Mediterranean Rice and Beans

Here is another concoction inspired by what was left in my kitchen..........

Ingredients-
1 can of organic chi peas/garbanzo beans
1 container of grape tomatoes
1 small container of mixed green and black pitted olives
2 cloves of garlic
1 small red onion or half of a giant one
Extra virgin organic cold pressed olive oil
Real/raw butter
1 cup of brown rice
2 cups of organic chicken or vegetable stock
Oregano
Black pepper
Salt

The rice-
Heat olive oil in a pot, add the rice, season with salt and pepper and stir. Yes, I swear, add just the rice without the stock. This really flavors the rice and makes it taste much more delicious.

Note- if you know ahead of time that you are going to make this, soak your rice in water overnight and drain it before you use it. This will make the rice more nutritious. Of course, I wasn't planning on making this, as this was another one of my "shop from my kitchen" meals, so I didn't do this. Even perfection in moderation.

After a minute or two, add the chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil. You can use water, of course, but it won't have as much flavor. Once it boils, turn the heat down very low and simmer. Do NOT take the lid off! Nope.....don't do it. (A pot with a glass lid is best for this, because you can see what is happening inside the pot without lifting off the lid.) Tunnels will begin to form in the rice and you will see the liquid still bubbling inside those tunnels. When the liquid is gone, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for about ten minutes. No.....don't you take that lid off yet. Let the rice sit for a bit to finish cooking. Otherwise, it is going to come out undercooked, and your jaw will hurt if you try to eat a bowl of it. (Trust me, I know. I've done it!)

The "beans"-
While the rice is cooking, you can tend to the beans. Open the can of chic peas and rinse really well. Of course, it would be optimal to buy these dried in a bag instead of a can, and soak them overnight before attempting to cook them. (Refer to my previous statement regarding the way I shopped for this meal.)

Wash the tomatoes, give them a rough chop and put them in a colander. Salt the tomatoes and mix them up, so the salt is distributed. The salt will pull some of the water from the tomatoes, causing the tomatoes to become more concentrated in flavor. Ok, if this sounds like a pain in the ass, skip it, but I learned this on Jamie Oliver's show and I swear, it really works. The man is a genius!

Note- I don't cook with tomatoes very often, because they are nightshades. Nightshades aren't something you want to eat regularly, if you want to be healthy, but they are less harmful if you cook them. Do you know in ancient times they thought of the tomato as ornamental, like a flower? They didn't eat them. Interesting, huh? Are you going to google that now? (I so would if I were reading this.)

Next, dice your onions and mince your garlic. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan and add the onions. It was a favorite of Julia Child, after all....so pay homage. (By the way, you can't get real/raw butter from the grocery store. To find out how to get it, go to www.realmilk.com.)

When the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Be careful not to burn them. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. About a minute after you add the garlic, add the beans. Cook on low heat for about fifteen minutes, then add your tomatoes and cook for another five and add your rice. Taste and re-season. Last, roughly chop the olives and mix them into the dish. (I like using a mixture of black and green, because it adds more color to the dish.)

Eat.