Recipe: Rice with Black Beans and Chili-Cheese (using ricotta and cheddar)

RICE WITH BLACK BEANS AND CHILI-CHEESE

3 cups cooked brown rice
3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
1 (16 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz shredded lowfat cheddar cheese
1 (15 oz) container lowfat ricotta cheese
1 (4 oz) chopped green chiles
Chunky salsa (for serving, optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

Prepare the rice according to package directions.

If desired, while the rice cooks, briefly saute the garlic and onion in a tablespoon of olive oil until golden. But if you like the stronger flavor of uncooked onion and garlic, you can skip this step.

In a large bowl, mix the cooked rice with the beans, garlic, and onion.

In another dish, combine the cheddar and ricotta cheeses with the green chilies. Layer half of the rice and bean mixture into the baking dish, followed by half of the cheddar-ricotta mixture, and repeat.

Bake the casserole 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for a minute or two, then cut into squares and serve, passing around salsa for topping for those who want It.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Vegetarian Express by Nava Atlas and Lillian Kayte