Category Archives: recipes

Joy Bauer’s Food Cures

by health, recipes, reviews, vegetables, vegetarian


Joy Bauer's Food Cures has been revised and updated; I was fortunate enough to have a copy recently come across my desk.

As those of you reading my blog know, I am a huge proponent of food and it's ability to help support a healthy body.  We are what we eat; eating whole food and practicing wholesome nutrition goes a long way toward supporting our bodies and in dealing with health issues.

Broken down into several easy to understand categories this book covers the basics of understanding nutrition as well as how to, as Joy puts it, “think like a nutritionist.”  She offers information about how to lose weight and support healthy skin and hair.

Speaking of hair, did you know the average person loses about 100 hairs each day?  It turns out that since hair is made from protein if we don't get enough we can actually cause the rate of new hair growth to slow down.  In the book Joy points out that hair is a good way to determine overall health and highlights which vitamins (and which foods contain those vitamins) are supportive for healthy hair and nails (which are made from the same hardened keratin protein as hair).  Offering more in-depth health and nutrition support, the book also delves into conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, migraines, IBS and more.

The book is easy-to-read and laid out with step-by-step encouragement and support to help the reader reach their goals for health.  The book is also sprinkled with lots of call-out boxes which cover the highlights and answer questions that the reader may have.  She includes stories and examples throughout the book which is helpful.  In addition to providing the necessary information to help the reader better understand the basics of their condition and how to best support their body each chapter has a 4-Step Program which reminds the reader of the basics, provides a grocery list, offers some additional suggestions, and then also offers meal plans with some delicious looking recipes.  Her Citrus Smooth-See recipe on page 272 is delicious as is the Vegetable Oatmeal Bisque on page 322.  And the Parmesan Couscous and Ratatouille with Olives, Tomatoes and Fresh Basil on pages 383 (listed below) is a new family favorite.

Joy Bauer's Food Cures provides what you need to know about healthy eating and whole food nutrition.  It also gives you information to help you understand how to make those healthy changes.

Parmesan Couscous and Ratatouille With Olives, Tomatoes, and Fresh Basil
Makes 3 servings (1 1/2 cups ratatouille and 1 1/2 cups coucous per serving

Ratatouille

1/2 pound kale, stems trimmed, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow squash, cut into small cubes (about 2 cups)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 cups kalamata or nicoise olives (7 or 8) pitted and chopped
Pinch of ground red papper
1/4 cup whole basil leaves torn

Couscous

1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped
1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth, heated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

To make the ratatouille:
Heat a deep saute pan over high heat
Add the kale, a sprinkle of salt, and 3/4 cup water
Cook, stirring occasionally for 13-15 minutes or until softened
If the kale becomes too dry add more water
Stir in the oil, squash, tomatoes, olives, and red pepper
Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the squash is tender and the tomatoes lose their shape
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil
Set aside

To make the couscous:
In a medium bowl, mix the couscous and sugar snap peas
Pour the hot broth on top, stir at once and cover with aluminum foil
Allow the couscous to rest for 5-6 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the couscous is soft and fluffy
Fold the cheese into the couscous and season with salt and black pepper

To serve:
Spoon the couscous onto a plate or bowl and serve the ratatouille on top

To learn more about Joy and the concept of food cures visit her website.

Disclosure: cmp.ly/1, cmp.ly/5

The Giving Season

by crockpot, holidays, recipes
hot chocolate | photo: Itizdacuriz

Every year around the holiday season I always find that I need a few small gifts.  Not willing to brave the shopping frenzy at this time of year I turn to the idea of making gifts at home.  I find many people truly enjoy receiving these more personal gifts.

Confession time.  I'm a fairly decent knitter but rather slow at it so whipping out a bunch of hand knitted gifts just isn't going to happen.  (I'm still working on a gift for someone that was supposed to be last year's present.)  I have visions of all of the fabulous crafty gifts that abound on the internet that look so easy.  Following directions closely my version comes out “nice” but certainly not as full of wow factor as the originals; so that's not gonna happen either.

But…food…I love food.  And I love giving food.  And most people I know like getting food.  That makes it a perfect gift in my book.  The best part is that you still have time to put it all together, wrap it up in a pretty ribbon and gift it to that someone special without braving the crowds. the carols, and the olfactory assault that is commercialized holiday shopping.

  1. Chocolate Granola – This recipe is from my friend Christine and is always a huge hit.  Made in the crockpot it's super easy; set it to cook all day (stirring when you remember) while you are doing other things.
  2. Crockpot Snack Mix – There are four recipes on this post Tropical, Tex-Mex, Asian, and Curried; they're all delicious.  Another fabulous use for your crockpot.
  3. Crockpot Nuts – Okay, by now you've figured out that I love my crockpot.  These snack nuts are so tasty that I always have to make extras because they're just that good.
  4. Vanilla Sugar – This is a fabulous gift to give, especially to someone who is a baker.  One vanilla bean pod split and shoved, seeds and all, into a wide mouth pint jar full of evaporated cane juice crystals.  Tie a pretty ribbon on it and you're good to go.  It does need to sit for 2-3 weeks to allow the aroma to infuse so stick a note on it if necessary.
  5. Hot Cocoa Mix – This is based on a recipe from a major food manufacturer.  I've changed it by substituting better ingredient options and removing the requirement for name brand products. 
  • 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1/3 Cup evaporated cane juice crystals (optional – made into vanilla sugar. yum)
  • 1 1/2 Cups organic milk powder 
  • 1/2 Cup chopped good quality chocolate (I prefer Belgian chocolate)
  • Layer ingredients in order given into a wide mouth pint jar, close and decorate with ribbon
  • Instructions for preparation:  Gently heat 4 cups of organic milk to just below boiling, add contents of the jar, whisking well until fully combined.  note:  if not using vanilla sugar include instructions to use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.  
  • Garnish with organic whipped cream and shaved chocolate.  Makes 4 servings  
Whatever your holiday of choice, I hope it's a happy and healthy one.

Curried Cauliflower

by recipes, vegetables, vegetarian, , ,

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

 

A delicious cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower is high in vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and pantothenic acid. High in fiber, some studies indicate that it's a good choice for cardiovascular health due to its ability to bind bile acids and help regulate cholesterol levels. In addition to cardiovascular support, cauliflower is also good for the detoxification, digestive, immune, and inflammatory systems in the body. 

In my part of the world, cauliflower is in season.  I'm very fortunate to live in an area where we have an extended growing season.  While I miss certain crops that need cold weather to grow well (like rhubarb) I love the veggies that come out of my garden.

 

Eat it All!

 

Cauliflower is a fabulous white vegetable. Sometimes it comes in an orange-y yellow color or even purple. Those have a few more antioxidants, but they're all still cauliflower and absolutely delicious steamed, baked, roasted, or even be eaten raw.

The tastiness doesn't stop with the florets.  Easy and versatile to prepare in a number of different ways, one of the things that always seems to surprise people is that you can use the cauliflower green leafy bits too.  They make a great vegetable to go along with your cooked cauliflower.

In the summer I often roast the greens right along with the florets.  Drizzled with fruity olive oil, some sea salt, and fresh ground pepper they are truly fabulous. A friend of mine recently told me that he used the greens in place of kale to make cauliflower greens chips and they were delicious.  

Now that we're heading into colder weather I'm not eating raw or steamed vegetables as much, preferring different cooking methods.  At this time of year with cauliflower, I often like to curry it.  The flavors of curry go well with the cauliflower and greens.  Over a bed of rice with some protein on the side it's a very satisfying dinner.

Curried Cauliflower

A delicious, warming way to serve this versatile vegetable
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 generous pinch mustard seed
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil cold pressed, extra virgin, organic preferred
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 cauliflower greens, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/4 cup water
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in the pan
  • Add mustard seeds and cook until they just start to pop
  • Turn heat to medium
  • Add onions and saute until starting to soften
  • Add garlic and saute one minute more
  • Add curry powder and stir well
  • Add cauliflower, greens, and water
  • Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 8-10 minutes until cauliflower is tender
  • Season with salt and cilantro

Zoodles And Sausage

by flexitarian, gluten free, recipes, summer, vegetables, ,

It's zucchini season, that means LOTS of zucchini and a distinct need for more recipes. And while zucchini bread is really delicious, there's only so much of that that you can eat in one season.

Below is a dinner that I made recently using zucchini noodles or zoodles. One of the great things about this dish, aside from using up more zucchini, is that it's quick, easy, and very tasty. It's an assembly-style dish. You cook each of the layers individually and when you get to the last layer dinner is done.  Most of the time is spent in prep-work, the actual cooking doesn't take too long.  I do keep the dish in the oven in between layers (set to 250 degrees) to make sure everything stays warm.

 

Making Zoodles

 

These days with so many people eating gluten-free that means no pasta. The challenge is that there are so many delicious recipes out there that use noodles as a base.  My favorite solution is to make zoodles. You can even use the oversize-on-their-way-to-baseball-bat sized zucchini.  Of course, you can use the smaller, more tender ones too, really, in this case, any zucchini will do.

Previously the best way to make zoodles was to use a vegetable peeler, carefully peeling each side. This meant you had a leftover core with lots of seeds in it.  Sure you could cut up the core and throw it into your recipes, but somehow it always seemed to get just a little gloopy. Nowadays some genius has invented a zoodler that does it for you. Not only can you make noodles from zucchini, using this amazing device you can "zoodle" a whole bunch of different vegetables like carrots, beets, and more.  It's a fabulous way to add more veggies to your diet.  

So grab your zoodler and let's get going...

Zoodles And Sausage

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 package pre-cooked, chicken cilantro sausage
  • 1-2 zucchini, turned into zoodles
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup minced cilantro
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet
  • Add 1/2 of the diced onion and the garlic
  • When the onion starts to soften turn down the heat slightly and add the zucchini
  • Toss and cook the zucchini for approximately 5 minutes until it is coated in oil and warmed through
  • Place zucchini and onions into a serving dish
  • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet
  • Add the rest of the onion
  • When onion starts to soften add bell pepper, tomato, and tomato paste
  • Saute until bell pepper starts to soften
  • Add salt and pepper to taste
  • Spoon mixture over zucchini noodles
  • Place sausage in the skillet and heat until browned on the outside
  • Remove sausage from skillet and slice into bite sized pieces
  • Sprinkle sausage pieces on top of dish
  • Garnish with cilantro

Notes

If necessary you can make this dish ahead.  Simply reheat in a 300 F degree oven for about 20 minutes until all of the ingredients are warmed through

Gluten Free Lemon Muffins

by baking, gluten free, recipes, vegetarian, ,

I needed to make something to bring to an event that I was attending recently. Knowing that the hostess was sensitive to gluten and dairy I wanted to make sure that I made something that fit her nutritional plan.

Casting around for ideas I spied a pile of fresh Meyer lemons that I had recently been gifted with in the fruit bowl.  These are my absolute favorite lemons. Immensely fragrant they add fabulous lemon-y flavor. I have a small tree that is now making 6-8 lemons a year.  I am eagerly awaiting the day that I get bags full of lemons like my friends.  Fortunately, those same friends are very generous and share.

I had thought about making a lemon quick bread but decided to make muffins instead. The best thing about muffins is that they are so easy to throw together. In just a few minutes you can have all of the ingredients mixed together and into the pan.  Because muffins are so small they bake rather quickly. 

I love lemon-flavored baked goods. Quick breads, scones, muffins, they are all so tasty when they have the added brightness of lemon added to them.  I'm not sure why lemon baked goods don't often make an appearance, more people seem to go for chocolate, or other flavors.  Sometimes sticking with a simple flavor is the best, imho.

I wanted my muffins to have a little crunch to them so I decided to add some millet which would give a slight pop.  I've used millet before in other baked goods and like the crunch and texture it adds.  

I often play with a recipe multiple times before it's ready for prime time, but this one seemed to come together really well so I'm sharing it as is.  I made it in mini-muffin tins and got three dozen.  They were well received at the event, all of them were eaten and I went home with crumbs.  This is definitely a recipe that's a keeper.  Something not-too-sweet but definitely tasty, perfect with a cup of tea to brighten up a cold, grey, winter morning.

Lemon Millet Muffins

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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup sucanat
  • 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice crystals
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup almond milk, approximately
  • 1 cup gluten free flour mix (I used a combination of oat, rice, buckwheat, tapioca)
  • 1/4 cup fresh ground flax seeds
  • 1/4 cup (heaping) millet seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F
  • Grease three mini-muffin pans (or one regular muffin pan)
  • Zest the lemon
  • Juice the lemon and put juice into a measuring cup
  • Add almond milk until there is 2/3 cup liquid
  • Beat together coconut oil and sugars until fully combined
  • Add eggs, one at a time until well mixed
  • Add lemon zest, baking soda, and the salt
  • Alternate adding flour and curdled milk, making sure they are well mixed
  • Spoon by tablespoonfuls into muffin cups
  • Bake 15 minutes
  • Let cool 2 minutes in the pan
  • Finish cooling on a wire rack

Pressure Cooker Curried Rice and Beans

Pressure Cooker Curried Chickpeas And Rice

by Instant Pot, legumes, recipes, vegetarian

Afraid of the pressure cooker

I have a confession to make.  I've always been a little afraid of pressure cookers.  When I was growing up my mother didn't use one.  By the time I was exposed to them as a young adult, the concept seemed a little scary.

When I talked to my mother about it she told me that her mother had used a pressure cooker when she was growing up.  So I asked my mother why she never used one.  She replied by sharing a story about my Nana, my father's mother, involving a pressure cooker.  

Apparently, in the middle of cooking dinner with the pressure cooker, something went horribly wrong. There was some kind of an explosion and the lid blew off.  There was so much force involved that the lid embedded itself in the ceiling of Nana's kitchen.  

One can only imagine the horror and disbelief … and what the kitchen must have looked like.  Mom wasn't exactly sure how Nana managed to get the lid out of the ceiling.  That was the end of pressure cooking as far as Nana was concerned. Needless to say that episode was enough to convince my mother that she did not want to use a pressure cooker.  Ever.

Learning to use a pressure cooker

 Not having grown up around one neither did I.  Until now. Fast forward many years….my friend Emily at The Kindred Kitchen invited me over for dinner.  She made an amazing dinner in her pressure cooker.  She was so confident, so calm, and it was all so delicious!  I was hooked and wound up buying one of my own.

I've been experimenting with it and have discovered that I absolutely love it; it is rapidly becoming one of my favorite kitchen appliances.  Meats and vegetables are delicious, colorful, flavorful, and oh so tender.  The real prize-winning use, however, is for rice and beans, of all different flavor profiles.  It is so quick, so easy, and it comes out just right.  I absolutely love my pressure cooker and owe Emily a debt of gratitude for helping me to change my mind.  This recipe for curried chickpeas and rice is based on one that she shared with me.

Pressure Cooker Curried Rice and Beans
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
  2. 1 cup brown rice
  3. 1 medium onion, diced
  4. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 2 tablespoons curry powder
  6. 2 cups vegetable broth
  7. sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  8. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. In the morning set the chickpeas to soak in a pot of hot water
In the evening assemble your meal
  1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas
  2. Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker
  3. Saute the onions and garlic for a few minutes until soft
  4. Add the curry powder and stir for a moment
  5. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated
  6. Add the broth, chickpeas, salt and pepper
  7. Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure
  8. Reduce the heat but still maintain high pressure
  9. Cook for 9 minutes and remove from heat
  10. Let pressure drop naturally for another 5 minutes
  11. Quick release and then remove the lid
  12. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

New and improved pressure cooking

Fast forward again. After I became comfortable with using a pressure cooker a lovely new device came on the market.  The Instant Pot! I love my instant pot and it's pressure cooking capabilities. This dish works just as well in the instant pot and only needs a few modifications.

Instant Pot Curried Chickpeas and Rice
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
  2. 3 cups of water
  3. 1 cup brown rice
  4. 1 medium onion, diced
  5. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  6. 2 tablespoons curry powder
  7. 2 cups vegetable broth
  8. sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
  9. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. Add chickpeas and 3 cups of water to IP
  2. Cook for 2 minutes
  3. Natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release
  4. Rinse well and set aside
  5. Heat the olive oil in the IP
  6. Saute the onions and garlic for a few minutes until soft
  7. Add the curry powder and stir for a moment
  8. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated
  9. Add the broth, chickpeas, salt and pepper
  10. Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure for 25 minutes
  11. Natural release for 15 minutes, then quick release
  12. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

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Gotta Love Salsa!

by recipes, tomatoes, , ,

Salsa is rapidly becoming a favorite condiment for many people.  After all there's nothing else that goes quite so well with nachos and I'm fairly certain that's a popular snack at home or when eating out.

The great thing about salsa is that it can be made so many different ways, with fruit, spicy, mild, any way you like. Defined as a fresh relish it's readily available on grocery store shelves.  However, it's so easy to make at home, and so much tastier, that I prefer to make it myself.

One of the great things about salsa is the way the flavors can be combined to make a condiment to accompany just about any dish. Fruit flavors, such as peach, pineapple, mango, and many more.  The heat can be adjusted depending on how many chilis you do (or don't) use.

Don't just serve it with chips, depending on the flavor profile you can pair salsa with many different foods:

  • on top of baked potatoes
  • mixed with brown rice and beans
  • as a salad dressing
  • on top of meatloaf
  • with scrambled eggs in a taquito
  • with baked chicken
  • in a TexMex lettuce wrap
  • poured over cream cheese for a dip
  • with baked fish
  • use your imagination.....the possibilities are endless
 
Here's a basic salsa recipe for you, play with it and make changes however you like, there's really no right or wrong with salsa.
 

Basic Salsa

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Ingredients
  

  • 8 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 medium red onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients together and serve.

World Egg Day

by eggs, gluten free, recipes

October 8 is World Egg Day.  Over the years eggs have gotten a bad rap. We've been told that we shouldn't eat them, or we should eat them but throw out the yolks, now they're okay to eat (avoiding problems with suppliers that is).  I think a lot of people are still very confused about eggs and whether they are okay to eat.

Eggs are a great food.  Yes, they have cholesterol in them, but it's healthy cholesterol and something that our body knows how to process.  A single egg also contains six grams of protein for only about 70 calories.  That's quite a nutritional package.  They also provide brain-boosting choline as well as lutein which can be helpful in protecting against cataracts and macular degeneration.

Just as important, eggs are delicious, versatile, and easy to prepare.  In honor of World Egg Day, here's a recipe for a Breakfast Quiche Muffins modified from the excellent Crustless Quiche recipe by Jeffrey Smith.

Breakfast Quiche Muffins

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Ingredients
  

  • 4 slices preservative free bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced and sauteed
  • 2 spring onions, diced
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup organic cottage cheese
  • 1 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup brown rice flour (can use whole wheat if GF is not a concern)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • generous pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  • Grease two muffin tins and set aside
  • Beat together eggs, cottage cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • blend in bacon, mushrooms, and spring onions
  • In a separate bowl whisk together dry ingredients before adding to mixture
  • Spoon mixture into muffin cups
  • Top with remaining shredded cheese
  • Bake until tops are golden and quiches are slightly firm when touched 15-20 mins
  • Remove from oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes before serving

Notes

Notes:
  • These can be frozen and reheated at 400 degrees F for 5-7 minutes
  • It is possible to use other vegetables
  • Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs for added flavor



Persimmon Raisin Muffins

by baking, fruit, recipes, seasons, vegetarian, , ,

It's persimmon season!  I love these tasty little fruits, with their rich fragrant scent and amazing flavor. Luckily for me, there is a pick your own place not too far away.  Each year I go and pick pounds and pounds of them.  I eat as many as I can before they get so ripe and so soft that they are in danger of sliding out of the fruit bowl and off the counter.  They have to be pretty soft before they are ripe enough to eat so this window is pretty small.

When I get to this point I turn the rest into pulp to store in the freezer.  This allows me to make cakes, cookies, and other persimmon delights for as long as the supply lasts. Apparently you can make jam from persimmons but I somehow never seem to get around to doing that.  I'm also not sure if I would use it as I'm currently the only one in the house who likes persimmons.

One of my favorite things to bake with persimmons are these muffins.  They're a great treat with a rich dark flavor that is so reminiscent of the crisp fall weather.  I'm sure they would freeze well but somehow they've never lasted long enough for me to test that theory.

Persimmon Raisin Muffins

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup persimmon pulp
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sucanat
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F
  • Grease loaf pans
  • Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt
  • In a separate bowl beat egg, add persimmon pulp and sucanat
  • Add vanilla, raisins and pecans
  • Add sifted ingredients and mix well
  • Spoon into greased muffin tins
  • Bake 15 minutes or until tops spring back when tapped
  • Remove from oven and cool in tins 3-4 minutes before moving to wire rack
  • Finish cooling on wire rack

black bean

Black Bean Casserole

by flexitarian, herbs and spices, legumes, recipes, vegetarian,

I previously posted a Meatless Monday menu of black bean casserole, roasted asparagus, spring onions, cauliflower, and cauliflower greens. It was a delicious dinner. I received a request for the recipe and decided to post it over here on the blog.

Benefits of Black Beans

I love oven roasting veggies; it's such a simple way to prepare them and makes fabulous leftovers. Black beans are a great flexitarian choice; they're tasty, easy to prepare, and go well with many different types of dishes.

Adding beans to your diet, if you don't already eat them, is such a healthy thing to do because not only are you getting protein, but you're also getting lots of fiber. One cup of black beans provides 15 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein. A pretty good deal in my book. Even better, you're also getting many B vitamins, primarily thiamin and folate, plus iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.

Recipe Adjustments and Preferences

This black bean casserole is one of my favorites because, with the addition of the corn tortillas, it makes a complete protein. The original recipe I developed calls for a generous sprinkling of shredded cheese on top; however, due to my new dietary restrictions, I am avoiding cheese. I've discovered that rice cheeses and other "fake" cheeses are unpleasant for my palate, both in taste and texture, so I've been feeding what I bought to the dogs (who are thrilled) and just leave out the cheese altogether. But if you're a cheese fan and can eat it, use about 3/4 cup.

Ingredient Choices

Being where we are in the growing season at the moment, with tomatoes so very expensive (and my garden burned to a crisp due to drought), I've turned to my favorite Pomi Chopped Tomatoes, which come in a box rather than a can, so there is no BPA. When tomatoes are in season and not hideously expensive, I definitely prefer them and use about four in this recipe.

black bean

Black Bean Casserole Recipe

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, chopped small
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (more if you like lots of garlic)
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped small
  • 1/2 of a 26 oz box of chopped tomatoes
  • 2 cups cooked black beans
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 6 medium-sized corn tortillas, cut or ripped in half
  • 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Lightly grease a medium round pie dish.
  • In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until wilted.
  • Add celery and garlic and sauté until celery is wilted.
  • Add black beans, tomatoes, and cumin, and cook until heated through.
  • Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • In the pie pan, layer 4 corn tortilla halves with 1/3 black bean mixture (the top layer is where the cheese goes if you're using it).
  • Repeat layers, ending with the bean mixture.
  • Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, and sprinkle with spring onions, cilantro, and lime juice.

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