Sometimes I make things and wonder -- Am I the only one who would like this? Maybe my tastes aren't as picky since I'm the chef.
Last night I had 20 minutes to whip together dinner before running errands with the family. I had fish defrosted and I wanted a rice based side dish. I love rice and fish. It's such a classic combo but sometimes not a very filling one. Plus I only had 1 filet of fish for each of us.
So I decided to bulk up the rice with some beans. Using a few other pantry items I whipped together, what I thought was, a very tasty said dish.
Apparently I was the only one. I watched the husband pick apart his plate like a 3 year old. I was like, you got to be kidding me?!? It's rice and beans for God's sake. Ugh. The little guys ate some but the mushrooms threw him for a loop. So he left about half of it on his plate.
I don't know. Maybe I'm too tough on them. Maybe what I cook is just not good. I like it and I was proud of myself for whipping together something tasty in no time at all. Sometimes I feel so under-appreciated. I'm sure if we would have gone to McDonald's on the way to the store they wouldn't have gobbled it up. That's what kills me.
*sigh* oh well... just needed to vent. Maybe you guys will like it. 🙂
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- About 2 cups of cooked brown rice (I used the 90 second kind)
- 1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 small can of mushrooms
- 1 15oz can of northern beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
It's the not the freshes meal but you can whip something up from the pantry with healthy ingredients..
As you can see someone was in a helpful good mood..
Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the rice. Break up and cook for a minute. Add the remaining ingredients one by one and stir to combine the flavors. Cook for a few minutes until everything comes up to temperature.
I served with flounder fillets that were season with the same combo of onion, garlic and thyme plus a squirt of lemon juice and kosher salt. It was a great combination, in my opinion. 🙂
I think the dish even makes a great quick meal, it also made a lot! If you go by 4 servings it well over a cup each but I'll still leave it at 4 servings for simplicity. What you see in the picture above was about â…™ of the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Pantry Rice
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- About 2 cups of cooked brown rice I used the 90 second kind
- 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 small can of mushrooms
- 1 15 oz can of northern beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the rice. Break up and cook for a minute.2 teaspoon olive oil, About 2 cups of cooked brown rice
- Add the remaining ingredients one by one and stir to combine the flavors. Cook for a few minutes until everything comes up to temperature.1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 small can of mushrooms, 1 15 oz can of northern beans drained and rinsed
- I served with flounder fillets that were season with the same combo of onion, garlic and thyme plus a squirt of lemon juice and kosher salt. It was a great combination, in my opinion.1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, Kosher salt to taste
s
i made something similar today with pantry ingredients but with fire-roasted tomatoes with chili for a tex-mexy flavor. as i have a can of northern beans in my pantry i think i am going to try this recipe. it looks good, kind of like a bean stew with rice.
Carolyn @ Lovin' Losing
Roni, I have to be honest and say that if I were you I would have screamed at my husband by now. I'm sure he has many other wonderful qualities, but that would drive me nuts.
My husband may not take on as much of the cooking responsibilities as I'd like but at least he generally eats what I make without complaint. I even get upset with him if puts hot sauce or ketchup on what I make. LOL Poor man.
Chelsea
Uhm, I have to say I have made a dish very, very similar to this and absolutely loved it! I make it all the time. However, I am a single girl who throws together stuff like this on the daily. 🙂
Paula
This dish looks great! I love rice and beans as a combo. I have never made a dish with nothern beans, but this sure looks good.
roni
Kim - Northern beans are fast becoming a fav of mine. They are the creamiest bean in my opinion. Kidney beans are nice and meaty.. fabulous in chili!
Lori
I make something similar to this all the time except that I add lots of veggies right in with the rice/bean mixture. I've also used barley instead of rice. I actually learned the original recipe at a weight watchers meeting and now just dump in whatever I have on hand. I love it!
Mary Nell
I think it looks like a wonderful meal. I need to be more daring in the kitchen and try to make new things like that rather than just "pick up" something.
roni
Lisa - It's just the rice. ALthough the dish and broccoli aren't adding much. I think the fish is about 120 cals a fillet and the broccoli 25. It's a great lite meal.
Lisa
That looks really good! But since I'm not the biggest fan of rice, I was thinking of making this in a smaller batch and all beans (maybe a mix).
Also I have a question. Does the nutritional information only apply to the rice dish, or the fish and veggies too?
Erica
Roni,
I think the meal looks delicious. While I do not have any children, my husband has also been know to behave like a toddler when he is served food he does not like.
I am in no means offering advice, but I will share how we have semi resolved this problem.
When we were first married and I would serve him something I just whipped up and I was so excited and he was less than appreciative, I used to want to not cook for him at all. Then I remembered that I grew up in house where I wasn't allowed to have preferences about what I did or did not like and I think it is super important to eat what you like. Being healthy and being delicious are not mutually exclusive, although sometimes it seems that way.
So, after 5 years of marriage and many arguments and compromises my husband and I go over the menu for the week before I go shopping and he is never served any surprises for dinner. If I make something new and experimental, I have him try it first to see if he would like it for dinner. He is not allowed to pout or make faces or spit anything in napkins. He simply must try it, and potlitely let me know if he likes it or not. This works for the most part:)
I am not sure if that makes me sound like a wimpy subservient wife, and I do not have any children to feed, but I thought I would share!
Thank you for sharing your cooking adventures and your adventures with your family.
As I have blathered on, why not continue.
My husband grew up in a house where his mother cooked healthy meals but never forced anyone to eat and I am under the impression she heard a lot of complaints. His father is a huge junk food eater. Both my husand and his sister have a super healthy attitude about food and weight. They did not pick up their father's bad habits. That being said, I think his mom felt super unappreciated, but now she has two grown kids who have healthy eating habits and weights
My house was the opposite. I ate what was served and it was just not allowed to complain. I ended up not even knowing what kind of food I did or did not like. While my weight is not a huge problem my relationship with food and my body image are less than enjoyable
I am sure somewhere there is a balance.
ps
Fish is always a hard sell for me.
Casey
I usually end up making something and my fiance will turn his nose up at it. So I make it for myself and let him find whatever he wants. He usually comes around, tries it, and loves it. He just doesn't want to try new stuff!
I need to find some way to get him to eat homemade more. Since I've gotten pregnant and morning sickness I can't stomach cooking very often, so he eats drive thru tacos and I have soup. He's gained twice as much sympathy weight as I have!
Kim
Tell me - what do northern beans taste simliar to? I recently started liking beans - and want to continue to try more varieties...
The only two I have ever had are:
Black Beans and they are my favorite
Pinto Beans are nice too
I have never had a Lima Bean (feared them!)
Kidney Beans kinda scare me too - it's a big bean!
I've heard of the northern bean and look good...
I don't know if there are other beans... but I am game!
Arlene @ Adventures in Weight Loss
Looks tasty to me.
Megan
looks good! minus the mushrooms for me.. otherwise looks delish! :o) def. gonna give it a try :o)
Diane @ Two Barking Dogs
I must admit that I don't like that Ready Rice at all ... and probably would have run at the sight of the fish too. Maybe next time?
Josie @ Skinny Way Of Life
Oh I hear ya, It's very frustrating when you make a meal and your family tears it apart. I get to the point where I'm about to throw the whole pot out if I get one more complaint. I am so thankful to have fellow bloggers who share the same tastes as I do. my 4 yr. old is getting pickier by the day and I have NO CLUE why, i've been cooking for her like this since day 1! She CRIED the other night b/c their was vegetables on her pizza (which I always make)...seriously!? this isn't something new but apparently it was the end of the world. Vent it out girl, mommys and wives all over the world feel your pain.
Tiger G
You made me laugh. I feel like that sometimes, too. Standing over the stove prepping dinner is about the last thing on my agenda being pregnant with an aching back and a stomach that gets burned on the stove, but I do it anyways. I wonder why I buy the more expensive ground turkey breast, why I spend so much time chopping up the little veggies to go into the meat, why I drive an hour to a store that sells the best brown rice, when it seems like my family would prefer to eat white bread and grape jelly (NOT EVEN JAM, JELLY!) or chase the healthy dinner with a huge gigantic bowl of ice cream. Only my 1 year old appreciates food, the husband and 4 year old could care less if they even eat. It's frustrating because cooking is one way I show my love for them, it's a service to my family so I have to step back and say to myself "it's just food to them" and maybe I'm more attached to it.
Anyways, it looks like a great side dish. I bet it would even be a good cold salad for lunch. So even if the boys don't appreciate it, know there are thousands of us who do. Where else are we gonna come up with new delicious recipes our family probably won't eat either? 🙂
Jan
It looks good to me! I am very fortunate that I have a family that will try anything.
Jessica
Now THIS looks like a nice, starchy side for winter meals. NUMMY! If I didn't have a Christmas party tonight, I would be making it. Maybe for lunch tomorrow... Hubby wouldn't touch it for the mushrooms, but I could probably get away with it if I left them out. ( must be a guy thing! Man Cub refuses to eat beans, except for green beans)
Krista S.
I have two SUPER PICKY kids, so I feel your pain. Thankfully, my partner is very open to try anything I make. Still, trying to find a balance of what everyone will eat is daunting and at times just totally bums me out.
For what it's worth, I think your combination sounds great (although I'm with Ryan on the 'shrooms) and I admire your dedication to getting a healthy meal on the table.
Caroline
I think it looks good but my husband and kids would have done the same as yours. Growing up my mom cooked healthy meals and I thought they were horrible and always picked everything apart. Now that I am grown up I prefer her way of cooking. You are keeping your family healthy and creating a good foundation for Ryan.
Lisa
I am underappreciated on a daily basis!! Every single day its what's for dinner? I throw a suggestion and get the stink eye...or the nose curl... ticks me off to no end! What you cook wouldnt fly for a sec in my house.. So that is why I ballooned up to 235! So now ive taken control...I make for me.. I try to make for them but still get the stink eye. Its the most annoying thing in my marriage...then he gets mad at me...mad for what I make.. Spoiled brat. Sorry you go through this too.