Black Beans & Rice

This week it was a toss-up between brownies made with avocados and sweet potatoes, and this one. So the brownies will be next week.

If you have a large family, this recipe is for you. If you are going to a large gathering, this recipe is for you. If you have a small family and like to freeze leftovers, this recipe is for you. Or you could cut it in half, as it says it makes 16 servings. We made the full recipe and it does make a lot.

Beans and rice make a complete protein meal. I googled it to make sure I was correct, and yes they do: "Black beans and rice deliver complete protein, fiber and nutrients."

I also found that the combination lessens my craving for sugar, perhaps because it has a lot of protein.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ c. olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 green bell peppers, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 bay leaves

1 Tbsp ground cumin

2 c. long-grain white rice

4 ea (14 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 ea (14 oz ) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

2 c. water

¼ c. apple cider vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Stir in the onions, peppers, garlic, bay leaves and cumin. Stir and cook for 8 minutes.

Stir in the rice, black beans, tomatoes, water, vinegar and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the rice is tender. Serve hot.

MY NOTES:

We didn't add the bell peppers. Joe can't eat them, and for me, they tend to flavor the whole dish. He used the canned tomatoes without the chilies and didn't drain them so adjust the water accordingly.

We added chicken on the side and sausage another night or a salad would make a nice compliment.

Enjoy!