Week 9: Pink Beans

So coming off of my harried week, it was school vacation week!  Our weather was cold, but beautiful, so we were having fun each day (hence why I, once again, didn't get the week's bean posted).

When I picked the bean for the week, I reached into my box and grabbed what my hand landed on, which was... Pink Beans!  

I've made pink beans before, many years ago.  They are vaguely similar to pinto beans and are popular in refried beans and chili.  I was craving coconut lime rice, so I went for a Caribbean feel.  

I forgot to soak the beans, overnight, so I sorted, rinsed and cooked them directly.  I covered them in water and boiled ~2 hours, until soft.  I took them off the heat, added salt and let them sit ~15 minutes, and then drained them.

Then, the rest I made up as I went along...

Caribbean Rice, Beans and (optional) Sausage 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice (I use jasmine rice from Trader Joe's)
• 15 oz can coconut milk
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice 
• ~1 teaspoon salt
• 
  
• cooked, well-drained, Pink Beans (cooked plainly, see above)
• 
  
• 1 package chicken sausage, to taste
• 1 medium red onion
• 5-6 oz arugula
• salt, to taste

Procedure:

1. Cook rice with coconut milk, lime juice and salt (I use a rice cooker to make it easy).
2. If making a non-vegetarian version, you can... chop onion and cook until beginning to soften.
3. Add cut-up chicken sausage and cook until warm.
4. Add arugula and cook until beginning to wilt.
5. Salt to taste.
6. Serve rice, topped with beans and served with pepper sauce for a vegetarian version.
7. Add sausage on top for a non-vegetarian version.

Notes:

• Not bad, but I would have tried to make refried beans with the pink beans if I had tried this first.

Have a great week!