Vegetarian Borracho Beans

These beans are one of the things I don’t mind doing ahead of time and letting cook for hours. It’s well worth the wait for fresh beans, especially this one, because of the broth that comes with it.

There is an advantage to cooking your own beans. When they are soaking you can do things to help breakdown the sugar that is usually the culprit for creating gas. One thing is to let the beans soak overnight and make sure to drain and rinse off the beans before cooking them. I’ve heard you should drain and rinse every 3 hours, but if you are sleeping I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’ve also heard you can add a piece of carrot in when you are soaking them.

This recipe calls for a light beer, preferably a Mexican beer, but it doesn’t necessarily need it. Borracho does mean “drunk” which is why these are called borracho beans, or drunken beans. The beer does add a really good flavor and the alcohol cooks out. However, if you don’t have beer or find that you can’t have beer at all because of an allergy, it does add flavor, but it isn’t going to make or break this recipe. Just replace the amount of beer with extra vegetable broth or another savory liquid to add flavor.

• Servings: Makes 6-8 cups
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Ingredients

• 2 cups dry pinto beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 chicken or “chicken” bouillon or add a few cups of vegetable broth instead of water
• 1 12oz can Mexican beer
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and Pepper, if desired after cooking

Bean Soaking/Preparation
– You can soak the beans overnight. Cover with water and let sit covered on the counter overnight. Before cooking, rinse and add new water.
– You can also soak them for 3 hours, rinse, repeat for another 3 hours, rinse and then cook.
– Another method is to cover with water, let it boil. Turn off heat and let it sit for 2 hours. Rinse, add fresh water and start cooking.

Directions

1. Drain the beans and rinse them. Add to a large pot. Add all chopped vegetables, bouillon, and cilantro. Add fresh water until the water is a few inches higher than the beans.
2. Let beans come to a boil uncovered. Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.
3. Add beer or any additional water/broth, and cover and cook for another hour.
4. Add salt to taste if needed. Turn off heat and serve.

Nutrition Information

1/2 Cup Serving

108 calories | 0.48 g total fat | 0.17 polyunsaturated fat | 0.1 g monounsaturated fat | 0.1 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fat | 0 g cholesterol | 3 mg sodium (unless adding salt) | 19.12 g carbohydrates | 6.1 g fiber | 0.9 g sugar | 6.15 g protein

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Lemon Dill Brown Rice

Brown rice is one of those things you put with anything and has become a staple in my house for a long time. Here is one we use for lighter meals, perfect for spring and summer, to go with fish, salads, and grilled anything! It’s good to become creative with rice if you are not having anything over it since it can be bland and can get boring especially with how much we use it. Adding fresh herbs, garlic, onion, juices like tomato, etc. can really bring on the flavor! Let’s look at why brown rice is so nutritious.

Brown Rice

• Good Source of Magnesium – Vital for Heart, Muscle, and Bone Health
• Good Source of Manganese – Trace Mineral Needed for Vital Functions
  • Nutrient Absorption
  • Production of Digestive Enzymes
  • Bone Development
  • Formation of Blood-Clotting Factors
  • Immune Health
• High Fiber – Weight Management, Good Bowel Health, Lowers Blood Sugar, and more.

 

• Servings: 4-1 cup Servings
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Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
• 1 tsp salt, optional
• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tbsp fresh dill

Directions

1. Add butter or oil to a medium pan on medium heat. Heat through for a minute. Add in garlic, broth, and salt. Bring heat to high and cover until boiling.
2. Add in rice and reduce the heat to low or medium-low for it to simmer, not boil. Cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.
3. Add lemon zest and dill. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

291 calories | 8.5 g fat | 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat | 5.6 g monounsaturated fat | 1.3 g saturated fat | 0 mg cholesterol | 950 mg sodium | 48.5 g carbohydrates | 3.6 g fiber | 2.8 g total sugar | 5.1 g protein | 22% Vitamin A | 27% Magnesium | 16% Zinc | 100% Manganese

Black Bean Salad (Corn Free)

I love black beans. And being able to have them simply with other vegetables and flavors is always a good thing. Here is a simple recipe that is easy, low calorie, low fat, high protein, delicious and easy to make as a side, a snack, or meal prep for lunches. I’ve also used this as a topping for a bed of greens as a green salad or a topping for tacos. The list goes on!

Black Beans

1 Cup Cooked Black Beans

• 14.5 g Protein
• 0.7 g Fat
• 40 g Carbohydrates
• 16.6 g Fiber | Weight Management & Intestinal Health + Healthy Cholesterol Levels
• 28% Daily Value (DV) Iron | Healthier Blood
• 27% DV Magnesium | Healthy Bones
• 16% DV Potassium | Healthy Blood Pressure
• 16% DV Zinc | Healthy Immune System
• 36% DV Folate | Healthy Reproduction of Cells

Then you add in the antioxidant benefits of red bell pepper and red onion and you have a powerhouse of nutrients in a few bites.

Ingredients

• 2 cans of black beans
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• handful of cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. Add all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix together.
2. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes after mixing before eating.

Nutritional Information

Per serving

108 calories | 0.5 g total fat | 0.1 g saturated fat | 0 g trans fats | 0 mg cholesterol | 409 mg sodium | 19.3 g carbohydrates | 7.7 g fiber | 0.7 g sugar | 6.7 g protein

Macro Sources

71% Carbohydrates | 4% Fat | 25% Protein

Dietary Servings per Portion

• 0.6 Meat Alternative
• 1.2 Vegetables

Green Beans & Tomatoes with Fresh Oregano

Stewed tomatoes and green beans just go together. This is one of the side dishes I keep in mind any time of year and can go with just about anything. Simple ingredients, simple instructions, and so good! Nutritionally let’s look at the benefits of using fresh oregano. Sometimes we forget how powerful our fresh herbs are and what they bring to the table other than flavor. Fresh herbs are powerhouses of nutrients and antioxidants which is nice since we usually use a small amount of them when we cook. Here are some interesting facts about oregano, as well as many other herbs in general.

Fresh Oregano

• Powerhouse of Antioxidants – 42 times the antioxidants found in apples
• Improves Immune System
• Anti-Inflammatory
• Significant of Crucial Minerals for Bone Health

Dried herbs have their purpose in cooking, but to get the full benefit it’s always good to use fresh herbs when you can.

• Servings: 4 Servings
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Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. fresh green beans, ends snapped
• 1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium pan on medium-high heat. If you are using a non-stick pot, you can put the heat on medium and cook the onions without oil. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Toss in the green beans, tomatoes, broth, oregano, and parsley. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the green beans are at the desired tenderness. I usually wait until the green beans are a dark rich green color, like the picture, and turn off the heat.
3. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Add lemon juice and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

158 calories | 7.4 g total fat | 1.4 g saturated fat | 1.6 g polyunsaturated fat | 6.4 g monounsaturated fat | 0 g trans fat | 0 mg cholesterol | 192 mg sodium | 18.5 g carbohydrates | 5.6 g fiber | 4.6 g sugar | 4.2 g protein

Macros

47% Carbohydrates | 42% Fat | 11% Protein

Dietary Servings per Portion

3.0 Vegetables