A completely nutritious meal is not always easy to find. While some meals are too heavily loaded with carbohydrates, others are completely lacking in nutrient rich fruit and vegetables.

This vegetable-filled salad also comes with a vegetarian necessity: a complete protein. Rice and beans each contain a number of nutritious essientials, including iron, vitamin B and protein. Together, they provide all the amino acids the human body cannot make on its own. They are a complete protein. By combining them in this fresh salad, our bodies will be happy.

 To make the salad, gather:

• White or brown rice

• Organic black beans, canned

• Romaine lettuce

• Cherry tomatoes

• Avocado

• Fresh red and green pepper

• Fresh cucumber

• 1 tablespoon, Greek yogurt

• Pickled sliced mild peppers, optional

• Shredded cheese, optional

Assemble the salad:

1) Start the rice. While you can find quite a few varieties of “90-second” bags of rice in the grocery store, buying large bags of uncooked rice will always be the cheaper option. To prepare the rice, rinse it well. Then in a saucepan, combine the rice in a 1:2 ratio with water. For every cup of rice, add 2 cups of water. Put a lid on the pan and set the stove at medium heat. Check on the rice every bit or so to make sure the water is not boiling over, otherwise just leave it alone for up to 30 minutes.

2) Prepare the salad fixings. Wash and chop all the vegetables: the lettuce, cucumbers, fresh peppers, cherry tomatoes and avocados.

3) When it comes to the black beans, I usually go with the canned variety. Get one can of organic black beans. Drain and rinse them lightly.

4) In a large salad bowl, add the lettuce, rice, beans and chopped vegetables. Add a bit of the greek yogurt for an alternative to dressing. Sprinkle the pickled pepper slices and the shredded cheese on top if you so choose.

5) Serve and enjoy.