Coconut Scented Rice and Spicy Black Beans

I was craving some thing spicy so I decided to make some Jamaican food. To go along with my jerk pork (recipe) coming soon, I decided to cool it down with some coconut rice and add a different type of spice with some black beans. These recipes are slimmed down versions of rice and beans with a Jamaican influence.

Coconut Scented Rice

Servings: 4

Cook Time: 25 mins
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp coconut extract
zest of 1 lime (optional)
salt, to taste

Directions
Put all ingredients into medium pot and cook until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Garnish with lime or cilantro.

Spicy Black Beans

Servings: 4

Cook Time: 15 mins

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Ingredients
oil to coat pan
1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
2 tsp cumin
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
juice of half a lime

Directions
On medium high heat, sauté the onions in oil until translucent and slightly caramelized. Add the jalapeno and garlic, cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cumin, beans and lime juice and cook until heated through.