By The year turns. 2016 becomes 2017 and the number changes and nothing else does — the barracks are the same, the mountains are the same, the nightmares are the same. But the calendar says something new, and calendars are the only clocks that matter to the Army, and the Army says February, and February is next month, and next month is almost now.
New Year's Eve. I stayed in. Some guys from the barracks went to a bar in Colorado Springs and invited me and I said no and they didn't push because they've learned not to push, which is either respect or avoidance and I don't care which. I don't drink. I haven't said that out loud to anyone here because saying it out loud makes it a thing, and right now it's just a fact, like the sky is blue, like Derek is dead, like I don't drink. Facts don't need announcements. They just are.
I made black-eyed peas. Mom always makes them on New Year's Day — the Southern tradition she picked up from somewhere, definitely not from Montana, where the traditions run more toward beef and stoicism. But she made them every January 1 for luck, and I ate them every year not because I believe in luck but because I believe in Mom, which is close enough. Dried peas soaked overnight, a ham hock if you have one — I didn't, used bacon instead, three strips chopped and rendered — onion, garlic, broth, simmer until the peas are soft and the liquid has thickened into something that looks like nothing and tastes like everything. Salt. That's it. Luck in a bowl. Or just peas. Depends on what you need it to be.
I ate them at midnight. 2017. The year I go home. The year the Army lets go of me or I let go of it or we let go of each other the way two people who've hurt each other finally step apart — not with anger but with the exhausted recognition that this isn't working and hasn't been for a while. February. Six weeks. The discharge paperwork is moving and the road is waiting and Montana is north and the ranch is there and Dad is there and Mom is there and the river is there and I will be there. I will stand on that porch and look at that sky and I don't know what happens after that. I don't need to know. I just need to get there. The peas were good. The year is new. Start with the fire. The rest follows.
The black-eyed peas were Mom’s tradition, and that night they did exactly what they were supposed to do — held me in place long enough to feel the year turn. If you’re carrying that same instinct into the new year, that pull toward something grounding and built from simple ingredients, this Southwest Rice and Bean Salad is a version of the same idea with a little more color and a dressing that’s got some bite to it. Beans are beans — lucky or not, they fill you up, they cost almost nothing, and they taste like someone thought ahead. That’s enough.
Southwest Rice and Bean Salad with Sweet and Spicy Dressing
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels (frozen, thawed, or canned and drained)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- Sweet and Spicy Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rice. Bring water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rice, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18–20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until fully combined. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness as needed.
- Combine the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, black beans, kidney beans, corn, red bell pepper, and red onion. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
- Dress and finish. Pour the sweet and spicy dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Add lime juice and fresh cilantro, then toss once more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days — the flavor improves as it sits.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 68g | Fiber: 12g | Sodium: 380mg