Caribbean Beans and Quinoa

File this under "Tastes Better Than It Looks":



It's Caribbean-style beans and rice, only I was running short on time, as usual, so I opted to use quick-cooking quinoa instead of brown rice. As a result, dinner was on the table in about a half hour.

The allspice gives this dish its distinctive Caribbean taste while olives and capers add a Mediterranean pizazz. I served it with a squeeze of lime juice and additional hot sauce at the table.

You can also file this under "Tastes Even Better the Next Day." The leftovers make a great lunch. I should know; I just finished eating them! Well, not all of them because this recipe does make a lot. If you're a small family as we are, prepare to have leftovers for a few days.



Caribbean Beans and Quinoa

1 large green, yellow, or red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed several times
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (about 3 cups) cooked kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 - 1/2 cup stuffed Spanish olives
1/8 - 1/2 cup capers, drained
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 - 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
lime, optional

Spray a large, non-stick pot lightly with olive oil. Sauté the peppers, onions, and garlic just until softened. Add the quinoa and toast it for about 4 minutes, just to dry it out a little. Add the remaining ingredients, turn the heat to low, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir well before serving. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice at the table.

Makes 8 servings. Each serving, using minimum amounts of olives and capers, contains 221 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (11% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 441mg Sodium; 7g Fiber.

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