Simple Meals: Tomato-Florentine Turmeric Rice

When you only have less than 20 minutes to make dinner what do you do? Rice and pork chops! 

Rice and pork chops is a popular dinner dish in Puerto Rico. They key to a 20 minute meal is to always try to make something ahead. In this case I had left-over rub that I saved and re-used it to season my pork chops. 

For the rice, really all is left to do is to sautee the onions, add the rest of the ingredients, then the broth and cover until the liquid is absorbed. Is really that simple ;)

Tomato-Florentine Turmeric Rice

11/2  Cups of rice (long grain)

2 Cups of Chopped Fresh Spinach

1/2 Cup Chopped Kalamata olives

1 Can of Diced Tomatoes (you can also use fresh tomatoes) 

1 Small Carrot ( coarsely grated)

1 Medium Onion diced

3 Minced Garlic cloves 

Chicken broth (don't ask me how much. I always eyeball it..)

2 Teaspoons Turmeric (if you want your rice less yellow use 1 teaspoon instead)

1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder (Optional)

1 Teaspoon Tomato paste 

1 Teaspoon Dried  oregano

In a sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté  onions until they turn translucent. Add a can of diced tomatoes, garlic, grated carrot, spinach, oregano, and tomato paste and cook on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rice, turmeric, chili powder, salt and pepper, and sauté for a few more minutes until everything is blended. 

Add the chicken broth and reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.