Black Bean Huevos Rancheros

Aimee’s Bell Pepper Tofu Curry post has got me reminiscing about our bike tour. The trip was amazing in so many ways, and I thought I’d share a little bit more of it with you.

Traveling by bicycle is awesome because it is a non-threatening mode of transportation. It initiates conversation and appeals to the most people’s sense of adventure. Many would approach us, curious to know more about our travels. Sharing our stories allowed them to live vicariously through us, and in return they offered advice, meals, and even their homes – arms wide open.

It was after a particularly long and hot day of cycling through endless fields of farmland that we finally made it to the town of Hastings in Ontario, Canada. We had no idea where we going to camp out for the night, but that didn’t matter. We were starving and craving something fast and high in protein. A quick run to the grocery store, and we popped out with all the ingredients we needed for Black Bean Huevos Rancheros.

The official version of huevos rancheros, or ranch hand eggs, includes refried beans and red sauce. It is a traditional Mexican breakfast, although, I think it’s great for Iunch or even dinner. In this version, I used black beans and fresh salsa instead, on top of corn tortillas and sunny-side up eggs covered in melted cheese. If you’re car camping or are not worried about pedaling it all back to camp, top it all off with avocado and sour cream for an extra tasty meal.

After our Black Bean Huevos Rancheros feast, we took on the daunting task of finding a place to camp out in a town that had no campgrounds. What we found was better than we could ever have asked for – a hot shower, iced tea, and a real bed in the brand new 5th wheel of the local funeral home owners. Thank you Dena and Phil, not only for your generosity, but also for making me realize that true unselfish kindness does exist.

Black Bean Huevos Rancheros

Yield

2-3 servings

Prep Time / Cook Time

10 minutes / 15 minutes

Activity Guide

Bike Touring, Car Camping

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup cheese, grated or diced
• 1 15-ounce can of black beans
• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 lime, halved
• 4-6 corn tortillas
• salt, to taste

Tools

• Can opener
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Medium bowl
• Skillet
• Small pot
• Spatula
• Spoon

Method

1. Combine tomatoes, onions, jalapenos in bowl to make the fresh salsa. Squeeze lime juice over ingredients, add a pinch of salt and stir. Add more lime or salt to taste.
2. Pour can of black beans into a pot and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil to make them extra hot, and then cover and set aside.
3. Crack all eggs into skillet and cook over medium heat. When the whites are almost white and opaque, sprinkle the cheese over the eggs.
4. When the cheese is melted, turn off stove. Use a spatula to cut up the eggs into individual portions.
5. Layer all ingredients in the following order – corn tortillas, eggs, black beans, salsa and extra toppings.