Being stuck at home during quarantine has made all of us amateur chefs. What’s the key to keeping it interesting? Cook a staple food that has a long shelf life and you won’t mind eating again and again.Thanks to vegan Chef Eddie Garza, we have a new way to make beans: drunk style. Chef Garza shared some of his motivation (and food tips) as well as a tutorial on making your own version of borracho beans.
‘LLERO: What motivated you to start creating quarantine recipes?
Eddie Garza: One of the things that inspired me was when my husband showed up with a car full of full of toilet paper, rice and beans; things you would find during the apocalypse. Whenever there’s a panic people go and buy up all the food. I figured, “I guess for the next month we’re gonna have to eat whatever we have or buy whatever’s available.” So I thought how can I and others use these staples without going stir crazy? It was about making recipes to create flavors using beans and without a lot of meat and a bunch of spices. We gotta figure out how to use those beans and not eat the same, single bean [dish] everyday.
‘LL: What makes beans a good quarantine food?
EG: One of the things about plant based cooking is it will last longer. It has a seven day life and it freezes well. I’ve made batched portions so I can have a go-to. You should use what you have to create something delicious. I used red beans..it’s a staple I’m used to eating. Use anything that you have in the house. I put half in the fridge and freeze the next half. All of it holds up and of course anything canned is gonna last forever.
‘LL: Everyone is snacking hardcore right now. What’s a healthy and tasty snack to indulge?
EG: Avocado, peanuts. You can make a homemade peanut butter. Use it on apples–apples can stay fresh in the fridge for up to a month. Before the bananas get too ripe, have PB and banana…great to eat and that’s high protein.
‘LL: What’s the big “food” lesson we can learn from all of this?
EG: You don’t really have to go out to the grocery store unless it’s for necessities. Do you really need to have that garlic clove? Or can you use garlic powder? Or are you going out because you have a craving? This is so good for people to have a closer connection to their foods. And now they know processes, where their food is from, and be more mindful. All around it’s a good learning experience.