Nate and I are usually on very different meal schedules but last night the stars aligned and we decided to make dinner together. This recipe is something we both like and I posted it because it requires little preparation and was just really fun and low-stress to make together. I fried the tortillas and browned the meat while Nate put together his “specialty,” guacamole (aka the only recipe he knows). I will list what we did but you can use any variation of the these or add your own ingredients.
Tortillas = corn and fried on medium-high until crisp in oil, the base of your tostada
Guac = we just mashed up two ripe avocados with lime juice, salt, chopped cilantro, and minced red onion
Shredded lettuce = you can buy a head of lettuce and shred it yourself but we were hungry so bought it in a bag
Taco cheese = a mix of shredded cheeses with “taco seasoning.” Nate wanted cheddar but somehow I thought this would be better
Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa = you can use any kind but this was damn good
Refried beans = you can do this yourself but again, we were hungry, so we went for the canned variety
Ground beef = brown it over medium or medium-low heat in a skillet
Assemble everything on top of the tortilla in your preferred quantities.
Filed under: African, Legumes, side, vegan | Tags: African, ethiopian, lemon, lentils, mustard
This is another recipe I found on Lisa’s Kitchen food blog. After you cook the lentils it is very quick and easy to make. It is very tart and flavorful and makes a better side dish than entree. It would go well with another mellower wot and a grain like rice or bread or, if you can track some down, injera.
Last winter break I participated in Hillel’s Alternative Break in Israel and worked with Jewish Ethiopian immigrants at a mercaz klitah (absorption center) near Afula. We had the opportunity to celebrate with the community and ate a feast of wot (stew), injera (fermented flatbread… definitely an acquired taste as it is very sour), and coffee. We didn’t have this exact dish but it still makes me a bit nostalgic!
I added a diced roma tomato and diced onion to this recipe and ate it warm.
Ethiopian Lentil and Mustard Salad
1 cup green lentils
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
juice of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch long matchsticks
Wash the lentils and put into a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat to low and cover, cooking gently for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside to let cool.
Add the mustard seeds, peppercorns, salt and cayenne into a clean coffee or spice grinder and grind finely. Put into a small bowl and mix well with 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Now add the lemon juice and olive oil and stir in well.
Pour the jalapeño peppers and dressing over the lentils and toss thoroughly. Serve warm or chilled. Serves 4 to 6.
Filed under: Italian, Legumes, rice, soup, vegan | Tags: beans, grain, herbs, kale, kasha, rice, soup, vegan, vegetarian
I try a lot of different recipes but soup has never turned out badly for me. I think that’s why it onto here so often. I clipped this out of a magazine last year (sadly I forget which one) and have since shared it wiht family and friends to their delight. It is incredibly healthy and nourishing and probably tastes better than any other soup you have ever had.
Hearty Grain Soup with Beans and Greens
2 tbls olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked kasha (I used brown rice… you put it in uncooked, so 1/2 cup)
15 oz can crushed tomatoes
15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1/2 cup dried, soaked overnight, pre-cooked)
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 lb kale, trimmed and chopped (you can use other greens but some hold their shape better than others)
3 tbls chopped fresh parsely
2-3 tsp balsamic vinegar
1. Heat 1 tbls olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook 3 min. Add garlic, cook 5 more minutes.
2. Stir in broth, kasha/rice, tomatoes, 1 cup beans, oregano, and rosemary. Bring to boil. Press half of kale/spinach into liquid until it wilts.
3. Press remaining kale/spinach into liquid. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15-20 minutes.
4. Puree remaining beans in food processor. Add pureed beans, parsely, and remaining 1 tbl olive oil to soup. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
Per serving: 204 cal, 8g prot, 6g total fat (1g sat fat), 33g carb, 0mg chol, 521mg sod (with low-sodium broth), 7g fiber, 5g sugars
Filed under: Legumes, mexican, soup, vegan | Tags: mexican, soup, Tex-Mex, tortilla, vegan, vegetarian
I have started to think of this blog as a record of the recipes I like since I haven’t been very proactive about getting people to read it. I definitely want to remember this recipe. It was spicy, complex in flavor, and filling. Grace (my cake-receiving friend) and I ate it about two weeks ago. I can’t believe I forgot to post it! Eat this!
Tortilla Soup
1 onion, chopped
1 anaheim pepper, chopped, deveined and seeds removed
1 red bell pepper, chopped, deveined and seeds removed
garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbl ground cumin
canned chipotle peppers, chopped, to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (I used dried but canned are okay)
about 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen from my CSA)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped
grated cheddar cheese
tortilla chips or fried pieces of corn tortilla
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Saute the onion, anaheim pepper, and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin. Mix in tomatoes and chipotle peppers. Pour in broth, season, bring to a boil, bring heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the black beans and corn and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve in bowls with tortilla chips, avocado, and cheese. Serves 6.
Filed under: African, Legumes, soup, vegan | Tags: African, bean, peanut, stew, vegan, vegetarian
I had a stressful week and this stew saved my soul! It is from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian but I like the spicier version from Lisa’s Kitchen better. Like the other soups I have posted, it is hearty, vegetarian, very simple, and I had everything in my kitchen already. I used the last hot pepper from my CSA in this.
Nigerian Red Bean Stew with Peanut Sauce1 1/2 cups of dried red kidney beans or a combination of dried kidney beans and pinto beans or 3 cups (two cans) canned beans
3 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
1 – 2 red cayenne peppers, finely diced
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 cup of tomato sauce (I used tomato paste and water in a pinch)
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
juice from one small lemon
3 tablespoons of peanut butter
2 teaspoons of sea salt
Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain the soaking liquid, and cook the beans in a large pot in 5 cups of water for about an hour or until the beans are tender. Do not drain. (If you use canned beans, skip this step)
Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 more seconds. Add the cumin, stir, then add the tomato sauce, cayenne, lemon juice and 1/2 cup of water. Stir to blend, bring to a simmer and then turn the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
While the tomato mixture is simmering, put the peanut butter in a small bowl. Slowly add about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the beans, mixing as you add the water. Stir the peanut butter mixture into the cooked beans, along with the salt. (If you used canned beans, just add the peanut butter and beans to the soup. It will still taste great!).
When the tomato mixture is finished cooking, pour it into the cooked beans and stir. Bring to simmer, cover, and gently cook for 10 – 15 minutes.
Filed under: Indian, Legumes, vegan | Tags: chickpeas, Indian, tomato, vegan, vegetarian, yogurt
This is another recipe that I’ve committed to memory. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods. I’ve seen many different spice combinations used to flavor it but I just use the cheapo spices I have available. I’m going to splurge and buy some cardamom pods and amchoor powder to toss in when I go home.
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can diced tomatoes (with liquid) or 1 lb fresh tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (or more) each: garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, tumeric, paprika, salt, fresh ginger
pinch of cayenne
lemon juice, to taste
plain yogurt (I use non-fat Greek yogurt), optional
cilantro, chopped
olive oil
Saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and spices and cook for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the chickpeas and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Before serving, mix in lemon juice. Serve hot with yogurt and cilantro. Serves 2.
Filed under: Legumes, soup, vegan | Tags: chili, pumpkin, vegan, vegetarian
Okay, I’m a little late for the holiday, but it’s not too late for more delicious, hearty soup! I found this recipe on my favorite food blog, Lisa’s Vegetarian Kitchen (http://foodandspice.blogspot.com/), in their monthly blogger recipe contest (it actually ended up winning after I made it so I chose well!). It wasn’t as pumpkin-y as I anticipated but would still reccomend it as a seasonal veggie chili recipe, especially if you like sweet soups.
Pumpkin Chili
1 cooking onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped (I used a hot pepper and highly reccomend it)
2 cans diced tomatoes – and please do not drain
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can dark kidney beans, rinsed
1 can pumpkin
1 cup beer (I used Goose Island Nut Brown Ale)
1 tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Salt & pepper (to taste)
Toss onion and bell pepper to a large soup pot (with a bit of vegetable oil), cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add tomatoes and their juices, beans, pumpkin, beer and spices — EVERYTHING into the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to low and simmer for approximately 1 hour.
This soup is easy to make and so good on a cold fall day! I ate it for lunch today and have made it for a family dinner. It’s one of the recipes I know by heart. The ingredients are:
1 cup green lentils
6 cups water
1 onion, chopped
2 tbl tomato paste
1 1/2 tbl flour
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup vinegar (I use apple cider or brown rice)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil
Boil the lentils in 4 cups of water for about 40 minutes. In a separate saucepan, saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about five minutes. Add the flour and tomato paste but be careful: it will burn easily. Add the lentils and stir. Add the other 2 cups of water and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for about a half hour. While it cooks, mix the vinegar, red pepper flakes, and garlic together as a “sauce” for the soup. When it’s ready to serve, sprinkle fresh dill on the soup and spoon sauce into individual bowls (you may want more than the prescribed amount if you are like me).
Filed under: Indian, Legumes, ferment, rice, snack, vegan | Tags: dosa, ferment, Indian, lentils, rice, vegan, vegetarian
I’ve been flipping through Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz and making lists of different ferments I want to try. I like the idea of ingesting live bacteria cultures and of practicing traditional forms of food preservation. There’s a lot of literature on the subject so you don’t need me to give a laundry list of health (and, for some, spiritual) benefits.
Some ferments can take over a year; dosas took 24 hours. Dosas are like the Indian equivalent to a crepe or blini but probably a lot healthier. I ate mine folded in half with yogurt and slices of mango but they are good plain or with a hearty curry.
Here’s what you’ll need:
2 cups rice (I used brown, Katz says white Basmati rice is more authentic if that’s what you’re going for)
1 cup lentils (again, I’ve read that both white and black lentils are more authentic. I used red, Katz has also tried lima beans)
1 cup yogurt or kefir (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 small bunch parsley and/or cilantro, chopped
1 inch gingerroot, grated
vegetable oil
Soak the rice and lentils in water for at least 8 hours or overnight. If you leave them to soak a bit longer and they beging to sour, that’s fine. Strain the rice and lentils. Grind them into a batter with yogurt, kefir, or water in a food processor or other grinding implement. Put the batter in a bowl or jar with plenty of room for it to expland. The batter should be fine, not chunky, and thick, just barely pourable. If necessary, add a little water. Ferment (this means leave it out, not in the fridge) 24 to 48 hours or longer. Once it has risen substantially you can make dosas! If you leave it for a number of days, the sour flavor intensifies. Yum.
Add 1 cup of lukewarm water to the thin the batter. The batter should be liquid to produce thin pancakes. Stir in the parsley and/or cilantro, ginger, and salt. Heat a well-seasoned frying pan with oil. Use a laddle to pout the batter into the center of the pan and then use the bottom of the ladle to spiral the batter from the center out toward the edges of the pan. Cook as a pancake, flipping after bubbles appear. I cooked it on medium-low heat. Don’t expect to get the hang of this right away. My first few dosas were thick and deformed but the last couple that I made were thin and crispy! The dosa should be thin. If necessary, thin the batter by adding more water, yogurt, or kefir. Lightly oil the pan between dosas.
Katz, Sandor Ellix. Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing Company. 2003. 70-71.
