This is my go-to recipe for black beans and rice: easy to throw together, lightly fragrant but not too spicy, tasty in its own right but straight up delicious when topped with salsa and avocado. Steamed spinach further ups both the nutritional content and the coziness, making this one very nourishing meal.
*For best time management, start the rice first.  When it’s about halfway done, start chopping and prepping the other ingredients.
*Or skip the rice and use the beans as a filling for tacos.  Phil and I really dig these sprouted corn tortillas.

¾ cup brown rice (dry measure) (I like basmati)
olive oil
½ small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp dried Mexican oregano, crumbled with your fingers (optional)
1/8 tsp ground chipotle
salt
1 cup cooked/1 14-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
splash of red wine vinegar
steamed spinach
diced avocado or guacamole
salsa
lime wedges (optional)

• Cook rice according to preference.
• Cook onion in a bit of olive oil over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown.
• Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add cumin, oregano, and chipotle, and stir to evenly coat onions and garlic.
• Stir in black beans and some salt, lower heat, and cook for a minute or two. Turn off heat, splash with a little vinegar, and let sit a few minutes before mixing with rice.
• For each bowl, scoop in some beans and rice, spinach, and toppings of choice.

Yield: 3-4 servings