Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Namibian Beans - 5 points

During my gap year, I had to spend some time in Johannesburg getting medical treatment. My parents were unable to travel with me for one of my many trips there, so a nurse generously let me stay in her house for a couple of weeks. I had a lovely time getting to know her, playing with her dog when she was away during the day, and eating her delicious cooking in the evenings.

Before moving to Jo’burg, the nurse had worked at a clinic in Namibia. The Namibian nurses had taught her many delicious vegetarian dishes, including a fabulous way to prepare beans. These Namibian beans became an instant favorite of mine. They are fabulous straight out of the pot – and possibly even better the next day, spread on a low carb tortilla with a little fat free sour cream. Mmmmm….

Namibian Beans
2 lb dried pinto beans
1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 ½ cups chopped onion
salt to taste

  1. Follow package directions for soaking beans.
  2. In a large pot, combine onions, tomatoes and beans. Pour in enough water to cover plus one inch.
  3. Bring beans to a boil, remove any foam from the top of the water. Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours.
  4. Remove 1 cup of beans from the pot. In a medium bowl, mash beans into a paste. Return the paste to the pot and stir (this will thicken the beans).  Salt to taste.
  5. Yields 16, 5 point servings

These can also be made in the crock-pot. Just leave the beans, tomatoes, water, and onions over high heat for 7-8 hours.

8 comments:

  1. The soup looks so comforting and tasty. I think I would use pressure cooker to do this...can't afford 7-8 hrs cooked in a crockpot, with which the soup would definitely taste better.

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  2. This definitely does sound like a perfect crockpot dish! I am always on the look out for recipes like this.

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  3. This very simple dish which very tasty. that nurse sounds be sweet.

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  4. What a simple but tasty dish! Love your idea with indulging some with a tortilla. Thank you for sharing :)

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  5. Easy, healthy and delicious, the perfect recipe.
    *kisses* HH

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  6. Love bean dishes!! And I am soooo jealous you've been to Johannesburg!! A friend of mine got married there last year and we weren't able to make it-- BUMMER! I am hoping the BH has a conference there some day! And I wish I had taken a gap year! Guess I have to make up for it by traveling every chance I get now!

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  7. Thanks:) Angie - I think that the pressure cooker would work very well:) A pressure cooker is on my wish list - I have ever so many lovely kitchen gadgets on that list!

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Thanks for your comments!