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Monday, September 2, 2013

Brazilian Beans and Rice



My husband and I love Brazilian food. This simple Brazilian staple is one of our family favorites. My husband lived in Sao Paulo while serving as a missionary for our church, and ate this almost every day for two whole years! This beans and rice meal is flavorful and EXTREMELY filling! A little bit goes a long way when dishing up, so make sure to go easy on the portions! 

We make this meal almost weekly in our home, for a number of reasons. 
1: It is SO easy! 
2: It is extremely healthy. We can testify to it's weight loss powers!
3: It is cheap, cheap, cheap! 

In fact, I did the math. To feed 2 adults, here's a basic breakdown:
$ 0.30 Beans 
$ 0.66 Rice 
$ 0.75 Onion 
$ 0.10 Garlic

Total: $01.81!

That's it!


Rice Recipe
1 T. Olive oil
1/4 C. Sweet onion, chopped
1 C. Rice (I use a brown Basmati rice, but you can use whatever you prefer.)
1/4 tsp. Salt 
2 C. Water 

In a large pan, saute onion in oil until translucent. Add rice to the pan and toast until the grains of rice turn white. *Tip: If the rice turns brown, you have fried it too long. Add salt and water, then bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 30 minutes for white rice, and 45 minutes for brown rice.

Beans Recipe
1 tsp. Olive oil
1 Clove garlic, minced 
2 C. Pinto beans, pre-cooked and rinsed
1 C. Water
Dash Pepper
1/4 tsp. Salt

Saute garlic in oil, then add beans, water and spices. With the back of a spoon or ladle, begin to smash some of the beans into a paste and stir into the water. *Tip: I typically smash 1/3 of the beans and leave the other 2/3 whole. As the beans continue to cook, they with thicken and have a nice thick consistency. 

To serve, layer rice first, then cover with beans. Top off with 4 oz. of meat or fish. Brazilians don't eat a lot of meat, it is only there for a bit of flavor. My husband and I usually split a small chicken breast, or filet of fish. It looks small, but believe me, it's enough! You can also serve it with a side of herbed bread or steamed vegetables.

Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoy!  

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