Sweet Corn, Squash & Pepper Hash with Black Beans

Sweet Corn, Squash & Pepper Hash

I know that it's Sunday, but looking forward at my week, I thought that I'd better go ahead and throw up my Meatless Monday post!

I could schedule it to post tomorrow, but I figure, why wait? Instant gratification is so much more rewarding anyway.

My weekend in food consisted of a delicious dinner at Tasca with the A-Girl (the homemade gnocchi had to be the highlight of the meal) and a leisurely lunch at Lazy Ox downtown (which resulted in a parking ticket, but it was worth it!).

And last night, possibly as a healthy detox from an indulgent weekend, I made this delicious vegan recipe for Sweet Corn, Squash & Pepper Hash with Black Beans. In fact, I love it so much, I've been making it almost weekly. It's kind of like an everything but the kitchen sink dish with farmers market ingredients.

The combination of sweet corn (coming in strong at the market right now), summer squash (any variety works great), and bell peppers is healthy, delicious, and satisfying. The black beans and brown rice give the dish the protein and fiber components that make it a complete meal. In fact, it's a great way to make use of leftover rice, which I always seem to have stashed away in my fridge.

I finish the dish with fresh cilantro, but any herb like basil or parsley would be great. And the secret ingredient? A dash of hot sauce! This provides a nice kick and vinegar to bring out the flavor of the vegetables.

It's also a one pan meal, and I find that my twenty buck cast iron skillet is the best receptacle for the recipe. Clean up is a cinch.

Even better, what's great about this recipe is that you can experiment. Sometimes, I use cherry tomatoes instead of peppers. And when I have kale lurking about, I throw it in, too. I mean, you can never have enough kale in your life, right?

So think of this as a template for a simple, healthy vegan meal. You can change it up, throw other ingredients into it. The hash is great leftover, or served for breakfast with a sunny side up egg on top.

Sweet Corn, Squash & Pepper Hash with Black Beans
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups summer squash, thinly sliced
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 (16 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• salt & freshly ground pepper
• hot sauce for garnishing (optional)

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet or other pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until beginning to soften.
2. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
3. Add the squash, corn, and peppers. Cook until beginning to soften (about five minutes).
4. Stir in the beans, brown rice, and cilantro. Cook for another few minutes, until the vegetables have finished cooking. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. To serve, spoon the hash onto a plate. Garnish with a little chopped cilantro if desired. Serve with hot sauce. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• summer squash, sweet corn, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro from West Hollywood Farmers Market 
• organic black beans and brown basamti rice from Trader Joe's