Peanut Butter Blondies!!!!

Ugh (as in, one of the most satisfied sounds ever). these are the most delicious things EVER. We made them last night, and less than 24hrs later they were GONE.

They come from Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar - which in general will rock your world - and is a follow up to Vegan Cupcakes take over the world. Post Punk Kitchen is one of the best things to have ever

happened to the planet. ever.

Trust me, you will not be disappointed - these are like peanut butter fudge and are only one of so many delicious recipes.

Peanut Butter Blondies:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 pan.

Beat Together:

3/4 cup peanut putter

1/3 c. oil

1 c. brown sugar

Add in:

1/4 c. (non-dairy) milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

Stir in:

1 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt,

1/2 tsp baking powder

(and because I couldn't resist) 1/2 c. - 1. cup choc chips.

Knead til soft. May require your hands to knead, it can get pretty heavy.

spread dough in baking pan,

Sprinkle with 1/3 c. peanuts on top.

Bake at 350 for 22-25 degrees (until brown and a tooth pick comes through clean).

Here's the tough part - let it sit for 20-30 mins. Trust me, it's worth it.

EAT

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!

Sweet Potato black bean burritos

I seem to be on a sweet potato kick these days. Maybe I've been craving beta-carotene? Or Vitamin A? who knows.

I love those dishes that let you throw all of those left over veggies in the fridge in with it. Broccoli? yep! Carrots? sure! peppers. yes please. also, I love, More with Less. And their seasonal cookbook - Simply in Season, where this one comes from (ps- you can sign up for a weekly email!). The only sad thing about SIS is that their winter dishes all involve sweet potatoes, turnips, potatoes. and no green veggies. i guess that's the thing about buying seasonally.

the first time I had this was Senior Year - during Simply Living group - which was kind of a precursor for Friday Night Dinner - which was pretty much one of the best things in my life.

The only thing that you need to know is that it makes a ton. good for sharing

3 cups sweet potatoes (diced/or in cubes)

1 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic

saute in large fry pan with oil, until tender. add water or apple juice as needed to prevent sticking.

Add:

1 can black beans (about 2 cups)

What ever other veggies you have (peppers and broccoli are good)

1 full teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 - 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

(opt - 1 tsp chili powder)

cook until heated.

Eat with Flour or corn tortillas, add Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc!

yummmm

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.

Winter Squash Parmesan Penne

The other week I went over to my boss's house for dinner. She was stressed because she hadn't planned anything, but she quickly put together the most delicious dish, that I've spent the past three weeks dreaming about. Have I mentioned how much I love my boss? She's awesome. In so many ways :)

I don't generally put pepper in things. Right, Michelle? Remember when we'd make dinner together, and would leave salt and pepper out entirely so that you could over-pepper everything, and i'd over-salt it? But this is the first dish that I willingly put pepper in. and it's great! And, have I ever told you that Rosemary is my favorite herb? Because it totally is.

You can use any time of squash that you have on hand - pumpkin, acorn, butternut. Doesn't quite matter. We had acorn already cooked up. This recipe is fast if the squash is already cooked. If it's not..well then...

Also, this dish is easily veg. But for the non veg, I have to say that I was craving tuna, so I bought a can, and it was delicious with it.

Winter Squash Parmesan Penne

1 box penne (pref whole wheat)

1 small squash (acorn, pump, butternut), when done, cut off outside, cut into small-ish chunks.

2 TBS butter (i mean, if you want to be healthier, use some EVOO)

3 healthy handfuls of parm (or, you know, how much you want)

2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (for dried use about a tablespoon. Dried herbs are stronger than fresh)

Some black pepper to taste, if you have fresh, use it. (it should be a bit spicy)

salt to taste.

(other veggies if you want, red bell pepper, etc. Some tuna if you want too.)

If your squash uncooked, you'll have to look up specific baking times. A good way to start - cut in half, scrape out seeds, put flesh side up in a dish with about 1/4 inch of water at the bottom. Bake at 375 until "flesh" is tender - about 50 mins or more. If you want to put more water in the bottom when it runs dry it can help - as does a little bit of butter in the top the squash.

When squash is done (or almost):

Boil water- cook for directions, til al dente.

In a sauce pan, melt butta. add parm, melt a bit, add squash and other veggies Add the Pasta when it's done, add in black pepper and rosemary. stir and heat til it's warm through.

EASY PEASY! yum yum yum!

I just love food. Can you blame me?

Sweet Potato and Split-pea Soup!

Ok - whoops I haven't posted in a while. you know how life gets. (thanks emily, for the reminder)

I love that Whole Food puts out recipes. They are usually delicious and healthy. And this one's no exception. The Italian in me told me to add three cloves of garlic. It was right. Also, you're supposed to blend it, but i was too hungry to do that. Finally, I increased the ginger, but I imagine that it would also be delicious if added cumin (ie fried up about a table spoon of cumin seeds) or added curry powder. But it's delicious on it's own, and super cheap, and easy!

Ingredients

8 1/2 cups water

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 cups dried yellow split peas (be sure to pick out any stones)

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (opt for garnish)

Method

Bring 1/2 cup water to simmer in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in ginger and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add remaining 8 cups water, peas and sweet potato cubes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Uncover and continue to simmer 15 minutes. Carefully purée soup with a hand held immersion blender or in batches in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Garnish with pumpkin seeds.