A Typical South US Dish that Few Would Believe Is so Healthy

If we think about changing habits to get a healthier life, we think of exercising, getting check-ups we have been putting off due to the quarantine, we have even started paying attention to mental health and doing things we like and bring joy to our lives. And that’s exactly what a healthy life should consist of. But we’re missing one key point which is the stuff we consume, in a broad sense, the things we choose to buy and, in a narrow sense, the things we choose to eat and the things our body receives.

Thinking of getting our check-ups done and working out is as important as thinking what we’re going to eat. There’s a general and, let’s face it, wrong idea that eating healthy food can’t be delicious, that healthy food is just a boring green salad which is not fun to make nor to eat.

Healthy food habits:

But health and food can go a long way when we know what to look for in our daily diet. In this sense, diet is not a synonym for restriction. A healthy diet makes reference to healthy habits, to the awareness we bring to our plate and the right choice of ingredients and combinations.

A nutritious plate should, at least, include vitamins, proteins, fiber and carbs. What’s the secret? Proportion. If your plate is full of carbs and has no protein, then there’s something we can improve there. But if proteins and fiber surpass the amount of carbs, you shouldn’t feel guilty for eating just some pasta or rice for that matter. 

Is rice healthy?

Contrary to what many people think, rice can be a great addition to a healthy diet, mainly because of how versatile it is, but also because of the nutritious aspect of it. White rice is rich in nutrients, especially minerals and vitamins. It’s also good for bones as it provides magnesium and, when cooked and eaten cool, rice can be good for colon health. This is only rice, given that you can mix it and combine it with almost any other existent ingredient, it’s a great option. 

In this case, we’re going to share a vegan recipe red beans and rice for you to try. Is there a healthy version of beans and rice? Yes, there is and it’s just here for you to enjoy and start changing your food habits.

Vegan red beans and rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of red kidney beans.

• 1 ½ cups of rice.

• Extra-virgin olive oil.

• 1 celery.

• 1 yellow onion.

• 2 cloves of garlic.

• Fresh parsley.

• 1 tbsp of salt.

• 1 tbsp of black pepper.

• 1 tbsp of cajun seasoning.

• 1 tbsp of smoked paprika.

Preparation:

1. In a medium-size container, place a cup or two of red kidney beans and soak them overnight.

2. You can start by chopping the vegetables you’re going to saute, that is: yellow onion, bell pepper and celery. Chop, also, some garlic cloves and fresh parsley.

3. Take a pan and pour extra virgin olive oil, heat it up and place the previously chopped vegetables. Sauté them until they get brownish and soft (that’ll take about ten minutes).

4. Add two garlic cloves and cook for an extra two minutes.

5. Add the fresh parsley, keep stirring and add the seasonings. You could use Cajun seasoning and smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

6. Add hot sauce and stir until everything is well mixed. Cook for some minutes until everything is cooked.

7. Add the soaked red beans together with the broth. Mix and blend the liquids together. Set the heat up to max and let the mix boil. Then, turn the heat down to simmer and cover the pan. Let it cook for at least one hour.

8. In the meantime, cook a cup and a half of rice in a different pot. Once ready, drain it and set aside.

9. Go back to the beans pan, remove the lid and let it cook for an extra fifteen minutes. After that, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit.

10. Serve a scoop of rice together with a scoop of the beans mix. Top it with some fresh parsley and season to your liking.

Extra tip: 

Before serving, you can take a scoop of rice to the blender and make a pureé out of it. Include it in your plate and mix everything together.