Mr. Bean

photo by pwisenberg

Allow me to introduce you to Mr. Bean, he makes for a delicious dip. I made this last night as the perfect accompaniment to cold beers and a rousing game of Napoleon (think euchre, but with more rules). It is ridiculously easy to make, my only complaint being that there wasn't enough of it...

Spicy black bean dip
Serves 4

1 can black beans, drained (rinse 1/4 of the beans and set aside for later)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp jarred jalapenos
1 tsp juice from the jalapeno jar
1/2 clove garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped

In a food processor, add 3/4 of the beans, oil, 1 tbsp of the jalapenos, jalapeno juice, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well-blended, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and top with the remaining beans, jalapenos and fresh tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

El hamburguesa

photo by pwisenberg

Doesn't it look like it's just comin' right at you? Nom, nom, nom! This was my first attempt at making homemade veggie burgers and they were mighty successful! I adapted the recipe from one found in this book, but added several of my own touches. The patties are made from a combo of black beans, mushrooms, onions and bread crumbs and came out crispy on the outside yet soft and creamy in the centre. Since the burgers were seasoned with cumin and chili powder I figured I'd go with the tex-mex theme and top them with salsa, fresh tomato and guacamole. Seriously seriously delicious.

Black bean burgers with guacamole
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 package button mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp mexican chili powder
2 tbsp beer (optional)
1 can black beans, drained but not rinsed
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
4 whole wheat burger buns
4 thick slices of tomato
salsa
lettuce

Easy-peasy guac

2 perfectly ripe avocados
zest and juice of half a lime
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp jarred or fresh jalapeno, chopped (if using jarred, I add a splash of the liquid too)
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by heating up the BBQ to medium-hot. Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and jalapeno. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder and cook the veggies until soft and slightly golden, about 10 minutes. To soak up all the bits of flavour on the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a splash of beer (whatever you happen to be drinking is fine) and simmer until the liquid has been cooked off.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse together with the beans and cilantro until well-combined but still quite chunky. Rectify the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon into a bowl and stir in the bread crumbs (roughly 1/2 a cup is what I used, but you may need slightly more or less). Form the mixture into 4 large patties (or 6 smaller ones) and brush them each lightly with oil to prevent them from sticking to the grill.

Grill the burgers until crispy on the outside and thoroughly heated through, roughly 5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, combine all of the guacamole ingredients and set aside until ready to serve. Serve the burgers on grilled buns with salsa, tomato, lettuce and tons of guac!

Rice n' beans

photo by me

I made a huge pot of rice and beans yesterday for Paul and I to take for lunch all week. Not only is this traditional dish healthy and hearty, but it's surprisingly versatile too. I enjoyed it with crispy pan-fried tofu and fresh tomatoes, but it also tastes great in a wrap with sliced avocado and jalapenos or simply served over a bed of baby spinach with a squeeze of lime. Totally unglamorous, yet totally scrumptious!

Mexican rice and beans
Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed
1 cup black beans, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon each of Mexican chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups vegetable stock
juice of 1 lime
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and soften onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add rice, beans and spices and sauté for about 5 minutes before adding the veggie stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer until all of the liquid has absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Stir in the juice of one lime and rectify the seasoning if necessary. Garnish with fresh tomato and cilantro. Enjoy hot or cold.

Happy cooking!

P.S. Paul and I are taking a road trip to Ottawa this weekend to check out the law school that I've been accepted to (yay!). We've already made reservations here (the desserts have me droooling), but I'd love suggestions about what to do while we're there if anyone is familiar with the city!

Summer lovin'

photo by me

Hello everyone, it's great to be back to the blogosphere! New York was amazing, I really did not want to leave. I'm so excited to share some of the great photos we took while we there... coming soon I promise! But for now, here's a yummy little dish that has become a standard in my house. I know, I know, the ingredients are not quite in season, but come on, it's so delicious I couldn't resist! My mum has been making a black bean and corn salad like this for years, so I basically took her recipe and added fresh tomatoes and thick slices of ripe avocado, mmm.

Black bean and corn salad
Serves 4

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn (fresh if possible)
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, sliced

Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 1/2 limes
zest of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine salad all of salad ingredients, reserving avocado. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss to coat. Top with sliced avocado and serve. That's it- supa easy.