Aztec Casserole

Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried black beans
• 1 cup dried red beans
• 1 cup dried black-eyed peas
• 9 cups hot water
• 1 cup organic sweet brown rice
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lbs ground turkey or 2 lbs ground beef (optional)
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn or 2 cups fresh whole kernel corn
• 3 -4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon roasted red chili paste
• salt

Recipe

• 1 ahead of time:.
• 2 prepare dried beans in a slow cooker.
• 3 cook on high until tender, (approx. 3 hours).
• 4 prepare grains in rice cooker following directions for 2 cups of grain.
• 5 (approx 70 mins).
• 6 when beans and grains are cooked:.
• 7 in a very large skillet or sautee pan, heat half of the olive oil and brown the meat.
• 8 remove the meat to drain.
• 9 add the remaining oil and then cooking over medium heat, add chopped onions, peppers and garlic.
• 10 cook these until crisp-tender.
• 11 stir in corn and red chile paste (as desired).
• 12 add the cooked beans (including all the juice) and the cooked grains.
• 13 add the drained meat.
• 14 salt to taste and stir well.
• 15 simmer the mixture to slightly reduce the liquid and meld the flavors.