Cooking With Black Beans And Brown Rice

[beano]

I'm on a diet and always looking at high fiber food that's high in nutrients and easy on the calories.
The small dried black beans soften up easily with soaking and cooking and after reading about Cuban style food I decided to cook them with rice. I've found it's better to cook and drain the beans first then add them to the rice dish which I usually make with stir fry type veggies and either chicken or fish.
Spices are optional, I either go Thai or Indian Curry or even Mexican by adding tomatoes and jalapenos. I'm not afraid to use packet stuff if I'm feeling idle. (Rephrase that to "more idle than usual").
The result is tasty, filling and you crap like an elephant the next day.

[phuketbound]

^That sounds delicious. I usually buy refried beans, and make my own burritos. I add chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, and a small amount of cheese and wrap it up with a tortilla.

I find it faster to buy canned beans. Kidney beans are super high in fiber. In most stores you can buy a mixed bean assortment. Another thing you can add is medium to hot salsa. Salsa gives it a nice flavor.

[Norton]

Kidney beans are super high in fiber. In most stores you can buy a mixed bean assortment. Another thing you can add is medium to hot salsa. Salsa gives it a nice flavor.

These work great for everything. Burritos, Red Beans and rice, or just a nice big bowl of beans. Make a big pot and freeze a few portions.

https://teakdoor.com/the-kitchen/2364...ret-beans.html (Norton's Secret Beans)

[beano]

I love salsa, make my own frequently

[phuketbound]

The secret beans look great. Unfortunately, I have only two elements, and no stove where I live. So, I can't cook too much. The beans I can do.

I found a list of high fiber foods. I make a mean Lentil Soup. Lentils are quite high in fiber as well.

High-fiber foods



Looking to add more fiber to your diet? Fiber — along with adequate fluid intake — moves quickly and relatively easily through your digestive tract and helps it function properly. A high-fiber diet may also help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Here's a look at the fiber content of some common foods. Read nutrition labels to find out exactly how much fiber is in your favorite foods. Recommended fiber amounts for women is 21 to 25 grams a day and for men is 30 to 38 grams a day. The box isn't copying onto here. Here is the link.
High-fiber foods - MayoClinic.com

Check this out. You can get a breakdown of what you should be eating on a food pyramid based on your age/weight/height.

Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid tool - MayoClinic.com

[beano]

I'm not sure that I agree with that pyramid thingy PB. I belong to Calorie Counter Forum and they reckon that 1400 cals a day is too little for a bloke my size. I keep under 2000, 1500 on a good day and have lost about 25kg in 5 months. At least once a week I have have a "good" meal, pork chops and chips with heaps of veg. I only eat a fraction of the meat and potatoes I used to though.
I went off the piss as well which really helped.
Exercise consists of a couple of good walks with the dog each day.

[Wayne Kerr]

have lost about 25kg in 5 months.

F'n hell mate that is good going ... congrats!

[natalie8]

I LOVE black beans and brown rice is so flavourul and nutritious. An interesting point about the mix of beans and rice is that each beans and rice provide a partial protein, but when you eat them together, they make a complete protein.

I'm doing the groceries today, so I'll look out for dried black beans. Yum!

[beano]

Watch out when you're cooking them Natalie, they turn everything they're cooked with black or dark brown. I always cook them separately, drain them and then add them to what ever else your doing.
I gave up on dried red kidney beans after soaking and cooking them with a dozen ball bearings. The BBs were tenderer than the beans!!!

[natalie8]

Watch out when you're cooking them Natalie, they turn everything they're cooked with black or dark brown

I know and I'm a very messy cook. Wanna hear something tragic? I've searched in every grocery store in Dubai since I've been (bean) here and there are no black beans. Waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

[beano]

I wonder if a produce store/market would have them in bulk, rather than packets?

[natalie8]

There is one more place to check. I can do this either Friday or Saturday.

[Norton]

I gave up on dried red kidney beans after soaking and cooking them with a dozen ball bearings.

Ball bearings! That's a new one on me.

A couple of tips. Really no need to soak over night. Cover the beans with water (no salt), bring to a boil remove them from the heat and let them sit for about 1 hour. Drain the water and again cover with water. Do not put any salt in the water! Bring to a boil and then simmer adding water as needed. After about 1 and a half hours mash up a few of the beans. Continue to cook for about a half hour. Add, ingredients, seasoning and cook until the beans are tender. Should take no more than 1 hour.

[Marmite the Dog]

^ Or use tinned beans. Always the right amount and always nice and soft.

[Norton]

Or use tinned beans. Always the right amount and always nice and soft.

Lazy git.

[BillyBobThai]

To get your complete protien with beans and rice, you are much better off using brown rice than white rice. I can take most any dried bean, and using a pressure cooker, have them ready to eat, from dry to cooked in less than thirty minutes.
Put them in the cooker with 4 times as much water and some salt and pepper.
Get the pressure up to 15 psi and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the pressure cooker under cool running water and you can open it after the pressure has fallen off, maybe 20 seconds. If the beans are not fully cooked, reseal the cooker and bring back up to pressure for another 5 minutes or so. With a pressure cooker you will never have to soak beans again.

[Happyman]

I like red beans .
Are the skins the major source of fibre?
I go through the soaking , cooking , cooling , change water and cook again routine, but normally pinch each one afterwards to pop the shin off !
I am a junkie for Tong Garden "salted broad beans " though !

Here we go
has triggered a memory

In the 1600's in UK there was a grain harvest failure .
The peasants were starving
They had a load of Broad beans
They dried them
Ground them into flour and mixed it 50% 50% with wheat flour to make bread !

When I ran a bistro in uk we did just that to see what it tasted like .

It made a very dense loaf but with a nice flavour .
2 slices of that and it filled you completely.
I think the only way to describe it is - like you had eaten a piece of the church roof !