Mexican Casserole

Lunch, Dinner

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 80g of wholegrain rice 

• 240g of mince (lean beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey) (Vegetarian mince - 150g)

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• ½ green pepper, diced

• ½  red pepper, diced

• 150g mushrooms, diced

• Black pepper

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp oregano

• ½ - 1 tsp chilli

• 1 garlic clove, diced

• 1 tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tin tomatoes

• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

• 1 low salt stock cube

• 6 tbsp black beans

• 2 x spring onions, sliced

• 30g jalapenos, sliced

• 60g cheddar cheese, grated 

• 2 tbsp sour cream

  
  Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 Avocado, sliced into cubes

• ½ red onion, diced

• 2 tomatoes, sliced

• Handful of coriander

• 1 lime, juiced 

Instructions:

1. Begin by boiling the rice and preheat oven at 180 degrees. 

2. Add the mince and drop of olive oil into a large regular cooking pan/pot.

3. Brown off the mince for around 5-8 minutes depending on which mince you use.

4. Drain off any excess fat if it's present and remove mince from the pan. 

5. Add a touch of olive oil into the pan and now add the onion, green pepper, red pepper, mushrooms. 

6. Cook off the vegetables for around 5 minutes on a medium heat, stirring often. 

7. Add the mince back into the pan. 

8. Season with black pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, chilli and garlic. 

9. Mix, then add tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, worcestershire sauce and crush in the stock cube. 

10. Mix around and add more tinned tomatoes if the mixture is too dry. 

11. Cook on high heat for around 5 minutes, stirring often. 

12. Taste test and add more seasoning, herbs or spices if required. 

13. Once rice is cooked, drain and add to the mince mixture. 

14. Add the black beans and mix around, add some water if the mixture is too dry.

15. Spoon the mixture into an oven proof dish. 

16. Sprinkle spring onions, jalapenos and cheese on top. 

17. Place into the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, the casserole is ready when the cheese is melted and it's heated all the way through. 

18. While the casserole is in the oven, make the avocado salsa. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix.

19. When the casserole is ready, serve with sour cream and avocado salsa. 

    
    Note: This recipe could also be cooked in the slow cooker. Brown off mince, then add all casserole ingredients together plus rice and one cup of water in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Add more water if rice is not cooked after 2-3 hours (also can add more water throughout cooking if mixture is too dry)