• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups cooked brown rice

• 1 16-ounce can pinto beans, drained
• 2 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
• 1 medium fresh tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

1. In large skillet over medium-high heat, cook meat until brown, stirring to crumble; drain. Return meat to skillet.
2. Add onion, chili powder, cumin and salt; cook until onion is tender.
3. Stir in rice, beans and chiles; thoroughly heat.
4. Top with tomato and garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories, 313; Total Fat, 9g; Cholesterol, 29 mg; Sodium, 340 mg; Total Carbohydrate, 43 g; Dietary Fiber, 6 g; Protein ,17 g

SOURCE: Recipe and photo courtesy of the USA Rice Federation. For more information about rice, visit www.usarice.com

1. If you cry when working with onions, here's why: "The tearjerker in onions is a compound called propanethial-s-oxide, which is released in a vapor when onions are cut" according to Cheryl Forberg, professional chef, registered dietitian and author of Stop the Clock! Cooking <www.cherylforberg.com>. "When the vapor comes in contact with the eye, it is converted to a form of sulfuric acid, which produces the stinging sensation and subsequent tears. Cutting onions under water or chilling them before cutting, will retard the enzymes that generate the noxious chemicals."

   Some other suggestions people have mentioned include:

   • Keep the root on while peeling and chopping. A variation of this is to cut from the top, leaving the root end intact until the last cut.
   • Be in a well-ventilated place and cut fast.
   • Use a good, sharp chef's knife. It glides through the onion with ease, allowing less of the compounds that cause tears to come out.
   • Wear a pair of safety goggles or a cheap, disposable painter's mask.
   • Put a slice of bread in your mouth, with half of it sticking out to "catch" the fumes.
   • Put some white vinegar on the chopping board before cutting.
   • Burn a candle immediately adjacent to where you're cutting. The tear-causing gas is drawn toward the heat source.

   • Purchase pre-chopped onions.

   After cutting the onions (and after cutting garlic), one suggestion that may help remove the smell from your hands is to run cool tap water over your hands while rubbing them across a stainless steel utensil, such as the bowl of a stainless steel spoon. If you have been cutting a lot of onions, this may not be as effective.

2. If desired, lower the sodium further by cutting back or omitting the salt, especially if your beans are canned with salt.

3. When I tried freezing some of this recipe for later use, I was quite pleased with the results. As I was reheating it in the microwave at work, several people commented on how good it smelled! For tips on how to freeze this recipe in plastic freezer bags, visit:
   lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-freezing-techniques.htm

4. For more information on cooking brown rice, visit:
   lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-rice.htm