Spicy Corn Bread & Black Bean Casserole: Complete Protein with Spice

My love of quinoa and steamed veggie recipes has gotten the best of me; I've been stuck in a recipe rut lately and have felt the need to break free. But oh how I love cooking with quinoa and veggies! So quick and nutritious, plus it just tastes great, and I’m no Iron Chef. There’s a simple solution to this problem minor dilemma; just create a different recipe!

I have been so intent on making quick and healthy meals for our work lunches all in one day that I’ve neglected venturing out to create new meals.  You can only eat similar meals for so long before it starts to wear on you. This is a big foodie no-no, and I don’t like it; there are way too many foods and recipes just waiting to be enjoyed.

So good and easy to make. How can you not make this every week?

Is this a familiar occurrence in your home?  If you’re the main cook, do you feel the need to change it up a little?  Keeping a varied (but still healthy) diet is key not only for new flavors, but for providing essential nutrients the body needs and wants.  Of course, enjoying the flavor of something new is an added bonus; good flavor, that is.

When I cook, I have a tendency to try and pack each recipe full of beneficial ingredients, which sometimes most of the time goes overboard, but sometimes turns out great. 

I felt the need for a Mexican inspired dish, and the can of organic fat free refried black beans from Whole Foods was calling out to me.

Hi Señor, use me!

Casseroles are something I just downright enjoy; they are fairly simple to make, can be healthy, and versatile to boot! So, there I was, craving something Mexican, preferably a casserole, and with a can of “frijoles refritos” (organicos?) in hand.  After a short time of food meditation, a Mexican-style casserole was the obvious choice.

Mexican meals make me think/crave corn bread, so that was another key ingredient for my anti-monotonous meal. Long story short; I decided on a protein corn bread casserole. It had to be quick (I do still have 4 more meals to make for the week), so I opened the can of whoop a…..beans... and turned on the oven and stove.

Corn and beans, just like rice and beans, make a great combo; they both lack certain amino acids for a complete protein, but combined they complement each other by providing all 9 essential amino acids. Read my past post on complete protein to learn more.

Mmmm, the smell of cumin, garlic, and corn toasting in the oven is a treat to the senses, but a tease to the stomach….at least until it's done and cool enough to eat.  The casserole turned out deliciously well and left me eager to get to work just to have it for lunch, but then I’d be ready to go home again.

Have I rambled about my though process long enough? Would you like to see how to make this simple, yet tasty and nutritious dish? ?Try it tonight….it doesn’t take long to prepare; I promise!

Spicy Corn Bread & Black Bean Casserole

• Healthy corn bread batter; I used the recipe I posted for Chobani Greek Yogurt Corn Bread, but you could use this whole grain beer bread recipe too.
• 15 oz can fat free refried black beans; fat free refried pinto beans will work too; check the ingredients and make sure it’s only beans, salt, and maybe some spice.
• 1/2 yellow onion; chopped and diced
• 2 Bell peppers chopped and diced; any color will work; save a few strips for topping
• 12 oz bag of frozen chopped broccoli
• 6 oz salsa
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 cloves garlic; crushed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon cumin and paprika
• 1/4+ teaspoons cayenne
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro

Directions 

• Prepare the corn bread batter of your choice in a large bowl
• Heat a sauce pan on the stove, add garlic and onion and let simmer for 1 minute
• Add broccoli, bell peppers, refried beans, salsa, broth, herbs, and spices to the sauce pan and mix well
• Preheat oven to 365 degrees

• Let cook for about 15 to 20 minutes on the stove and remove from heat; allow to cool for 10 minutes
• Add bean mixture to corn bread batter and mix everything together
• Pour mix into glass casserole dish (I used individual sized Pyrex containers), top with saved pepper strips, and bake uncovered for 30 minutes
• If the top is getting really brown, cover with foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes
• Insert toothpick or butter knife in the middle and check that it comes out clean; unless you like it a little soft, like me
• Once done, remove from oven and let cool before serving.
• Optional toppings: a dollop of plain, non-fat Greek or regular yogurt or more salsa are both excellent choices

Make extras in a small dish for a perfect snack to grab n'go!

This can be modified to suit your preferences, but I used these ingredients and Kelley (my official tester) confirmed it was great. As I posted yesterday, this can be enjoyed hot or cold for breakfast, lunch, or dinner

Don't forget....Just Add...this!

Do you like casseroles?  Do you feel they are best for breakfasts or as a lunch/dinner meal? 

Please share any casserole recipes you have; I love them any time of day with any kind of (healthy) ingredients.

Complement Your Protein

“Hey, Protein….you’re lookin’ good today!”  No, not a compl-i-ment, a compl-e-ment, which is combining foods that have incomplete essential amino acid (building blocks of protein) profiles to create complete essential amino acid profiles.

Our bodies need all nine essential amino acids to carry-out their bodily functions on a daily basis.  They are essential because our bodies cannot produce them alone and need to obtain them from food sources.  Here’s a list of the essential amino acids along with their optimal amount of mg per gram of protein (sourced from Wikipedia):

Essential Amino Acid - mg/g of Protein

Tryptophan - 7

Threonine - 27

Isoleucine - 25

Leucine - 55

Lysine - 51

Methionine+Cystine - 25

Phenylalanine+Tyrosine - 47

Valine - 32

Histidine - 18

Proteins acquired from animal foods like meat, dairy, fish, eggs, and poultry already come complete with the nine essentials. Plant foods, on the other hand, usually fall short of a few amino acids and need to be paired with other sources. As a note, some vegetarian foods like quinoa, spirulina, and soybeans are complete proteins, but do not have as high of a profile as other sources (see PDCAAS on Wikipedia).

Some common examples of complementary protein foods are:

• Bean burrito
• Peanut butter sandwich
• Whole grain cereal with milk
• Hummus with pita bread/chips
• Beans and rice

But those are pretty common meals; let’s look at some more interesting combos and pictures that might have you “complimenting” these complementary foods.
Try a warm or cold split pea soup puree with crusty whole grain bread to use for dipping.

Cool off with plain low-fat yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen fruit and a sprinkle of granola.

Wow your friends, family, and taste buds with a black bean and barley salad.

Black bean and pumpkin burgers served on top of rice or with sweet potatoes…..a nice recipe for Meatless Monday maybe?

Rice pudding with peanut butter provides a complete protein to complete your day with a smile.

I use this recipe and substitute brown rice, skim milk, 1 egg + 3 egg whites, and stevia instead of white rice, 2% milk, 3 whole eggs, and sugar respectively. Also, not a fan of raisins, so I keep those out and only use a sprinkle of roasted almonds, peanuts or pistachios.

Something to remember is that you don’t have to stress to have complementary foods all in one meal. Eating yogurt for breakfast then having a grain product at lunch would provide your body a source of complete protein. Have fun and be creative with your food, there are numerous ways to give your body what it needs! Try making it a game for each family member to create their own combos and make one for each day of the week.