On a Black Bean Kick

So this week, seems I’ve been on a black bean kick. Shhhh…it’s the ONLY bean I like and eat willingly.

But, let’s see…there was a Qdoba night with black beans on my naked burrito, then my friend Danielle tried to make black bean soup but simmered all the broth right out and ended up with a most delicious black bean dip.

Tonight, though, is Wednesday. And Wednesdays are for fish in my house. Family pick for tonight: mahi mahi. So now I have to figure out what to do. In an unusual twist, I pick the side first: black beans and rice, paired with spicy cajun mahi mahi and pickled asparagus. The earthy sweetness of the beans with the spice of the fish with the tang of the pickled asparagus make for a wonderful “party in your mouth”!

With some leftover rice from the other night (my dad cooked and made waaayyyy too much), I’ll start with the black beans and then cook the fish while they are simmering.

Black Beans and Rice…recipe from Marsha Mikell (my mom) as published in the St. John’s Lutheran Church Cookbook (long time ago)

• 1/2 small onion, diced small
• 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, diced small
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 hot pepper (base “hot” on your family’s preferences)
• 1 16 oz can black beans, with juice
• 1T granulated sugar
• Spices to taste: pepper, oregano, garlic powder (if not using fresh garlic), 1-2 bay leaves
• Splashes of: apple cider vinegar, white wine

Saute on medium high the veggies, garlic, and pepper til soft (or carmelized if you like that), dump in beans, sugar, spices, and splashes. Stir well and simmer on medium low until the fish is done.

Once the beans have gone into the simmer stage, season the fish liberally on both sides. My family likes the Frontier Organic Cajun Seasoning, which we find at Whole Foods. Sear on high on each side for about 3 minutes each; if your fish is thick, then it won’t be quite done in the middle (if you cut it with a fork it’ll still be grey and translucent). I like to pour in about 1/4 cup fruit juice (pineapple tonight since it was leftover from a can I ate earlier today) and “poach” on high for about a minute; pour out the juice and continue cooking til the fish is very firm when poked (no give or bounce). When I use a spicy seasoning, I like to use a sweet fruit juice to give the dish some balance so the heat isn’t so overwhelming.

And, um, that all takes about 20 minutes, from start to plate and eat. Yep, this is my favorite Wednesday night meal for just me and my mom as we try to be healthier with lean protein, nutrious carbs, and yummy flavor combinations!

Weight Watchers PointsPlus

• 6 oz  cooked mahi mahi = 3 points
• 1/2 cup texmati brown rice = 3 points
• 1 cup black beans = 3 points
• pickled asparagus = 0 points

For a grand total of 9 points for this delicious, flavorful meal!