Flavorful Vegan Spiced Black Beans and Callaloo with Coconut Rice & Plantain: Your Ultimate Meat-Free Monday Meal
Are you searching for a delicious, healthy, and incredibly satisfying vegan meal that’s easy to prepare, even on your busiest days? Look no further than this vibrant recipe for Spiced Black Beans and Callaloo served with fragrant Coconut Rice and perfectly Fried Plantain. This “beans and greens” delight isn’t just a meal; it’s a culinary journey to the Caribbean, packed with flavor, nutrition, and pure comfort. It’s an absolute favorite in my kitchen, especially when time is short but the craving for something wholesome and flavorful is strong.
Spiced black beans and callaloo with coconut rice and plantain – beans and greens is a super quick, simple and healthy vegan meal that tastes great and is perfect for #MeatFreeMondays! Post sponsored by Appletiser.
Embracing a Plant-Based Lifestyle: Health, Environment, and Ethics
The conversation around diet and its impact on our health and the planet has grown significantly. It’s becoming increasingly clear that a predominantly plant-based diet—rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and healthy fats, while being low in animal products—offers profound benefits for our well-being. This way of eating is not only linked to improved health outcomes but also plays a crucial role in fostering a more sustainable and ethical food system.
Transitioning to a vegan or mostly plant-based diet, as I have been doing, certainly comes with its unique set of challenges. Eating out, for instance, can sometimes feel restrictive, and navigating social gatherings requires a bit more planning. However, the positive changes I’ve experienced—from feeling more energetic to a general sense of improved health—make it incredibly worthwhile. Even small steps, like committing to a few meat-free days each week, can have a surprisingly significant impact on your health and contribute to a larger positive change.
The Power of Meat Free Mondays
Initiatives like Meat Free Monday provide an excellent starting point for anyone looking to reduce their consumption of animal products. This global campaign encourages people to omit meat one day a week, highlighting the benefits for both personal health and the environment. The data supporting this movement is compelling. According to the Meat Free Monday website, a 2010 study conducted by Oxford University’s department of public health revealed that limiting meat consumption to no more than three times a week could potentially prevent 31,000 deaths from heart disease, 9,000 deaths from cancer, and 5,000 deaths from stroke annually, while also saving healthcare systems substantial costs.
Beyond the statistics, embracing Meat Free Mondays opens up a world of culinary discovery. Many people are surprised by how easy, versatile, and incredibly tasty vegetarian and vegan meals can be. Once you experience the joy of plant-based cooking, it often becomes much easier and more natural to further reduce your reliance on animal products. It’s not just about what you’re cutting out, but about the abundance of new flavors, textures, and ingredients you get to explore.
Tropical Flavors for a Healthy Lifestyle
When Appletiser challenged me to create a #MeatFreeMonday inspired recipe, my Spiced Black Beans and Callaloo with Coconut Rice and Plantain immediately came to mind. This dish perfectly embodies the spirit of a healthy, quick, and flavorful plant-based meal. The rich, tropical notes of the Caribbean-inspired ingredients harmonize beautifully with the crisp, refreshing taste of Appletiser, making for a wonderfully balanced dining experience. It’s a remarkably speedy meal to cook, bursting with vibrant flavors that genuinely nourish the body.
One of the many reasons I love this recipe is its reliance on readily available pantry staples. I always keep tins of black beans, callaloo, and coconut milk in my cupboard. This ensures that a satisfying, wholesome meal is never more than a few steps away, perfect for those evenings when you need something delicious in a flash. The preparation is straightforward: you simply sauté onions and garlic, add a blend of aromatic spices, then introduce canned black beans and callaloo along with creamy coconut milk. That’s the heart of the dish done!
The coconut rice is just as simple, cooked in a similar fashion to regular rice, but with some of the water replaced by luscious coconut milk, infusing it with a subtle sweetness and creaminess. And for the plantain? Just slice it up and pan-fry it until golden brown and caramelized. The combination of these three components creates a meal that’s complex in flavor yet incredibly simple in execution, proving that healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.
Enhancing Your Meal: Simple Additions
While this meal is absolutely fantastic on its own, a few simple additions can elevate it even further. A handful of sliced avocado adds a creamy texture and healthy fats, while a scattering of freshly chopped coriander brightens the flavors. For those who enjoy a little heat, a sprinkle of finely diced red chili provides a welcome kick. And, of course, no meal this delicious is complete without a refreshing beverage. A chilled glass of Appletiser perfectly complements the tropical flavors, cleansing the palate and enhancing the overall enjoyment.
Unveiling Key Ingredients: Callaloo and Plantain
What Is Callaloo Anyway?
For those unfamiliar, callaloo is a staple leafy green vegetable in Jamaican cuisine, often compared to spinach but with its own distinct flavor and texture. It is believed to be derived from the edible leaves of the Amaranth plant, which is renowned for its nutritional density. Callaloo is an incredible powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, boasting significant amounts of iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C, all while being remarkably low in calories. It’s a fantastic way to boost the nutritional value of any meal.
While fresh callaloo can be a challenge to find in many parts of the UK, most major supermarkets carry it in tins, usually located in the ‘international’ or ‘foreign’ food sections. The canned variety is incredibly convenient and what I predominantly use for this recipe. If callaloo is entirely unavailable to you, don’t fret! You can easily substitute it with spinach (either canned or defrosted frozen spinach works well) or even shredded kale if you prefer a slightly heartier green. Each substitute will bring a slightly different nuance to the dish, but the core flavors will remain delicious.
What Kind of Plantain Should I Use?
Plantain, often mistaken for a banana, is actually a distinct fruit (though botanically a berry) that is starchier and considerably less sweet. It is a fundamental ingredient in many tropical cuisines and can be enjoyed at various stages of ripeness, offering different culinary experiences. You can use plantain when it is green (unripe) or when it has ripened to a yellow or even black color.
- Green Plantain: When green, plantain has a much firmer, almost potato-like texture and a distinctly savory flavor. It holds its shape well when cooked and is ideal for frying or boiling as a side dish, often treated much like a starchy vegetable. I personally prefer green plantain for this recipe as it offers a pleasant textural contrast and a savory depth that balances the other flavors. However, be aware that green plantain often requires a good amount of seasoning to truly bring out its best.
- Yellow/Black Plantain: As plantain ripens, its skin turns yellow, then gradually black, indicating a significant increase in sweetness and a softer, more tender texture. Ripe plantain, when fried, becomes beautifully caramelized and offers a delightful sweetness that can complement savory dishes or even stand as a dessert.
The choice between green and ripe plantain is entirely up to your personal preference and what flavor profile you desire. To peel a plantain, regardless of its ripeness, simply slice off both ends. Then, make a shallow slit lengthwise down the skin with a knife, being careful not to cut too deeply into the flesh. Gently prise your thumb underneath the skin at the slit, and it should peel away quite easily, especially if the plantain is ripe.
Spiced Black Beans and Callaloo With Coconut Rice and Plantain Recipe:
Spiced Black Beans and Callaloo with Coconut Rice and Plantain
Serves 2 very generously.
Ingredients
Coconut Rice:
- 200 g (1 cup) white rice (uncooked)
- 120 ml (½ cup) coconut milk
- 360 ml (1 ½ cups) water
- pinch salt
Spiced Black Beans and Callaloo:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small brown onion peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 120 ml (½ cup) coconut milk
- 540 g (19oz) tin (340g drained weight) callaloo drained
- 400 g (14oz) tin black beans drained
- salt and pepper
Fried Plantain:
- 1 plantain (green or yellow) peeled and cut into 1cm slices
- oil for frying
- salt
Instructions
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Place the rice, coconut milk, water and salt in a pan. Bring up to a simmer, stir once then cover and turn down to the lowest possible heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
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Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a low heat; add the onion and cook gently for 5-10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, for another minute.
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Stir in the coconut milk then the drained callaloo and black beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper and continue to cook for about five minutes, until heated through.
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Pour enough oil into a small frying pan to cover the bottom and place over a medium heat. Add the plantain slices and fry for a few minutes, until golden. Flip the slices over and cook for a couple more minutes on the other side until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and season generously with salt.
This post is proudly sponsored by Appletiser. I extend my sincere gratitude for supporting the brands that enable me to continue pursuing my passion – experimenting with food and creating delicious messes in my kitchen for all of you to enjoy. I hope you love this vibrant and healthy vegan meal as much as I do!