Meatless Mondays: Vegetarian Tostadas

I have been hanging on to this Veggie Tostada recipe from one my former students' Mom for a few years now. Jody has shared several delicious recipes with me via email that I kept in a folder and recently I went back through them and decided it was time to finally make these. It contains flavors that my husband and I love and best of all is meatless! I am always on the hunt for good vegetarian recipes. We both gobbled these up, enjoying the southwestern flavors and all the vegetable goodness. It's a very filling, satisfying dinner that doesn't take much time or effort besides chopping. They even taste great as leftovers. I am going to put this one into the regular dinner rotation. Thank you Jody!!

Vegetarian Tostadas

From Jody

Printable Version

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery or bell peppers (I used a combination of these)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 can (15 1/2 oz) red beans, drained (I used black beans instead!)

1 can (15 1/2 oz) Great Northern beans, drained

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes (do not drain)

2 t. mild chili pepper

1 t. cumin

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro (dried works fine too!)

6 corn tortillas, optional

Optional toppings: shredded lettuce, chopped fresh tomatoes, shredded cheeses, sliced avocado, sour cream

Directions

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and garlic.  Cook and stir 8 minutes or until softened.  Add beans and  tomatoes with juice.  Stir to blend.  Add chili powder, cumin and stir.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.  Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Preheat oven 400 degrees.

While bean mixture simmers, place tortillas in single layer directly on oven rack.  Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until crisp.  Place one tortilla on each plate.  Spoon bean mixture evenly over each one.  Sprinkle cilantro on top. Top with desired toppings.

Meatless Mondays: Kickin' Black Bean Soup

Meatless Mondays are back! It's been a while, but it is my goal to get back to eating vegetarian at least once a week. This spicy black bean soup is a perfect Meatless Monday meal: it's hearty, healthy, and has some kick to it! I cooled it off with a squeeze of fresh lime, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It's a wonderful, filling soup that is a cinch to make! From start to finish this soup takes less than half an hour. 

Kickin' Black Bean Soup
Modified From Let's Dish
Printable Version
Makes 4 bowls
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (I used about six slices of pickled jalapenos from a jar)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Julio's Seasoning (a gift from our awesome friends from TX!) or a dash of cayenne
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups beef stock or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions
Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook until soft, about five minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and Julio's seasoning. 

Add the beans and broth and simmer for fifteen minutes. 

Remove 1 1/2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender then return to a pot (or use a hand blender directly in the pot). 

Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice. Ladle into individual bowls and add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Excellent with tortilla chips!

Hot Corn & Black Bean Dip

I found this hearty southwestern flavored dip on Delish. I knew it would be perfect to serve as an appetizer the night I fixed Grilled Fish Tacos for my parents and hubby and it was! Everyone gobbled it up.

This dip is warm, cheesy, creamy, and you can taste the black beans, corn, and onions in every bite. The original recipe did not call for sour cream but I added it in to make the dip more creamy.


Hot Black Bean & Corn Dip
From Delish
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 small can diced green chilies
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add oil to skillet over medium heat. Saute onions. Add garlic, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, and saute for 2-3 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add black beans and saute another 3-4 minutes. Use a potato masher to coarsely mash half of the beans. Add corn and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer skillet contents to a large bowl and allow to coo slightly. Add in the sour cream and half of the cheese and stir to mix everything together.

Pour into a baking dish (I used a 8X8 dish) and top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot with tortilla chips or as a side dish to your favorite southwestern or Mexican meal.

BBQ Chicken Salad with Avocado and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Want to try a salad that is bursting with flavors and textures and is over the top delicious? then you have to try this BBQ Chicken Salad from Two Peas and their Pod. It involves creating a lot of different things: two homemade vinaigrettes, crispy cooked potatoes and grilled BBQ chicken, but every step is so worth it and so delicious. The salad alone is super yummy: tomatoes, corn, red onions, and black beans atop fresh greens.  I still cannot decide which of the dressings I liked better, the avocado or the blue cheese. Both are incredibly savory, tangy, creamy, and thick. They kept for several days so I dipped crackers and pretzels into after the salad fixins' were gone! 


The next time you are craving a salad, you gotta try this one! It's a salad that is m-e-a-l! You will not be disappointed!

BBQ Chicken Salad with Avocado and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
From Two Peas and Their Pod
Serves 4
Printable Version

Ingredients
For the Avocado Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 medium shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons peach jam (I used rhubarb because I had it, and only used 1 tablespoon)
1 medium ripe avocado
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Blue Cheese Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 medium shallot, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, dry pan roasted and chopped (I browned these in a skillet for a few minutes)
2 tablespoons peach jam (again I used my rhubarb and only 1 tablespoon)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup blue cheese or Gorgonzola
Salt and pepper to taste


For the potatoes:
1 pound red or small white potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
1 medium shallot, minced
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped


For the chicken:
4 chicken breasts
3/4 cup BBQ sauce - use your favorite brand

For the salad:
Mixed greens
Tomatoes, chopped (I used cherry tomatoes)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn
French Fried onions for garnish

Directions
Make avocado vinaigrette by combining all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.

For the blue cheese vinaigrette combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. If the dressing is too thick add a drizzle of olive oil and mix again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.

To make potatoes, slice thinly and saute in a large skillet with olive oil and shallots until browned and crispy. Stir in parsley. Set aside and keep warm until serving.

Grill the chicken and brush each piece liberally with BBQ sauce. Cut into strips and set aside.

To plate the salads layer first with mixed greens. Lay the sliced chicken on top of the greens. Top with tomatoes, black beans, corn, and tomatoes. Place potatoes on top. Garnish with french fried onions. Drizzle entire salad with the avocado and blue cheese vinaigrettes. 

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

I've finally jumped on the Quinoa bandwagon. When we were shopping at Costco a couple of weeks ago, I saw an enormous bag of Quinoa and decided to purchase it to see what all the hype is about. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is all the rage in the food blogging world. I read up on it to share a little bit of info with you:

• Quinoa is an amino-acid rich seed
• It is a relative of spinach and swiss chard
• It includes all nine essential amino acids
• It is a good source of magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorus
• It is gluten free

Basically, quinoa is extremely healthy and has a lot of health benefits. I am using it in my cooking as a substitute for rice or Cous Cous, but in my reading I found it is commonly used in soups. Please share with me your favorite way to use quinoa, as this is all new to me! 

I was browsing some of my favorite food blogs for ideas to use my quinoa and found this recipe for Black Bean and Bell Pepper Cous Cous Salad on Beantown Baker. I loved how Jen's salad uses so many of hubby and my favorite flavors: corn, black beans, cilantro, lime. Although Jen's salad uses Cous Cous, I substituted quinoa and added fresh sliced avocado on top. This salad was so filling and flavorsome. I loved the taste of  all the veggies with the zesty citrus dressing. The quinoa added a nutty, grainy taste and was a perfect addition. We ate it chilled for two days. It will be hard to find a more tasty use of quinoa!

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Adapted from Beantown Baker

Makes 8 Servings

Printable Version

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

8 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (my store was out so I used cilantro in a tube - great substitute)

1 cup corn (I used frozen corn kernels, thawed)

2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to directions and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin. 

Add green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, corn, and beans and toss to coat.

Fluff the quinoa and break up any chunks. Add the quinoa to the bowl with the veggies and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Vegetarian Black Bean Burritos

In keeping with the vegetarian theme this month I decided to make vegetarian burritos and black beans seemed to be the most filling option. I searched online for recipes and decided on this one from All Recipes.com because it incorporates red peppers, onions, and cilantro, all flavors that hubby and I really like. 


These burritos were really creamy and had great southwestern flavor. They were even good leftover the next day at lunch. If you are trying to to eat less meat or like black beans then you should definitely give these burritos a try.


Vegetarian Black Bean Burritos
Adapted from All Recipes.com
Makes 6 servings
Printable Version

Ingredients
6 (1o inch) tortillas
Olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon jalapeno peppers, minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Directions
Heat olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Place onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapenos in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour beans into the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, stirring.

Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to skillet with salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir cilantro into mixture.

Spoon mixture evenly down center of warmed tortilla and garnish as desired. We used salsa verde, avocado, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

Mom's Turkey Chili

Everyone has their favorite chili recipe and this is mine. I love my Mom's chili and am perfectly contented using this chili as my one and only chili recipe for all time. It's not at all spicy (I'm a wimp when it comes to heat) and it's more on the sweeter side because you add in a tablespoon of sugar. You can play around with the beans and I like to make it with only black beans because they are my favorite. It's best served on a loaded baked potato with cheese and sour cream. Mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm!


Mom's Chili
Printable Version
Makes 12 servings (1 1/3 cups each)

Ingredients
2 pounds ground turkey
4 medium onions, chopped
2 cans (1 pound, 12 ounces each) diced tomatoes
2 cans beans (I used 1 can of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans), drained (reserve liquid)
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon salt


Directions
Cook and stir ground turkey and onions in a Dutch oven or large roasting pan until meat is brown and onions are tender.

Stir in tomatoes, reserved bean liquid, tomato sauce, sugar, chili powder, and salt. Heat to boiling. 

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir in the beans and simmer.

Stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or until the chili reaches your desired consistency. 

Southwest Corn Dip

My stomach started growling when I saw this Southwest Corn Dip posted on my friend Elizabeth's blog. She said it makes a large batch, so I made it when was I visiting my family this summer and had a little get together with my Dad's side. This dip is creamy, fresh, and healthy with black beans, red pepper, onions, and corn. Another bonus is it keeps well. We ate it for two days after and it was still really tasty.

Southwest Corn Dip
From Dutch Oven (found on Tasty Kitchen)

Printable Version

Ingredients
3 cans (15 oz) of corn, drained (I only used 2 cans)
1 can (15 oz) of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (4 oz) chopped chilies, drained
1 can (4 oz) chopped jalapenos, drained (I omitted these but regret that!!)
1 whole red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 cup of sour cream
1 block of finely grated Mexican cheese (I mistakenly overlooked this ingredient, so just used shredded cheese I had in the fridge)
1/2 lime juice (I used the entire juice of a lime)
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (or to taste)

Directions
Drain corn, chilies, and jalapenos. But in a large bowl with the beans and tilt the bowl on its side to drain further. Chop the other veggies. Drain the excess liquid from the bowl and add the chopped veggies.

Stir in the sour cream, grated cheese, and lime juice. Add cilantro last.

Refrigerate before serving if you have time, and serve with Lime Tostitos.