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Taco bowls are my all-time favorite meal prep recipe. Why? Because they are so dang easy to make and it takes like no thought process.
I love browsing /r/MealPrepSunday and /r/EatCheapAndHealthy for inspirations and figured I’d share my go-to meal.
This is a super cheap meal that comes out to less than $1.50 a serving. I’m pretty sure it’s healthy too but I don’t know because I’m not a scientist.
In essence, toss everything into a pan and let it cook for like 30 minutes. You could even tweak this by adding in some vegetable or chicken stock and put it in a crockpot for a hearty stew!
To start, heat your pan medium-high and brush the surface with olive oil. Next, toss your favorite ground meat in the pan and start to separate the meat with your spatula. I’m using ground turkey but beef or chicken is typically used. You can also save on your budget and go meatless!
While the meat is still pink and starting to cook, I normally start seasoning with salt and pepper. Once the meat has completely changed color, I start to add in the rest of the seasoning. Don’t be afraid to go big and bold. The seasoning is what makes the dish. I usually go through a couple of rounds of seasoning, tasting as I go.
Next up, let’s add the diced tomatoes and green chiles. Drain half the can and toss the rest in the pan so the veggies and meat can get to mingling. But wait! Don’t forget about the beans and corn. They want to party too. Drain both cans entirely before adding to the pan. Turn the pan down to medium and start on the rice.
Bring your water to a boil and toss in your rice. Once boiling, turn down to low to simmer. I toss in a spoonful of butter to help keep from sticking. Let the rice cook covered for 15-20 minutes, or until done.
Toss the rice in the pan to get to know the rest of the gang. Mix together thoroughly and bring down to simmer. If it’s starting to look dry on the top, throw a couple of splashes of water in and let simmer for 10 minutes.
You’re done! Now you can spoon everything into some nice stackable bowls for an easy grab-and-go lunch. I make taco bowls almost every week for my lunches and somehow I don’t get tired of it. Maybe next time I’ll make a video. Easy, cheap, and tasty!
Taco Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat I use turkey
- 1 15 ounce can black beans
- 1 15 ounce can corn
- 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes and green chilies
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water
Spices
- 1 packet taco seasoning I use a mixture of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- 1 fresh squeezed lime
- 1 tbsp hot sauce I use Valentina
Instructions
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Lightly brush olive oil in a pan and toss in your ground meat.
Break up the ground meat into equal-size pieces as it cooks on medium-high and season with salt and pepper.
Once browned, toss the rest of the seasoning mix into the pan and mix thoroughly with the meat. This is also where I add lime and hot sauce.
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In a separate pot, set your water to boil.
Once boiling, add your brown rice.
Bring the heat down to simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes or until done.
-
Add beans, corn, and tomatoes and chilies to the ground meat and mix thoroughly.
-
When the rice is done, drain any leftover liquid and add rice to the ground meat and vegetables.
Mix thoroughly (I'm saying that a lot but trust me) and set heat to low. I like to let everything simmer together for 5-10 minutes. If it starts to look dry, toss in a couple of small splashes of water.
This is one of those meals that I just can’t get tired of. It’s cheap, delicious, super easy to make and fills me up. It’s a great alternative to eating out every day for lunch. 🙂
Do you meal prep?
What is your favorite thing to cook?