By Brandon McDearis
I’m not exactly reinventing fine cuisine with this recipe, but there are few meals that are tastier, healthier, and more versatile than the standard South American dish of black beans and rice. I love making a pan of this and then creating different uses for it. I generally eat it as a main course with a little hot sauce and a perfectly ripe avocado, but sometimes I add a little broth to it to make a soup. I also use it as a side to tacos or fish, however my favorite way to eat rice and beans is to wrap them up in a flour tortilla and make a burrito. This serves 6.
Ingredients for Beans:
½ yellow onion diced
1 red pepper diced
1 carrot diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can of black beans wash and drained
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation for Beans:
Saute the diced onion, carrot and pepper in the olive oil at medium heat for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent in a medium sized pot. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute before adding the beans. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer the beans for 5-10 minutes at medium to low heat.
Ingredients for Rice Pilaf:
½ yellow onion diced
1 carrot diced
1 stick of celery diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup brown rice
½ cup white wine
1.5 cups of chicken stock or water
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons of cilantro
2 roma tomatoes diced
Preparation for Rice Pilaf
Repeat the first steps for the beans by cooking the vegetables in the olive oil the same way. After adding the garlic and cooking until everything is soft, but not starting to brown, add the rice and then the white wine to the pan, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Then add the chicken stock (or water), the paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook rice for 30-40 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Garnish the top of the rice and beans with the tomatoes and cilantro.
Nutrition Facts:
170 calories / 5g fat / 28g carbohydrates / 6g fiber / 6g protein
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Brandon McDearis is a personal chef working in the Charlotte area. He currently owns and operates Your Way Cuisine, HYPERLINK “http://www.yourwaycuisine.com” http://www.yourwaycuisine.com. In addition to his culinary training, Brandon also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in foods and nutrition, with a concentration in dietetics. He primarily focuses on healthy cooking and addressing specific dietary needs of everyone from professional and amateur athletes, to busy families and elderly people.
