Bean and Rice Bowl with Creamy Salsa Verde and Mango

Easy on the taste buds, the tummy, and the wallet! Make this cheap and easy meal a staple in your home.

Bean and Rice Bowl with Creamy Salsa Verde and Mango

Oil-free, vegan, cheap, easy and satisfying dinner idea

Makes: 6 Servings

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups black beans, dry
• 3 cups brown rice, dry
• 2 mangos, diced
• 1 lbs tomatillos, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 bulbs garlic
• ½ bunch cilantro
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• ½ avocado
• ½ lime, juice of
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp oregano
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Beans: either soak in water overnight (place the beans in a large bowl and cover with a few inches of water), or place them in the Instant Pot with 8 cups of water. Pressure cook for 4 min, then use a natural release for 10 min.
2. Drain soaked or pressure cooked beans. Turn Instant Pot to “saute” function. Place beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, and bay leaves in the instant pot. Add enough water to cover the beans by an inch. Allow mixture to come to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 min. Add more water if needed.
3. In a separate pan (or rice cooker), cook 3 cups of rice according to package instructions.
4. While the beans are simmering and the rice is cooking, begin making the creamy salsa verde.
5. In a pan over medium heat, saute the tomatillos, garlic, onion, and jalapeno until soft and beginning to brown. Use small amounts of water or broth to keep from sticking, if necessary.
6. Transfer the contents to a high speed blender. Add cilantro and 1/2 avocado. Blend until smooth. Add salt to taste.
7. Once beans are thoroughly cooked, turn off the Instant Pot. Remove the bay leaves and mix in lime juice. Add salt to taste.
8. Serve beans over rice. Top with mango and drizzle generously with creamy salsa verde. Enjoy!

Don’t go easy on the sauce! It’s the best part!

As many of you know, my husband, dog, cat, houseplants and I made yet another cross country move.  We are now getting settled in our new Brooklyn apartment and are beginning the long and costly task of restocking our kitchen/pantry.  The few things I have stocked are *drum roll please* RICE AND BEANS! What a killer combo. So satisfying, so simple, and (most importantly in our current situation) SO CHEAP.  I purchased over 6 pounds of dried beans for just over $10.00, and 4 ⅔ lbs of brown rice for just over $3.00. At Whole Foods, no less. This combo, made more fun by different cooking methods, salsas, and sauces, has lasted us over 3 weeks and we still have a lot left.  This is after eating rice and beans for at least 4 meals per week.

All that to say, rice and beans is a financially struggling mover’s best friend.

I get bored with food rather easily.  And when I get bored, I’m more tempted to eat out- wasting money and perfectly good produce.  So I’ve been making these different “beans and rice bowls” as unique as possible. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how many different ways you can cook these two staples.  Necessity is the mother of invention, after all.

If you’re short on time and not on funds, feel free to buy canned beans (3-4 15oz cans) and premade salsa verde.  Just drain the beans and simmer them with about 1 cup water and spices for 15 minutes. To make the creamy salsa verde, blend 1 cup premade salsa verde with ½ avocado.

I hope you enjoy this bowl as much as we did.  We all know that mango and black beans are a match made in heaven, but the addition of the creamy salsa verde really takes things over the top.  And best of all, it will keep your stomach and wallet happy.

Happy Cooking!

✌Courtney