Your New Addiction

Testaments to how good these blacks beans are:

• Between “yumms”, Mami ALWAYS asks: “¿Gigi, estas habichuelas* no tienen carne?” No, Mami. There’s no meat in the beans. Just SABOR.

• My Dad, the carnivore, cleans his plate and goes for more. The man, who never met an animal he wouldn’t eat, gobbles up this vegan dish without knowing it’s vegan (!).

• If you’ve seen the video, you know my kid devours them.

• Carlos Ruiz, President of Seattle ALPFA, calls them “crack”.

The Secret? Gigi’s Organics Adobo. Super easy, affordable and healthy! Check out the seasoning flavors in our shop. Very tasty, amigos.

* Puerto Ricans call frijoles “habichuelas”. Yes, I’m Boricua.

A Word of Gratitude

Thank you to everyone across the globe who has watched me make these beans on EcoRicoTV and waited patiently for me to share this recipe!

We love to hear about how your recipe tasted and how you made it your own. So, please leave a comment below and post your pics on our Instagram (@tastethecaribe) and Facebook pages.

With that in mind…

Experimentation is Encouraged

Even though the recipe calls for one teaspoon of Gigi’s Adobo, experiment with Sazón, Adobo Picante, red beans, white beans, green pepper vs red pepper, red onion vs. sweet onion, leave the veggies in, take the veggies out - whatever tickles your taste buds! The recipe below is a base from which you can experiment and play.

Now, without further ado…

THE RECIPE

Watch Giselle and her daughter make this recipe. Adriana joins as Sous Chef around the 3-minute mark. And she’s ADORABLE with no teeth. “There’s a heaven for food...”

Ingredients

• 1 can organic black beans or 12 oz fresh organic black beans (soaked overnight)

• 2 cloves organic garlic

• ½ medium organic onion

• 1/3 small/medium organic bell pepper

• Large handful of fresh cilantro

• 1 tsp. Gigi’s Organics Adobo All Purpose Seasoning

• EVOO

• ½ cup water

Options:

• Sub Chicken stock for water

• Use half Adobo and half Sazón

Directions

Smash the garlic. Half the onion. Half the slice of pepper. Do not chop into small pieces. Wash and dry cilantro. Cut the bottom of the stems. That’s your sofrito.

In a pot, heat enough olive oil to cover bottom. Sauté onion a few minutes. Add pepper. Sauté a few minutes. Add garlic and cilantro. Sauté a few minutes. Add water and a teaspoon of Gigi’s Adobo. Cook a few more minutes.

Add beans. Cover pot and simmer this deliciousness 10 minutes. If you don’t cover the pot and the beans dry out, simply add a little more water and let them cook down.

Uncover the beans and REMOVE the garlic, onion, green pepper and cilantro pieces. I love to eat this later or with dinner. Or leave all the veggies in. Up to you.

Taste the beans and see if you need more seasoning. Adjust accordingly. If you need to add a little more water, do it now. Let the beans simmer until they are the consistency that you like. Do not overcook, as they will dry out. Turn off the heat and cover until ready to serve.

We eat our beans with rice. In the picture you’ll see a brown rice mixture accompanying the beans. I love the texture of the brown rice with barley and daikon seeds. Experiment with your favorite grains – couscous, quinoa. Serve with a side of avocado and lime.

¡Buen provecho!