Yummy Black bean chili for slow cooker

Today I made the most delicious black beans with chili ever. I just throw in different amounts of each ingredients every time so you can adjust to taste, but I'll try and put in the amounts as accurately as I can to make it mega delicious.

This dish can be enjoyed with corn bread or tortillas, corn chips, rice or just on it's own or as a side dish with salad. Totally delish. 

Nutritional info:

Black beans are great as they are counted as a vegetable and a protein, have very little saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol and are a good source of fiber. They also are a good source of magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. 

According to the U.S. health authorities black beans can actually help reduce your cholesterol levels and maintain normal blood sugar levels. They help prevent heart disease, diabetes and diverticulitis as well as other gastrointestinal diseases. They also contain phytochemicals which help fight cancer and other chronic diseases. 

To gain these benefits you need to eat around 3 cups of black beans per week. I'm sure if they're included in a well balanced diet though they will be well received by your body regardless of how much of them you eat (unless you go nuts and eat nothing but black beans in which case you only have yourself and faulty genetics to blame). 

To make the black beans you first need to soak them for 2 days, then cook them for 16 mins in the pressure cooker. Then you're good to go!

I usually make a big pot of this then store it for later. It freezes well too.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups black beans (soaked and cooked in pressure cooker)
• 3 big tomatoes chopped into cubes
• 1 bottle tomato pasata
• 3 large chili's chopped
• 1 teaspoon (more or less) dried chili flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 teaspoons cumin ground
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Fry the onion and garlic in a pan until lightly golden
2. Put black beans, onion and garlic in slow cooker, turn cooker on to a high heat. 
3. Add tomatoes, pasata, chili's, chili paste, cumin, chili flakes, and paprika
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. cook for at least 4 hours
6. Eat!

Lettuce and broccoli stir fry image

Here's an image of the lettuce and broccoli stir fry on black rice. We put mung beans in it this time too

I know it looks disgusting but I swear it's delicious!

Aloo matar tamatar (Indian style potato peas and tomato)

This is another spicy dish this time from India. It is potato and peas in a pureed tomato sauce. We make it in a traditional Indian way but add black eyed peas for added protein.

Legumes are a great additive to your diet as they can be counted as a vegetable as well as a source of protein. Like many other legumes black eyed peas contain soluble fibre so they help get rid of bad cholesterol therefore lowering your risk of heart disease.

This dish can be served on rice or with breads such as naan or roti. We have it with red basmati rice which we buy from a Sri Lankan shop but you may be able to find it in other Asian stores. The colouring of red rice is due to it’s content of anthocyanin antioxidant which is currently being studied for it’s purported health benefits. Red rice is also high in vitamin B, iron and calcium and we think it’s delicious. Red yeast rice and Weedy rice are sometimes mistaken for Red rice so ask the store attendant if you’re not sure.

Eat aloo matar tomatar as a side dish or main meal.

Ingredients:

• ¼ kg potatoes
• 1 cup peas
• 600g fresh tomatoes coarsely pureed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ a cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/5 cup black eyed peas

1. Soak the potatoes in water for 15 minutes. Drain then pat dry and put aside.
2. Cook black eyed peas in pressure cooker for 11 minutes then put aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or pan. Sauté the cumin seeds, ginger and garlic.
4. Add the cubed potatoes and lightly fry until the potatoes are slightly browned. Add water then simmer until potatoes are slightly soft.
5. Stir in the pureed tomatoes, potato and peas, black eyed peas and tomato paste.  Add sugar coriander and salt then simmer for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, until the gravy thickens and the spices are thoroughly blended.
6. Serve on a bed of red rice.