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Traditional Rice and Beans
Rice and beans is a classic in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine. Some pep it up with their favorite spices and others add in pork or sausage for flavor — it varies from family to family, region to region. A typical serving of rice and beans contains around 340 calories, 19 grams of fat and 6 grams of saturated fat (if not more). Neither rice nor beans contain a significant amount of fat — so where does all the fat come from? Read on.

Rice and Bean-Lovers Beware!
Many of my Dominican clients tell me they flavor their rice and beans with pork of some sort — bacon and smoked sausage, both high in cholesterol and saturated fat, often take center stage.

Because there are so many versions of this dish, I vetted tons of recipes to find the most commonly added unhealthy ingredients. One recipe added loads of artery-clogging coconut milk (about a cup per serving), which is not unusual in Caribbean dishes. Others used canned pork-flavored beans or refried beans, which ups the fat immediately. Sometimes you’ll find too much cheese — a little bit is harmless and adds wonderful flavor but mind those portions.

The Rice
Use white or brown versions, whichever floats your boat. Of course, brown will boost the fiber but takes a bit longer to cook. For those brown rice virgins, start with a mix of brown and white rice. (I’ve done it a few times.) Cooking the rice in chicken stock also adds flavor without too many extra calories. Portions are especially important to keep calories in check — stick with about 1/2 cup of cooked rice per serving (about 100 calories).

The Beans
Beans are nutritional powerhouses — half a cup of canned or home-cooked black beans have about 114 calories and 7.5 grams of protein. This is a reasonable serving. Use red, black or whatever bean suits your fancy (I usually go for the black). Because many flavored canned beans have high amounts of sodium and fat, opt for the unflavored ones, or soak your own. This way you control the ingredients.

Bring on the Flavor
Herbs and spices are integral to making your rice and beans stand out from the rest. Try cilantro, oregano, or cayenne (Dana likes to add a pinch of cumin). Add some spice with a jalapeno pepper or a dash of hot sauce (my favorite!). A splash of flavored vinegars such white wine or cider, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice also works wonders.

And, of course, don’t forget the veggies. Purist might only want straight beans and rice, but peppers, onions, tomatoes and garlic are a low-cal way to bring out more flavor — and drop in some more nutrients. If you must add pork or sausage to your dish, go for turkey sausage or 1 to 2 slivers of bacon (just for taste).

Recipes to try:
• Caribbean Rice and Beans
• Classic Black Beans and Rice (shown above)
• Tex Mex Red Beans and Rice

[Photo: Picholine / Recipezaar]

TELL US: What’s a must-have for making your rice and beans the most flavorful?

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Try Different Beans
Yes, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, pink and pinto beans are available on most store shelves or in many chili, soup or salad recipes. Think beyond the basics, though. Try experimenting with adzuki, navy, anasazi and Great Northern beans. If you see an unfamiliar bean at your health food store, grab it and search online for prep ideas. You never know what little gem you’ll find — or what new nutrients you’ll add to your diet.

The Nutrition Facts
Speaking of nutrients, these little guys are healthy powerhouses. Beans are legumes (along with peas and lentils) and an important complex carbohydrate, which your brain uses for energy. A half cup of canned or home-cooked black beans has about 114 calories and 7.5 grams of protein. There isn’t any noteworthy calorie difference between canned and cooked dry beans, so you can use them interchangeably. Just beware of flavored, canned beans that have added fat from pork or other meats — or any beans that are refried. Always rinse your canned beans before using them, too; that helps wash away extra sodium you don’t want or need.

Now for the other goodies: beans an excellent source of fiber — they have about 7.5 grams per 1/2 cup serving. We all know extra fiber in a meal helps you feel fuller faster and longer (keeping you from being hungry or overeating), and many people don’t get enough fiber in their diets. Better still, fiber lowers colon cancer risks, helps lower cholesterol and makes for a healthy digestive system.

Because they’re plant-based, beans have no cholesterol, saturated and trans fat — making them a good idea for folks at risk for heart disease. If you’re one of those people, try trading meat for a plant protein source such as beans at least once a week.

And, yes, the list goes on. Beans are also a good source of calcium, zinc and iron, which is especially important for vegetarians or people looking to skip red meat and find their iron elsewhere. There’s also folate, an important B-vitamin many of us are missing. Plus, mommies-to-be, take note: folate helps fetal spine development in pregnant women (that’s what the doc is checking for in those early sonograms!). Studies show that folate also helps reduce the amino acid homocysteine, which, when elevated, is shown to increase chances for heart disease.

No, we’re not done yet. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that 12 common beans had high antioxidant levels in their skin. Not only do antioxidants help prevent cancer, they are linked to preventing aging (who doesn’t like that?). Black beans especially have high anthocyanin levels — 10 times higher than an orange, in fact, and comparable to grapes, cranberries and apples.

Soak and Cook
We prefer our beans dried, but we understand the convenience of canned, which come pre-soaked and pre-cooked. Dried beans are cheaper, though, and you’re getting more for your money. In my market, a one-pound bag of dried black beans (which makes 6 cups cooked) costs $1.50, while a 29-ounce can (3.5 cups cooked) costs $1.49.

Money-savings aside, don’t let the extra effort scare you away. All you need to do is pre-soak beans in cold water for several hours (or overnight, if you prefer) to reduce the “gassy” effect. Then you just cook the beans on the stovetop for about an hour and a half (time varies depending on the bean — check your packaging). This Slow-Cooked Beans recipe gives you step-by-step instructions.

My mother, a vegan chef and fellow nutritionist, suggests adding sea kelp to help the beans cook faster and make them more digestible (that is, kill the whole “musical fruit” issue). Cooking with ginger, fennel and garlic might also help combat beans’ gassiness.

When using canned beans, it’s a good idea to boil the beans and liquid for about 10 minutes. Rinsing and draining the beans can help reduce their gassiness more. Still worried, there’s always Beano, an over-the-counter pill that can help reduce indigestion.

The Versatility
Beans have made their way into most every dish. Usually you’ll find them in chili, bean soup, baked beans or simple rice and beans. Branch out and make a white bean chili or toss warm beans on a green salad.

Using beans to replace meat is an easy way to add flavor and texture while reducing a dish’s cholesterol and saturated fat. You can trade beans for some of the ground beef in lasagnas, burgers or even a meat sauce. Experiment and reduce the ground meat by 1/4 or 1/3 and replace it with mashed black beans.

Black beans are a definite classic. I like adding them to salsa or a fresh cold bean salad with mango and corn. What about trying a breakfast burrito with eggs, cheese and black bean salsa rolled up in a flour tortilla? My fave!

Other ideas? Toss beans in your pasta or mix mashed beans into your beef burger. It’s almost picnic season, too. Bring along a white bean and garlic dip.

Storage Tip: Keep dried beans in an airtight container for up to 1 year. Make sure they’re stored in a cool, dry place. Cooked beans will keep in your refrigerator for a maximum of 7 days.

Recipes to try:
• Slow Cooked Beans
• White Chili
• Warm Bean and Arugula Salad
• Black Bean and Tomato Salsa
• Roasted Corn, Black Bean and Mango Salad
• Scrambled Egg Burritos
• Broccoli Rabe, White Bean and Fontina Pasta
• Chili Burgers
• Broccoli, White Bean and Cheddar Soup
• Garlic and White Bean Dip