Yoga Challenge (day 29) and Sunday eats!

I went for a long walk around Lake of the Isles with my friend Ann this afternoon, and did 20 minutes of "Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners" when I got home, to stretch out the leg muscles in particular.

I can't believe there are only two days left in the challenge! I'm so excited to reflect on the challenge on Wednesday, and continue practicing yoga in the coming months. It's been an adventure, to say the least!

~~~~~~~~~~

I cooked today. (Finally.)

First, brunch:

Potato, kale, and sun-dried tomato frittata, with toast and apple slices. We may be having frittata more often. I like the idea of ONE dirty pan, instead of the usual THREE dirty pans! :)

Second, baking:

Scones, from Vegan with a Vengeance. I used mostly whole-wheat pastry flour with some ground oats thrown in for good measure, ground cinnamon, and diced apple. These spread quite a bit on me and turned out pretty flat, but they still taste amazing! Must file away apple-cinnamon scones for future reference.

Third, beans and rice:

I must be honest . . . "beans and rice" is one of those vegetarian staple meals that I've never quite been able to get behind, until very recently. Nobody ever puts recipes out there for beans and rice, and I was never happy with the concoctions I created -- but lately I've been adapting the recipe for "Messy Rice" from VCON to make my most favorite beans and rice to date! I'll share:
Cook together until soft:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (use less if you're using canned beans)
Stir in:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup brown rice (short or long grain, or a mix of the two)
Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the rice, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in:
2 cups cooked pinto, black, or kidney beans (home-cooked or canned)
P.S. A canned chipotle in adobo would be awesome in this, too, (remove before serving,) and a healthy squeeze of fresh lime juice is always welcome. :)

Last, my favorite thing to do with beans and rice:

If the beans and rice are already cooked, these are the easiest, most delicious burritos ever -- sprinkle some shredded cheese in a tortilla, (my favorite is pepper Jack,) add a big scoop of beans and rice, fold and secure with a toothpick, and bake at 400 until the tortilla is crispy and the edges brown. Top with salsa and devour!
These burritos would also be great topped with sour cream, or guacamole, or salsa verde, or mole, or a homemade faux-cheese sauce! I also think the beans and rice would make amazing stuffed peppers . . . maybe I'll experiment next weekend!

~~~~~~~~~~

So, what's your secret recipe for amazing beans and rice?