Beans and Rice: Week 2

So, this week I just used two recipes and we ate leftovers the rest of the evenings. It is all starting to taste the same anyway:) The babes and I did take one evening off and ate eggs and cereal:) I do feel like it has been such a good thing for Joel and I. Besides being able to share some money with Lahash, it truly has impressed upon us how many zillions of choices we usually have with our evening meal. It also makes my afternoon cooking much more simple. The beans are usually in the crockpot and then I just add seasoning/make the rice/ add veggies (if we do). It has also made us eat. at. home. All good things. It is getting more difficult to get the babes to eat much in the evening. I added lots of butter and some honey to their rice the other night and Amelia called it "rice candy" and gobbled it up:) Sam isn't quite so easy to convince w/ sweetness. Anyway, I think they have done great overall. Here are my recipes from last week:

Mexican Brown Rice with Pinto Beans from Feeding the Whole Family:
1 TBLS extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1 TBLS tomato paste or sauce
3 cups cooked pinto beans

Heat oil in 2 quart pot. Add cumin and chili powder and saute for a few seconds. Add onion and salt and cook until onion is soft. Add rice and stir well to coat. Add water and tomato paste, bringing to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until all of the water is absorbed (about 40 minutes).
Serve alongside pinto beans.

Vegetarian Chili from Simply in Season

2 pounds any combo of dried beans; Rinse and soak in water overnight. Drain water. Cook in fresh water until soft, 45-60 minutes or longer.
1 cup red sweet pepper, chopped.
1 cup green pepper, chopped.
1 onion, chopped.
3 cloves garlic, minced.
In large soup pot, saute in 1 TBLS oil.

8 cups tomatoes, chopped (I used canned)
1 TBLS salt
1 TBLS honey
Add and heat to boiling. Add beans and seasoning listed below.Simmer 45 min. Serve with rice.

1 Butternut squash (peeled, seedes, and chopped)
1 chipotle pepper
1 TBLS chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin

All for now, Jen