Rice and Beans with Mexican Mole Sauce

Now here's a quick and easy side dish we can all get behind!!! Why? Because we're using a secret ingredient - mole sauce, a one-stop-shop for tons of flavor. Mexican mole sauce is a complex blend of chilies, chocolate, nuts, raisins, tortillas, tomatoes, herbs, spices, and more. Some recipes require over 30 ingredients and a complicated series of steps. Never fear: bottled mole sauce to the rescue!

You can pick up a jar from your favorite grocery store (for a few dollars) and put together this side dish in just minutes. You'll get that complex flavor you crave, without all the work.

Rice and Beans with Mexican Mole Sauce

2 1/4 cups chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons Mexican mole sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
1 cup white rice
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine the broth, mole sauce, and butter. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the black beans and cook for 5 more minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4