Turkey Sliders with Curried Guacamole

Turkey Sliders
(Spilling the Beans Cookbook)

1 C cooked chickpeas, 19 oz can, rinsed and drained
1/8 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp thyme
pinch fennel
1/2-1 lb ground turkey
1 large egg
1/4 C dried bread crumbs or panko
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 green onion, minced
pinch cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
pepper

Tomato, slider buns, curried guacamole (recipe below)


Coarsely mash the chickpeas, not to a paste.
Crush the herbs between your fingers or with a mortar pestle.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with your hands.

Make into patties, 2 1/2 inches by 3/4 inches.

Fry in some olive oil in batches in a frying pan.

Serve on buns with tomato slices and curried guacamole, ketchup, mustard or lettuce.

Curried Guacamole
(Super Natural Everyday Cookbook)

2 ripe avocados
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
scant 1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 C coarsely chopped cilantro, optional
1 Tbsp butter or EV coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 small yellow onion, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1 pinch chili flakes

Mash peeled avocados in a bowl, add lemon juice, salt and most of the cilantro, if using.
Set aside.
Heat butter or coconut oil in a skillet over med-high heat. When hot, add mustard seeds.  Keep a lid handy if for when the seeds start to pop.  After a minute, add onion and saute about 3 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Stir in garlic, curry powder and chili.
Count to 10 and remove from heat.

Stir into avocado mixture and top with remaining cilantro.
Serve warm on top of burgers or with chips or pitas.

BBQ Pulled Pork and Beans

This is a really easy recipe that my kids just love.

The substitute of beans for half of the meat makes this a cheap meal too.

Its simmers in the oven for several hours and gets served over rice or on a bun.

I usually make a coleslaw to go with it.


BBQ Pulled Pork and Beans 
(recipe from Spilling the Beans Cookbook)

olive oil, for cooking
1-2 lb pork tenderloin
2 C cooked red kidney beans (or a 19 oz can), rinsed and drained
2 C cooked navy beans or white kidney beans (19 oz can), rinsed and drained
1/2 C ketchup (I used 1/4C chili sauce, 1/4C ketchup)
1/4 C maple syrup
1/4C cider vinegar (red or balsamic works too)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dijon or yellow mustard
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
a few shots of hot sauce

1/4 cup a favourite BBQ sauce, optional

In a dutch oven, brown pork on all sides (in a little oil, if the meat is lean.)
Add all other ingredients except the BBQ sauce and mix it up in the pan.  (You may need to lift the pork up so all the sauce ingredients blend well.)
Cover and cook in a 300 degree F oven.  Cook for 3-4 hours.
You can also do this in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

Skim any fat off the surface and shred pork with two forks.
Stir in BBQ sauce, if using.
Serve over rice or on a bun, sloppy joe style.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

Lunch can be kind of a challenging meal.

The quick options are not usually the best or healthiest.

We eat our fare share of pasta salad and peanut butter sandwiches but no one ever complains about a sampler plate.

A sampler plate for us includes, cheese (cottage or cheddar), crackers or pita chips, fruit and veg slices and sometimes pieces of meat and a pickle.

For my sampler plate, I enjoy a dip for the vegetables and pita chips.

Today I made a really fast and easy navy bean dip because (much to my dismay) I had run out of chickpeas.

So many times I have found that it is when my pantry is dwindling and bare, I get the most daring* and make the most happy discoveries.
(*Yes, I guess changing up my usual hummus for a white bean dip is pretty daring for me.)

But now I really love white bean dip...who knows what I'm capable now that I'm willing to take these kinds of risks...

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

1 19oz can navy or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp parsley flakes (or a handful of chopped fresh)
2-3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
4 whole wheat pitas (I used greek)
olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

Set oven to 400.
Puree beans, lemon juice, oil, parsley, and garlic in a blender or food processor.
Taste and season to your liking.

Chop each pita into 8 wedges, toss with a couple tablespoons of oil.
Place in a layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano.
Bake for 8-10 mins.
Serve pitas warm with the dip.

Sweet Potato Chili and Buttermilk Cornbread

There are seasonally correct things to be doing right now on this late spring eve.

... hanging clothes on the line to dry

...watching the kids play in the yard 

...preparing and planting a garden

...fertilizing the lawn

Eating chili and cornbread for dinner, though not compellingly springlike, used up what I had in the fridge, was cheap and something everyone loved to gobble up.

That kind of dinner, friend, is always in season.

Sweet Potato Chili and Cornbread

(Spilling the Beans by Julie VanRosendaal and Sue Duncan)

Canola or Olive Oil

1 med onion, small dice

1 red pepper seeded and diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 med sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 19 oz can black beans (I used navy beans)

1 19 oz can red kidney beans

1 1/2 c chicken stock or 1 bottle of stout 

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional)

1 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

1 lime juiced

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over med-high heat.

Add red pepper and onion.   After about 5-8 minutes, add garlic.

Cook another minute.

Add sweet potato, tomatoes, beans, stock, chili powder, maple syrup, lime juice, cumin and salt.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer chili at leas 30 mins.  Serve hot with cornbread.

Buttermilk Cornbread

1/2 cup canola or olive oil (I have used melted butter here too and it's great)

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 C yellow cornmeal

3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 C AP flour

scant 1/3 C sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and buttermilk.

Add cornmeal, flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk well.

Pour into pan.

Bake for 20-30 mins or until golden and a tester comes  out clean.

Bean Plants II

Our bean plants have done well and, on this sunny April day, we potted them.

Spring is about to Sprout...

I am by no means a gardener, but I would love my kids to try and acquire a bit of a Green Thumb.

Today we started some bean plants and lentil sprouts using these video's instructions.

and this Usbourne book about the Seasons.

We are going to take pictures as the plants/sprouts grow.

Cheese Party and Bruch

We hosted a cheese tasting brunch.

Here are the recipes and a few pictures of the very memorable and delicious morning.

Crostini

Jamie Oliver

Mixed Herb Crostini

Get any mixture of soft herbs like fennel tops, green or purple basil, parsley, mint, chervil,

thyme leaves, or sorrel and roughly chop them.

Take six cherry tomatoes and halve them, then rub one of the halves into each of your hot crostini.

Grate some pecorino or Parmesan over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over your chopped herbs.

Mixed nuts (Ina Garten)

1 pound roasted unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175°C).

2. Spread the cashews out on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter.

Thoroughly toss the warm cashews with the spiced butter and serve warm.

Mini Quiche (Canadian Living)

24 Frozen mini tart shells, (in foil cups) thawed

4 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 green onions, sliced

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup chopped mushroom

Filling: Place tart shells on rimmed baking sheet; divide bacon, green onions and cheese among shells.

In bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper; pour into tart shells.

Bake in bottom third of 375°F oven until pastry is golden and filling is just set,

25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

(Make-ahead: Let cool. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in 400°F/200°C oven for about 4 minutes.)

Black Bean and Lentil Salad with Curry Viniagrette

When I opened the front door this morning, it was like a wall of heat hit me in the face.

To me heat means salad and smoothies for lunch and dinner.

This salad is really easy to make if you have a few cans of beans in your pantry.

I used two cans of black beans and one of green lentils but you could surely use almost any sturdy bean.

Feel free to use any vegetable you have. Grated carrot, thinly sliced celery, green peppers, chives or cucumber would be great in there.

The vinaigrette is a bright combination of ginger, lemon and curry.

I like to serve this as a side to sausage, cheese and crackers or boiled eggs.

A perfect meal for a day when you don't want to heat up the house by using the oven.

Black Bean and Lentil Salad with Curry Viniagrette

(101cookbooks.com)

3 cups cooked beans (I used 2 cans Black beans)

1 cup cooked black or green lentils

1 cup cooked brown rice (optional)

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into crescents (optional)

1 cup vegetables, chopped or grated (I used a combination of zucchini, carrot and tomato)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1-2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (from 1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled)

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl toss the beans, black lentils, red onion, and vegetables.

In a bowl or jar whisk together this garlic, salt, the curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Whisk well, taste, and add adjust flavors/salt if needed.

Pour about half of the dressing over the beans and give it all a toss.

Add more dressing a bit at a time until it is to your liking.

Serves about 4 - 6 as a side.

Southwest Bean Burgers

I love burgers.

Going out for burgers is a pretty cheap date.

Going out for burgers is my idea of a good time.

Perhaps I should qualify that, going out for good burgers is my idea of a good time. (Not as cheap but way more...ummm...good.)

I'm pretty lucky, though, because the best burgers I've ever had are always free.

The combination of my mum's perfect burgers and my dad's crazy barbecue skills are a match to be reckoned with.

These aren't those burgers but they're really good anyway.

These are made with friendly and yet exciting things like corn tortilla chips, chilies and black beans.

You're excited already right...?

Make these, bake them and top them with any toppings you would put on a beef burger.

I like mine with salsa, cheddar cheese, hot peppers and sour cream.

Southwest Bean Burgers

(moosewood)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash of ground black pepper

1 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1 cup grated carrots

1 fresh chile, minced or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup orange juice

1 cup ground corn tortilla chips

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Warm the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.

Stir in the chives, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper and cook until the onions soften, a couple of minutes.

Add the mushrooms, carrots, chiles, and orange juice, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook,

stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.

While the vegetables cook, combine the ground tortilla chips, beans,

and egg in a large bowl and mash well with a potato masher, or pulse in a food processor

and then transfer to a bowl. When the vegetables are tender, drain, and stir into the bean mixture.

Form the burger mixture into six patties (a heaping 1/2 cup per burger) and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes, until firm and lighted crusted.

Black Beans with Ginger

I made more refried beans.

Beans with ginger and hoisin sauce.

Ginger and hoisin make the beans sweet, smoky and spicy.

Clara told me she could eat these beans for every meal.

These have a more Asian taste than the Limey Beans, they taste great piled into tortillas (or a large lettuce leaf) with brown rice, mango salsa, sour cream and black olives.

Both kids came back begging for more of the beans 20 minutes after we finished dinner.

Black Beans with Ginger

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced and crushed

1-2 Tbsp grated ginger (I freeze my ginger to make it easier to grate)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1-2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce

1/2 C vegetable broth

2 tins black beans

Heat oil in a med sauce pan. Add onion and cook on med heat until soft, about 8 mins.

Add garlic, ginger and thyme and cook on med another few minutes.

Stir in hoisin and broth.

Add beans and mash in with a potato masher. Simmer on low for 20 mins. Stir a few times.

Serve on a tortillas or large lettuce leaf. Top with brown rice, mango salsa, sour cream and olives.

Broccoli Pasta with Feta

Don't pass this one by. It's EASY, cheap and so tasty.

A bunch of broccoli, a can of beans, some pasta and feta.

This couldn't be easier or more perfect for making after work. (Shannon, if you like broccoli, this one's for you.)

I threw some chopped tomatoes and kalamata olives on top.

I think a Sauvignon Blanc would go perfectly.

Mum I see this being a great dinner to take down to the beach this summer... The Sauv will be a must!

Broccoli Pasta with Feta

(Moosewood Cooking for Health)

450g (1lb) chunky pasta

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

4 Cups chopped broccoli

1-2 Tbsp minced (pressed) garlic

1/2 tsp salt

ground pepper

2 ladles of pasta water

1 small can pinto beans

1 C crumbled feta (cow or goat)

chopped tomato, sliced kalamata olives to finish

Cook pasta.

While pasta cooks, warm oil in a large frying pan over med-high heat. Add broccoli, cooking 5 mins, and stirring constantly.

Add garlic, salt, ground pepper and 2 ladles full of pasta water. Stir in beans. Cover and steam for about 5 mins.

Please do not overcook the broccoli! Let it remain bright and green!

Top cooked pasta with broccoli and feta. (add tomatoes and olives if desired)

Vegetable, Cookie, Banjo

Beans and greens are a wonderful combination. This salad is cheap, filling, has simple, healthy ingredients and is quick to throw together.

I have never cooked with black eyed peas before but they have great flavour and really go well with the kale and sweet fennel. I'm always looking for more ways to use kale so I know I will make this over and over this summer.

Today we ate it on top of some amazing sausage that my Dad keeps his freezer stocked with.

The salad could easily stand on it's own feet at one of those epic summer barbecues that are inevitably approaching. (Yay!)

I did sample, and love, the taste of the dish when I first made it, but it got better with time. So if you can make it an hour ahead of eating time, it will be even better.

Black Eyed Peas with Kale, Fennel and Tomatoes

(adapted from Moosewood Cooking for Health)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp herb de provence (or 1/2 tsp ground fennel)

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 Cups chopped fennel

4 Cups chopped kale (stems removed)

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 Cup chopped tomato

2 cans (15 oz) black eyed peas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/4 Cups dried beans, cooked)

ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over med heat, warm the oil. Add onions, salt, garlic and herbs. Cook, stirring often until onions soften. About 10 mins. Add fennel, cook another 8 mins.

Stir in kale and cook, covered 5 mins or until softened. Add soy sauce, tomato and peas.

Simmer 5 mins. Season with salt and black pepper.

Let sit 1 hour or so if possible. Not necessary but it will develop the flavours.

_________________________________________________________________

As for the cookie, made Joys Brownie Cookies tonight for my class...they were stupendous.

Make them!

I used 3/4 of a PC Dark Chocolate Bar in the cookie and then topped them with sprinkles and mini marshmallows. Pretty decadent.

Last thing, my Jimmy is the most inspiring person I have ever known.

He's an optimist, he will try anything and teaches himself all kinds of things.

Being around him has made me, a perfectionist who is scared to try anything that I might do wrong, learn and try stuff I never would have otherwise.

"You could totally do that, Jess.", he says. Then comes along side and helps me push through all my, "I just can't do it"(s).

Well, Jimmy has started teaching himself the banjo...and it pretty much rocks!

Bean Curry

Monday is turning into Beanday.

Beans are good for Mondays because I can improvise with them from my pantry. And since we have significantly depleted our food stock by Monday, this is perfect.

Everyone loved this curry.

The recipe called for black eyed peas, I didn't have any so I used kidney but any bean would be fine. Also I used tined San Marzano tomatoes (in place of fresh), chopped them and added their juice to the broth. And a handful of peas made it a little prettier.

If you don't have Garam Masala, make your own. Otherwise, it's easy to find in the spice isle.

Clara and I topped ours with a little Major Gray Mango Chutney, Jim liked it plain.

Bean Curry

(Melskitchencafe.com)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, chopped

1-3 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 large tomato, chopped (or 1/2 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes chopped)

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

pinch cayenne, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

3/4 cup half and half (I used 5%)

1 cup vegetable stock or chicken broth or V8)

1 can black-eyed peas, lightly drained

1 C frozen peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add onion; saute 5 mins or until translucent and slightly browned.

Stir in garlic and grated ginger root; stir constantly for 30 seconds.

Add tomato; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cayenne, salt, paprika, and garam masala;

stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add half and half, stock, beans and peas.

Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro or parsley.

Serve over rice. Naan is nice to dip in. Chutneys or pickle as a topping or side.

Lime-y Beans

Not to be confused with lima-beans, these are essentially refried beans.

You could make these with almost any bean, romano, black or red kidney, but I used white kidney beans because I have never seen white refried beans. I think it looks prettier.

I made a batch this morning (and it took me less than 10 minutes) so dinner will come together in a flash tonight.

I love the simple bright flavour of the garlic, cumin and lime. They will be perfect on flat bread and corn tortillas with some cooked rice, salsa, chives, sour cream and grated cheese.

I know I've said it before, but beans are such a cheap way to eat. I recently bought, The Everything Beans Book. There are something like 96 bean recipes rated by expense, time and kid-friendliness, tips on cooking big batches of beans and info on their health benefits. I have really enjoyed reading through it so far.

Limey Beans

(Everything Beans Ebook)

3 1/2 cups cooked beans (I used 2 tins White kidney beans)

olive oil

1 C finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1-3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

3/4 c vegetable broth (or bean broth if you soaked them yourself)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c grated pepper jack or other cheese (optional)

juice and zest of 1 lime

Cook onions and cumin over med heat 5 mins in a large sauce pan. Add oregano, garlic and salt.

Stir together cooking another 3 mins. Stir in beans and stock. Mash together until liquid is absorbed.

Remove pan from the heat and add cheese and lime zest and juice.

*add 1/2 tsp of chili powder or some cayenne with the other spices for heat if you like.

Flatbread Accoutrement II: (Re)Fried Beans

While looking for a good refried black bean recipe, I stumbled across this one by Gwyneth Paltrow. Very good as an addition to a taco or flat bread with cheese, I think I might even throw some on a nacho plate.

Gwyneth's Refried Beans

1 can black beans

4 cilantro stems

1 clove garlic crushed

pinch or 2 of salt

Combine all ingredients in a frying pan and simmer until all the bean liquid is gone, about 15-20mins. Remove stems and garlic clove. Serve.

Garden Greens and Beans

Our chard crop has popped up and is flourishing. This is my favourite way to eat it. Mr. Jibs cannot decide if he like the beans or the greens better.

Wilted greens with Poached eggs

1 bunch Swiss Chard

5 cloves of garlic,thinly sliced

2 shallots, thinly sliced

olive oil
salt & pepper
red pepper flakes (to taste)
6 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 can white beans beans, rinsed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbs vinegar (i use apple cider)
4 eggs

Warm olive oil in a pan. Add garlic, shallot, thyme and red pepper flakes. Once they are fragrant (about 1 min) add your greens and saute until wilted. Add beans. Add chicken broth and apple cider vinegar.

Simmer for about 4 minutes...until all the flavors meld.

Poach eggs.

Serve with eggs on top.