Caribbean Coconut Black Beans and Vegetables over Brown Rice
Caribbean Coconut Black Beans and Vegetables over brown rice. Healthy, full of vegetables and full of flavor.
It's the new year, and after all of the heavy eating over the holidays I'm ready to start eating healthy.
This dish is first in a series entitled, Healthy Vegetarian Mains.
For more pictures and info go over to The Alchemist.
Caribbean Coconut Black Beans and Vegetables Over Rice
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Ingredients
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2, 14 oz cans black beans drained and rinsed
1, 14 or 15 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1, 14 oz can coconut milk, I used regular, you can use light if you prefer
2 tablespoons olive oil (or another neutral oil of your choice)
one large onion cut in medium chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
one large red bell pepper cut in medium chunks
2 cups peeled and diced winter squash such as, pumpkin, butternut squash, etc. Or you can substitute diced yams, sweet potatoes or yellow potatoes
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tsp-2 tsp.(depending on how spicy you like it) cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp to 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) for heat if you like it spicy (I don't add these at all)
salt to taste
rice
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Directions
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Cook some rice on the stove, as it's simmering on the stove, start the rest, when the rice is done set aside.
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In a large skillet on medium high heat, add the oil and saute the onion and bell pepper and until they soften a bit, 5 minutes or so. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, the spices, the brown sugar and the squash or potatoes, and add some salt. Turn the heat down to medium, cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the squash or potatoes are almost done, (tender, but still have a bite to them). When doing this, the pumpkin I was using let out some moisture, so the moisture from the tomatoes and the pumpkin, was enough moisture in the pan for them to cook sufficiently. If you are using potatoes, you may need to add a small amount of water, 1/2 cup ish.
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Uncover and add the beans and the coconut milk. Turn up the heat to medium high, warm the whole thing up, taste for seasonings, add more cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want it spicier, and add salt if you need to, make sure the vegetables are cooked enough for your liking and serve over rice.