could easily cook the rice in a covered pot.

Meanwhile:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic, chopped onion, sweet bell pepper, and cook for five minutes.

Add the fresh yellow tomato, roasted or frozen corn kernels, roasted or fresh green chiles, and
lime juice, to taste. Stir-fry very briefly- just until crisp-tender (you want to soften- not cook- the veggies).

Remove from heat and set aside.

Note* To roast frozen corn, spread kernels on a baking sheet and roast at a high temperature until slightly charred; or pan roast them in a large dry skillet until sweet and toasty.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the rice is cooked, assemeble your casserole.

Spoon the cooked brown rice into a casserole dish. Add in and stir dashes (to taste) of: sea salt,
chili powder, cumin, touch of cinnamon, and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil to moisten the rice. Stir.

Add the Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chiles and the skillet vegetables. Add fresh chopped herbs, to taste. Toss to combine.

Cover and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the rice is piping hot and heated through.

Serves 6.

Printer-friendly recipe.

Check my Brown Rice Pilaf & Variations for tasty and simple stove-top rice combo ideas.