Comfort food... and Rachel Griffiths

I had a stressful morning, a day where I juggled seven things at once (but managed to snag a commission to write a piece for HuffPo, holler!), and to top it all off, a positive, but emotionally draining conversation with my mother. At the end of a day like that you need a few things, chief among them, a good drink and a good meal. I chose to make myself the following black bean dish while watching the two-hour Brothers & Sisters special that aired on Sunday (thanks, Hulu!). I love this dish, and I love that show. The black beans are complex, flavorful, good for you, and comforting. Brothers and Sisters is... just comforting. Rob Lowe and Rachel Griffiths (Ms. Griffiths, will you be my girlfriend? I've loved you since Muriel's Wedding, and I promise I'll never stop.) make up for all Callista Flockhart's many, many flaws. OH GOD, who decided inhaling through your teeth was the same thing as acting??? And Sally Field, I KNOW you can act bitch, so why don't you? I mean really, you tell your dead husband you hate him with the same tone that you tell the kids you're afraid you've ruined the roast! You're better that.

Black Beans for a Tough Day

Ingredients:
- 32 oz canned black beans, do not drain (you can be a hero and soak some dried ones, but remember, this is something to make at the end of a long day... although when using canned beans, I mandate LOW SODIUM)
- 16 oz. canned chopped, pureed, or diced tomatoes, drained (if you're one of those tomato haters, feel free to replace this with some tomato paste)
- low sodium chicken or veggie stock (a tad less than one cup)
- 5 scallions, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes, diced into 1/2" chunks
- 2 small or 1 and 1/2 larger green peppers, diced
- the following spices, to taste: cumin, coriander, basil, oregano, cocoa powder (no sugar), smoked sweet paprika, chili powder, salt, pepper
- lime juice, low fat sour cream, diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro (these four you throw on top just before serving)

Step one: Heat olive oil and the butter in a pot and saute the scallions, garlic, and sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes, season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Step two: Add in the peppers and continue to saute for 5 minutes; add in a another pinch of salt and pepper.

Step three: Add in the tomatoes, the stock, the beans, and the spices (but no more salt, trust me, unless you used dried beans, you little gourmand). Bring to a boil for five minutes, then turn down to a simmer and let it go until it reaches the consistency of chili. Serve topped with lime, sour cream, cilantro, and avocado. Pour yourself a nice grenache or a malbec or a beer and enjoy the hell out of it.