There’s good reason why cultures like Mexico, Africa or South America often eat rice with their beans. By combining the two you get a complete protein meal with all 9 essential amino acids. Beans are low in methionine (= amino acid), but rice is quite high. Rice is low in lysine (another amino acid), but beans have good levels. A perfect union!
This recipe has the added benefit of hemp seed and nutritional yeast, both complete proteins, albeit in small amounts, hence my suggestion to have rice alongside. I usually choose a brown, red and basmati mix which I rinse twice before cooking. Often I’ll add small florets of broccoli or grated carrot into the pot 3/4 way through the cooking time; another opportunity to increase vegetables in meals.
When it comes to protein you might like to listen to this interview on The Doctor’s Kitchen, with Rupi Aujla. If it sounds like I’m banging on about protein it’s because I’m seeing really low intake in my clinic. With the message out there that people should be eating more plant-based foods, many are reducing their animal protein but not finding plant based alternatives.
Inspired by a recipe from Plantbaes I’ve changed some ingredients and amounts, replacing the spinach with kale or greens because raw spinach is high in oxalates which can interfere with our absorption of minerals necessary for strong bones and energy, hormones, immune health… you name it. Easy to google ‘high oxalate’ foods if you want to go down this rabbit hole!
Ingredients:
1 tbsp virgin olive oil for cooking; another tbsp to drizzle before serving
4 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 red onion, chopped
1 medium or 2 small courgette, sliced
1 bunch of basil, c 25 – 30g
50 g chopped kale and/or spring greens
2 tbsp cracked hemp seed
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 400g tin rinsed-twice cannellini beans
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, for serving
sea salt and black pepper
plant-based yoghurt to dollop on top before serving
Optional: sprinkling of chilli flakes added to blender
Method
Whilst your rice is cooking, pour oil into a pan and add the chopped onion. Cook on a medium heat for a few minutes until transparent. Next add the squeezed or finely chopped garlic, then the sliced courgette and kale/spring greens. Cover and cook until the kale has softened. Turn off the heat and add the basil leaves to the pan with cover and leave a couple of minutes.
Put the cooked greens and wilted basil into a bowl and add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, some sea salt and pepper (& a pinch of chilli if you want). Blend with a hand-held blender, or add the lot to whatever blending machine you’re using.
Now’s the time to do a quick taste test!
If your green blend is thick because you used lots of kale, add a little water, however you still want it to have body and not be a runny sauce. At this point add extra pepper, salt or chilli if your taste buds want.
Put the sauce back into the pan and add the rinsed cannellini beans, heating through and stirring now and again so it doesn’t catch.
When your rice is cooked spoon into two shallow bowls, add your green bean blend and then dollop a tbsp of plant-based yoghurt on top. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, some basil leaves and a drizzle of oil. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Enjoy and let me know how it goes 🙂