“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by USA Rice Federation and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”
It’s like inside-out-enchilada’s in mini tostada form.
Aka the cutest little Mexican dinner I ever did make. One of the best parts of having a food blog and being 100% head-over-heels obsessed with food is making it fun. And pretty.
Don’t get me wrong though, some of the best meals I have eaten have not exactly been attractive. That’s where a DSLR camera, good lighting and Photoshop come in. Oh technology…we have such a love/hate relationship.
Either way I love making food interesting. Mini tostadas are fun. Inside-out enchiladas are intriguing. Melty cheese is always a good idea. SO here we are. Don’t ask me how in the world this idea came to me.
You should understand the majority of my day consists of me day dreaming of food/recipe development/creative pairings/the next restaurant I’m gonna try while I am simultaneously wrapping my brain around organic chemistry problems and childhood obesity presentations.
How my mind hasn’t exploded yet is beyond me…thank bejeezus for this blog or else I am not sure how I would stay sane.
On a serious note, did you know March is National Nutrition Month? Things like this get me super excited. Being a future Registered Dietician my dream is to feed the world with nutritious recipes that do the body and the soul some good. I want to live in a world where obesity is a thing of the past and healthy food is not a challenge to understand or obtain.
I mean who would ever think cheesy, delicious enchiladas could be protein packed, loaded with vegetables and fun to eat?! Healthy does not have to be boring or mean deprivation. Let’s inspire the world one enhcilada-tostada cup at a time shall we?
The USA Rice Federation challenged us Recipe Reduxers to Think Rice in honor of National Nutrition Month. I have never been a huge rice eater but the health benefits and affordability from USA-grown brown rice are hard to ignore.
Combining fiber packed brown rice and black beans gives you a great balanced meal of protein and whole grains. Also, fun fact: research has shown that rice eaters reduce their risk of high blood pressure by 34%!! It may be the nutrition nerd in me, but I think that is pretty awesome and a great reason to feel good about enchilada tostadas.
Vegetarian Brown Rice & Black Bean Enchilada Tostada Cups
- Yield: 12 enchilada cups 1x
Ingredients
- 12 small to medium sized corn tortillas
- 1 cup cooked, USA grown brown rice (look for “USA grown” on the package)
- 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup enchilada sauce*
- 1/4 tsp each: cumin, cayenne pepper
- Sea salt to taste
- 1/2 cup – 1 cup shredded cheddar + jack cheese (a mix of both)
Toppings
- Fresh cilantro
- Sour cream or greek yogurt
- Avocado Slices
Instructions
- Set oven to broil. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and press in a tortilla into each round. Bake the tortilla cups on broil for about 5 minutes then set aside.
- Sauté the bell pepper, onion and garlic over medium high heat until fully cooked and slightly browned. This should take about five minutes. Lower heat and stir in your black beans, spices and enchilada sauce. Mix in the brown rice then take off heat and set aside.
- Sprinkle a bit of cheese into each tortilla muffin tin. Layer your brown rice mixture evenly into each, top with more enchilada sauce and more cheese. Bake in the oven on broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is fully melted. Top with cilantro and sour cream if desired and serve immediately!
Notes
Makes 12 enchilada cup
*For the enchilada sauce I used Trader Joes brand. If you have a homemade recipe by all means go for it! If you’re looking for convenience, I reccomend Tj’s!
