A Healthy Caribbean Dish with Red Beans

Red beans can turn out to be a healthy and economic choice to add to your diet. There are many benefits and lots of recipes too, so here’s one of them.

Red beans are full of fibers that lower your cholesterol. Combined with whole grains, beans provide high quality proteins. Another benefit is that red beans protect your heart and blood vessels.

Here’s a great recipe from MayoClinic.com: Caribbean red beans and brown rice, six servings.

Ingredients

• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tomato, cored and diced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 1/2 cups of water
• 1 cup of vegetable stock or broth
• 1 1/4 cups of assorted brown rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups of dried red beans, picked over and rinsed, soaked for a few hours, and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of hot-pepper sauce
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil or canola oil
• 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme

Instructions

Take a large saucepan, put it over high heat and then combine in it 4 cups of water, beans, and the bay leaves. After you will bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover partially. Let it simmer for 60 to 70 minutes so the beans would become tender. Next drain and throw away the bay leaves.

While you cook the beans also combine the rice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of oil, salt, and the remaining cups of water in a saucepan over medium/high heat. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low to let it simmer for about 45 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Then set aside, but keep it warm.

Last, take another large saucepan and heat the remaining oil over medium/high heat. Add the celery, bell pepper, and onion. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, when the vegetables should be softened. Stir in the garlic and cook it for about 1 minute, until softened. Also, add the remaining salt, cloves, allspice, black pepper, cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Next stir in the tomato, cooked beans, vegetable stock, hot-pepper sauce, and thyme. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, when the vegetable mixture should be heated through. Divide the rice in warmed individual bowls, top with beans, and sprinkle with cilantro.

One serving of Caribbean red beans and brown rice has about 382 calories, 14 g protein, 63 g carbohydrate, 1 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 517 mg sodium, 11 g fiber, and no cholesterol.