M3 Remix Rice

After devouring the M3 for Sunday night dinner and Monday's lunch, I still had about a cup of the mango salsa left over. Naturally, I didn't want to compost such a delicious topping, so I turned to Sheryl Crow's new cookbook, If It Makes You Healthy, for some inspiration.

Sheryl (yes, we're on a first name basis) has a fantastic Soffrito Rice rice recipe that features mangos as the key ingredient. I made a variation of the recipe to (1) reuse the mangos and some leftover veggies from the weekend and (2) avoid Whole Foods at 7:00 p.m. on Monday at all costs.

M3 Remix Rice

• 2 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1/3 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup whole grain brown rice
• Mango Salsa (mangos, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cilantro, garlic, red onion)
• 5 heirloom grape tomatoes, chopped
• 2 handfuls fresh basil, chopped

Heat cast iron stir fry on low to medium heat and add oil and garlic. Once hot, add peppers, onions, and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add tomato paste and heat for an additional 3 minutes.

Next, add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Once stock is boiling, add rice and reduce stock to a simmer. Cover and cook for 35-40 minutes, or until rice is tender. (Depending on the amount of vegetables you're cooking with, you may need to add additional water to dish to ensure rice is fully cooked).

Once rice is fully cooked, add mango salsa, tomatoes, and basil. Mix until heated through. Serve in bowls with a side of soft bread.

Ease of Cooking: 7/10...this dish is simple if you've mastered cooking rice especially when served with other items. I had a bit of a problem with the rice absorbing the liquids too quickly while not cooking thoroughly, and had to add water a half cup at a time until the rice softened.

Leftover Capability: 3/10...the proportions of this dish were exactly the right amount for my boyfriend, Rod, and I. However, as avid runners, we're perpetually hungry and clear our plates, oh, about 100% of the time. There may be leftovers for those without monstrous appetites.

Overall: 6/10...I probably wouldn't go food shopping specifically for this dish, but it definitely helped build my skills of making a healthy meal out of miscellaneous food items.