Beans and Rice: Diri ak Pwa: Arroz y Habas: or Feijão com Arroz

Far to much time is given to wheat... when Rice and Beans will do so much more for you...as a survival food that will keep and stores easily and as just good ole fashioned yummy food...

The dish is very nutritious. Rice is rich in starch, an excellent source of energy. Rice also has iron, vitamin B and protein. Beans also contain a good amount of iron and an even greater amount of protein than rice. Most significantly, the consumption of the two in tandem provides all the essential amino acids.

Rice and beans are an inseparable pair of staple foods for millions of Latin Americans, parts of Central America, the Caribbean, and the Andean Mountain zone. Whether consumed separately or together, these crops figure importantly in the human diet and in national economies across the entire region, and trends in their production are a matter of immediate relevance to practically all of its inhabitants

In discussing Puerto Rican cuisine, food critic Susan Fairbank wrote:

Rice and beans are sacred .... They are our "daily bread," our comfort food. When you mess with someone's rice & beans, you mess with their mind. Rice & beans are soul food [...]
I ordered Arroz con habichuelas and when they arrived, I poured the entire bowl of beans over the plate of rice and mixed them thoroughly to absorb the gravy.
I mention mixing because rice & beans are eaten together in the same bite and not, as I saw the uninitiated do, eaten separately in isolated mouthfuls.
It's a synergistic dish and makes a deliciously healthy block of complete protein when combined together

Here's an easy recipe for red beans and rice.

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
•2 cans red kidney beans, (15 ounces each)
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions, with tops
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 jar (2 oz) chopped pimiento
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato paste
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•1/2 pound Polish sausage, sliced, if desired

Preparation:

Fry bacon and crumble into kidney beans. Saute vegetables in the bacon drippings. Cook until vegetables are wilted. Add beans and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.
Serves 4.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------

Easy Black Beans with Yellow Rice
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
•1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Preparation:

Heat vegetable oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and green pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until tender.
Stir in drained beans, tomatoes, sugar, oregano, basil, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and hot sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently; set aside.

Cook rice, following package directions, with the addition of turmeric to the cooking liquid.

Serve hot black bean mixture over rice.
Serves 2.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------
Beans and Rice Mix

■1 cup long grain brown rice
■1 tablespoon dry onion flakes
■1 tablespoon dry celery
■1 tablespoon dry green pepper
■1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
■2 vegetable or other flavored bouillon cubes
■Dash red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper
■1/4 cup bacon bits OR sausage flavored TVP

Combine the brown rice and all of the other ingredients in a resealable plastic container. I like to use zip-lock bags. Label and Seal and the container. Store on the pantry shelf. This is enough for 1 package of mix. Make several at a time for the most convenience.

To Prepare:
■2-1/2 cups water
■15 oz can of beans (any kind: Kidney, Black-Eyed Peas, Pintos, Chick Peas, Black Beans whatever you have on hand)
■1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
■1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional, but good)
■1 package of Homemade Bean and Rice Mix

In a 2 quart sauce pan, bring the water and undrained, canned beans to a boil. Stir in the oil and soy sauce as it heats. When the mixture boils, stir in the package of Beans and Rice Mix. Stir it all up, put on a good lid and reduce the heat to very low. Cook the mixture for 45 minutes over low heat.

Serve with cucumbers, fresh fruit, and warm tortillas. I like vinegar sprinkled on mine, although red pepper sauce is good on it too. Red kidney beans or black beans make the prettiest dish, but any type of beans can be used. If desired, you can put a package of the mix in a brown paper lunch bag, and then place a can of beans in the bag beside it. This would keep the mix and the beans together in one place, so you don’t’ have to hunt for canned beans when you are ready to prepare it. Be sure to label the paper bag if you go this route.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------
Taco Style Lentils & Rice

■3/4 cup dry lentils
■3/4 cup brown rice
■4 cups tap water
■4 beef bouillon cubes
■2 teaspoons chili powder
■1/2 teaspoon cumin
■1 teaspoon onion powder
■1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

In a 2-quart saucepan bring the water to a boil. As the water is heating, add the lentils, rice, bouillon, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring the whole thing to a nice fat boil. Reduce the heat to low. Place a lid on the lentils and allow the mixture to simmer for about 45 to 50 minutes. The water should be mostly absorbed. You may serve this as it, topped with a little cheddar cheese if desired. Or you can use it to fill burritos or tacos instead. Both ways are very tasty. This is one of Tommy’s favorite foods in the whole wide world.

If you have never tried lentils and are looking for a way to make them acceptable to the kids, this one is a good bet. Our favorite way to eat it is as a taco filling. If you are having a busy day and don’t have time to cook this on the stove, it can cook in the crock pot on low for about 6 to 8 hours instead. I’ve never cooked it on high, so I’m not sure how quickly it would cook that way. I suspect about 3 hours would be enough.

Yata-Hey

Very healthy in that the beans not only provide Protein but also provide natural Fiber as well which is what moderates the fat absorbed in the body by aiding in the digestion of fats found in meats.

Something I learned from my mom who's of Native American descent, is the importance of Pinto Beans in the diet.

PEACE

Famous Jazz musician Louis Armstrong
signed his personal correspondence with
"Red Beans and Ricely Yours."


David Grouchy



Here is his own recipie courtesy the Louis Armstrong House Museum.

Agreed. Rice and beans are even a staple in my BOB. I have 5 packs of different types of "Uncle Bens" mixes on my BOB. Added together with my jerky and some granola bars along with a small plastic bottle of olive oil. It gives me a weeks food easy and it is very light. Best thing is I can cook it in my "GI Cup" that is part and parcel with my canteen.

As a hispanic, growing up these are staples of the diet, an recently I have been purchasing rice and beans fairly cheap from Costco, no end to what you can make from these two items.

We definately need a receipe section of ATS

Hey, don't leave out Louisiana. Red Beans and Rice and White Beans over rice are a staple down here. When cooked and seasoned right (the important part), they are downright delicious.
It comes from our Caribean/West African influence (via rich and poor refugees from the Haitian Revolution as well as directly from African slaves - crossing racial lines was much more prevalent in La than in other slave states).
The Cajuns added their own spice into the mix, too.

Anyway, yes. Nothing beats a good plate of red beans and rice with a chunk of spicy smoked sausage, andouille, or boudin. Add a dash of Tony Chacheries and some Tabasco or Crystal sauce. Of course you need a buttered piece of french bread to sop up whatever's left on the plate.

Just don't stand downwind the next morning!

Edit to add: Louie A. might be the greatest American artist of all time, but he also knew his New Orleans food!

Originally posted by bluemirage5
We definately need a receipe section of ATS

Don't they already have a food and cooking section?

reply to post by radosta


Sorry, but Frank's Red Hot for me. Crystal's is ok, but Tabasco just tastes like vinegar imo.

reply to post by nh_ee


FYI "Ya Teh" is the more common form....dropping the a in the middle... when saying howdy... We Apaches use the word "Ha'andah" kind of HiYa welcome or come in...

Beans and rice are much more than just a way to keep grad students and postdocs alive. they keep forever and if you have a crockpot... you can cook your meal in your sleep...

reply to post by davidgrouchy


I see Louis added peppers
Most people don't know this but eating chili and peppers is a way to control Intestinal Parasites...Hot peppers. Peppers are effective only if they are a steady part of your diet. You can eat them raw
or put them in soups or rice and meat dishes. They create an environment that is prohibitive to
parasitic attachment.

there is a lot of lore craft in these old survival foods...(AKA Slave Foods).. things most folks forgot or knowledge that was never passed down and almost lost

reply to post by DarthMuerte


I hear you. Everybody has their own sauce preferences. I've heard multiple long winded arguments arguing the merits of Tabasco vs. Crystal vs. Louisiana Hot Sauce. I tend to go Crystal or Louisiana for my day to day seasoning needs, but when Monday rolls around, I go with Tabasco for my Red Beans.
This thread is making me hungry and I just ate lunch an hour ago.

You can buy rice in 50lb sack at costco and beans in 25 lb sacks.

If you have a few of each, you can eat for a long long time.

I also buy soup. Cook the soup and poor over the rice and you have a complete meal for a few people.

When I was in Costa RIca, we had some combination of beans and rice with every meal. I loved it. I especially liked the beans and rice mixed together as part of my breakfast.

reply to post by radosta


Most often I just mix in a little Red Chili Powder
this comes in hot, Hotter... and ...."OH MY GOD WHAT WAS THAT....

Just thought I'd add that one really nice feature of rice is that if you have the time to let it sit in water, it will become soft without heat! It needs to sit overnight, or for about 15 hours.

reply to post by chasingbrahman


You made me remember something important...

to those of you who don't normally cook... always wash your rice.... esp white rice... that milky color in the water is a polishing compound they use to make the rice look pretty... it wont hurt ya... but it will make your rice gummy. sticky and not all that appealing....

Question for you, please. In your Beans and Rice Mix, you had dried celery. Are you dehydrating your own or are able to buy it already dry?

I'd always been told that you DON'T rinse the rice as it will wash away vitamins
speaking of which, I wonder if 'converted' rice is more nutritious?

reply to post by DaddyBare
Excellent post DB! Making sure that your food cache is nutritious as well as filling is a point often overlooked. Buy what you and your family eat and stock up on vitamins. Flagged and starred.

DB, I just have to say I love your posts, I've never replied to one but I do thoroughly enjoy reading them. You are a true teacher, brother