Pinto Beans & Short Grain Brown Rice

Yes, you can make Pinto Beans & Rice without all the fat, but yet keep the flavor and taste for a healthy heart. This bountiful dish is brimming with fiber and many important nutrients essential to good health.  Nutty flavor of the steam brown rice enhances the flavor of the pinto beans. This recipe is quick and easy side dish that will accent any protein or vegetable.

Prep Essentials

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 - 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Recipe Essential Tools 

Aroma Rice Cooker is my choice.

Cook rice according to rice cooker instructions.

For Stove top – depending on servings Combine rice, water, and olive oil in a pot, and bring to a boil.  Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

·       1 cup short or long grain brown rice

·       2 cups chicken broth

·       1 can Pinto Beans, with liquid

·       1 teaspoon olive oil

·       1 teaspoon ground smoke paprika

·       1 teaspoon ground cumin

·       1 teaspoon ground coriander

·       2 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amino’s or low-sodium soy sauce

·      Fresh Chopped Parsley for garnish

·       Salt to taste; optional  

Recipe Directions

1.  Place rice in cooker and add chicken broth, close the lid and press brown rice button.  “And that is it”.  If using stovetop method see instruction above.

2.  Heat Pinto beans in medium saucepan over medium heat for 3 – 5 minutes.  Add oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, and Bragg’s liquid.  Add salt if desired; mix well.

3.  Once rice is done, take a fork and fluff rice to separate the grains, then add beans to rice and gently fold.   Place beans and rice in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh chop parsley.

Cooking from the Pantry - Kale & White Bean Soup

Fresh Kale lends a taste of summer’s bounty to this lightened soup.  Aromatic vegetables such as turnips, garlic, onions and bell peppers together with cannellini beans and lean chicken sausage meatballs; add great flavor and plenty of vitamins while keeping the fat in check. What a wonderful way to eat your vegetables!

Ingredients

• 6 links Chicken Sausage (casing remove and make meat balls)
• ½ each Bell Peppers – Red, Yellow, Orange (diced)
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 large Turnip, diced
• 1 32 oz. Chicken Broth – low sodium and fat free
• 1 14.5 oz. can Cannellini Beans (rinsed and drain)
• 1 bunch of Kale ( about 1 pound – stems removed and chopped)
• 1 medium Onion – diced
• Olive oil for sautéing
• Salt and pepper
• chopped scallions for garnish
• shredded parmesan cheese for garnish (optional) 

Steps

1. Make the sausage meat balls – take one sausage link and twist to squeeze the sausage meat out of the casing and mold 1” meat balls with your hands.  Each link should yield about 5 – 6 meat balls.  Place on a plate until ready to cook.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add one teaspoon of olive oil and add meat balls.  Sear on all sides (this should take about 3 minutes.)  Then remove and set aside.
3. In large soup pot, over medium heat add a little olive oil then add onions and garlic.  Sauté until onions and garlic are tender.
4. Add chicken broth and 1 cup of water to sauté onions and garlic.  Then bell peppers, diced turnips, cannellini beans, and kale.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 - 8 minutes. 
5. Add sausage meat balls and let simmer another 2 – 3 minutes.  Serve soup – garnish with fresh chopped scallions and shredded cheese if desired.

Eating Lean and Clean 2013 - Recipe #4

Black-Eyed Peas with a Healthy Twist

Prep Time: 5 minutes    Cook Time: 55 minutes    Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

• 4 Cloves of Garlic (minced)

• 1/2 Cup diced onions

• 4 Cups  Low Sodium Chicken Broth

• 4 cups Fresh black eyed peas, or frozen, defrosted and drained

• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

• 1/4 Cup chopped scallions for garnish

Directions for this recipe

1.  In a 3 - 5 quart Dutch oven, over medium heat; add olive oil, garlic and onion. Sauté until translucent.  Then add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

2. Add black-eyed peas, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30-40 minutes or until tender. ( Add a little water if necessary.  Then add red pepper flakes and let simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place beans in a serving dish and add chopped scallions for garnish.  Serve over steamed white or brown rice.