Chicken fajita bowl with cilantro lime rice

Ingredients

• 1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil
• ¾ cup (175 mL) brown rice
• ½ tsp (1 mL) dried thyme
• 1.5 cups (375 mL) water 
• ¼ cup (60 mL) chopped cilantro
• Juice and zest of 1 lime

• 1 package (24 g) low-sodium taco or fajita seasoning
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 1 lb/454 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
• 3 cups (750 mL) mushrooms, sliced
• 3 medium bell peppers, red, orange and green, sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1 medium red onion, sliced (1 cup)

• 1 can (540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed, warmed if desired
• 3 cups (750 mL) romaine lettuce, shredded
• 3 cups (750 mL) raw spinach, shredded
• 4 Tbsp ¼ cup (60 mL) salsa
• 4 Tbsp ¼ cup (60 mL) green onion, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp ¼ cup (60 mL) low fat sour cream  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium-high heat. Add rice and thyme and heat for 1-2 minutes before adding water. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook about 40-45 minutes until water is absorbed. Once cooked, fluff rice with a fork and add cilantro, lime juice and zest; set aside. 
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix taco seasoning and oil. Add chicken strips, mushrooms, peppers, and onion and mix to coat.
4. Place ingredients onto a large baking sheet; bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently toss ingredients. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
5. Divide beans, romaine, spinach and rice into 4 bowls. Top with chicken and vegetable fajita mixture along with salsa, sour cream and green onion.

• Add flavour: Adding fresh and dried herbs along with citrus zest helps add flavour to this dish without added salt.
• Nutrition know-how: Leafy greens such as spinach and romaine lettuce are a great addition to this hearty bowl. They provide limited carbohydrate, added fibre and are rich in vitamins A, C, E and K along with plant compounds called carotenoids that help protect cells from damage. 
• Kitchen know-how: The taco seasoning mix, canned beans and salsa already contain salt so be sure to taste the dish before adding any.   
• Budget friendly: If a recipe calls for an herb or spice you don’t usually have on hand, you can purchase very small amounts at a bulk store for pennies vs. purchasing a whole jar at the grocery store.
• Food safety: Using different coloured cutting boards is a good way to keep raw meat and raw vegetables separate. For example, use a red cutting board for raw meat and a green cutting board for chopping rinsed veggies.