One of the easiest things that can be a staple in the vegetarian's diet is beans and rice. You can combine these two mainstays in any number of ways, some fancy and some simple.

As simple as possible is a quick casserole with a couple types of beans and a bit of cheese.

Cook two cups of rice in a rice cooker or on the stove. A rice cooker is the greatest thing in the world for a lazy vegetarian, since all you have to do is measure, pour and hit one button.

Just heat the oven up to 350 and prep a two quart casserole dish with a light coat of cooking spray or vegetable oil.

Take your cooked rice and make a layer on the bottom of the dish. Follow that with a thin layer of salsa, then a layer of beans (mixed together and rinsed, unless you buy seasoned beans, then just drain excess liquid), then a layer of cheese.

Repeat these layers until you have filled most of the dish. Top with cheese and a few pats of butter or a vegan margarine that is good for baking. If you're feeling fancy, throw some bread crumbs on top of it all and then sprinkle with Cajun seasoning or old bay.

Bake for 20 minutes or so, or until the cheese is melted and a little brown. If you just cooked the rice and it's still hot, you can get away with higher temp and less time.


Bean and rice casserole:
2 cups rice
2 cans of beans (I like to mix black and pinto, but whatever you have will do)
1 jar of salsa (you won't use the whole jar for this, but chips and salsa are a nice snack with this)
1 cup of shredded cheese or vegan substitute
butter or margarine
bread crumbs (optional)
Cajun seasoning (optional)