Vegetarian/Vegan Paella ala Renee

Vegetarian Paella (vegan dish I tweaked from a Peta cookbook...Is that how you spell tweak? Anyway...) This dish has a long list of ingredients, but it's very easy to make. And the result looks more wow-y than you expect. It's a rich yellow color! I usually serve with refried beans and tortilla chips.

1 cup white rice

2 cups boiling water

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, sliced (although I have used one chopped, deseeded chipotle in a pinch)

1 ripe tomato, chopped (although, again, I have just dumped a can of chopped tomatoes in when I didn't have any fresh)

2 cups vegetable broth (or water if need be)

1 t. salt

1 T. paprika

1 t. turmeric

1 can quartered artichoke hearts

1 small jar chopped or sliced pimentos (optional)

Mix the rice and boiling water, and let stand for 20 minutes. Then, pour off the water.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is transparent (about 5 mins). Add the garlic, and saute another 3 minutes. Add the rice and broth (or water), bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in the salt, paprika, and turmeric. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes (but check after about 15...different rices cook at different speeds).

Once the rice is tender, stir in the tomato and artichoke hearts. Turn out onto a serving dish and garnish with pimentos, if using.