Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Hot Rice and Beans on Greens

I started out this year as a mean vegan culinary whiz, but then the impossible chaos of life changed all that rather quickly. I suppose that I could have been blogging about what I have been eating, but that would mean that I'd have to admit that I actually ate chickpeas out of a can for dinner! Despite all the snazzy new prepared animal friendly fare, quick 'n easy is still hard for the die hard vegan. So, I will omit the last few months of unsavory, and forgettable eating habits, and highlight some of the few bright spots when I was actually able to fill my belly with yummy vegan sustenance.

This was a quick inspiration one evening that is very similar to the No-One-Likes-the-Vegan-Police Burritos. I wanted something green, and something smokey. I had a bit of a liquid smoke obsession, as you'll notice from my earlier blogs, and this is the tail end of that romance, though I still do enjoy my collard greens faux smoked. Following my typical method of throwing things together and then eating them, this is basically an exploration into the fridge and pantry. It's a hearty, warm and cool kind of taco-salad that goes well with hot sauce.

Hot Rice and Beans on Greens

Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
1 tsp celery salt
1 can kidney beans rinsed
1 cup cooked brown rice or barley
1/2 C tomato sauce
sprinkle of liquid smoke

chopped romaine or other lettuce


1. Saute onion in a bit of olive oil for about five minutes
2. Add the celery salt and saute another minute
3. Add the kidney beans and smash about a third of them
4. Add the rice, sauce cook until warmed through
5. Sprinkle on some liquid smoke
6. Serve on a bed of lettuce

This is an easy recipe that can also be translated into burritos. Next up: Buffalo Tempeh Sandwiches, Mix 'n Match Butternut Squash Bake and Pepper Pot Pizza