"One of the nicest things in life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."
~ Luciano Pavarotti

Tex-Mex Black Beans

Super side dish, lunch entree, or salad topper!
40 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

1 can Rotel or similar canned tomatoes with green chilies
1 can Black Beans (or similar amount of home cooked)
1/2 cup chopped Onion
2 cloves Garlic - chopped or crushed
1 tsp Taco Seasoning
1 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

*Optional: fresh or dried cilantro, parsley &/or cummin to taste

Directions

1. Drain & rinse liquid from black beans.

2. Spray non-stick skillet with Pam or drizzle in a small amont of olive oil. Heat to medium hot and sautee onion till it begins to look partially cooked. Reduce heat if it is sizzling (you want a fairly low heat before adding the garlic so it won't scorch.) Add garlic and sautee breifly.

3. Pour in canned tomatoes and liquid.

4. Refill the bean can with the beans and fresh water. (You've drained the canning liquid to reduce some of the sodium content, but you'll need the extra liquid as the beans simmer.)

5. Pour the beans into the tomatoes. Stir.

6. Add the dry seasonings. The amounts listed make a fairly well seasoned and slightly spicy dish (according to my tastes) but you may want to increase or decrease the amounts to suit your own preferences. *(Please Note: the chili powder listed is the blend of spices commonly used to make chili ... it is *NOT* pure ground chili peppers.)

7. Allow to simmer at least 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. Add additional liquid if needed.

8. Add fresh chopped cilantro and/or parsley shortly before serving if desired.

This makes 4 single side-dish servings, or two lunch-entree portions. You can also add additional water or chicken broth to turn this into a soup instead of a thicker bean side dish.

Garnish idea - fat free or reduced fat sour cream and/or shredded cheese and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info

Calories: 107.8
Total Fat: 0.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 746.9 mg
Total Carbs: 22.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.5 g
Protein: 6.7 g

Weight Watchers Points: 0.91