Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

With the holidays approaching, it conjures thoughts of all the traditional dishes my Cuban family eats during our Christmas Eve meal. One main side dish that is served is frijoles negros (black beans), which goes really well with the roasted pork, yucca, white rice, fufu (mashed plantains), and shrimp served for the holiday meal.  However, black beans are an amazing recipe that makes for a simple, hardy, and healthy meal for any day of the year, not just holidays! This also happens to be a great vegan- and vegetarian-friendly recipe. It’s also gluten and dairy free! Black beans are simple, inexpensive to make, healthy, and delicious! So have fun giving this recipe a try and enjoy!   

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb (16 oz bag) of dry black beans
• 1 medium-sized green pepper
• 1 large onion
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon of salt
• 5 cups of water plus 2 cups of water to add later as needed

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

                                                                  

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. First, put the dry black beans in a pot. Then rinse the beans three times with water, draining the water each time. Next fill the pot halfway, with about 5 cups of water, and let the beans soak for at least 2 hours or just let them soak overnight.   
2. Now finely chop the onion and green pepper in a food processor.
3. Once the beans finish soaking, add the chopped onion, chopped green pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cumin to the pot with the beans and water. Place the pot covered on the stove and bring to a boil on high heat. Then lower to medium-high heat and let boil for 5 minutes with the lid slightly uncovered. 
4. Next, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes (Note: The timing could be different based on the brand of beans used and how long you soaked the beans).
5. By this point, the fluid should have reduced. Add 2 cups of water and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
6. Now take a large stirring spoon and squash some of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup/liquid part of the beans (Note: Squash the beans until you get a thickness you like; watch the video demonstration for a visual/more details). Then reduce the heat to low and let cook for 15 minutes.  After that, the beans are ready to serve! 
   

Tuna with Cream Cheese Spread & Sandwiches (Bocaditos de Atún)

I think when people hear tuna sandwich they tend to think of the typical tuna with mayonnaise version, which I happen to really like. However, while growing up, I was exposed to a different kind of tuna sandwich that is equally delicious, despite the odd ingredients that go into the tuna mix. Instead, this recipe combines tuna, cream cheese, ketchup, and green olives. Yes, I just said ketchup and green olives with tuna.  I was always excited when I got home from school and saw my mother made tuna with cream cheese because I love these sandwiches! The ingredients complement one another well. The addition of the green olives and ketchup add a bit of saltiness, tanginess, and sweetness to the sandwiches that perfectly contrasts with the tuna and cream cheese! Furthermore, this tuna mixture also complements whatever bread you use, so the flavor of the wheat, multigrain or bread you use will come through.  I absolutely recommend giving this recipe a try because the amazing flavor of these sandwiches will surprise you and will make you want to go back for more! So, have fun giving this recipe a try and enjoy!

Tuna with Cream Cheese (Bocaditos de Atún) Recipe 

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 oz can of tuna in water
• 8 oz package of cream cheese
• Half of a 5.75 oz jar of green olives, strained any liquid
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup
• 1 loaf of wheat, white, or multigrain bread

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium size bowl
• A large flat plate
• A cutting board, knife, fork, and spoon.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS
 

                                                                  

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Open the can of tuna and drain out the water. Now, place the tuna in a bowl and use a fork to flake the tuna until very refined, finely shredded. Set aside.
2. Put the cream cheese on a large flat plate. Then use a fork to smash the cream cheese and fold over and continue to smoosh it around until it reaches a very smooth consistency. Next, use the fork to flatten out the cream cheese on the plate (Note: Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator so it can soften a bit at room temperature.  That will make it easier to work with and smooth out).
3. Now, add the tuna to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until it reaches a very smooth and creamy consistency. Continue to mix until you don’t see any white streaks of cream cheese.
4. Next, add the ketchup and mix thoroughly so that there are no red streaks of ketchup and the mixture is all the same color.
5. On a cutting board, take each green olive and slice into three rings. Then, add the green olives to the tuna-cream cheese mixture and use a spoon to gently, fold the olives into the mixture until evenly distributed. Now the mixture is done, and you can begin to make the sandwiches.
6. Take two pieces of bread and use a knife or spoon to spread 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of the tuna mix on the bread about ¹/₈ of an inch thick (or more if you want the sandwiches filled more).
7. Then cut the bread in ½ and serve. If you want, you can also cut off the crust, cut the sandwiches in half, and serve (Note: If you set up a bunch of sandwiches to serve, be sure to put in an airtight container or place damp paper towels over the sandwiches to prevent the bread from drying out).