Slow Cooker Bean & Rice Burritos or Bowls ~ A Frugal Recipe for Stocking Up

Frugal, simple, speedy, nourishing, and bulk cooking would describe my focus in the kitchen these days. We've recently run out of a lot of staples that I buy in bulk, so my Azure Standard order this month was quite hefty, leaving very little to play with outside of those staples.  Thankfully, my family loves beans and rice, so this big crock pot of goodness has been a life-saver.  We get a lunch and dinner out of it, and even freeze enough for another lunch and dinner for after the baby is born.  And let's just tip our hats to this meal's money-saving talent.  Each burrito (made with organic beans and rice, organic sprouted or corn tortillas, organic, grass-fed beef, and organic, raw cheese and creme fraiche from grass-fed cows) costs a meager $1.08.  Now there's a dollar menu worth looking at.  Want to include some veggies in this meal?  Finely food process 1 bunch of broccoli or cauliflower and mix it in with the browned ground meat, then season it.  Your kids will never know what hit them. *Insert devious laugh*


Slow Cooker Bean, Rice, & Meat Burritos or Bowls
Makes 24 burritos or bowls

• 2 cups dried beans of choice (pinto, black, or white, or a mixture)
• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 lemon or 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
• Filtered water
• 6 tablespoons taco seasoning, divided
• 1 pound grass-fed ground meat (turkey, beef, venison, lamb...)
• 1 bunch broccoli or cauliflower (optional)
• 2 cups grated cheese of choice (we prefer cheddar and/or jack)
• 1 cup creme fraiche (optional)

Optional garnishes:

• chopped fresh cilantro
• salsa
• sliced olives
• avocado slices

1. 12-24 hours before serving (the longer, the better), soak beans and rice in a large, non-stainless steal bowl (I use the largest bowl from this set) along with the juice of one lemon.  Cover and soak 12-24 hours.
2. Drain and rinse beans and rice, place them in the slow cooker along with 6 cups filtered water or bone stock and 3 tablespoons taco seasoning.  Stir and then cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. Once the beans and rice are cooked, brown ground meat.  Finely process optional broccoli or cauliflower in food processor and add to ground meat.  Season with 3 tablespoons taco seasoning and mix with 1/2 cup water.  Stir over medium heat until all the water is absorbed.
4. Assemble burritos or bowls, each with a layer of beans and rice, meat, cheese, optional creme fraiche, and any optional garnishes you choose.  Serve immediately or freeze burritos individually or in a dish (like these) with the amount you'll need to feed your family a meal.  Freeze bowls in individual containers (I recommend these lidded glass containers) or in one large enough to feed your family a meal.

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