Black Beans and Orzo

Black beans and orzo.

I ate so many desserts in preparation for the Chocolate Festival that I've decided to cut back on sweets and try something a little more healthful.  At Whole Foods the other day I noticed their nice selection of dried beans.  I bought some black beans and cooked up a large pot--enough to have extra to freeze for later dishes.

I prepared black beans and orzo from a very simple recipe.  I sauteed one diced onion and 6 cloves of garlic, to which I added 1 can of diced tomatoes (drained), 2 cups of cooked black beans, a dash of cumin, 1 tsp. dried oregano and 1/2 cup of salsa.  I covered and simmered this for about ten minutes.

Preparing the black bean sauce.

I cooked 1/2 pound of plain orzo (next time I will use whole wheat orzo because it is more healthful.)  Orzo is small rice-shaped pasta and can be substituted for rice in many recipes.  Orzo cooks much faster than rice.  I cooked the orzo for about 7 minutes until al dente,  Drain and rinse the orzo.

Rinse and drain the orzo.

Serve bean sauce over orzo and add grated cheese on top (I used cheddar but mozzarella would be good too).  Add a nice green salad and supper is ready.

Let's have supper.