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Kacey's Poblano Peppers with Black Bean Dip

Many cultures have used black beans as a staple in their diet for good reasons!! Dried black beans: last for years, store easily, are very inexpensive, packed with fiber and protein, and are incredibly nutritious!! A 1/2 cup of cooked black beans cost less than $.50 per serving, has 114 calories, 8 grams of protein, 0 grams of sugar, and 20 grams of carbs. One three pound bag of beans is equal to 36 servings of cooked black beans for less than $4!!! You can have a serving a day of black beans and still stay under 100 grams of carbs on the Keto Mediterranean Diet. I had to add more carbs to my diet when I started a bodybuilding program, and black beans are the perfect pre or post work-out meal!! I love to slather my beans with plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro, which adds more protein and calcium. Black beans do not spike your insulin and keep you full for hours, which helps if you are only eating two meals a day like I do. Black beans are an important source of folate, iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, and vitamin C, helping you to have glowing skin and strong bones!! Due to their dark color, black beans are packed with phytonutrients which may prevent cancer. People living in "Blue Zone" countries that eat a lot of beans, have a lower risk of cancer. I do not add rice to my beans, but you could add rice for younger family members.
Black Beans are an excellent form of resistant starch, they pass through the digestive system undigested.  Black beans lower insulin sensitivity,  reduce appetite, and keep you feeling full for hours.   I like to add some black bean dip to my final meal of the day to help me fast the next day.  Since black bean are not digested, they feed your gut flora ( which outnumber your body’s cell by 10:1!!)….. So black beans feed 90% of the cells in your body, whereas most foods only feed 10% of the cells in your body….Black beans feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut, so they are superfood for the digestive system…. When you pre-soak your beans, and simmer them slowly, you remove the compounds that cause gas and bloating…
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Caribbean, Mexican, Tex Mex
Calories: 114
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Black Bean Dip
  • 2 cups dried black beans May use 2 cans of black beans
  • 1/2 onion-chopped
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 5 cloves garlic- minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1-2 TBs chili powder
  • 2 TBs ground Cumin
  • 2-3 TBs olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth optional
  • 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
Black Bean Dip toppings
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup chopped black olives
Poblano Peppers
  • 4-5 poblano peppers Wash, dry, slice in half and remove the seeds
  • 2-3 TBs Olive oil
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Equipment

  • 1 shallow oven pan lined with tin foil
  • 1 potato masher
  • 1 9 by 12 casserole dish
  • 1 4 quart Dutch oven

Method
 

Black Bean Dip
  1. Per-soak your black beans with the quick soak method. Put your dried black beans in a 4 quart Dutch oven and cover with water ( the water should just cover the beans). Add 6 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, remove from the heat, and let soak for 2 hours. Drain the water. Beans will last in the fridge for up to a week or you may freeze them. Store them in a glass storage container that is well sealed.
  2. Add cooked beans to a Dutch oven and cover with water ( about 1 inch above the beans). Add 6 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer, cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Remove the bay leaves
  3. Drain the black beans ( reserve 1 cup of the water) and put in a 9 by 12 casserole dish. Mash with a potato masher until most of the beans are mashed. Add the water or chicken broth. Stir in the cumin, salt, and chili powder. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in 2-3 TBs of olive oil until brown (about 10 minutes.) Add to the bean mixture.
  4. Top the beans with the 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is slightly brown in a 400 degree oven.
  6. Top with plain Greek yogurt, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and chopped black olives.
Stuffed Poblano Peppers with black bean dip
  1. Wash, dry, and cut the poblano peppers in half. Scoop out the seeds. Place the peppers on a shallow oven pan lined with tin foil. Poblano peppers are very mild. May substitute red, orange, or yellow peppers.
  2. Brush the peppers with olive oil.
  3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning the peppers over at 10 minutes.
  4. Top the cooked peppers with black bean dip, add additional shredded cheddar cheese.
  5. Bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese has melted and is slightly brown.
  6. Top with plain Greek yogurt, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, and chopped black olives