Veggie Edamame Bowl

This delicious, colorful, and healthy bowl recipe is based on a recipe from EatingWell.  It can be made with quinoa (as in the photo) in place of the rice for variety.

Ingredients:

1.5 c. brown rice

rounded 3/4 t. salt, divided

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 20-oz bag frozen broccoli florets

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks

1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1.5 T. olive oil

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

2 c. frozen mukimame (shelled edamame)

your favorite vinaigrette

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, combine rice, 3 c. water, and 1/4 t. salt in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Stir lightly, then bring to a rolling boil.  Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 40 minutes or until tender but not mushy.

While the rice is cooking, toss the carrots, broccoli, bell pepper chunks, and onion wedges with the olive oil, a rounded 1/2 t. salt, and ground black pepper.  Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until the vegetables are tender (check the onions and carrots particularly) and browned in spots, 17 - 20 minutes.

While the vegetables and rice are cooking, bring 1/2 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the frozen mukimame, cover, and cook until just heated through.  Remove from heat and drain the water.

In each of 4 bowls, add 1/4 rice, 1/4 of the roasted vegetables, 1/4 of the mukimame, and vinaigrette to taste.

Serves 4.

Vegetable Rice Pilaf with Turmeric

This delicious veggie-studded pilaf has a satisfyingly crunchy texture.  It's based on a recipe (here) from One Green Planet.

Ingredients:

2 T. canola oil

1 small onion, diced

2 c. uncooked white rice

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 c. frozen cut green beans

1 c. diced or shredded carrot

1.5 t. ground turmeric

1 t. ground cumin

1 or 2 pinches cayenne pepper

2 t. ground sweet paprika

1 t. chili powder

1.5 t. salt (or to taste)

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t. ground coriander

4 c. water

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

juice of 1 juicy lemon

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved (I used yellow ones in the photo; they're not easy to see in the turmeric.)

1/2 c. unsalted, roasted cashews, chopped

Method:

In a stockpot, warm the canola oil over low heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.

Increase the heat to medium, and add the rice and garlic.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice starts to brown slightly.  Add the green beans, carrot, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and coriander.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook the pilaf for 15 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed and the rice is soft.

Add the chickpeas and cook for 5 additional minutes, until the water is completely absorbed.

Stir in the lemon juice.  Gently mix.  Stir in the tomatoes and cashews.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired.

Serves 4.

Burrito Bowl

This recipe kind of seems like I should have thought of some riff on this idea myself, but since I didn't, I'm thankful Southern Living magazine did.  I tweaked it to make it vegan and a little more "from scratch", but it's otherwise as they published it:  YUM!

Ingredients:
1 c. brown rice
2 1/2 c. water, divided
1 t. salt, divided
2 T. canola oil, divided
juice of a lime, divided 
3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and de-veined, minced
3 T. finely chopped onion
2 15-oz. cans black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 ears corn, shucked, de-silked, and kernels cut away from the cob
4 c. finely chopped romaine lettuce
2 ripe avocados, diced
4 T. vegan sour cream

Method:
Combine rice, 2 c. water, 1/4 t. salt, and 1 T. oil in a large saucepan with a lid.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 40 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Let rice stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, juice of 1/2 lime, and 1/4 t. salt.  Set aside.

Combine beans, remaining 1/2 c. water, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 t. salt in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium until beans are hot, about 5 minutes.  Remove heat and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 T. oil in a medium-size cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred (about 5 minutes).  Sprinkle with juice of remaining 1/2 lime and remaining 1/4 t. salt.

Divide rice, beans, corn, tomato mixture, lettuce, avocado, and sour cream between 4 wide, shallow bowls.  Serves 4.

Orange Tofu, Pepper, and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Another super yum recipe from Cooking Light magazine.  I added broccoli and sesame seeds and removed the sugar and cilantro, but the rest is mostly as they published it.

Be sure to take advance action on the tofu:  freezing it for 24 hours, then thawing before use, improves the texture.

 

Ingredients:

1.5 c. white basmati rice (Other rices are fine, but you may need to follow the package directions.  Basmati is my favorite white rice, so that's what I use for everything.)

 2 1/4 c. water

1 1/4 t. salt, divided

1/4 c. + 1 T. + 1 t. canola oil, divided

1 14-oz. package extra-firm Chinese-style (not the silken type) tofu 

6 T. cornstarch, divided

1 c. fresh orange juice (from about 2 juicy oranges)

6 T. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu (NOTE:  If it is important that this dish is gluten-free, check the sauce.)

2 T. unseasoned rice vinegar

1 thinly sliced onion

2 green bell peppers, seeded, de-veined, and chopped (The photo has it sliced, but chopped works better.)

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and chopped

1 orange bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and chopped

20-oz. bag frozen broccoli

2 T. thinly sliced garlic

1 t. grated orange rind

1 t. crushed red pepper

2 T. sesame seeds 

Method:

Rinse the rice under cool water until the water runs clean.  In a large saucepan with a lid, bring the water, 1/4 t. salt, and 1 t. oil to a boil.  Add the rice, stir lightly, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off heat.  Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, squeeze as much water as possible out of the tofu block, and cut the tofu into 1/2-inch pieces.  Combine the tofu with 1/4 c. cornstarch in a medium bowl.  Toss so that the tofu is covered in the cornstarch.  Heat 3 T. oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with deep sides.  Add tofu to the pan, and cook about 8 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pan.

Combine remaining 2 T. cornstarch, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining 1 t. salt in a bowl.  Heat remaining 2 T. oil in the pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, bell peppers, and broccoli, and cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the garlic, orange rind, and crushed red pepper and cook, still stirring, until everything is tender but with a slight crunch.  Add the orange juice mixture, and bring to a boil.  Stir in the tofu, and remove from heat.

Serve the tofu stir-fry over the cooked rice, topping each serving with 1/2 T. sesame seeds.

Serves 4.

Mulligatawny Risotto

Outstanding recipe from Vegetarian Today (formerly Vegetarian Times) magazine!  We had it with their coconut-crusted tofu on the side, but it would be perfectly fine with beans.

 

Ingredients:

2 c. vegetable broth
1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
1/2 c. diced bell pepper
1/4 c. diced onion
2 t. minced fresh garlic
2 t. minced fresh ginger
2 t. minced fresh jalapeno
3 T. olive oil
1.5 c. dry Arborio rice (Be sure to get this specific type of rice, which gives risotto its creamy texture.)
1 T. curry powder
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 c. fresh spinach, chopped
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1 T. vegan margarine
1/2 t. salt

Method:
Simmer broth and coconut milk in a saucepan over low heat.

Sauté bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno in oil over medium heat until soft, 3 - 4 minutes.  Stir in the rice, curry powder, and red pepper flakes.  Cook 1 - 2 minutes.

Add wine, and simmer, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed (about 2 minutes).  Stir in 1/2 cup of broth mixture, and simmer until completely absorbed.  Continue adding broth mixture in 1/2-cup increments, stirring frequently and adding more broth only after previous addition is absorbed.  This takes about 15 minutes.  The rice should be firm, but not chalky or chewy in the center of the grain.

Remove from heat.  Stir in spinach, tomatoes, apple, butter, and salt.

Serves 3 - 4.

Braised Cabbage with Red Beans

This lovely recipe is another barely modified dish from Donna Klein's book The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen.  It's got a creamy, soft taste, and it's easy enough for a weeknight.  Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.

Ingredients:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 - 3/4 head shredded green cabbage (enough for about 8 c.)
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. arborio rice (It's important to use this specific variety of rice for this dish.)
salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Method:
In a medium stockpot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 10 minutes).

*

Add the cabbage and 1 c. broth, tossing to combine.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring a few times.  Add the remaining broth, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the rice, salt (I used 3/4 t.), and pepper.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed (15 - 20 minutes).

*

Add the beans and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until heated through (about 5 minutes).  Serve warm.
*

Serves 4.

Red Beans and Rice

This refreshingly interesting but still vegetarian version of red beans and rice came from none other than Southern Living magazine, so you know it's tasty!  Serve the dish with a pot of greens, and you're good to go.

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried red kidney beans
1 T. Creole seasoning
1 t. smoked paprika
1 vegetable boullion cube
salt, to taste
3 c. uncooked long-grain rice
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
garnish:  sliced green onions

Place the beans in a Dutch oven, add water to cover 2 inches above the beans.  Bring to a boil.  Boil 1 minute, cover, remove from heat, and soak 1 hour.  Drain.

Stir the Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, boullion cube, and beans into 7 c. water in a Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 - 1.5 hours or until the beans are tender.  Season with salt to taste.  (I usually use a scant tablespoon for a pound of beans.)

While the beans are cooking:
1.  Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. Saute the celery, bell peppers, onion, and garlic in the olive oil 6 - 8 minutes or until tender.

Stir the sauteed vegetables into the beans, and serve over the cooked rice.  Garnish with sliced green onions.

Mexican Rice

Here's a tasty Mexican rice dish from Rick Bayless's seminal cookbook Authentic Mexican, which I bought because I loved Mr. Bayless's PBS series "Mexico:  One Plate At A Time".

This recipe is easy enough for Scott to make.  I know, because he's the one who made it!  Of course, we made a slight modification (which we usually do) to suit my vegetarian diet and our busy lives.

Enjoy! 

 

Ingredients:

1.5 T. canola oil

1 c. long- or medium-grain rice (We use whatever we have at the time.  The dish in the photo was made with basmati rice.)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 ripe, medium-small tomato

1.5 c. vegetable broth

salt (about 1/2 t. if using salted broth or 1 t. if using unsalted broth)

1.5 c. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (We used one with peas, carrots, corn, and green beans.)

Method:

About 40 minutes before serving, heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until both are lightly browned (7 - 10 minutes).  Mix in the garlic and cook another minute longer.

While the rice is frying, puree the tomato in a blender or food processor.  Also, pour the broth into a small pan, add the salt, and bring just to a simmer.

Add the pureed tomato to the browned rice and cook for a minute, stirring several times.  Add the simmering broth, stir the rice, and scrape down the sides of the pot.  Cover and reduce the heat to medium low.  Cook 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, 5 - 10 minutes until the grains are tender but not splayed.

While the rice is cooking, warm the mixed vegetables with a small amount of water in a separate small pan.

When the rice is ready, fluff the grains with a fork.  Drain the vegetables, and stir into the rice.  Serve warm.

Serves 4.

Creole Black-Eyed Peas

 Remember when Scott and I went to NOLA for his birthday (see post here)?  I was so impressed by the food at The Gumbo Shop that I bought their cookbook at a lovely little cookbook shop (called Kitchen Witch) in the French Quarter.

The Gumbo Shop is one of the few places in NOLA I've found where I can get local flavor that's vegetarian.  The food there is good.  I finally got around to making one of their recipes from the cookbook last week, so I'm sharing it with you here.  I've adjusted the seasoning only slightly.  The dish is served over steamed rice, so prepare that when the time is right.

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas

2 qts. water

1 bay leaf

1/4 c. olive oil

1 3/4 c. finely chopped onion

1 1/4 c. finely chopped yellow bell pepper

3/4 c. finely chopped shallot

1 T. minced garlic

1/2 t. freshly-ground black pepper (or more, to taste)

1/4 t. cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)

1/2 t. sage

1/2 t. thyme

1 1/2 c. celery, sliced into 1/2-inch slices

1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

2 t. salt (or more or less, to taste)

1 1/2 t. Balsalmic vinegar

1 1/2 t. Tabasco sauce (or more or less, to taste)

1/3 c. sliced green onions (green and white parts)

Method:

Sort through the dried peas, removing any small rocks or other foreign objects, then rinse the peas well.  Place them in a large pot, cover with the water, and soak in the fridge for at least 8 hrs.

Set the pot over medium heat, add the bay leaf, and slowly bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet, add the chopped onions, peppers, garlic, and shallots, and sauté until lightly brown.  (Use the stick and scrape method:  let the vegetables brown and somewhat stick to the bottom of the pan, then scrape them off and incorporate the brown scrapings into the dish.)  Add the black pepper, cayenne pepper, sage, thyme, celery, and carrots, and sauté for 5 minutes.  Stir the entire contents of the skillet into the pot of simmering peas and continue cooking until the peas, celery, and carrots are tender.

Add the salt, vinegar, Tabasco, and green onions and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.  Adjust the seasoning and serve over white rice.  Greens or spinach make a nice side dish.

Serves 6 - 8.



Cajun Rice Pilaf

Here's another dish I got from The Food Network magazine.  There recipe called for pork and sausage, but it was fine without the meat. As you can see, I served it with crowder peas, collard greens, and cornbread for an excellent meal.

 

 

 

Ingredients:
1 c. wild rice blend
2 T. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 T. fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 t. tried thyme)
1 t. Cajun seasoning
1 large paste tomato, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
salt, to taste

Method:
Cook the wild rice according to pkg directions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the bell pepper, celery, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 7 minutes.  Add Cajun seasoning, the cooked rice, the chopped tomato, and the chopped scallions and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes or until heated through.  Season with salt, to taste.

Serves 2 - 4 as a side dish.

Herbed Rice

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart's Living magazine.  Although the thought of putting that much cilantro on anything does not turn me on and the thought of putting peppermint on rice is about equal in its attractiveness to me, something told me to give it a whirl.  And, of course, it works.  This rice is very fresh tasting, and it goes well with Asian-inspired or Middle-Eastern-inspired foods.

Ingredients:

1 2/3 c. water

1/2 c. packed fresh cilantro

1/4 c. packed fresh mint (I used peppermint.)

2 T. minced onion

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 T. olive or canola oil

1 c. jasmine rice

1 t. salt

Method:

Purée the water, cilantro, mint, onion, and garlic in a blender until smooth.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Add the jasmine rice, and stir to coat.  Cook until slightly toasted, 1 - 2 minutes.  Add the herb purée and salt.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand - still covered - for 10 minutes.  The herbs will have floated to the top of the rice.  Use a fork to evenly distribute the herbs into the rice and to fluff the rice.  Serve immediately.

Tofu Gumbo

Monday night I FINALLY made that recipe for a vegan tart I've been going on about since Christmas, and you know what? It was awful. Who posts a recipe for an awful, awful dish? I couldn't even get half of my slice of tart down. Luckily, Scott found it palatable enough to keep from wasting it, but I did not!

The good news is that I'm going to share a delicious tofu gumbo recipe with you. A couple of weeks ago, I reached into the freezer case at the market to grab a bag of field peas, and when I got home, the field peas had morphed into a bag of frozen okra. I don't really cook with okra, but I remembered that a few years ago I'd saved a Kwanzaa menu (with recipes) that was published in Vegetarian Times that included tofu gumbo. Sometimes I'll keep a recipe for years before it fits into my scheme. I made THAT recipe tonight, and it was delicious. As is often the case, I didn't make it exactly the way the recipe read, so I'm going to share it with you the way I made it. Here goes!

Ingredients:
3 T. plus 1/4 c. canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced (ribs and seeds removed, of course)
1 -2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, with packing juice
1 T. fresh thyme
1 T. fresh oregano
2 T. fresh basil
2 bay leaves
2 c. vegan vegetable stock
1 t. salt
freshly ground pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, and tumeric, to taste
4 oz. frozen okra
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, water squeezed out, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I usually freeze my tofu when I buy it at the store and let it thaw the day I'm going to use it. This changes the texture favorably.)
NOTE: I served this over white rice, so you should also get some white rice ready to cook.

Method:
You’ll need 1 large skillet and one medium-to-large nonstick skillet.

Heat 1 T. canola oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery, pepper, and garlic until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are soft. This takes about 10 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes, the thyme, the oregano, the basil, the bay leaves, the stock, the salt, a generous grinding of black pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat 2 T. canola oil in the nonstick skillet. Sauté the okra until lightly browned. (I sautéed it for a couple of minutes, then I moved all the okra to the middle of the pan and let it cook until the bottom was lightly brown.) Remove the okra from the nonstick skillet.

NOTE: This is where I started cooking rice according to package instructions.

In the same nonstick skillet, add the tofu. Sprinkle the tofu with a generous grinding of black pepper, cayenne to taste, a couple of shakes of dry mustard, and a couple of shakes of tumeric. Sauté until it, too, is lightly browned. (I did the same thing I did to the okra, but I browned the tofu cubes on 2 sides.) Remove the tofu from the nonstick skillet.

In the same nonstick skillet, heat the remaining ¼ c. canola oil. Whisk in the ½ c. all-purpose flour, and continue heating until the mixture smells nutty (3 or 4 minutes). Stir this mixture (called the roux, unless you are Cajun or Creole, and then I apologize for any inauthenticity) 1 T. at a time into the tomato mixture until it creates a gravy-like texture. Remove the bay leaves and discard.  Stir in the okra and tofu.

I served the dish over white rice with some awesome white sesame-seeded bread and vegan butter. Scott drank his homebrewed beer, and I had a glass of red wine, then green tea. I wish I weren't full, because I'd love to eat some more! The recipe served about 4 as a main dish.

Mushroom Risotto

This is my adapted version of a recipe from Martha Stewart's Living magazine. It's an elegant, impressive dish that would be perfect for a romantic dinner (I'm talking to you, lover!) or an intimate dinner party. It would do well served with a romaine salad, crusty European bread, and a bottle of wine.

1/2 c. pine nuts
1/2 c. fresh basil - Dried herbs will not work for this recipe.
1/2 c. fresh parsley - Dried herbs will not work for this recipe. You can omit the parsley and use 1 full c. of fresh basil instead.
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 t. salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 c. and 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups arborio rice - This is an expensive rice, but it cooks to a creamy risotto. It is the traditional risotto rice.
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 c. dry white wine, like Chardonnay
5 1/2 c. vegetable broth (I used vegetable boullion.)

1. Toast the nuts by placing them in a small, nonstick skillet over medium heat. They should be in a single layer. Shake the pan around while toasting to move the nuts across the surface and prevent burning. When you begin to smell the nuts (just a few minutes), they are ready. Remove them from the heat.
2. Make the pesto by first pulsing the nuts in a food processor until they are coarsely ground, then adding the herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process until everything is ground. Pour the oil in while the machine is running until everything is puréed. Set aside.
3. Bring the rice, mushrooms, wine, and 2 c. of broth to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid has been absorbed. This takes about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue this cycle with 1/2 c. of broth at a time: add broth, cook and stir until the liquid is absorbed, add broth, cook and stir, etc. It will take 20 - 25 minutes to get all liquid absorbed. Once all liquid has been cooked in, remove the risotto from the heat. Stir about 1/2 of the pesto (more if you like) into the risotto, then serve the risotto immediately, topped with the remaining pesto.

Cuban Black Beans

This is adapted from a recipe my friend Elaine gave me. I am not sure what cookbook she may have gotten it from. She has advised me that my topping of fresh tomatoes is not properly Cuban. If you want to be authentic, Elaine says to top with chopped fresh white onion. Thank you, Elaine!

1 lb. dried black beans
1 T. salt
2 T. plus 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, deseeded and deveined, chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 bay leaves
1 T. dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 c. prepared white rice (Ok to use brown if you're taking better care of yourself!)
chopped fresh tomatoes to garnish

1. Wash the beans well after picking through them to remove any stones. Put the beans in acovered pot with the salt and 2 T. olive oil and water to cover. Soak 8 hours or overnight.
2. Simmer beans in the same water. Add bay leaves, oregano, and ground pepper. Cook until tendter, 1.5 - 2 hours. Stir very little to avoid breaking the skins on the beans. Add additional water as they are cooking, if necessary. Cook the rice during this time so that it's ready to go when the beans are.
3. Sauté onion, peppers, and garlic in the remaining 2 T. olive oil until soft. Stir these into the finished beans. Remove the bay leaves.
4. Serve the beans over the cooked rice. Garnish with chopped tomatoes.

Vegetarian Paella

(This is a vegan dish I tweaked from a Peta's The Compassionate Cook cookbook...Is that how you spell tweak? Anyway...) This dish has a long list of ingredients, but it's very easy to make, and the result looks more wow-y than you expect. It's a rich yellow color!

I usually serve it with refried beans and tortilla chips.

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
2 cups boiling water
1 T. canola or olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 green bell pepper, sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 cups vegetable broth (or water if need be)
1 t. salt
1 T. paprika
1 t. turmeric
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (although I have just dumped a drained can of chopped tomatoes in when I didn't have any fresh)
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
1 small jar chopped or sliced pimentos (optional)

Method:
Mix the rice and boiling water, and let stand for 20 minutes. Then, pour off the water.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and sauté another 3 minutes. Add the rice and broth (or water), bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the salt, paprika, and turmeric. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes (but check after about 15...different varieties of rice cook at different speeds).

Once the rice is tender, stir in the tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Turn out onto a serving dish and garnish with pimentos, if using.