Vegan Black Eyed Peas and Coconut Rice

When I take my kids grocery shopping, I encourage them to pick out a healthy choice for us to try.  My 4-year-old picked out dried Black Eye Peas last week.  (I love her so much!)

I searched and searched the internet for recipes that didn't have meat and that still looked yummy.  I ended up combining a few, revamping a few, and veganizing a few and came up with a recipe that we will definitely eat again and again. 

I made the beans separately from the rice so I could freeze off the extra beans and eat the leftover rice as a snack the next day. (Some recipes had everything cooked all together in one big pot, which is typically my preference. But not this time.) By themselves, the black eyed peas were a little bland.  But with the coconut rice, it was AWESOME.  I had 3 bowls.

I started from dried beans.  Washed and sorted out, then soaked overnight.  I then drained and rinsed them and started from there.  You could start with canned beans if you prefer.

BLACK EYED PEAS AND COCONUT RICE
This particular recipe made enough for two full meals of beans and one meal of rice for my 4 vegan/bean-eating family members.  I froze the extra beans for a meal next week.

For the beans:
2 c. dried beans, sorted, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
6 c. vegetable broth (possibly more as needed)
2 c. diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 small bunch fresh parsley
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown in a couple teaspoons of the broth. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer with the lid tilted for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until beans are cooked to your desired consistency.  Stir occasionally to keep them from sticking on the bottom of the pan.  These should end up slightly thickened.  Add more water or broth as they cook if it gets too thick.

For the coconut rice:
1 1/2 c. brown rice
2 c. coconut milk
2 c. water
2 T. flake coconut
1 t. salt

Add all ingredients into a large pan.  Bring just to a boil.  Immediately turn heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid.  Cook for 1 hour.  Do not remove the lid.  Turn the heat off and let sit an additional 15 minutes.

Serve beans over the rice, then top with more flake coconut if desired.

(Note: the coconut rice is very good COLD served with fresh mango or peaches as a dessert.  So don't throw away those leftovers!)