A companion to the black beans

Also from the Whole Foods Market Cookbook

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups water
1 cup basmati rice (I didn't have basmati, so I used jasmine with no ill effects)
3 T olive oil (I think that this is skip-able, but I am not a rice-cooking expert)
2 cloves garlic (at least)
1 t grated lemon zest (Maybe a mistake, I expected lime zest not lemon, although honestly, I skipped this because my limes weren't looking so good, and there wasn't good zest to be had.)
1 T lime juice
salt to taste

2 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups washed and finely chopped spinach
3 scallions finely chopped

1. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil.
2. Add everything down to the salt and reduce to medium heat. Stir gently, cover and simmer slowly for about 25 min or until rice is tender. Leave it covered so that the steam will stay in and make it fluffy.
3. Transfer hot cooked rice to a large mixing (or serving) bowl. Stir in cilantro, spinach, scallions, red pepper flakes (my addition), and more salt if you want.

That's it. Worked really nicely under the Havana Black Beans. Note for spinach-haters, you really don't taste the spinach. This would definitely be better with the citrus zest included because the lime flavor was very faint. I think it would be similarly good with lemon zest and juice instead of lime zest and juice, too.

Shopping notes, if you make this with the Havana Black Beans, be sure you buy a big bunch of cilantro at the store so that you have enough for both recipes. This is another good way (along with the Spinach-Mushroom Lasagna Roll-ups with Gorgonzola Sauce from a previous post) of using up that big box or bag of spinach that you so optimistically bought at Costco.