Tag: Black Beans

Brazilian Feijoada – Happy (and hopefully very lucky) New Year!!

We’ve posted about this before, but there’s a great,
southern tradition of eating beans and greens on New Year’s Day to ensure good
fortune in the coming year.

Apparently, by eating “poor” the first day of the
year, you align certain cosmic forces in your favor, which results in
prosperity and good luck the rest of the year. Sounds crazy, right? I know, you’re way too sophisticated to
believe in such lame supernatural shenanigans. Hey wait a minute…don’t you
watch all those ghost hunter shows on cable TV? Busted! Hey, did you hear that
noise?

Anyway, whether you believe in this kind of culinary clairvoyance
or not, this Brazilian feijoada is one of the world’s great stews. The
traditional good luck bean is the black-eyed pea, but here we’re celebrating
the delicious, and very nutritious, black bean.

I tried to be clear in the video that this is just my
version, and not some attempt at true feijoada authenticity, whatever that is.
As long as you have black beans, and LOTS of smoked, salted, dried, and/or
cured meats, you are well on your way to some kind of feijoada-like
awesomeness.

In case you’re wondering, all I did for the greens was boil
some kale in salted water until tender, and then sauté briefly in olive oil and
garlic. It pairs perfectly with the white rice and rich stew, and while I can’t
guarantee a year’s worth of wealth and good luck, I can promise you a delicious
bowl of food. Happy New Year to all of you, and as always, enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:
1 pounds dry black beans, soaked overnight
2 quarts water, plus more as needed (add more whenever stew
looks too dry)
1 bay leaf
2 smoked pork chops
12 oz linguica
8 oz Italian sausage
4 oz smoked bacon
3 oz dried beef
1 onion
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
salt and pepper to taste
For the crumbs:
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp grated orange zest
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

Basic steps:
– Soak beans overnight, add to pot with bay leaf, beef
jerky, and any bones
– Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beans are cooked,
but very firm
– Add onion mixture and meats, and simmer for another hour,
or until beans are very soft
– Add a splash of water at any point during the cooking if
stew looks too dry
– Test and add salt near the end, depending on saltiness of
meat

Slow Cooker Chicken Black Bean Tacos

This easy taco recipe requires no pre-cooking, just throw it all in the crock pot and you’ll have a delicious weeknight meal. Black beans and chicken breast, simmered in the slow cooker make the perfect filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or even a burrito bowl and it’s loaded with fiber.

Personally, I love this served in crunchy corn taco shells. I make a quick red cabbage slaw which adds a little acidity and crunch, and it’s a healthier option than iceberg. Add some spicy pico de gallo for freshness and avocados, and I am one happy gal! So good you won’t even miss the cheese!

I often make my own pico de gallo, but when I’m pressed for time, I have no problem buying it. There are lots of great options in the refrigerated produce section of the supermarket, Nature’s Promise is usually my go-to, is organic and has just the right amount of kick.

Avocado is so good on tacos, and loaded with heart healthy fats. It’s creamy and delicious and I totally skip the sour cream, but if you rather save on calories and leave it out, fat free Greek yogurt works fine in it’s place.

As for my slow cooker, believe it or not, I’ve had many bad experiences with crock pots cooking to hot and turning out strange tasting food… until I bought my current Slow Cooker, the Hamilton Beach Set and Forget 6 Quart Slow Cooker. Love it and I’ve been using it for over a year with great results every time! As part of my week of Target giveaways, I wanted to give away the same exact one, but couldn’t find the same exact model. I did find one very similar, without the probe (which I never used anyway) so today on Skinny Bits, if you want to take a chance at winning this wonderful prize, click HERE and leave a comment on Skinny Bits for a chance to win. (Please do not leave your comments here on Skinnytaste, they wont count.)^[1]^[2]^[3]

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Chicken Tacos
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 3 tacos • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pt (10 w avocado)
Calories: 313 • Fat: 8 g • Carb: 41 g • Fiber: 8 g • Protein: 22 g • Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 716 mg (without added salt)

Ingredients:

12 oz raw skinless chicken tenders or breast
15 oz can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed (Goya)
10 oz can tomatoes with mild green chiles (I used Rotel)
1 1/8 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp plus 1/8th tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1 medium scallion, diced
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

For the Slaw:

1 1/3 cups shredded red cabbage
1 tsp red wine vinegar (or lime juice)
salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Taco:

12 crisp corn taco shells

Optional toppings: (not calculated)

pico de gallo
1 medium haas avocado, sliced (+ add 2 pts per serving)

Directions:

Season chicken with pinch of salt, garlic powder, oregano, 1/8 tsp of the chili powder and 1/8th tsp cumin.

Add the beans and tomatoes to the crock pot and season with the remaining chili powder and cumin. Place chicken in the crock pot and cover. Cook on HIGH 2 hours.

Meanwhile, combine shredded cabbage with vinegar (add more to taste), season with salt to taste; set aside.

Remove chicken from the crock pot and shred with two forks. Drain beans and transfer to a platter, or back to the crock pot to keep warm. Top with shredded chicken, scallions and cilantro.

To serve, warm the taco shells according to package directions. Fill with equal amounts of bean and chicken mixture. Top with cabbage and your favorite toppings.

References

^{^} Hamilton Beach Set and Forget 6 Quart Slow Cooker (www.amazon.com)
^{^} Skinny Bits (www.skinny-bits.com)
^{^} click HERE and leave a comment on Skinny Bits for a chance to win (www.skinny-bits.com)

Breakfast Tostada with Guacamole, Black Beans, and Poached Egg

by Pam on October 3, 2012

All of my favorite ingredients in one dish! I had leftover taco fixings in the refrigerator so I decided to use them to make a tostada for breakfast. I topped a crispy corn tortilla shell with homemade guacamole^[1], black beans, tomatoes, cotija cheese, poached egg, and green onions. I served these tostadas with homemade salsa^[2] for a perfectly delicious breakfast. My husband and I loved these tostadas and gobbled them up in seconds.

Heat a skillet that has been coated with cooking spray over medium heat then place the corn tortillas in it. Cook the tortillas for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

While the tortillas are cooking, prepare the poached eggs. Add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat two poaching cups (or custard cups) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the eggs into each cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Layer the crisp tortilla with guacamole^[3], warmed black beans, diced tomato, and cotija cheese. Place the poached egg on top then sprinkle with green onions and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with a side of fresh salsa^[4]. Enjoy.

Print^[5]

Breakfast Tostada with Guacamole, Black Beans, and Poached Egg

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time: 10 min.

Total Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
2 corn tortillas
2 eggs
Guacamole, to taste (see link above)
2 tbsp black beans, warmed
2 tbsp Tomato, diced
1 tbsp cotija cheese
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Salsa, to taste (see link above)

Directions:

Heat a skillet that has been coated with cooking spray over medium heat then place the corn tortillas in it. Cook the tortillas for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

While the tortillas are cooking, prepare the poached eggs. Add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat two poaching cups (or custard cups) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the eggs into each cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Layer the crisp tortilla with guacamole, warmed black beans, diced tomato, and cotija cheese. Place the poached egg on top then sprinkle with green onions and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with a side of fresh salsa. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

References

^{^} guacamole (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)
^{^} salsa (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)
^{^} guacamole (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)
^{^} salsa (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)
^{^} Print Recipe (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)