Sexy Salsa, Bitchin' Beans & Rice

I love fresh homemade salsa. OMG. I yearn to have a deck, just so I can sit out on it in the summer and drink margarita's, and eat chips and fresh salsa. It's my dream, ok?

So, no deck yet, but damn, I do make a fine salsa. And what better to go with the delicious salsa than lovely beans and rice. Denise LOVES my beans and rice. And so does our friend Kerry. Whenever she comes over I like to make beans and rice and chocolate saucy cake (that will follow). She isn't vegan, but likes my cooking which makes me happy.

Often Denise will ask what we are having for supper hoping I'll say beans and rice. I do like it, but she likes it more than I do.

Sexy Salsa

1/2 onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 green pepper
3 tomatoes
1 small jalapeño
1 small lime (2 tlbs)
1 tsp sea salt

Chop everything except the lime into small-ish chunks and dump into the food processor and add the salt. Blend till nice salsa like consistency, cut the lime in half and use your wooden reamer to get the juice out and into the bowl of the processor and blend a second more. Done!

Now, if you have time, pop into a container or jar and stick in the fridge. It's nice to let the flavors blend a bit, but it's also good straight out of the processor. Yum!

Bitchin' Beans & Rice

1 cup brown rice

1 tsp canola oil
1/2 onion, chopped
5 mushrooms, chopped
1 540 ml can of tomatoes, diced
2 340 ml cans kidney beans
1 340 ml can black beans
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chipotle chili pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Cook the brown rice according to package directions. Set aside.

While rice is cooking, in a large- ish pot or pan, sauté the onion and mushrooms in the canola oil till onions are translucent. Add canned tomatoes and the beans (they should also be rinsed and drained, the beans, that is). Add seasonings and simmer on medium heat till the beans start to split open, usually 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When beans are beginning to split, and it's all done simmering, get a potato masher ( I use the one that is like a circle with holes in it, very effective) and mash those bad beans. If anyone made you angry today, mash that mofo away!

Once it is all mashed, or as much as you feel like mashing, you are done. Put you rice on first, then your beans, then any other fixings you would like. We like Tofutti sour cream and well as the salsa.

Enjoy. Ole.