Happy New Year! A lot of people associate the new year with black-eyed peas and rice, but for my grandmother, black beans and rice were the way to ensure good luck for the coming year. I don’t have her recipe — I remember it was rather plain, with maybe a little salt and not much else.

This dish is a healthy and tasty way to get that luck (and good health is definitely good luck in the long run!). It’s very simple, too — in addition to the beans and rice, the other additions are onions, garlic, and pepper, seasoned simply with cumin and lime juice. Add fresh avocado and cilantro to make this really pop! I’ve altered the original a bit to use a green chilies instead of green pepper. Feel free to use other peppers, or other grains, as desired.

1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1-2 green chiles, Anaheim pepper, or 1 green pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 15-ounce cans black beans (or 3 cups cooked black beans)
2 tbsp. butter (swap in olive oil to make this vegan)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. oregano
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
2 c. cooked rice (or quinoa or other grain)
Cilantro (optional), chopped
Avocado (optional), sliced

Chop the onion and pepper into a small dice. Mince the garlic.

Drain and rinse the beans.

Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the onion and pepper and sauté for a minute or two.

Add the garlic, then stir in the cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and lightly browned.

Gently stir in the beans and cook for another 3 minutes until warmed and fragrant.

Remove from the heat and add the lime juice. Serve over rice (or other grain). If desired, garnish with cilantro and/or avocado slices.