Taco Tuesdays are a favorite at our house. Actually, taco Mondays, taco Thursdays….really any taco day will be met with enthusiasm! Who doesn’t love a taco bowl piled high with spiced lean meat, cauliflower rice, guac, salsa? But wait, there’s more! In our home, no taco or fajita bowl is complete without these Mexican Black Beans! They are creamy, seasoned with onion and garlic and the perfect protein-packed addition to our bowls.
When I was growing up, taco night meant simply ripping open a pouch of seasoning and dumping it in browned ground beef. The accoutrements consisted of crunchy taco shells, shredded cheese and perhaps salsa. These days my palate is a bit more demanding…and for good reason.
Our family follows the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to help manage our daughter’s Crohn’s disease. Things like prepackaged spice mixtures, pre-shredded cheese, packaged taco shells and most store-bought salsas are not allowed. Our food focus has shifted drastically from store-bought to homemade, from processed to whole foods. We’ve also learned to pack as much fresh produce as possible into every dish. I aim to make 95% of everything from scratch, incorporating lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and legumes. These days, taco bowl Tuesdays look something like this:
Yes, Mexican Black Beans may sound like a meager side dish…maybe even an afterthought. But do not be fooled. These nutritious legumes will not disappoint! They are incredibly delicious- adding an earthy flavor that compliments the acidic salsa and providing a rich creaminess to our taco bowls.
Black beans also pack an abundant nutrient punch! They are excellent for feeding the beneficial bacteria in the gut, promoting better digestion. Black beans are great for heart and eye health and, surprisingly, blood sugar regulation. Unlike other foods that are higher in carbohydrates, black beans do not cause a blood sugar spike. According to WebMD, one serving of black beans also provides:
ZERO fat and only 114 calories
8 grams of protein
15 grams of fiber
Vitamins A and C
Calcium, folate, magnesium, iron and potassium
Beans and the SCD diet
While black beans are one of the legumes allowed on the SCD diet (see here for the full legal/illegal foods list), one following the diet strictly must prepare the beans appropriately. According to the SCD guidelines in “Breaking the Viscious Cycle“, black beans should only be tried once symptom free. To prepare them, purchase dried black beans, soak overnight, rinse, and then cooked as desired.
To simplify this process, we’ve found that Jovial Foods sells overnight-soaked, rinsed and pressure-cooked beans.
After following the diet strictly for over 5 years, we have been able to add few different foods back into our daughter’s diet. One of the foods she tolerates well is canned black beans. We are able to purchase organic canned black beans ensuring that they contain nothing but beans, salt and water. Keep in mind that every belly is different and please try any new or modified foods slowlyand with caution.
Now that you are sold on the incredible benefits of black beans let’s get to cooking these delicious Mexican Black Beans!
These creamy Mexican black beans are simmered with garlic, onion and cumin. Black beans are packed with protein, fiber and many other essential nutrients. These delicious legumes are the perfect addition to taco Tuesday!
Ingredients
Scale
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans- DO NOT DRAIN **See notes if strictly following SCD
1/2 cup onion- finely diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 large garlic cloves- minced
1/2 tsp salt **See notes
1/2 tsp cumin
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes until onions are soft.
3. Add the entire cans of beans (WITH the liquid), salt and cumin to skillet.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the beans have thickened to your preference.
5. At this point, you can leave the beans whole and serve as is. Alternatively, puree the mixture with an immersion blender or food processor. We like them both ways!
Notes
If you are following a strict SCD diet, DO NOT use canned beans. Please read the section in the post titled “Bean and the SCD diet”. You must use dried beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and then cooked, or find a brand like Jovial that sells overnight presoaked beans.
If you use dried, soaked beans, you will need to add more salt than the recipe states. Start with 1 tsp of salt and add taste. Add more if desired.
