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

Lebanese Lentil & Rice Pilaf with Blackened Onions

Ingredients:

· 4 T olive oil

· 1 medium onion, chopped

· 3 garlic cloves, minced

· 2 t cumin

· ¾ t cinnamon

· ½ t allspice

· 2 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth

· ¾ c dried lentils

· ¾ c white rice

· 2 large onions, sliced

· 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges

· 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into rounds

· Plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Heat 2 T oil in large skillet over medium-high heat

2. Add chopped onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and allspice; sauté until onion softens, about 4 minutes

3. Add broth and lentils; bring to a boil

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 10 minutes

5. Stir in rice; return to a boil

6. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes longer

7. Meanwhile, heat 2 T oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat

8. Add sliced onions; sauté until soft and beginning to blacken, about 20 minutes

9. Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper

10. Top pilaf with tomato wedges and cucumber slices arranged around perimeter of skillet; add blackened onions to center, with a dollop of yogurt on top