Recipe#12876

Title: Black Beans Rice

Article: 6775 of rec.food.recipes 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 From: wardk@cse.ogi.edu (Karen Ward) 
 Subject: Black Beans and Brown Rice with a mild Salsa 
 Message-ID: <61978@ogicse.ogi.edu> 
 Date: 22 Nov 93 21:50:19 GMT 

Makes 2 lunch-sized servings, approx 400-450 calories each
 (My own recipe, although not particularly innovative)
 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
 1.5 cup water (or as directed on rice package)
 pinch salt, if desired
 1-15-oz can black beans (cooked)
 dash-1/8 tsp black pepper
 1/8-1/4 tsp ground oregano
 1/8-1/4 tsp ground cumin
 1 oz low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
 1 large or 2 small ripe tomatoes, chopped
 1 green onion, minced
 2-4 sprigs fresh cilantro
 Cook rice as directed on package.  If no directions, rinse rice
 thoroughly, place in small pan with water and salt (optional).
 Heat on high until boiling, then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and
 cook for 40 minutes.  Turn heat off, let rice sit for 5 minutes,
 remove cover and fluff with a fork.
 Empty black beans into microwaveable bowl.  Stir in spices (start
 with the smaller amounts, then increase to taste).  Bring beans to
 simmer in microwave.  While rice cooks, let sit to blend flavors.
 Wash and chop tomatoes, mince onion.  Wash cilantro, strip leaves
 off, tear/crush the leaves and add them to the tomato and onion.
 Mix.  While rice cooks, let sit to blend flavors.
 Grate cheese.
 (At this point, everything may be placed in the refrigerator for
 later reheating, if desired.)
 Divide rice in half, and spread each half onto a medium-sized plate.
 Divide beans in half, and spread each half over the rice.  If rice
 and beans are cold (e.g., were in the 'fridge), heat in microwave
 before adding cheese.   Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over
 each plate, return plate to microwave briefly (15-20 seconds) to
 melt the cheese.
 Top with salsa immediately before eating.