Category Archives: Beans

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

Here’s a quick shot of my Thanksgiving meal… it was a short menu this year – just made enough for my hubby’s on-shift dinner (he didn’t want to eat turkey this year!) and my daughter and I. It was delicious! Recipes and details to follow.

Tempeh & Sage Loaf (Vegan Slow Cooker Recipe)

Raw Collard Green & Apple Salad with Pomegranates (Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day Recipe)

Mock Meatloaf with Brown Gravy (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (My Recipe 🙂

Dill Potatoes (Josh’s favorite!)

Baked Acorn Squash with Apples (The Global Vegan)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert (Happy Herbivore Recipe)

Thanksgiving Meal 2011

Josh's Firehouse Meal (with leftover gravy)

Butter Bean Chocolate Chip Cookies - Happy Herbivore Recipe

Dig in!

Yummy Bean Soup

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This soup is delicious! It’s a little spicy and very satisfying with a side of toasted naan (if you eat bread, we do no more than twice a week) and a glass of red wine (or hemp milk for my toddler!). This recipe is from HealthyMammas.com – home of  the recently made Creamy Dreamy Superfood Pudding and Black Bean & Corn Quinoa (2 more fabulous recipes!).  This recipe is toddler approved, she ate the whole bowl but she commented on it being “spicy Mommy spicy” the whole time… you may want to back off the chili powder if you have a spice sensitive child. My daughter will eat wasabi peas and dried chili mango so she may be the exception. 🙂

Bean Soup

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

  • 1 7/8 lbs 15 bean soup mix (I used the 8-bean soup mix from my CSA – about 5 1/2 cups)
  • 1 quart low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (you can use veggie broth or water to sauté instead – I used broth)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 box frozen chopped spinach, or 10 oz of fresh, chopped spinach (I used fresh – 2 bunches organic spinach)
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced (I used leftover shredded carrots from Healthy Veggie Muffins)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used fire roasted with garlic)
  • 8 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2 lemons worth) – this makes it!!
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 dashes Tabasco sauce (Didn’t have any so I used a big squirt of Sriracha)
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground thyme
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt (optional)

Instructions

  • Soak beans overnight, or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse.
  • Cook beans in water until just tender by simmering on the stove in 2 qts. water for 1 1/2 hours. (or more) (Can also cook in slower cooker or pressure cooker.).
  • Shortly before the beans are done, saute onion and garlic in oil (or veggie broth) until slightly brown.
  • When beans are done, drain half the cooking water.
  • Add all remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, for 40-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Beans are cooked, adding in remaining ingredients (except spinach)

Added chopped spinach

Delish!!

Black Bean & Corn Quinoa

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This is very healthy, easy to make and delicious! My husband and toddler LOVED it! You could eat this dish with a ton of things, we had it with wheat tortillas, shredded carrots, cilantro and leftover TVP Taco “Meat” and a side of Garlic Yu Choy.

Black Bean & Corn Quinoa

I found this recipe on a new food blog I’ve been checking out – Healthy Mammas. I made their Creamy Dreamy Superfood Pudding a few days ago and that was really good!

Black Bean & Corn Quinoa

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6)

  • 1/2 onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups organic veggie broth (plus a bit more for sauteing your onions and garlic)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional – I used 1/8 tsp)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 (15oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
  • Optional (Throw in a can of drained diced tomatoes – OR serve with some fresh salsa) – I added one can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic… YUM!
  • Chopped cilantro, to top (optional but good!)

Instructions

  • Saute onion and garlic in a few tablespoons of veggie broth over medium heat until soft and almost translucent.
  • Add the garlic when the onions are about 1/2 done…you may need to add a little more broth as they cook to keep them moist and keep them from sticking.
  • Mix in quinoa and cover with 2 cups veggie broth.
  • Season with spices and salt & pepper.
  • Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until most of the liquid is gone…about 10 to 15min.
  • Stir in corn, black beans and diced tomatoes – continue to cook on low heat for about 5 more minutes until all liquid is absorbed and everything is heated through. (add a little extra veggie broth if needed)
  • Taste and season with additional sea salt if needed.
  • Enjoy!

Saute onions & garlic in broth

Add quinoa, broth & spices

Add corn & black beans

Add tomatoes (if using)

I used these, they're yummy!

White Bean Pumpkin Pie Dip

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I’ve made this a few times for snack or dessert and it’s always a hit! I love that it’s so easy, healthy and delicious! My toddler loves it with apple slices!

This is another delicious recipe from Healthy Happy Mama food blog, she also created the Orange Banana Walnut Breakfast Quinoa… double yum!

White Bean Pumpkin Pie Dip

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 (15 ounce) can, rinsed and drained

1 cup pumpkin puree (plain, not the pumpkin pie mix)

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a food processor, process the beans until they are almost smooth.  Add the other ingredients and continue to process until you have a smooth texture.  (If you don’t have a food processor, go ahead and use your blender to make this)  Enjoy!

Red Lentil Thai Chili

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I served this chili (and the Spicy Broccoli Cheeze Soup) at a party yesterday and it was a total hit, some people asked for leftovers to-go! It was even better today when I had it for lunch and dinner. It’s such a unique tasting chili, I really love the curry paste mixed with the sweet potatoes and lime.

This recipe is from one of my favorite vegan food blogs – Post Punk Kitchen. I doubled this recipe and skipped a few steps because I thought it would fit in my crock pot but it didn’t! My hubby had to run to the fire station to borrow a bigger pot.

Water or broth for sautéing
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups vegetable broth
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 15 oz can low-fat coconut milk
28 oz can diced tomatoes
½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Limes for garnish (optional but VERY GOOD WITH IT!)

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.

Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.

Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!

Spicy Broccoli Cheeze Soup

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I’m almost over my soup phase for this month! I made this soup two days ago and served it at a party yesterday, everyone loved it! Everyone was surprised it was non-dairy soup that really tastes like cheese. I made a double batch and let it sit overnight before serving it. I’ve found most of these soups, bean and lentil dishes taste even better the second day!

I found this recipe from Melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 A Day… another winner!

Southwestern Broccoli Cheese Soup
2 T coconut oil
1 t chipotle powder or smoked paprika if you don’t like heat (you can also use 2 whole chipotle chile peppers instead of the powder – I did and it was yummy!)
1 t cumin
1 T chili powder
Pinch marjoram
1 large onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
6 big cloves garlic, pressed
1 t garlic salt
Around 2.5 c white beans and their cooking liquid (2-15 oz cans or 1-29 oz can)
2 c waxy potatoes, (around 2 medium) medium chop
1 c salsa – I used the Costco brand salsa
1 c crushed tomatoes
1 T yellow mustard
2 c water or broth
16 oz frozen broccoli
1 T apple cider vinegar
½ c nutritional yeast
Salt/Pepper or Lemon Pepper to tasteMethod

1.       Sauté the dried spices, onions, carrot and garlic along with the garlic salt. If you are using canned beans then by all means use less garlic salt
2.       Add the beans, potatoes, salsa and tomatoes along with the broth. Cover and bring to a strong simmer for 10 minutes.
3.       Puree with a hand blender or in a food processor
4.       Stir in the broccoli, yeast and  vinegar. Cover and let soup sit for 10 minutes.  Blend again
5.       Taste and adjust seasoning

Yummy Cheezy Broccoli Soup!