Beans & Rice to Lose Weight
The combination of beans and rice provides the basis for meals that are potentially high in fiber and nutrients, while low in fat. If you use beans and rice as the basis for many of your meals and prepare them yourself, you can eat a healthy diet, creating the basis for sustainable weight loss.
Healthy, Low Fat Beans and Rice
To prepare a low fat version of Mexican beans and rice, substitute olive oil for lard as your cooking fat, and use no more than necessary. If you're using canned beans, saute onions, garlic and hot or mild chilis in a little bit of olive oil, and then add the canned beans. If you're cooking dried beans, you can add the onions, garlic and chili directly to the beans early in the cooking process, and use no cooking oil at all. Serve your beans with brown rice, which has more fiber and nutrients than white rice and will make you feel more full and satisfied, lessening your craving for additional food.
Low Fat Condiments
For satisfying, low fat condiments to enjoy with your beans and rice, you can prepare a variety of salsas. For tomatillo salsa, roast fresh tomatillos and hot or mild chilis, and then puree them with cilantro, vinegar and salt. For a roasted tomato salsa with no added fat, roast tomatoes and hot or mild chilis, then puree them with cilantro, vinegar, and salt. For a tasty raw pico de gallo, finely mince ripe tomatoes and chilis, and then mix them with chopped red onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Shredded cabbage is another fat-free topping for beans and rice. Slice it as thinly as possible, and toss it with lime juice and salt before serving it over beans and rice.
Healthy Variations on Beans and Rice
You can try varieties of beans and rice from many different cultures, using the general principle of preparing your flavorings with little or no oil and then adding them to your beans. The Indian staple of basmati rice and dhal, or curried lentils, is a type of beans and rice, as are many Mediterranean variations on lentils and rice. Tofu is a high-protein food made from soy beans that is often served with rice in Chinese and Japanese dishes, and you can make a low-fat version of the Cajun staple red beans and rice. Beans and rice are the basis of healthy, low-fat diets all over the world. The possibilities are limitless.
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