Black Beans, done the right way

This is a recipe that I have wanted to try for months. But seriously, when am I ever in the same place for 4 hours (the time it takes to cook this dish)? Well, finally I decided to stay in one Sunday afternoon, and instead of studying for a test, cooked up this deliciousness. After a bad evening, this cozy and hearty dish, full of nothing but goodness helped feed my soul. After years of eating black beans from a can, I am now a convert to dried black beans, truly the only way to go. Creamy, filling, and comforting, these are absolutely amazing. I think I'm going to go eat more now. Enjoy!

Black Beans

1 lb. dried black beans, rinsed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, halfed and seeded

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Kosher salt

Fresh cilantro

1) Soak the beans in a pot of water overnight. Drain.

2) Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeño, cumin, and cook, stirring off and on for 5 minutes. Add oregano and beans, then add enough water to cover (about 9 cups). Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low, partially cover and cook, stirring off and on until beans are tender 3 hours.

3) Add 2 teaspoons of salt and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly absorbed, 45 minutes. Season with salt. Let sit 15 minutes before serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro.

Suggestion: Play around with different spices. Try these beans with crushed tortilla chips and avocado to really treat yourself!

A Great Summer Salad

It's summer! That means fresh, delicious, healthy, and inexpensive produce is at your disposal. Summer is my favorite season just for this reason! I wanted to make something light, refreshing, and best of all easy after a long week at work. I chose black beans full of fiber and protein, corn bursting with flavor, juicy tomatoes, an excellent disease preventer, and creamy avocado, high in monounsaturated fats (good fats) to be the stars of this light and refreshing salad. To add a little bit of spice, I added some finely diced jalapeño and some cool lime juice to act as the dressing. This salad shook up my taste buds and left me feeling satisfied. It was the perfect end to my crazy week!

Suggestion: Still hungry? Try some whole wheat Tandoori Bread and Hummus on the side!

Black Bean and Corn Salad

4 ears of corn
2 cans of black beans
2 avocados
3 medium tomatoes
1 or 2 jalapeños (depending on your palate)
2 limes
salt to taste
pepper to taste
A handful of cilantro


Shuck the corn. Cut the corn off of each ear (do this in a bowl to prevent the kernels from going everywhere). Sauté the corn (in a little olive oil) over medium heat until the corn starts to become lightly browned (make sure to stir the corn every once in awhile). After the corn is done (5 minutes or so), put in a bowl to cool, and place the black beans (rinsed and drained) in the pan just to warm through (2 minutes). Place the warmed black beans in the bowl with the corn and place the bowl in the freezer to cool quickly.

While the corn and black beans cool, dice the tomatoes and avocado and place in a bowl. To make the dressing, finely (the smaller the better) dice the jalapeño/s and mix in with the lime juice. Add a good amount of salt and pepper.

Remove the corn and black beans from the freezer and mix the tomato, avocado, and dressing into the bowl. Toss well and taste to season further. Chop a handful of cilantro and place on top to garnish. Happy Eating!