Shake Up Recession Fare

Beans and rice are about as buget friendly as you get, but all it takes is some vegetables and spices to get a great easy gluten and meat free meal. This variety features black beans with vegetables and Mexican spices.

Ingredients
1 zucchini diced
1 ear of corn (or 1 - 1 1/2 cup frozen corn)
1 green or poblano pepper or jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 can of diced tomatoes (regular or fire roasted)
1 can of black beans
1/2 cup (uncooked) white or brown long grain rice
1 tbsp cumin
1 clove garlic, 1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
hot sauce, prefered brand (optional)
fresh cilantro (optional)

This whole meal can be prepared up to a couple days ahead of time and reheated, which is pefect for parties. This is also a great meal to cook on a Sunday evening and then eat all week for dinner or lunch.

Some prefer onions raw as garnish, or more mild scallions, but if raw onion isn't your thing, either scratch them all together or throw them in a sautee pan with the other vegetables and mellow the flavor. Throw the peppers, zucchini and corn into a hot stockpot over medium to medium high heat and a tbsp of light colored grapeseed, vegetable or canola oil. If using fresh garlic, throw this in after the other vetetables. Sautee vegetables for 10 minutes and add can of tomatoes, 1 cup of water and the cumin. Turn the heat to high.

Once the vegetables have started to simmer, add rice and cook for cooking time stated on the package of rice. Unless it is quick cooking, this will be about 40 minutes for brown rice or 25 for white rice. Be sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so to avoid sticking to the bottom, but keep covered to steam the rice and cook it quicker. When the rice looks close to done, add in the can of strained and rinced beans.

Garnish with hot sauce, fresh cilantro, and the raw onion if you'd rather use that for garnish. This can even be served in lettuce wraps at a summer cookout.