Healthy is the New Sexy with Costa Rica's Gallo Pinto

Costa Rica's National Plan for Healthy and Sustainable Food revives country's traditional dish

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Aug. 22, 2016 /CNW/ -- Adding a sexy, healthy spin to our familiar breakfast menu of pancakes, eggs and cereal is now easier than ever with Costa Rica's "gallo pinto." A recent study published by Nutrition Journal found that the pairing of any type of beans with rice can help stop unhealthy blood sugar spikes in adults with type 2 diabetes. With 25.8 million people in the U.S. living with this condition, Costa Rican "gallo pinto" is both a healthy and creative alternative to the mundane breakfast menu.

A side dish traditionally served in Costa Rican breakfasts, the typical mix of rice and beans, also known as "gallo pinto," can now be served with a Costa Rican flair that includes an elaborate selection of nutritious ingredients for those seeking to lead a healthier lifestyle with a little bit of spice. And everyone agrees that adding a bit of spice is a great, sexy move!

As firm believers of the farm-to-table movement since before it became popular, Costa Ricans are experts at creating delicious meals from fresh, local ingredients grown through sustainable farming methods. The National Plan for Healthy and Sustainable Food, one of Costa Rica's latest efforts to promote its competitiveness as a culinary destination, encourages the revival of highly nutritious and tasty traditional dishes such as "gallo pinto." Previously lost in Costa Rica's culinary offerings, the nutritional value of the classic mix of rice and beans has been rediscovered.

The following is a contemporary recipe for Costa Rican "gallo pinto":

Ingredients

• 1 ounce of fresh cilantro
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 ½  tablespoons of chopped onions
• 2 ½  tablespoons of chopped sweet peppers
• 2 ½ tablespoons of butter
• 3 teaspoons of salt
• 2 ½ cups of cooked rice
• 1 cup of drained black or red beans
• ½ cup of beans broth
• Worcestershire sauce (a substitute to the local Costa Rican sauce)

Preparation

Sauté onions, sweet pepper and garlic with 2 ½ tablespoons of butter until crystallized. Add beans and broth until the broth is reduced halfway. Then add salt, cooked rice and mix well. Once mixed, add Worcestershire sauce to taste. At the end, add cilantro and check the seasoning.

*Serves 3-4 people
**Additions may include tomatoes, green onions, and protein sides.

For more information on Costa Rica, visit www.visitcostarica.com

About Costa Rica
Costa Rica is located in Central America between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south; it is bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea and the west by the Pacific Ocean. With an abundance of unique wildlife, landscapes and climates this small country proudly shelters approximately five percent of the known biodiversity in the world.  In order to protect and preserve its wealth of natural resources, Costa Rica has become a global leader in sustainable practices with protected areas comprising 26 percent of its land mass. With a peaceful spirit, emphasis on education and an economy based on tourism, technology and exportation, Costa Rica offers one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Visitors to Costa Rica enjoy a highly organized tourism infrastructure among a tropical paradise of lush rainforests, mystical volcanoes and cloud forests and beaches that meet mountains filled with monkeys and macaws. Offering a broad terrain of activities and accommodations, visitors to Costa Rica will find a range of hotel options ranging from small beachside bed and breakfasts to authentic intimate boutique mountain lodges to major international business hotel brands and everything in between. Costa Rica's accommodations offer something appealing for everyone's desires. The phrase "Pura Vida" can be heard echoing throughout Costa Rica from coast to coast.  Used as a greeting or expression of happiness, the phrase literally translates to "pure life," however its true meaning is "full of life," which accurately describes the adventure and wonder that await visitors. 

About Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)
Established in 1955, the Costa Rica Tourism Board spearheads the vital task of regulating and promoting Costa Rica's extensive of tourism offerings. The ICT and its partners in the private sector work tirelessly to garner recognition, standardize practices, provide insightful research data and foster cultural development for the country's coast to coast one-of-a-kind tourism products and resources.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160822/400081

SOURCE Costa Rica Tourism Board