Tex Mex Rice and Black Bean Salad Wraps
Tasty and healthy brown rice and Black Bean Tex Mex lettuce wraps are perfect for lunch or a light dinner that's easy to make vegan and gluten free. This post is brought to you by UNCLE BEN'S®.
My kids love having veggie burritos for dinner. Really, who doesn't? They're delicious, but they sometimes leave me feeling too full and weighed down. So I knew I was going to love this recipe that has those burrito-like flavors and textures, but is lightened up by replacing the tortillas with lettuce wraps. What surprised me about the results was that the kids actually loved this one as much as I did. They called them "lettuce boats" and had fun sailing them into their mouths at dinnertime. To make this with even more kid appeal, you could top the lettuce wraps with a dollop of guacamole or sour cream. I made the brown rice salad when I had a minute earlier in the day and brought it out with the lettuce cups at dinnertime. So easy!
This salad is so simple to make. Tomatoes, bell pepper, and cucumber are chopped up and tossed into a bowl and combined with a zesty vinaigrette. The cooked brown rice, beans, and corn are then mixed in, and voilà - a healthy salad packed with veggies and complete protein. I could eat this salad for lunch every day and be a happy girl. If you like to do meal prep on weekends, this is a great salad to include because it will last a few days in the fridge and it's great for packing in lunch boxes.
UNCLE BEN'S® sent me a package of their READY RICE® Whole Grain Brown to use for the recipe. This was my first time making instant rice and it really was amazing how easy and quick it made dinner! I will definitely be keeping a few boxes in the pantry for those busy nights when we get home late from ballet or piano class.
Aren't these wraps beautiful? I love all the fresh colors. They would be so fun to serve on a platter at a party.
Tex Mex Rice and Black Bean Salad Wraps Recipe
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cooked UNCLE BEN’S® Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice or UNCLE BEN'S® READY RICE® Whole Grain Brown
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. salt-free seasoning
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lime juiced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (any color)
1 cup corn (fresh if in season or frozen and thawed)
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (*optional)
1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and sliced
Instructions:
- Cook rice according to package directions. Once cooked, set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt-free seasoning, Dijon, and lime juice. Combine the black beans and all the vegetables and cilantro and toss with dressing to marinate.
- Gently combine marinated vegetables with rice.
- Serve as a salad or a wrap with lettuce. Add avocado slices and sprinkle with cheese.
Options:
- add cooked shredded chicken or shrimp
- add a dollop of sour cream or guacamole
*Vegan Option: Omit the cheese or use vegan cheese
This post is brought to you by UNCLE BEN'S®.
This Post Brought To You By UNCLE BEN’S®.