Black Bean Soup!

so....sorry? for not posting in forever? I feel like all I've eaten in the last month has been salad. and kale. ohhhh kale. so delicious. oh and then christmas happened. and all i did for a week was bake and eat and get a nice healthy layer of blubber on. that was delicious.

BUT! The very best life partner ever visited this weekend and we made so many delicious root veggies that i was inspired to make something new. this is one of the most delicious things i have eaten in such a long time. so perfect for a day when it managed to not get above freezing.

Also, it's supposed to snow AGAIN this week. i don't think there's been a week since the blizzard the day after xmas when it hasn't snowed. If that groundhog predicts more winter in February i'm going to go down to PA myself and kill Punxsutawney Phil...jk, jk.

Black bean soup just seems so perfect to ke

ep winter away. And it's super easy! (plus. i'm pretty much in love with cilantro, and i always forget until I eat it again, know what i mean?)

It's also from this great book called "Hope's Edge" written by Frances Moore Lappe (famous for diet for a small planet, from back in the 70s) and her daughter Anna Lappe. Not only does this book have really really awesome critiques about the food we eat, where it comes from, and how our consumption is f*ing everything up, but it also has these super delicious vegetarian Recipes!!! YAY! Delicious!

Black Bean Soup:

2 cans black beans or 1 cup dry black beans

1 cup frozen or canned corn

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped into small bites (opt)

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 heaping tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dry oregano

3/4 tsp salt

veggie stock (opt)

If you're using dry beans - pick through and discard stones/weird ones, and rinse. boil them with 5 cups of water in a 4 quart dish. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (adding water as needed), until tender.

If you're starting with canned beans, put 'em in a pot and heat it up. (don't drain!)

When heated through, add other ingredients. Simmer until warm - about 15 minutes (until Corn is done)

Add veggie broth as needed, if you want it to be thinner.

Enjoy!!! Nom nom nom!

Tamale Pie (or Mexican hot dish)

Have I ever mentioned that I'm horrible at blogging? If my first attempt was any example, I wrote about 3 posts before I just forgot. ohh well.

Anyway, here's an easy favorite - from my cousin Christina! (who by the way, has some majorly cute kiddos.)

this one is a winner at our house, and it's awesomely cheap! it also is totally based on what you want. Throw in whatever you have...no biggie. Basically - it's rice, beans, some other stuff, baked in a dish lined with corn tortillas, and covered w cheese. it's hard to do this wrong.

1 cup brown rice (cooked up - can be done in advance to save time)

1 red onion

2-3 garlic cloves (or, really, however many you want)

1 can black beans (if you make your own - about 1-2 cups)

1/2 can of salsa or 1 can diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes.

1 small can green chilies (if you want)

1 can corn

corn tortillas

salsa

shredded cheese (of your choice)

sour cream

Rip up corn tortillas and line a sprayed pie pan with them (bottom and up the sides). Make brown rice. Saute onions, garlic, cumin, etc. Mix it into the rice. Add the extras (salsa, tomatoes, beans, corn, zucchini, peppers, etc)

pour rice mix into pie pan line wit tortillas, bake for 25 mins at 350. For cheeezzzy deliciousness, add cheese to the top and bake for another 5 mins.

eat immediately, because it will smell so darn good. Good with Salsa, sour cream, chips, etc.

Curried Black Bean and Sweet Potato Skillet

Here are things that I love:

1) dishes that can be made in one pan

2) dishes that you can change up by adding different foods (like carrots, zucchini, try anything you like!)

3) Quinoa.

4) Sweet Potatos

I found this recipe last year. I love dietitians that have food blogs. they usually make great recipes. I changed this one a bit (ie - swiss chard scares me. and we all know that i don't like new things or changes.)

Curried Black Bean and Sweet Potato Skillet

Ingredients

2 sweet potates, chopped into small cubes.
1 red onion, diced
½ a jalapeno, diced (so they say...)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped up
2 bell peppers (any color will do)
1-15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup uncooked quinoa (cooked to directions - red or white will do. will be about 2 cups cooked)
½ cup low sodium veggie broth (or you can make your own!)
2 tsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of curry powder and/or garam masala.

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan. Stir in your onions and jalapeños and allow to cook for about five minutes. Stir in the sweet potatoes, curry powder, a pinch of salt and half of the veggie broth. Once everything is well combined, pop a lid on and cook for about six to eight minutes or until your sweet potatoes are just about fork tender.

Add the bean, quinoa, Swiss chard, and peppers and season with salt and pepper. Pour the remaining broth in to the pan before popping the lid on and allowing to cook for another five minutes or so or until the beans are heated through.