Category Archives: beans

Beans & Greens

26 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by in appetizer, beans, gluten-free, salad, seasonal

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Food:

Beans & Greens– serves 6-8

2 c. dry beans (I used Adzuki beans I get at the farmers market, Borski Farms)

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds remove and diced (farmers market)

1/2 c. parsley, chopped (my garden)

1/4- 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped (farmers market)

1 purple onion, chopped (farmers market)

3 lemons, zest and juice

a couple of garlic cloves, chopped (farmers market, Borski Farms)

lots of greens, kale and swiss chard, chopped (farmers market, Borski Farms)

olive oil

Celtic salt and pepper

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Directions:

For the beans:

1. Place the dry beans in a large bowl and cover with water, soak overnight. Drain, rinse and place beans in a larger pot. Cover with water again, maybe one inch above the beans. Turn stove to high, when the beans come to a boil let them boil for five minutes skimming off the foam. Add a piece of kombu (Kombu is a sea vegetable that adds minerals and helps tenderize the beans and reduces their gas effect!), place the lid on the pot and turn the temperature to medium-low and simmer until done. Check at 45 minutes, and then every 10 minutes till they are tender but not mushy.

2. When done, drain and set aside until ready to use.

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For the greens:

1. In a large bowl, add the lemon juice and lemon zest and six turns of olive oil. Next add the cucumber, onion, and herbs. Toss. Add greens, toss again. Then add the beans, toss one more time and adjust seasoning. EAT!

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A few ways to EAT:

1. Spoon some into your favorite wrap with some good quality cheese, tomatoes and avocado.

2. Pair with your favorite rice, preferably wild or brown rice and season with tamari (soy sauce), sesame oil and a squeeze of lime.

3. Top with a poached egg, drizzle with olive oil and your favorite seasoning.

Love:

There is a saying in Italian that goes “Quanta Basta!”, “a little of this, a little of that!”. Beans & Greens is just that, you can make this dish to suit your taste buds, it is just a blue print, a road map to other meals. I packaged mine all up in lunch containers, topped it with tomatoes, avocado and extra drizzle of olive oil and a slice of lemon. It would also be great left in a big bowl in the fridge and then eaten each night for dinner the ways I have listed above. It is hearty but light and is perfect in this hot weather, whip up a batch and add “Quanta Basta”. Happy Summer y’all.

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Local Trout and Chickpea Salad

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in appetizer, beans, Fish, gluten-free, seasonal, Side dish

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Local Trout and Chickpea Salad serves 6

1- 1 1/2 lb local Koosharem Trout (Farmers Market)

1 c. dry chickpeas (soaked overnight, drain, cook and drain again= 3 c. cooked, you can use canned if you don’t want to start with dry beans) (Click here and scroll down for a basic bean cooking recipe)

1 c. Yee Haw No Frill Dill Pickles, chopped (local,Farmers Market, Whole Foods)

2 c. celery, chopped (Farmers Market)

1/4-1/2 of a whole purple onion, chopped (Farmers Market)

1/2 c. parsley, chopped (I got to use some from my garden!)

1 T. fresh dill, chopped plus a few sprig for the fish (Farmers Market)

2 lemons, plus 1 more for garnish

1 T. dry lavender (Farmers Market)

2 T. pickle juice

2 T. Dijon mustard (they have a new mustard booth at the Farmers Market but they are only there every other week, I haven’t been able to try them yet.)

1/4 c. olive oil, more for garnish

salt and pepper

Sunbridge Sunflower Sprouts (local, Whole Foods or Good Earth)

Directions:

For the fish-

1. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Place a cooling rack over the lined baking sheet, place the fish on top of the cooling rack and season with salt and pepper, sprinkle on the lavender (this trick came right from the Koosharem fisherman themselves!) and lay the sprigs of dill over the fish. Last, slice one of the lemons into rounds and lay this over the seasoned fish. Place the fish in the oven, before you close the door, pour some water into the bottom of the baking sheet. This will keep the fish moist while cooking. Cook for 20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 125.

DSCN3069DSCN3071When the fish is cooked pull out of the oven and let is cool while you get the other ingredients ready.

For the salad-

1. In a large mixing bowl whisk the pickle juice, olive oil and Dijon mustard together. Add the juice and zest of the other lemon and whisk again. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Next add the celery, pickles, purple onion, parsley, dill and the chickpeas. Fold all the ingredients together with the dressing until well mixed. Next break up the cooked trout gently and add it to the other ingredients, fold together gently.

DSCN3079DSCN3080DSCN30833. Place the salad in the fridge to let the flavors develop, check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. When ready to serve, scoop some of the salad into your favorite bowls or plates, drizzle with olive oil and top with a handful of sunflowers sprouts, garnish with a wedge of lemon. EAT! (Or do what I did and serve this in individual lunch containers and have it for lunch all week!)

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This recipe is for my sweetie (wait, aren’t they all?!), he loves tuna salad but I don’t like buying canned tuna. It would take too long to explain and then you would think I’m crazier than I appear, just trust me fresh is where it is at. So imagine my excitement the first week of the downtown farmer’s market when I saw the Koosharem Steelhead booth! I was first attracted to the booth because I spotted two red heads, I kind of have a thing for red heads, red headed cat, red-headed friends, I digress. Any who, I went over and checked out what they had to offer, they were so friendly and their fish looked beautiful and no trace of fishy smells, this equals fresh. We chatted for a while about their practices, read more about that here, and I bought some with this recipe in mind. I couldn’t be happier with this recipe turned out and it made my sweetie very happy (as usual!), I can’t wait to make it again for our next Red Butte Concert with our friends. The Koosharem boys are located at the north-east corner of the farmers market, and they are only there every other week. Look for them this weekend July 6, but you’ll have to push me out of line to get some! Enjoy!

My “SLO” Salad w/Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing

03 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in beans, dressing, gluten-free, salad, seasonal, vegan

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Love:

My husband and I recently took a trip up the California Coast for our wedding anniversary. One of our stops up highway 1 was San Luis Obispo (“SLO”), while we were there we ate at one of our favorite Cali eateries ‘The Natural Cafe’ (we think it is a California chain), it’s not a local restaurant but they have lots of veggie friendly options. I was instructed by a friend from home to try their ‘Village Salad’ which consists of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, brown rice, tofu and a little cheese. Nothing too out of the ordinary but the brown rice was my favorite part and I couldn’t wait to get home and make my own version.

This salad came together with what I had in the house and in the garden, nothing out of the ordinary, but when I posted this picture on Instagram (follow me @comsohippiechef) I got quite a few likes and thought it was worth sharing. Instead of tofu, I used crispy garbanzo beans which I started using last summer instead of croutons, definitely a favorite in our house. I also included the brown rice which is what I loved the most about the salad we ate while we were in SLO, but I was lucky to have greens from my garden as well as the flowers that were a result of my greens bolting a little to soon. The rest of the ingredients were left over from other meals. Feel free to use what you have but I do recommend that you try the brown rice and crispy garbanzo beans. I urge you to ‘slow’ down and Enjoy!

Food:

My SLO Salad– serves 2

4 c. greens of choice, divided (I used greens from my garden)

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and diced, divided (I used one of those really long ones)

1 organic tomato, cut in quartered and diced, divide

1 lb. organic asparagus, tops only! Use the bottoms for the pasta dish I’ll be posting next.  (I roasted these in the oven with a little olive oil and salt and pepper @375 degrees for 10-15 min)

1 avocado, cut in half and sliced, half for each salad

1/2 c. cooked brown rice for each salad

1/4 c. crispy garbanzo beans for each salad (2c. fresh cooked, or canned chickpeas, toss with 2 tsp. olive oil 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. Toum (local garlic condiment)- bake 400 degrees for 30-45 min. or until cripsy)

edible flowers (if you have them), you could use sprouts instead

half a lemon

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. I start by placing the greens on the bottom of the bowl, I squeeze a little lemon over the greens and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.

2. Arrange the rest of the ingredients over the greens. I gave each ingredient its own space on the greens, I think it looks really pretty this way. Top with edible flowers.

3. Eat with you favorite dressing!

Lemon Herb Tahini Dressing- makes 1 c.

1/2 c. organic sesame tahini (usually by the nut butters)

1/4 c. water

1 organic lemon, zest and juice

2 T. vinegar, I used Slide Ridge Honey Wine Vinegar

2 T. organic tamari, you could use lite soy sauce or liquid amino’s

2 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 c. fresh herbs from garden (I used a combo of mint, basil, cilantro and parsley)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in the food processor or blender. Blend until well mixed. Place in the fridge. (The dressing will thicken up in the fridge, so it is best used at room temperature.)

Nutrition:

Usually during the summer I lay off this segment, I want to have more time with friends and family while the weather is good. I hope you will understand. Spending time outdoors with the ones you love eating fresh, local and seasonal food is the best nutrition!

Tabouli- Friend-ly Food

24 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in beans, quinoa, salad, Side dish, vegan

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Love:

Two weeks ago my girlfriends (the TBC’s- tall bitches club) were in town. When we all lived in SLC we got together every Friday morning for ‘Coffee Tawk’ or cocktail night with the husbands and kids a few times a month. Now days that is much harder considering one of us lives in France one lives in California and two of us live here. When I found out that this little reunion was going to happen I wanted to have the girls to my place for nibbles and cocktails, and I knew exactly what was going to be on the menu, my friend Moudi and Derek’s Tabouli. Moudi and Derek are the bad asses behind Laziz Foods, they make Hummus, Muhammara and Toum (a garlic spread) and periodically Moudi will share recipes for his favorite Lebanese dishes on their Facebook page, this Tabouli is one of them. I have made it a handful of times and everyone loves it!

I don’t know about you but within my circle of friends I have friends that are vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free/Paleo and some that are just fine with anything I make. I am picky myself so I don’t mind the challenge of coming up with menu’s that appeal to everyone. The food pictured above I have served at my last two cocktail nights to some of my friends who fall under one of these labels and needless to say there was something for everyone. I have a feeling these dishes will show up a lot during the summer when we can get everything fresh at the Farmers Market. Cheers to friends and cocktail night- Enjoy!

Food:

Tabouli- recipe straight from Laziz

3 bunches of flat Italian parsley ~ roughly 5 cups of parsley leaves (packed really well)

1/2 cup of lightly packed mint leaves

1 bunch green onions (5-6 sticks)

2 medium tomatoes

1/4 cup bulgur (check the bottom of the recipe for a gluten-free alternative)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper

Pluck the parsley leaves and discard the stems. Chop the leaves very finely, spending a good 5-7 minutes (you could use a food processor to ease the process if you are inclined).

Similarly, chop the mint leaves and green onions very finely, although the green onions may be a bit harder, and I find running them through a processor helps the process a lot.

Chop up the tomatoes very finely as well, and mix in the bowl with the parsley, mint, and green onions.

Soak the bulgur in hot water till puffed up (5 minutes), and discard of any excess water. Mix in with the salad.

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix well throughout.

Serve with lettuce or just eat it with a fork.

NOTE: This will not keep in the fridge with good flavor past two days, so keep the dressing aside if you must, and mix as needed.

 NOTE: for a gluten-free alternative to bulgur, cook 1/4 cup of quinoa and use instead. This does alter the taste a bit though.

Also pictured above:

Laziz Hummus drizzled with olive oil and garnished with a sprinkling of salt and pepper

Crackers with Beehive Cheese and Muhammara

Carrots

ChickPea Flatbread (new recipe for me, I love it! My TBC Kim in France shared the recipe with me)

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Nutrition:

Parsley: One of my favorite recipes using parsley

Mint: Fun Spring recipe using mint

Chickpeas: This recipe uses ground chickpeas and Laziz

Cheese: Check out these recipes using Beehive cheese

Sometimes the best nutrition is hanging with your friends.

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Hummus Bruschetta- A Quick Eat and Food for Thought

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by in appetizer, beans, Snack

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Love:

I had a conversation last week that really has me thinking about comparisons. Comparing ourselves to others, comparing our current selves to our past or future selves, comparing our friends with one another, etc. This all started when a client compared how I currently spend my time devoted to food now as a married woman without children versus how I would spend my time (or lack thereof) if I were to have a child in the future.

I was raised in a household with two parents who loved to cook, but they both had full-time jobs, so during the week we ate dinners that were quick and easy to throw together and on the weekend they had more time to play in the kitchen. I have a very busy life myself and my week’s closely reflect the same type of time that my parents had to devout to preparing meals. The hope is that I will be able to do the same if and when I have a family because I make sure that eating healthy is a priority in my life. If you develop healthy eating habits and routines it will become an automatic practice in your life no matter how much time you have.

This recipe is an example of needing to get something on the table during the week when I am busy. Lucky for me I had all of these ingredients but the bread, and lucky for me I was at Harmon’s when my friend Moudi gave me the idea for this dinner. Some of the best dinners are quick and easy to throw together with a little help from your friends. Do what feels best to you, no need to compare. Enjoy!

Food:

Hummus Bruschetta serves 2

Harmon’s Sourdough Bread, sliced and toasted (4 slices)

Laziz Hummus (Harmon’s, Liberty Heights Fresh)

1 onion, sautéed slowly in a little ghee until caramelized, season with salt and pepper

2 handfuls arugula, I throw this in with the onions at the end and the residual heat wilt them

Sunbridge Sunflower Sprouts (Whole Foods, Good Earth)

sliced avocado (optional)

your favorite balsamic vinegar, we have some we brought back from Italy that is thick and syrupy

Assemble:

1. Slather the toasted bread with hummus, lay avocado slices (if using) on top of hummus

2. Divide the onion and arugula mixture among the hummus slathered bread

3. Top with sunflower sprouts and drizzle with balsamic vinegar

4. EAT!

Nutrition:

What we think is just as important as what we eat- Food for Thought

1. Be impeccable with you word, 2. Don’t take anything personally, 3. Don’t make assumptions, 4. Always do your best (Thank you Don Miguel Ruiz)

“Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy” Theodore Roosevelt (Thank you Joslyn for posting this, Billy and I loved it)

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Pork and Beans- Thank You Italy

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by in beans, seasonal

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Love:

At the request of my sweet husband I’m going to start this post in the ‘love’ department. The idea for this recipe has been swimming around in my head since we got back from Italy. We were in Italy to attend the Slow Food International Conference Terre Madre, as I was chosen to be a USA Delegate at this years Conference. The mission of Slow Food and Terre Madre is good, clean and fair food for all, something I try to practice on a daily basis in my kitchen. While in Italy I was surrounded by great food but I was missing the plant-based diet I’m used to eating at home, and I was just missing home. Towards the end of our trip while in Florence we stumbled upon this family style hole in the wall restaurant. At the bottom at their menu listed “sides” I found white beans in tomato sauce and braised kale, I thought I had died and gone to Italy food heaven. Needless to say they were a great choice and I haven’t forgotten those dishes since I’ve been home. Fast forward just a bit to the week before Christmas, I had put together the grocery list for the upcoming weekend events and the Christmas Eve breakfast I was hosting. We always have Christmas morning at my in-laws and for some reason I totally forgot about Christmas night! I was not about to go back to the grocery store so I started to take inventory of my pantry and refrigerator and realized I had all the makings of this dish, I couldn’t have been happier. I found dried beans, my own canned tomatoes, leftover Clifford Farm bacon (from a dish I had made for a party earlier in the weekend), kale, farro, herbs a and just enough vodka for my Pasta alla Vodka sauce. Lucky us, this dish was warm, comforting and felt like home. This dish just might be a new Christmas dinner tradition for us. ENJOY!

Food:

For the sauce-

I used my previous recipe for Pasta alla Vodka

After you have gotten all the ingredients together and they begin to simmer, add the cooked white beans and let the beans simmer in the sauce while it thickens.

For the beans-

1. Place 1 1/2c. dry white beans (also called northern beans) in a bowl and cover with water over night at least 12 hours.

2. The next day drain the beans, place the beans in a large pot and cover with just enough water to cover. Turn on high, when the beans come to a boil- boil for 5 minutes with the lid off and skim off any foam. After that 5 minutes turn the heat down to low, place the lid on and simmer for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

3. Keep checking on the beans by spooning out a few, if they smash easily with your thumb they are done. Let cool and drain. Can be used right away or refrigerated up to a week. Check out my other recipe for cooked beans here.

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Putting it all together-

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Cooked farro (I wanted to make creamy polenta but didn’t have any, lucky for me I brought farro back from Italy).

Laddle the Pork and Beans over the farro, drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and top with Kale Chips.

Nutrition:

I believe eating a plant-based diet is essential to our over all health. Eating this way forces you to have a varied diet of non-glutenious grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits. Meat and dairy only playing a small part, and hopefully those items are sustainable, local and organic. EAT MORE PLANTS in 2013.

Homemade Sweet Potato Falafel and Homemade Naan

16 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by in beans, DIY, seasonal, vegan

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Food:

Sweet Potato Falafel makes about 18 (Adapted from My New Roots)

2 medium sweet potatoes (orange inside), roast on a baking sheet lined with parchment @375 for about 1 hour or tender inside

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 small cloves of garlic, chopped, plus 2 t. Laziz Toum (garlic condiment)

1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 big handfuls of fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

a scant cup chickpea flour, (you can buy or make your own by placing 1 1/2c. chickpeas in blender and grind yourself. Be sure to sift before using)

salt and pepper

Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg (about 1/2 t. each

Gomashio for topping

Directions:

1. After you have roasted your sweet potatoes and they are cool enough to handle, peel and place in a bowl. Smash with the back of a fork, next add all the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the gomashio. Stir to combine. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the mixture to firm up.

2. Take the sweet potato mixture out of the fridge, using a medium size cookie scoop, scoop the sweet potato mixture out a scoop at a time. I like to flatten mine into an oval shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle with gomashio (if you don’t have gomashio roll the falafel in sesame seeds). Bake in the oven @400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden and slightly crispy. Take out and let cool just a bit.

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Homemade Naan makes 8 (recipe from the magazine Homemade Bread)

2 tsp. sugar (I like sucant)

1 c. warm water (105-115 degrees F)

1 1/2 tsp. active-dry yeast

3 c. all-purpose flour (I used organic whole wheat flour)

1 tsp. salt

3 T. yogurt (I used buttermilk it’s what I had on hand)

6 T. ghee (clarified butter-love!)

Directions:

1. Dissolve the sugar in warm water, add yeast. Set aside until foamy about 10 minutes.

2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and yogurt. Using your fingertips, mix with the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.

3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, knead it until it is smooth and elastic. Form dough into a ball.

4. Oil a large mixing bowl, roll the ball of dough in it until the surface of the dough is oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest in the bowl until it has doubled-about an hour.

5. Place a cast iron griddle or skillet in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees (I used a pizza stone).

6. Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface, and knead for 10 minutes (I know a long time but it’s totally worth it!). Divide the dough into eight equal sized round balls. Pat each ball between your palms or an on a lightly floured surface until you have an oval about 5×7 inches in size. Apply ghee to each oval with your fingers or a pastry brush, sprinkle with salt.

7. Place naan on the hot cast iron griddle (I used a pizza stone, and I cooked 2 naan at a time) oe skillet until they puff and brown lightly- about 5 minutes. Flip each naan, apply a bit more ghee and bake about 2 more minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and serve hot!

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Putting them together:

1. Homemade falafel

2. Homemade naan

3. Parsley and cilantro leaves

4. Sunbridge sunflower sprouts

5. Laziz Hummus and Muhamara

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I cut 1 naan in half, slather hummus on one side and muhamara on the other. Sprinkle parsley and cilantro on one side and sunflower sprouts on the other. I cut the falafel in half and lay them on one side, top with the other side. EAT!

Nutrition:

Sweet Potato: Sweet potatoes contain unique root storage proteins, which have been shown to exert  significant antioxidant effects. The presence of these proteins, along with the high content od carotenes and vitamin C, makes sweet potatoes a valuable food for boosting antioxidants in your body. Sweet potatoes have been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve the response to hormone insulin.

Chickpeas: Garbanzo beans are a good source of fiber, folic acid and manganese. They are also a good form of protein as well as minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper and zinc. Garbanzo beans can help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels making them a great food for diabetics and insulin-resistant individuals. If served with high quality grains, garbanzo beans are an extremely low-fat complete protein.

Love:

This blog post is LOADED! It is very involved but the work is worth the end result. There is a number of reasons I wanted to get this post on the blog.

1. I have made these falafel a number of times last fall and fell in love with how simple they are. You can make a sandwich with them or a salad. Quick, easy and great to have on hand. They are from one of my favorite blogs, My New Roots.

2. If you haven’t met Moudi and Derick the (cute) men behind Laziz you’ve been under a rock. They are all over the place right now showcasing their wonderful products. You can find them at a number of Farmers Markets as well as some of our great local retailers from Harmon’s to Liberty Heights Fresh. Their hummus is creamy, their muhamara is just the right amount of sweet and spice and their Toum (garlic condiment) is like nothing you’ve ever had- think straight garlic mashed with olive oil and lemon. Translation- YUM!

3. I was totally inspired my one of my local fellow bloggers Becky over at Vintage Mixer. I told her we must have been on the same wave length with our cooking, she made lamb falafel and homemade pita bread. She also highlighted Laziz.

4. I have been on a kick of making my own bread. Every year I try to learn a new skill from roasting my own chicken, making my own almond milk or learning to make beans from scratch. Bread is my project this winter and getting to make homemade naan for these falafel was so gratifying.

Whole foods are always best, yes it takes more time to make things from scratch BUT the quality, flavor and nutritional value are far greater than anything you can buy. For me there is no greater joy than tackling a great new recipe and there is also no greater joy than being inspired by the wonderful people around me.  ENJOY!

Bean and Bacon Soup w/ Crispy Sage

08 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by in beans, seasonal, soup

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Food:

Bean and Bacon Soup w/ Crispy Sage makes a lot! (About 20 cups!)

5 c. carrots, chopped

5 c. celery chopped

5 c. butternut squash, peel, seed and cube (leftover from summer’s farmers market)

2 large onions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped (left over from summer’s farmers market)

1 T. each thyme and rosemary, chopped (I used Kenyon Organics)

20 sage leaves (Kenyon Organics)

1/2 Clifford Family Bacon, chopped (if vegan or vegetarian sub coconut oil 2-4 T.)

5 c. broth (I used the broth I made from the thanksgiving turkey bones)

5 c. water

1 c. chopped parsley

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

8 c. cooked beans, recipe to follow*

Directions:

1. Place a LARGE soup pot on the stove top over medium heat. Start by sautéing the bacon until crisp, spoon out and drain on paper towel. (If you are using oil and not bacon heat the oil over medium heat until hot and then proceed). Throw in the sage leaves and cook until just browned, careful not to burn. Spoon out and drain on paper towel.

2. Next saute the carrots, onions and celery in the leftover bacon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until the veggies to soften, maybe 5-8 minutes. Next add the butternut squash, garlic, thyme and rosemary, season with a bit more salt and pepper (just a little you can always add more!). Toss again, then place lid on the pot and sweat the veggies for about 10 minutes.

3. After that 10 minutes with the lid on, take off lid and add, broth (any kind you like), water, beans and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

4. Check to make sure butternut squash is tender, check for salt and pepper, add more if needed. If all is good pull soup of the heat and add the parsley. Stir to combine.

5. Serve piping hot, garnish with crispy bacon and sage. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

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*Basic beans

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1. Cooking your own beans is easy, cheaper and healthier! Soak three cups of your favorite beans in water overnight (at least 20 hours). For this soup I would suggest white beans, garbanzo beans, or I used these gorgeous adzuki beans I scored at the farmers market this summer.

2. Drain the beans, place them in heavy bottom pot and cover with enough water to cover about two inches above the beans. Throw in a finger long piece of kombu (kombu is a sea vegetable that helps tenderize the beans and adds minerals. You can find kombu at most health food stores or asian markets). Bring beans to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes, skim any foam that forms on the top. Then turn down heat to medium low, place lid on the pot and simmer for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours depending on the beans. You’ll need to check them, you do this by taking one out and lightly smashing it with your finger, if it does this effortlessly they are done.

3. When done, turn off heat and let them cool. Drain. Ready to use!

Nutrition:

Beans- Adzuki beans are not only high in protein but easier to digest than most beans. Surpassed in importance by the soybeans. Adzuki beans are an excellent source of fiber and protein. They are also rich in vitamins, folic acid, B3, a very good source of B1, B6 and B2. Rich in high levels of trace minerals molybdenum, copper, manganese and zinc. In addition to supplying high levels od soluble fiber and protein the trace mineral molybdenum which is necessary for the production of an enzyme called sulfite oxidase, one of the most important enzymes in a liver detoxification pathway called sulfoxidation. Poor sulfoxidation is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease and with inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, delayed food sensitivity, multiple chemical sensitivities, and diet-responsive autism. Food is so powerful, eating a variety and an abundance of plant-based nutrient dense foods is vital for a happy healthy life.

Love:

I am a sucker for soup, especially this time of year. The first time I made this soup was for Sunday dinner with friends a week before we left for Italy, the best part is that I had just attended our last farmers market of the season and ALL my ingredients were local! The whole time I was in Italy I yearned for a bowl of soup, I couldn’t wait to get home and make another batch of this Bean and Bacon Soup w/ Crispy Sage. Soup to me is love, love for veggies, love for beans and love for a bowl of warmth. I have mentioned before that I think soup is the perfect lunch, I made it for this last weeks lunches. This soup is portable, full of vegetables, protein and light put filling. This batch made so much I froze some for one of those weeks I might just need a break from cooking. Soup is love. Whip up a pot and love and sit back and ENJOY!

Double Chocolate Everything Bars- Travel Food

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in beans, breakfast, dessert, Snack, vegan

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Food:

3/4 c. buckwheat flour (you can grind your own or find in the bulk section of health food stores)

3/4 c. almond meal (you can grind your own or find in the bulk section of health food stores)

1/4 c. coconut flour (find in the bulk section of health food stores)

1/4 c. raw cacao powder (find in the bulk section of health food stores)

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/4 c. hemp seeds

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

big pinch, cloves, pumpkin spice, nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. chickpeas (fresh or canned)

2/3 c. nut milk

1 banana

1/4 c. coconut oil

2 T. tahini (you could use almond butter)

1/3 c. pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp.vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

2 carrots, shredded

1/2 dates, chopped

3/4-1 c. vegan chocolate chips, or carob chips

Directions:

1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, lightly oil a 13×9 baking dish with coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl mix the buckwheat flour, almond meal, coconut flour, cacao powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin spice and salt. Whisk to combine.

2. Next add walnuts, hemp seeds, grated carrots and chopped dates to the dry flour mixture. Toss to combine.

3. In a food processor or high-speed blender mix the chickpeas, nut milk, banana, coconut oil, tahini, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond extract. Mix on high until well combined. Add this mixture to flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Mix well but don’t overmix!

4. Scrape the well mixed mixture into the lightly oil baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool, cut and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Love:

These little BIG nuggets of love have been a life saver in my life. They are full of yummy healthy ingredients like chickpeas, cacao powder and gluten-free flours! They are super easy to whip up and travel well, l I even packed them for our travels this week to Denver. They are like indulging in a moist chocolate brownie with the goodness of a granola bar or protein bar. I eat five times a day and these have been a great mid morning or late afternoon snack, I will even throw one in my purse if I think I might need something to hold me over. This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite blogs, My New Roots. She posted this recipe in an effort to help all of us with the wows of traveling and the sometimes limited choices when it comes to eating right on the go. These are a new staple snack in my house, and as I sit in a hotel surrounded by chain restaurants I am thankful I packed these morsels of love to keep me nourished.

The ‘Big’ Salad

14 Monday May 2012

Posted by in beans, dressing, salad, seasonal

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Food:

The Big Salad

Spinach, chopped (in season)

Arugula

Roasted Chickpeas (2c. fresh cooked, or canned chickpeas, toss with 2 tsp. olive oil 1/2 tsp. salt- bake 400 degrees for 30-45 min.)

Beets, roasted or raw and diced (in season)

Asparagus, roasted and chopped (in season)

Peas, steamed (in season)

Parsley, chopped

Clifford Farms Bacon, chopped (local, I bake mine @375 for 15 minutes)

Avocado, diced

Goat cheese, crumbled (local)

1. Toss lightly all of the ingredients into a BIG bowl. Season with a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper.

2. Dress with your favorite salad dressing. Here are two you might try,

Hummus Dressing or Tomato Vinaigrette

Nutrition:

Spinach, beets, asparagus and peas are all in season right now. When the Downtown Farmers Market opens June 9 these will be some of the first seasons picks. Local, seasonal produce is the best bang for your bite. Take advantage and make this salad!

Love:

When I was a kid I would spent hours in the kitchen making these very elaborate salads with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and anything else I could get my hands on. Plus, I would make my then signature dressing of oil, vinegar, lemon salt and pepper. I loved those salads! They are what sustained my childhood. Now days I still love salads but I think my taste buds have grown up a bit, no more iceberg!  Last week when I was at a loss on what to make for dinner I thought ‘why not a BIG salad?’ and Viola! dinner was done. We enjoyed these all week, the color of the beets, peas and asparagus, the crunch from the crispy chickpeas and the creamy tart flavor of the goat cheese took our senses to a whole other level. With the weather warming up this was the perfect meal to enjoy outside in the backyard, and the bonus is that I prepped all the ingredients at the beginning of the week so they were ready to go each night. I hope this inspires you to make your own BIG salad, ENJOY!