Beans n' Rice

After a quick hiatus of take-out and unphotogenic food (Chris was out of town), I am back...with a big 'ol bowl of beans and rice. I decided to make this semi Caribbean-style, but beans and rice is such a versatile starter for any number of combinations. I substituted one can of light coconut milk for 1 1/2 cups of the water to cook the rice, to help bring in that "island flavor." Then, once the rice was cooked, I mixed in the juice and zest of one lime, along with a handful of cilantro. I began with 4 cups of dry rice, so the "island flavor" was mild and left room for variation. I just cooked the beans plain in salted water (I soaked them first for a couple of hours then boiled them for about an hour and a half or until soft), and then topped it all with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, cubed mango, guacamole, lime, and more cilantro. I also had baby spinach that I was going to wilt and toss in there...but I forgot it. Chris suggested that I use a more Caribbean green vegetable next time and leave out the broccoli. I enjoyed the broccoli...plus, I don't really know what would work too much better here. I don't have a recipe because everything was really very basic and simple, but I suggest this combination of ingredients. Although I was a little nervous about tossing mango onto my vegetable-filled bowl, I really liked the mix of sweet and savory. Also, the guacamole was a necessary topper - it added such a great texture and flavor to the other ingredients. Stay tuned for more beans n' rice posts as I use up mammoth containers of beans and rice that I still have in my fridge.