Green Soybeans with Roasted Red Peppers (serves 6)

Set your precooked rice out as you prepare the other ingredients. If you need to cook fresh rice, use 1 cup of brown rice to 1 3/4 cups water or stock. Bring the stock to a boil, add rice, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is done. This will make 2 1/2 cups of rice. Jalapeno stuffed olives are available in most grocery stores. If you can't find them, use pimiento-stuffed olives and add 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the recipe. If you can't locate green soybeans, substitute Lima beans or frozen peas.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (use short grain or Basmati)
• 2 red peppers 1 cup vegetarian stock
• ½  Tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 1/2  cups carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup frozen, defrosted green soybeans
• 1/3 cup currants or raisins
• ½  cup sliced, jalapeno-stuffed green olives
• ½ cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Set both peppers in a broiler pan and broil until their skins turn black and begin to blister. With long-handled tongs, turn them until all sides are blackened. Close the peppers in a paper bag, or use a saucepan and cover with a lid. Let peppers cool for about 15 minutes before removing stems, peeling, and seeding. Slice peppers into thin strips. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine vegetarian stock and arrowroot powder in a saucepan and mix well. Add garlic, carrots, and green soybeans and bring to a boil. Simmer until carrots and soybeans are cooked and mixture thickens, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, combine currants or raisins, peppers, olives, and brown rice. Place half the mixture in a casserole dish. Layer with half the soybean and carrot mixture. Repeat layers. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, garnish with parsley, and serve.