Black Bean & Rice Skillet Dinner

I got this recipe from a friend and majorly tweaked not only the amount of, and type of, the ingredients but also how it is prepared.  I love how easy and fast this recipe comes together.  All my boys love this dish! If you need to stretch this dish to feed a couple more people, serve it in whole wheat tortillas as a burrito.

Black Bean & Rice Skillet Dinner

Serves 4-6

Active time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes (with cooking rice)

Total time: 50 minutes

Serving Suggestions:  Eat this in a bowl or on a whole wheat tortilla topped with salsa (opt), with a green vegetable or salad as a side.  

What you'll need:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups vegetable broth OR water
• 1 TBLS olive oil
• ¾ cup diced onion
• 2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
• 2 cups thinly sliced yellow squash
• 1 8oz package sliced white mushrooms
• salt to taste (if your broth is full sodium, I suggest not adding salt here)
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• red pepper to taste if you want a kick (1/4 tsp)
• 1 14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14oz can butter beans OR chickpeas OR canellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup shredded cheese (opt)
• 4-6 whole wheat tortillas (opt)
• Salsa (opt)

What you'll do:

• Start by cooking your rice.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms and saute 10 minutes until vegetables are soft and onion is translucent.  To help this along, cover the skillet and stir every so often to prevent sticking.
• Add salt and cumin to vegetables and stir for a couple minutes.
• Add beans, finished rice, and cheese (if using) and heat through.  

Time Tip:

• Pre-cook the rice so the whole meal only takes 20 minutes to put together!