2 cups brown rice
4 cups vegetable broth or stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic
12 ounces fresh, deli-style salsa (I love La Mexicana)
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chilli powder
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 tablespoon mesquite grill seasoning
2 tablespoons + a dash vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1. Cook the brown rice in the vegetable broth according to package directions, and set aside. Add the olive oil to a large frying pan on high heat until it ripples, turn heat down to medium and add beans, onion, and garlic.
2. Saute until beans are splitting, and onion is translucent; add salsa now. After the bean mixture has heated through, add rice and mix thoroughly. Turn heat to low and add all spices, Worcestershire, and sugar now.
3. Stir until mixture us a uniform color and heated through. Serve in bowls, nom away!
This recipe is easily customizable by halving or doubling ingredients, getting lower or higher heat salsas, or eating with vegan cream cheese, sour cream, etc. The salsa must be a fresh deli salsa, or it wont taste quite right. (not pico, most groceries have there own version of fresh salsa in the deli section along with other products made daily / weekly / whatever.).
Source of recipe: I am newly vegetarian, but a born Cajun, and red beans and rice are an essential part of any Southern girl's arsenal. Being a vegetarian just gave me an excuse to perfect my recipe. Its sweet, smoky, with a little bite; I hope you like it!