Green Rice Pilaf

This is a great cleansing meal...filling and chock full of healthy goodness. You can always add some beans or meat to make it a heartier meal or serve it as a side. 

Green Rice Pilaf

3 cups diced veggies (I used mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, green onions, celery and carrot)

1 cup brown rice

3 1/2 cup water or stock

2 large handfuls of fresh herbs (I used parsley, cilantro and 1 green onion)

5 oz container of fresh spinach

4 cloves of garlic minced

juice from one lemon

1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pinenuts

olive oil

salt 

pepper

Dice up your veggies and mince your garlic, saving one clove for the greens

Cook rice according to directions using water or stock. I toasted my rice first.

 Place spinach, herbs, lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, and 1 garlic clove into a food processor

Add about 1/4 cup water or stock

 Drizzle in 2-3 T of oil while processing

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Throw in the veggies and garlic and saute for 10-15 minutes until tender.

 Once the rice is done, mix into the veggies and add the pureed herbs and greens. Cook on medium low until any excess liquid has cooked off.

Top with toasted nuts and grated lemon zest. Enjoy!

Pinto Beans

What makes these beans so good??? A little bacon!!! Meat is my least favorite of the food groups and isn't a staple in my cooking...with the exception of bacon! I LOVE bacon and a little bit goes a long way for flavor. I usually buy Applegate Sunday bacon which is my favorite of the organic, nitrate free bacons on the market. Of course you can skip the bacon in this recipe and still end up with some good beans, but the bacon really does give these beans that little extra.

Pinto Beans 

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 can pinto beans undrained

1/2 onion minced

2-4 large garlic cloves minced

3 slices bacon (preferably organic and nitrate free)

1 t cumin

1 T oregano

sprinkle of shredded cheddar or jack cheese

sprinkle of cotija cheese

Directions:

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat then chop and set aside. Save 1-2 T bacon fat and add onions. Saute for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add in the garlic and saute another 30 seconds or so. Add the can of undrained beans or you can rinse them and just add a 1/2 cup of water or so. Add the cumin and oregano and a little salt. Cook on medium low for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Preheat the Broiler. Partially mash the beans with a potato masher. You may need to add a little more water to get a creamy consistency.  Add in the chopped bacon, put in an oven safe dish, sprinkle with cheeses and throw under the broiler until cheese is golden and bubbly.