Tag: side dish

Recipes, Salads and Appetizers, Lunch, Dinner

Mexican Corn and Black Beans

by Jenn Mandell2 Comments on Mexican Corn and Black Beans
Mexican Corn and Black Beans

A bit of spice and a touch of heat makes this a perfect side dish for grilled chicken, meat or fish

I adapted this recipe from Mexican street corn. Mexican street corn is corn on the cob that has been brushed with a mixture of sour cream, mayonnaise with Cotija cheese, lime, chili powder and cilantro. I wanted to lower the calories and remove the corn from the cob to make it easier to eat when serving a group. I added black beans for nutrition, color and because I love black beans but you can absolutely leave them out if you prefer a solo corn dish.

What kind of corn should I use?

Using fresh corn cut off the cob is ideal. Fresh corn has a sweet bite that is unmatched by frozen or canned. Summertime is corn time so I strongly encourage you to use the fresh corn when in season but in the winter you can use corn that has been cut off the cob and frozen. Please don’t use canned corn. It is much too soggy for this recipe. Visit a local farmstead in August and buy a bunch of corn to cut off the cob and freeze in plastic bags so you have fresh corn all winter long. Corn is a great starch to add to lots of side dishes, salads and soups. Corn is high in carbohydrates but it does also contain many healthy nutrients like Vitamin B, fiber, magnesium, iron and zinc. The sweet flavor of corn is perfect in off-setting spicier dishes.

How should I serve this dish?

  • Roasted Chicken pulled off bone with Enchilada Sauce
  • Roasted Chicken Enchiladas, Corn and Black Beans, Mexican Rice

This corn and black bean dish is very versatile. It can easily be reheated or eaten at room temperature. It is also extremely low in calories and big on flavor. Serve it alongside simple roasted chicken enchiladas. Buy a roasted chicken, pull meat off bone and place in pan, add 3/4 cup of my homemade enchilada sauce and 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, fill chicken in flour tortillas and place in a row in a baking dish that has a half cup of enchilada sauce on bottom. Top the enchiladas with remaining enchilada sauce and more shredded cheese. Cover and bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes until warm.

This dish also works great as a vegetarian entree when served with flour or corn tortillas on the side to fill with the corn, black beans and a touch of squeezed lime juice.

Serve this corn and black bean dish as a salad at lunch with grilled shrimp and avocado on top. It can be made earlier in the day so it is ready when you want to serve lunch.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce
easy to make enchilada sauce recipe
Check out this recipe
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4.57 from 65 votes
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Mexican Corn and Black Beans

Fresh corn and black beans with spice and a touch of heat
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beans, corn
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 140kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1½ cups corn cut off cob or frozen
  • 1½ cups black beans low sodium
  • 1½ tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp tumeric optional
  • ½ tsp salt kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • ½ cup cotija cheese crumbled
  • 1 lime

Instructions

  • melt butter in pan and add chopped onion
  • saute until soft. Around 5 minutes
  • add corn and black beans
  • Stir in chili powder, cumin, tumeric and salt. Cook for 2 minutes
  • Place corn and beans on platter, top with crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro and lime wedges

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipes, Food and Beverage, Lunch, Dinner, Holiday and Special Occasion

Colcannon

by Jenn Mandell
Colcannon

Colcannon is a hearty Irish dish that combines kale (or cabbage) with mashed potatoes. There are four main ingredients in Colcannon; potatoes, kale, milk and butter. The dish should be served with extra pats of butter on top so that they melt over the Colcannon while it is being served. Ok, so this is not one of my healthier dishes but even my keto loving husband had to stick a fork in the Colcannon after I made it. The white potatoes mixed with the green kale and melted butter on top is quite irresistible. It is absolutely delicious to grab a forkful of the potatoes and kale and dip it in the melted butter. If you serve colcannon in individual portions it makes it even easier to achieve this experience. Try serving the Colcannon in individual ramekins with a pat of butter on top.

What should I serve with the Colcannon?

Typically Colcannon is served with ham, sausages or corned beef. It would also make a nice side dish with stew. If you’re looking to keep the main dish a little lighter then broiled salmon with a lemon sauce would work well.

Tips for making great mashed potatoes:

You must dry the potatoes after you boil them and before you mash them. When the potatoes are tender drain the water and put the potatoes back into the pot over a low flame to remove excess water. Stir the potatoes over the heat for a few minutes to dry them out. This step will insure that you you have fluffy, light mashed potatoes. If your mashed potatoes are dense and gummy it’s because there was too much water left in the potatoes.

Return the potatoes to the pot after draining the water. Stir over low heat to remove excess water before mashing potatoes.

5 from 1 vote
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Colcannon

Hearty Irish Potato and Kale dish
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: potato
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 401kcal

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter portioned
  • ¾ cup milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1¾ cups chopped kale hard stem removed, chopped and loosely packed
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 scallion trimmed 1 inch from top and bottom and thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Put potatoes in a pot and add cold water to cover
  • bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender
  • strain potatoes and return them to the pot and place over low heat to remove excess water
  • after a few minutes remove potatoes and place on side
  • melt 3 tablespoons of butter in pot
  • add chopped kale and saute for a few minutes until soft
  • add milk and cream
  • add potatoes and mash with a potato masher
  • mix in salt and pepper
  • place colcannon in a bowl
  • make 2 depressions on the top and put a pat of butter in each one
  • scatter sliced scallions on top and serve

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 925mg | Potassium: 938mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3493IU | Vitamin C: 64mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 2mg