Fiesta Rice

This is one of my favorite rice recipes. It just is time-consuming.

Fiesta Rice

"This rice complements any Mexican meal, especially enchiladas. The roasted corn is delicious, and the nuttiness of the brown rice enhances the flavor." --Maro Desjardins, Tulsa, OK

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of salt
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles, undrained (we use a 10 oz can of Rotel)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add corn to pan; cook 10 minutes or until corn starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan. Set aside.

Melt butter in pan. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, cumin, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth, black pepper, salt, and diced tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in reserved corn and beans. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and juice.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 226 (16% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 1.3g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.7g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 52mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.5g; SODIUM 354mg; PROTEIN 6.6g; FIBER 4.9g

Cooking Light, MAY 2007