Need a one-pot meal that comes together in under 15 minutes, will feed your family, makes planned leftovers, costs pennies per serving, and happens to be vegan and GF?
This recipe should do the trick.
Mango & Balsamic Rice, Beans, & Mixed Vegetables
Ingredients:
1 c dry rice (I used Uncle Ben’s brown rice)
1 can beans (I used garbanzos or try pinto, red, black, navy)
1 to 2 cups mixed veggies (I used 1.5 cups of diced carrots, broccoli, and Brussels’s sprouts)
1/3 c Mango Chutney/Salsa (or use jelly, i.e. mango, apricot, peach; or try a sweet-ish fruit-based salsa or chutney)
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (or regular, rice wine)
1 Tbsp Seasoning Blend (I used Mrs. Dash Caribbean blend)
2 Tbsp Honey (to keep this vegan, omit or use agave)
2 Tbsp EVOO (optional)
Directions:
Cook the rice as directed on the box (with water and optional butter) until about 85% done. (For me, this took about 8 minutes)
Add everything else, stir, cover and simmer for another few minutes until liquid is absorbed or your vegetables are done to your liking. (For me, this was about 4 more minutes)
Here’s a Visual Guide
Rice is about 90% done. Then, add everything else.
Stir and cook a few more minutes
Serve!
The big chunks of mango (above) are “surprise” bites that I love
The veggies were not overcooked and had a bit of texture and crunch. I detest over-cooked vegetables. Blech!
The flavor was wonderful. A little bit of heat from the red pepper in the mango salsa, the balsamic gave it some tang and balanced the sweetness from the mango and honey. And the chickpeas added protein and made it a one-pot success.
And it was also successful because it made planned leftovers. Love your leftovers. I do.
Like today’s recipe? Also try my Caribbean Coconut Rice with Garbanzos, Veggies, and Peanut Butter. It works, I promise.
Need other One Pot Meal Ideas & Recipes?
Like Gluten Free Mac n Cheeze?
Check This Post for other One Pot Recipes
I’m glad you like my last post about bodysprays! Seems like lots of you are fans and thanks for filling me in on your go-to scents.
And everyone had different days of the week that they are busiest. Mondays are my busy day, for sure!
Here’s a one pot snack. Or a one little bowl snack.
Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate
Questions:
1. What’s your fave one-pot meal?
Mine are any of the bakes (Salsa Baked Beans & Veggies, Cheezy Veggie Bake) or rice dishes like this one.
And I never buy ingredients just for a recipe like this. It’s called shopping in my own kitchen and use things up that are taking up space or getting old.
2. Do you like leftovers?
I know some people hate them and would prefer to eat something “new” every meal but leftovers are a huge time saver and money saver, too.
Cook once, eat twice = saves time
Cook in bulk once rather than starting from scratch with completely new ingredients for a completely new meal = saves money
I am a fulltime working mom, a blogger, I try to keep my grocery budget at a minimum, and I try not to live in my kitchen just to feed my family. Therefore, leftovers are my best friend. For all you young beautiful people, if you don’t like leftovers now, you may change your tune when you have a family, kids, house, fulltime job, and want to “get off the hook” for meal prep. Leftovers will save you.
3. Anything exciting happen in your day today?
I am expecting a package in the mail I am excited about.
Enjoy your day!
{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
That looks amazing! I have had a huge craving for black beans, rice and mango but I think this has replaced it! I love one pot meals. Yesterday I made a tofu sausage, rice and veggie one pan meal and it was delicious
1. My favorite one pot meal is chili!
2. I love leftovers and always make enough food to have leftovers for lunch.
3. The exciting thing happening today is that my second e-book is being released!
Leftovers save the day every time. I send them to work with my husband for lunch and have them for lunch myself sometimes. Major money and time savers. It’s usually cheaper (and not much more work) to just make extra of something you have planned than to make a whole other meal.
Leftovers totally depend on my mood. My husband loves them, sometimes I like them, sometimes I don’t!
Mr Sweet is a smart man
Ok just double checking this now….
My Favorite one pot wonder meal has to be cup of brown rice, cup of water, can of cream of chicken, cup of water…stir it up, lay two chicken breasts on top, cover and bake on 400 for 40 mins…..amazing…Pretty good as well if you add a head of Broccoli
But to your question about leftover. Shoot I make extra of almost everything so I can have leftovers! I think leftovers of 90% of what I make taste better the next day! Better taste and you have the cooking already done! What more could you ask for!
This looks delicious! We love one pot meals in our house.
We’re trying to get better about leftovers. I’m not a fan, but I find if its the right kind of leftovers, I”ll eat them
my fave one pot meal is CHILI!!!
love leftovers because then i don’t have to cook (truly, not a fave activity, sorry to say) plus in a meal like chili, the flavours improve.
i like the looks of this recipe (the rice, beans and mixed veg).
have a super tuesday, averie!
I LOVE one pot meals, as a student that makes life ten times easier!
That gf mac and cheeze looks delicious! Is it made with quinoa?
I am excited to get a package too! I love gifts via snail mail:)
Yes, it’s quinoa
I love that you put garbanzo beans in there! Sounds like a delicious recipe!
My favorite one pot meal is vegetarian chili! So warm and comforting in the winter!
That looks so light and summery to me right about now. I love soups or chili as a one-pot meal. I used to be a casserole queen at one point.
Great flavor combo– I’m marking this one!
Hope your package comes!
I love one pot meals!
They make life so much easier. Bookmarking…
I love one pot meals — like soups, stews, chilis, etc. They are especially good if they are all thrown in the crockpot — super easy.
I love the looks of the rice and I am with you on hating overcooked veggies. Yuck.
Thanks again for your help/advice via email yesterday, I do appreciate it!
you’re totally welcome and i am doing a blogging/blog/blogger/WP post soon…and part of that (not using your name) will be in it. To warn people, it can happen to anyone at anytime if the tech gods frown on you!
trying again….lmk if you get this.
That rice dish look sooo good! I’m definitely going to try it. I rarely make one-pot meals (somehow I end up using every dish in my house to make dinner) but I love the easy clean up. And now I’m off to check out your GF mac and cheese. Yum!
I want fresh mango right now. And this dish.
Leftovers have literally saved my life this week. Without frozen soups and that giant spaghetti squash I baked earlier, I wouldn’t have had time to eat dinner!
That looks really great! I love left overs, especially to grab for lunch. I work about a mile from a strip of restaurants, and everyone always wants to go out for lunch. I would much rather eat something that I brought in, saving money and saving time trying to figure out where to eat!
Mango and balsamic–what a fabulous combo!!
i was just talking with someone how we love one pot meals- so easy and perfect. love anything with quinoa or rice and veg
Your Mango & Balsamic Rice, Beans, & Mixed Vegetables dish looks yummy. Might have to try that one soon.
My hubby is making us a huge crock-pot full of soup. Should last us 3 days, and the crock pot is so easy to clean
Leftovers are great. Especially in the summer when we spend all day at the paintball field. I bring a cooler with leftovers, snacks, and green smoothie for us.
I got my new BlendTech blender carafe in the mail. The 3 quart, with a 4″ blade. Used it for the first time this morning. So much better than the standard carafe – which I loved & used daily up until today.
Will we be hearing about your mail package on the blog soon? Suspense is building
yes you will. I mean, it’s not that big of a deal or anything but ya know
I never used to like leftovers. But, now I appreciate them so much. I make a lot one-pot meals. Too many to name and I love them all.
you’re a mom which equals…need time savers and things to make life easier!
Looks so light and yummy!!! I like throwing random veggies and sauces together and see what happens:)
What a creative way to spruce up a salad! Love it
leftovers are the best! I love one pot meals, I think my favorite is chili
I must say you have some of the msot creative rice dishes I have ever seen! each one is so packed with flavor and color!
I LOVE leftovers esp one pot meals! I loved the morracan chicken dish I made or currently i am on a turkey meatloaf kick that can be a one dish meal!!
obviously I also love a good veggie or turkey chili too!
Awww, thanks hon for your sweet compliment!
Looks awesome ones again!!
A great quick healthy meal!
I made the amazing beans and veggie bake dish (sunday)…it was awesome…thanks.
thanks for LMK and glad you liked it!!
This sounds just PERFECT. The mango, the heat, the crunchy veggies… I can totally taste it!! I am the leftovers QUEEN. I love them! There really isn’t anything I won’t eat leftover, and I usually prefer leftovers cold
my fave one pot meal is mung bean stew (filipino dish) and also lentil curry that i make. they are both soo soo delicioso!!
i’m excited to go to my power yoga today…i am grateful for being able to practice yoga with this particular teacher azra.
That looks delicious! Such a great idea. I love one-pot meals – I make chili at least once a week and just throw everything in my pantry/fridge in there and it comes out great. Plus I have a huge batch for lunches. I totally LOVE leftovers – they definitely save time and money.
And today is my birthday so it’s already super exciting! My boyfriend sent me flowers at work
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!
1. I ♥ one pot meals but hardly cook, so my repitoire is limited. I made your veggie bake last night and it’s prepped in the fridge to cook tonight, so I’m crossing my fingers that its a winner.
2. I love leftovers as long as it was yummy the first time around! Especially roasted squash if I can keep myself from scarfing it down at one sitting.
3. Today is the first day in forever that I brought 100% healthy choices to eat at work. All thanks to you! I’m having hummus salad with lunch and steaming some brussel sprouts to go with it (thanks for saying how you did that by the way!)
awww, thanks for the #3 and I hope you enjoy your salad with hummus and brussles. And yes, the quick steam method = perfect
I love all of your recipes! I am a new blog reader and am really enjoying all of your great ideas.
thanks for sayin hi!
This looks so perfect!!! I don’t think my kids or husband would go for it, but this will be perfect for some lunches for me
Thanks!!!
make them eat it anyway…lol.
less cooking for you…haha
I eat a lot of leftovers for lunch. I love one pot meals–not sure I could pick a favorite!
This looks really good, what an interesting combination of flavors!
I adore leftovers; they’re extra meals for no extra work, and a lot of dishes (soups, chilis, sauces, etc.) taste way better after sitting for a day or two.
If I eat mango, will summer miraculously sprout in the mountains
?
I’m a big left-over eater right now – I’m at work until 7 or 8, then far too exhausted to cook a meal for myself. So, on weekends when the boy visits, I cook up a bunch of one-pot meals and freeze away. I like to think I’m channeling a 1950′s housewife with my newfound tupperware dependency. Bring on the feathered bedroom slippers!
Looking forward to heading home and watching the next installment in the extremely dorky British miniseries I’m currently loving (so melodramatic)/hating (sorry, Africa). A little neocolonialism in the evening….
you never cease to make me laugh, thank you for the chuckle: “I like to think I’m channeling a 1950′s housewife with my newfound tupperware dependency. Bring on the feathered bedroom slippers!”
and take care of you (two).
I ♥ leftover’s! They are every budget household’s savior! Tonight I’m making curried veggies and beans (beans are left over from last night) over quinoa, I’ll be making enough for lunch tomorrow also.
So you’re getting a package, hope it comes early! I ordered a ski coat and I’m really hoping to get it before this weekend.
I also wanted to say that your photo’s look like they’re improving with the new camera, not that they were bad before because they were awesome but the colors look very vibrant
thank you for saying they look better, Christina! I really am trying to learn and take better pictures!
This rice dish is definitely one I would LOVE – I’m all about anything that throws a sweet element in a typically-savory dish!
I used to be in the i-hate-leftovers club, but i’ve grown to depend on them. since i work every other day, it’s SO handy to make a big dinner on a day-off so then I have lunch AND dinner for the following work day. I leave early and don’t get home until later, so this way I’ve got lunch already packed and I can eat right when I get home
Also – I ditto Christina!! Your photos are looking awesome!!
Wow, just read crazy sexy diet and she has the same suggestion to throw veggies into rice to semi cook them but not too much. good idea. never had mango with veggies like that.
I am into leftover dips and things but I get tired of leftover soups and meals after about a day. chris could eat it for weeks, and has before. boring i say!
Leftovers are hit or miss for me, but my boyfriend loves them! So we never waste food in this house!
I LOVE leftovers!!! I guess that’s a good thing since it helps me stay budget friendly. My fav onepot meal is any type of soup/stew with tons of beans and veggies! In fact, I may make something like that tonight.
Yesss something very exciting happened today! I turned in my 2nd biostatistics test this morning, whew! So glad to have that baby out of the way. Celebrating tonight by catching up on all of my fav bloggyblogs (obviously, i’m starting a little early at work, shhh!)
Still addicted and loving your Caribbean rice dish, yum yum. I’m going to try your mango rice dish for dinner tomorrow. It looks wonderful. Hope your package arrives in the mail, love getting packages in the mail. I usually treat myself to books and treats from Amazon once a month.
Love your blog! I found it through Erica (Itzy). Your visual guide photo was cute too! I must try your gf mac and cheese, looks great. I agree, leftovers are just essential and I feel like it saves so much time and money too!
I love one pot meals! Those chocolates look just like the ones I make. I call them my coconut oil fudge, except I use honey in mine as opposed to agave.
I had an exciting day today with my son, I have been working on the post for it. And I love leftovers. That little tid bit was mentioned in the post for later this evening as well
awesome mix of healthy foods! I love left overs…but they usually don’t last long! I love getting seconds and will sometimes give myself less on a plate so I can grab more…something so satisfying about it…but because of that, left overs are rare.
Oh this looks great! My favorite 1 pot meal is literally throwing a ton of ingredients into a bowl and calling it a salad. Easy and it works for me.
Yum, this recipe looks great. Very creative using balsamic with mango! And the Gluten Free Mac n Cheeze looks awesome too, gotta try that sometime.
1. Do I have to pick just one? Anything with beans, tempeh and loads of veggies. My curry banana stir fry rates pretty high though.
2. Yes, I eat them for lunch a lot – cheap and healthy.
3. Lots of wind, we’re getting 45 mph gusts which make for some interesting driving conditions.
I love leftovers! I usually make a HUGE batch of something at the beginning of the week and then eat the same thing for days after! Not very glamorous but it works for me! When I have more time, I cook more. I always have a salad before my meals too so I just make sure I’m always stocked up on greens!
I read this this morning and made it for dinner tonight! Delicious
i used the veggies i had on hand and quinoa instead of brown rice b/c i was out of brown rice! Fav one pot meal probably chili in the winter (i live near philly and it’s cold here! ) have to say your blog is a daily read for me and i love making your recipes!
Katie
fellow working mother of a 4 year old boy
thanks for LMK you made it…already! wonderful
and glad i am a daily read for you & that you love making my recipes!
from one working mom of a 4 yr old to another
I am the self-professed QUEEN of leftovers. Sometimes, I cook such big batches of food on Sat/Sun, that I don’t need to do anything more than make a salad or steam veggies for 4 or 5 days.
I have friends at work (mostly from China or India, where until just a decade or so ago, they didn’t have much refrigeration) who think that leftovers are evil and I’d be better off eating out.
Not only am I doing the leftover thing, right now I’m attempting the $50/week grocery bill thing (not including the CSA, which is an extra $20). That rice dish is RIGHT up my alley.
In fact tomorrow will be brown rice with stir-fried frozen veggies from Costco with extra cabbage, ginger, garlic, and soy-sesame-rice vinegar sauce.
You know, there are some weeks where i know i only spend $50 too. Not every week, some weeks i spend more, and it sort of carries over into the next week, but once you have staples on hand, i did a big post about what i keep on hand
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/02/pantry-refrigerator-staples.html
and so some weeks i can get away with $50!
I love one pot meals, especially when they are healthy!!!!
I loved the Caribbean rice and mac and cheese, so I am sure this new recipe is another keeper!!!
that’s right, you HAVE made those other two..this one should be right up your alley then!
The rice looks delicious – it has all of my favorite veggies in it
YUM!
thanks girl!
Chili has got to be my favourite one pot meal and I love leftovers! I plan for them with each dinner. I love the recipe that you posted and think I’ll try it this weekend sometime with broc and asparagus…..
I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I am quite sure I will learn plenty of new stuff right here! Best of luck for the next!
I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite sure I’ll learn many new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
Averie, I made the mango rice tonight and it was great. I misread the amount on the mango chutney and added (maybe) more than needed but it still turned out great as I added more veggies than you suggested. I did leave out the honey/agave as it was already sweet from the chutney. We also had a big kale and veggie salad with your slaw dressing and to top off making it an “Averie cooks” meal we had the raw vegan PB vanilla balls (I just made them today and there are very few left – I was only able to get 16 out of your recipe). I am making the carribean rice dish tomorrow…looking forward to the coconut milk and PB flavors. I should also let you know my husband asked if there were any more of the raw vegan almond butter cookies left, luckily I threw a few in the freezer…I am impressed by how much he has enjoyed all your recipes. THANK YOU!!
What a glowing comment! The mango rice, salad w/ slaw dressing, PB balls, AB cookies…wow, I am sooooo thrilled that you’ve made all these recipes of mine in what, a week? You rock! Thanks actually making things AND coming back to tell me about it. The feedback is worth it’s weight in gold! Since you seem to be on a no-bake ball kick, here’s a post with pics to all of them which may inspire you for more. Keep in touch and LMK what you make!
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/01/ball-recipes.html
Thanks for the link. I will look over it. I may end up making a few of the recipes and bring them for my family mother’s day get together!
{ 3 trackbacks }