Broccoli, Quinoa and Black Bean Burrito with Cashew Sauce

One of the reasons, among many, that I don't tend to eat out or carry in is because the food that I make in my own kitchen is not only more affordable, but also much more interesting and nourishing than most of the restaurant offerings available. Take this vegan version of a Mexican classic — the burrito. Wraps are among my favorite comfort foods. When you make them at home, you can control the quality and number of ingredients that get all wrapped up.

In this instance, you won't miss the cheese because it's perfectly balanced, packed full of protein, and quite satisfying with a lingering sensation of spice. The inclusion of nutritional yeast as part of the sauce adds taste and texture that is very much like cheese. One of my dining companions was rather surprised when I told him that the meal was vegan, without any cheese, soy or otherwise. It's that good and the meal got rave reviews. I served it up with some baked sweet potato fries and a homemade tomato salsa.

I adapted the recipe from The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon. A fairly recent acquisition of mine, I've only recently started cooking from this creative and innovative vegan cookbook that certainly proves vegan meals and treats never need be boring or lacking in substance. This burrito is a pleasing example. I pretty much stuck with the original recipe, but I did add some black beans for additional protein and texture and spiced it up a bit. I've been following Angela's blog for a while now and when I heard about her cookbook, I just knew that I would have to make space on my shelf. I'm glad I did.

This was on the menu with spicy sweet potato fries on the side and jalapeño salsa.

Broccoli, Quinoa and Black Bean Burrito with Cashew Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out Published on December 23, 2014 Hearty and zesty vegan black bean and quinoa burritos with a cashew cream sauce Print this recipe Sauce: 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 to 6 hours 1 clove garlic, minced 3/4 cup almond or hemp milk 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Burritos: 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (1 1/2 cups cooked) 1/4 cup dried black beans (3/4 cup cooked) 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 chilies or jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon paprika 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small uniform pieces 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained and chopped sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste 6 10-inch tortillas for wrapping chopped lettuce for garnish and/or as part of the wrap Instructions: Rinse the quinoa and transfer to a medium saucepan. Soak in 1 1/2 cups water for 8 hours or overnight. Separately, rinse the black beans and soak in enough water to cover for 8 hours or overnight. Bring the quinoa to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed — about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the black beans, then ransfer to a small saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender — about 1 hour. Drain and set aside. While the quinoa and beans are cooking, prepare the cashew cheese sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the drained cashews, garlic, almond or hemp milk, nutritional yeast, mustard, vinegar and salt. Process until smooth. The sauce should be thick. Add a bit more almond or hemp milk if necessary. To make the burrito filling, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add the onion to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, chilies or jalapeños and spices to the pan. Stir and fry for another minute or two until fragrant and the onion is coated. Stir in the broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes and fry until the broccoli is tender — about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the quinoa, black beans and cashew sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and gently cook for another few minutes, stirring often. To assemble, spoon some of the mixture onto a tortilla, along with some chopped lettuce if desired, wrap it up and serve with salsa. Makes 6 servings

More burrito recipes to enjoy:
Pinto Bean and Avocado Burrito
Jalapeño Breakfast Burritos
Chipotle Black Bean, Millet and Quinoa Burritos

On the top of the reading stack: Baking by Hand : Make the Best Artisanal Breads and Pastries Better Without a Mixer

Audio Accompaniment: Robert Rich

Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Considering how much I adore legumes and how important a role they play in my daily diet, I suppose it's no wonder they recently showed up in a dessert. Mind you, these earthy brownies are not too sweet and healthy enough to eat for breakfast in addition to a snack. The beans, combined with the dried cherries, cocoa and vanilla add an almost coffee-like taste and if you wish, to bring that out further, add a few teaspoons of brewed strong coffee to the mixture.

I could hardly wait for these to cool in the pan before eating a few. Because they have black beans in them, they are more substantial than most brownies I've encountered, and as a consequence, I put off eating dinner because I was rather stuffed!

Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on November 10, 2014 Healthy, protein-rich and not-too-sweet vegan black bean brownies with an earthy coffee-like cocoa flavor Print this recipe Ingredients: 2/3 cup dried black beans (2 cups cooked) 1/3 cup dried cherries 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh ground flax seeds whisked with 3 tablespoons warm water scant 1/2 cup coconut or brown sugar 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of sea salt Instructions: Rinse the black beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Drain and let cool to room temperature. Line a 8 × 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat an oven to 350°. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until combined and smooth. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes or longer, then cut into small squares and enjoy. Makes 1 pan or 12 to 16 brownies

More brownie recipes you may enjoy from my kitchen:
Chocolate Cocoa Brownies with Dried Cranberries and Chickpea Flour
Avocado Brownies
Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies with Carob Chips
Cocoa Brownies with Peanut Butter Chocolate Icing

On the top of the reading stack: Food and Drink Magazine

Audio Accompaniment: Sebastian Mullaert (aka Minilogue) & Ulf Eriksson (Kontra-Musik) Sweden

BLACK BEAN, BROCCOLI & AVOCADO SALAD + CUMIN LIME TAHINI DRESSING

Hello September! The weather here is still in the upper 90's so I have another salad to share with you. Not much cooking going on here. I've been opting for throw together salads that meet my needs and keep me coming back for more. The inspiration for this salad came about by a recent visit to El Pollo Loco, a local fast food chain. I'm the only vegan in the house and can usually find suitable meals for myself when dining out. Fast food is a little more difficult than sit down dining but I can rework a menu item most of the time. In this case, I ordered their Avocado Salad, omitting the cheese and replacing the chicken with extra black beans (it already came with some). Instead of using their dairy based creamy cilantro dressing, I ordered a couple extra sides of pico de gallo and had myself a great meal. I enjoyed it enough that I wanted to recreate it at home using a creamy cumin lime tahini dressing and it's really quite wonderful! I love the tender steamed broccoli and the creaminess the avocado adds along with the cool crisp romaine lettuce. Black beans complete the salad adding a nice dose of protein. I used my beans at room temperature but you can heat them if you prefer. The salad is easy to throw together and is full of great flavor and texture. A great lunch or dinner salad that's nutrient dense and will fill you up perfectly!

Need a salad inspiration, this is it!

BLACK BEAN, BROCCOLI & AVOCADO SALAD + CUMIN LIME TAHINI DRESSING

Ingredients

• 2 romaine hearts, chopped
• 1 can (15oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/4 cup broccoli florets, steamed
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup pico de gallo
• cilantro sprigs
• 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, sliced and most seeds removed

Dressing

• 3 heaping tablespoons tahini
• 1/3 cup water
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin 
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, except for the cilantro. Use a tad more water as needed to thin. If dressing is too thin, add more tahini. Once blended to your liking, taste for flavor, stir in cilantro and set aside.

Steam your broccoli just until al dente and bright green using a bamboo steamer, double broiler or preferred method.

Add romaine to your serving dishes, top with black beans, broccoli, avocado, pico de gallo, a few sprigs cilantro and slices of chili peppers. Top with dressing and enjoy!

Serves 2.

Notes:

This is a great place to add a sprinkle of seeds. Try using pepito's (pumpkin seeds), sunflower seeds or hemp hearts.

If you don't have tahini on hand, try using extra pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime. I find it works great! You may even opt to use a dollop of hummus.

Use spinach or any leafy green of choice.

BLACK BEAN FAJITAS + GUACAMOLE

Happy Friday to you all! For most of you, your work week is ending and you’re ready for some days off. Today I hope to inspire something wonderful for you to eat on your time off. I've always loved fajitas and if you’re like me you love them too. Finally, they have arrived to the recipe collection and I'm so happy to share them with you!

 I was so excited the day I was going to put this together, trying to do my full workout at the gym, just knowing I would be coming home to put this recipe together. I imagined a flavorful fajita mix with a big helping of guacamole on top. At last minute I added some shredded cabbage I had on hand, but that is optional. They are everything I wanted them to be and more! These are 'Eat like you mean it' tacos! I loaded mine and ate them just as you see here with no problem at all, hardly any mess either. Although the next couple tacos I had were a bit messier, just because I was at the bottom of the fajita mix where all the juiciness is. Not a bad thing at all, just be sure to have a couple extra napkins handy, and just like your mom might have told you, 'Eat over your plate'. I especially love making tacos, mainly because I love corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour tortillas, your options are open for making tacos or burritos (see notes). However you like, gather your ingredients and get ready to enjoy some of the best darn black bean fajitas you've ever had! At least I think they're pretty darn good. :)

Just simple, colorful ingredients that come together in the best way. If you're lucky enough, you may even find a prepared fajita mix where you just add your spice and protein. That's exactly what I have here, 2 packages, but the ingredients will reflect buying and slices your own bell peppers and onion. The tortillas I used are homemade tortillas from Trader Joe's. They are thick and can withstand a large helping.



Start with your guacamole. This is a very simple, classic chunky guacamole. I added chopped cilantro just before serving. Feel free to omit/add anything you like!



Cook up your fajita mix and warm up the tortillas...



  Layer your tacos and serve you & yours some hearty black bean fajita tacos!

BLACK BEAN FAJITAS + GUACAMOLE

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced
• 1 small white onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil or 3 tablespoon water (for water saute)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
• corn or flour tortillas
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded (optional), to serve
• lime wedges, to serve

Guacamole

• 2 - 3 avocados
• 1 small jalapeno, most seeds removed and diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• small handful cherry tomatoes, quartered or 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt, or to taste
• few sprigs cilantro leaves, diced
• 1 lime, squeezed

Start with your guacamole. Cut avocados in half lengthwise, remove seed and using a spoon scoop out the flesh, place in medium size bowl. Using a fork cut the halves into large chunks and mash about 1/3 - 1/2. Add diced jalapeno, onion, tomatoes, mineral salt and lime juice. Mix to incorporate. Add in chopped cilantro and mix again gently. TIP: To keep your guacamole from browning, pack your guacamole well, add about 1/4 - 1/2 inch water over top and place in the fridge. When ready to serve, drain water, mix and serve. This will keep air away preventing oxidation. 

In a large wok/skillet, heat oil or water over medium high heat. Add bell peppers, onions, and spices, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add black beans and cook until heated through, about 3 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste adding anything extra you like.

Warm your tortillas. I like to heat mine carefully over the open flame of the stove top.

Serve layering the fajita mix on top of each tortilla, then add cabbage and a nice helping of guacamole. Add a squeeze of lime to each taco if you like.

Serves 3 generously.

Notes:

These can easily double as burritos by simply using large flour tortillas. Layer just as you would the taco leaving about 2 inches at one end, fold up the end over the mixture, take one side of the burrito, fold over and roll. This style will leave you with one open end at the top. It's the way I usually make my burritos. For a completely closed burrito, take a look at this tutorial from the Kitchn: How To Wrap A Burrito (So It Doesn't Fall Apart When You Eat It!)

I read about the water trick for the guacamole from an article at Huff Post Taste: How To Make The Best Guacamole: Tips and Mistakes To Avoid

Enjoy!

Cuban-Inspired Black Beans

Bold is the word that immediately comes to mind when I think of this vegan version of "frijoles negros". This hearty stew, or chili if you please, featuring black beans dressed up with vibrant spices is just the dish to bridge the gap between 6 months of intensely unpleasant Canadian temperatures and a summer that hopefully will shine upon us unfortunate freezing northern souls sooner than later.

I'll be making this hearty dish again in future. It is certainly an ideal way to showcase the assertive character of black beans that are complemented here by vibrant chilies and spices and, yes, some fine quality beer. You won't need a whole can or bottle, but if you like beer, then that won't pose a problem as you prepare the beans. I should note that you really can't detect the beer, though it does add further depth to this flavorful creation that is a complete taste sensation for the palate. Coconut milk is, in my opinion, also essential because of the delightful creaminess it imparts to the broth.

This is another recipe inspired from Janet of The Taste Space. She shares a wealth of creative vegan recipes to nourish for any season, anytime of day, often with ethnic influences that I admire so much. She is also a big fan of legumes and showcases them in countless inventive ways. My only complaint about visiting Janet's site is the hunger induced by her recipes and mouthwatering photos — that, and my ever expanding list of bookmarked recipes gets even longer with each visit.

On the topic of bookmarked recipes, I am sharing this with Jacqueline's monthly bookmarked recipes event.

Cuban-Inspired Black Beans

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from The Taste Space Cuisine: Cuban Published on May 7, 2014 Thick, colorful, hearty and vibrant Cuban-style black bean and chili stew seasoned with sun-dried tomatoes, spices and beer Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups dried black beans 1 large bay leaf 1 dried ancho chili 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil 1 small red onion, diced 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed 2 to 3 fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/4 to 1/2 half teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 small tomato, seeded and finely chopped 1/2 cup lager (I used Grolsch) 3/4 cup coconut milk 1/2 to 1 cup vegetable stock 1 tablespoon tamari (soy) sauce juice from 1 large lime (2 tablespoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste chopped fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish Instructions: Rinse the black beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in enough water to cover. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain, discard the bay leaf, and set aside. Meanwhile, soak the ancho chili and sun-dried tomatoes separately in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain each, chop finely, and set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and red pepper and stir for 5 minutes until softened. Add the ancho chili, garlic, fresh chilies and jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cayenne and oregano, and stir for another minute. Add the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes and stir until thickened — about 5 minutes. Pour in the beer and simmer for another few minutes. Now stir in the beans, coconut milk, 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock and tamari. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed, for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for another few minutes until a desired consistency is reached. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley or cilantro, alongside a bed of fresh cooked white rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More black bean offerings from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Beet, Barley and Black Bean Soup
Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Zesty Black Bean and Avocado Salad
Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: Dead Souls - Gogol

Audio Accompaniment: LTJ Bukem

The Ultimate Tempeh Chili

I've wanted to do a tempeh chili for a while now, and with the temperatures steadily on the low here in So Cal it's the perfect time of year to bring out the chili recipes. Tempeh makes for a great addition to any chili giving it an extra hearty feel and enhancing the protein & fiber content. With almost 20 grams of protein per 100 grams (about 3.5 oz.) of tempeh, add that to the high protein beans called for in this recipe and you've got yourself a great high protein chili to keep you feeling full while meeting your daily protein requirements easily. I've been trying to incorporate an extra dose of protein into my diet lately without having to use protein smoothies and this chili has been on my weekly rotation. I've played around with the recipe and have kept it fairly simple. Please keep in mind that tempeh is a soy product, and although it is a good soy product for you unlike some soy products it is best in moderation...once or twice a week is fine. You can feel good about having this once a week or every now and then. Gather your ingredients and make yourself a bowl of chili that will warm you up and keep you feeling great!



I did include a bottle of dark beer and loved the flavor it gave it. This Negra Modelo is perfect for cooking with and it's vegan friendly! This can be optional but well worth the added flavor, it rounds out the chili beautifully making it one of the best chili's I've ever had. The alcohol will for the most part burn off while simmering leaving the delicate characteristics behind. If your looking to minimize the alcohol content, take a look at the Alcohol Burn Off Rate Chart to find how long you should simmer your chili. If you've never made chili with beer before I recommend trying it, at least once! I used Negra Modelo here but you could also try a chocolate stout like Boatswain Chocolate Stout which is also vegan friendly. Whatever liquids you choose just be sure it equals about 2 cups.

A great go to one pot, hearty, high protein chili to enjoy anytime the craving calls!

The Ultimate Tempeh Chili

Ingredients

• 1 8oz. package tempeh (I used this three grain tempeh), crumbled
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or 1/4 cup water, for sauteing
• 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced fire roasted tomatoes and juices or 3 cups fresh diced tomatoes
• 1 can (4 oz.) diced mild green chilies or 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, optional
• Salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
• 1 bottle dark beer (Negra Modelo 1 bottle = 1 1/2 cups) plus 1/2 cup additional water or 2 cups water
• scallions, for garnish

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat your oil/water over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, spices and tempeh and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add beans, tomatoes, green chili/bell pepper and dark beer/water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer for 1 hour.

This would be fantastic with a dollop of this Basic Cashew Sour Cream or Lime-Cilantro Cashew 'Sour Cream'. Serve with green onions and/or cilantro as well.

Serves 4 to 6.

Notes:

Mix the beans up however you like using all of one type or your favorite combination. If you would rather use only 2 cans of beans, that's great too! I like adding more ingredients as it makes the chili go further. If using your own cooked beans you'll need about 4 1/2 cups.

Feel free to use 2 packages tempeh instead of just 1. At times I like the extra dose of protein the tempeh adds and will double the amount making for an extra hearty chili. So good! 

For those who do not care for the taste of tempeh, I recommend making this a day ahead so the flavors really meld into the tempeh masking most of its natural flavor. Or try using the three grain tempeh as its flavor is not as strong.

If you find you added to much heat from the chipotle, try adding a teaspoon or so of cocoa/cacao powder or organic sugar.

Enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar Quinoa Salad

I love quinoa salads and this version is as simple as can be. It's full of protein, fiber and many other nutrients to keep you feeling at your best. I hope you all have come to love quinoa and can find it at a reasonable price. I happen to see it today in the store for $12 a pound and was stunned. I buy mine from a bulk bin for just under $4 a pound at my local health conscious store. If you can't find it for a decent price in your local stores, check online for the best possible prices and have it delivered to you. I have had great success with Vitacost.com, they have decent prices and ship fast! For a reasonably priced fair trade quinoa that ranges from $6 to $10 a pouch (depending on the color), check Alter Eco. They also have other fair trade items. Also, be sure to tell your grocery store manager to carry these items in the future. Quinoa is such a versatile grain, is full of protein and fiber and should be a staple in your healthy kitchen. 

Ok, back to this cowboy caviar. Usually cowboy caviar is made without quinoa and is served as a dip of sorts along with tortilla chips to scoop. Here we are going to serve it along with some scooping leafy greens making this a super healthy meal or snack. This salad has just the right amount of flavor and I know you will enjoy it as much as I have. It's also a one pot meal making it an easy dish to put together. You can find the inspiration for this recipe here. 

I love not using spoons or forks with this but of course depending on the style of lettuce you choose you may need a little help from your utensils. The endive worked like a charm for scooping up this salad all the way to the end. You can also try romaine, radicchio, bibb lettuce. It's makes for extra freshness to this dish...a perfect match!

Cowboy Caviar Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried quinoa
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 can (15oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 fresh corn off the cob (I used a white corn)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• cilantro, chopped and added to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, or to taste
• himalayan salt, to taste
• cracked pepper, to taste
• 2-3 limes
• scooping greens like endive, romaine or bibb lettuce

In a medium size pot, add water and quinoa, bring to boil over medium high heat, reduce to a simmer and cover, cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove lid and let set for 10 minutes.

While your quinoa is cooking, prepare your veggies. Once quinoa is done, add the black beans, corn, red bell pepper and onion. Season to taste with cumin, salt and pepper. Add the juice of one or two limes. Just before serving add in the diced avocado and chopped cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges and scooping leafy greens. Serves four.

As with all my recipes, add more or less of any ingredient to suit your tastes...

Enjoy!

SWEET POTATO & QUINOA CHILI

Meals that can easily fit into your meal rotation are what I really love to share. As we can get a bit bored with the usual meals, it's nice to have more easy options that come together in a cinch. I love finding these simple dishes that truly work and can be made over and over again. That is what I share with you today. Nothing complicated in this recipe, everything is probably in your kitchen right now or you can find right away at your favorite grocery store. Eating vegan meals every day that are healthy and tasty is really easy once you get the hang of it. This chili has plenty of protein and essential fiber, vitamins and minerals while being flavorful and satisfying. I know you're going to love this one and find yourself making it often during the chili weather season. This lovely chili is a one pot meal that is ready in under an hour. Leftovers hold up extremely well too!

Bring on the chili...

SWEET POTATO & QUINOA CHILI

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes or 1 1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 1 large sweet pototo, diced (with or without the skin...I leave the skin on)
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• a few dashes of garlic powder
• a few dashes of onion powder
• himalayan salt to taste
• 4 cups (32 oz) water or vegetable broth, + more as needed
• avocado, cilantro and/or diced onion, for garnish (optional)

In large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 7 - 10 minutes). Add garlic, cook for another minute or so. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder, cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, liquids, beans and sweet potato, stir until combined. Add quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover slightly ajar and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chili is ready when sweet potatoes are tender. Add additional water if chili is too thick for your liking.

Serve with optional garnishes. You may also like to top it with this easy Cilantro Lime Cashew 'Sour Cream'.

Notes:

As with all recipes, adjust seasoning to taste. Add a 1/2 teaspoon or so chipotle powder for some added heat. Also, use whatever beans you prefer. You may even like to use one kind of bean instead of two.

Easy and delicious...Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe at Milk Free Mom

Street Tacos + Spanish Fried Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

We have a full meal here, quite a bit going on and all so worth it. Funny how things work, part of this recipe came to be while I was at the gym. I was already planning on making the taco's and quinoa afterwards. And what do you know was on TV...it was Taco Nite on the cooking channel which inspired the black bean salad! They showed that as a veggie taco filler and so I have it here because it's so simple and pairs nicely with the quinoa. As a matter of fact, combined together the quinoa and black bean salad make a great 'Spanish Black Bean Quinoa Salad' to be used for leftovers!

The simple taco filling is pretty fantastic. We're using walnuts, mushrooms and a few spices to create a nut filling. If this is new to you, I think you are going to enjoy this recipe and will make it again and again. For the Mexican flavors use spices like cumin, chili powder, cayenne, coriander, paprika, cilantro and/or lime. You can also use this nut meat in burritos or on top of a taco salad. Or mix up the spices for an Italian flair using oregano, basil, marjoram, sun dried tomatoes, sage, thyme or rosemary and use it in lasagna or on top of spaghetti. 

The thing I really love about all of these recipes together is that you can mix and match everything to your liking making tacos out of it all. I've also included the option of using lettuce leaves instead of corn tortilla's. Both ways are fantastic!

Maybe you'll prefer your tacos on the fresh side! These raw tacos are so delicious and refreshing. If you've never tried them I urge you to pick up some butter, romaine or other leafy lettuce and give this a try....you will not be disappointed. You may also opt to have your nut meat served at room temperature instead of warmed if you like. You could also double up on the leaves. If your interested in the nut meats, I also have a Rawsome Taco Salad w/ Lime Cilantro 'Sour Cream' that you may like to try as well. The Lime Cilantro Cashew 'Sour Cream' would be great along side this recipe as would this basic Cashew Sour Cream.

The traditional corn tortillas warmed on the griddle or warm skillet will envelope all the goodies you put into your street taco. So simple, healthy and delicious! 

Don't forget the Tapatio! Really sets the tacos off nicely, even the lettuce wrapped ones.

Now let's get cooking and eat...

Street Tacos, Spanish Fried Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

Ingredients (serves 3)

Tacos

• corn tortillas (2 per person)
• butter, romaine or other leafy green lettuce leaves for raw taco wrap, optional
• cilantro
• lime wedges
• pico de gallo
• avocado slices
• tapatio

Nut Meat for Tacos

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
• 1 tablespoon tamari, soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Pico de Gallo

• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• himalayan salt to taste

Spanish Fried Quinoa

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive or sesame oil
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce or about 3/4 cup 
• 1 cup water or veggie broth (liquid total between water and tomato sauce should be 1 3/4 cup, at most)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded & diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
• himalayan salt to taste
• cilantro, chopped
• (use any veggies you want in place of bell peppers...ie, peas, chopped carrots, chopped tomatoes, etc)

Black Bean Salad

• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 corn off the cob, grilled (optional) or 1 can corn, drained or 1 cup frozen, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon or so cumin
• himalayan salt to taste
• juice of 1 lime
• cilantro, to taste

First start with the corn, if roasting. I used my griddle on high and it took about 50 minutes with turning every so often to get the nice roasted look. Fresh corn right of the cob would be great too, it's sweet and tasty without  needing to be cooked. Roasting is optional. 

Onto the Spanish fried quinoa. In medium size pan or skillet, heat oil over medium high heat, add onion and cook for two minutes, add quinoa and cook another five minutes or so stirring frequently until quinoa starts to get toasty and turn slightly golden. Add water, tomato sauce, bell pepper or veggies of choice, jalapeno, garlic powder, chili powder and salt, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. When done, remove cover, stir in some chopped cilantro to taste, and let set for 15 minutes to absorb the rest of the liquids. Taste for seasonings before serving.

Next, put together the pico de gallo. Chop and dice your ingredients, combine everything in a small bowl with lime juice and salt to taste. Set aside to let the flavors mingle. 

Now onto the black bean salad. In a medium size bowl, combine all the ingredients, taste for seasoning adding anything extra you might like. 

Start the nut meat. Place all ingredients in food processor/blender and pulse until you have chunky crumbles. Don't over process or you will have a nut mushroom pate...which wouldn't be so bad but we want a crumbly effect here. :) This is optional but in a small sauce pan, heat the nut meat on low just until warm. You don't want to over heat or the mushrooms will cook too much, we just want it slightly warm. I find both ways, warm and room temp, to be just as appealing. 

Warm your tortillas on the griddle or skillet for 30 seconds per side. 

Finally, put your plates and tacos together as you wish! You may find that you end up combining the black bean salsa with the spanish fried quinoa. You may also find yourself making tacos out of both of those side dishes as well. However you craft your plate....

Enjoy! 

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