Cuban-Style Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quick-cooking brown rice
• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup drained petite diced tomatoes
• 1 1 /2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Makes 4 Servings (1 cup bean mixture & 1/2 cup rice per serving)

 

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions, omitting the fat is desired; keep warm.
2. With a fork, coarsely mash 1 cup of the beans; set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add the whole and mashed beans, the tomatoes with their juice, the cumin, and oregano; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly and the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the lime juice and pepper sauce, stirring to mix well. Serve over the rice.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. This dish makes a great meal or side dish alongside a Latin flavored protein. You have three servings of vegetables in this dish so you'll get your share of nutrients. Don't worry if this dish looks like a hot mess, it tastes great and it's full of flavor.

Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. beef top round, lean
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups onions, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, cut into 1/6-inch thick
• 3 cloves, garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tbsp. thyme, chopped
• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup low-sodium beef stock
• 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 10 servings

1. Season meat with salt and pepper
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and meat. Sear meat all over until nicely browned. Remove from pan and place in crockpot.
3. Add onion, celery, and carrots to sauté pan; sauté for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and turn up heat to brown. Add garlic and spices; cook until aromatic. Add tomatoes and red wine; reduce by half. Add beef stock and soy sauce. Pour over meat in crockpot. Turn crockpot on low, cover, and let cook for 6 hours or until the meat is tender.
4. Remove the meat from the crockpot. Place on a cutting board. Let sit. degrease the sauce; adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Stir in parsley. Slice the meat. Add to sauce and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This meal is a great comfort food for whenever you're feeling cold and you want some comfort. You can make this meal in the morning and let it sit in the crockpot in the morning and let it cook nice and slow so it will be delicious after a long day. The amount of cooking that is necessary will depend on the shape of the roast. The longer and skinnier the roast, the shorter the cooking time. The more dense the roast, the longer it needs to cook.  There is also a healthy portion of vegetables in this meal which will fill you up. The original recipe calls for chicken stock so I use beef stock instead for a more beefy flavor. Don't forget to serve potatoes alongside the pot roast. What's a great meat dinner without a side of potatoes?