“Organic Black Bean and Green Banana Rice”

Here is a delicious meal that’s quick to make and it’s very healthy. Full of lots of anti-inflammatory agents for arthritis and other joint conditions, and great probiotic building polysaccharides which boost up our immune system and keeps us healthy. Plus this dish contains more antioxidants than blueberries.

Ingredients:

3 - Cups of Organic Brown Rice
3 - Cups of Organic Cilantro Leaves Chopped
12 - Oz of Organic Black Olives Sliced
2 - Large Organic Green Bananas Peeled and Sliced
1 - Large Organic Red Bell Pepper
2 - Cups of Cooked Organic Black Beans - They contain more antioxidants than blueberries
1 - Large Organic Orange Bell Pepper
12 - Cloves of Organic Garlic Minced
1 - Large Organic Yellow Onion
4 - Tablespoons of Organic Annatto Seed Powder - for a nice red color
3 - Tablespoons of Organic Garlic Powder
2 - Tablespoons of Organic Chili Powder - Mild
3 - Cups of Organic Greens of Any Kind - Chopped
1- Large Organic Tomato - Chopped for Garnish
Enough Filtered Water to Cover Everything
Salt and Pepper to Taste
(Optional) - A Little Hot Sauce

In a heavy pan cooked brown the onions and garlic. Then add the brown rice, the bell peppers, the annatto powder, minced garlic, garlic powder, black beans, green bananas, cilantro, chili powder, and black olives and add enough water to just barely cover everything and cook until the rice is ready.

Now let cool and add the chopped greens, the salt and pepper, and garnish with a little chopped tomato on top.

This recipe can be served hot with a little bit of hot sauce on top or it could also be served as a cold salad.

Health Benefits of Cooked Green Bananas

Yes that’s right cooked green bananas (not plantains) and they taste great. Cooked green bananas are popular in the Pacific Islands, Central America, South America, Caribbean, Africa, and any where they grow bananas and they can be found at most supermarkets these days.

Plus they are inexpensive and have many curative powers!

Vitamins – Cooked green bananas are jam packed full of wonderful vitamin B-6 important for metabolism and every enzyme reaction in our body, and they also contain lots of potassium that’s important for lowering your blood pressure, preventing strokes, helps with stress, builds strong bones, boosts metabolism, plays a very important role in water balance, and also important for brain, heart, and kidney function. And green bananas contain Vitamin C a powerful anti-oxidant that prevents disease and boosts our immune system.

Weight Loss – Cooked green bananas also work well for weight loss because they are full of “Resistant Starch” that does not break down in your GI tract and helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar too. And cooked green bananas are low in carbs and calories, high in water, and also help our body absorb more calcium. Plus cooked green bananas help us burn more fat and boost up our metabolism… making them great for athletes.

Colon Health – Short chain fatty acids (Resistant Starch) important for colon health and helps in the treatment of colitis, IBS, and other colon diseases. In fact there’s a protocol called “Green Banana Therapy” that’s all about eating a cooked green banana 30 minutes before eating any other food to prevent colon problems. In fact eating cooked green bananas is a simple quick way of taking care of our colon disease. Also cooked green bananas slow down your digestive tract, add fiber to your diet, and contain fiber that’s beneficial to the probiotic bacteria in our colon. In fact according to the National Institute of Health short chain fatty acids are well known for preventing colon cancer. And cooked green bananas also contain large amounts of pectin which is important for gut motility and for ending constipation.

Powerful Anti-diarrhea Food – Studies found in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal showed that cooked green bananas are very effective against diarrhea… and diseases like shigellosis. If has diarrhea eating a cooked green banana will end it fast. Multiple research studies show that cooked green bananas worked well for curing diarrhea. In fact cooked green bananas were very effective for treating diarrhea in a study with almost 3,000 children in Bangladesh.

Great for Gastric Ulcers Too! – Cooked green bananas are a great for soothing away gastric ulcers because they are a good antacid. And green bananas help the lining of the stomach to produce more mucus thus protecting it from acid and ulceration thus preventing and allowing gastric ulcers to heal.

Uses – You can boil green bananas and mash them and use them like mashed potatoes, add them to green salad with apple and orange slices, use them in soups, stews, and curries instead of potatoes, you can even make green banana pie, you can pickle them, you can add them to salsa, and they can be made into dumplings and many more tasty treats.

Climate Change – Many scientists are sayings that with climate change bananas and plantains will become a very important food source and green bananas are very inexpensive good food.

Remember to Eat Organic - Organic is the best way to go because regular fruits and veggies contain up to 6 cancer causing chemicals, 12 hormone disrupting chemicals, and 10 other disease causing chemicals—Not Good. Eat Organic and Stay Healthy!

Enjoy this Great Tasting Recipe

Dr. Paul Haider - Master Herbalist