Spring Roll Salad

Pin It Now!

Working full time again has made it hard for me to keep up with my blogs!!  I feel so behind...but teaching again has really kept me busy and here in Saudi, that's such a good thing.  I must admit, I am amazed at how difficult it is to be a mom, wife and full time teacher.  Talk about trying to find balance in your life!  I'm so thankful I have a husband who is supportive and helps out...a lot.  
Of course, it's also taken a toll on my cooking style.  Thankfully, another lady who recently moved sold me her crock-pot.  What a lifesaver!!! (they don't exist here in Saudi...trust me, I've looked and looked!)  I've been scouring the web for amazing slow cooker recipes. 
In the meantime, I will try and get caught up with past recipes that I've been making.  

Another fab find from Pinterest.  It's my go-to cookbook now.  :)  
This was a great salad.  I made it to take to a pot luck and there wasn't nothing left at the end.  (which made me kind of sad because I was hoping for leftovers)
I had to alter the recipe based on what I could actually find here, but the end result was still delish.  

By the way....what's your favorite slow cooker recipe?

Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup

Pin It Now!

My Pinterest addiction is leading me to so many new recipes!  I love spending hours (I mean a few minutes...shhhh...don't tell the hubby!)  browsing all the different recipes floating around the net.  
This is one I'm SO happy I found.  Thanks to Closet Cooking, this recipe will now be part of my monthly menu MUST cook list.  (oh, perhaps I should mention that it's STILL in the mid 90's here with about 80% humidity)  Yeah, that's when we just crank up the AC (thank goodness the hubby's company pays that bill) and pretend its winter time here.
This soup tastes rich, but the only fat is coming from the cheese.  (I used fat-free milk)  The girls had three bowls each and requested some for lunch the next day.  I'd say that counts as a hit in this house!

You could totally make a few variations to this dish...try different types of cheese, add bacon (oh how I miss thee), spike it with some hot sauce...have fun!

Looking forward to making this again....may add some beef bacon (so not the same...but what can you do?) next time!  

What are some of your favorite Go-To soups?  Do you have some fall faves?

Wild Rice w/Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds

Pin It Now!

My mom had brought us some bags of rice when she met up with me in Italy.  (because all we have here is Basmati and Arborio- and without wine, Arborio just isn't the same)  Anyway, I thought the rice she brought me was black rice (I mean it looked black to me!)  So, I googled recipes for black rice.
Let me just say, there aren't many choices out there.  Guessing black rice is hard to find.  But, still, thinking I had black rice, I chose to make this dish.
I just happened to have purchased a pomegranate a few days before and then all I needed was the squash.  The recipe is from Cooking Light and the reviews were a bit mixed.  But, it was the best recipe I could find, so I went with it.
Turns out my rice was just wild rice (really good wild rice, though, from Trader Joes)  I had no idea what this was going to taste like...and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.  The kids kinda liked it, they weren't jumping up and down or anything.  But the hubby gave the dish two thumbs up.  I kept with what a review said and served the dish warm.  Great weeknight meal that didn't take long to prepare.  Not to mention, extremely healthy and vegan!  :D

• Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup black rice*
• 1 pound butternut squash
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika*
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Sweet Potato Burgers

Pin It Now!

Hi, my name is Staci.  I'm addicted to Pinterest.

There, I said it.  No denying it now, it's out there for the world to see.  Sigh...I wish I could say that it's a horrible addiction, but its totally not.  I love the things I've found on that website.  Everything from food to teaching ideas.  And thankfully, I found this awesome recipe on there as well.

We are trying to detox our bodies of the mass amount of carbs we ate while in Italy, therefore, this "burger" is missing it's bun.  But, I didn't miss eating it.  These little burgers are fabulous and you get to enjoy the crunch of the panko and raw onion without some silly bread getting in the way.  (well, that's what I told myself)  

I altered the original recipe a bit (one was leaving out the bun) and created something the entire family loved.  The sweet potatoes we get here are not the bright orange kind...so I didn't get the deep color I was hoping for, didn't effect the taste though!  

We had leftovers and the next day I just threw a bit of oil in a skillet and browned them up a bit more, then popped them in the microwave to heat them all the way through.  They still had a nice, crispy outside.  

I've never been a big fan of raw onion, but somehow it tasted amazing on these burgers.  Nice thick slices of avocado and a drizzle of a sweet & spicy chili sauce topped it off perfectly.  We served them with a side of oven roasted cauliflower.  Filling, healthy, vegan....killer dinner.

Roasted Pasta Primavera

Pin It Now!

Ciao!!!  Okay, so yes, I've been gone forever...well, 6 weeks.  It was Ramadan here in Saudi (their holy month where they fast from sunup to sundown) and that meant it was time for me and my girls to skip out of town.  We've been in Italy for the past 6 amazing weeks.  It was an incredible trip and I was able to spend time with my mom, stepdad and even my aunt and uncle.  I was apart from the dear hubby for 4 weeks until he met up with us.  We spent time in Lake Como (touring all the towns like Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio), Lucca, Pisa, Venice and ended in Positano on the Almalfi Coast.  
And now, here I am, back in Saudi.  (hoping that sounds more enthusiastic in words than it does in my head)  Ah, but if it weren't for living here, I wouldn't get to go on these amazing trips.  :)
While in Italy, I had rented a house and got to do quite a bit of cooking, so the next few posts will all be Italian style meals.  And it also means that I had very little choice (if any) of which plates to use for each dish....so, yeah, they all look the same.  ah well.    
First up....this super tasty pasta primavera.  Roasting the veggies brings out fantastic flavors and turns a simple dish into something spectacular.  This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, I had to tweak it a little because I couldn't find all the ingredients she called for, still...it was a great meal.  :)  Leave out the cheese and you have yourself a fab Vegan dinner!

Ingredients

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
• 1 pound spinach flavored penne pasta
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Transfer half of the vegetable mixture to another heavy large baking sheet and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Quinoa Pasta with Pomodoro Sauce

Pin It Now!

Back from a lovely 4 weeks in Vegas with my family and friends.  It was so nice to be able to go out to eat at fun restaurants.  I devoured tons of sushi.  Did a bit of cooking, but not much.  But, I did buy some great items to bring back with me for cooking.  One big one was quinoa and quinoa pasta.  (I also brought back panko bread crumbs, some hot sauces, saffron, and wild rice)  So, now I'm back here in Saudi and my cooking cap is on and raring to go!
I couldn't wait to cook up the quinoa pasta and I wanted to find a nice sauce to go with it.  This was just perfect.  I amped up the protein even more by adding cannellini beans.
An incredibly simple sauce with monster flavor.  The hubby likened it a bit to vodka sauce...minus the vodka and cream.  
Leftovers were great too!  Happy cooking!

Recipe adapted from Epicurious


Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes, puréed in a food processor
Kosher salt
3 large fresh basil sprigs
12 ounces quinoa pasta
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino



Directions:
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute more. Increase heat to medium, add puréed tomatoes and season lightly with kosher salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in basil sprigs, and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-quart pot. Season with salt; add spaghetti or bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Discard basil and heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add beans and toss to coat, next add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired.

Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes

Pin It Now!

Last week the hubby and I celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary.  It's been an amazing seven years...with babies, new homes, travels, moving abroad...the roller coaster called life.  We love the ride.  Since there isn't anywhere even close to being worthy of a celebration spot here in Yanbu, I knew I would be cooking my own dinner.  I didn't really mind...well, a little...I mean, who doesn't want to get all fancy dressed and head out with the one you love for a night on the town.  But, yeah, well, real world here, and that just ain't happenin' for this anniversary.  We'll celebrate properly when we are in Italy in August (now that's the way to have an anniversary dinner!)  
So, time to find something to cook for the four of us.  (well, what was I going to do with the kids?...guess I could have banished them to their room with chicken nuggets and a movie...but nah, we decided to celebrate as a family) anyway....
I found this awesome blog by a chef who takes killer food pix.  I was just roaming around, checking out his recipes, when I found this one.  I love tomatoes...in all shapes and forms.  I've never made a stuffed tomato before, but his recipe made it seem so simple.  
I had to switch it up a bit seeing as how I can't get my hands on any sausage here, so instead of lamb and sausage, I used lamb and leftover quinoa that I had.  I was worried it would lose some of the flavor...but oh man...these were some tasty bites!
You can do a couple of variations...use all quinoa and make it vegetarian...or go all T-Rex and use both sausage and lamb.  If you're a bit fearful of lamb (which you shouldn't be because it's fabulous) sub in some good ground beef.  You could also add a bit of cheese to the top for extra gooeyness... ;)
I rounded out the meal with a nice tossed salad and some oven roasted green beans (my fave way to cook fresh green beans)  It was perfect.  Happy 7 years baby!  Here's to many, many more!  

• For the tomatoes:

• 6-8 medium tomatoes (mine made 8...depends on the size of your tomatoes)
• salt
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa (or 1/2 lb ground sausage or ground beef)
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 3-4 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (your preference here)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1/2 sprig thyme, leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (use 3 if cooking with quinoa)
• hot pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F

Slice the top off the tomatoes, scoop the inside out (discard seeds, but chop and keep the pulp).  Sprinkle the inside of each tomato with salt and set upside down on a rack to drain.

Sautee the chopped onions in olive oil until soft and translucent.  In a bowl, combine the onions, chopped tomato pulp, quinoa, lamb, breadcrumbs, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, thyme, hot pepper flakes, olive oil and a bit of salt.  Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes and put the top back on.

Place the tomatoes on a tray and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve!

Pasta with Zucchini, Fennel & White Beans

Pin It Now!

I've been meaning to try cooking with fennel for a long time now.  I'm not a huge black licorice fan (and that's what fennel smells like to me), but it's in so many recipes I figured it just has to be good, right?

Right.  Now, I'm not sure I'd like it full force and eat it raw, but cooked...it becomes much more mild in flavor.  This dish is super easy to make and is surprisingly packed with flavor (which you wouldn't think if you looked at the ingredients.)  Don't skimp out on the mint...really adds a nice touch.  Great weeknight meal!

Ingredients:

• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed
• 2 medium zucchini
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat penne or similar short pasta, reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise and then slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Quarter zucchini lengthwise. Toss the fennel and zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until soft and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop. Add the vegetables, beans and 1/2 cup pasta liquid to the pan with the garlic and place over medium-low heat. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the pan. Toss thoroughly and add tomatoes; toss until just warm. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese and mint. Season with pepper.

recipe adapted from Eating Well

Lentil & Veggie Tacos

Pin It Now!

I've been having a lot of fun roaming the net in search of yummy, high protein, meatless main dishes.  When you have a husband who refuses to eat soy, you really have to broaden your search.  
I was really happy to find this recipe (from Peas and Crayons blog).  The whole family enjoys tacos...and well, living here, they can be a real "treat."  For one, there aren't any real Mexican restaurants here in Yanbu (and Taco Hut at the mall...though good, just doesn't cut it).  Two, you can't always buy taco shells at the grocery store (isn't that awful??)  So, when we can make a taco...we do.
Very simple recipe with lots of room for adding your fave toppings.  Loved the idea of making my own seasoning so my family didn't end up devouring a bunch of MSG.  I can tell you honestly, we didn't miss the meat...not one bit.  (and there wasn't a single taco shell left)

The filling also would be great wrapped up in a corn or flour tortilla.  You could sub out the refried beans for black beans (I know some stores sell refried black beans)

Ingredients:

1 cup of dried lentils
16oz no fat refried beans
1 cup diced onion
4oz mushrooms, minced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of your favorite enchilada sauce (store bought or make your own) 
taco shells (or tortillas)
a splash of oil

For the seasoning:

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4-1/2 tsp dried cilantro [I highly suggest trying this stuff on everything!]
1/4 tsp salt

Topping Ideas:

shredded lettuce or cabbage

diced avocado

feta, cheddar, pepper jack (pick a cheese!)  

diced tomatoes

greek yogurt

salsa

jalapeños

Directions:

Rinse and sort 1 cup of lentils.  

Heat 3 cups of water in a pot until it's just about to boil, add lentils, and reduce to simmer for 15-25 minutes or until tender (when done, drain and return back to the pot)  For whatever reason, mine took forever to cook...and still had a bit of a bite to them in the end (because I couldn't wait any longer...four hungry people to feed!!)  

While the lentils are simmering, get going on the rest of the meal.

Saute onions, mushrooms, and garlic with a bit of oil until tender.  

Next, add seasoning blend (the one you made) and enchilada sauce at the end and stir.  

Then, combine them with the lentils, along with the refried beans and heat on low, stirring gently to incorporate.  

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.  Stuff into shells, pile on the toppings and enjoy a fabulously healthy NO MEAT dinner.  :)

Quinoa and Roasted Beet Tabouli

Pin It Now!

I don't know how I stumbled upon this recipe, but I'm so so glad I did.  This was actually my first time cooking with quinoa and I had no idea what to expect.  The roasted beets were the reason I wanted to cook this in the first place (we're beet freaks)  And I was even more lucky that the store had cherry tomatoes in stock.  (yeah, you never know what will be at the store on a daily basis here in Saudi)
I enjoyed this recipe so much I was upset that I had to share it with my family.  Luckily (ok, well not really) my girls weren't gaga over it...so more for me!  (selfish, I know)
I added a bit more beet than the recipe called for and the original recipe had you boil the beets instead of roasting...which just isn't good enough for me.  I adore the taste of roasted beets...so, I planned out the extra time needed.  (feel free to boil away if you're short on time)
Excellent recipe and I can't wait to make it again...maybe once we're growing our own cherry tomatoes and I can get some whenever I want.  :)

Ingredients:
For the vinaigrette: 
Sea salt and pepper 
Juice of 1 lemon or lime 
6 Tbs. olive oil 
2 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley 
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro 
1 Tbs. chopped chives 1 Tbs. chopped mint 


For the tabouli: 
2 Tbs. pine nuts 
1 cup (7 oz) uncooked white quinoa 
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 
Sea salt 
1 large beet
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half 
1/4 red onion, finely chopped 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 


Make the beets:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
*note: do not wash the beets!
Rub the beets with a bit of olive oil and wrap in foil.
Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45-60 min (less or more depending on the size of your beet)
Remove from the oven and let cool.  Then peel the skin and chop into chunks.  (yes, your fingers will turn pink, but it washes off)  


While the beet(s) roast(s), make the dressing and cook the quinoa.

Make the vinaigrette:In a small bowl, combine the sea salt and pepper with the lemon juice and oil, and whisk to emulsify. Stir in the herbs. Dress the salad with this vinaigrette and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Add more dressing if you like and serve with the pine nuts.

Make the tabouli:Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until lightly colored and fragrant; remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain it in a colander. Add it to a pot and cover with the broth and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, or until all of the water or broth is absorbed. Remove from the heat and keep covered for 5 more minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl and fluff it with a fork; let cool. Add the beet and toss gently. The quinoa will take on a pretty pink color. Add the tomatoes, onion, and cheese. 

Italian Bread & Veggie Soup

Pin It Now!

So, the other night I wanted to make a Ribollita soup...thought I'd bought all the ingredients, then got home and found out they didn't give me one of my bags.  Crap.  And it's not like I can just rush back out to the store...that requires calling a taxi...and well, I wasn't about to go through all that again.  
Instead, I improvised.  Took a couple of different recipes, pulled ideas I liked and threw this soup together. Thankfully, it worked out really well.  The whole family enjoyed it and there weren't any leftovers.  Nice.
It's a forgiving recipe...so you can add or remove ingredients with ease...enjoy!  Make it Vegan and leave out the cheese.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 Tbs herbs de Provence
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 turnip, peeled and cubed (small cubes...not big ones)
4 medium zucchini, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cans stewed tomatoes (with juice)
small head of cabbage (I used Napa), sliced thin
1 (3 inch piece) Parmesan rind
6 cups low-sodium Veggie broth (or chicken)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
half a loaf day old french bread torn into pieces
Fresh grated parm cheese


Directions:
Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, and sprinkle with seasoning.  Cook until veggies are tender.
Next, add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the turnip and zucchini...cook until tender (about 10 minutes)
Stir in the stewed tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce, the cabbage, the Parm rind and broth.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. (45 if you have the time)
Remove the rind. (whatever's left of it)
Toss in the beans and cook till heated through.
Lastly, stir in the bread pieces, ladle into bowls and top with grated parm cheese.  You could also add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.

Roasted Eggplant, Red Bell Pepper, and Garlic Soup

Pin It Now!

My friend loaned me a cookbook...full of soup recipes.  Not sure if she's going to get this one back any time soon!  
I've found so many wonderful recipes and I've been having a great time trying out new soups.  This one is one of my new faves.  Roasting the veggies creates a wonderful smokey taste while the roasted garlic adds creaminess.  The recipe called for a drizzle of basil oil, but I wasn't able to find any (or make any in time for the soup); however, I bet it would add a great finishing touch.
We ate this soup as our main dish with a side of crusty bread.  A nice salad with perhaps some chickpeas tossed in (for the protein aspect of the meal) would round out the whole dinner.  
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
4 red bell peppers
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 garlic bulb; halved horizontally
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion cut into wedges
2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
a handful of fresh oregano leaves
salt and pepper
to serve:
fresh basil leaves
basil oil


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 Celsius)
Put the whole eggplant and peppers in a large roasting tin.  Sandwich the thyme between the garlic halves, drizzle with oil and wrap in foil.  Add to the roasting tin.  Roast in preheated oven for 35 min.
Remove the garlic from the oven and check for tenderness.  Set aside to cool.  Remove the peppers, place in a ziploc bag, seal and leave to cool.
Add the onion to the roasting tin with the eggplant and cook for another 20 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. **(note:  my eggplant was done much sooner, so keep an eye on yours)
Meanwhile, peel the skins off the peppers and discard.  Transfer the flesh (seeds and all) to a blender and liquidize with a third of the stock until smooth.  Transfer to a sauce pan.  
Squeeze out the soft flesh of the garlic and add to the blender.  Spoon the flesh out of the eggplant and add to the blender along with the onion and another 1/3 of the stock.  Blend until smooth and then add to the saucepan with the pepper puree.
Add the tomato sauce, oregano, remaning stock, bring to a boil and season to taste.
Divide between 4-6 bowls, scatter with basil leaves and drizzle with basil oil.  Dig in!

Bean Bolognese with Quinoa Pasta

Pin It Now!

While we were in France, we went to a local farmers market where I picked up a package of quinoa pasta.  I've never even eaten quinoa before and you can't find it here in Saudi.  So, when I found this great veggie bolognese recipe, I thought it would be a great time to try the pasta too.
The bolognese was simple to make with lots of flavor.  The quinoa pasta actually had a bit of a sweet taste to it and went really well with the sauce.  All in all it was a great dish that the whole family enjoyed.  Another veggie dish on the rotation!

Ingredients:

• 1 14-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans (or other white bean), rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup white wine (I had to use chicken broth which therefore nixed the vegetarian aspect)
• 1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 8 ounces Quinoa pasta
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

**Note: you are going to have more beans than you need.  Either go ahead and toss them in or set aside and have with eggs for breakfast!  :)

Directions:

1. After rinsing the beans, combine them together in a bowl.
2. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Scoop out 1/2 cup beans and mash in a small bowl with a fork.
3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices, 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add a cup of the whole beans (or add them all); cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, according to package directions. Drain.
5. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls. Discard the bay leaf and top the pasta with the sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining parsley.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Stew

Pin It Now!

Always on the lookout for great soups and stews...and now, more than ever, ones that feature mostly veggies.  This is a great low budget stew that just bursts with flavor.  

Quick to put together and on the table in under and hour (prep included)  Expand your veggie world with this wonderful stew...

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cocoa powder
pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained)
salt to taste

avocado, for garnish (we couldn't find any ripe ones...hoping to get some the next time)
cilantro, for garnish 

to make tortilla crispies:

3 corn tortillas
scant 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt 

Directions:

In a heavy bottomed pot, warm the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until just beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage, squash and broth. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 15-20 minutes for the vegetables to cook. 
Add the spices and the beans and stir. Let everything continue to cook another ten minutes for the flavors to blend. Salt to taste. At this point, you can do a few pulses with your immersion blender through the soup, in case you want to thicken up the broth a bit. This is optional, but makes it seem a bit thicker. You could also, run just a bit of the soup through a blender or food processor, and add it back in to the pot. OR a sprinkle of cornmeal will help thicken it as well. 

For the tortilla crispies, preheat the oven to 375'. Stack them and slice into thin matchsticks. Spread on a baking sheet, dirzzle with the oil, sprinkle the salt and toss gently to coat. Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are light brown and crispy, giving the pan a shake halfway through. 

Garnish each both with some diced avocado, a handful of chopped cilantro and some of the tortilla crispies! 

Recipe from Sprouted Kitchen