Monday, August 2, 2010

First Post!!

Ok, so based on the suggestions of friends, family, and one handsome boyfriend, I have decided to start a vegan cooking blog. 

Since I have been overwhelmingly busy these past few weeks finishing and defending my thesis, writing lectures for my summer course, and doing a HUGE project for my former professor-current mentor I have not been taking many food photos.

So, this first post will just be a description--sans photo--of what I am eating today. 

Given that I am spending upwards of 7 hours per day in the UT library doing this project, I need food that travels well, doesn't taste horribly soggy and gross after sitting in my purse for 3 hours, and reheats quickly so I can go back to the project.

My solution??? Red beans and rice.

I ordered Bryant Terry's Vegan Soul Kitchen (a-freakin-mazing, by the way) and decided that the red beans and rice would be a slightly different version of my old stand by, gallo pinto. The original called for red-wine simmered seitan (which sounds totes delicious, but would mean that I would have had to go out and buy red wine and seitan last night, which after staring at a computer and copy-and-pasting for 6 hours I just wasn't down with). So, it's just rice and beans--just delicious rice and beans, that is!

Here's the rundown of the ingredients:

--2 c. cooked rice (I used anatto-infused oil to add some nice color to mine).
--1 1/2 c. cooked red beans (cooking method below)
-- 3 cloves minced garlic
--1 c. diced green bell pepper
-- 1 diced serrano chili, seeds removed
--salt and pepper to taste
--red pepper flakes
--cumin
--1/4 (or more) cup of either bean liquid or stock (use stock if using canned beans)

Cooking the Beans:

1. Dump as many sorted dry red beans (kidney, small red beans, wevs) into a large pot. 
2. Add 1 strip of kombu and 2 bay leaves and add cold water (enough to cover the beans by at least 4-5 inches).
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer, on med-low to med. heat for about 1 hour, or until beans are soft and much on the roof of your mouth when placed on your tongue.
4. Drain the beans, remove the kombu and bay and save the bean cooking liquid*.

*trust me, it's not like that salty yuck-fest that comes along w/most canned beans. It adds nice flavor to dishes and should definitely be saved!

For the rice and beans:

1. In a large skillet or saucepan, saute the garlic in 3 tbs. of oil (the original recipe calls for olive, I used peanut, use whatever you like) until the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds)
2. Add the peppers and spices (note: the original calls for diced onion, but my roomie is allergic so I generally leave it out--it adds great flavor and I totally recommend chopping/dicing one large onion and adding it to this dish)
3. Add the spices and saute for around 5-7 minutes (you may need to add a little bit of water if it starts to stick). 
4. Add the cooked rice and beans and anywhere from 1/4-1/2 c. of either vegetable stock or bean cooking liquid. Heat until warmed through (between 5-7 minutes)
Eat up and Enjoy!

Since rice and beans stays well in the refrigerator for days, and carries easily in purses and bags to the library, it is perfect! Plus, it has whole grains, iron, fiber and peppery-goodness. What more can one ask for? I know I love rice and beans probably far more than the next vegan (or non-vegan for that matter), but this is still yummy, healthy, convenient and CHEAP!

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