Lunch in Nicaragua...delicioso!

My lunch hasn't even been fully digested as I sit down to type...it was that good!

One of the many reasons I love my husband is the new culture of food he has brought into my life (among many other beautiful Latin gifts:).  And the great thing about the majority of food from Latin countries is that it not only is delicious but nutritious as well.  You know how in this country we are constantly being asked "What's for Dinner?" and the only answer we can come up with is "Beef, of course."  Well, I have news for you: our protein needs do not need to come in the form of animals, hence the perfectly healthy, protein-rich diet of the Nicaraguans (the poorest of the Central American countries, only the wealthy enjoy meat on a regular basis).  Which leads me to my lunch today: Gallo Pinto.

Gallo Pinto is simply red beans and rice.  The term means "Spotted Rooster" because of the speckled appearance of the mixture.  This dish is so easy to make, so dang good for you, and so versatile -- today I reheated some and scrambled a couple of organic eggs to eat with it.

Do yourself a health favor (and boost your protein intake in one meal!) and give this dish a go.  Buy a bag of red beans from any store (look for beans from Latin countries, easy to find in a health food store where they typically offer a variety of beans).  If you can, put the beans in a pot in the evening and let sit overnight to soak.  However long you're able, it's important to soak any beans - and then change the water - before cooking them.  Suffice it to say your digestive system will thank you...

I'm going to inject a rhyme from elementary school now, so please scroll past if you don't want to giggle aloud:

Beans, beans, the magical fruit.
The more you eat, the more you toot.
The more you toot, the better you feel,
So let's have beans for every meal!

Again, the key word is "soak".

Once you put the pot of beans to boil, add a few onions, some fresh chopped garlic, a few green pepper strips if you like them, but wait to add salt until the very end because it slows the cooking of the beans down.

When your beans are yummy, mix as much as you want with white rice in a large frying pan.  Voila: Gallo Pinto!

But this is the best part: it is so easy to take any leftovers out of the fridge and fry some up in a little olive oil whenever you're hungry, like I just did for my lunch.  And the fact that I ate it up with a couple of scrambled eggs...protein intake accomplished for today!

So on behalf of Nicaraguans everywhere, I hope you enjoy their staple meal of red beans and rice, and the health benefits that come along with it.

Enjoy todo lo que pueda comer (all you can eat)!  Please avoid being impressed with my language skills...I found this on my Spanish Phrase-a-Day calendar.

To your health in any language!

Suzanna Quintana, Holistic Health Coach & Certified Foodie

For more recipes like this, check out my book "Why My Kids Don't Get Fat" and have your eyes opened to the wide world of food existing far past our meat-and-potatoes border!

And friend me on Facebook to follow more food travels of mine, along with healthy living and eating tips, at www.facebook.com/suzannaquintana