Black Bean Soup & Dean's List

I've been wanting to make this for what seems like ages, but I kept putting it off because it seemed (wait for it) "time consuming."  For the most part, this requires almost no hands on time, but it takes care of itself when the beans are soaking overnight, and simmering during the day.

Winter makes me feel lazy, I suppose.

In other news, I made the Fall 2011 Deans List!  I've never made it before, so I'm super, incredibly excited.  I thought I was definitely out of the running because of the two B's (because two B's disqualified me for it last year), but they didn't!  I was pretty depressed because I start school on Monday, and I loathe my school, but I'm actually not dreading it too much anymore (even though they cancelled my favorite-class-ever, German II.  Thought I was going to cry after that).

Anyway, ingredients:

1 pound dried black beans, soaked overnight
8 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely (preferably in a food processor, because we all know how much cutting onions sucks)
8-10 baby carrots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
One 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
6 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
dried cilantro for a garnish

Directions:

1. Soak the beans overnight and drain the next morning.
2. In a large pot, combine the beans, the 8 cups of water, and the two bay leaves.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for an hour and a half.  Drain the beans and discard the bay leaves.
3. In the same pot (but without the beans in it), heat the olive oil.  Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and sautee until fragrant and partially cooked (five minutes or so).  Poor in the tomatoes, beans, stock, oregano, cumin, salt, and cayenne.  Simmer for thirty minutes.
3. Transfer three cups of the soup to a food processor and blend, then recombine in the pot.  You can process more if you want it thicker and more stew-like, or less if you want it thinner and more soup-like.
4.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with a little cilantro.  If you're the "think-ahead" type, you can use fresh cilantro, but since I'm not, I used dried (worked just fine).

This soup makes (in technical terms) a "butt load," so it's great for a pot luck, a big family meal, etc.  I took half the leftovers and froze them for a later meal, which is great if you live by yourself (or just have a couple people in your family).

It's also a good idea to freeze this in single-serve portions, because I know a lot of us have vowed to save money this year:)

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

Ashley

(Recipe adapted from Vegan Planet)

Vegan Dinner: Rice with Beans & Vegetables & an amazing mug brownie!

I finished todays workout absolutely famished and in the mood for something healthy.  I opened the refrigerator and found....leftover pizza, a zucchini, and a bag of carrots.

*overly dramatic movie scream*

I was absolutely not feeling the pizza, so I thought a minute and remembered a spectacular vegan burrito recipe from the "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" recipe book.  The only issue was that I'm (gasp!) out of tortillas!  I decided that the filling was good enough to eat on its own, and used the recipe and the scant ingredients I had to whip a bowl of rice with beans and spiced veggies.  Even my dad, who didn't care for it in a burrito, liked it this way (or at least he said...).  I'm thinking perhaps it was the broccoli in the original  dish that he objected to, so that's that.

Below is what I used, but I'll also include the original recipe if you'd like to do the original (although we're not big on squash in our house, so we always skip that).

For the rice, make it the same way I detailed here, or make a pot of brown rice according to the package directions.  To make the beans, empty a 15 ounce can of black beans into a saucepan or a microwave safe bowl and heat until hot.

Original Burrito Ingredients:


1 tablespoon coconut or extra virgin olive oil
one yellow squash, diced
one green pepper, diced
one mild green pepper (like an Anaheim) diced
1/2 red onion, diced
one zucchini, peeled and diced
four cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons lime juice, tortillas

Like I said before, I didn't have all that, nor was I feeding four people.  I made enough for my dad and I, plus enough for tomorrows lunch for one person.

Modified Recipe:

A swirl of extra virgin olive oil
one zucchini, peeled and diced
6-7 baby carrots, put through a food processor and chopped into tiny bits
a small palmful dehydrated onion (or a tablespoon or two of the regular kind)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon of lime juice

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the carrots.  Cook for a moment or two, then add all the spices, plus the garlic, onion, and zucchini.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the lime juice.

It really doesn't get much easier than this, and its not only delicious, but healthy- which in my opinion, makes it taste even better.

Of course, what's even better than dinner?

Dessert.

This is a recipe I found ages ago, and have continued to modify until it suited my purpose.  You can use any kind of liqueur, water, or milk in place of the raspberry, but that's what I have (and like), so that's what I used.

Cocoa can be varied based on your personal taste, but I like mine rich and chocolatey.

                                                   Uncooked

                                                  Half-baked the way I like it.

Warning: This is incredibly rich.  I always share with someone because it's simply too much for me to eat on my own.

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa
2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur (I used Chambord)
2 tablespoons canola oil
chocolate bits to sprinkle on top (totally optional, but oh-so-delicious)

Combine all the ingredients and microwave for 45 seconds (if you like hot, melty, half-baked brownie goodness) or the full two minutes if you want it done.

Original recipe found here.

Bonus: adorable cat story:)

My cat is pretty smart. Like, above average smart (at least in my opinion).  She changes the channel on the TV when she doesn't like what I'm watching (and always somehow switches it to Cartoon Network. Hmm...), and opens cupboards and closed doors.  It's pretty cute, if occasionally irritating.  Today, however, I walked into my room and found that she had turned on my electric blanket and crawled under it, napping peacefully.  I've never seen a cat turn on an electric appliance before and it just bewildered me.

                                               The mischievous feline herself:)

Hope you guys enjoy!

Until Next Time,

Ashley