Recipe: Grilled Avocados With Bourbon Barbecue Beans

Serves 4.

Note: Serve as is for a side dish, or with the grain of your choice as a main. The barbecue beans can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; reheat before using. Adapted from "VBQ: The Ultimate Vegan Barbecue Cookbook," by Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer.

• 2 tsp. canola oil

• 1 large shallot lobe, finely chopped (1/2 c.)

• 3/4 c. frozen lima beans

• 3/4 c. no-salt-added canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/4 c. your favorite barbecue sauce

• 1/2 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika (sweet or hot)

• 1/2 tsp. salt, or more as needed

• 2 firm-ripe Hass avocados

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

Pour the canola oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, for 4 minutes. Stir in the lima (frozen works) and kidney beans, barbecue sauce, bourbon, smoked paprika and salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lima beans are tender and the bourbon flavor has mellowed. Taste, and add more salt as needed.

Halve the avocados and discard the pits (keep the skins on). Brush the cut sides with the extra-virgin olive oil.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (indoors or out). Cook the avocados, cut sides down, until they have dark brown grill marks, for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, turn the halves over and cook for 5 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the avocado flesh comes out hot to the touch.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories290Fat15 gSodium510 mg