[beachgal]

Mexican MEV With Beans, Peppers, and Jicama
From Cooking Light

Any idea what a MEV is? Me neither!

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons bottled chipotle sauce or hot sauce
1 teaspoon dried savory
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup diced peeled jicama (Hispanic vegetable--looks like a large, flat, coconut...inside is a slight sweet and crunchy white flesh. Yum! Easy to find in the West, harder in the East, but worth the search!)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 (12-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained
Cooking spray
Minced cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.
Drain beans in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup bean liquid. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes. Add beans, chipotle sauce, savory, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Place 2 cups bean mixture in a large bowl; mash with a potato masher. Add remaining bean mixture, 1/4 cup reserved bean liquid, jicama, and minced cilantro; stir well.

Arrange bell peppers in the bottom and up sides of 4 (10-ounce) ramekins coated with cooking spray. Divide bean mixture evenly among ramekins; place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Invert ramekins onto each of 4 plates. Garnish with minced cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 313 (21% from fat); FAT 7.2g (satfat 1.1g, monofat 1.9g, polyfat 3.4g); PROTEIN 13.5g; CARBOHYDRATE 50.2g; FIBER 6.2g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; IRON 4.5mg; SODIUM 480mg; CALCIUM 97mg;
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1997