Rice and Beans

So one night Drew wasn't home, and I was being lazy, but didn't want to do fast food.  So I had seen a picture earlier in the day for red beans and rice.  I looked at a few recipes on the internet and this is what I decided on.  Though my recipe was MUCH easier than this one.  I also saw coconut added in lots of recipes--hmmm maybe I'll try it one time.  The funny thing is a few days later I was looking at Moriah's health book and saw a picture of red beans and rice and it said that red beans and rice mixed together has all the essential nine amino acids, and is a good source of protein.  Who knew?--I was cooking something healthy!  This should probably be a side, but only if you feel like it.

All I did was put some olive oil in a pan chop up a green onion and add 1 clove fresh minced garlic.  I let that cook a minute then added the beans.  ( I used black beans.)  Once they were warm, and they smelled so yummy with the garlic, I just put in some fritos (to get me kids to eat it), then some rice and then topped it with beans.  I thought later that corn would be good mixed in as well, even chicken if I wasn't being lazy.
The coconut red beans and rice recipe was over at Crazy Daisy and the recipe follows this one in case I ever want to try it.

Red Beans and Rice

2007, Robert Irvine

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade and minced
1 large red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and small diced
2 (1-pound) cans red kidney beans
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup white rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Saute garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper until tender. Stir in kidney beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer slowly while you cook the rice.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil and stir in rice and butter. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Fold rice and beans gently together and transfer to a serving dish. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Black Beans and Rice, by Crazy Daisy

1 (14 oz.) can non-condensed chicken broth or chicken bouillon made equal

1/2 cup coconut

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 (15 oz.) can black beans

1/2 cup sliced green onion

In medium saucepan, combine broth, coconut, and butter and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans and onions, cover and cook for five minutes or until liquid is absorbed.