Creamy Chile-Rice Casserole

     One of my many non-vegetarian friends, Jessica, shared this favorite meatless recipe her family enjoys. It’s very satisfying and filling--you know it’s good if meat-eaters will make this for dinner! Also, it is fairly simple to throw together, which is nice!

     Weight Watchers uses this recipe with brown rice and light everything (sour cream, etc.), which are great ideas but I had to use ingredients purchased by my husband on his way home from work and of course he likes full-fat dairy products. Such is life!

      My message to you is: you can make this recipe healthier than I did without sacrificing much flavor J

Ingredients:

1 c. dry white or brown rice (3 c. cooked rice)

8 oz. shredded Mexican-blend cheese

1 ½ c. sour cream

15.25 oz. can whole-kernel corn

15.5 oz. can pinto (or black) beans

4 oz. chopped green chiles

¼ c. diced green onions

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.

2. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray 9 x 13” pan with cooking spray.

3. Set aside ½ cup shredded cheese. Put rest of cheese (1 ½ cups) in a large mixing bowl. Add everything else: rice, sour cream, corn, beans, chiles, green onions, and spices.

4. Spread creamy rice mixture in baking pan. Bake 30 minutes.

5. Pull casserole out of oven and sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese on top.

6. Bake 10 more minutes.

7. Let casserole cool 10 minutes and it will slice nicely!

Out of the oven!

*Nutrition facts:

Ingredient	Calories	Sodium (% RDA)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Calcium (% RDA)
1 c. dry white rice	640	0	0	16	0
1 ½ c. sour cream	720	12	0	12	48
15.25 oz. can whole kernel corn	210	45.5	10.5	7	0
15.5 oz. can pinto beans	315	59.5	24.5	21	14
4 oz. can chopped green chiles	20	12	2	0	0
½ tsp. salt	0	50	0	0	0
8 oz. Mexican-blend shredded cheese	800	64	0	48	160
Total: (8 cups)	2705 kcal	243 %	37 g If brown rice, 45 g	104 g	222 %
1 cup serving:	338 kcal	30 %	4.5 g If brown rice, 5.5 g	13 g	28 %

*Calculated from food packaging and the following website: http://livestrong.com  

 I used “Golden Star” brand Jasmine rice, “Morton” brand salt, “Kraft” brand Mexican-blend shredded cheese, and “Great Value” (Walmart) brand sour cream, canned whole-kernel corn, canned pinto beans, and canned green chiles.

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