Cheesy Bean Burrito Bowls are an easy and fun weeknight meal, perfect for meatless Monday or any other plant-based night of the week!

Cheesy Bean Burrito Bowls might fall into the comfort-food category for me. There’s something very satisfying in the textures and flavors of a burrito bowl. The creamy refried beans and slightly chewy brown rice, topped with juicy fresh tomatoes, cool avocado, and grassy cilantro never fails to hit the spot.

I’ve had several conversations recently with folks who say they don’t like brown rice. I’ve found that it usually comes down to whether they are buying short-grain or long-grain brown rice. Short-grain brown rice tends to be very dense, with a much firmer texture than its long-grain counterpart. It can feel laborious to chew, and tends to feel very filling, very fast. Long-grain brown rice is lighter and fluffier, and much more closely resembles white rice. After they try long-grain brown rice, most folks have renewed interest in brown rice again! 

I’m a fan of both white rice and brown rice, and always have both on hand in my pantry. White rice often gets unfairly demonized by diet culture, which ignores the long history and cultural traditions of this staple food, as well as nutritional science. There’s a place for both white rice and brown rice in your meals. As a nutritionist, here’s a few of the things I take into consideration when choosing which to prepare: 

• I tend to choose white rice when the textures of what I am pairing it with are firm or crunchy, such as a veggie-packed stir-fry or curry, because the softer, more tender white rice better complements the other textures; and when I am serving it with a complete protein such as tofu, tempeh, or fish. 
• I tend to choose brown rice when I am looking for more texture from the grain, to stand up next to a soft/creamy/saucy dish, such as refried beans; and when I am looking to enhance the protein content of my meal or make a complete protein, such as the combination of rice and beans.
  

Both white and brown rice have nutritional value. Using both in your meals adds to the variety of nutrients, as well as flavors and textures. It just keeps things interesting! So give these Cheesy Bean Burrito Bowls a try with cooked, long-grain brown rice, and see what you think!

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