Latin American food | Swapping grains with veggies

From pineapple chow to spaghetti squash

by

Beans, Rice and Everything Spiced

Latin American food makes a colorful appearance on more and more American plates

A recent survey found that 80 percent of foodies couldn’t name a Latin American dish that wasn’t Mexican. Can you? Go ahead, take your time.

It may come as a surprise that Latin American cuisine consists of food not just from Central and South Americas, but the Caribbean as well. Each country has its own distinct culture and as a result, its own unique cuisine. That’s why these dishes come out so colorful in texture and flavors – because it’s truly more of a collection of cuisines rather than one entity.

For example, staples in Latin American cuisine are rice and beans, however, each country prepares them differently. In Peru, dinners are made of fava and white beans, whereas Cubans often slow-cook black beans. Condiments may also vary depending on the area, but are vital to most every Latin American dish. In any meal, you may find guacamole, pico de gallo, mole, chimichurri, chili, aji, pebre and other various salsas.

In an attempt to wrangle these flourishing flavors and tastes into categories, we’ve divided Latin American cuisine into three sections, each with an example of a popular dish.

Caribbean

Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico

Common ingredients: rice, plantains, beans, cassava, bell peppers, chickpeas, cilantro, sweet potato, coconut and fish

Pineapple Chow

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tbsp. cilantro
  • 1 ½ tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce

Instructions

  • Chop pineapple into small chunks
  • Finely chop garlic and cilantro. Add to pineapple along with lime juice
  • Add hot sauce, salt and pepper
  • Chill in refrigerator to allow flavors to marinate

Central America

Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua

Common ingredients: peppers, corn, beans, red meat and fish

Coconut Rice and Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried kidney beans
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 tbsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup basmati rice

Instructions

  • Place beans in saucepan with 6 cups cold water; bring to a simmer until beans are tender
  • Heat butter; add shallot, oregano, thyme and stir
  • Add garlic and beans
  • Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer
  • Add rice, cover and cook for 10 minutes

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Common ingredients: tropical fruit, lobster, Antarctic krill, potatoes, beef and pork

Brazilian Fish Stew

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 onions
  • 4 bell peppers
  • 1 ½ lbs tilapia fillets
  • 1 can diced tomatos
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 bunch cilantro

Instructions

  • Combine lime juice, cumin, paprika and garlic
  • Add tilapia, toss to coat; cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes
  • Fry onions in olive oil 1-2 minutes
  • Add bell peppers, tilapia and diced tomatoes
  • Pour coconut milk over mixture
  • Cover and simmer 15 minutes
  • Stir in cilantro and cook until tilapia is cooked through

Grains to Greens

Swapping grains with vegetables in carb-heavy meals

While a grain-free diet is important for people with gluten intolerance, replacing grains with vegetables in some meals can be a way to reduce your intake of processed foods and pack in more nutrients.

Spaghetti Squash Pasta

It’s almost impossible to recognize this impasta because of how delicious it is. After it’s baked, spaghetti squash pulls apart in strings exactly like pasta, making it easy to plate and serve with your favorite sauce.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Don’t knock it ‘til you try it. Even the most loyal pizza lovers admit cauliflower-based pizza crust is amazing. It’s incredibly simple to make and even more fun to shock people with after they’ve taken their first bite.

Sweet Potato Rice

Looking to spice up a boring brown rice meal? Grab a sweet potato and some of those leftover vegetables that have been sitting in your fridge for the past few days. With a couple pulses in a food processor or blender, sweet potatoes mince into rice and are a perfect sweet flavor with any spicy rice add-ins.

Eggplant Sandwich

Once you’ve gotten past the initial “you’re kidding me” reaction to the name, this breadless sandwich is life changing. By baking eggplants in slices, you can create the perfect medium to hold any kind of protein or vegetable you crave. Want to be an even bigger risk-taker? Try buttering both sides with cashew cheese.

Easy cauliflower pizza crust

Recipe courtesy of KatieLee.com.

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 eggs

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Break cauliflower apart and pulse in a food processor or blender until fine pieces. Steam and drain, then lay on paper towel to cool.
  • In a bowl, combine cauliflower with mozzarella, parmesan, oregano, salt, garlic powder and eggs. Transfer to baking sheet and spread into a circle resembling a pizza crust. Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Add desired toppings and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Mallory Arnold is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.