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Reviewed by: Alice Henneman, MS, RD, Extension Educator <ahenneman1@unl.edu>

BLACK BEANS WITH CORN AND TOMATOES (Makes 4 servings)

Each serving equals two vegetable servings

  • 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium, no-fat-added black beans
  • 1 cup cut tomatoes, fresh or canned
  • 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 clove garlic, pureed or roasted
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
  1. Drain and rinse beans.
  2. In a bowl, combine beans, corn, tomatoes and garlic.
  3. Add parsley, pepper and chili powder. Combine and serve.

Nutrition Facts per serving: calories, 260; protein, 10g; fat, 2g; percent calories from fat, 7%; carbohydrates, 50 g; cholesterol, 0 mg; fiber, 8g; sodium, 430 mg

SOURCE: Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information and recipes for adding fruits and vegetables to your diet, visit www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/5ADay/month

ALICE'S TIPS:

  1. This recipe may be enjoyed as four side-dish/salad servings or two main-dish servings.

  2. Chili powders can vary in intensity. You may wish to start with less chili powder if using a medium hot or hot form rather than regular chili powder. Sample the recipe and adjust according to personal preference.

  3. Too much cayenne pepper can make food fiery hot; however, a dash can boost the flavor of dishes and enhance the taste of low-fat, low-salt recipes. Store cayenne pepper away from heat and light in a cool, dark and dry place.

  4. Yellow corn is a source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants may help reduce the risk of developing age-related diseases of the eyes such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss or legal blindness in people over the age of 60 in the United States. Other sources of lutein and zeaxantin include green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens.

  5. To thaw frozen corn quickly, place it in a colander, run cold water over it for about 30 seconds or until thawed, and shake off the excess water.

  6. Tomatoes provide lycopene, an antioxidant that may help lower the risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. Some research indicates lycopene is absorbed better in the presence of a little fat. If there are no other sources of fat in the foods served in combination with this dish, you may wish to add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to this recipe.

  7. If you don't have a garlic press to puree the garlic, mince the garlic really fine. Some cooks will use the flat end of a chef's knife to help mash the garlic; watch out for your fingers if you use this method!

  8. As a substitution for fresh garlic, use 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder.

  9. Store fresh garlic in a cool, dark place other than the refrigerator. Many people use the small clay garlic holders to keep garlic for several weeks. Though cloves that have sprouted are still safe to use, their flavor will be less strong than fresh cloves.

  10. Other types of beans may be substituted for the black beans in this recipe.

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