black bean & cheddar soup

so i bought this bag of dried black beans the other day hoping to kick start some healthier eating. i was trying to figure out what to do with them and decided to try making a soup. i've never used dried beans before, so a few things were new to me. first of all, you have to rinse them and take out any deformed or messed up beans. then, you have to spend at least 2 hours getting them to a somewhat mushy consistency. so this soup is best in a slow cooker or at least when the beans are prepared earlier in the day.

around lunchtime, i added 1.5 cup of dried black beans to a pot, and added hot (not cold) water to cover them about 2 inches above. bring the water to boiling on the stove, and let boil for 5 minutes. then remove from heat and cover with lid until 1 hour before i was ready to eat dinner. keep the water in the pot. then i added the rest:

black bean & cheddar soup
1.5 cups dried black beans, cooked as per above
1/2 cup cream of celery condensed soup
1/3 cup salsa (i used salsa verde)
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
bag cheddar cheese, grated
a few green onions, chopped into small pieces

heat a burner to medium-high on the stove, and return the beans to the heat in the pot they are already in. add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese and green onions. bring to boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes. top with a generous heap of cheddar cheese and a few pieces of green onion. you can also use sour cream. makes about 8 servings.

southwestern veggie tacos with cilantro lime rice

corn and black beans have always been a major food staple in my kitchen. they are both really versatile and distinctive and also healthy! when you add tomatoes and green onions, characteristic elements of southwestern food come together to make something flavorful and always colorful.

southwestern veggie tacos
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 c onion, diced
1/8 c corn
1/8 c black beans
1/8 c rotel tomatoes (any flavor)
1.5 tbsp of juice from the rotel can
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp cilantro
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tbsp ranch dressing
cheddar cheese
2 tortillas

heat the oil on medium in a skillet. add garlic and onion until garlic sizzles. then add everything else (except cheese and tortillas!), stir, and let simmer for 10 minutes on medium-low. put half of the veggies in each tortilla and top with cheese. makes 2 tacos!

cilantro lime rice
rice
lime juice
2 tsp cilantro
1/4 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp white sugar

cook 1 serving of rice according to instructions. right when it is ready, add the butter so it can melt while the rice is still warm. add a squirt of lime, the cilantro, and sugar. add more lime according to preference.

easy romano rigatoni

just put this together as i try to use up what i actually have in my kitchen!! it's a jazzed up version of the roman dish, spaghetti cacio e pepe, which uses pasta, romano cheese and black pepper.

romano rigatoni
water
2/3 cup rigatoni
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 cup onions, diced
pepper
1/3 cup diced tomatoes, seasoned with basil and oregano (i used some from a can of italian seasoned ones)
1/4 cup juice from the canned tomatoes
1 tbsp heavy whipped cream
romano cheese, grated


heat a small pot of water on high. when it boils, add the pasta and cook per instructions.

meanwhile, heat a skillet on medium-low. add olive oil, garlic, and onions. when the garlic starts to sizzle, add tomatoes and juice. liberally season with pepper. stir for 3 minutes. then add 1/8 cup romano cheese, let melt, and mix together.

by this time, the pasta should be cooked. strain, and pour pasta into a serving bowl. pour the sauce over pasta and top with a sprinkling of cheese. enjoy! serves 1.

pineapple stir fry

when my family made a trip to hawaii, we made sure to stop by the enormous pineapple plantations. maybe that's why i think "exotic" when i think of pineapples. they are one of my favorite fruits...sweet, juicy, and with a little tang. that must be why they go so well with just about anything, especially stir fry.

pineapple stir fry
1 serving brown rice
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
1/8 cup carrots, sliced or chopped 
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup pineapple chunks

cook rice according to instructions on package.

meanwhile, heat a small skillet on medium-low. add the soy sauce, onions, peppers, and carrots. after 3 minutes of sauteing, sprinkle on the pepper and drizzle in the honey. mix well.

keep cooking the veggies until the rice is fully cooked. add pineapple to skillet and mix for one minute. combine rice and veggie mix in a bowl and enjoy!

honey ginger stir fry

what i love about stir fry is that the options are endless! you can basically pick your veggies, meat, and sauce and every time it will be different. one time i was just throwing random things in (like honey for example, which i think confused some people) and out came this tangy, crunchy, and sweet dish.

honey ginger stir fry
vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
1/4th of a cabbage, cut (see here for help!)
2 green onions, cut into small pieces
2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup carrots
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup honey
1/4 tsp ginger
dash salt
1/2 tsp pepper


heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil on medium heat and add garlic until it sizzles. add cabbage for 3-4 minutes or until it cooks down. add green onion, celery, white onion, bell pepper, and carrots. saute for 5-6 minutes, adding oil as needed.

mix in peanuts. make a space in the pan and pour in the rest of the ingredients. (this is so the honey can get warm and mix better with the soy sauce). then mix with the vegetables for another few minutes.

serve over white rice, brown rice, rice noodles, unseasoned ramen noodles, flat pasta noodles...anything you like! serves 1-2.

fruit and nut salad with brie and citrus viniagrette

i love using fruit in salads! pears are especially versatile. they have a sweetness that can temper a nice vinaigrette dressing, but also a gentle tartness that keeps a salad from becoming a dessert.

add in some sunflower seeds, which are always a great addition to a salad, and you've got a healthy, yummy salad indeed.

fruit and nut salad
1 head of lettuce
1/4 cup almonds, slivered
1/3 cup carrot sticks
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/8 cup honey roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup mandarin oranges, rinsed
1 pear, diced
brie cheese

rinse the lettuce, then rip off pieces and tear them into smaller salad-sized pieces. mix everything together except the oranges and pear. wait to dice and add until about ready to serve so the salad doesn't get soggy. serve with the following dressing, topped with small brie squares. serves about 8.

citrus vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup orange juice (no-pulp)
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp pepper

*the dressing recipe came from this website, but the salad is pretty much something i threw together!

guacamole dip

guacamole dip
1 avocado
1.5 tsp lime juice
dash salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 can Rotel diced tomatoes, drained

mash up the avocado, then mix all the other ingredients in. makes enough for about 3 to munch on as a snack!