Mexican Cauliflower Rice with Black Beans

Here’s one more recipe with cauliflower rice that always works…

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower rice

1 cup black beans

1 cup corn

3-4 mini tri colored peppers chopped

5-10 mini heirloom tomatoes sliced

some chopped onion

chopped avocado

pickled jalapeno slices

cilantro

salt and pepper

chipotle chilli powder or chilli lime powder

some olive oil

lemon juice

sour cream (optional)

In a pan, add oil and sauté onions, peppers and tomatoes and continuing frying for 4-5 minutes. Add cauliflower rice, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some chipotle or chili lime pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Drizzle some lemon juice, sprinkle some cilantro leaves.

Serve warm topped with some avocado and pickled jalapeno. Can also add some sour cream.

Cauliflower rice week

I had picked up a bag of fresh cauliflower rice this week and there were plenty of new and old recipes to try.

First there was spicy southwestern cauliflower rice recipe

Then there was cauliflower rice puttananesca

Then there was stir fried veges with cauliflower rice

All turned out great and perfect for weekday lunch choices!

Cauliflower rice puttanesca

I had some tomato sauce left after using half in zoodles and went looking for a new recipe to try with ingredients I had readily available. I chanced upon this one and it was perfect for that quick lunch on a weekday.

Here’s how I made mine.

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh organic cauliflower rice

1 cup home made tomato sauce

some fresh green onions

2 cloves minced garlic

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

some crushed red pepper flakes

some fresh basil leaves

Can also add some cheese

Check here for the tomato sauce recipe.

Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a pan. Add sliced green onions and garlic and fry lightly. Add cauliflower rice and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add sauce and continue frying for another 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a bowl. Toss in pickled olives, capers, pepperoncini, and asparagus. Turned out delicious especially with a side of olive bread and baklava!

Quinoa Kichidi

Every now and then I soak mung beans and make sprouts. I had some left over bamboo shoots and baby corn and I immediately thought about the sprouted mung bean and Thai green curry soup.

While the sprouts take several days, I decided to try a variation of Kichdi for Sunday brunch. Kichdi is usually made with rice and lentils. I have posted a recipe in the past here.

This time around replaced rice with Quinoa. Turned out pretty good.

Quick Lunch Series: Pineapple Cauliflower Rice

I have been wanting to try this recipe for sometime now. It is one of those really quick and easy recipes if you have all the ingredients. This is adapted from here. This is how I made mine.

Ingredients:

1 frozen bag of riced cauliflower
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 small onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tsp coconut oil
cashews
cilantro

Seasoning: cumin powder, coriander powder, curry powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper

In a pan heat oil. Add onion and garlic and fry lightly. Add cumin, coriander and curry powder and continue to fry for 1-2 minutes. Add riced cauliflower, peas and carrots and continue to fry for 5-6 minutes.

Add pineapple and salt and pepper and mix well. Toss in cashews and mix well. Sprinkle some crushed red pepper (optional)

Season with some cilantro and serve warm

Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Chili

Happy New Year!

Over the last few years, I have been cooking black eyed peas and collard greens on New Years day. Each year I try a new recipe. This years is adapted from here. Here’s how I made mine.

Ingredients:

1 cup black eyed peas (fresh or 1 can)
4-6 leaves of Collard greens sliced
green onions (can use regular onion) sliced
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno chopped fine
1-2 carrots chopped
2-3 celery sticks chopped
3-4 tomatoes chopped (can use a can of tomatoes instead)
1-2 tomatoes (juice or use tomato paste)

1-2 tsp olive oil
Seasoning: salt, chili  powder (or paprika), cumin powder, coriander powder, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves

 

Soak black eyed peas overnight if using fresh. When ready to make soup, steam peas in a pressure cooker.

Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven or large pan with some oil. Add onions and garlic and fry lightly. Add carrots, celery, collard greens, tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked black eyed peas, tomato paste, seasoning and 2-3 cups water (or broth) and mix well. Reduce flame and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream and some corn bread.

See Also:

A. SOUP. A. WEEK. BLACK EYED PEAS FOR PROSPERITY IN THE NEW YEAR
HOPPIN’ JOHN
BLACK-EYED PEAS AND GREENS WITH NAVRATTAN SPICES TO START THE NEW YEAR
BLACK-EYED PEAS AND COLLARD GREENS
BLACK-EYED PEAS AND COLLARD GREENS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Airplane Cookies are here!

Hold Short and Wait

That’s how I have felt this year.

I wish it was otherwise. But I am so thankful for everyone who was sane, showed empathy, and  compassion for their fellow Americans.

I did not fly this year.  I was willing to hold short and wait for my fellow countrymen as we figured out the unusual times we were going through. 2021 will continue these challenges. And I will continue to support whatever is safe to get us through these troubling times.

So while we hold short and wait, here are some cookies to celebrate the holidays and bring in 2021

Ingredients:

2 cups Blanched Almond Flour
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tbsp. Orange Zest
1 tbsp. Lemon Zest
1/2 tsp baking powder

Icing:

1 cup granulated sugar
Juice of one orange
1 tsp vanilla essence

In a bowl, mix almond flour, baking power, orange zest, lemon zest, cardamom powder, coconut oil,  coconut oil and maple syrup.

Refrigerate the mix for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

When ready to bake, layout dough between parchment sheets, roll and cut with airplane cookie cutters and layout on a baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.

Decorate with desired icing.

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Enchiladas are a favorite of mine. And this recipe loosely based on this one, turned out pretty good. I adjusted the ingredients and quantities according to my preference. Makes about 2-3 servings for that weekday meal.

Ingredients:

3 tortillas (used organic whole wheat)
2 cup frozen Latino blend vegetables comprising of corn, black beans, peppers, and onions
1 cup enchilada sauce (used Trader Joes)
cheese (I used pepper jack and parmesan)
Avocado (sliced for serving)
Sour cream (1-2 tbsp.)
Medium salsa (1-2 tbsp.)
pickled jalapenos (optional)
olive oil
seasoning – salt, chipotle power, lemon chili, and paprika

Heat 1-2 tsp olive oil in a pan. Lightly sauté the vegetables for 5-6 minutes. Season as desired with salt and spices.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an oven safe bowl spread out a layer of enchilada sauce. Top with a tortilla, add a thin layer of sauce, add half the vegetables, sprinkle some cheese. Continue layering the tortilla, cheese and sauce until done.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Enjoy with some salsa, avocado, sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

Spaghetti Squash Week

Although we can find Spaghetti Squash all year round, I usually am drawn to them in fall. There were many recipes that I wanted to try, although as usual couldn’t get to them all.

My obvious favorite from before is this Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowl. This week I tried two new recipes:  Spaghetti Squash Casserole and a Very Vegetable Spaghetti Squash.

The Spaghetti Squash Casserole builds on a previous recipe you can find here. Here’s how I made the casserole this time.

Ingredients:

1 Spaghetti Squash
2 cups tomato sauce
baby kale leaves
some sliced yellow squash and zucchini
cheese (pepper jack and parmesan)
salt and pepper
fresh basil
crushed pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the spaghetti quash and remove the seeds and pulp. Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper. Place on a baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove and let cool.

You can find the tomato sauce recipe here.

To make the casserole, layer one cup of tomato sauce, scoop out spaghetti squash strands from one half of the baked squash and layer on top of the sauce. Layer some baby kale leaves on top of the squash. Next add a layer of yellow squash and zucchini slices. Add the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle sliced cheese.

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Broil for another 4-5 minutes. Serve warm with some bread.

The recipe for the very veggie Spaghetti squash is adapted from here. I used sundried tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts,  some kale and fresh basil. Sprinkle some feta cheese before eating.

Greek Style Eggplant Stew

This was one of the recipes I wanted to try during chickpea week  and finally did so this past week.  This is based on the recipe found here.

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, chopped
1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chickpeas
10-12 baby carrots, chopped
2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
Some chopped onion (I tend to use light onion)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
Ground coriander
Ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
Crushed red pepper
Fresh basil and parsley

If using dry chickpeas, soak overnight and steam cook.

Pre-heat  oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in a pan and add onion, garlic, peppers and carrots. Fry lightly for 3-4 minutes. Add eggplant, tomatoes, chickpeas, and spices and continue frying for another 4-5 minutes.

Transfer to an oven safe bowl. Bake for 30 minutes.

Garnish with some parsley and serve warm with some pita bread or ancient grain naan bread.