Beans and Greens? Yes, Beans are a great source of protein without the saturated fat and cholesterol of other proteins, like meat. Leafy greens like Swiss Chard or collard greens add antioxidants to your meals and are good for your eyes. Putting together these powerhouse foods creates delicious one-pot meals that are packed with protein, iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins. Cooked with spices and served with rice, it’s a wholesome and tasty meal that’s easy on your budget. Add some sweets like corn bread for a healthy feast.

Make a meal: Rice, Beans and Collard greens from a well-known restaurant in Nashville. TN

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut into quarters.

• 8 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt and pepper

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• 2 16-ounce cans black beans or 1 16-ounce package dried black beans, cooked.

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 2 cups white rice

• 1 pound collard greens

• 2 tablespoons oil

• salt and pepper to taste.

To Make: Cook Beans, Rice and Collard greens separately and then combine.

1. Finely chop onion and garlic, combine and add salt and pepper. (Use a food processor if you have one.) Heat 3 Tablespoons of oil in a skillet and add ¼ cup onion mixture. Sauté 15 minutes. Add cumin and cook for 15 more minutes scraping browned bits from bottom of pan. Add cooked beans, bay leaf, cook for another 15 minutes on low heat. Add vinegar. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a different skillet. Add 1 tablespoons of onion mixture and dry rice and sauté for 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 20 minutes.

3. Layer the collard leaves on top of one another and roll it up like a taco. Thinly slice into shreds. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet, add greens and cook 5 minutes. Serve black beans and rice with collards separately or combine.

Feast on beans!  Your budget and your body will love it!

As a Sweet Treat

Recipe: Sweet Southern Corn Bread

Moist, flavorful companion to Beans & Greens

Ingredients

• 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

• ¾ a cup of crushed pineapple (fresh or canned)

• ¼ a cup of pineapple juice

• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

• 8 oz. of whipped cream cheese 

TO MAKE:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 15 minutes (although you may not use all this time for melting the butter). 

• Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or cast-iron skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.

• While the butter is melting, combine the Jiffy box mix, crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, sugar, and cream cheese in a medium-size mixing bowl.

• Pour melted butter from the pan into the bowl and mix ingredients together.  Pour mixture back into baking pan

• Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Serve warm

Tips and Tricks: Beans

Cook dry Beans WITHOUT Soaking:

Dry bean recipes always say “soak beans overnight or for 6 hours.”  Here’s a cook’s trick for cooking beans without soaking. Saving lots of time  - “Kitchen”.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of dry beans

• 2 teaspoons salt

• Seasoning you enjoy : Bay leaf, cumin, chili powder, minced garlic, black pepper

• Water to cover beans

To Make:

• Heat oven to 325

• Sort beans to remove any debris.

• Put in a 3 quart Dutch Oven with a tight lid

• Add salt and seasoning

• Add water to cover beans by an inch. Put on the lid and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

• Check the beans and stir them. If they are tender, take them out of the oven. Not tender enough? Cook for ten more minutes.  Looking dry, add a cup of water.

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