Black Bean Chili with Cilantro Rice

Ingredients:

CHILI:

· 2 cans black beans

· 2 cans diced tomatoes

· 2 jalepeno peppers, minced

· One onion, chopped

· One pound cooked ground meat (optional)

· Chili powder to taste

· Salt and pepper

CILANTRO RICE

· 1 ½ c white rice

· 1 c chopped cilantro

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· Olive oil

Directions:

CHILI:

1. Put all ingredients (including juice from canned items) in a large stockpot; add more water if necessary

2. Simmer uncovered until chili is the thickness you like; I like thick chili and simmer mine for 2-3 hours

3. NOTE: if you opt to use dried beans instead of canned, make sure your beans are fully cooked and completely soft before mixing with tomatoes (I have cooked mine in a crockpot overnight). Otherwise the tomatoes prevent the beans from cooking and you will end up with crunchy beans that never get soft.

CILANTRO RICE:

1. Put cilantro, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend until it’s the consistency of pesto (keep adding a little more olive oil until you get it where you like it)

2. Mix cilantro paste in with your rice and cook rice using your preferred method

3. To serve, top cilantro rice with chili and eat either with a spoon or tortilla chips