Beans are my unsung heroes; they’re powerhouses of nutrients and one of the most affordable ways to add protein to any meal. And black beans are what I almost always go for in most Mexican and Latin American-style dishes, even if the recipes calll for other kinds of beans. Of course, homemade beans are always more exciting than canned — more flavorful and always less expensive.

This week’s game plan is to make an extra large batch of homemade black beans — at least double the amount — for my first recipe, the tamale pie. The next day, just add the leftover beans to a layered taco salad for a no-cook recipe brimming with flavor. Remember, you can always make an even bigger batch of beans the first time round and toss them into salads, omelets, quesadillas — whatever — for other meals during the rest of the week.

Day 1 (dinner): This recipe for two-bean tamale pie calls for a boxed cornbread topping, but I prefer making buttermilk corn muffins from scratch. With just a few ingredients, it’s worth the effort. By the way, you can skip the pinto beans entirely in this recipe and use only black beans. Garnish with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro.

Day Two (lunch): For this layered taco salad, you probably have most of the garnishes — like salsa, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, and sour cream — on hand already. I prefer to skip the dressing altogether and top the salad off with sour cream and mashed avocado.

Use your leftovers in all these great black bean salad recipes!

You might also like:

Black Beans: Leftover Logic

Fantastic Fava Beans: Cook Once, Eat Twice

White Beans: Cook Once, Eat Twice

Eat Better for Less: Beans for Last-Minute Cooks

Perfect Roast Chicken: Cook Once, Eat Twice

Categories: Cook Once, Eat Twice | Tags: Beans, Healthy Cooking, Mexican Cuisine, Mexican Quesadillas, Quick and Easy
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