In many ways this is the perfect recipe for last minute meals. Made with odds and ends you may have floating around in your fridge it comes together quickly and is endlessly adaptable. For the rice you can sub in brown rice, purple rice, quinoa, orzo or bulghur, it just needs to result in about 3 cups cooked. Other things that are good include steamed broccoli, spinach, corn, crumbled feta, sundried tomatoes, dry fried tofu, chipotle peppers, etc., etc.

easy bean and rice bowl with sweet peppers:

1 cup of dry basmati rice, cooked

1 Tbsp. canola or grapeseed oil

2 sweet peppers, finely diced

1 small bunch of scallions, white and green parts roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno peppers, minced

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups of salsa

1 cup of grated cheese, something neutral will melt easily; such as mozzarella, monterey jack or havarti

Salt to taste

Guacamole, diced tomatoes and sour cream for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large skillet saute the peppers, garlic and scallions until soft. Add the beans, cooked rice and salsa and stir to combine.

3. Put the rice and bean mixture into a casserole dish and cover with the grated cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese on top has browned.

It’s been an Echo & the Bunnymen sort of week; I’ve been listening to them at work, at friend’s houses and while making lunch on a holiday Monday. Nothing says “Happy Birthday Queen Victoria!” like some heartfelt gloomy pop on a grey afternoon in May.

Echo & the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon