A Simple Weeknight Dinner

People are always telling me how they don’t have the time, or the energy to make themselves really good and healthy food. This is difficult for me to relate to in some ways, because food is such an important part of my life. Eating mediocre food is not reasonable to me. A great day for me is a day where I eat the best breakfast, lunch, and dinner possible. But, I can intellectually understand that not everyone cares about food, or enjoys cooking as much as I do. Which is why I try to incorporate as many simple and delicious dishes into my blog as possible. I relish spending an entire Saturday in the kitchen, making a fantastic dinner, but I don’t tend to devote as much time and energy to my food during the week. This is one of those delightful Wednesday night dinners.

What makes this dish so easy, is that it’s constructed entirely from ingredients found in the pantry. Especially in the winter, it can be a struggle to drag myself to the store and then come home to make dinner. But, rather than succumb to the effortlessness of takeout, I like to have a reserve of recipes that can be thrown together from simple and easily attainable ingredients, like rice, canned beans, canned tomatoes, and vegetables that last forever, like onions and carrots. You can make a ton of meals out of just these simple ingredients, and have a fantastic dinner without ever having to leave the house!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onions diced
1 carrot diced
2 cans cannelini beans drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can vegetable stock
2 cups spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the carrot and onion. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until it has thickened, about 20 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Add the spinach and stir until wilted.

Meanwhile, combine the water and rice in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 50 minutes.

Spoon the bean mixture over the rice and serve immediately.