What's for dinner? ....Quick Balck Beans and Rice

Dinner here these days is still the big struggle.  I have to say that when a mom has a baby, especially when she has a family to feed, and she and her husband can't stand in the kitchen and shovel a bowl or two of cereal down ...why just cereal?  I have no idea what the difficulty was with making dinner when we had one baby.  However, when there are other kids who need a balanced meal, entertaining, bathes, etc.  bringing the family a meal is one of the biggest gifts. 

I am part of a mom's club and for the first two weeks they deliver warm meals every other day.  I also had the neighbor lady across the street and a few other good friends that brought a meal.  My mom and mother in law stuffed our freezer with freezer meals...along with my amazing freezer group.  The freezer meals still take planning, since I have to thaw but they are wonderful.

  After I had Henry is when I was gifted meals and experienced the wonder of not having a dirty kitchen to clean up, a chunk of time spent cooking, and the energy that it takes. 
So as the freezer meals start to dwindle.  And life gets back to normal.  Meal time is left up to this creative cooking mama.  And I will admit that these last few weeks I have been lacking in the area of creativity.  There has been a lot of pancakes and Chipotle.  Which works for the boys, although last night I think I heard a groan when I announced it would be pancakes again.  I have done better about thawing meals this week.  And this morning I have a chicken in the crock pot and veggie soup thawing (Thanks Paula!). 

So what was for dinner last night...well I did what I hate doing..I made the boys pancakes and sausage and I made Ed and I something different.  Charley brings home a flier once a month that talks about nutrition.  On it there is usually a simple and healthy meal idea.  This month's recipe looked good to both Ed and me.  So we made it last night.  Typically, we buy the processed packages of black beans and rice in hopes of finding one that we will like or we make some rice and add a can of black beans.  But they are never as good as we hope for.  I really liked this recipe.  And it wasn't full of processed salty additives.  I think next time I would find a way to add a little spice to it. 

I love that everything can be in my pantry and it takes less than 15 minutes to make.  It will be a go to recipe when there isn't time, a thought out plan, or groceries in the house.  I am determined to get the boys to try it...because I know they would like it if they just gave it a chance. 

Quick Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 onion

1 - 15 oz. can of black beans, undrained

1 (14.5 oz.) can of stewed tomatoes

1 tsp.  dried oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant brown rice (I used white last night)

Directions:

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium high.

Add onion, cook and stir until tender.

Add beans, tomatoes, oregano, and garlic powder.

Bring to a boil; stir rice.

Cover; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

I added a dab of sour cream and sprinkled it with some cheese.