A Healthy Cinco de Mayo Recipe: Greens, Beans, and Grains with a Spanish Twist
On the fifth of May in 1862, underdog Mexico beat the odds and defeated a powerful French army in the Battle of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo has since become a celebration of Mexican culture and ancestry, and of course, Mexican cuisine!
We love a good fiesta here in America, and Cinco de Mayo lends reason to celebrate with a few cervezas. But you may be surprised to find that there’s much more to authentic Mexican food than a packet of taco seasoning and a side of guac. Did you know that nachos are rarely eaten in Mexico? Or cheese for that matter?
What makes a great Mexican dish are the colorful ingredients, full of flavor and zest. For your Cinco de Mayo celebration, try this recipe from 2011 graduate Jennifer Moore, which highlights the vegetables and spices while incorporating healthy greens and grains. It’s vegan, gluten-free and non-dairy to boot!
Greens, Beans, and Grains with a Spanish Twist
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (more if you like it hot!)
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 bag baby spinach
- 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, but gives a nice smoky flavor)
- 1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 baked sweet potato, skin removed and cut into 1 inch chunks
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups of brown rice, cooked
- 1 avocado, chopped into ½ inch pieces
- 2 scallions, chopped
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
- hot sauce or salsa is optional
Directions:
- Heat olive oil and chili flakes in a large pan or wok.
- When oil is hot, add garlic and shallots, sauté to soften.
- Add cherry tomatoes, spinach, yellow pepper, turmeric, cumin and smoked paprika. Sauté until soften and spinach is wilted.
- Add black beans and a pre-baked diced sweet potato, cook until heated through completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over brown rice or mix the rice in with everything else in step 4.
- Top each plate with avocado, scallions and cilantro. Hot sauce or salsa is also a nice addition.
This dish is great cold the next day if there are any leftovers.
Want more recipes like this one from Jennifer? Connect on Facebook or Twitter or check out her YouTube channel!
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