Roasted Delicata, Corn and Black Bean Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

I woke up the other morning with this salad on my mind. Well, the roasted delicata squash and corn aspect of it, anyhow. As the day went by, the other components- black beans, avocado, grape tomatoes and a cilantro-lime vinaigrette, based off of a fajita marinade I had a while back- fell into place.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who sometimes spends all day dreaming up a recipe. (Right?) Adding and taking away ingredients in my mind. Of course, there are those days I'm tired or uninspired, and I just want to follow someone else's recipe or make an old standby, but I love when I am so excited to began putting together the meal that I've spent my day pondering over. This was one of those recipes- when Sage came home from work, he was a little surprised to find I had dinner already prepared. I just didn't want to wait any longer.

I'm happy to share that it was every bit as wonderful as I'd imagined it to be. Everything worked so perfectly together. The warm roasted squash, the sweet corn, vibrant tasting vinaigrette and the creamy avocado, it was all just right and definitely worthy of a day spent thinking about it.

Roasted Delicata, Corn and Black Bean Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
serves 3-4 as a meal

for the roasted vegetables:
3 ears corn, kernels sliced off
1 pint of grape tomatoes
1 (1 lb) delicata squash, unpeeled, seeded and cut into about 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

for the vinaigrette:
1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/3 cup lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce (use a vegetarian version, if that matters to you)
2 tsp agave or honey
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt

for the salad:
4 cups (loosely packed) baby spinach
4 cups (loosely packed) mixed greens
1 cup (cooked) black beans, drained and rinsed, if using canned
1/2 Haas avocado, sliced

Preheat oven to 425. Toss corn kernels, grape tomatoes, and squash with olive oil and season with several pinches of salt and lots of pepper. Spread in single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until squash is tender and tomatoes have collapsed, stirring a few times during roasting. Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Using a food processor or blender, pulse cilantro, jalapeno and garlic together until well minced. Add lime juice, worcestershire, agave, canola and salt and process to blend.

To compose salad, place spinach and mixed greens in serving bowl, top with black beans, roasted vegetables and avocado. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Serve with remaining vinaigrette at the table.

Vegetable and White Bean Chowder

Are you experiencing Autumn weather yet where you live? I keep reading other blogs talking the about the sudden drop in temperatures they are having, with lovely crisp mornings and cooler evenings. I'm a little jealous. Our highs are still up in the 90's, but I was able run errands today without breaking a serious sweat every time I walked out to my car, so that's something, I guess.

I'm looking so forward to being able to wear jeans, sitting around the outdoor fire with friends on weekend nights, and being able to actually go to the park and playground during the middle of the day for a playdate, without being miserable. It is a little ways off, but that hasn't stopped me from buying an obscene amount of winter squash already or making lots of soups.

I've had my eye on this soup for quite a while now. Based off of a Moosewood recipe, it's a vegetable-laden soup with a broth base with just a hint of creaminess. Simple and easy, I love that it contains ordinary, everyday ingredients. Ones that you quite possibly already have in your refrigerator and pantry. And the beauty of it is, it's totally adaptable recipe to whatever veggies you do have on hand or prefer. The original version didn't have the white beans, but I thought the inclusion of them really helped to make this filling enough for a meal in itself.

Vegetable and White Bean Chowder
adapted from Cate's World Kitchen and Moosewood's Very Creamy Vegetable Chowder (sourced from CDKitchen)
serves 4

1 tbsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
2 crowns broccoli, roughly chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper (I used a Cubanelle), chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup 2% milk
3 tbsp Neufchatel cheese (or regular cream cheese)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach

Heat a Dutch Oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add broccoli, peppers, carrots, celery and onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic (and dried basil, if using), cooking for another minute.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender. Add milk and cream cheese, stirring until cream cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Stir in fresh basil, beans and spinach and cook until heated through, another minute or two. 

Spicy Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers

Recently, Sage was out of town for a week for work, and I did something I don't normally do. I bought a box of frozen veggie burgers. I figured it would be a quick, easy meal for Beckett and I after a long few days of doing it all around here on my own. And it was quick and easy, but predictably not that exciting.

Last week I made some homemade burgers, and I'm sure I don't have to tell you there was no comparison. With black bean, quinoa, veggies and just enough spice to give them a little kick, they are 100 times better than the ones still hanging out in my freezer.

I've made these a few times this summer, and they freeze great so you can make up a bigger batch, and have them on hand for the convenience of the boxed kind. This time, I just made up enough for 4 patties and chilled them for a couple hours before cooking. I've pan-fried them and baked them, and while there isn't much difference I think I prefer them pan-fried. And I haven't tried grilling them yet, but I think they'd actually hold up well enough to do so.

Besides just the nutritional benefits, I love what the quinoa adds in texture to these. If you don't have leftover quinoa on hand, you can cook up some about 15 minutes (and save some for yummy Quinoa Pancakes for the next day). Then the burgers pretty much come together in no time with the assistance of the food processor. Use a half cup measuring cup or a small ramekin to shape and they are ready for chilling or the freezer.

Spicy Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers
inspired by Where's The Beach
makes 4 burgers

You can reduce the amount of crushed red pepper if you wish, but my three year old, who is adverse to very spicy foods, has no problem eating these. It really adds more flavor than heat.

1/3 of a large red bell pepper, seeded
1 medium carrot, peeled
4 green onions, white and light green parts only
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 (16 oz.) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup prepared quinoa*
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup oat bran
1 egg, beaten

Cut the bell pepper, carrot and green onions in chunks. Along with garlic, add to the bowl of a food processor. Process until minced. Add about 3/4 of the can of beans, setting aside remaining beans. Process until mixture is paste-like.

Either transfer mixture to a medium sized mixing bowl or if you want one less dish to wash, simply remove blade from food processor bowl and proceed. Add reserved beans, quinoa, chili powder, red pepper flakes, a pich or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper, oat bran and egg. Use a spoon (or hands) to mix well.

Use a measuring cup, ramekin or hands to shape into 4 patties. Place onto a parchment or waxed lined plate, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two. (Or alternatively, individually wrap each burger in parchment, then foil, and place into a freezer safe conatiner or bag and freeze until ready to use.)

Heat a non-stick pan, lightly misted with olive oil (or cooking spray) over medium high heat. Cook burgers for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Serve on toasted buns of choice and with your desired condiments.

*I've also subbed in 1/4 cup of toasted wheat germ for  1/4 cup of the quinoa when I only had a 1/2 cup of it, with pretty much the same results.

White Bean Stuffed Portabellos

We aren't even technically into summer yet, and already I got myself into a little rut. This time of year I tend to expect dinner to come from the grill nearly every night, and our meals become super simple. In the past few weeks, we've had the same dinner of grilled corn on the cob and portabello burgers with Amish farmer's cheese quite a few times. A meal we've thoroughly enjoyed each and every time, but I don't care to fix the same thing over and over. I automatically bought portabello mushrooms again this week, but decided I ought to do something different with them this time. Leafing through my folder of recipes torn from magazines,  I came across a white bean stuffed portabello that I knew the three of us would all like.

I adapted the original recipe a bit, mostly just to simplify. The end result was a very tasty meal that although didn't come from the grill, fits my summertime criteria of simple and easy. An extremely adaptable recipe, you could swap out the feta for parmesan or goat cheese, use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, or even add in sun-dried tomatoes and/or fresh spinach- both which I think would be awesome additions. Since the oven was already on, I kept it easy, and just roasted a pan of broccoli along with the mushrooms. A simple salad and a glass of crisp wine would also be the perfect accompaniments to this light, yet filling meal.

White Bean Stuffed Portabellos
adapted from Everyday Food, October 2010
serves 4

4 large portabello mushrooms, cleaned and stems discarded
2 tsps olive oil, divided
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 (15.5 oz) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta
3-4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
olive oil mister

Preheat oven to 400. Place mushrooms, stem side down, on rimmed baking sheet. Brush caps with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast mushrooms until tender and beginning to release their juices, about 15 minutes. Drain juices from pan. Flip mushrooms over. Turn the broiler on.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil. Add green onion and garlic, and cook for 1 minutes. Add the beans and water and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans.

Top each mushroom with 1/4 of the bean mixture. Sprinkle each one one with a tablespoon of feta,  pressing it into the bean mixture. Top with about a tablespoon of panko, pressing gently to help adhere. Lightly mist crumbs with olive oil.

Return mushrooms to oven and broil for a few minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve immediatley.

Black Eyed Pea Hummus

Back in December, I worked a lot at the flower shop for the holidays. My busier schedule meant I was left with the task of grocery shopping the week before Christmas on a Saturday. And I had no choice but to take along a very feisty (then) almost three year old- an activity I try to avoid at all costs. To make matters worse, I had to go to a different store than I normally shop because we had been given a very generous Publix gift card and I figured I ought to use it to balance out all the holiday gift shopping. Naturally, the Publix nearest to me is rather small and crowded, and always a complete madhouse.

So tired and pregnant, I got to go to the busiest grocery store- one that I'm not as familiar with as my normal store, the Saturday morning before a major holiday, with a toddler. Who hates riding in a shopping cart. Good times. In order to make the experience go as smooth as possible, there was some bribery on my part. And I pretty much bought anything he asked for, so long as it was healthy, unprocessed and something we could use. When he insisted we buy a bag of dried black eyes peas -an odd request, I thought- I didn't hesitate, because I had recently seen and saved this hummus recipe.

Five months (and one new family member) later, I actually got around to using those dried beans and trying this recipe. This was a very tasty version of hummus- although not terribly different in flavor from the chickpea hummus I regularly make. This would be just as perfect to have for a casual get together, as it was simply for afternoon snacking. Serve with veggies, tortilla strips, toasted pita wedges or whole grain crackers.


Black Eyed Pea Hummus
slightly adapted from Pink Parsley (as adapted from Carolina Cooking by Deborah Zumstein, originally 700 Dayton- The Mansion as Forseth Park)

I reduced the amount of olive oil slightly, but I believe it could be reduced a little more, subbing in a little of the cooking water from the beans. 

1 2/3 cup cooked black eyes peas (or 1- 16 oz. can, drained and rinsed)
2 large cloves garlic, smashed using the blade of a knife
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp paprika, plus additional for sprinkling
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup tahini, well stirred
1/4 cup olive oil (or less if desired), plus additional for drizzling
juice from 1 lemon

Reserve about a tablespoon of black eyed peas. Add remaining to the bowl of a food processor, along with garlic, a few pinches salt and several grinds of pepper, paprika and parsley. Process until almost fully ground.

Combine tahini, olive oil and lemon juice in a measuring cup. With machine running, pour tahini mixture into processor through the feed tube. Continue processing for 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth. If too thick, add water a few teaspoons at a time, until desired consistancy is reached. 

Transfer to serving bowl. If serving right away, sprinkle with paprika, drizzle with oil and scatter reserved black eyes peas on top. Otherwise, cover with plastic wrap and chill, garnishing just before serving.
  

Toasted Orzo with Kale and White Beans

And just like that, everything has suddenly gotten easier around my house. This past week, I did quite a bit of cooking, baked a couple times, went out with friends for lunch (with the baby, of course), and even managed to stay up past 9:30. Life is getting back to "normal" with the addition of one very sweet little person. (Oh, and speaking of our Maisy, I want to say thank you for the comments of kind words and congratulations with my last post.)

I can't tell you how happy I am to be back in my kitchen, cooking dinner every night. If Sage isn't home yet, it can be a little bit of a challenge with both a newborn and a three year old, but I'm working it out. The key is keeping the meals very simple. This recipe fit the bill perfectly- not a tremendous amount of prep work involved and it came together very quickly. It was a lovely meal that tasted of summer to me. Toasted whole wheat orzo with parmesan is tossed with lemony kale, white beans and grape tomatoes for a healthy but very flavorful dish.

You might have noticed kale doesn't normally make an appearance on this blog. The last time I cooked with it, over a year and a half ago, Sage insisted he didn't like it. Something made me buy it anyways this week, and guess what. He enjoyed it in this. Now I'm wondering what took me so long. I'm going to have a lot of kale catching up to do.

Toasted Orzo with Kale and White Beans
adapted from allrecipes
serves 2-3 as a meal

1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup whole wheat orzo 
2 cups very hot vegetable stock, plus about a 1/3 cup for cooking the kale
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch of kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups grape tomatoes (you could halve them, but to keep it easy, I left them whole)
1 (15.5 oz) can of Cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
fresh lemon juice, to taste

Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add orzo and toast 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the 2 cups hot stock and 1/4 tsp salt, stir, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 12 minutes, or until orzo is tender but still firm to bite and liquid is almost completely absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan and set aside.

While orzo simmers, heat remaining half tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in kale, then add about 1/4 cup of vegetable stock, the nutmeg and several grinds of pepper. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a splash of stock as needed. Add tomatoes and beans to skillet, recover, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Toss orzo with kale mixture. Add desired amount of lemon juice (my lemon yielded a 1/4 cup of juice, and I ended up using it all. I would probably only use 2-3 tablespoons next time. It was delicious, but a little on the tart side.) Serve warm.

Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Soup

When it comes to my slow cooker, I always seem to use it when I'm home, and rarely do I ever cook anything on the low setting for a long period of time. Instead, I set it on high for a few hours in the afternoon and it's ready at dinnertime. This week, I've been helping out at the flower shop for the upcoming holiday and I haven't had a lot of energy once I come home for preparing dinner. It seemed like a perfect time to really utilize my slow cooker.

I was browsing some slow cooker recipes for inspiration, and I came across one for a smoked sausage and bean soup. It made me think of a soup my awesome neighbor brought us right after we had Beckett. Besides the sausage and beans, her's had tomatoes and spinach... and I can't remember what else. I decided to try come up with my own take made in the slow cooker and wound up with one really tasty soup. From the slow cooking, the texture of the sausage was less firm than I'm used to, but it didn't bother us like I thought it might've. It was so nice to come home from work on a gloomy, rainy day and have the house smelling wonderful, and a pot of this hearty, extremely flavorful soup all ready for us.

Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Souparound 4 servings
I pretty much never use frozen spinach, but I had some in the freezer that I bought for a recipe and didn't use. Since my fresh spinach supply for the week had already been depleted, I decided to give it a try. I still would've preferred fresh, but the frozen worked nicely in this. If using fresh, I would just coarsely chop it (removing any thick stems) and stir it in at the end and give it a few minutes to wilt.
2 large carrots, sliced 1/3 inch thick
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, smashed and coarsely shopped
1 (14 oz) pkg smoked turkey sausage, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15.5 oz) can of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 parmesan rind1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
kosher salt and pepper
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
grated parmesan, for serving

Combine all ingredients, except the spinach and grated parmesan, in crock of the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in thawed spinach and give a few minutes to heat heat through. Serve topped with grated parmesan, if desired.

Kidney Bean Curry

I would love to have some clever story or entertaining antidote to accompany this post. But the thing is, I spent my day getting ready for and then hostessing a birthday party for my son, and my pregnant self is tired. All I want to do is get to the point, let you know how much we really liked this meal this meal and share the recipe with you.

It's beans. It's hearty, healthy and easy. It's basically a chili with Indian flavor. And it is delicious.

I knew I would love it, so I made a bigger batch to ensure there would be leftovers. Which was very wise, since it tastes just as awesome the next day. Serve with rice or naan (or whole wheat couscous, which was what I was more in the mood for that day) with a dollop of yogurt and a scattering of cilantro.

Kidney Bean Curry
adapted from Smitten Kitchen via Branny Boils Over
serves 5-6

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium-large onion, chopped
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 (28 oz) can whole peeled plum tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
2 (15 oz) cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used one light red and one dark red)
1/4 cup water
rice (or couscous) or naan
plain yogurt, for serving
chopped cilantro, for serving

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven or large stock pot over medium. Add onions and peppers and cook until becoming soft, about 7 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and spices and cook for a few more minutes.

If using whole tomatoes, use kitchen shears to snip them into smaller pieces right in the can. Add the now chopped tomatoes with juices to the pot and use a wooden spoon to break up any remaining large tomatoes pieces.

Add in the beans and the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until thickened.

Serve over rice (or couscous) or with naan, topped with a dollop of yogurt and garnish with cilantro.

Mushroom, Barley and White Bean Soup

I know, right? Another soup. I think just about every other post of mine lately has been a soup. I promise we eat plenty of other things, but most often it's the soups that are the meals we enjoy the most. Especially on chilly or gloomy days, which we had a few of lately. Although earlier this week, it might've gotten so warm that I was wearing shorts, but that's besides the point. It's cold again, and I'm ready for more soup. (Who I am kidding though? I'll eat soup, happily, in any weather.)

I got it in my head that I wanted to make a mushroom barley soup, and while I had no problem finding plenty of vegetarian versions, somehow they just weren't what I was thinking of. The majority contained carrots, celery, mushrooms, barley and broth, flavored with thyme and sherry. I kept picturing something a little different, so I came up with my own- which had white beans, spinach and Italian Seasoning. I hoped that with cooking the barley in the soup (which I've never done before) the broth would come out thick and almost creamy. Luckily, the end result was exactly what I was hoping for. This was a hearty, wonderfully comforting soup, the kind where just a small bowl is enough to fill you up.

Mushroom, Barley and White Bean Soup
serves 4-6

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 (32 oz.) carton of vegetable stock
1 (15.5 oz) can of Cannellini (or other white) beans
2 1/2 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach, any large stems removed
fresh grated parmesan, for serving, if desired

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add onion and celery and season with salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning. Cook for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add barley to pot, and stirring frequently, toast for a few minutes before adding stock. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender and much of the broth has been absorbed and thickened. Stir in beans and heat through.

Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Let sit a couple of minutes to wilt slightly, and then serve, grated with parmesan, if desired.

Pasta e Fagioli

This soup is what my mom would call a "happy accident." This wasn't going to be the other night's dinner (or most likely, any night's, any time soon.) Instead, I had quick and easy recipe to try out that I was looking forward to. But those plans came to a halt when I discovered last minute, that the key ingredient had somehow gone bad (and we're not talking questionable, but trashcan bound). I knew I needed to come up with something quickly, working with what I had on hand. I wasn't feeling in a particularly creative mood and at this point, I just wanted a straightforward recipe to work with. My next obstacle was that my biggest source for recipes- and especially when I am pressed for time- is the Internet. Which just happened to be down at the time.

I grabbed the file folder that I keep of recipes torn from magazines and quickly skimmed through it. I stopped at Everyday Food's Pasta e Fagioli, only because I had everything and it looked easy. I got to work, but even as I was making it, I'd already written it off as "something to feed us" and little else. It seemed rather ordinary, and the photo accompanying it wasn't really that impressive, at least not compared to what you normally see in the magazine. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure why I saved the recipe in the first place. But man, am I glad I did! This might've just been a means to get dinner on the table, but it wound up being something I will make again and again.


Pasta e Fagioli
adapted slightly from Everyday Food, December 2010
serves 4

I want to note that I used a can of diced tomatoes flavored with basil, garlic and oregano and a can of (broken up) stewed tomatoes in this. They were both bought on accident, and have been just hanging out in my pantry, because they contained high fructose corn syrup. While I will make this with my regular diced tomatoes next time, I think the sweetness added to the soup, so I'd suggest adding in a little bit of the sweetener of your choice if the tomatoes you use are not sweet.

1 tbsp olive oil
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 carrots, in medium dice
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans or 1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 Parmesan rind, plus additional freshly grated parmesan for serving
1 cup whole grain shells, or other small pasta
1 (15.5 oz) can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
I cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach, stems removed

In a good sized heavy pot, such as a Dutch Oven or casserole, heat oil over medium. Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Season with oregano, a few pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth and Parmesan rind. Increase heat to high and simmer rapidly until liquid thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cook, partially covered, until pasta is just shy of al dente (for my pasta, this took about 10 minutes).

Add beans and continue to cook for a few minutes, until they are warmed through and pasta is al dente. Remove from heat and stir in chopped spinach. Serve topped with grated parmesan.

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

As much as black beans are a staple in my house, I've never made a black bean soup before. Most recipes I've come across don't appeal to me. Usually, they contains pork products- ham, in some form, or at the very least, bacon. (I really don't care for the flavor of ham, and I save my bacon consumption for a perfect BLT about once a year.) When I saw a pork-free black bean soup on Cate's World Kitchen, I was eager to give it a try.

I will admit that once making this, I began to question it's simplicity. There are only a few vegetables and only 3 spices. I had to resist tossing in a bunch of additional ingredients. It wasn't easy, but so far I've never been steered wrong by any of the recipes on Cate's blog. Other than some tinkering of quantities, my only real change was using vegetable broth in lieu of water. That, and instead of finely chopping my vegetables, I just tossed them into the food processor to make this already easy to make soup even easier. It was wonderful- full of flavor and a perfect fit for the healthier food we all seem to be craving this week.

Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
adapted from Veggie Belly via Cate's World Kitchen
serves 3-4

1/2 of a medium white onion, cut into chunks
3 small carrots, cut into chunks
1/2 of a large green pepper, cut into chunks
3 fat cloves garlic, minced
2 (15.25 oz) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt, to taste
to serve: diced tomato, sliced green onion or chopped red onion, light sour cream/Greek yogurt, etc.

Place onion, carrots and green pepper in the bowl of a food processor, and process until minced. (Alternately, you could finely chop the vegetables by hand.)

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven or large stock pot over medium. Add minced vegetable mixture and cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add beans, broth, spices and a couple pinches of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until soup has thickened. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Garnish as desired.

Turkey, White Bean and Wild Rice Soup

This old favorite standby is actually the third recipe I ever posted on my blog. Beside the fact that the photo is horribly bad, I used to make it with a seasoned rice packet, which I now realize is full of additives and high in sodium. I decided it was time for a little revamping of the recipe.

These days, I use a wild rice blend purchased from the bulk bins of my favorite, local natural foods grocer. It does take an extra half an hour to cook, but I think its worth it. I'd personally much rather go with a mix of long grain brown rice, sweet brown rice, Wehani rice (a nutty, red-colored brown rice) and wild rice pieces over one containing white rice, dehydrated vegetables and monosodium glutamate.


I used to make this soup all the time at Sage's request. Because we don't eat meat that often and I don't make the same dishes over and over as I did years ago, it had been quite a while since we'd had it. I wasn't sure if it would as good as we remembered, but it absolutely was! (I may have even been nitpicking over the distribution of the leftovers for Sage and my lunch the next day.) The best way I can describe this is a cross between a white chili with ground turkey and a traditional turkey and wild rice soup, with the addition of tomatoes. It's a cozy, comforting soup, with just a little of heat. Great for a chilly weather, served with some crusty bread or crackers.

Turkey White Bean and Wild Rice

adapted greatly from allrecipes.com

around 5 servings

1/2 cup brown and wild rice blend, rinsed

1 1/2 cup water

2 tsp olive oil

1 large red pepper, chopped

1/2 large green pepper, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1.25 lb ground turkey

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 (14.5 oz) can of tomatoes with mild green chiles

1 cup of frozen corn, rinsed to thaw

1 (15.5 oz) can of white beans

2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt, or to taste

fresh ground pepper

Bring rice and water to boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 55 minutes. Remove lid, fluff and set aside.

Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium. Add peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add turkey and onion, and continue cooking until turkey is no longer pink, using a wooden spoon to break up meat. Drain any fat off.

Add tomatoes, corn, beans, stock and spices. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cooked rice and simmer until just heated through. Adjust seasonings if needed, and ladle into serving bowls.

Southwestern Bean Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings

I've had the intention of trying this recipe for weeks now, and for one reason or another, it kept not getting made. Finally this weekend, the time was right. We've all been sick around here (again!) and were needing some some soup, plus my non meat eating mother-in-law was going to be coming over and eating with us, but I wasn't sure when. A comforting bean and vegetable soup, cooked in the slow cooker, was the perfect choice.

I did alter the soup a good bit to suit my own personal preferences but made the cornmeal dumplings exactly as the recipe directed. It was the dumplings that drew me to this soup in the first place, and honestly we were a little divided on the outcome. I enjoyed them and thought they were a fun touch, my toddler really liked them, and for my mother-in-law, they were were the best part. Then you have Sage, who didn't care for them at all (but isn't really a dumpling kind of guy to begin with).

In any case, dumplings or not, I thought this was an absolutely wonderful soup. Easy, comforting, good for you and just really delicious- every thing you could want when you are feeling under the weather, or even if you are not.


Southwestern Bean Soup with Cornmeal Dumplings
adapted from Better Homes and Garden Crockery Cooking
as found on The Cook and the Dishwasher
serves 6

This soup could be garnished with any of your favorite taco toppings- cheeses, sour cream or greek yogurt, avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro, etc. I went with sharp cheddar and sour cream, but was too lazy to garnish the leftovers and thought it was just as good all by itself.

for the soup:
2 1/4 cup vegetable stock
3/4 cup water
1 (15.5) can of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5) oz can of diced tomatoes with mild chiles
1 cup frozen corn
3 medium-large carrots, sliced (2 cups)
1/2 large red onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 celery rib, diced (1/4 cup)
2 large cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

for the dumplings:
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
fresh ground pepper
1 egg white
2 tbsp reduced fat milk
1 tbsp canola oil

Combine all soup ingredients in a slow cooker, and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3 1/2-4 hours (or on low for 7-8). Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

For the dumplings, mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat together remaining dumpling ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, but do not over-mix.

Drop the dumplings into the slow cooker in 6 mounds, atop the soup. Cook for an additional 20 minutes on high (30 on low) without opening the lid during this time. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in center of dumpling; it should come out dry.

Ladle soup into serving bowl, topping each one with a dumpling. Garnish as desired.

Lime Cilantro Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Barley

You know how when you are online shopping, and the site you are on is gracious enough to share with you other items "You might also like..." Only then its something not even remotely related and therefore not something you would like at all. Food blogs often have this little feature, and I am often amused by what the computer thinks are similar recipes. Like when it's a vegetable-laden risotto and it suggests you might also like banana nut bread. (Well, actually I would like both of those, but that's besides the point.)

Recently, I was reading a post on Cate's World Cooking that was about cupcakes, and I noticed the generated suggestion below it was for Lime Cilantro Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans. Now, I'm not really a sweets person or a fan of cupcakes, (so it's funny I clicked on that post at all,) but the sweet potatoes and black beans- that was up my alley. I didn't have the potatoes but I did have a butternut, and I find those interchangeable. I got all excited to have it for dinner that night...and then realized I was out of black beans.

As soon as my pantry was properly stocked with black beans once again, I made it, still opting for the substitution of butternut. I just loved the combination of lime, cilantro, roasted squash and beans. I chose to serve it over barley, and while I really liked the texture that they barley added, I do believe that next time I'll toss the barley with the rest of the salad and let it rest a little, just to soak up the flavors a bit. You could also skip the barley and stuff it into a whole wheat wrap or serve it over salad greens. Or of course, just eat it by itself. You might want to double it as well. With the barley, my version only made 2 dinner sized servings, and I'm pretty sure this would make great leftovers for lunch the next day.

Lime Cilantro Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Barley

adapted from Cate's World Cooking (originally from epicurious)

serves 2

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 cups water

5 cups peeled, seeded butternut squash in 3/4 inch dice (I got this from half of a 3.25 lb squash)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt

juice from 1 lime (about 3 1/2 tbsp)

zest from half of a lime

cayenne pepper, to taste

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Bring barley and water to boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until barley is tender and water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, toss butternut with 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until tender, flipping halfway through cooking time.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lime juice, zest, a pinch or two of cayenne pepper and another pinch or two of salt. Add cilantro and black beans and roasted squash. Toss gently. Let rest slightly and serve warm over barley. Alternately, add barley along with squash and beans.

Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup

There is nothing like getting very sick (say, something like a horrible stomach virus) to make you really remember and appreciate what a wonderful person you have chosen to share your life with. I just spent 30+ hours in a completely worthless state and another full day trying to recover, and all the while Sage was (not surprisingly) an awesome husband and father. Besides tending to me and taking over all the parenting duties, he did the weekly grocery shopping with a toddler in tow (a task I avoid if at all possible), ran out late night for cupcakes when I wasn't able to bake up the cute ones I'd planned for our son's school party, squeezed in taking Beckett to a fall festival, and even rode his bike to go pick up my car from getting new tires because I couldn't leave the house to drive him there.

I'm aware I've got a pretty fantastic guy, I hope to be able to do some special things in the next few days to show my gratitude. In the meantime, I hope the memory of the soup that I made the day before I got sick will tide him over. He said it was one of the best soups I've ever made, and since I make soup rather frequently, that's quite a claim.

I wanted to give Broccoli-Cheese Soup a try, as I had some broccoli to use up (which never happens in our house), and I thought of the many recipes I've seen for soups that use pureed beans to give a creamy texture. As I was getting my immersion blender out in preperation, it made me think of smoothies, and I decided to sneak some spinach into my soup, figuring like a green monster smoothie it would provide extra nutrients and green color but no overpowering flavor. I was right. If you didn't know, you'd never guess there was beans and spinach "hidden" in this soup. With a handful of crackers, it made for delightful meal that kept us full all night.

Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup

serves 2-3 as a meal (maybe 5 as a starter)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)

1/2 large red onion, copped

3 large cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

kosher salt and pepper

1 (15.5 oz) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups torn spinach, stems removed

3 cups vegetable stock

1 cup shredded cheese (I used a blend of cheddar and monterey jack)

Heat oil over medium heat in a large stock pot or Dutch Oven. Reserve 1 cup of broccoli florets, setting aside, and add remaining broccoli to pot, along with celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Add beans, spinach and stock and continue to cook over medium until broccoli and celery are tender (5-10 minutes). Remove from heat and process until smooth using a immersion blender.

Return to heat and add reserved broccoli, simmering until broccoli is tender. Stir in cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

How I wish I could say I made this fall sounding dish because we were experiencing some lovely, crisp Autumn weather. But with highs still reaching the low nineties (and humidity that makes it feel even hotter), we are no where close. Regardless of weather or season, chili is often my go-to when I am low on perishable items but still have a relatively well stocked pantry and freezer, as was the case yesterday.

As I was digging around to see what might make its way into this batch, I came across some frozen pumpkin puree. Remember that canned pumpkin shortage from last year? Well, when I finally found some- the big cans- I bought quite a few of them. Naturally, the next week, the shortage was apparently over. Many months later, when I finally used a portion of the last can, I froze the rest, and forgot about it. Digging it out from under a pile of rices and beans, I recalled various Pumpkin Chili recipes from last fall. I first saw it on Cara's Cravings and was very intrigued, but somehow had never got around to giving it a try.

My take, a meatless version made in the slow cooker, came out wonderful. I purposely didn't tell Sage what the "secret ingredient" was until he was halfway through. Although he hadn't been able to guess, he nodded slowly, wisely, as if it had been on the tip of his tongue all along. The pumpkin doesn't add an obvious pumpkin taste, but it does add a certain something, in terms of texture and another layer of flavor. This was a hit, and I will definitely be adding pumpkin to my chili again.

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili
inspired by Cara's Turkey Pumpkin Chili

1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
1 (15.5 oz) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours (or high for about hours).

Garnish with your favorite chili accompaniments- sour cream/greek yogurt, cilantro, shredded cheese, etc. (I would've loved to have topped mine with sharp cheddar, but I used it all in a cheddar jalapeno cornbread that wasn't quite a success. Next time!)

Spinach and White Bean Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes...and some news

Hello! Long time, no post. The past 6 weeks have been an eventful time for us. There was a visit from my best friend, a wonderful- and much needed- 2 week vacation with family to New England, and lots of fun activities with my little guy. But the biggest reason for my absence was the discovery that we are adding to our family. Exhaustion, queasiness and a complete and unfortunate lack of interest in food kept me out of the kitchen for quite a while. Luckily, I have a hubby that doesn't mind cooking and was happy to take over. I've been back at it for the past couple weeks, but until now I just didn't have the energy to blog about anything I was making.

Maybe not the fanciest of meals for my return to posting, but a tasty one. I've had an aversion to nearly all meat throughout this pregnancy so far (which is no biggie- we ate very little before anyhow,) but I have been trying to be careful that I'm getting enough protein. Beans are a frequent substitute to animal based proteins in our house, but I don't often think to combine them with pasta. I was googling recipes that used spinach, as I had some to use up, with beans, and found many that included pasta. This is a mishmash of several of those recipes, and although it's very simple, it was really good and very filling. I was going to top it with parmesan, but the I remembered I had some feta hiding in the refrigerator, and it was a wonderful addition to this.

Spinach and White Bean Pasta with Feta and Tomatoes
7.25 oz. uncooked multi-grain or wheat penne (about 2 cups)
olive oil (I've recently been using an olive oil/canola blend for sauteing)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 (15.5 oz) can of white beans, drained and rinsed (I used Cannellini)
1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, with juices
1 tsp dried oregano
fresh ground pepper
5 oz. baby spinach
feta, for serving

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente, according to package direction. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, add enough oil to a large skillet to just coat, and heat over medium. Saute onion for 4 minutes, add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Stir in beans, tomatoes and oregano. Season liberally with pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Top bean mixture with spinach, and place hot, cooked pasta over top. Cover skillet, turn of heat and let sit for 3-5 minutes, or until spinach has wilted. Stir to combine and serve with feta.

Roasted Corn and Barley Salad with Basil Dressing & White Bean Dip

Yesterday was one of those challenging days where I needed some kitchen therapy. Beckett woke up cranky and miserable, and by mid-morning, I was cranky and miserable too. Sage was still out of town, and so it was going to be a very long day, if me and the little guy stayed in our grumpy moods. Playing in the kitchen, with Beckett as my little helper, followed by a long workout during his afternoon nap, was just what I needed. Working with end-of-the-week ingredients I had, I managed to come up with some seriously good stuff. This made a wonderful lunch for us, but either one of these would be perfect to take to whatever cookout, gathering or party you may be going to this holiday weekend.

In addition to operating the food processor, Beckett had some fun of his own washing the dishes. (And in case you're wondering, he picked out what he was wearing. I think he's looking forward to football season.)

I've been seeing a lot a grain based salads on blogs lately, and I was in the mood for one. I came up with this to use up some corn, and it was absolutely delicious! The sweet corn and the basil in the dressing were the standout flavors, while the barley gave heartiness and texture. The tomatoes really were overshadowed by the other flavors, but I think they give necessary color to this dish. I would double this recipe if taking to a get together.

Roasted Corn and Barley Salad with Basil Dressing

for the dressing:
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
juice from half a large lemon (1 1/2 tbsp)
1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

for the salad:
1/4 cup pearled barley, well washed
1 cup kernels (from 3 small ears of roasted or grilled corn)
10 grape tomatoes,

In a small sauce pan, simmer the barley with 3/4 water, covered for about 40 minutes or until tender. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.

While barley is cooking, blend dressing ingredients together in a small food processor. Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Once barley has cooled, toss with corn kernels, tomatoes and dressing. Enjoy room temperature or chilled.

I was all set to whip up some hummus, when I realized the only garbanzos I had on hand were dried, which wasn't going to help me right then. I probably should've come up with something that had black beans since I have a surplus of those, but instead I settled on a white bean dip. This really is a pretty simple version, but I enjoyed it more than a complex flavored one I've made in the past. I used 2 big cloves of garlic, and it was rather garlicky in a pleasant way, so adjust according to your tastes. We ate ours with carrot sticks and multi-grain crackers.

White Bean Dip

1(15.8 oz.) can of white beans, drained and rinsed (I used Great Northern)

2 garlic cloves, quartered

1 tbsp olive oil

juice from half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tbsp)

1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth, stopping to scrape sides when needed. If you wish, add a little water to reach desired consistency. (I kept our thick.)

Transfer to serving bowl, and if desired drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with chopped veggies, crackers or dippers of your choice.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

I seriously LOVE Southwestern/Mexican/Tex-Mex flavors. Especially when they are loaded full of veggies and beans, and minus the meat. A little over a month ago, I had a craving for such a meal, but we didn't have any tortillas. Using pasta instead, I put together a quick and easy dinner that wound up being something pretty great. I took some pictures, but like most throw-together type pasta dishes, they weren't anything special and I decided not to blog about it.

A few days ago, I was deleting a bunch of old pictures off the computer (so Sage wouldn't be able to give me a hard time for having more pictures of food on my laptop than our child,) and I came across the ones from that pasta dish and remembered how delicious it was.

Yesterday, we were coming home from a friend's house, and I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. It had to be 1) Quick- Sage was starving, and 2) Meatless- I had nothing defrosted. I decided to revisit that meal, and share it this time.

The original had green pepper, only yellow squash, a scant amount of cheese and was topped with light sour cream (or maybe greek yogurt, I can't remember.) This time, I used a orange pepper, added zucchini, increased the cheese, and topped it with diced avocado. Both, delicious, filling, and quick and easy- great for a week night.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

3 cups uncooked wheat or multi-grain rotini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, any color, diced

2 yellow squash, diced

1 zucchini, diced

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

3/4 cup frozen corn, rinsed under water to partially defrost

2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, cut into pieces

3/4 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream/yogurt, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, etc., for serving

Cook pasta until just al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute for a couple of minutes. Add squash and zucchini and season with salt, pepper and coriander, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until squash and zucchini are becoming tender.

Stir in black beans, tomatoes with chilies, and corn. Scatter in pieces of cream cheese, and stir until cream cheese is melted throughout. Combine with cooked rotini.

Top with shredded cheese, cover skillet and turn off heat OR transfer into a casserole dish, top with cheese, and place under preheated broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with desired accompaniments.