Black Beans

First, I want to thank my mom for cooking and teaching us to cook growing up.

Second, I want to thank my significant other who loves to cook and when I think we have nothing in the house, he can whip up a delicious, healthy dinner in a half hour. He’s a creative genius in the kitchen.

Lastly, I want to thank a good friend of mine that always offers breakfast burritos to me on mornings when we hike.

Food really is quite amazing. And culture around food is fascinating.

Now, I am anything but a foody. When asked the question: Would you rather watch an amazing sunset or eat a delicious meal?” I will always hands-down choose to watch a sunset. This is somewhat fascinating to me since I have a fast metabolism and when I don’t eat I literally stop functioning. Some people very close to me even might say I get nasty and short and illogical. I would have to agree with them (him).

But today, I really want to share the gratitude I have for black beans. Yes, that’s right, that’s what I said. Black beans. The more you eat, the more you toot. Those ones.

Why black beans, you might ask?

We recently got back from a short trip to Yucatan, Mexico, where we ate black beans at almost every meal. Generally they are smashed – served thicker with breakfast, and thinned out for dipping chips for the starter of lunch and dinner. (Yes, there is a story where I had 12 meals in a row with only black beans, eggs and tortillas and had major digestive issues…I was living with a Guatemalan family at the time. That’s another story completely!)

They are delicious, easy, a protein + fiber and a healthy carb.

When I eat black beans at home (rather than in Latin America), I generally eat them for a special weekend breakfast, like I did this morning. Saute onions and garlic, then dump in beans with at least half of their own juices. Cook while stirring and smashing along the way. To add some complexity, I like to add chili powder, paprika, and turmeric. If you want to start with the dried beans, here’s a great recipe from the New York Times.

If you haven’t had some black beans lately, grab a can or a bag and enjoy the delightful legume!