They still aren't my favorite, but I've been working on a way to like them more. A couple years ago I discovered that you can cook black beans in your slow cooker, so that made using dried beans and then freezing the leftovers very easy.
These days, I cook a pound of black beans at least every other week, if not every week. It makes a hearty vegetarian meal for pennies on the dollar, and I'm almost to the point where I would say I enjoy eating them.
This isn't really a recipe, more a meal idea, but it was the first time we've done this combination of toppings, and BOY! It was delicious! You could, of course, tweak certain ingredients if you are going dairy-free or grain-free or whatever. We have no such restrictions. In latter, less healthy days I would definitely have added a heaping handful of cheddar cheese to each serving, but that adds so many calories, and it really doesn't need it. (And honestly, I never would have thought I would willingly NOT have cheese at a meal!)
Black Bean and Rice Bowl
Ingredients:
- black beans
- jasmine rice
- chicken broth
- salad greens
- avocado, cubed
- bell peppers, sliced
- smoked turkey sausage
- onion, diced
- sour cream
- salsa
- cumin
- chili powder
- salt
- pepper
- minced garlic
- onion powder
- oregano
Directions
Cook black beans in slow cooker all day long (Easy-peasy: Rinse black beans in a colander; pour in slow cooker and add 3 cups water for every 1 cup of beans; cook on low for 8-ish hours). When beans are finished, drain liquid and add seasonings to taste - cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, minced garlic, onoin powder and oregano. Cook jasmine rice in chicken broth. Saute turkey sausage and onion together in skillet until brown.
When all cooking is done, put a heaping cup of salad greens in each bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of rice and 1/2 cup of beans, then add some of the turkey sausage/onion mixture Add avocado, bell peppers, sour cream and salad. Mix together and ENJOY.
(I didn't add amounts to the ingredient list because you can make as much as you want!)
I think you've inspired me to try cooking dry beans for the first time. I always buy canned!
ReplyDeleteBean and rice bowls are my work-week lunch SO often! My easy-peasy (somewhat expensive version):
ReplyDelete1/2 container FRESH salsa (no jarred salsa for me!)
1/2 pack taco seasoning
1 boil-in-a-bag brown rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
shredded cheese to taste
I'm so impressed you make this from scratch!!
Kaitlyn, it really is SO easy! Seriously. Even if you work outside the home, you can do these black beans. Just set them to cook for 9ish hours and add a couple extra cups of water. Once we've eaten our fill for dinner, I save some for leftovers and freeze the rest in 2-cup portions (so that they are the equivalent of one can of black beans). Sometimes I freeze them un-seasoned; sometimes I freeze them seasoned.
ReplyDelete