Easy Bean Vegetable Ragu Over Quinoa

This is a plant based version of the Easy Sloppy Joe I posted in this blog.  It contains the characteristic delicious sauce that is easily made with catsup and other pantry available spices.  The sauce is both salty from the Worcestershire sauce and sweet from the catsup but not too sweet. I decided to use Lima beans but you can use any type of beans or peas. Chickpeas would be good but I opted for Lima beans since I am sensitive to chickpeas.  I am watching any arthritis flare up on my finger joints and so far the Lima beans have not given me any problems.  I read Lima beans have one of the lowest uric acid content of all the beans.

I resorted to cooking the green pepper using just plain water instead of oil and cooked it with the beans, catsup and the spices.  I like the presence of the zucchini which was cooked just enough so it emains crunchy.  Garnishing with cilantro helps with the overall taste so use it.  The taste of the ragu deepens if it sits overnight.  It is super delicious over newly cooked hot quinoa.  So, so good I forgot about the ground beef version I prepared for my husband.  Not only that I ate the whole ragu for lunch.

Easy Bean Vegetable Ragu Over Quinoa

• 1 can Lima beans or any other type of beans, drained
• 1 green pepper, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp dry onion flakes
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup water
• 1 large tomato, sliced into large pieces
• 1 zucchini, sliced into large cubes
• cilantro for garnish
• 2 cups cooked quinoa

Place all the ingredients from the Lima beans to the water in a saute pan and heat using medium heat.  Allow the mixture to boil gently till the green pepper is cooked.  Add the necessary water in order for the vegetable bean mixture not to dry up.  Add the tomato and the zucchini and continue to heat the mixture till the zucchini is cooked but still firm and crunchy.  Serve over cooked quinoa and garnish with cilantro.