The Latin American diet is filled with diverse fruits, vegetables, meats and plenty of beans and rice. Here in Costa Rica, small restaurants called sodas are a hotspot for Ticos during lunch. These sodas serve traditional foods like sopa negra (black bean soup), gallo pinto (rice and beans) and the casado (meaning marriage in English). Each soda has its own version of the casado plate and even changes daily depending on what ingredients the restaurant has that day. This allows for the dish to be a quick and affordable lunch for the working men and women of Costa Rica.
Casado - a plate served of rice, beans, greens or potato salad, cooked vegetables, and meat, fish or eggs.
The first time that I tried a casado, I could understand why it is so popular. It truly feels like a meal your parents would serve at the dinner table for family dinners. As a vegetarian, I grew up eating plenty of rice and beans, so this dish has become a staple in my diet during my time in Costa Rica. I love how every day the dish is a little bit different, so I don't feel as though I am eating the same thing every time.
