South
of the Border Bean Casserole
One of my favorite quick & easy meals
1
package taco seasoning mix
2 bell peppers, chopped (I use 1 red and 1 green)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups salsa
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour
into a casserole dish. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover
and bake for 15 minutes more, or until heated through.
This
is very good by itself, but it's also good as a topping for
rice.
Squash
with Toasted Garlic and Lime
1/2
pound zucchini
1/2 pound yellow squash
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
5 cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Slice
the squash and zucchini. In a large skillet, saute the garlic
in the broth until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic and
set aside. Raise heat to medium high.
Add
squash to pan and saute for 8-10 minutes, until tender but
a little crunchy. Stir in lime juice, oregano, parsley, pepper,
garlic, and add salt to taste. Mix well.
Spicy Potato Chunks
These also make a great snack
1
teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cloves minced garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
8 or 9 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1" chunks
Preheat
the oven to 425. Mix all ingredients except potatoes in bowl
until you have a smooth paste. Add the potato chunks a few
at a time and stir to coat with seasoning paste. Repeat until
all potatoes are coated. Spread out on 2 nonstick baking sheets
and bake for 30-45 minutes or until tender.
Note:
This recipe is a modified version of one found in the New
McDougall Cookbook
Black
Bean Chili over Sweet Potatoes
Don't let the unusual combination scare you....this
is delicious!
4 large sweet potatoes
2 cups diced red bell pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups yellow squash, diced
1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 lime
Preheat
the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork
and place on a baking sheet. Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes,
or until tender.
Saute
bell pepper and onions in a small amount of broth or water
over medium heat until soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in spices, tomatoes,
and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer
for 20 minutes.
Add
squash and jalapeno. Cook, covered, about 6 minutes or until
squash is crisp-tender. Place one peeled, slightly mashed
sweet potato on each plate. Top with chili and drizzle with
freshly squeezed lime juice, if desired.
Mediterranean-Style
Vegetables
1
cup zucchini, sliced
1 cup yellow squash, sliced
2 cups red, yellow, or green bell peppers, sliced (I use a
combination)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
Combine
all ingredients except tomatoes in a large saucepan. Bring
to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes
or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes and
serve.
Spicy
Black-eyed Peas and Rice
Another favorite quick & easy dinner
2
cups cooked brown rice
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
Mix
all ingredients together in a large skillet. Bring to a boil,
stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10
minutes or until heated through.
This
is a very versatile recipe. Feel free to use different seasonings
if these don't strike your fancy.
Mushrooms
in Balsamic Vinegar
1
pound fresh mushrooms, sliced (I use half cremini and half
portabello)
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 cup water
Wash
and slice mushrooms and place in a nonstick skillet. Add vinegar,
garlic, and sugar. Saute until mushrooms are tender, about
15 minutes, adding water as necessary so it has a little broth
and doesn't dry out. Add soy sauce and lime juice, heat for
a few minutes, and serve immediately.
This
recipe is by David Wallis and was found at fatfree.com
Gingered
Broccoli-Pineapple Stir-Fry
2
cups broccoli florets or pieces (frozen is fine)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon grated ginger root
Heat
pineapple juice and soy sauce in a wok or large skillet. Add
garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add broccoli and
bell pepper and simmer until done. Stir in pineapple chunks
and heat through. Serve over rice.
Crockpot
Gumbo
1
onion, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, or 3 whole cloves
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup canned or frozen butter beans (rinsed and drained, if
canned)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups sliced okra
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Put
all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours or
on low for 8-10 hours. Serve over rice, if desired.
You
can, of course, use file' powder to be more authentic. The
cloves and allspice are the closest I think you can get if
you don't have the real thing.
Lentil-Barley
Shepherd's Pie
This is absolutely delicious! The herbes de Provence
are essential to its wonderful flavor. From fatfree.com
2
cups water
1/2 cup uncooked lentils
1/4 cup uncooked barley
1 large carrot, diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup canned tomatoes, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence*
1 teaspoon parsley
salt and pepper
3 medium potatoes
Cut
potatoes into chunks (peel if you like) and boil until soft.
Mash and set aside.
Place
1 1/4 cups water in saucepan with lentils and barley. Bring
to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile,
heat the remaining 3/4 cups water in a saucepan. Add carrots,
onion, and garlic and cook until tender. Add tomatoes and
spices. Mix the flour with a little water and add to saucepan.
Stir and cook over low heat until thickened. Mix vegetable
mixture with cooked lentils and barley. Pour into casserole
dish and top with mashed potatoes.
Bake
at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
Herbes
de Provence
(makes 1/4 cup)
1
teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons savory
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons marjoram
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
Crush
the fennel seeds finely with a mortar and pestle (or use a
coffee grinder). Combine all the herbs in a small jar with
a tight-fitting lid.
Brunswick
Stew
Considering that the main ingredient in traditional
Brunswick stew is meat, this vegetarian version is amazingly
good!
2
onions, chopped
1 cup butter beans (lima beans), canned or frozen
1 cup green peas, canned or frozen
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 cups broth (I like to use half chicken-style, half beef-style)
1 can cream-style corn
4 medium potatoes, diced
1 cup ketchup or tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 cups cooked brown rice
salt and pepper to taste
Mix
all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to boil, reduce
heat to low, and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for
at least 1 hour. Add water as necessary if it gets too thick.
I
keep meaning to try this in the crockpot.
Mexican
Lentil Stew with Roasted Garlic and Chilies
From fatfree.com, adapted from "Fields of Green"
by Annie Sommerville
1
1/2 cups lentils
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sage (or 2 fresh sage leaves)
1 teaspoon oregano or marjoram
1
head of garlic
24 ounces canned tomatoes with juice
1/2
cup water
1 red onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground*
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, toasted*
1 small carrot, diced
1 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced
3 new potatoes, preferably roasted, cut into eighths
chili powder to taste
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile puree
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
Put
the lentils, water, bay leaf, sage, and oregano or marjoram
in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for
about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Remove
the bay leaf.
While
the lentils are cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Wrap the head of garlic in foil or place it on a baking sheet
and roast for 30 minutes. After it has cooled, squeeze the
garlic out of the skin and into a food processor or blender.
Puree with the tomatoes and juice. Set aside.
Put
the 1/4 cup water in a skillet or large saucepan and turn
the heat to medium. Add the onion, cumin, and oregano and
cook until soft. Add the carrot and red pepper and cook until
tender. Add the chile puree, the potatoes, and the tomato-garlic
mixture and cook for 10 minutes at medium-low heat.
Combine
the lentils and liquid with the vegetables. Cook over low
heat for 30 minutes, covered. Test for salt and chili flavor.
If not hot enough, add some chile powder. Just before serving,
sprinkle the cilantro on top, if desired.
*
To toast herbs and spices: use a small, heavy skillet. Place
the herb or spice in the skillet over low heat. Shake the
skillet until the aroma of the herb or spice is released.
Be careful not to burn them. Then grind the spice if necessary.
**
Look for chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce. Puree the
whole can and store in a jar in the refrigerator. They keep
quite a while and are perfect for jazzing up all manner of
foods. Use sparingly, though.....it's hot!
Cajun-Style
Red Beans and Rice
1
1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup Lundberg Wehani, Mahogany, or Japonica rice (or substitute
regular brown rice)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, finely diced
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, finely diced
1 teaspoon chipotle
puree
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon dried parsley (or 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley)
3 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water
2 bay leaves
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 teaspoon salt
Place
rice, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bell pepper, chipotle
puree, cumin, coriander, parsley, and chili powder in a large
pot. Heat for about 5 minutes, stirring very frequently, until
lightly browned. Meanwhile, bring the broth and bay leaf to
a boil in a separate pot. Add to the rice mixutre. Cover,
reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir
in beans, tomatoes, corn, and salt. Cover and simmer for 15
minutes more, or until rice is tender and liquid is mostly
absorbed.
Spicy
Zucchini and Tomatoes
1/2
pound zucchini, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sherry (or other white wine)
1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 teaspoon chipotle puree
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Sautee
the onion and garlic in the sherry until tender. Add the zucchini,
tomatoes, and chipotle puree. Bring to a boil, reduce heat,
and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until the zucchini
is tender. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt and pepper
to taste.
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