Slow-Cooker Squash Stew

Inspiration:
Food Network Magazine


Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and roughly chopped
• 1 piece Parmesan cheese rind, plus grated Parmesan for topping (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Crusty bread and/or lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a 6-quart slow cooker.

2. Add the chickpeas, squash, chard stems (not the leaves), the parmesan rind, if using, 2 teaspoons salt and 7 cups water to the slow cooker. Stir, then cover and cook on low, 8 hours.

3. Just before serving, lift the lid and stir in the chard leaves; cover and continue cooking 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to slightly break up the squash. Discard the Parmesan rind, if used. Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve with bread and/or lemon wedges.

Nutrtional Information:
Per serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories 428; Fat 15 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 1,250 mg; Carbohydrate 63 g; Fiber 17 g; Protein 18g


Notes: Get the Parmesan cheese rind! I found one for only $1 at my food co-op. This was a fairly easy recipe, and I felt healthier after eating it, even though I piled on the Parmesan. :) I loved the texture of the dried chickpeas.


Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 8.5/10

White Beans with Onion Confit

Inspiration:
Food & Wine


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 scant tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes longer. Stir in the beans, parsley and water and simmer until stewy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes: The cooked white beans can be refrigerated overnight. Serve with crusty bread.

My Notes: This was really easy, and really good. Use good Parmesan! I think it would be a nice side dish for a winter dinner party as you can assemble it beforehand.


Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

The Amazing Race: Boston Baked Beans

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race 17! Racers will take off from Boston tonight- can't wait.
Recipe from The New Basics Cookbook


Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried navy or Great Northern beans
  
• 8 ounces slab or thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
  
• 1 cup chopped onion
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  
• 2 cups ketchup
  
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
  
• 6 tablespoons dark molasses
  
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Rinse and pick through the beans. Soak them overnight in a large pot of water.
   Rinse the soaked beans well under cold water and place them in a heavy saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 45 minutes to an hour. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
   
3. Place a 2-quart flameproof casserole or dutch oven over medium heat and saute bacon until slightly crisp and fat is rendered, about five minutes. Add the onions and garlic, cooking until it's wilted, about 5 minutes.
   
4. Add the brown sugar and stir over medium-low heat until it has dissolved, about five minutes. Stir in the ketchup, syrup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the drained beans and mix well.
   
5. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours. Make sure you scrape the bottom when you stir.
   
6. Add 3/4 cup of the reserved bean liquid, cover, and bake another 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake, stirring once, until the sauce is thick and syrupy, another 10-15 minutes.
   
7. Serve hot.

Notes:
Boston Baked Beans have an interesting history. From what I've read, the Puritans would slowly cook beans on Saturday evenings and consume them, still hot, on Sundays, their Sabbath, when they were unable to work due to their religion. Traditional Boston Baked Beans recipes use molasses, as molasses was widely available due to Boston's rum trade. (You learn something new every day.) And do you know about the Boston Molasses Disaster? You can't make this stuff up.

Tim loves baked beans, but I'd never attempted them from scratch. It's quite the process, both taking longer and being more expensive than buying canned. However, it isn't a lot of work, as you can just throw the pot in the oven and go watch some football. :)

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Next week on The Amazing Race 17: London, England.

Tomato, Basil, and White-Bean Salad

Inspiration:
Martha Stewart


Ingredients:

• 2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 pound small roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced

Instructions:

1. Combine beans, tomatoes, basil, and salt in a bowl, and season with pepper.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over bean mixture, and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Salad can be covered and kept at room temperature up to 4 hours.

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

The Easiest Chicken Chili

Inspiration:
The last week of regular season NFL football
and
Pink Parsley's recipe


Ingredients:

• 4 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 8 ounces Pepper jack cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 2 cups salsa
• Optional garnishes: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, sliced green onions, crushed tortilla chips, extra salsa, tabasco
  

Instructions:

1. Combine the beans, cheese, and salsa in a crockpot. Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture, and cook on low 6-8 hours.
   
2. Remove chicken breasts, shred with a fork, and return to crockpot. Stir to combine, and serve with desired garnishes.

Notes:
I thought that a little more tomato would be good. I'd consider replacing one can of beans with one big can of stewed tomatoes or additional salsa, and I'd maybe add a little cumin. Tim was completely satisfied with the recipe as written. It's so easy, I think he can make it next time!


Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Taco Cornbread Bake

Inspiration:
Adventures in my Freezer
adapted due to ingredients I had available


Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
  
• 1 pkg. taco seasoning
  
• 1/2 c. water
  
• 1 can black beans, drained
  
• 1 cup pureed salsa
  
• 1 batch corn bread batter (see below)
• 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced thinly
  
• 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Cornbread Batter:

• 1 cup corn meal
  
• 1 cup flour
  
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brown meat; drain. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Pour into 8x12 baking dish.
   
3. Prepare corn bread batter:
   Mix dry ingredients, add milk egg and oil, mix just enough to moisten dry ingredients.
4. Spread over meat. Top with jalapeños if desired. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Top corn bread with cheese. Bake 5-7 minutes.

Notes: This is a great meal for a weeknight. It's easy, filling, and good.


Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 9/10

Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad

Inspiration:
Cooking Light

Notes: A great recipe for lunches, summer barbecues, tailgating...

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Romanian Bean Soup with Bacon and Chard (Ciorba de Fasole)

Inspiration:
The Amazing Race's third pit stop: Romania
and this recipe for Ciorba de Fasole.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound dry haricot, pinto or butter beans
  
• 6 pieces of bacon, sliced into 1-inch widths
  
• 2 litres water
  
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
  
• 2 egg yolks
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1 T vinegar
  
• salt and pepper
  
• small bunch dill
• crusty bread, for serving
  

Instructions:

1. Soak the beans in cold water for 3-4 hours.

2. At the end of the soaking time, cube the bacon. Drain the beans and put them in the saucepan with the bacon. (Make sure there will be plenty of room for the beans to expand.) Pour the water over. Bring to the boil, skim, and turn the heat down. Simmer the beans for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until soft. More time may be needed...keep checking the beans.

3. Shred the lettuce or other greenery and stir into the soup when the beans are soft. Cook for another 10-15 minutes.

4. Mash the beans a little to thicken the soup. Mix egg yolks, cream and vinegar together, and stir into the hot soup. Season. Chop the dill finely and scatter it over the soup.

5. Serve with bread.
   

Notes: When I started to make this, I thought, oh it's just another bean and bacon soup. But I knew I was wrong as soon as I stirred in the sour cream, egg yolk, and vinegar. I really enjoyed the chard with the other flavors. It's an interesting recipe, and I am glad I tried it.


Vegetarian Option: Omit the bacon.


Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: TBD

Taco Hummus

Inspiration:
Mark Bittman's hummus recipe
and
This taco seasoning recipe


Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups drained well-cooked or canned chickpeas, liquid reserved
• 1/4-1/2 cup tahini, optional, with some of its oil
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix together first nine ingredients (through black pepper).
   
2. Put all ingredients in a food processor and begin to process; add the chickpea liquid or water as needed to allow the machine to produce a smooth puree.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice.
   

Notes: We like to take hummus and vegetables as part of our work lunches; as Tim likes everything taco-flavored, I thought I'd mix it up a bit. It's tasty.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Squash with Mexican Flavors

Inspiration:
Adapted from Emily's blog, originally from the cooking school Chez Cherie.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups butternut squash cubes
  
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  
• salt and pepper
  
• chili powder
  
• drizzle of olive oil
  
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1/4 cup spicy green salsa
  
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
  
• 1 1/2 cups grated Mexican-blend cheese

Instructions:

1. Place the squash cubes and onion on a baking sheet, and season with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste.

2. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until squash is tender, about 18-20 minutes.

3. Toss roasted squash with drained beans, salsa, corn and cheese. Heat in a covered skillet until warmed through. Remove from heat, adjust seasonings to taste, sprinkle with cheese, and cover until cheese melts.

Notes: We really enjoyed this new flavor combination. We used Mrs. Renfro's Green Salsa, which is really spicy. We added some sour cream to counteract the heat and because sour cream is good!

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

"Spicy" Chickpea Soup

Inspiration:
Food & Wine

Ingredients:

• Two 19-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
• One 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk
• One 14.4-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup naturally sweetened apple juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine the drained chickpeas with the coconut milk, chopped tomatoes, apple juice, cilantro leaves, garam masala and ground ginger and puree the mixture until smooth.
2. Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat. Season with salt and black pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the yogurt and scallion greens and serve.

Notes:
I didn't think this was spicy at all. There isn't anything spicy in the ingredient list. (?) Anyway, it was tasty, but the texture wasn't the best. I used my 11-cup food processor, and I exceeded the "maximum fill line" for liquids, so I caused a little bit of a mess. Don't make my mistake. :)

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Spicy Black Bean Hummus

Inspiration:
Maureen Redmond, featured in Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• Dash of crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Dash of ground red pepper
• Chips or veggies, for dipping
  

Instructions:

1. Using a mini food processor, finely chop garlic. Add next six ingredients and pulse until hummus texture. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
   

Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Indian Chickpeas and Spinach in a Tomato Cream Sauce

Inspiration:
Savory Safari, adapted by Big City Cooking


Ingredients:

• Two cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed
  
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed & drained
  
• 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
  
• 1/3 cup whipping cream, at room temperature
  
• 3 cloves minced garlic
  
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
  
• ½ Tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1/2 tsp. Asian chili garlic sauce
  
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
  
• ½ tsp. garam masala

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 2-3 minutes. Add chickpeas and toast, stirring frequently, for another 2 minutes or so.
   
2. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in all remaining spices and check seasoning, adding more of your favorite spices if desired.
   
3. Whisk in cream and return to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently.
   
4. Begin adding spinach in batches. Once all spinach is added, turn the heat down very low and cover. Simmer 5 minutes covered, and hold warm until ready to serve.

Notes:
This was SO quick and easy and so good! I think we'll be making it often. It's a perfect winter weeknight meal.


Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

White Bean Soup with Bacon and Herbs

Inspiration:
Food & Wine


Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
• 1 pound Great Northern beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 10 cups chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain, reserving the fat and bacon separately.
2. Heat the olive oil in the soup pot. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon each of the chopped thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the drained beans, stock and 3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup over moderately low heat until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the remaining thyme and rosemary. Season the soup with salt and pepper and transfer to shallow bowls. Garnish the soup with the bacon and serve.

Recipe Notes: "The soup and bacon can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days. Recrisp the bacon before serving."

My Notes: This is a good, tasty soup. I think I prefer the recipe for Bean and Kale Soup, though. However, who doesn't love bacon? So next time I may try to combine these two recipes.


Liz's Rating: 8/10
Tim's Rating: 8/10

Black and White Bean Dip

Inspiration:
Are you ready for some football?!?!? We wanted to have some dip while watching Brett Favre make his regular-season debut with the Jets. Sigh, we miss having you as a Packer, Favre.
I adapted this recipe from Annie's Eats, originally from My Kitchen Café. Check out Annie's blog-- it's one of my favorites.


Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans

• 1 can white beans

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  

• 7 oz. hot salsa (I recommend Habañero Lime)
  

• 2 cups shredded co-jack cheese

• 1 cup chopped tomatoes

• garlic salt to taste

• cilantro to garnish
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Rinse and drain both cans of beans. Squeeze the liquid out of tomatoes before chopping so the dip doesn’t turn runny. Put all ingredients except cilantro in a bowl and mix together. Grease a shallow baking dish before spooning in the bean mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top.
2. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through. Remove from the oven and top with cilantro.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes:
We decided to try this dip and compare it to the bean dip that Tim rated an 11/10. Tim's brother had tried both and said we should give it a shot. My brother-in-law and his girlfriend recommended their additions and substitutions: adding in a can of diced green chilies and substituting pepperjack cheese. I think that would taste delicious! We had co-jack cheese on hand and very spicy salsa, so we tried that instead.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10 ("I think I prefer hot bean dip to be made with refried beans, but this was still good.")
Liz's Rating: 8.5/10

Quinoa with Black Beans and Cilantro

Inspiration:
An attempt to make more vegetarian dishes!

Ingredients/Instructions:
Bon Appétit
Notes:
I *loved* this dish! We do not care for bell peppers, so I substituted a large tomato, chopped, and added it along with the beans. If you can find cotija cheese, you must buy it. It's so fantastically delicious. This was an easy meal to put together on a weeknight. Serves 3-4 as a main course.

Liz's Rating: 9.5/10
Tim's Rating: 10/10 ("My favorite salad I've ever had.")

Zucchini, Bean, and Cheese Burritos

Inspiration:
The Saint Paul Farmers' Market Cookbook
as well as zucchini and summer squash from our CSA


Ingredients:

• 2 6-inch zucchini
• 4 wheat tortillas
• 1 cup seasoned refried beans
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup salsa

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the stems of zucchini and cut each one in half lengthwise. Steam zucchini halves, cut side down, until tender, about 6 minutes. They may also be microwaved in a covered dish, with 2 tbsp. water, until tender, about 3 minutes. On each tortilla spread 1/4 cup beans. Place a zucchini half, cut side up, on top of beans. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese and fold up. Place burritos seam side down in a greased baking dish. Top with salsa and more cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Recipe Notes:
"The zucchini inside these will surprise them!"

My Notes:
This was an ok vegetarian recipe. I think it could be improved to a very good vegetarian recipe with a few modifications. I would sauté onions with jalapeño and either taco seasoning or cumin and add it to the burritos. It just needed a bit more zip. I would also use some Monterey jack along with the cheddar cheese.

Tim's Rating: 7.5/10
Liz's Rating: 7.5/10

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Inspiration:
Everyday Food

Ingredients:

• 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
• 2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream and salsa, for serving
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.
   

Recipe Notes:
"Serve this brightly colored, layered tortilla pie with salsa and sour cream on the side. You can assemble the pie ahead of time, then bake it just before serving."


My Notes:
We loved this, as we pretty do much any recipe with Mexican flavors. This would be a good vegetarian recipe to serve to guests (as long as they love cheese!), although I would have made more effort for it to look pretty. Sorry the photos aren't great; I made it too late to have any natural light. Here is a picture of it once I cut out a slice:

Liz's Rating: 8.5/10
Tim's Rating: 10/10 (He actually flashed me five fingers twice as he was shoveling it in. I said, "Are you rating it a 10?" He said, "Mmmm-Hmmm.")

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with Yogurt Cilantro Sauce

Inspiration:
Everyday Food


Ingredients:

Lentil-Walnut Burgers:

• 3/4 cup toasted walnuts, cooled
• 1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3/4 cup lentils, cooked, drained, and cooled
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg
• pita bread
  

Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce:

• 3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until finely ground. Add lentils and 1 tablespoon oil; pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should remain whole).
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal-size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4-inch-thick patties.
3. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add burgers; cook over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently with a thin-edged spatula, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
4. Prepare sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, and lemon; season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve lentil-walnut burgers in pita bread; drizzle with sauce.
   

Nutritional Information (burgers only): Per serving (without sauce): 460 calories; 28.9 grams fat; 18.7 grams protein; 35 grams carbohydrates; 13.6 grams fiber

Notes: This vegetarian meal was delicious, if not low-calorie! We loved it. You must toast the walnuts; it adds so much flavor.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10

Chicken, Rice, and Black-Bean Salad

Inspiration:
I like to take pasta salads to work during the week. I had this recipe from Martha Stewart sitting in my recipe binder and finally got around to making it (with some modifications).


Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown (or white) rice
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked with olive oil, kosher salt, Adobo Seasoning from Penzeys, cooled and diced
  
• 1 can (15 1/2 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-4 on-the-vine tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3-4 scallions and 1 garlic scape (optional), thinly sliced
  
• 1 jalapeno chile (seeds and ribs removed for less heat, if desired), minced
• 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Spread on a baking sheet; refrigerate until cool.
2. Place cooled rice in a large bowl; add chicken, beans, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, vinegar, oil, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 day.

Recipe Notes: To make a Southwestern-style salad that's a meal in itself, toss together chicken, rice, beans, and tomatoes with a light, spicy dressing. Serves 4.

My Notes: I loved this recipe--what a great summer dish! I love the flavors, and it has a nice kick. If you don't like spicy food, cut back or eliminate the jalepeño. I absolutely love the Adobo Seasoning from Penzeys and highly recommend it. Although this isn't really a Mexican recipe, I am tagging it as such due to its flavor profile. I am already looking forward to tomorrow's lunch.


Liz's Rating: 10/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10