Beans Are Good

Yes, they are.

Not only can they be incorporated into innumerable dishes, or have the ability to function as a side dish or entree, they are extremely healthy. Beans are filled with protein, complex (good-for-you) carbohydrates, fiber, and many vitamins and minerals. Here's a delicious recipe that can be altered in many ways, and acts great as a "half-entree". I use this term because it's supposed to be a side dish, but it's so yummy you just have to eat more.

The base of the recipe is beans, fruit, fresh herbs, and avocado. The first three can be changed up any way you like, but there's just no substitution for an avocado. What I did this time was use cannellini beans (canned, rinsed well), mango, and parsley. Mix them together with the avocado, a little vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. I served this with chicken tacos.

Here are some different combinations: black beans with papaya and cilantro, pinto beans with peaches and basil, garbanzos (chick peas) with orange and mint.

Chicken Soup For the Cuban's Soul

No, this isn't the 1000th version of the "Chicken Soup" book. And it may not even be 100% Cuban. It is, though, a spin-off of one of my favorite soups, hailing from Cubana Cafe (see February's blogs for a review).

What you will need:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart water
1 sweet potato, medium dice (prepare while chicken is cooking)
1/2 bag of snow peas, thinly sliced lengthwise (prep whle chckn is ckng)
1 medium tomato, small dice (p.w.c.i.c.)
1 avocado, sliced
2 limes
1 small bunch fresh cilantro
Salt, hot sauce

How to do it:

Pour the broth and water into a big pot over high heat, and add the chicken breasts. Leave the chicken in there until cooked through, about 18-20 minutes. Once the breasts are done, turn off the heat, take them out, and then add the sweet potatoes to the liquid. Let them cook for about 10 minutes.

Allow the chicken to cool, and then shred with your hands. Add the shredded chicken back into the pot, along with the snow peas. Season to taste with salt and then ladel the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with tomatoes and avocado, squirt with lime juice, and tear some fresh cilantro right on top. Add hot sauce, please! but to taste, of course.

And it'll come out looking like this: