Category Archives: Beans/Legumes

March 25, 2011 · 2:31 pm

CROCK POT VEGETARIAN CHILI – Guest Blog By Catherine of Weelicious

Today we have another guest post from Catherine McCord of Weelicious!  We all loved her first Guest Blog for Veggie Grettie where she made Crock Pot Black Bean Soup and I know you will also love her Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili.  I personally always need to have a good arsenal of quick and easy recipes…life gets busy!  Enjoy.

~

In my quest for new and interesting flavors for Kenya, I focus in on one flavor and obsess about how I can introduce it to him in order for him to love it, but not be overwhelmed by it. At the same time, I’m always trying to create a dish the whole family can eat (plus leftovers for a few days). This week, chili powder was my focus.
It’s hot, smokey, a little spicey and delicious. Most people wouldn’t dream of a 10 month old liking something so intense, but I feel like babies palates are ready for anything as long as it’s not over powering.
There are 2 tablespoons of chili powder in the recipe which sounds like a lot, but the recipe also serves 16 people! When I say I like leftovers, I mean it. When the chili is finished, I put 2 cups in a Cuisinart and whiz it up for Kenya to have over the next few days. It’s packed with all the things he needs in his diet.

Vegetarian Chili (Serves 16)

1 16 Oz Cans Organic Chopped Tomatoes
2 32 oz Boxes Vegetable Broth
6 Cups Raw Mixed Beans (Lentils, Yellow Split Peas, White Beans) (If using large beans, soak the night before)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, minced
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
6 Celery Stalks, chopped
6 Carrots, chopped
1 Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Sweet Paprika
1 Large Bunch Dinosaur Kale, chopped

1. Place the first 3 ingredients in the Crock Pot.
2. Heat olive oil over medium flame and saute onions for 5 minutes. Lower heat if they start to brown. Add garlic and continue to saute another 2 minutes. Pour the onion mixture into the crock pot with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Cook on high for 12 hours.
4. Serve.

**Allow to cool, place in appropriate container or Ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours or place in pot and heat through under low-medium heat.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

For more Weelicious recipes click here.

Photo courtesy of Weelicious.com

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February 24, 2011 · 11:53 pm

VEGGIES and WHOLE GRAINS THAT KIDS WILL LOVE – Guest Blog by Alexandra Jamieson

Alexandra Jamieson

Alexandra Jamieson

I first became aware of Alexandra Jamieson while watching the documentary Super Size Me.  Due to her vast knowledge base as a professionally trained healthy gourmet chef and certified health and nutrition counselor, Alexandra was the right person for the job when it came to whipping Morgan Spurlock back into shape after he gorged himself on fast food for the documentary.  She successfully accomplished the task at hand and that led to her book, The Great American Detox Diet.  She has also penned Living Vegan For Dummies and Vegan Cooking For Dummies.

Alexandra Jamieson has been featured on Oprah, The Final Word, 30 Days and The National Health Test with Bryant Gumble, and the award-winning documentary Super Size Me.

Alexandra is now married to Morgan and they have a young son Laken which gives her great insight into tips and tricks for getting young children to eat and enjoy healthy food.

To learn more about Alexandra and the services she offers click here. 

I hope you enjoy her contribution…

Kid Friendly Grain Molds

Kid Friendly Grain Molds

Even though I stock my house with natural food, keep fresh fruit on the table at all times, and offer healthy snacks at every turn, my son sometimes turns his nose up to my offerings.

I’ve noticed that Laken refuses beans in almost every state lately. He’ll eat lentil soup, but when presented with home cooked chickpeas, sauteed pintos or black bean soup, I invariably hear “I don’t like beans, Mama!” This is a little upsetting because I think he needs beans on a regular basis for protein and minerals. Eating a variety of beans provides iron, potassium and zinc, and I don’t like to feed him soy every day. Yes, he eats some tofu and organic, unsweetened soy yogurt, but I would rather not go overboard on the soy products.

I’m going to assume it’s just a phase – just like the four month stretch when he decided he didn’t like avocados anymore. Funny, he happily devoured avocados daily for 2.5 years, then one day decided they were no longer acceptable. It was probably my insistence that he “liked them before” that made him refuse.

A few weeks ago I started making mixtures of veggies, beans and whole grains and pressing them into kid-friendly shapes using these awesome Japanese sushi molds and nori paper punches. If anyone knows how to make food cute, it’s the Japanese!

Knowing that marketing to kids works (see Super Size Me!) when it comes to junk food, I thought “why can’t marketing healthy food work too?”

The recipe is really easy, and my son happily ate several pieces for dinner. Here’s how it works:

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (any beans would work)

1 cup cooked whole grain (brown rice, quinoa, etc)

Directions:

– Saute the olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, and beans with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes over medium heat. I like to use a cast iron skillet which lends some iron content to the final dish.

– Combine the cooked veggies, beans and grain in a food processor and pulse 10 times.

– Press the veggie and grain mixture into the molds and hand pack them. Place molded animals on a plate and use the nori paper punch to create mineral rich nori eyes and a mouth.

These healthy, yummy grain animals are a perfect snack or side dish with some steamed veggies.

You can order sets like this by clicking here.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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Filed under Beans/Legumes, Gluten Free, Grains, Guest Blog, Kid Friendly, Recipes, Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian

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January 31, 2011 · 5:36 am

CURRIED RED LENTIL STEW

Curried Red Lentil Stew

Curried Red Lentil Stew

The weather turned cold in Southern California today which made it the perfect opportunity to make some stew.  In my continuing quest to clean out the pantry I saw that I had a bunch of red lentils, so those became the base of the stew.  As I often do, I went to epicurious to look through their recipes containing red lentils.  I came across one by Ruth Cousineau (from Gourmet Magazine 2/2009) that I based this stew on, but as usual I tweaked it to make it healthier and to include ingredients that I had in my fridge.  This was a very hearty and filling dinner…not to mention tasty!

INGREDIENTS (Makes 4-6 main course servings)

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. butternut or kambocha squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs.s minced peeled ginger
1 Tbs. curry powder (preferably Madras)
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed 
4 cups water
1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Accompaniment: cooked brown basmati rice & chopped cilantro

Ingredients

Ingredients

 

 Heat oil in a large pot and add in the squash,onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and salt.  Cook until soft and beginning to brown (15-20 minutes) stirring occasionally.

Into the Pot to Soften

Into the Pot to Soften

Softened & Ready for Spices

Softened & Ready for Spices

Add in the curry powder and pepper.  Stir to incorporate.

All Spiced-Up

All Spiced-Up

Add in the lentils and water.  Bring to a boil and skim off any foam.  Simmer for 25 to 40 minutes until the lentils are cooked.  At the end stir in the lemon juice and taste to see if any additional salt or pepper is needed.

Add the Lentils & Water

Add the Lentils & Water

Serve over brown basmati rice and top with chopped cilantro.

Curried Red Lentil Stew

Curried Red Lentil Stew

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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January 27, 2011 · 2:53 pm

ROASTED SPICED CHICKPEA SNACK

Baked Spiced Chickpeas

Baked Spiced Chickpeas

I know all of us are always looking for healthy snack alternatives that will hit the spot and satisfy.  This recipe does the trick.  Packed with protein and fiber, chickpeas are an amazing addition to your daily fare.  I made some of these BAKED SPICED CHICKPEAS this afternoon so it would be ready for the kids to nosh on when they got home from school.  WARNING – These are addicting!!! …and may be too spicy for wee ones (just reduce the cayenne).

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Tbs. oil

25 oz. can Westbrae Organic Chickpeas

SPICE MIX INGREDIENTS (from a Vegetarian Times recipe used for a  nut mix):

2 tsp. coconut sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika (I used La Chinata smoked sweet paprika from Spain)

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground allspice (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt (optional.  omit if you want the mix to be just sweet & spicy)

~

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Westbrae Chickpeas

Westbrae Chickpeas

Wash and drain the chickpeas.  Place the clean chickpeas on 2 layers of paper towels and gently rub the tops of them with another layer of  paper towels.

Rinse Well

Rinse Well

Place on a Paper Towel Lined Platter

Place on a Paper Towel Lined PlatterGently Dry the Beans by Rubbing the Tops

Gently Dry the Beans by Rubbing the Tops

Gently Dry the Beans by Rubbing the Tops

You want to get the chickpeas as dry as possible.  Notice that some of the chickpea’s skins will come loose.  Remove the skins.

Remove Loose Skins

Remove Loose Skins

While the chickpeas are air drying further, make the spice mix.  Pour all of the spices into a bowl and mix well (I used a mortar and pestle that I bought at Cost Plus World Market so I could grind the spices together).  This recipe will not use all of the mix, so reserve the excess for later.

Grind the Spices Together

Grind the Spices Together

Place the clean and dry chickpeas in a bowl and coat them with the oil.  Once coated with oil,  sprinkle on the spice mix to taste (I used 3 tsp.).

Coat the Beans w/ Oil

Coat the Beans w/ Oil

Place the seasoned chickpeas on a lined cookie sheet (I used a Silpat) and put the sheet in the oven for 40-60 minutes.  Carefully watch the chickpeas at the end as they can quickly burn.  Once done, the chickpeas will be browned and crunchy.  As the chickpeas cool they will become even crunchier.

Baked Spiced Chickpeas

Baked Spiced Chickpeas

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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January 20, 2011 · 2:43 pm

CROCK POT BLACK BEAN SOUP – Guest Blog by Catherine McCord of Weelicious

I am so excited to announce that we have a guest blog today from Catherine McCord of Weelicious!!!

Catherine McCord of Weelicious

Catherine McCord of Weelicious

I have been following Catherine’s blog for quite some time now and am always inspired by her recipe posts (many of which are plant based).  I too am a mom and am always looking for fast, healthy, and economical meals.  This following recipe is a definite winner!  Enjoy Catherine’s post…

CATHERINE MCCORD’S CROCKPOT BLACK BEAN SOUP

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

 

 
If you follow weelicious with any regularity, you know that I have a very intimate relationship with my crock pot — it’s like my best friend. Coming back after the holiday, with school starting back up, endlessly busy schedules to juggle and so on, my crock pot has been my salvation for getting hearty foods that everyone wants to eat made easily. A vendor at our local farmer’s market offers the most beautiful assortment of beans, and since black beans are one of our family favorites and cook beautifully in the crock pot, I buy them from him all of the time. Packed with protein and dietary fiber, black beans make for a filling, inexpensive and nutritious vegetarian meal that everyone can enjoy.

I really loved making this soup with my kids, because, like me, they love using the crock pot. But the real fun for them started when it was time to puree everything. Kenya, being an incredibly curious, almost 4 year-old boy who loves anything with a motor, was totally game to help me out with the hand-blender. As he gripped it and pressed the power button, he was enthralled as he made the beans transform into a creamy, rich soup. But if it was fun for me to witness the blast Kenya had, watching Chloe drink three helpings straight out of her bowl ensured that this soup will be in our regular mealtime rotation!

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup (Serves 6)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 Cups Dried Black Beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 32 oz Chicken Broth or Vegetable Stock, low sodium
1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Bay Leaves
2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1 Cup Water

Accompaniments: Yogurt, Sour Cream, Crème Fraiche

1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 4 minutes.
2. Add chopped garlic and sauté an additional minute.
3. Place the onion garlic mixture into the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
5. Using either a hand blender or traditional blender, puree the ingredients to your desired texture (I like to get it so a few pieces of beans are still visible so the soup is thick and still has a bit of texture).
6. Top with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream or crème fraiche.
7. Serve.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

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January 18, 2011 · 11:25 pm

BAKED LIMA BEANS

Baked Lima Beans

Baked Lima Beans

When I was a kid I HATED lima beans.  My dad loved them, so we ate them a lot.  Just thinking of lima beans used to make my mouth dry…they always tasted so mealy and intensely dry to me and no amount of butter could fix that.  To this day I see one of the bricks of frozen Jolly Green Giant lima beans and shudder.

Fast forward to adulthood.  A few months ago my husband and I had the priviledge of enjoying an amazing night at the Segerstrom Family Farm in Costa Mesa.  Our friends invited us to join them at the farm for a charity event (The Festival of Children) and it was truly one of my favorite events ever.  We began by going out into the fields to pick the produce that would be used in our dinner.  There was a private chef who prepared all of the food with her team and we spent the night dining outdoors under the stars right next to the fields.  It was spectacular.  The food was phenomenal and the company was even better.

The Segerstrom Farm began as a lima bean farm, so when the night ended we were all sent home with bage of dried lima beans and fantastic pumpkins to take home to the kids.

Segerstrom Lima Beans

Segerstrom Lima Beans

For the holidays my mom and dad gifted me a HUGE (750+ pages) vegetarian cookbook  called World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey and one of the lima bean reciped jumped out at me.  The time had come for me to give lima beans another try…I already had some outstanding beans in the pantry from the Segerstrom Farm, so  I had no more excuses.

World Vegetarian

World Vegetarian

Shockingly I LOVED this recipe.  The beans were creamy and so flavorful.  I am sure it is attributable to high quality beans and a well written cookbook.

Madhur received this recipe from the nuns at the Ormylia Monastery in Macedonia.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried lima beans or any large white beans, picked over and washed

ÂĽ cup oil

1 medium onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into thin half moons

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices

2 good-sized (6-7 ounce each) tomatoes, finely chopped

1 ÂĽ tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley

3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano

~~

Soak the beans overnight in water to cover by 5 inches.  Drain, discarding the soaking liquid and rinse with cold water.

Dry Beans vs. Soaked Beans

Dry Beans vs. Soaked Beans

Put the beans in a pot with 3 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil.  Remove the scum that rises to the top.  Cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer gently for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the beans are just tender (If the dried beans are very fresh it may only take 20 minutes).  

 
 

Skim the Foam

Skim the Foam

 

 Meanwhile, put the oil in a flame and ovenproof casserole-type dish and set over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onion.  Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the onion has just wilted.  Put in the carrot and cook another minute, stirring now and then.  Now put in the tomatoes and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened.  Turn off the heat.
Onions, Carrots, & Tomatoes

Onions, Carrots, & Tomatoes

Sauteed Onions, Carrots, & Tomatoes

Sauteed Onions, Carrots, & Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 325ËšF.

When the beans have finished cooking, add them and their cooking liquid to the dish with the onion, carrot, and tomatoes. 

Gently Mix in the Lima Beans

Gently Mix in the Lima Beans

 Add the salt, lots of black pepper, the parsley, and oregano.  Stir to mix. 

Add the Herbs

Add the Herbs

Put the casserole dish into the oven and bake, uncovered for 2 hours. 

Ready for the Oven

Ready for the Oven

Serve hot.  I served this with a salad and some crusty whole wheat bread, but it would taste great over barley or pasta as well.

Baked & Ready to Serve

Baked & Ready to Serve

For a printable version of this recipe click here

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