Tacos & Spanish Rice

You know those taco kits you get in the grocery store?  The ones with the really, really salty taco seasoning?

Ugh.

Just thinking about it makes me feel dehydrated!

I'm on spring break this week, which means I'll be cooking huge, longer to make, and slightly more difficult meals.  How exciting, right?  ;)

Anyway, instead of using seasoning packets to make tacos and rice, my mother figured out the perfect combination of spices to use for the tacos.  The rice, I found the recipe to myself:)  Sooo delicious.

Speaking of which, this weather is crazy, isn't it? So hot, and only March!  To enjoy the lovely weather, we ate outside on the beautiful veranda.  Unfortunately, my parents had already started eating by the time I brought the rice out, so I didn't get any pictures of either the food or the pretty table.  Tomorrow, tomorrow.

Anyway, to the recipes!

Tacos:

Ingredients:

1 bag Morningstar veggie crumbles
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water

Directions:

Prepare the veggie crumbles in a skillet, like you would ground beef (on the plus side, no need for any kind of oil!).  Add the liquids and stir in carefully.  Add the spices and stir again.  Turn the stove on high and let the excess liquid boil away.

Meanwhile (or way before, actually), you'll want to make the rice:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped or put through a food processor
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups white rice
3 cups vegetable stock (I'm still a big fan of Better Than Bouillon)
1 big tablespoon of tomato paste
1 pinch of oregano (roughly half of a 1/4 teaspoon)
Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.


2. In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.


The recipe is from this site.  




If I had had the time, I would have tried making it with brown rice, but I was a little pinched since we had just come from the grocery store. Tomorrow, I'll post my recipe for chocolate-chip oatmeal cookie bars, which usually vanish in ~3 days:)


Until Next Time,


Ashley

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

Red Beans & Rice with Corn Bread

It's so difficult to cook for picky eaters.  We have a list running in my house divided into three parts: "Make Again, "Do Not Make Again (Ever), and one labelled "NITH" (Not In The House, referring to my fathers frequent business trips).

Because, ladies and gentlemen, for once it isn't the child who is the picky eater...but the parent.  Since my mom and I became vegetarians, we've expanded our culinary scope to include dishes from around the world.  For reasons beyond my imagining, my dad hates this and doesn't like most of what we cook.

For the first time in a month or two though, I was able to add another dish to the "Make Again" list- Red Beans and Rice w/ cornbread!  I made a version of this early in the summer, but it was too spicy.  These recipes aren't my own, unfortunately, but I've been thinking of ways to improve them.  The beans, for instance, are far, far too salty.  I've been thinking of making my own Cajun seasoning blend and using a tablespoon of homemade (without salt) and a tablespoon with the store bought kind.

For broth, I use Better Than Bouillon, which is totally delicious but also a little salty.  Enjoy!

Red Beans Recipe:

1 pound of dried red kidney beans
1 large onion
2 stalks celery
3 tablespoons canola oil
11 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight in water and drain.  Peel the onion and chop the celery and onion into small pieces- I used a food processor for the onions, and chopped the celery very finely.  Sautee the onion and celery in the hot oil for ten minutes over medium high heat.  Add the beans and vegetable stock, then bring to a boil.  Add the garlic powder, bay leaf, & Cajun seasoning, then simmer on medium-low heat for three hours (I know, I know!  But it's sooo worth it!)

During the last hour of the beans cooking, make the cornbread:

1 1/2 cups soy milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine the liquid ingredients, then the dry ones and mix until just combined.  Pour the batter into a greased eight or nine inch square pan and bake in a 350 F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until done.  Makes nine pieces.

While the cornbread is baking, make the rice.  Making rice is really basic, but for those that need a recipe:
1 cup white rice
1 1/2 cups water

Combine the water and rice in a saucepan and bring to a soft boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for twenty minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

The recipe serves six, so it's great for a family dinner, dinner party, small potluck, or for someone who likes to make a LOT of food and keep it in the freezer.

Recipes from "Teens Cook" by Megan & Jill Carle

Until Next Time,

Ashley