Chipotle Bowl

This recipe has nothing to do with the fast food restaurant, Chipotle. When we lived in So. California there used to be this really great Cafe near downtown Los Angeles called "Luna Sol" and this was on their menu. I think that cafe went out of business, which is a shame because they had wonderfully healthy food for low prices in a neighborhood that didn't have a lot of other healthy and affordable prices. So this is an homage to my favorite defunct LA cafe. This is a great recipe for using up leftover brown rice.

1 package of extra firm tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1" cubes
Extra virgin or canola oil 
1-2 c. cooked kidney beans (or 1 15 oz. can rinsed and drained)
1-2 c. cooked brown rice
1 c. chipotle flavored salsa
1/2 a small red onion, sliced into thin rounds
2 Tbsp. water

1) Heat the oil in a large saute pan or a wok. Add the tofu and let it brown for about 5-7 minutes. Toss and let it continue to brown for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile spoon the warm rice into 2-4 bowls.

2) Add the kidney beans and salsa. Continue to cook until heated through, about another 5 minutes.

3) Spoon the tofu & kidney bean mixture over the rice in each bowl making sure to get all of the sauce evenly distributed.

4) Put about 2 Tbsp. of water into the pan and add the onion slices. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Place the onions atop each serving.

This makes 2-4 servings depending on how much beans & rice you use and what else you're serving.

Red Beans and Rice

When I first became a vegetarian in college my mainstay was those bags of Zatarain's red beans and rice. In the many, many, many years since college I've come to avoid pre-packaged meals as much as possible. I've often looked at red beans and rice recipes, but reading over ingredient lists I've been left uninspired and I have to admit I've not tried a single one I've looked at. Maybe they all would have been delicious, but I just wasn't motivated by them to try. So, of course, I finally decided to make my own. I don't know how this ingredient list will strike you, but let me assure you it is very delicious. The recipe is not a lot of work, but it does take quite a long time for the beans and rice to cook. For that reason this is an excellent meal to make on the weekend when you have some extra time, then you can use the leftovers for lunches during the week.

About 1 lb. of small red beans (if it's a little over or under that's no big deal), sorted, soaked and rinsed
About 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 oz. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. dried oregano
6 c. water, plus more added during the cooking process
1 c. rice
1 scant Tbsp. sea salt
1 pound container of fresh salsa (I got it in the deli section of the grocery store), or 1 recipe Pico de Gallo.

1. Lay the beans out on a large kitchen towel and sort through them removing any debris or discolored, broken, or  malformed beans. Rinse the beans to clean and then place them in a large bowl covered with 2-3 inches of water. Let them soak for at least 6 hours up to overnight. Once they have soaked, rise them in a strainer and set aside.

2. When the beans have been soaked and rinsed heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and let it saute until soft, about 7 minutes.

3. When the onion is soft add the tomato paste, mustard and oregano. Let the tomato paste melt as you stir the mixture around to evenly coat all of the onions.

4. Once the tomato paste is distributed evenly over the onions add the beans and about 6 cups of hot water, or enough to cover the beans by about 2-3 inches, and bring to a boil.

5. Let the beans cook at medium boil (not a gentle simmer) for about 2 hours until they are completely soft, stirring occasionally and adding more hot water when it starts to evaporate too much. You want to keep the beans submerged in a lot of liquid so that they have room to move around in the pot and cook evenly.

6. When the beans are fully cooked but not falling apart, add 1 c. of rinsed brown rice and a little more water if necessary. Let it cook for 45 minutes longer, partially covered, and stir occasionally but keep an eye on it because you'll start letting the water evaporate at this point to form a thick sauce.

Here the salsa has just been added.

7. As the mixture boils only add more water at this point if it is about to dry out, but just enough to keep it boiling without drying out. Keep stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan at this point to avoid burning. When the rice is fully cooked, after about 45 minutes, add the entire container of fresh salsa and let it cook for 15 minutes longer as the liquid continues to evaporate into a thick sauce.

This is how thick the sauce should be.

 This makes 6-8 servings and tastes lovely topped with fresh Guacamole.

Curried White Bean Spread

In my Indian Chickpea Salad post I likened that salad to a deconstructed hummus. I like that salad so much that I decided to reconstruct it into a white bean spread/dip. You can use this like hummus. I like using cannellini beans rather than chickpeas (aka: garbanzos) for this dip because they get smoother and creamier. You could also try navy beans.

3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice (I like it better with the vinegar)
2 Tbps. water, plus more for thinning during mixing if necessary
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans (or 2 cups cooked)
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. curry powder (hot, sweet, whatever you want)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. tahini
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1) Place all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender or a food processor and mix until fully combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add more water 1 Tbsp. at a time to facilitate blending if necessary.

2) Taste and add more curry, vinegar or lemon, or salt if needed.

This makes about 2 cups of bean spread.

Mung Bean Dal

I'm calling this Mung Bean Dal, but you could use any kind of split peas or lentils. If you use lentils or split peas you will need to reduce the cooking time to about 35-45 minutes. Once you begin the cooking process things go quickly at first, so have all of your vegetables prepped and spices measured and ready to go.

Often times when making Indian food it's OK to make substitutions when you don't have a certain spice. However, I think that the fenugreek seeds are what give this recipe the most delicious aspect of it's flavor. You can find fenugreek seeds at Indian or African grocery stores, specialty spice stores, some well stocked spice sections in the regular grocery store, or online. They look like a malformed tan grain (maybe kind of like buckwheat groats). Once you smell them you will recognize the scent if you eat a lot of Indian food.

Since fenugreek is a big, chunky, whole spice (as are some of the other spices you'll be using) you either need to toast it and then grid it, or cook it in a screaming hot pan until it explodes (I prefer the second method because it's easier).

2-3 Tbsp. unrefined coconut oil or canola oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. corriander seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp. brown mustard seeds
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 large white or yellow onion, minced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 large tomatoes, minced with their juice or 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 c. mung beans or split peas or lentils, sorted, rinsed and drained
Vegetable broth (8 c. or more)
Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon, about 2 Tbsp.
Fresh cilantro (1/2 c. or more as you like)

1)  Heat the oil over high heat in a large soup pot. Once small wisps of smoke arise from the oil add the cumin seeds, corriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds. Quickly throw the seeds into the oil and place the lid on the pot. The seeds should immediately begin popping and then calm down after about 30 seconds.

2) After 30 seconds of popping seeds, turn the heat down to medium and put in the onion, garlic and ginger and stir to mix. You want to do this step quickly so that you don't burn the seeds. Continue to saute the onions, garlic and ginger until soft but no browned, about 5-7 minutes.

3) Once the onions are softened add the other spices (curry powder, salt, turmeric, paprika, and cumin powder. If you happen to have some amchur around you could toss in 1/2 tsp. of that as well).

4) Mix the spices with the onions to coat and then add the 2 Tbsp. of tomato paste and let it melt as you stir it around to mix it with the onions.

5) Add the diced or crushed tomatoes, the mung beans and about 4 c. of vegetable broth (or more if you need it to submerge the beans). Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a low boil/high simmer, and let it cook for at least1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are completely tender. Make sure to add more liquid as necessary if it starts to evaporate too much, I usually end up adding another 4 c. of broth as the beans cook.

6) Once the beans are completely tender, continue to let it cook until the liquid evaporates to your desired thickness, keeping in mind it will continue to thicken a bit after it cools. Add about 1/2 c. of fresh cilantro and the fresh lemon juice, and stir to incorporate. Serve garnished with additional cilantro over rice or with naan bread.

This makes about 8-10 servings.

Brussels Sprouts Stirfry with Sourkraut

A German Asian stirfry fusion. WHAT!? I guess I've never seen a restaurant that combines German and Asian food, but I have to say this stirfry is pretty good.

15-20 brussles sprouts, halved or quartered
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
About 10 button or crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. grated daikon radish
1 c. cooked beans such as black, adzuki or pinto
2-3 c. cooked brown rice
3-4 Tbsp. shoyu or tamari
2 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar or seasoned rice wine vinegar
Asian hot sauce (such as sriracha) to taste
1 c. wild fermented sour kraut, or a good store bought brand

1) Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add the brussles sprouts and try to arrange them so that a flat side is down. Leave them alone for about 5 minutes so that they can start to brown.

2) Once the brussles sprouts have started to brown, give them a toss and add the onions and a pinch of sea salt. Once the onions have softened add the mushrooms and daikon and toss to incorporate.

3) Once the mushrooms have softened add the beans, rice, shoyu, mirin, vinegar and hot sauce. Toss to combine well.

4) Remove the pan from the heat and add the sourkraut and toss to combine.

This makes about 4 servings.

Ungreasy Spoon Spanish Style Breakfast Hash

This is my husband's favorite breakfast. It's a little spicy and full of vegetables. Melissa's brand soy chorizo (soyrizo) uses non-gmo soy and is very affordable. Trader Joe's also makes a good one.

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package soy chorizo
2-3 c. diced potatoes, fresh or frozen
2 c. bell peppers (any color), diced
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. cilantro, minced

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. Add the soy chorizo and break it up with your spoon a little and then add the onion and saute until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, potatoes, and all of the spices. Toss to coat and continue to saute to cook the potatoes, about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. 

2) Add the peppers and saute for an additional 5 minutes.

3) Add the tomato paste and vegetable broth. Stir the tomato paste to dissolve it and deglaze the pan. Let it cook for just a couple of minutes to thicken the sauce a bit.

4) Turn off the heat and add the cilantro and toss to incorporate.

This serves about 4 and is good garnished with avocado slices or guacamole.

Lentil and Vegetable Soup

This is a hearty soup. When I make it I puree a little bit of it for my kids and they love it that way (even the super picky one kinda likes it). For grown ups I keep it chunky. This is comfort food, like vegan chicken soup. Oh yeah, and it's fat free.

1 c. dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 c. water
8 c. vegetable broth, separated
2 tsp. sea salt, separated
3 bay leaves
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. fine black pepper
1 yellow or white onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 small leeks (white parts only), sliced or 1/4 a small green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1) In a large soup pot add the lentils, 1 c. water, 4 c. vegetable broth, 1 tsp. sea salt and 3 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

3) Add the remaining ingredients, return to a simmer and continue to simmer, covered, for an additional 30 minutes.

This makes a big pot of soup, about 8 (or so) servings

Pinto Bean Enchiladas

This recipe has tons of vegetables and a smokey seasoning. For some reason pinto beans go really well with the other ingredients in these. I love this topped with my Guacamole, but top yours with whatever you want.

1 recipe Pinto Beans Straight Up or 2 15 oz. cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and diced
2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
4 jalapeno peppers, sliced into thin rounds (or green bell pepper if you don't like heat)
8 oz. crimini or button mushrooms, diced
2 tomatoes diced with their juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. chipotle chile powder (or more regular chili powder)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground corriander
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. chipotle hot sauce or chipotle flavored salsa
Juice of 1 fresh lime
A handful of fresh cilantro, minced
10-12 whole wheat tortillas (it just depends on how full you stuff them)
28 oz. enchilada sauce, home made or purchased (my favorite vegan store bought brand is Carlito's)

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a little oil in a large skillet or pot and saute the onion, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms for about 10 minutes, until softened. Add the tomatoes, chipotle hot sauce or salsa and all of the herbs and spices and toss to coat. Turn the heat off and add the lime juice and cilantro and toss to incorporate.

2) Place 1/3 of the enchilada sauce at the bottom of an 8x12 or 9x13 inch baking dish and create an assembly line with the pinto beans, vegetable filling and tortillas.

3) Place several tablespoons of the beans in the center of a tortilla and top with several spoons of the vegetable mixture. Then roll the tortilla up and place it seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat until the baking dish is filled. (Note: if you have extra beans and vegetables you can mix them together and make a breakfast hash with them the next morning or eat them over brown rice or millet for lunch).

4) Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas making sure to cover the tortillas completely so they won't dry out, and then cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Spray the foil with a little oil to keep it from sticking if you want.

5) Remove the foil, add vegan cheese if you are using any, and bake, uncovered, for an additional 5-10 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling at the edges.

Serve topped with guacamole, salsa, vegan cheese or sour cream, or whatever else you like. This makes about 6-8 servings.

Pinto Beans Straight Up

This is the same technique I used for the black bean recipe I posted earlier. The main difference is that I do not prefer to use epazote/Mexican oregano with pinto beans because it obscures their more delicate flavor too much. I love the texture these beans get when they're cooked this way.

1 lb. dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed and soaked in filtered water for 4-6 hours
Water
1-2 large white onions, halved and thinly sliced
3-4 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. sea salt

1) Spread the beans out on a dark colored kitchen towel (something not similar to the color of the beans so that you can see them better) and sort through them for broken or malformed beans and foreign matter.

2) Place the beans in a colander and run them under cold water as you rub them together to wash. Then place them in a large glass bowl and cover them with 2-3 inches of water and let them soak for 4-6 hours, adding more water if they absorb it all.

3) Place the beans back into the colander to drain them and then rinse them off again. Place them in a large dutch oven or pot and cover them with 2-3 inches of fresh water along with the sliced onions and bay leaves and bring to a boil

4) Once the liquid has come to a boil, reduce the heat to a level where it remains at a low boil (more than a simmer). Let them cook this way for about an hour while stirring occasionally and adding more water if they start to dry out.

5) After an hour test a couple of beans and if they are mostly soft add 1 Tbsp. of salt (if not let them go for another 1/2 hour and test again). Continue to cook for an additional hour, adding more water when necessary and stirring occasionally to ensure they don't stick and burn.

6) Once the beans are completely soft, quit adding water and let the liquid evaporate (stirring more frequently  at this point) until they are in a thick sauce.

Serve with cooked grains and a little salsa, in tacos or burritos, or use them to make a batch of Pinto Bean Enchiladas.

This makes a lot of beans.

Ungreasy Spoon Mexican Breakfast Hash

In college I loved to frequent greasy spoon cafes (Jim's? any Minneapolis peeps from the 1990's?) for breakfast on the weekends. I'd always get hash browns and drown them in ketchup. I know, gross. But I am still a fan of the savory breakfast featuring potatoes, just not the oily gut rot that goes with a greasy spoon breakfast.

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion (any kind), diced
3-4 c. diced potatoes, fresh or frozen (if you use frozen, try not to get a brand with preservatives)
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp. paprika or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. diced peppers (any combination of sweet, poblano, ancho, jalapeno, etc.)
1 15 oz. can beans - black, pinto, or kidney, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. salsa (any kind)
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced
Avocado to garnish 

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, potatoes, and all of the dried herbs and spices. Toss to coat and continue to saute to cook the potatoes, about 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. 

2) Add the peppers and saute for an additional 5 minutes.

3) Add the beans, tomato paste, and vegetable broth. Stir the tomato paste to dissolve it and deglaze the pan.

4) Turn off the heat and add the salsa and cilantro and toss to incorporate.

This serves about 4 and is good garnished with avocado slices or guacamole.

Moroccan Stew

Morocco is on my list of the top 10 places I'd like to visit. Meat is a large part of Moroccan cuisine, but the flavors are easily translated into vegan dishes using the spices, vegetables, chickpeas and couscous. Any food that combines North African and Middle Eastern cuisine has got to be good.

Note: When I use canned beans or tomatoes I highly recommend getting Eden Organic brand because they do not have BPA's in the lining of their cans - Eden Foods and BPA. I think it's worth the extra cents to avoid ingesting toxins.

For the Sauce:
2 lbs. fresh tomatoes, pureed in a blender or 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
3-4 roasted red peppers, home made or 12 oz. from a jar, diced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. cinnamon 
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. corriander
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper (scant)
1 c. vegetable broth
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. plain soy milk

For the Stew:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 white or brown onion, diced
1 large carrot, sliced into 1/2" rounds
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 green or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2" semi-circles
2 c. cooked chickpeas (home made or 1 15 oz. can)
1/4 c. golden raisins (optional)
10-12 kalamata olives, sliced (optional)

1) To prepare the sauce, place all of the ingredients except for the soy milk into a sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a high simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Let it cool a bit and then puree with an immersion blender or in a blender. (Note: if you are using fresh tomatoes rather than canned, just puree the roasted peppers with the tomatoes before cooking and you won't have to blend it after cooking). Once the sauce has been pureed add the soy milk and stir to incorporate.

2) Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot and add the onion and carrots. Saute until the onions begin to soften, about 7 minutes and then add the bell peppers and zucchini. Saute for another 5 minutes.

3) Add the chickpeas and the pureed sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. If using the raisins and/or olives add them for the last 3-5 minutes of cooking.

Serve over whole wheat couscous, quinoa, or millet. This makes about 4 servings.

Note: It can be yummy to add additional ingredients to your couscous as it steams - diced kalamata olives (if you didn't add them to the stew), dried oregano and/or thyme, dried mint, etc.

Kale Quesadillas

When my husband and I first got married we thought that making quesadillas was super fancy and grown up. We would make them together in our tiny kitchen and then light a candle and eat our quesadillas together.

We don't use cheese anymore and have come to like them much better with caramelized onion and sauteed kale instead. I don't really feel like quesadillas are fancy anymore, but I still like them and I would still eat them by candlelight with my husband.

You will notice below that if you use my recipe for refried beans you only need to add the onion and kale, but if you are using store bought canned beans there are more ingredients to add.

Kale Quesadillas with Scotch Bonnet Salsa

* Denotes an ingredient that is only to be added if you are using canned beans, but should not be added if you are using my recipe for Garlicky Refried Beans.

About 3 cups Garlicky Refried Beans or 2 15 oz. cans of vegetarian store bought refried beans
Extra virgin olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, diced and caramelized
4 leaves of kale, minced and sauteed
*2 tsp. chili powder
*1/2 tsp. ground cumin
*1/2 tsp. paprika
*1/2 tsp. oregano
*3/4 tsp. sea salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*Several dashes of hot sauce or chipotle hot sauce
16-18 whole wheat tortillas

1) Heat a little oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat and add the diced onion and a little sea salt. Toss the onion to coat it with the oil and then let it be for about 5 minutes. Once it starts to brown give it a toss and turn the heat down to medium. Leave it alone for another 3-5 minutes until they really start getting brown and then stir frequently until they are fully browned. This will take about 12-17 minutes total.

2) Meanwhile, as the onion caramelizes, place the refried beans into a large bowl and add the spices (if using). You can also wash and mince your kale at this time.

3) When the onion is done, add it to the bean mixture and place the kale in the same pan, you don't really need more oil for this. Just stir the kale around in the pan for about 3-5 minutes until it starts to get crispy and then add it to the bowl with the beans.

4) Stir the beans, spices (if using), onions, and kale to mix and then use a spatula to spread bean mixture onto the tortillas. I prefer to spread beans onto one side of the tortilla and then fold them over.

5) Once all of the beans are spread onto tortillas heat the same pan you used for the onions and kale over medium heat. Fry the quesadillas, 2 at a time, for about 3-5 minutes per side.

Serve with Scotch Bonnet Salsa, Salsa Verde, Guacamole or whatever else you like. This makes a lot of quesadillas.

Black Beans and Rice with Sofrito

To me this is the ultimate vegan feast when topped with Spicy Slaw, Guacamole and Scotch Bonnet Salsa. But this dish is also good on it's own, served in corn tortillas or with your favorite toppings.

In Spanish cuisine sofrito is a mixture of things like garlic, tomatoes and peppers that are minced and sauted over light heat for a long period of time. In Caribbean cuisine sofrito is usually lard seasoned with various ingredients such as ham and peppers. This sofrito is a combination of the two omitting the lard and ham and combining the peppers, tomatoes and aromatics. 

It used to be believed that vegans had to carefully combine different complimentary protein foods at every meal to survive. We now know this isn't the case, our bodies are super efficient at storing and using amino acids obtained from plant foods over a period of about 1-2 days, and in some cases up to a week. So as long as we eat a diet varied in nutritious plant foods we will get plenty of "complete proteins." But rice and beans were long touted as the perfect vegetarian meal because the rice and the beans together contain all 9 essential amino acids, so here you have it a complete protein vegetarian meal.

1 lb. black beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight
Extra virgin olive oil
1 green bell pepper, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 poblano chile, small dice
1 white or yellow onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
4-6 tsp. chile powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. (epasote or Mexican oregano), optional
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
2 c. reserved bean cooking liquid
3-4 c. cooked brown rice (I usually use leftover rice, but you can make rice for this recipe)

1) There are two different ways you can go about cooking the beans. Either cook them in a large pot according to the package directions or cook them in a pressure cooker on high for about 10-12 minutes. In either case, when you drain the beans reserve the cooking liquid to use later.

2) When the beans are almost done cooking, heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add all of the vegetables and saute until they soften, about 10 minutes. Add the spices, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and stir to combine. You will have a thick, pasty sauce. Let the sauce simmer for about 10-15 minutes making sure to stir frequently to prevent burning.

The sofrito

3) Add the drained beans and about 2 c. of the bean cooking liquid. Bring the beans to a simmer and let them simmer, covered, for 30 minutes stirring occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom of the pot.

4) After the beans have simmered for 30 minutes, add the cooked rice and a little more bean liquid only if it seems necessary. Simmer for 5 minutes more and then serve.

This makes about 8-10 servings.

Germexican Beans

There is a precedent for this. According to Wikipedia a bunch of Germans started to immigrate to Mexico in the mid to late 19th century. That's where all of the bad Mexican lager beers come from. Why not, then, boil pinto beans in lager and then serve them with sour kraut atop toasted rye bread thus bringing together the fartiest foods from both cultures?

Germexican Beans on rye toast with sour kraut and rosemary garlic roasted potatoes.

1 lb. pinto beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked for 4-6 hours
1 white onion, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
6 bottles of a German or Mexican lager, something not very hoppy
1 Tbsp. sea salt

1) After the beans have been soaked, rinse them and place them in a large soup pot or dutch oven along with the onion and bay leaves and cover with about 3 bottles of beer.

2) Bring the beer to a boil and reduce the heat to a low boil (more than a simmer). As the beans cook continue to add more beer as the liquid evaporates to keep the beans submerged in a good amount of liquid. When you run out of beer you can just add water after that.

3) After the beans have cooked for about 2 hours add 1 Tbsp. of sea salt and start testing the beans for softness. When the beans are completely tender let the liquid start to evaporate until they are in a thick rather than watery sauce.
 
Serve on toasted rye bread spread with whole grain German style mustard and topped with sour kraut. This makes about 5 cups of beans. 

Black Bean Enchiladas

I don't love vegan cheese so when I make these enchiladas I make a fresh Avocado Salsa to spoon over the top of each serving, but top them with whatever you like.

You can make this by using canned black beans, but it is also delicious way to use the black beans from the recipe I posted earlier: A Big Pot of Black Beans. 

 
1/2 a recipe for  A Big Pot of Black Beans
or 2 15 oz. cans of black beans and 1 large onion, diced
1 recipe for Pico de Gallo (page down)
10 large tortillas, I like whole wheat
1 32 oz can of vegan enchilada sauce (I like Carlito's brand), or home made
1 recipe for Avocado Salsa

1) Preheat the oven to 350. If using canned black beans, heat a little olive oil in a saute pan and saute the diced onion until soft. Add the drained and rinsed beans and heat through. If using my black bean recipe just have the beans ready to use in a bowl.

2) Pour about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of an 8 x 12 or 9 x 13 inch baking dish and spread a layer on the bottom of the dish. create an assembly line with the tortillas, black beans and pico de gallo.




3) Spoon some of the beans and some of the pico de gallo onto a tortilla and roll it up so that it is facing seem side down and transfer into the baking dish.

4) Once you have filled the baking dish spoon the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas to completely cover them, you don't want them to dry out in the oven, and cover with foil.


5) Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees and then remove the foil, add vegan cheese if you are using any, and bake for another 5 or 10 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling. Serve topped with your favorite accompaniment.

A Big Pot of Nourishing Black Beans

 
I often hear people complaining that health food stores are too expensive. I have never found this to be the case and I have a sneaky suspicion that these complainers are purchasing pre-packaged organic ready made specialty products, fancy cheese, and organic grass fed kobe beef when they visit said heath food stores.

I find health food stores to be quite comparable to regular grocery stores, if not a little more affordable, when I stick to the produce and bulk sections. To see if I was correct I did a little research while shopping for this recipe and my findings were quite interesting. A pound of local, organic black beans at the health food co-op costs $1.99. To purchase a pound of organic but not local black beans at the regular grocery store costs....$1.99. They also sell non-organic black beans at the regular grocery store for $1.83. And for those who think vegan food is more expensive than non-vegan food I checked the beef at the regular grocery store - 1 lb. of ground chuck was $3.98, 1 lb. of grass fed beef was $8.49, and 1 lb. organic grass fed beef was $9.49 (plus the beef comes with saturated fat and cholesterol). So I'd say the locally grown organic black beans at the health food store are a pretty good deal. I purchase all of my beans, lentils, whole grains and spices from the bulk section of health food stores and do not find it to be expensive at all.

To make this huge pot of black beans it cost me $2.00 for the beans (I already had the onion, salt, and herbs). We can get at least 30 tacos out of these beans using small corn tortillas or two huge baking dishes full of enchiladas using large flour tortillas (try doing that with a pound of beef!). So I say health food stores are not expensive, but organic junk food might be.

1 lb. dried black beans, sorted, rinsed and soaked for 6-8 hours
Filtered water
2 white onions, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. dried Mexican oregano or epasote (optional)

1) Measure out 1 lb. of black beans and spread them out on a light colored kitchen towel. Sort through the beans and remove any broken, discolored or malformed beans and foreign matter and discard.

2) Place the beans in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Then transfer the beans to a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with about 2 inches of water and let them soak for 6-8 hours, adding more water if the beans start to expand above the level of the water.

3) After the beans have soaked, drain them through a strainer and rinse them. Place them in a large pot with the onions and bay leaves and cover with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and keep them uncovered.

4) As the beans cook keep stirring and adding more water as necessary to keep them submerged.  After about 2 hours of mostly inactive cooking time the beans will be almost soft. At this point add the salt and Mexican oregano and start to let the water evaporate and thicken.

5) As the water begins to boil off stir the beans frequently to avoid sticking and burning. Once the beans are completely soft and the sauce is to the thickness you want then they are done.

A few notes on cooking dried beans:
-It seems like it takes a long time, but most of the cooking time is inactive so really it's not a lot of work.
-You must make sure that the beans are completely soft. If you eat beans that are still a little hard they will continue to expand in your stomach and this will be very, very painful.
-Rinsing off the soaking water, using Epazote or Mexican oregano, and boiling with the lid off are all said to reduce the gassy effects of beans. But if you still experience gas maybe you can have a farting contest.

Some things you can do with these beans:
-Use them to make tacos, burritos or enchiladas.
-Make them a little saucier and mix them with cooked brown rice topped with a little salsa and guacamole.
-Use them in any recipe that calls for beans such as black bean burgers or vegan taco salad.

Garlicky Refried Beans

Refried beans from a can, especially vegetarian refried beans from a can, are just yuck. I guess when I first started eating them in college I thought they were amazing. But as my tongue gets older (because the rest of me is staying 22 forever...except my brain, that's getting older too) I've lost my taste for the refried beans in a can. And for good reason, home cooked refried beans are way better and they're relatively easy to make. It's not as easy as opening a can I suppose but probably much better for you what with the BPA in the lining of most cans.

The traditional method would be to use lard or bacon fat, but I think this version tastes just as good if not better than any authentic lardy version I've ever tried. Anyways, this is the way I like them but you could take the technique and put in any flavorings you want.

1 lb. pinto beans, sorted rinsed and soaked for 4-8 hours depending on cooking method to be used
6 large cloves of garlic, pressed not minced
1 small white onion, finely diced
5 jalapenos, finely diced
2 Tbsp. chile powder
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper

1) Cook the beans in a pressure cooker with 4 bay leaves or in a large stock pot according to package directions. I use a pressure cooker and I soak the beans for about 4 hours first and then cook them on high pressure for 15-17 minutes and use the quick release method. If you're cooking them in a pot you will want to soak them for about 8 hours.

2) When the beans are tender drain the liquid reserving about 1 cup of the bean liquid. Place the beans and about 1/2 c. of the liquid in a food processor fitted with the S-blade and begin to process, adding more liquid a little at a time until they reach a creamy consistency and are fully pureed. Set aside. If you don't have a big, fancy food processor just go at them really good with a potato masher or maybe try an immersion blender.

3) In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Let the garlic saute & infuse the oil for about 30-40 seconds as you stir it around and then add the onions and jalapenos and saute until just tender, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

4) Add the spices to the vegetables and toss to coat. Then, using a rubber spatula, scrape all of the pureed beans into the skillet and fold the mixture around the pan until fully mixed together with the onions and peppers and of a uniform color from the spices. Continue to fold the mixture over in the pan and simmer for about 5 more minutes and then transfer immediately to a glass container or they will get crusty in the pan.

I serve these on corn tortillas with guacamole and pico de gallo..

This makes about 7 cups of refried beans.