Category: Latin American

Quick Spanish Rice and Pinto Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 Packages Trader Joe’s Frozen Spanish Rice or prepare Aldi’s Earthly Grains Spanish Rice
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • 3/4th Aldi’s Classic Guacamole

Steps

  • 1. Microwave rice according to directions, about 3 1/2 minutes.
  • 2. Heat pinto beans in small pan.
  • 3. In serving bowl, use slatted spoon to add beans. Add rice and guacamole.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 cups
Servings: 4
Amount per serving 1
Calories 433
Total Fat 1.9g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 827mg
Total Carbohydrate 94.3g
Dietary Fiber 5.5g
Total Sugars 0.7g
Protein 12.6g

Optional: Roll beans, rice and guacamole into flour tortillas.

Pinto Bean Tacos

Ingredients

  • 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1/2  jalapeño pepper, chopped and deseeded
  • 2 avocados, sliced or 3/4 cup guacamole
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups cooked pinto beans in liquid
  • 1 tbsp. taco seasoning
  • 3/4 cup Aldi’s Casa Mamita Mild Chunky Salsa in a jar
  • Lime juice from 1 lime
  • 12 Aldi’s Pueblo Lindo White Corn Tortillas

  1. In a small saucepan, heat pinto beans. Add taco seasoning and stir.
  2. Place 3 or 4 tortillas between two slightly damp paper towels on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a slightly damp paper towel. Microwave 30 seconds. Repeat for next 3 or 4 tortillas.
  3. Divide all ingredients evenly, bean mixture (drained), into tortillas. Use one or two tablespoons full of ingredients. Do not overfill, or the tortilla will fall apart.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
Amount per serving 1
Calories 193
Total Fat 3.7g
Saturated Fat 1.4g
Cholesterol 6mg
Sodium 314mg
Total Carbohydrate 35.9g
Total Sugars 3.9g
Protein 7.8g

Bonnie’s Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 jalapeño pepper chopped
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • 2 tomatoes chopped
  • 1 cup chopped red pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 sliced avocados, sliced
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. cumin
  • 4 tbsp. canola oil
  • 4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Steps

  1. In a medium bowl, exc,ept for avocado, combine all ingredients and mix well.
  2. Cover and refrigerate overnight to blend ingredients.
  3. To serve, top with sliced avocado.

May serve over corn tortillas. Optional add-ons-corn, cilantro.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving 1 cup
Calories 259
Total Fat 18.8g
Saturated Fat 1.9g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 77mg
Total Carbohydrate 19.7g
Dietary Fiber 8.6g
Total Sugars 1.9g
Protein 6.1g

Elisa’s Mexican Beans

Ingredients

2 cups dried pinto beans

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Salt

Steps

  1. Put beans in medium pot and rinse until water is fairly clear, removing any pebbles.
  2. Place pot of beans on stove with enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches.
  3. Bring beans to a boil, and then lower to medium. Keep adding water to beans so that they are covered by 2 inches of water.
  4. After 45 minutes, add garlic powder and salt.
  5. Continue to cook for 35 minutes until beans are soft.

Serve with Mexican Rice and sliced avocado.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 123
  • Sugar: .3 g
  • Sodium: 311 mg
  • Fat: 1.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 22.71 g
  • Fiber: 7.7 g
  • Protein: 7.77 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Elisa’s Mexican Rice (Plant-Based)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Riceland white long grain rice
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1/3 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 cube Knors Vegetable Bouillon
  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 1/4 yellow onion, unsliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

Steps

  1. In a large pot, add dry rice and green pepper to oil and cook on medium heat until rice is brown. Stir rice occasionally, so it doesn’t burn.
  2. Add tomato sauce, garlic powder, vegetable bouillon-crumbled, water and chunk of onion to pot. Bring to boil.
  3. Lower heat to medium and cover, leaving lid ajar so that steam can come out. Do not stir after lid is on.
  4. When water lowers, close the lid on the pot all the way. Cook about 15 minutes.
  5. When rice is moist but no water, add 1/2 cup cold water and peas. Cover and heat for 4 minutes.
  6. When no water, turn off heat and let rice sit in pot for 5 minutes.

May be served with pinto beans and sliced avocado. For extra flavor add Sazon flavor packet or Sofrito seasoning.

Instant rice can be substituted, but reduce cooking time.

Let rice cool to room temperature before refridgerating.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 142
  • Sugar: 1.7 g
  • Sodium: 157 mg
  • Fat: 7.3
  • Carbohydrates: 16.8 g
  • Fiber: 1.4 g
  • Protein: 2.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Quick Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 bags of Walmart’s Great Value Boil in Bag Brown Rice
  • 2 cups chopped Romaine or Iceburg Lettuce
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 can black beans, undrained
  • 1 Tbsp. Aldi taco seasoning
  • 1 bag Aldi Steamed Sweet Frozen Corn
  • Aldi Restaurant Style Guacamole Sweet and Spicy
  • Aldi Mild Fresh Cut Salsa
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Kosher salt to taste

Steps

  1. While boiling rice, chopped lettuce and cilantro.
  2. Add beans and taco seasoning to beans and heat on stove.
  3. Prepare corn according to package directions. Mix cooked corn with cilantro.
  4. Drain rice and add to individual bowls. Add to bowls, beans, corn, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce.
  5. Sprinkle lime juice and salt over burrito bowls.

May be served with warmed tortillas.

Potato Tacos

Ingredients

  • 1/2 bag of Aldi’s Season’s Choice Crinkle Cut French Fried Potatoes, frozen
  • 1/2 cup Aldi’s Classic Guacamole
  • 1/2 cup Aldi’s Mild Fresh Cut Salsa
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 14 Aldi’s Pueblo Lindo Corn Tortillas

Steps

  1. Line baking pan with aluminum foil. Spread potatoes on pan and bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet heat two tortillas at a time flipping once.
  3. Double the tortillas and add guacamole, potatoes, salsa, cilantro and lime juice.

Bean and Rice Burrito

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 4 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 chopped jalapeño
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • Aldi’s classic guacamole
  • Aldi’s Casa Mamita Mild Chunky Salsa in a jar
  • 2 cans of Aldi’s Casa Mamita Refried Pinto Beans
  • 2 Tbsp. Aldi’s Casa Mamita Taco Seasoning, 25 % Less Sodioum
  • Aldi’s Pueblo Lindo Flour Tortilla or Fit and Active Whole Wheat Tortillas, 1 package
  • 3 limes

Steps

  1. Cook brown rice according to directions.
  2. Chop tomato, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro
  3. Stir in taco seasoning to beans and microwave for 2 minutes.
  4. Heat tortillas individually in skillet.
  5. Place enough beans, rice, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, guacamole, and salsa to cover end of tortillas.
  6. Squeeze lime juice over filling.
  7. Roll tortillas by folding sides toward the center and roll starting with end towards you.

Makes eight burritos.

You can use leftover ingredients and make a bean and rice bowl, omitting the tortilla.

Veggie Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of brown Rice
  • 12 ounces of frozen corn
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1/2-1/3 jalapeño, remove seeds
  • 1 1-2 cups cilantro
  • 3 limes
  • 3-4 large avocados
  • 2 cans of black beans, undrained
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cups of Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 3/4 tablespoon Kosher salt

Steps

Prepare Brown Rice

  1. In medium saucepan, bring 1 cup rice and 2 cups of water to boil.
  2. Set heat to low and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes.

Prepare Onion, , Cilantro, Lime, Salt Mixture

  1. In a food processor add chunks of the onion and jalapeño, pulse.
  2. Add cilantro and pulse until blended.
  3. Stir in lime and salt.

Prepare Corn Salsa

  1. Cook corn in microwave for two to three minutes and cool in a large bowl.
  2. Add 1/3 of the Onion, Jalapeño, Cilantro, Lime and Salt mixture and stir until blended.

Prepare Pico de Gallo

  1. Put chopped tomatoes into a small bowl.
  2. Add 1/3 of the Onion, Jalapeño, Cilantro, Lime and Salt mixture and stir until blended.

Prepare Guacamole

  1. Pit and slice three avocados and smash in a small bowl.
  2. Add 1/3 of the Onion, Jalapeño, Cilantro, Lime and Salt mixture and stir until blended.

Prepare Burrito Bowl

  1. Heat 2 cans black beans with liquid.
  2. To individual bowls, add rice, beans, corn salsa, chopped tomatoes, guacamole and chopped lettuce.

Optional: Spoon rice, beans, and veggie into a warmed flour tortilla.

Fried Plantains

Ingredients

  • 2 plantains
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (may subsitute coconut oil) for slight sweetness)

Steps

  • 1. Heat oil and over medium-high heat. Place the plantain slices into the skillet.
  • 2. Fry until the plantains begin to turn golden brown, then turn over, and continue frying, about 2 minutes per side.

Serve with black beans and rice. (See Spicy Black Bean Soup) https://juliesveganbloghome.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=827&action=edit

Nutrition Facts p

NutrientApprox. Amount
Calories ~120 kcal
Sugar~14 g
Sodium~1–5 mg
Fat~5 g
Carbohydrates~23 g
Fiber~2 g
Protein~1 g
Cholesterol0 mg

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1/2 medium jalapeño or serrano pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped (decrease or omit if sensitive to spice)
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 limes
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

Steps

  1. Chop veggies or in a food processor, add chunks of onion, pulse, add jalapeno, pulse, add cilantro, pulse and add tomatoes and pulse lightly until tomatoes are roughly chopped but not mushy.
  2. Add lime juice, salt and to mixture and stir.

Serve with chips, arepa, spinach or whole wheat flatbread with hummus.

Adapted from Cookie+Kate.

Arepas

Ingredients

  • cups P.A.N. (pre-cooked white corn meal)
  • 2 1/2 cups of warm tap water
  • 1 tsp. of salt
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • A nonstick grilling pan
  • 2 Tbsp. Vegan butter

Steps

  1. Mix water, salt and oil in a large bowl. 
  2. Gradually add the cornmeal and mix with your hands until completely amalgamated. The dough should be firm enough to not stick to your hands and soft enough to not crack. If not add cornmeal or water.
  3. Let dough sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Wet your hands and form a big (palm size) ball with your hands. Press them between your hands to form patties about 1/2 inch thick.
  5. Heat butter on the grilling pan and cook arepas on medium low heat for 7 minutes each side. You are looking for a crispy layer on the outside (and brownish grilling strips).

Eat plain arepas, or cut in half with corrugated bread knife and open to make a pocket. Fill with small bits of avocado sprinkle with lime juice.