Halfway Healthy – Cuban Style Black Beans (Vegan/GF)

Recipe created by Sarah Holtz

Serves 9

Ingredients

450gms (1 lb.) of dried black beans

To cook

14 cups cold filtered water

1 tsp oregano

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp dried onion

½ tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp sea salt

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground chili powder

1/3 cup diced green pepper

1 teaspoon jalapeno diced

*I usually wear gloves when cutting up chili peppers. The jalapeno can be omitted if you don’t like it spicy.

Method

In a bowl or strainer rinse and sort the dried beans. Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl. Covering the beans with hot water. Let the beans soak on the counter for 1-2 hours. Drain off the soaking liquid and rinse the beans in a strainer until the water runs clear.

Transfer the soaked beans to a large pot. Add the cold water and the seasonings to the pot (to green pepper). Bring the beans up to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the beans for 30 minutes, then add in the diced green and jalapeno pepper if using. Cook beans for 45 minutes then check them for doneness. You can continue to cook the beans until they are as soft as you would like. I usually prefer them a bit firmer. Season the beans to taste with salt.

Serving Suggestions

• Rice
• Diced white onion
• Ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar

I served these black beans over cilantro lime rice with tomatillo salsa. They get topped with the diced raw onion, black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and some red wine vinegar.