We make Dave Ramsey’s “Rice and Beans Lifestyle” look all fancy! This meal is so delicious and fresh!
A cheap and Easy Meal: Brazilian Black Beans
These Black Beans are a great money-saving meal. This dinner is so yummy and better yet it’s cheap. As well as, being very economical, this Brazilian Black beans recipe is also convenient because it cooks in the crockpot. Score! I don’t think I can even express in words how much I love this meal… ok I’m overselling now. It’s easy to make and yummy (there we go!).
A Beloved Staple Recipe
My friend gave me this recipe back in the day and it’s become one of my staples. If I don’t have all the ingredients, it’s pretty easy to substitute other ingredients. For example, last week we didn’t have kielbasa but we had chorizo and so I used that. It was so delicious! Or there are many times I won’t put in the green onion or I’ll substitute red bell pepper for the tomatoes. Basically, let your bowl of Brazilian Black Beans be your canvas. It’s all good!
Dried Beans… Pros and Cons!
Pros: Cooking with dried beans will cut food costs. You can buy a can of beans for around $1 but you can buy a 16oz bag of dried beans for $1.00 to $2.00 depending on the type of beans. When you make a 16 oz bag you probably get around 4 times as many beans as you will get in a can. Also, you can add more flavor to your beans, which is always nice!
Cons: Dried beans are great but you have to plan ahead of time to make sure you thoroughly cook the beans before dinner rolls around. Otherwise, you’ll have some hard beans. Dried Beans are not always convenient, depending on your schedule. I usually have both on hand because sometimes we forget, get distracted or just need the ease of opening a can.
Beans… to Soak or not to Soak?
For many years I would just throw the dry beans in the crock pot without pre-soaking them, thinking that it was an unnecessary step. I have recently learned that pre-soaking the beans will help aid digestion and break down some enzymes that can cause us to get gassy.
****So, if you do soak them then do decide to soak them, you do not . need to add as much water to the crock-pot, maybe a 1/2 inch above the beans instead of a fully inch.
Brazilian Black Beans
Equipment
- Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Onion Chopped
- 1-2 Cloves Garlic
- 16 oz Bag Blacks Beans pre-soak them the night before!
- 2 Bullion Cubes Knorr brand is recommended but I use Sams Club brand too
- 6 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 6 oz Beef Kielbasa or some Chorizo Cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 Cup uncooked rice
Vegetable Topping
- 1 large Cucumber
- 1 Red Onion
- 2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 Tbsp White vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Put the beans in a crockpot and fill it with water until the water is an inch above the beans (you can add water later if it needs it) . Heat crockpot on high for four hours.
- Next, sauté the onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Then poor the onions into the crock pot with the beans.
- Cook the rice. Then heat the Kielbasa or other type of sausage in a pan.
- Serve the cooked beans over rice. Then top it off with the meat and vegetable mixture.
Notes
*Occasionally check on beans and stir. If at any point it seems like there is very little water left because it has been absorbed, then add more. You don’t want to add too much but enough for the beans to finish cooking in.
Made this for dinner tonight; it was delicious!😋
I am so happy it was good! It’s one of our favorites! Let me know if you ever have any questions!