beans beans good for your heart

And so easy to make. Recipe after the jump...

Healthy, delicious, and about as easy as it gets. I doubt my black beans and rice is particularly authentic, but I'm okay with that. This is of course best made with dried beans, but canned will do fine for a really quick dinner.

BLACK BEANS & RICE

Ingredients

1 lb dry black beans, soaked overnight in cold water and drained
4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium green peppers, diced
2 small yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
2 tbsp cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked long grain white rice

Preparation

Combine black beans and 4 cups water in a large stockpot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, approx. 1 1/2 to 2 hours. [Note: I add an inchlong piece of dried kombu seaweed to the water as that supposedly cuts down on the gas. I'm not sure it really works, but I do it anyway. You just remove the piece of kombu when the beans are done]

Once the beans are tender, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and green pepper and sautee until soft, approx 5-7 minutes. Add beans, oregano, cumin, jalapeno, and cider vinegar. If there is not enough liquid from the beans, add water to your liking. Some like these beans a little soupier, I prefer them on the drier side. Let the beans simmer for about 10 minutes, then adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over the rice.