Recipe of the Month – May
Freddy’s World Famous (not really) Instant Pot Black Beans
Now, depending on the individual, beans can have quite the gaseous effect on some people. Fortunately, I am not one of those people so I have black beans on a very regular basis. Here’s why:
- It’s very high in FIBER
- It’s high in PROTEIN
- It’s good for your GUT HEALTH
- It helps you feel FULL
Let’s address this, line by line… fiber is a big deal because its presence helps scour out your insides! I know, that’s not a very scientific way of looking at it, but that’s really the gist of it. It’s an indigestible complex carbohydrate which means it cannot be dissolved in your small intestine. When it passes through both your small and large intestines, it’s basically, gently scrubbing your insides. Pretty cool, right? Not only that, but they contain minerals and enzymes which are great at helping to keep your blood pressure down and your heart health up.
Black beans are high in protein, the basic building block of the human body. Protein is utilized during the repair, recovery, and rebuilding of your body during your downtime, i.e. when you’re sleeping. Protein is also important for plain old, basic muscle building such as when you’re trying to get them to grow with your new workout routine with that gay trainer – I mean, thatgaytrainer, you know, ME! So when it comes to cost, beans are definitely a very economical way to help achieve your protein intake!
Because of the fiber in them, black beans go a long way to helping to keep your gut health where it needs to be! I won’t bore you with the science and the biochemistry that’s involved, but basically what happens is when you digest the beans, they ferment in your body! Before you get grossed out, when you think of fermented foods, think about: kefir, sauerkraut, kim chee, kombucha, and more. All of these are considered “probiotics” and they all go a long way to promoting better gut health.
And lastly, the high fiber content helps you keep feeling full so when it comes to losing weight, a diet containing black beans is a great thing! And it really doesn’t take much, 1/3 to 1/2 cup of cooked black beans is a good serving size and will hold me over for several hours.
So there you go, plenty of reasons to get black beans into your diet on the regular!
INGREDIENTS / SHOPPING LIST
2T oil
1 medium white onion, chopped (you can use yellow, brown, or red – I prefer the sharpness of white)
1 whole garlic bulb, minced (you can use prepared/bottled garlic – I prefer fresh garlic)
2 rounded teaspoons cumin (I prefer FLAVOR, so if you don’t, be sure to cut back on this and the oregano!)
2 rounded teaspoons oregano
3 bay leaves
1c water
(If you want some kick, add more garlic, chili powder, and/or paprika!)
1lb dry black beans
7-8c water
4-5 teaspoons chicken bouillon (preferably sodium-free or low-sodium, otherwise reduce amount)
Set Instant Pot to “saute”
When Instant Pot reads “hot,” add oil and saute onion until transparent (about 3-5 minutes)
Add garlic and herbs and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant
Add 1c water and deglaze pot by scraping garlic and herbs off bottom of pot with wood or plastic spoon
Add black beans
Add 7-8c water (more water for “soupy” and less water for “less soupy”)
Add 4-6t of bouillon, adjust to taste (when cooked, better to have less salt than too much salt)
Set Instant Pot to “pressure cook” “high pressure” for 50 minutes.
Turn off “keep warm”
Place lid and lock
Set a separate timer for 1 hour 10 minutes / 70 minutes
When the Instant Pot shuts off after 50 minutes, wait an additional 20 minutes before releasing the pressure (hence 70 minute timer)
Serve immediately and/or wait until pot is cool to touch before transferring to plastic container for refrigerator storage
Cooked beans will keep in a cold fridge for 7-10 days
NOTES: It’s better to add LESS salt when cooking because you can always add more later if it’s too bland. BUT, if you put too much in the beginning you’re stuck with it!
