Costa Rica Meets the South

Hey guys!  It’s been a long day with little sleep last night (see here), and I felt like making something hearty and something sweet for dinner.  I decided on a Costa Rica meets the South compromise — gallo pinto and sweet corn bread.

Now before I divulge one of the main ingredients of gallo pinto (since I’m assuming most of you don’t know what it is), let me just preface this with how beautiful and radiant you look (this is me buttering you up so you don’t poke fun of me!).  Gallo pinto is made with BLACK BEANS!  I know, I know.  But, really, what are you going to do? Call the bean police?  So I have a tiny obsession with those little fellas, big deal!  It’s better then obsessing over Mister King Sized Hot Cheetos and Reese Sticks, my two unrequited high school loves!

Back to reality…Gallo pinto is the national dish of both Costa Rica and Nicaragua and it happens to be something my mom used to make and that I adore.  This was my first time making it on my own and it actually came out deliciously if I may say so myself .  My mom usually cooked both the rice and beans in olive oil, but I’ve omitted it (feel free to add it in — olive oil is good for you, but remember there’s 119 calories per tbsp).

The meal:

Gallo Pinto

Ingredients

• One 15oz can black beans, NOT drained — 385 calories, 0 g fat, 21 g fiber, 21 g protein
• 3 ½ cups cooked brown rice (or 1 cup uncooked) – 600 calories, 4 g fat, 4 g fiber, 12 g protein
• 1/2 cup diced red tomato – 16 calories, 0.2 g fat, 1.1 g fiber, 0.8 g protein
• ½ cup white onion chopped — 33.5 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.1 g fiber, 0.75 g protein
• ½ cup cilantro — 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.15 g protein
• 2 eggs – 109 calories, 7.3 g fat, 0 g fiber, 9.3 g protein
• Dash of cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, paprika
• Total for entire pan = 1145.50, 11.60 g fat, 27.40 g fiber, 44 g protein
• Nutritional content per 1-cup serving (5) = 229.10 calories, 2.32 g fat, 5.48 g fiber, 8.8 g protein

Directions

• Cook brown rice according to instructions.  I added some cilantro to the water.
• Add cooked rice, can of black beans (with water content), tomato and onion to a large pan over medium heat.
• Cook until rice has absorbed the liquid from the beans.
• Add the two eggs, stirring while still over medium heat.
• When egg is cooked, turn off heat.
• Season as desired and garnish with cilantro.  I added all of the spices listed above. Would go well with guacamole and salsa.

Dessert Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached white whole-wheat flour, King Arthur brand – 400 calories, 2 g fat, 12 g fiber, 16 g protein
• 1 cup 100% whole grain cornmeal, Bob’s Red Mill brand (medium grind) – 440 calories, 4 g fat, 20 g fiber, 8 g protein
• 2 tbsp flax seed meal – 60 calories, 4.5 g fat, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein
• 2 eggs – 109 calories, 7.3 g fat, 0 g fiber, 9.3 g protein
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 cup organic, unsweetened apple sauce – 100 calories, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber, 0 g protein
• ¼ cup honey – 257 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein
• 1 ounce chocolate-covered cacao nibs* – 172 calories, 13 g fat, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein
• Total for entire pan = 1,538 calories, 30.8 g fat, 43 g fiber, 38.3 g protein
• Nutritional content per serving (12) = 128.17 calories, 2.57 g fat, 3.58 g fiber, 3.19 g protein

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients – best if you beat the eggs separately then add.
• Pour into an 11×8 pan that’s been “greased” with Pam cooking spray.
• Check in 15-20 minutes.

*I had never heard of cacao nibs until recently.  I found them at a specialty health foods store. From Raw Food Underground: “Cacao nibs are the edible part of the cocoa bean after it has been harvested, dried, fermented and hulled (winnowed). Cacao is rich in magnesium and contains small amounts of caffeine and theobromine (stimulants). Other chemicals that naturally occur in cacao include MAI inhibitors (diminish appetite), PEA (similar to what the brain releases when we are in love) and anadamide (the “bliss” chemical which is the same chemical released when we are very happy).”

Hey, CCK – That’s TWO new foods in one week!  Agave syrup and cacao nibs.  Those count, right?

Ugh I am so exhausted but I haven’t worked out since the hot yoga experience and am feeling rather horizontal.  Will I force myself to go to the gym?  No clue.  Tune in tomorrow to find out (aww, I’m making a little tele-novela on here!).

Onward and forward into the path of black beans my friends.

Tags: calories, corn bread, Costa Rica, dessert, gallo pinto, nicaragua, nutritional content