Texas Caviar Rice and Beans

Texas Caviar Rice and Beans

 

This recipe comes straight from the July 2013 Southern Living, and is a really good recipe for a Meatless Monday, or if you want leftovers for a couple of lunches.  David really liked this dish, which always helps :)

 

My very quick iPhone photos don't do the beauty of this dish justice, but here they are.

 

 

Start by mixing up a Texas Vinaigrette of olive oil, fresh lime juice, chopped fresh cilantro, hot sauce of your choice, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, Kosher salt, and black pepper. 

 

Then drain and rinse a can each of black-eyed peas and black beans.  Place in a bowl (or a saucepan like I did) and add 1/3 c finely chopped roasted red bell peppers, and 1/4 c finely chopped poblano pepper (I skipped this).  Add half of the vinaigrette and let sit for awhile (20 minutes or so).

 

 

 

Make up Basmati rice.  I had brown Basmati so I followed the direction, but any rice would work well in this dish.

 

Heat the beans on the stovetop (the recipe suggests doing it in the bowl in the microwave - either way), then serve.

 

 

 

Options for serving with this rice and bean caviar:

Chopped Romaine

Warmed Tortillas

Shredded Cheese

Tortilla Chips

Remaining Vinaigrette

Halved Grape Tomatoes

Chopped Cilantro

Thinly Sliced Celery

Thinly Sliced Green Onions

Salsa

Pickled  Jalapeño  Peppers

Guacamole

Sour Cream

Lime Wedges

 

 

 

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Enjoy!

 

 

Brown Rice and Beans with Ginger Chile Sauce

Brown Rice and Beans with Ginger Chile Sauce

My friend Mary sent me this great Bon Appetit recipe that she had recently tried and loved.  Any rice and beans combo goes over great in my house, so we tried it out last week!

 

You start by cooking brown rice, and then tossing it with fresh cilantro.  I had rice on hand so I re-heated 2 cups worth and added in the fresh cilantro and a little sea salt.  It smelled great!

 

Then I cooked a little chopped onion in olive oil, added in cumin and coriander and let it cook through.  Then added in rinsed & drained black beans, vegetable broth, and a little salt and pepper.  I brought it to a boil, then let it simmer about 8 minutes until the beans were thickened.

 

I somehow didn't get a photo of the ginger chile sauce.

It's very simple - in a blender pulse 2 chiles that have been seeded, a garlic clove, 1 Tbsp of chopped ginger, lime zest, lime juice, and a little bit of onion together to make a flavorful salsa. 

 

 

In addition, I had some sweet peppers so I roasted them in the oven to serve with the beans and rice.

 

The original recipe doesn't call for serving on corn tortillas, but I had some so we made little burritos with ours.  Top the cilantro rice, black beans, salsa, and roasted peppers with halved cherry tomatoes, Cotija or feta cheese crumbles, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for squeezing.

 

Really, really great - the beans disappeared completely.  They were so good!

 

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Enjoy!

Rice and Lentils

Rice and Lentils

 

When I took cooking classes with Sandy earlier this year, she made this dish for us to eat with our yummy herb-inspired dishes.  It is one of those dishes that she just tossed together and it was so good.  I hadn't "just tossed it together" yet for my family, but had been meaning to.

 

I always have cooked grains in the fridge, to make school night dinners that much easier to pull together.  We really like lentils, so this was a no-brainer.

 

When I asked Sandy for her "recipe", she had to think about what she did that so inspired me.

She shared that she used brown Basmati rice, green lentils, fresh rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt.  Seemed easy enough for me!

I pulled out brown Basmati from the fridge and warmed it up just a little in the microwave.
Then I cooked lentils on the stove according to the package directions. 
Instead of plain water, I used vegetable broth and a bay leaf to flavor the lentils as they cooked.
Lentils cook much more quickly than rice.

 

 

Once tender, I combined the rice, lentils (minus the bay leaf), chopped fresh rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, and celery salt.

 

This dish has a great mild flavor, and is perfect as a main dish, or as a side dish with meat and vegetables.

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Enjoy!

 

 

Mediterranean Grain Salad

Mediterranean Grain Salad

I really love the versatility of a grain salad.  This version comes from Sandy who taught me the yumminess of this kind of dish.  It's great as a side dish, a main dish, to take to a pot luck, and keeps for a couple of days easily in the fridge.  This version was especially yummy!

 

You start with 6 cups of cooked grains - whatever you might have on hand.

I had made couscous (not actually a grain) and brown Basmati rice before and froze them to use later.  So I pulled out some of each and defrosted them.

 

But you could use any grain, or combination of grains including rice, quinoa, barley, couscous, etc.

 

Once I was ready to make this dish, I heated the rice and couscous in the microwave for a couple of minutes to take the chill off and combined them in my large mixing bowl. 

 

To my mixed grains I added a can of chickpeas (rinsed & drained), a jar of Kalamata olives (drained), chopped scallions, a chopped cucumber and fresh basil.  I mixed it all up together and seasoned with garlic powder, Kosher salt, and black pepper.

 

Because I wanted the boys to eat this dish as well, I didn't add tomatoes to the dish, but halved some cherry tomatoes for David and me to top ours with.  If you have tomato lovers at your house, you can incorporate the fresh or sun-dried tomatoes in your grains with the other ingredients.

 

Then I added bottled Balsamic vinaigrette, tossed the salad together, and served it alongside my other dishes for dinner.

 

The grain/vegetable/herbs/vinaigrette combinations are endless, but I liked this Mediterranean flair.

 

If you wanted to, you could also add any additional protein like other beans, meat, cheese, tofu, fish, or shrimp.

 

 

 

 

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Enjoy!

Black Bean and Rice Salad

Black Bean and Rice Salad

 

Last week I had friends over and served some light southwestern-y style snacks.

I felt like I didn't have quite enough, so I decided to make a rice salad to go with it.

I used what I had on hand, then topped it with a vinaigrette and it was great!

 

I had leftover brown rice so started with that, heating it up just a bit in the microwave to take off the chill.

Then I rinsed & drained a can of black beans and a can of corn and combined with the rice.

I added a chopped scallion and chopped fresh cilantro.

 

I topped the salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette that Sandy shared with me.  I had not made it before, but it was really great - and a perfect complement to this rice/bean salad.  I have learned a lot from Sandy during her cooking classes - and I now firmly believe everything tastes better with fresh citrus and herbs!

 

The salad disappeared. 

Brennan even had 3 helpings.

 

 

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Buen Provecho!

 

Rice Salad Primavera

Rice Salad Primavera

This great summer garden recipe comes from the August 2012 Vegetarian Times Farmers' Market Cookbook.

David and I really liked this dish and came up with several ways to modify her even more.

I personally think the secret is in the vinaigrette that holds the dish together at the end.

This is made by whisking together wine vinegar (I used White Wine Vinegar although the original recipe calls for Red Wine Vinegar), Dijon mustard, and olive oil.

Cook a cup of brown long-grain, short-grain, or brown Basmati rice so that you have 2 cups of cooked rice.  I had short-grain brown rice leftover in the fridge so I warmed up 2 cups for this dish.

Then slice your vegetables.

The original recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, green onions, orange bell pepper, a peeled cucumber, and yellow squash. 

I think the possibilities are endless!

Bake 1 package of tofu - I baked mine the same way I did for Sandy's Tofu Bites.  I cut my pieces smaller though so they would cook faster.

Toss the warmed rice, the diced baked tofu, and the vegetables together.

Combine with the vinaigrette and serve!

Mmmm.

And it was great warmed up the next day!

I think topping the dish with some chopped fresh herbs would be wonderful too.

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Enjoy!

Alicia's Soft Rice Porridge

Alicia's Soft Rice Porridge

I started thinking about eating a more plant-based diet earlier this year because of two things.

First, our friends Mike & Mary got interested in the subject and I was curious.

Second, I received Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet for Christmas and finally read it.

It made so much sense to me, and I asked David to read just one chapter from the book.

That led us into an entirely new way of thinking about nutrition, and we haven't looked back.

This recipe comes from Alicia's book. I haven't served this to the rest of the family because they're happy with their breakfasts, but it is a breakfast that I like and have made several times for myself, always a little differently.

I thought I'd better post it on the blog so I can always come back to it when I need a change in breakfast - I tend to get in a rut and need a change up.

We always have leftover cooked brown rice (or another grain) in the fridge, so this is a perfect use for it.

I'll tell you how I make it, then include Alicia's original recipe below.

You start by heating up a cup of leftover cooked rice and a cup of water in a saucepan.

Bring it to a boil, the cover and simmer it for 15 minutes.

The original recipe calls for 2 cups of water - it's waaaay too much for me.

I got with 1 cup and strain out a little before transferring to a bowl.

The original recipe also says to add your dried fruit to the saucepan with the rice and water, but I rarely remember to.  I usually just toss the chopped fruit on at the end.

I've used apricots, raisins, and dried mango in this dish.  All are great.

Then you place the dish in a bowl and add your toasted seeds and a chopped umeboshi plum.

The plum is obviously totally optional.  I love them, but not everyone does.

The original recipe calls for Toasted Sunflower Seeds.

I never toast them - just toss them on raw.  I'm sure they're even better toasted.

I've used raw walnuts, chopped raw almonds, and raw pumpkin seeds in this dish.  All good.

It's a filling breakfast, and I love the customizability (real word???) that allows me to use what I have on hand, or what sounds good that morning.

Enjoy!



Yellow Fava Beans and Rice

Yellow Fava Beans and Rice

Awhile back I picked up a package of dried fava beans, looking forward to trying them out.  I have only heard of them, but don't think I've ever had them in a dish. 

Of course, this is who I think of when I think of fava beans.

Then I did a little research and found that they are widely used in almost every part of the world. 

So, I probably have had them before, not realizing it.

I saw this recipe in the Awakening Beauty book that I recently received from a friend. 

It sounded like a great recipe for us to try out.

This recipe is a multi-step dish, but the hands-on time is limited.

You start by soaking a cup of fava beans overnight.

When you're ready to start your dish you rinse your beans well, and then soak rice for an hour while you follow the next steps of the recipe.

We used brown basmati rice which the recipe calls for.  I think you could use any rice for this dish.

While the rice is soaking, you heat olive oil in a large pan and add turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper, sauteing it all on medium for a minute.

Then you add a chopped onion and let it all saute for 10 minutes.

Per usual, I skipped the onion, but I'm sure it adds a great flavor to the dish, and of course a lot of great nutrients.

At this point you add your drained beans and 3 cups of water and bring the dish to a boil.

Then allow it to simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.



Next, add your rice and the water it was soaking in, and bring the dish to a boil again.

Drizzle melted butter over the top and allow the dish to simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in golden raisins, and serve.

Tips:

*This dish was not seasoned enough for my family.  I would add garlic powder earlier in the dish, or saute garlic with the turmeric and cinnamon, and season with more salt if needed.

*You can also add chopped dates when you add the golden raisins.

*You are supposed to sprinkle with some chopped scallions before serving, but we overlooked this step in our fury to get everything on the table!

This is certainly a good dish, and with the right seasonings - it could be a staple in our home!

(Even without a nice bottle of chianti to go with our fava beans!)

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Enjoy!

Brown Rice with Creole Sauce

Brown Rice with Creole Sauce

Don't let the long list of ingredients (mostly seasonings) discourage you from trying this recipe.  It's an easy, quick, versatile dish that is great for rice, and I think would work really well over fish, chicken, or other grains.

I found this recipe in the Fire & Spice cookbook that I reference so often.  I like many of the recipes, organized by region of the world.

David especially liked this creole sauce.

Thomas did as well.

There was a strong flavor that I wasn't terribly fond of - but I liked the idea of this dish.

I think I'll play with the ingredients and try it again.

While your rice is cooking, you saute green bell pepper, onion, celery, a seeded jalapeno pepper, and garlic in some olive oil.  I covered it and let the vegetables soften for about 10 minutes.

Then you add an undrained can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, file powder, brown sugar, lemon juice, cider vinegar, mustard, cayenne, and salt & pepper to the sauteed vegetables. I stirred it, and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

At this point the kitchen smelled fantastic, but I knew that my kids wouldn't be thrilled with the chunks of tomatoes and peppers, so I decided to use the blender and turn it into a thicker sauce.

We served it over the rice, which was a great complement and helped cut the heat in the sauce.



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Enjoy!

Gourmet Brown Rice

Gillian McKeith's

Gourmet Brown Rice

We always have brown rice in the refrigerator.  It's so versatile, and it can be eaten with any meal.

When I saw this recipe in Gillian McKeith's You Are What You Eat cookbook, it sounded like a great play on regular brown rice, and used ingredients I had in the pantry/fridge!

I soak my rice overnight before washing it well and cooking with it.

After I soaked 1 c of short grain brown rice, I placed it in a saucepan with sliced carrots and celery and 2 c water.  The recipe calls for a vegetable stock cube or miso paste.  I used miso paste and it was really good.

At this point you just bring the water to a boil, then cover and simmer the dish for 25 minutes or so, letting it stand with the heat off for 10 minutes and then serving.

It's great heated up the next day as well. 

Great flavors and goes well with any main dish or with a large salad.



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Bon Appetit!



Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it out to go along with our Avocado Pita Pizzas with Cilantro sauce.  While I had out the fresh cilantro and food processor, it seemed a perfect accompaniment.

Angela from Oh She Glows made this recipe and I modified it only in that I did not use diced onion.

We're just not onion fans around here, and I wanted to give this recipe a fighting chance!  I also replaced the spinach with fresh kale.

I chopped the kale finely in the food processor, then added it to rinsed and drained chickpeas.

Then I made the dressing by pulsing lime juice, cilantro, Dijon mustard, sugar, garlic, cumin, and oil in the food processor (following the directions that I didn't even need to rinse out the food processor after chopping the kale - super easy!).

It just makes a little bit of dressing, which is all this recipe needs.

I tossed the chickpeas, kale and dressing together, then served the salad over a bed of brown rice that I had in the fridge.  Others on Pinterest recommended serving it on romaine, quinoa, and Basmati rice.  I'm sure they'd all be great!

Really delicious!

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Enjoy!

Wild Rice Salad with Beets

Gillian McKeith's

Wild Rice Salad with Beets

I'm perfectly willing to share this recipe with you, even though it is certainly not one of my favorites.

Maybe it's the beets.

Or maybe it's the beets/rice combo.

My 3 men seemed to like it just fine, but after one helping, I was not interested in putting it up for leftovers, against protests from my family.

Hey - if they're willing to eat wild rice salad with beets the next day, who am I to toss this dish out and mark it down as a fail?

I'm new to beets. 

We saw them at the Farmers' Market Saturday and Brennan had to have them (this is a theme, isn't it?)  He went through 3 cookbooks and chose this recipe, which we modified.  I had my doubts going in, but I figured we'd give it a try.

I'm not giving up on beets though. 

I'm going to try them again in a different way and see if I can become a beet fan like so many people I know are. 

I used 1 cup of Lundberg Wild Rice Blend that I had on hand (found at Kroger).

I really like the Lundberg brand in general.

The recipe called for 4 cooked beets, diced.  I wasn't sure where to start, so I looked online.

I removed the leaves and then scrubbed the beets well.

Then I cut off the two ends and peeled the beets. 
Then I cut them into large chunks and boiled them for about 5 minutes.

It turns out, I could have trimmed them but peeled them after boiling them.

And, I think next time I'll roast them instead of boiling them, but they were fine, regardless.

I cooked the rice according to the package directions, then let in cool while I diced the beets.

I tossed the cooled rice with the diced beets and added the juice of 1 lemon, chopped fresh mint, parsley, chives. 

 

Everyone ate the salad again tonight at dinner, and I certainly didn't require anyone to, since I wasn't going to.  When I asked if I should keep the remaining salad - they all 3 said yes.  Well, OK.


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Enjoy!