Frugal Mexican Meal!

Hello everybody! Here's another "frugal post" :)  ... Today I am planning on sharing a super quick "recipe" with you... it is hard to call it a RECIPE because it is more like a tip on how to prepare your beans... Beans have amazing health benefits... they are a great source of fiber and vegetable protein, they also have a very low glycemic index, which means that they don't cause a rapid sugar increase in your blood, they are a very healthy complex carb... If you didn't grow up eating beans then they might have some unwanted "secondary effects" but that can be fixed by soaking your beans in plenty of water (3 parts water for 1 part of beans) all night and then draining them and filling them up with water again now for cooking. Soaking the beans will also help you reduce the time of cooking which will save you money on your energy bill.

So... let me tell you how I make beans to have them be a great accompaniment to a meal or a perfect lunch option!

First of all cook your beans (pinto, black or cannellini, for this recipe I prefer pinto or black), to cook them just boil them in plenty of water WITHOUT SALT and with about 3 cloves of garlic (whole cloves, not chopped, just peeled) - Add the salt when they're "mid-way cooked", if you add the salt from the beginning they will harden and take longer to cook, if you add it at the end you might need to use more salt- until they are tender (there should be NO resistance when you bite into one of the beans)- once your beans are cooked you will serve them in a bowl (right away) and use the following for garnish

BASIC GARNISH -for a side dish-:

(All of the ingredients should be finely chopped)

• cilantro
• fresh tomato
• white onion
• freshly squeezed lime juice 

 

 Toss it all together and add on top of the beans, then add some freshly squeezed lime juice (to taste), season with more salt if necessary, you can also add a bit (just a very little bit) of ground cumin to season and for more flavor.

More elaborate GARNISH - to make it a more complete meal-

Serve your beans in bowls and just have different plates with the garnishes for people to add, it is FUN and your kids can participate in the making of "their own meal"


(all of the ingredients should be finely chopped)

• Crumbled Queso Fresco or "Queso Panela"
• Cubed Avocado (cut it up right before serving to avoid oxidation, toss with a bit of lime juice for the same reason)
• Cilantro
• Serrano peppers (optional, that's for the grown ups! YUM!)
• White onion
• Lime Juice (you can cut your limes in wedges and let people "squeeze away")
• Ground cumin and extra salt for seasoning if desired.

I hope you will like this idea... Hubby always thought he hated beans... well... he had only had baked beans, those that have molasses or sugar in them... You might like those but trust me... I think you will LOVE these... They have such a great flavor and are soooo good for you (particularly without the sugar) ... You can have a delicious piece of Mexico's cuisine (yes, I am so proud of our Mexican food) at your table without having to go out!

Let me know how you like this idea... if you are not convinced yet, let me throw some facts about Pinto beans and their great nutrition right here: (black beans have very similar numbers)

Pinto Beans, cooked
Nutrient:

  (1 cup)  DRI/DV

 molybdenum285%

 folate73.5%

 fiber61.5%

 copper41.1%

 manganese38.5%

 phosphorus35.9%

 protein30.8%

 vitamin B127.5%

 vitamin B622.9%

 magnesium21.3%

 potassium21.3%

 iron19.8%

 Did I convince you yet? I hope so!

Please don't forget to leave a comment and/or share/pin :).

Note: If you are following the Trim Healthy Mama Plan then you need to know that this is a perfect E side dish (just use the BASIC GARNISH only - no avocado or cheese) and have some lean protein with it like chicken breast or turkey or you can go all the way and enjoy it with EVERYTHING as a great and very healthy crossover.

Love, 

Paloma.