This is my friend Marlene’s (aka Biz’s) incredible Mexican family recipe that is better than any beans I’ve had in any restaurant.
Below you’ll find the classic stovetop method and the set-it-and-forget-it way which is right up my alley.
🫘 Biz’s Black Beans | Stovetop method
INGREDIENTS
2.5 cups dry black beans (which is 1 lb or 16 oz and what may come in a standard bag of dried beans at the grocery store)
12 cups water
Onion, chopped
Fresh chopped cilantro, lime, dried oregano (and any other seasonings and toppings your heart desires)
DIRECTIONS
Soak dried beans overnight (or for 12-16 hours) making sure they’re completely immersed in water
Rinse soaked beans then add to a large pot. Add fresh water and chopped onion. Bring to a boil then simmer for 45 mins
Check at 45 minutes to see if you need more water (you want the beans completely immersed and then some because that bean broth is divine)
Once the beans are cooked through and done, add cilantro and salt to taste
Add beans to a bowl with its broth and top with dried oregano, fresh cilantro, more onion, and lime juice 🤤
🫘 Biz’s Black Beans | Instant pot
Best for those who want a no-fuss way to make these magical wonders. Nothing needs to be stirred, no water will boil over, and no water needs to be added. Once I press that “Start” button, I walk away and come back to it when I come back to it. By that non-defined time, they’re done!
INGREDIENTS
2.5 cups dry black beans
Enough water to cover the beans plus 1-2 inches of water above the beans
Onion, chopped
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime, dried oregano (and/or any other seasonings and toppings these beans are calling for but when kept basic, they’re the most delicious)
DIRECTIONS
Wash raw beans and place them in the Instant Pot (no need to presoak them)
Add enough water to completely cover the beans with 1-2 inches of extra water (I like to add 2 inches of water above the beans since I like to have an abundance of bean broth). Add onion (I also added some leftover leek and garlic in the above photo)
Cover with the lid, lock the lid in place, and cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. Your beans will not “instantly” cook (which was my expectation lol). It’ll take time (5-10 minutes) to get up to pressure, and then cook for 30 minutes
Once the Instant Pot is done it’ll beep and automatically go to the “Keep Warm” setting. Let it sit as is for at least 10 minutes and it will naturally release some of its pressure
Turn and open the lid and place the part of the lid that sticks out (on either side of the lid’s handle) into one of the handles of the Instant Pot. Yes, this little robot has a lid holder so you don’t have to get your countertops messy or find a place for the lid. (If you turn the lid and but it won’t open, it needs to let out more pressure - either leave it be for another 10 minutes or press the top button to manually release the pressure)
Add beans to a bowl with its own broth and top with fresh cilantro, a sprinkle of dried oregano, raw red onion, salt, lime juice, and a hit of chili oil or hot sauce 🤤
If this is too much work, canned beans are an option too. Rinse them well (especially to avoid bloating and gas if you don’t eat a lot of fiber or beans). Then top them with Biz’s mix of fresh cilantro, chopped onion, dried oregano, salt, and lime juice. 😋
You can add cooked rice to this and any of your favorite vegetables. Not because you have to pair beans with rice to make a “complete protein” (like it’s written all over the Internet) but because it makes for a delicious, soul-satisfying pairing.
Reasons to eat more beans 💪
All beans - and all whole plant foods - contain all essential amino acids (protein) and therefore all whole plant foods are complete proteins. Plants have lower levels of protein compared to animals (because we’re not designed to eat too much protein) and they can easily add up to the perfect amount of protein from simply eating a variety of them.
Nature did not make it hard for us to eat optimally.
If you input “2 cups of cooked black beans” into Cronometer, you’ll see the following:
Google says there are 9 amino acids that are essential (everything in the above list except cystine and tyrosine) which means we have to get these amino acids from the food we eat since our bodies don’t naturally produce them.
Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins. Often called the “building blocks of life”, it’s incredibly easy to get enough protein since it’s in nearly everything.
Not only are beans great for any meal or snack, here are just some of their incredible health benefits:
VERY low in fat (2 cups only have 1.9 grams!)
Helpful for weight loss for the above reason and to stay satiated and full therefore minimizing cravings for high fat and/or highly tasty processed junk foods (aka the highly effective “crowding out” method)
Some Omega-3 and Omega-6 healthy fats (no need to eat fish for this, they get it from eating underwater plants like algae)
Very high source of folate - the natural and optimal source of this vitamin compared to folic acid which is from supplements. For example, 2 cups of cooked black beans include 128% of my daily folate needs (and other vitamins like B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamins A, E, and K)
A rich source of minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and some calcium, iron, and selenium
No cholesterol (since cholesterol only comes from animals)
Can prevent neurological diseases
Over 30 grams of starch which turns into glucose - our preferred source of energy for both body and brain
One of the best sources of resistant starches which feeds our good gut bacteria and strengthens our immune system (and so much more!) How do you think your mind will feel when trillions of your gut bacteria are happy?
Excellent for a natural ‘detox’ since it helps to clean out the bowels 🪵 eliminating waste that could be stuck in our intestines, leaching toxins into our body
A rich source of antioxidants specifically polyphenols like anthocyanins. These are important for overall health and lowers blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. The dark pigments in whole plant foods are the abundance of antioxidants provided by Nature (e.g. blueberries, grapes, purple cabbage, black rice, etc.)
Nearly 30 grams of fiber (which is more than the daily requirement for women: specifically 28 grams daily for women and 38 grams daily for men according to The Proof is in the Plants by Simon Hill). This is important because nutrients are bound to fiber. Fiber also helps to flush out free radicals from our body. This is incredibly important because for instance, “At high concentrations…free radicals can be hazardous to the body and damage all major components of cells, including DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. The damage to cells caused by free radicals, especially the damage to DNA, may play a role in the development of cancer and other health conditions”1
Slows cancer growth, destroying cancer cells, and may “block the changes in DNA that cause cancer”2
The list of benefits could go on and on.
If you’re like me, beans were never at the top of my list of things I wanted to eat but after repeatedly learning that the healthiest people around the world eat beans regularly, and after consistently having the best bowel health after eating beans 🤓 it’s recipes like these that make it joyful to start making them a regular part of my life.
Experts like John McDougall, MD recommend eating one cup of beans a day. Something to work up to, especially if you don’t eat a lot of fiber right now. Gut health experts recommend starting with 1/4 cup regularly and the bloating and/or gas will ease in 2-3 weeks.
Even though I regularly eat whole plants, I’ve tooted up a storm for an entire week when I wasn’t eating beans regularly but our intestines get used to it and our good gut bugs take over and rule the roost - our gastrointestinal tract. Healthy gut!
My favorite way to eat these beans is on their own (when it’s cooked and seasoned the Biz way).
Otherwise, I love eating beans with a side of rice, chips & guac, and a fresh jalapeno-ladden pico de gallo.
Now I’m hungry.
Enjoy!
J xx
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/anthocyanins