Pre Thanksgiving Food

Before any holiday that is centered around gluttony, I like to spend a few days making sure that I eat light and healthy. I usually don't even end up eating that much on holidays because I get full too fast, but I always intend to. I love food, and just thinking about all that comfort food in one place gets me to start thinking about the best strategy to be able to eat as much as possible in one meal. And then there's dessert. Oh the pies, cookies, and other random sweet treats gathered around the house. It's all too much for my food loving brain to bear! So anyways, the point is that this week I am making very light and simple dinners, so that if I happen to be able to eat as much as I want to on Thursday, I will not have to feel like a complete pig. Last night I made rice and beans. I used to make this a lot when I was in college because I was a vegetarian, and it is so cheap and easy to make. It is packed with veggies and is also really filling. It is not any sort of authentic rice and beans okay? It is just my own concoction of deliciousness, so don't be expecting Dominican Rice and Beans, or Cost Rican Rice and Beans. Those are all super delicious too, but that is not what I am talking about here.
All you will need is:
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 half of a medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 C cooked brown rice

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Stir to coat, and cook until tender. Add beans and tomatoes and cook until heated through. This should only take a few minutes.
Spoon bean mixture over the rice, and dig in. So easy, flavorful, and healthy. We usually have a little bit of the bean mixture left over, and it is great as a dip for tortilla chips or as a topping for many other things. Enjoy!

I plan to make hummus to eat tonight and tomorrow, also easy and healthy.

15 oz garbanzo beans or chick peas
2 tablespoons minced onion,
a few cloves of garlic, depending on how much you like-I add 3-4. You can add the garlic to the food processor whole, no need to mince it ahead of time.
7 tablespoons of lemon juice
a few teaspoons of good quality olive oil, (if you do not have good oil, just leave it out)
2 tablespoons of tahini.
Throw everything in your food processor and pulse until it is smooth. You can top it with fresh parsley if you want to. This will just add some color and a nice boost of flavor. Serve with fresh pita bread, carrot sticks and cucumber slices. Yum!

What are you pre-holiday eating strategies? Eat more or eat less? I am curious.