Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos... yet another. :)

I changed up the original recipe a bit.  It makes a lot.  Ben and I ate this for 5 days straight, but it was so good we didn't mind.  :)  

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2-3/4 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans black beans, drained 
a little water to thin out the beans if needed
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste) 
2 teaspoons ground cumin (or to taste)

4 teaspoons prepared mustard (dijon was good)
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (I chopped and boiled mine)
corn tortillas (because I served them as tacos with melted cheese, but you could use flour tortillas and make burritos if you like)
shredded cheddar cheese
taco condiments: cilantro, guac, avocado, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft.  Stir in the chili powder, cumin and cook a minute or two.  Stir in beans, and mash (leaving some whole). Gradually stir in water, if needed, and heat until warm. Remove from heat and add mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
   
2. Mix the bean mixture with the mashed sweet potato (the original recipe leaves them separate, but this worked great).  
   
3. Melt cheese on tortillas on stove, fill with mixture and serve with your favorite toppings.
   
   

Crock Pot Refried Beans

In.Credible. Never buy canned refried beans again. Never. Promise? So cheap and so good. I want to make Mexican food just so I can make these as a side dish. This makes quite a bit, but you can freeze the beans in smaller portions (I have). And there is nothing "fried" here ... but there is butter :)

3 C dry pinto beans
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 TB garlic salt
1/2 medium sweet onion**
1/2 C (1 stick) butter

This is for a large 5 qt+ crock pot.

First, lay the beans out on a cookie sheet. Pick through to make sure there aren't any funky beans in there. Then rinse the beans.

Put beans in a crock pot and fill with at least 8 cups of water. You'll need to check the water level periodically to make sure the beans stay covered (although a few will start floating near the end).

Add bouillon cubes and garlic salt. You can either chop up the onion into big chunks, or leave it just one big chunk. I've done it both ways.

Cook on high for 4 hours (again, depends on your crock pot, beans need to be soft).

Strain beans, but keep the liquid! You'll want to save at least 1 Cup of "bean liquid".

Add 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 cup of bean liquid. Use an immersion blender (or do this in batches) to blend the beans/butter/liquid. Gradually add more liquid until the beans are your desired consistency. I usually add 1 cup, maybe a little more. You don't want them too stiff, since they set up.

**If you leave the onion as a big chunk, you can just take all/most of the onion out before you blend. When I've cut it into chunks, I take out some, and blend the rest with the beans. I liked it both ways.

Tomato, Basil, Cheddar Soup (with Greek yogurt... not cream)

  2 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes

  1 yellow onion, chopped

  2 cloves of garlic, chopped

  1 tsp olive oil

  2 cups of vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)

  1 cup of plain Greek yogurt

  1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

  1/2 cup basil, chopped, loosely packed

  2 tsp of oregano

  1 tsp sugar

  salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a large pot. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook until tender, about three to four minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for an additional two minutes. Pour in the two cans of tomatoes (juice and all) and the vegetable stock. Stir in the basil, oregano, sugar, and salt and pepper. Place the lid back onto the pot and allow to simmer ten minutes. At the end, stir in the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese until well blended. Use either an immersion blender or food processor to puree the soup if you prefer a smooth texture. Garnish with chopped basil and grated cheddar cheese if desired.

Asian Slaw

(Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman, from the Food Network)

Note: I served this with Asian BBQ chicken and coconut rice and it was delicious and so EASY! It would also be outstanding on salmon tacos (maybe with a ginger pineapple glaze or something).

Ingredients

1 bunch (6 large) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (greens and whites)

2 (16-ounce) bags coleslaw mix or 1 (16-ounce) bag each of shredded green and shredded red cabbage (I used bagged regular slaw, mixed it with julienned carrots, but you could also just mix your own with regular cabbage and napa cabbage)

½ cup cilantro, chopped (this is my own addition)

1 small red onion, thinly sliced (I used just two slices of red onion, rather than a full red onion... between this and the green onion it was plenty oniony)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (from about a 1-inch piece)

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (added more like 3-4 Tbl to add more sweetness)

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds, optional (left these out)

1 teaspoon salt

20 grinds black pepper

Directions

Rough up the scallion slices a little with your fingers so all the little layers of the scallion whites separate. Toss the coleslaw mix or both kinds of cabbage, the red onion and scallions together in a large bowl until everything is thoroughly mixed. You can make the slaw up to this point up to a day in advance as long as you keep it refrigerated. Before serving, simply bring the slaw back to room temperature, make the dressing and toss.

Stir the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl until blended, then pour over the vegetables. Serve within 1 hour of dressing or the cabbage will get wilty and sad. (I ate this for round two the next day, and while it was a little wilty, it was still super delicious.)

Coconut Rice

(From OurBestBites.com)

Note: I served this with Asian BBQ chicken and Asian slaw and it was terrific! Make this meal soon!

2 c. white or Jasmine rice (I used Jasmine)

1 can coconut milk (I used lite coconut milk and it was great)

2 c. water

1 tsp. Kosher salt

Splash of white vinegar (optional, but it helps with the texture) (use it)

2-3 tsp. white sugar (I might have used a little more than this... who counts)

Handful of chopped green onions, plus chopped green onion tops for garnish (we're using the whole animal here...)

Black pepper to taste

Combine rice, coconut milk, water, salt, vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil Turn heat to low and cover for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Add green onions, black pepper (if desired), and additional salt if necessary. Serve with any Asian or tropical-inspired food.

(I also think this rice would be good if you stirred in shredded coconut or crushed pineapple or something after cooking. Btw, that's also when I stirred in the green onion.)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Warning: There is nothing about this recipe that is healthy, but it's super good.  I actually have never made it, I've just been on the eating end. (One of my students brought this to our end-of-semester potluck).

2 C shredded chicken (rotisserie or breast)
1 loaf/16 oz Velveeta spicy buffalo cheese
1 can Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 C buffalo wing sauce

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray, put all the ingredients in. Cover & cook on low for 2 hours or until the cheese is melted. Serve with chips.



Honestly, I've never purchased Velveeta and didn't know such a thing as Velveeta spicy buffalo cheese existed. I'm sure it's totally natural. ;)  Just don't think about it when you eat it. It's really tasty dip!

Oreo Truffles

Am I the last person in the world to eat/know how to make these?  Dangerously delicious and dangerously easy.

1 package Oreos
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
Almond bark

Crush the Oreos. (food processor is much easier and you'll want a fine, consistent crumb)
Stir cream cheese into crushed cookies. (Use your hands to combine it, trust me).
Roll cookie mixture into 1" balls, place on cookie sheet.
Freeze for 10 minutes or put in fridge.
While the balls are hardening, melt the Almond bark, half the package at a time. (Do this according to package directions).
Dip cookie balls into melted almond bark (I use a spoon) & put back on the cookie sheet.
If you feel so inclined, drizzle melted chocolate (chocolate bark, chocolate chips nuked with a little cream) or sprinkle with crushed Oreos.

There are SO many variations to this! PB Oreos with chocolate outer, mint Oreos + peppermint extract added to the almond bark, etc.

I like to keep them in the fridge and eat them out of the fridge (if stored overnight keep them in the fridge bc of the cream cheese).

Try not to eat less than 17.

Sausage and Bean Ragout

Finally, I'm posting a recipe that isn't a dessert or bread! Feels nice to cook real food again. :) A coworker gave me some fresh basil which inspired an internet search for a dinner recipe. This was delicious, and super easy. I altered it a bit to use what I had... I put the changes in parentheses. (From Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (I skipped this)
• 1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
• 1 pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed (used Jimmy Dean ground Italian sausage)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 1/2 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic, oregano and basil (I just had plain... still really good)
• 1 (16 ounce) can white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained (I used 2 cans)
• 1/2 cup uncooked elbow pasta (I used penne because that's what I had)
• 1 (6 ounce) package fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
• 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil in saucepot over medium-high heat. Add beef, sausage and onion and cook until meats are browned, stirring to separate meat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2. Add broth, basil, tomatoes and beans. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook until pasta is done.
3. Add spinach and cook just until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Serve with additional cheese.

Charlies Roasted Corn Salsa

I've been making this all summer because I'm WILD about every ingredient. It's one of those dishes that is always a hit at a BBQ and there's millions of compliments! As expected from Charlie Crump... He's a good cook.

1 (16 oz) Bag Frozen Corn
6-8 Roma Tomatoes
1 Small Onion, Diced
1 can (15 oz) Black Beans, rinsed
1 clove of Garlic, minced
3 Avocados, diced
Juice of 3 Limes
1/4 c Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 c Olive Oil
1 tsp. Cumin
1 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Thaw corn on cookie sheet and broil until it begins to brown. Saute onions. Mix all ingredients with corn and let the favors blend for several hours.

Serve with Tortilla Chips.

My Favorite Mint Brownies!

I love chocolate - with some mint, mmmm..delicious!

I love to make these brownies whenever I can. I have tried two different recipes, both are great. I do use the frosting from one (because I usually don't have evaporated milk on hand). One recipe uses 1 tsp. peppermint extract - which is overwhelming. Use just to your liking or 1/2 tsp. Last time I made them, I used the brownies/chocolate glaze from Favorites and the frosting from Essential Mormon Celebrations. I microwaved my chocolate chips and butter for 30 seconds and stirred, another 30 seconds and stirred, adding vanilla when it was all melted. Make sure the frosting is cold when you spread on the glaze, it will spread easier. I keep mine in the fridge until a few minutes before serving to help set the glaze. Without further ado...here are the two recipes: (sorry no pictures - these don't last long enough for pictures to be taken!)

Chocolate Lovers' Favorite Mint Brownies

Favorites cookbook

Brownies:

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

4 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled (or 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1/4 cup cooking oil or shortening, melted)

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup broken walnuts or pecans (optional)

Mint Frosting:

4 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

few drops pink or green food coloring

Glaze topping:

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs until well-blended; then add melted chocolate. Mix dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture along with vanilla and nuts. Spread in a greased 9"x 13" pan and bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until no imprint is left when touched. Do not overbake. Mix mint frosting ingredients until creamy and spread on brownines. Refrigerate 1 hour. For glaze,combine butter and chocolate chips in top of double boiler; add vanilla and blend thoroughly. Pour gently over frostin and spread by tipping pan; refrigerate.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Essential Mormon Celebrations cookbook

Brownies:

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

4 (1 oz) squares baking chocolate

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Mint Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon pepperimint extract

5 drops red or green food coloring

4 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate Glaze:

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions for Brownies:

In a large bowl, cream together sugars and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs until well blended; set aside. In a small bowl, microwave baking chocolate for 1 minute. Stir and continute to heat at 10-second intervals just until melted. Add melted chocolate to the sugar and butter mixture. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Spread batter into a greased 9" x 13" baking dist and bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserteed in center comes out with a few fudgy crumbs. When brownies are cool, frost with mint frosting and refigerate for an hour. Drizzle with chocolate glaze over frosting before serving.

Directions for Mint Frosting:

Mix butter, milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring together. Add powdered sugar and mix well.

Directions for Chocolate Glaze:

Microwave butter and chocolate chips together on high power for one minute. Add vanilla and stir. Randomly drizzle glaze over frosted brownies.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

This recipe is delicious! It was a strong competitor last night in the midst of about 8 pies. Rather than posting the entire recipe here, let me direct you to the page on Smitten Kitchen. I'll just leave you with a picture to get your mouth watering. Yum! (And I don't even like cooked fruit usually.)



**Note - You will see in the recipe that it makes a few suggestions for add-ins, etc. I used honey instead of molasses (mostly because I thought others might enjoy the lighter flavor better). I also added a couple dashes of cinnamon and about a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cake batter before baking. She also makes a note of how her cake cooked really quickly (like 30 minutes instead of 45). Well, mine took about 50 minutes and was overflowing the pan. I think you could use a large cake pan. Finally, no parchment was necessary. The cake will come right out of the pan. Enjoy!

Christmas Salad

(Also delicious for Thanksgiving or any other day!)

1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head green leaf lettuce
baby spinach
2 grapefruits
2 oranges
1 large avocado
seeds from 1 pomegranate
(could also add pears, canned pineapple, apples, mandarin oranges, etc.)

Toss all together or arrange on individual plates
(You can do all the fruit or we like it with just pears and pomegranates)

Dressing:
1 c. sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 c. apple cider vinegar (or white)
2 c. vegetable oil (I probably use a little less than this)
1 Tablespoon celery seeds

Combine in food processor, refrigerate until ready to use. Mix into salad if you don't plan to have leftovers, otherwise serve on the side so your salad will keep into the next day.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

Yes, the name is a mouthful, but so is the taste! I recently made this cake for a friends birthday and it was a HIT!!! The ganache glaze really adds something special, so don't skip it. As for the cake, it is probably the moistest chocolate cake recipe I've ever eaten. And the best part is, it only takes one bowl and a spoon/whisk to make it. Easy clean up.

A few tips... I made the cakes a day in advance and then wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer. It made them MUCH easier to work with the next day (this is a pretty soft cake). Also, if you grease your cake pans, then line the bottom with parchment paper, the cakes will come right out of the pan (you might have to take a knife around the edges is all).

Next time you need a "special" cake... give this one a try. (Just a note... I made this chocolate cake recipe again the other day, but instead layered it with cream and strawberries and it was amazing as well.)

(Sorry the picture is sub-par.)

Adapted, only barely, from Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes (I got it from Smitten Kitchen)
This cake is INTENSE. Serve it in the thinnest slices possible, and keep a glass of milk handy.
Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16 (the book says, I say a heck of a lot more)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (I skipped this)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment and butter the paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. (Deb note 1: Making a crumb coat of frosting–a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer–is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating. Deb note 2: Once the cake is fully frosting, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.)

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting
 - Makes about 5 cups
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze - 
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Better Than Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

You're welcome! :) (Btw, these cupcakes definitely have more of a banana bread consistency, but are still absolutely marvelous cupcakes... especially if you LOVE banana.)


Ingredients

Cupcakes
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed lightbrown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2/3 cup plain yogurt

Filling
• 1 package instant banana pudding
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 8-oz. container extra-creamy whipped topping
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Garnish
• Crushed cinnamon graham crackers (or Teddy Grahams or the like)
• banana slices (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with -bananas and yogurt, mixing on low speed just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy; do not overmix. Gently fold in chopped walnuts.

2. Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in pan, then remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, prepare filling and frosting. Mix banana pudding with milk according to package directions, adding vanilla. Chill for at least 30 minutes. For frosting, mix vanilla pudding with milk and vanilla; fold in whipped topping and confectioners’ sugar until frosting is creamy. Chill for at least 30 minutes to set.

4. Once cupcakes are cool, insert a paring knife into top of each cupcake, making a small hole in the center. Spoon filling mixture into a zip-top plastic bag. Snip off a small corner of the bottom. Squeeze about 1 Tbsp. filling into the hole in the top of each cupcake. Swirl frosting on top of each cupcake; sprinkle with graham-cracker crumbs. Top each with banana slices as desired. Keep chilled.

Courtesy of Cupcake Central. Thanks!

Roasted Vegetables

I know this is kinda basic, but it's a good reminder of an easy and delicious side dish/main dish. :)

I generally roast sweet potato, yellow squash, asparagus, bell pepper, mushrooms, or cauliflower (usually some combo of the above), but you really could use any veggies you like. Keep in mind that some cook faster than others (mushrooms, bell pepper, etc.), and I find it helpful to give the sweet potato a head start with a couple minutes in the microwave before I chop it up.

Cut the veggies into larger than bite sized bits, keeping in mind that the smaller you cut them the faster they'll cook. Toss with olive or canola oil, chopped garlic, thyme, salt, garlic salt, season salt, lemon pepper, pepper, cumin, rosemary, or some combination of these (or others).

Spread out on cookie sheet and roast at 400-450 degrees until tender, tossing the vegetables around on the cookie sheet occasionally so they don't burn. Generally 20-ish minutes.

That's it. Something about roasting brings out the best in the flavors of the vegetables. Plus, you can mix it up so it's different every time. :)

Quinoa and Black Beans

For those of you who don't know... (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it has been an important food for 6,000 years. Quinoa (pronounced /ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ or /kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish quinua, from Quechua kinwa), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a grass.

Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.^[4] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.^[4]


There you go folks... plus, it's delicious. You generally have to look for it near the "specialty" grains in a regular grocery store, but is much easier to come by in a health food store such as Whole Foods or Sunflower Market. It's my new thing. Since this recipe mixes well known foods (beans and corn) with the new food (quinoa), it's a good place to start in giving it a try. Really, it's like any other grain, in that it takes the flavor of whatever you've cooked it in. If you don't like cumin or cilantro... you won't like this recipe.

Ingredients

1 tsp. canola oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed)
I can low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels (optional)
2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (or more)

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and sauté about five minutes.

Rinse quinoa with cold water for a few minutes. (Use a fine sieve).

Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir frozen corn into saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BUN3KIN.

spicy* chicken soup

* or not so spicy, if you are so inclined. From allrecipes.com.

4 C water
2.5 chicken bouillon cubes
4 chicken breasts
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TB dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
2 TB chili powder
1/2 onion, chopped
1 1/2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 oz. chunky salsa
1 can peeled/diced tomatoes
1/2 condensed tomato soup
1 can black beans
1/2 can corn (or equiv. frozen)

Put everything in the crockpot/slow cooker except beans & corn. Cook on low for 8 hours. After 6 hours remove chicken & shred, add back to pot. Add beans and corn.

Serve with dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado and/or tortilla chips.

Adjust anything to your taste; this one's pretty fool proof! I've forgotten the corn & beans and it still tasted uber-good. You could also sub the water/bouillon for 4 cups chicken broth.

White Bean Chicken Chili

(From: Giada At Home - Giada de Laurentiis)

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 pounds ground chicken (I used leftover Thanksgiving turkey and it was delicious!)
* 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
* 2 tablespoons ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (I left this out because certain members of my family wouldn't eat it if I added it, but I'm sure it'd be delicious... I was also thinking of using spinach, but it probably wouldn't hold up as well as the swiss chard)
* 11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
* 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I added this to simmer, rather than garnishing with it at the end)

Directions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. (The simmering is super important before you start adding more seasoning... you need to give the fennel seeds time to work their magic.) Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the chili into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Delicious!

Black Bean Soup

This is another winner from Two Peas and Their Pod... but this time I made a couple modifications.

1 Tbl olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves (or more) garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small jalepeno, minced
1 small can diced green chiles
3 cans diced tomatoes
3 cans chicken broth (fat-free, low sodium)
4 cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans sweet corn (drained)
1/2 Tbl chili powder (or more if you like the added heat, which I don't)
1 1/2 Tbl cumin (or a bit more if you like the flavor, which I do)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt/pepper to taste

1. In 1 Tbl olive oil, saute the onion, garlic, green pepper, jalepeno, and green chiles until soft.
2. Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and two cans of black beans (the other two we'll use later).
3. Before this comes to a boil, pour it in batches into the blender and puree (this will add great thickness to the soup without having to add other thickening ingredients). If you're so lucky to own one, you could use a hand blender right in the pan.
4. Pour back into pan and add the remaining two cans of black beans and the corn.
5. While it's heating add chili powder, cumin, chopped cilantro (seems like a lot, but it's delicious, unless of course, you don't like cilantro... because you're crazy), lime juice, and salt/pepper to taste.
6. Simmer to combine flavors.

I served mine with avocado and cheddar cheese, but it really is delicious on it's own as well. You could also add tortilla chips, more cilantro, more lime, or anything else your heart tells you would be delicious! :) Btw, this probably isn't a side dish... it's pretty filling. Enjoy!

teriyaki chicken pasta salad

This is from my friend Rebecca Mauss. I envision this would be a real winner at all sorts of showers, potlucks, etc. The recipe makes a lot and could be altered to your taste. It's delicious!

Dressing:
1 C vegetable oil
2/3 C Teriyaki sauce
2/3 C red wine vinegar
6 TB sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Blend dressing ingredients together right before pouring over pasta (otherwise it will just separate and you'll have to blend again anyway).

Salad:
16 oz farfalle (bowtie) pasta, cooked al dente
1-1/2 (10 oz) bags fresh spinach
3/4 C craisins (6 oz)
3 (11 oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 (8 oz) cans sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 C parsley, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/3 C toasted sunflower seeds
3/4 C honey roasted peanuts (6 oz)
2 C cooked chicken, cut into small pieces

Mix dressing and cooked pasta in a medium bowl; marinate for at least 2 hours. Combine rest of ingredients in a large salad bowl, add pasta/dressing, toss to combine.

Notes: I didn't have all the spinach called for, and it was fine. The dressing was a little oily, and I don't know if the allotted amount of spinach would have helped that or not. I'm sure you could easily adjust to just 3/4 C oil.