Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 4 cans dark red kidney beans
• 1 yellow onion or 1/2 white large onion, chopped finely
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
• Quick cook rice for 4
• 2 teaspoon olive oil or bean liquid

Directions:

Open and drain all four cans of beans. Do not
rinse. Conserve a few spoonfuls of bean liquid.
Set aside.

(Note, you may want to begin preparing rice at
this point)

In a large frying pan or saucepan, heat oil or
bean liquid. Add onion. Saute until just
beginning to brown. Add beans one can at a time,
stirring to mix onion evenly with beans.
Add taco seasoning. Mix well until all taco
seasoning is dissolved. Cook for several minutes
on med-low heat. Serve over rice.

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: approx. 20 minutes

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• Lentils – as much as you’d like to eat
• Water – twice as much water as you have lentils
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – a couple spoonfuls
• Sage – as much as suits your taste (enough to make lentils “sagey”)
• Salt – enough to suit your taste
• Herbs of other types – as much as you like

Directions:

Rinse lentils and put them in a pot. Add water.
Toss in the olive oil, sage, and salt. Cook for 40
minutes and taste. If you prefer, add more sage,
olive oil, and/or salt.

Mmm, lentils are good with sage.

Serves: 1 – lots

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 1 cup canned or pre-cooked black-eyed peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced and lightly sauteed in olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

Mash black-eyed peas with a fork. Add garlic,
cumin and spices. Blend until combined. Add
more spices, salt and pepper to taste. Use in
sandwiches or as a dip for vegetables or chips.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 2 cups rice
• 1 1/2 cups water (for rice)
• 1/2 Unchicken broth or other yellow vegetable broth
• 1/2 water (for beans)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 portabella mushroom, slice cap, chop end
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 can black beans
• 4 good shakes Spike seasoning (or to taste)
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1/2 – 1 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes (soft but dry kind)
• 4 good squirts of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions, except
use some Unchicken Broth or yellow vegetable
broth in place of some of the water. This gives
more flavor and nutrition to the rice. And
besides the golden yellow color makes a nice
backdrop for the bean mixture.
Sauté mushroom in water and olive oil until
mushrooms release their own liquid (a few
minutes). Continue cooking until mushrooms are
softened and have a wet/ somewhat soggy look. Add
Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and cornstarch to mushroom
broth, stir. Add black beans, peas, sun dried
tomatoes and cook for 5-8 more minutes until
broth is thick. You want the broth to be like
gravy so if it gets too dry add some water.

Serve bean mixture over rice. I thought this up
one night and it was delicious and easy to boot!
No more having to rely on store bought packages
of seasoned rice and beans! Yum.

Serves: 3

Preparation time: 30 min +/-

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 3 tablespoon olive oil (only the finest will do)
• 1 chopped onion (yellow or red)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1 cup lentils (I like using reds because they smush more and cook faster but brown taste great too)
• 1 cup brown rice
• steamed chard or
• fresh salad greens

• salt (even if you never use salt – this an important authentic Arabian ingredient)

Directions:

(Enjedra is phonetic spelling – I’ve only heard it spoken!)

Heat olive oil, add onion and cumin seed. Cook until onions are really delicious looking -nearly carmelized – about 10 minutes.

Add washed lentils (don’t be lazy about washing) and rice and 2 cups of water (2 1/2 cups if you’re using brown lentils). Cover and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let cook til fluffy, about 30 minutes (maybe 45 for brown lentils) and all water has been absorbed.

Serve over greens with a pinch of salt. Arabian soul food… ah!

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 45 min