Spicy black beans and rice

Ill admit it, I have a weakness for black beans. I dont know what it is, but they are my staple fall back. I decided to look for a different recipe for black beans, something spicy - another constant craving. I found a recipe called "spicy black beans and rice" in my cookbook. It really is very simple to make and I had plenty left over for the next day. You will need:

1 medium onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic minced (sadly I didn't realize my garlic had gone bad so I couldn't use it)

2 tbl olive oil

1 can of black beans rinsed and drained

1 14 1/2 oz can mexican style stewed tomatoes (couldn't find these at the store so I used diced tomatoes with spicy peppers)

1/2 to 1/4 tsp ground red pepper (I improvised and used a six pepper seasoning instead)

2 cups hot cooked brown rice

In a medium saucepan you cook the onion and garlic in hot oil until the onion is tender. Stir in beans, undrained tomatoes, and the ground red pepper. Bring that too a boil then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve on top of a bed of rice and enjoy! 

This was a very satisfying low fat meal. I served mine with a side of some tortilla chips for some crunch. I will give a warning though, the next day left overs were VERY spicy from sitting and soaking up all the flavor. Still delicious though. This recipe provides 4 servings. 

Fire up the grill

I love that more fresh veggies are becoming available as the weather warms up. I also love how we have had (past term as now its COLD) nice sunny 80-90 degree weather. Perfect for grilling! Yes you can bbq with vegetables. Yes it can be delicious. While my family was grilling pork chops, I was in the kitchen preparing my veggies. For this grilling occasion I made myself a portobello mushroom and grilled some zucchini and yellow squash for all of us.

To prep the zucchini and squash I sliced them into rings, you dont want it too thin because then they wont grill well.

After they were sliced I drizzled them with olive oil then added some fresh cracked black pepper and used some italian seasoning - obviously anyway you want to season them would be good. 

Then I got my mushroom ready. I kept it whole, drizzled with a tad of olive oil and sprinkled some turkish bbq spices on it. I have no idea how long spices last, but I bought this at the spice bazaar in Istanbul. 

Once everything was ready I plated them up and took them down to the grill. The mushroom and the zucchini/squash only takes a few minutes on each side. 

I love the grill marks on the squash. I like to grill my mushroom gill side down first, because I find it easier to tell when its done by looking at the gills.

Crockpot Chili

Im all about simple meals. Simple clean up, simple preparation and so on. I decided to try a crockpot chili recipe that I found recently. I thought it was pretty tasty, and my family agreed. The only thing I will change if (when) I make this again is adding more spice. I wanted it to have some kick and it did not at all! I think Im going to add rotel tomatoes next time and see how that works. No pictures for this one, but it was tasty and my meat lover dad ate it!

2(15oz) cans dark kidney beans
2(15oz) cans pinto beans
2(15oz) cans chili beans
1 medium size onion chopped ( next time I think ill add green pepper too)
1 large tomato diced ( i unfortunately did not have one)
1(16oz) can tomato sauce
2 tbls jalapeno juice (i used hot banana pepper juice)
1tsp seasoning salt
1tsp mild chili powder
1tsp black pepper
1/2tsp garlic powder

For the seasoning I just used two tablespoons of the packaged seasoning my mom uses, the ingredients were the same. It was just easier this way that buying all those things. The recipe also calls for the optional addition of 1/2 a cup of lentils. I did not add these but that might be added next time.

Stir-fry and Sandwich experiment.

Thursday night for supper I decided to make a delicious stir-fry. I knew my brother was coming over, and wanted something that he would eat too. To make things simpler I used a bag of fresh mixed veggies already cut. Usually I buy whole fresh vegetables and cut them up, but I just didnt have time, or energy for that. The bag I used had broccoli, snap peas, and carrots. I added to that water-chestnuts, and fresh cut mushrooms. I was going to add baby corn, but had some major issues with the can and couldnt get it open!
I had found a stir-fry recipe in my cookbook called "Supermarket Vegan" (this is a great cook book with easy to find ingredients unlike many other vegetarian or vegan cookbooks!) Instead of following the recipe I just use it for the sauce it uses.
So to make the stir fry add a 1/2 teaspoon oil (i used olive oil) to the wok and heat it up, then add the veggies. If you want to use tofu, which Ive done in the past first cook the tofu then add the vegetables. The vegetables require constant stirring so make the sauce beforehand.
          In a small bowl mix the following:
                    3 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
                    3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
                    1 tablespoon sugar
                    1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil (this recipe says toasted dark sesame oil, I could not find this)
Once the vegetables have cooked for a few minutes and the brocolli has started to soften add the sauce and stir often. Cook for about 2-3 more minutes or depending on how you like your vegetables. I like mine still pretty crunchy. I served mine over quinoa which is a great grain for protein.

That night also made a sandwich recipe I had found for me to take to work the next day. Im glad I packed some other items to eat because I couldnt even eat half the sandwich. Its not that it tasted bad, it just didnt taste good - at least to me. I will share the recipe though as its pretty easy. 

You will need:

   zucchini cut lenthwise into 1/4 inch slices

   yellow squash cut the same

   olive oil

   ciabatta bread halved

   pesto ( i did not use this)

   tapenade

   jarred roasted red peppers sliced

   mozarella ( i forgot to buy some at the store! )

   balsamic vinegar

Heat a grill pan to medium-high and brush the zucchini and squash with olive oil on both sides. Grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side until charred and softened. Transfer them to a plate. 

   

  While they are cooling hollow out the bread a bit to give the vegetables some room. Spread the pesto(again I didnt have) on one side and tapenade on the other side.

Start assembling the veggies which ever way you want, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Press the top and bottom together and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. 

Place on a baking sheet and weigh down with a heavy skillet or large cans and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. 

Like I said someone else might enjoy this sandwich, Im just glad I had fruit and cucumbers and hummus to eat! 

Book review of sorts!

I recently finished reading the book Eating Animals written by Jonathan Safran Foer. Part memoir part investigative journalism. I found this description of the book on amazon

                        "If this book were packaged like a loaf of bread, its Nutrition Facts box would list high percentages of graphic descriptions of factory farm methods of animal breeding, mass confinement, and assembly-line slaughter as well as the brutality and waste of high-tech fishing methods; fresh studies of animal (fish included) intelligence and their capacity for suffering; and undiluted facts about industrial animal agriculture’s major role in global warming. Sensitive to the centrality of food in culture and family life, Foer, author of the novels Everything Is Illuminated (2002) and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005), frames his first nonfiction book within the story of his Holocaust survivor grandmother’s complex relationship with food and his response to fatherhood. He presents assiduously assembled facts (supported by70 pages of end notes) about the miserable lives and deaths of industrialized chickens, pigs, fish, and cattle and about agricultural pollution and how factory farming engenders species-leaping flu pandemics. He also asks philosophical questions, such as why we eat such smart and affectionate animals as pigs but not dogs. Foer brings extraordinary artistry, clarity, valor, and compassion to this staggering investigation into the ethics, horrors, and dangers of factory farming. An indelible book that should reach a diverse audience and deepen the conversation about how best to live on a rapidly changing planet."


This book is brutally honest leaving very little to the imagination. I feel that if you are unwilling to know the truth about where your food, mainly your meat comes from, then do you really have the right to be eating it? I say No. I am not the type of person who judges or looks down on those who are eating a hamburger. Thats your decision. I do however have a problem with our society and mostly our government allowing the actions that occur to get that hamburger to your plate. 
Jonathan does talk about the difference between factory farming and the small farms. I, like him, am all for the small farms. Or at the least the ones doing it "right". 
Look at how many drugs are being put into the animals, and essentially the meat we are consuming. Yet we wonder why there are more diseases that are drug resistant, why girls are hitting puberty at younger ages, why for example H1N1 occurred. - Factory Farming- thats why. 
Buy locally, grass fed, antibiotic free, humanly treated animals - during life and death. Sadly thats not what is available to the mass population. Its expensive, and hard to find. THIS should be the norm, this should be what is demanded. Not mystery meat. 


Alright thats my rant. Sorry. Honestly though, pick up this book. Its a great read - if you can stomach some of the details. 

Turkish Stuffed Zucchini

Two years ago I spent a month living and learning in Istanbul, Turkey. That whole experience changed me. I miss Istanbul almost everyday, some more than others. Friday night all my dreams were about Istanbul, so I woke up craving Turkish food bad! I had a bridal shower to go to so I didnt get home til late and wasnt in the mood for cooking anything really big. I found a blog with some really yummy looking Turkish recipes. I found one that looked easy, and pretty quick. I have linked to the recipe here (click for recipe) -> Stuffed Zucchini

This recipe is for 4 zucchinis I only had one, so I didnt really follow the measurements, I just eyed it all. I also didnt use any egg. I wasnt really sure how to go about that since it called for 1 egg for 4 zucchinis so I just skipped it, to make the mixture creamier I added a small splash of milk.

All I could find at the store was parsley, they had zero dill! I think the dill will add a good flavor next time.

I probably also should have let it boil a bit longer than I did. The insides could have scooped easier. Another lesson for next time!

This the mixture, I added too much cheese, yet another lesson!

Stuffed and ready for cooking! I did 10 minutes and then broiled a few more, next time Ill probably broil longer to make it crunchy on top!

The Finished Product! It turned out pretty tasty. This will be a great light summer lunch or dinner! Next time I know to do things a tad differently though. If you try and make it let me know what changes you make, if any. Enjoy!