Day 6: Vegetable Curry with Brown Rice and Black Beans

     I went to Trader Joe's today to get a few things I needed for dinner tonight and for the first time realized my illusion that Trader Joe's is more expensive then a big chain grocery store was wrong! When going through the isles I started looking at prices and realized alot of their products were over 20% cheaper than were I normally shop at Ralph's! I initially noticed the difference when I saw that Trader Joe's organic bananas were only $0.22 each compared Ralphs' non organically grown bananas that were over $0.60 a piece. Also as I went down another isle looking for my soy protein powder I noticed that their "whey protein powder" (the exact same brand that Ralph's carries) was over $2 dollars cheaper than Ralph's! I must say that was a pleasant surprise.

    After returning from the grocery store I tried a new recipe and made a vegetable curry over brown rice with black beans for dinner. I must say after trying this dish this has to be, by far, the best vegan dish I have had yet!

Brown rice and Black Beans

1 cup Black Beans

1 cup Brown rice

Water
Olive oil
Salt

  Step 1: Let the beans soak in water overnight in 4 cups of water. In the morning rinse well. Add three cups of water to a large pot and bring to boil. Once the water is boiling add the beans and bring down to a simmer. Simmer gently with lid tilted until desired tenderness is reached, in approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours.
   
   Alternative method: If you have a crock pot cook the beans with enough water so the beans are covered by an inch or two, and add a teaspoon of salt. Cook at the low 8 hour setting and at the 4 hour mark add another teaspoon of salt, stir the beans, and check to see how cooked they are. You do not have to cook them for the full 8 hours but have a few options; you can cook them for 5 hours for al dente beans (which are good for soups), 6 hours which is more for ready to eat beans, or 7 hours which gives you very soft beans.

  Step 2: Combine 1 cup of rice and 2 ¼ cups of water in a pot and bring to boil. Once it is boiling reduce to medium heat and cover. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes or until water is absorbed. Once the rice is done fluff with a fork. (or just cook with a rice cooker)

  Step 3: When the beans are done cook them on a sauce pan for a few minutes while mixing in some olive oil. When both the rice and beans are done pour the beans with any left over water onto the rice and mix well.

(serves 4)

Vegetable Curry

Half a jar of Thai Green Curry Simmer Sauce (from Trader Joe’s)

Assortment of different colored bell peppers

Chopped Spinach

Green beans

1 Garlic clove minced

2 tablespoons of Olive oil

   Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a pan with garlic. Add the spinach, green beans, and bell peppers after the oil is warm. Cook until tender.

   Step 2: Add the curry sauce and cook until warm. Serve immediately over brown rice and black beans.

(serves 2)