A Flavor Fiesta: Mexican Inspired “Rice” and Beans

¡Bienvenidos a la Cantina Candida!

 

Can-do has gone south of the border in this Mexican inspired dinner dish. 

With flavors this rich and exotic, you’ll feel like you’re cheating on your diet, but get this – there’s no catch.  No repercussions, just guilt-free satisfaction. 

This recipe is a cinch to whip up, and a quick cooker to boot. 

Start with a can of organic pre-cooked Black Beans.  I always check the ingredients of the can before purchasing to make sure there are as few ingredients as possible (beans, water), and no added starches or preservatives.  If there are a few additives it’s not the end of the world, I just tend to be a purist when it comes to ingredients in my food. 

Start by chopping one yellow onion.  Sauté the onion in a medium-sized pot with four minced garlic cloves and olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and cook down until the onions are translucent.  Once your onions and garlic are browned and soft, pour in one cup of organic chicken broth.  The broth will pick up all of the flavors of the onion and garlic that have infused into the olive oil and incorporate it into your beans.

Strain your beans of the extra liquid they have been canned with.  Next, add your beans to your broth and give them a stir.  Add approximately a quarter to a half a teaspoon of ground cumin – this spice will give your black beans a traditional Mexican flavor.  Aside from lending a fragrant spice flavor to classic Mexican and Indian dishes, cumin helps to regulate blood sugar, and is also a good digestive aid.

A handful of finely chopped cilantro will also add a very traditional Mexican flavor to your beans, as well as providing a pop of herbaceous freshness to an otherwise heavy recipe. 

 

If you like heat, you can add your preferred hot sauce, chili pepper, etc.  I have a delicate stomach for spicy dishes, so I keep it mild.      

Let your pot simmer on medium heat until some of the broth has evaporated.  While it simmers, the beans will begin to leech their starch into the broth.  This will cause the contents of the pot to thicken into that velvety sauce that soaks so nicely into rice.  Stir occasionally, taking care not to burn the bottom.  When the beans are at a thick but fluid consistency, turn off the heat and prepare to serve. 

I like to serve this as Candida “Rice and Beans”.  I replace the white or yellow rice that would typically accompany a side of black beans with rainbow quinoa. 

Quinoa is a grain that is great for the Candida Diet.  It is high in protein and contains no sugars, so it won’t feed your candida colonies.  Since quinoa is native to South America, the flavor profile fits right in to a Latin American or Mexican inspired black bean dish. 

I prefer rainbow quinoa, as it is a mix of three different varieties: red, white, and black.  White quinoa has the mildest flavor and softest texture of the three types, so by mixing it with the nuttier, more robust red and black kernels you get a neutral but distinct taste, with a little bit of texture that gives each bite a satisfying chew.    

Cooking quinoa is very simple.  Boil two cups of salted water and add a cup of rinsed quinoa.  Reduce to a simmer and cover the pot.  Let this cook until the water evaporates (about twenty minutes), stirring occasionally.  

I like to plate these beans with some sliced avocado.  The avocado is technically a fruit, and it adds a little bit of sweetness and healthy fats that really round out the garlic flavor of the beans.  Avocados also have high percentages of key vitamins and minerals. 

Spoon a dollop of non-fat, unsweetened, plain Greek yogurt on top as a candida can-do substitute for sour cream y ya está – your Mexican fiesta is ready to begin. 

¡Buen Provecho!