Farro and Lentil Vegetable Curry Soup

Farro and Lentil Vegetable Curry Soup
How I Did It:

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
3/4 cup farro
3/4 cup lentils
32 oz low sodium Vegetable Broth
28 oz finely diced tomatoes
3 ribs celery, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsps + 1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 head cauliflower, large chopped
8 oz spinach, roughly chopped


1. Heat 2 tablespoons of water in a large pot and then throw in the onion and garlic. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed.

2. Pour in two cups of water and bring to a boil. Stir in the farro and reduce the heat to medium. Cover with a tilted lid (to let out some steam) for about 15 minuets and then add the lentils, celery, carrots, and parsnips. Add more water as needed to keep cooking for another 10 minutes.

3. Add broth and tomatoes. Stir to combine and then stir in the ginger, lemon juice, curry powder, and red pepper flakes.

4. Cook for about 5 minutes, add the cauliflower, cook for another 5 minutes or until vegetables are the tenderness that you prefer.

5. Stir in spinach and let it cook down for a couple minutes. Serve.

Ribollita (Tuscan Vegetable Stew)

Ribollita means "reboiled" in Italian and historically, that is what this soup is. Yes, Italians love their bread, but it was actually added to soup to make it last longer. So this vegetable stew was made with inexpensive vegetables and beans (cannellini...larger than navy beans, but very creamy) and before there leftovers were reheated, old bread was added to thicken it.

Have you ever put good bread in soup? Not crackers, bread. Well, I hadn't and was skeptical, but it's amazing. The flavors of the whole wheat sourdough bread I used (not old) and the broth meld together wonderfully and while soggy bread (from a rogue tomato, etc) is disturbing and unpleasant, in soup it becomes delightful and exciting. I decided to put the bread in before each serving so it wouldn't break down too much in between and it created the perfect texture for me. The soup is good without the bread too, but once you try it with bread you won't be able to go back.

Ribollita (Tuscan Vegetable Stew)
How I Did It:

1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp ground sage
1 zucchini, chopped
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale, destemmed and roughly chopped
26 oz good quality diced tomatoes with liquid
32 oz low sodium vegetable broth
whole wheat sourdough bread

1. Cover the bottom of your soup pot with 1/4 inch or so of water and heat. Add in onion, garlic, carrots, parsnips, celery, and all of the spices. Heat on medium-low for about 20 minutes until everything has softened. Stir occasionally, adding small amounts of water as necessary.

2. Add in the zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Add in the beans, kale and then the diced tomatoes and broth, Stir well to submerge the kale. Lower heat, cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

4. Rip one piece of bread per bowl into pieces (not too small). Serve the soup and then stir in the bread. Enjoy!

Rosemary Potato and Kale Vegetable Soup

Rosemary is definitely one of my all time favorite herbs. It makes everything better from bread, cheese (grilled cheese!), homemade popcorn, potatoes, chicken, and even cocktails! The one thing I hadn't tried was in soup. I was in the mood for a good soup and almost made up a new chili (that will also happen soon), but I had rosemary on the brain. I tried to pick vegetables that I thought rosemary would compliment. Sadly, I was unable to get parsnips, but I would recommend adding them in as well if you can. If you don't like rosemary, this soup is not for you, but the flavor is in no way over-powering. The photo is from right after I made it, but now it is two days later and the broth has definitely thickened up a bit which I like.

Note that I like to made a crazy amount at once and then freeze part of it. You can easily cut the recipe down as desired.

Rosemary Potato and Kale Vegetable Soup
How I Did It:

1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 large red potatoes, chopped
6 celery ribs, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
30 oz (no salt added) diced tomatoes
3/4 tsp black pepper
6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
64 oz low sodium vegetable broth
1 zucchini, chopped
15 oz navy beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz green pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch of red kale (any variety would work), removed from stems

1. Heat two tablespoons of water into a large pot. Once the water is heated, add in onion and garlic and cook until the onion is softened, stirring occasionally. 

2. Stir in potatoes and celery and cook for about 5 minutes. 

3. Add in carrots, diced tomatoes (not drained), and 1/2 tsp black pepper and let cook for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Throw full rosemary sprigs in, stir around and then add broth, zucchini, beans, peas, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and turn up the heat and cover. Once it starts to almost boil, turn the heat down, but not too much below medium.

5. Let cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the rosemary (it will fall off stems). 

6. Remove rosemary twigs (pulling off any pieces of rosemary that might remain), mix in kale, stir to combine and cook for another 10 minutes.

7. Serve!

Spicy Asian White Bean Dip

This has to be one of the best bean dips I have ever had, and definitely the best I have ever made. Don't let the picture fool you, it really tastes amazing. It's not only easy, but it's really quick and there is a good chance you already have most if not all the ingredients in your kitchen, just waiting for you to throw this together. Keep in mind I enjoy some spice in my food, but this isn't that spicy. You could use more or less of the hot sauce depending on preference. Good as a bread/chip/cracker dip or as a spread...I was even dunking raw carrots in it and love the flavor combination.

Spicy Asian White Bean Dip
How I Did It:

15 oz (1 can) cannellini beans (any white beans would work), drained and rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sriracha hot sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lime juice

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Combine until smooth.

2. Serve as desired and store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Navy Bean Peanut Butter Bars

All that tempting gooey chocolate and peanut butter.

Sometimes you want a warm and gooey dessert that won't make you feel gross after though, right?

Okay, desserts don't usually make me feel gross regardless, but it's still nice to have healthier options. These bars are really tasty, but have no flour, refined sugar, oil/butter, or eggs! Plus, look at all that protein and fiber! They are good warm or cold. To make them vegan, just use all maple syrup.

Peanut Butter Bars 
How I Did It:

1 can Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup peanut butter 1 tbsp + 2 tsp honey
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease an 8x8" baking pan.

2. Add all ingredients (except the chocolate chips)to a food processor and process until combined and smooth.

3. Pour into a bowl and mix in chocolate chips.

4. Pour into prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges start to firm up and the center looks just set. It's better to slightly under cook than to over cook.

5. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Lentil Curry Stew

Lentils are great in soup, but in the past I haven't varied too much from the tried and true lentil barley soup until last year when I added some cumin to the traditional lentil barley soup. I'm not sure why I never tried adding curry. I mean, curry and lentils...not exactly a new concept. When I was home over Thanksgiving my mom made lentil curry stew from a recipe that she had found in the American Institute for Cancer Research's newsletter which she apparently receives. We all loved it and I knew I would have to make it myself. Of course, in typical fashion I changed it around a bit. Among other things, I subbed cauliflower for the potato, added more curry and some extra veggies (rainbow chard for one). In my opinion the curry flavor is just right and everything works really well together. I think this will be my new go-to lentil soup.

Curry Lentil Stew
How I Did It:

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp garlic
2 cups onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
3 tbsp curry powder
3 tsp thyme
64 oz vegetable broth
28 oz canned San Marzano diced tomatoes
2 cups lentils
2 tsp parsley
1 bunch rainbow chard, chopped
1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped

1. In a large pot, heat oil and then add in garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and the ribs of the chard. Saute for about 3 minutes.

2. Add the curry and thyme and stir to coat. Pour in vegetable broth, tomatoes, and lentils. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Lower to just above a simmer and cover and cook for about 20 - 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

3. When the lentils are tender add in the chard leaves, cauliflower, and parsley. Stir well and cover again for about 10 minutes. Serve.

Super Gooey Almost Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie

So good  it's almost crazy, and so not horrible for you it is crazy! I can't make insane healthy claims as there is sugar and of course chocolate, but they are free of flour, butter, eggs, and full of protein! I got the idea after making Chocolate Covered Katie's Cookie Dough Dip. It's amazing as a dip. I wouldn't compare it to "regular" cookie dough, but I love it for what it is. Now what makes it over the top (in my opinion) is turning it into a super-gooey cookie. And it's so easy. Just spoon some of your dip into a microwave-safe bowl and...microwave it. Really, that's it. It forms a crust and the inside becomes even more creamy and of course there is the not so small matter of melty chocolate. Oh my.

Don't be scared of the beans. If you know they are there you will probably taste them, but strangely it's not a bad thing. I prefer to use navy beans as they are less "beany" in my opinion while still giving the dip its great texture. I also like to use a bit extra vanilla as it makes it taste less healthy.

If you are in the mood for something you can pick up with your hands, try Chocolate Chip Blondies with a Secret. Same bean idea, but baked.

Super Gooey Almost Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie
How I Did It:

1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 plus 2 tbsp dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Put all of the ingredients (except the chocolate) into your food processor and pulse until well combined. You may need to open it up a couple times to scrape down the sides (should only take a couple minutes at the most).

2. Pour into a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips. If you just want it as a dip you can eat it this way or refrigerate it to let it firm up.

3. When you're ready to make a "cookie" take scoop 3 tablespoons worth into a small microwaveable bowl (like a cereal bowl) and place as is into the microwave for about 1 minute or until it levels out and forms a crusty layer on top.

4. Repeat for anyone else who wants to try and store remaining "batter" in the refrigerator for more cookies later!

Tomato Vegetable Soup

What's better on a lazy cold day than a nice, brothy tomato soup full of veggies?

Tomato Vegetable Soup
How I Did It: 

32 oz san marzano whole peeled tomato

32 oz low sodium vegetable broth

1 celery stalk, chopped

6 carrots, chopped

32 oz diced san marzano tomatoes
3 tsp oregano
3 tsp basil
3 tsp parsley

1 summer squash, chopped
1 zuchinni, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped
40 oz green pigeon pea beans

1 bunch kale, de-steamed and ripped

1. In a large pot empty the San Marzano tomatoes. Using your (washed) hands, squeeze the tomatoes until only bite sizes chunks remain. If you really don't want to use your hands you can use wooden spoon - just stir vigorously, mashing the tomatoes against the side of the pot. Add broth and let come to a boil. 

3. Stir in celery, carrots, diced tomatoes and half of each of the spices. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes and then add in summer squash, zuchinni, peppers, pigeon peas, and remaining spices. Cook for another 15 - 30 minutes (depending how soften you want your veggies), stirring occasionally. 

4. Stir in kale well and let it cook down. You can keep cooking it if you still want your veggies softer or serve immediately. Once cooled, store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

Turkey Chili

Whoa, I cooked meat! Or maybe I should say, I cooked with meat. I make chili several times over the course of each winter and as you have probably guessed from my other soups and stews, it is usually without meat. This time (not for the first time) I decided to add some turkey which adds wonderful texture and flavor (sorry non-meat eaters). I've made the same chili before without turkey (and just added garbanzo beans and more black beans) and it's great like that as well. This chili has more of a kick than is typical for me, but it's not crazy spicey - just enough to make you feel like you're really eating chili!

Turkey Chili

How I Did It:

1 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks (with greens), chopped
3 tsp garlic

1 lb lean ground turkey
6 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
3 green peppers, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
68 oz San Marzano diced tomato, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp cumin
3 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3.5 oz sodium-free chicken bullion

1. Prepare all of your vegetables, keeping the leeks and garlic separate from the peppers.

2.  Heat olive oil in a large pot and once heated add the leeks and garlic. Let the leeks and garlic cook in the oil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the ground turkey, basil, and 2 tsp of the oregano. Cook until there is no more pink, stirring frequently.

3. Add the peppers and then the tomatoes, beans, and spices. Stir well to combine and distribute. Let cook for about an hour before serving to let the juices and spices meld together. 

Note: Chili is noticeably better the next day...and the day after that! Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze the leftovers for later enjoyment.

Veggie Filled Black Bean Soup

I'm not sure how or why I hadn't made black bean soup before. Well, now I have and I am hooked! There are more beans in there than it may appear, but in traditional Amy fashion I added a lot of veggies as well. I mashed up some of the black beans to give the broth and thicker, beanier texture and that worked out pretty well. Yet another soup that I would love to make again!

Veggie Filled Black Bean Soup
How I Did It:

2 28oz cans of San Marzano diced tomato (with juice)
3 cups water

1/2 onion
1/2 celery heart, diced
5 carrots, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cauliflower head, diced
4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp garlic
3 tsp thyme
3 tsp cumin
3 tsp oregano

1 bag baby spinach, de-stemmed

1. In a large pot on high, dump in water and onions. While onions are cooking dice up your other vegetables. Put the carrots and celery in first, adding them as they are ready. Keeping the water boiling, add in the diced tomatoes. Add the peppers and cauliflower as they are ready.

2. Add 3 cans of black beans and stir in well, breaking up some of the beans. Take the last rinsed can of beans and mash up before also stirring into the pot. Stir hard for a few minutes to break down the beans and create a thicker base. Add the spices and stir hard again and then stir in the spinach.

3. Once everything has been added, keep the soup on medium-high and stir hard every few minutes for at least 30 minutes.

4. Serve immediately and store the rest in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Lentil and Swiss Chard Tomato Soup

The thought process that goes behind my soups/stews is usually based around 1-2 ingredients and what I think will taste good with them. Sometimes I just throw a bunch of stuff in a pot and keep tasting it until makes me happy and other times I plan it out a bit more.

This time I knew I wanted to make lentil soup and I was trying to think of what vegetables I wanted to include before I took a trip to the store. My mom is always talking about swiss chard and I liked it when I have had it stir-fried, so I thought I would give it a try. I really liked it with the lentils and the sweetness of the stems really worked well with the spices. I don't usually add cumin and curry to much other than of course cumin in chili, but I knew they would taste good with lentils and I was in the mood for something a little different from my usual style.  If I was making it somewhere else I might have added more curry powder, but I was worried about my stinking up my apartment. The curry flavor does stand out, but is certainly not over-powering and did not leave a lingering curry smell in my kitchen. I was a little nervous about the dill, but I have heard it pairs well with cumin, so I tested it out on a small amount and liked what it added to the soup so I added more!

Lentil and Swiss Chard Tomato Soup

How I Did It:

2 - 32 oz veggie broth
2 cans 28 oz San Marzano diced tomatoes
1 cup barley (pearl)
1 1/3 cup lentils
4 carrots, chopped
1 stalk leeks, chopped
1 stalk celery heart, chopped
1 bunch swiss chard, ripped into pieces
5 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry powder
4 tsp garlic
4 tsp dill
3 tsp oregano

1. Pour broth and diced tomatoes into a large pot. Bring to a gentle boil and add barley and lentils and half of the spices. Cover and cook while preparing your vegetables.

2. Add carrots, leeks, celery, and swiss chard. Stir in well and the rest of the spices. Stir and cover.

3. Continue on medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are desired texture. Sure immediately and store remaining soup in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for later enjoyment. 

Kale and White Bean Tomato Soup

I am a big fan of kale. Let me rephrase that...I am a big fan of cooked down kale in soup and I think it tastes especially good with tomato. And it is so good for you! All greens are great, but kale especially.  Despite this I hadn't made a soup that was kale based yet so I decided to give it a try. I know "kale and white bean soup" is a thing so I decided to try that, but with a tomato base and of course it wouldn't be soup made by me if I didn't add a few extra veggies in there!

I am continually surprised with how much kale cooks down. I started out by putting half the amount of kale in thinking that would most likely be plenty, but I ended up using the full amount I had bought which turned out to be just right. The only protein in this is the white beans and there is no grains at all, but just one bowl was enough to fill me right up! Other more seemingly hearty soups have had me going back for seconds, so this is a big deal. I have had it on several different days now so it is not a fluke. Beyond that, I love the kale, tomato, and white bean flavors together. This is a soup I will definitely be making again.

Kale and White Bean Tomato Soup
How I Did It:

2 cans San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
32 oz low sodium veg broth
16 oz Kale
3 celery, chopped
2 cans white (navy) beans, drained and rinsed
1 zucchini, sliced and halved
1 yellow squash, sliced and halved
1/2 onion, diced
3 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp parsley
3 tsp oregano

1. Pour peeled tomatoes with sauce into large pot on and mash with a spoon until the tomatoes are broken up, but large chunks still remain. Add broth and turn heat up to create a gentle boil.

2. Add kale, celery and half of the spices, including the onion and garlic. Stir well and cover.

3. Once the kale has fully cooked down add the zucchini, yellow squash, beans, and the rest of the spices. Mix to combine well. Keep covered and gently boiling, stirring occasionally.

4. Cook until celery has softened and serve. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for later enjoyment.

Vegetable Bean Noodle Soup

I'm going to be honest. When I made this soup I had no intention of posting about it, therefore I didn't accurately measure everything. With soup measurements tend to be not as important...I have never made soup that came out tasting anything but delicious. In the fall and winter I tend to make soups and stews quite often, but for some reason I never record what I have done. This leads to me never really making the same thing twice. Part of this is intentional (I love trying out new ideas), and part of it is that I don't always remember exactly what I have done in the past!

So there I was, two full days after actually making the soup, enjoying a quiet bowl with my latest read when I realized I really wanted to write down how I did it. It turned out really well and I wanted a record of it, even if it wasn't exact, so I could either make it again in the future, or, more likely, use it's basic principles to come up with something else! I took a couple more bites before I was able to pull myself away long enough to take a few pictures of it. Thus, what you see is a few days old, but still very good soup. Which brings me to another point...I always make a ridiculous amount of soup/stew and eat it for several days and then freeze the rest. And yes, it is that thick and wonderful on purpose. I like my broth/goodness ratio to be very skewed towards goodness. :)

I'll definitely be making some version of this again. All of the flavors worked so well together and with the noodles and beans it was really quite filling (and unlike some soups, still plenty of energy for my runs the next morning)!

Vegetable Bean Noodle Soup
How I Did It:

2 quarts (2 32 oz cartons) organic low sodium vegetable broth
2 cans no salt added diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic
1 tbsp parsley
3 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp basil
2 tbsp oregano
1 1/4 cup lentils
3 turnips, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 package celery heart, chopped
1 summer squash, chopped
1 can black eyed-peas, rinsed
1 can green pigeon peas, rinsed
4 cups yolk-free egg noodles

1. Pour broth and diced tomatoes into a large soup pot on high. While it is coming to a boil, prepare your vegetables. After it comes to a boil, add onion, half of each of the spices, and all the lentils and reduce heat to medium.

2. Add the vegetables in as they are ready, saving the squash for last.

3. Thoroughly rinse your beans before adding to the pot (to remove excess salt). Reduce heat to medium-low and add the rest of the spices.

4. Cook covered on medium-low until the texture of your vegetables is to your liking. About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, add the noodles in and mix well.

5. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for late enjoyment. It will taste even better the next couple days once all of the flavors have had a chance to meld together, but keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb the broth.

Chocolate Chip Blondies with a Secret

These are so gooey and delicious you would never know they are not only vegan, but gluten-free as well! They have a secret ingredient that if you didn't know about you'd never guess! Garbanzo beans! No, don't walk away - they are really good, trust me! I can't take credit for them though...I found the recipe over at Chocolate Covered Katie. If you are at all into alternative healthier desserts you should really check out her blog, if you haven't already. 

I made these last minute to bring to share with the girls in the apartment upstairs. I told them they were vegan (my roommate is vegan) and they both seemed to really like them. I mentioned that there was no flour in them and of course they wanted to know what the base was. I waited until they had each had one and I told them. The response? "Well, in that case..." reaching for another one! I personally think that you can taste the beans if you know they are there, but honestly not in a bad way. I added more peanut butter, sugar, chocolate and vanilla to try to help mask it a bit more. Oh, and did I mention how easy they are? Definitely going to make this one again!

Chocolate Chip Blondies with a Secret
How I did it:

1 can (15 oz) Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup brown sugar (can use less if you are used to non-traditional desserts)
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips (use diary-free if you are making this vegan)

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and 8" square pan (9" works as well). Set aside.

2. Place all ingredients (except the chocolate chips) into a food processor and blend until well combined and smooth. If your food processor is not large enough, split ingredients roughly in half and blend twice. You can then combine the two well-blended mixtures together by hand in a bowl.

3. Mix in chocolate chips (setting a couple handfuls aside) and pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chips on top and lightly press down. 

4. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting. If you are in a rush put them in the fridge for a bit to harden up - if you try to cut them when they are still warm you will make mess! Store any not eaten that day in the fridge. 

Tomato Vegetable Stew with Bulgur

All day at work I was craving tomato soup so I had to make it when I got home. I have never been a huge fan of traditional tomato soups - just too boring and lacking in flavor, but I do adore tomatoes. With that in mind, I decided to make chunky tomato sauce, add some broth, and build from there. I wanted to add a grain of some sort and decided to use the bulgur I already had. Have you made anything yet with bulgur?  I highly recommend it! So far I have only added it to soups and stews, but it's really great. I threw in some garbanzo beans for protein and they were a great compliment to the tomato flavor. I should mention that my soups are always so thick that they are more like stews which is how I think all soup should be, but I labeled it stew to avoid confusion - it is very hearty! I will definitely be making this again - maybe swapping around some of the veggies for a little variety!

Tomato Vegetable Stew with Bulgur
How I did it:

(Servings: about 6)

2 cans San Marzano peeled tomatoes
16 oz broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 hearty splash of red wine
3 celery stalks, chopped (not 3 bunches!)
1/4 lb kale
2 green peppers, chopped
1/2 cup green onion (scallion)
2 summer squash, chopped
1/2 green beans, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 tsp Italian Seasonings
1 tsp Parsley
1 tsp Basil
1 can garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cups bulgur

1.  Chop all vegetables and set aside place in a bowl. Drain, rinse, and de-skin the garbanzo beans.

2. In a large pot (I used a stalk pot) empty the San Marzano tomatoes. Using your (washed) hands, squeeze the tomatoes until only bite sizes chunks remain. If you really don't want to use your hands you can use wooden spoon - just stir vigorously, mashing the tomatoes against the side of the pot.

3. Turn heat to medium and add the spices and red wine, mixing well. Cover for 3-5

4. Stir in the vegetables and cover pot. Let cook for at least 15 minutes and then add the bulgur and beans. Stir in well and re-cover for another 15 minutes.

5. Serve and let any remaining cool. Once cooled, store in and air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for future enjoyment!

Black Bean Burgers with Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries

Yes, I make and eat food that isn't filled with sugar! I generally try to eat pretty healthy meals, especially when I myself am cooking (I just tend to follow up those meals with chocolate...). I really enjoy coming up with something that tastes good and knowing that it is pretty good for me as well.

While I am not vegan or vegetarian, I don't tend to cook that much meat. This works out well as my roommate (Miss Polyglot) basically eats like a vegan and every now and then we like to make dinner together. We both enjoy black bean burgers, but neither of us had tried making one before. I printed out about six different recipes as I was concerned about texture, but in the end we just made it up as we went along. We each did our own thing as I decided I wanted Panko crumbs in mine. In place of store-bought bread crumbs she toasted bread and crumbled them in and it worked out well for both taste and texture. It's great making a burger that you can taste-test before you cook it!

I was really excited to try the sweet potato fries. I love sweet potato fries, but they never really have a good outer crunchy texture to them. Well, a co-worker had told me that if you coat them in corn starch before baking they will be crunchy! It worked and they tasted great! Next time I think I would make them a bit thicker though.

Black Bean Burgers
How I did it

(makes two burgers)


1 can black beans
1/8 cup panko crumbs (or your breadcrumbs of choice)
1 tsp flaxseed meal (or more breadcrumbs)
2 tsps water (may need more or less depending on desired consistency)
1/8 cup diced green pepper
1/8 cup diced carrot
1/8 tsp garlic powder
3 dashes cumin
2 dashes chili powder
1 dash cayenne pepper
olive oil

For serving (optional):
100% whole wheat with flax sandwich flats
Salsa and/or tomatoes
Avocado
olive oil

1. Drain and rinse black beans and then pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl (while still wet). Mash the beans up with a potato masher or your hands. Add breadcrumbs, flax meal, and combine until you reach your desired consistency. Keep in mind that if it is too try or too wet it will fall apart more easily.

2. Add carrots, peppers, and spices and combine well.

3. Seperate equally and form two balls. Flatten balls into desired thickness. I made mine the size of the bread, so they were a little thinner (see photos), but perfect to me.
[Note: If you make them too thin they will be hard to work with (flip...eat).]

4. Coat a frying pan with olive oil and place on medium heat and once heated, toss your patties on (except don't really toss them or they will come apart!). Cook for about 5 minutes and then carefully flip. When done both sides should be solid and warm.

For serving:

5. Lightly coat a frying pan with olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Once heated place your bread on and push down. Check on it every few minutes and flip when done to your liking.

6. Place burger in the "bun" and top with salsa (or tomato) and sliced avocado. Grab the sweet potato fries and enjoy!

Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries
How I did it

(serves 2 people)

2 sweet potatoes
1/4 cup corn starch
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 and (olive) oil a large baking/cookie sheet - set aside.

2. Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut ends and any remaining skin and slice into desired thickness.
[Note: If you make them very thin, they will be extra crunchy. About 1/2 inch thickness will get you crunchy on the outside with the potato still nice and soft on the inside.]

3. Dump the corn starch into a large zip-lock bag. Put all of your raw chopped sweet potatoes into the bag with the cornstarch, seal, and shake until coated. [Note: The sweet potatoes only need to be thinly coated]

4. Place on oiled baking sheet so none are touching (if they are touching they will not crisp up, but instead turn soft and soggy). Drizzle lightly with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

5. Remove from tray and let cool for a couple minutes before serving.