CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Was a nice weekend to do some cooking. I decided to make a black bean soup that I've been wanting to do. Black beans are a 'superfood' containing good amounts of fiber, protein and other trace minerals so important to good health. I want to incorporate more of them into my diet and this is great recipe for that. This is a dish that you will need to begin a day ahead but I have also included a shorter version for those who would rather have it within an hour. Although using the dried beans does take longer to put together, it's simple and so very good. It's especially good with the cashew cream's. I'm finding many uses for these. I have it pictured here with a Cashew Sour Cream, but feel free to use this Lime Cilantro Cashew Cream or Paprika Cashew Crema that would be just as well adding some great flavors.

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

Ingredients

• black beans, 1 lb. dried or 3 cans (15 oz.), rinsed and drained (see notes)
• 2-3 bay leafs
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 -2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cups water or vegetable broth
• juice of one orange + remainders
• himalayan salt and pepper to taste

Soak beans: The night before, rinse beans in colander with cold running water. Pick through and remove any broken or shriveled beans. Place beans in large pot with 5 or 6 cups water and cover to soak overnight.

Cook: Next day, drain beans and rinse again. Place beans back in pot, add water, bring to a boil and simmer covered for 1 hour. Add in the remaining ingredients except juice of the orange. Bring to a boil, simmer for 40 minutes to one hour, or until beans and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add extra water as necessary.

Puree: Once beans are tender, remove orange halves and bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to blend soup to desired consistency. I blended about 3/4, leaving some chunkiness. You could also use a food processor/blender (this method may take two batches to complete). Blending is optional, you may like it chunky as is. Add orange juice and cook another 5-10 minutes.

Serve alone or over a bed of cooked buckwheat, farro or brown rice. Top soup with a dollop of Sour Cream, Lime Cilantro Cashew 'Sour Cream' or Paprika Cashew Crema. You may also like to top it with diced onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, avocado, jalapeno's, a squeeze of lime and cilantro. Serves four to six.

Notes: 

If you decide to use canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them. Put ingredients in pot as in the instructions for Cook but only use 2 cups water to start, bring to boil and simmer for 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add more water as needed. Continue with step 3. You may also decide to saute your onions, celery, carrots & bell pepper first on medium high heat using oil of choice for about 5 min before you start with your canned beans.

Enjoy!

Cucumber Salad + Peanut Citrus Dressing

As we head into summer and the temperatures begin to rise here in Southern California, I find myself craving salads more and more. This is a refreshing salad of cucumbers and fresh vegetables with a wonderful peanut citrus dressing that will have you tipping the bowl for every drop (I know I say that about all the salad dressings but it's true...you'll see!)

Originally I wanted to create cucumber noodle salad for this recipe but quickly decided that I would rather keep this as easy as possible without having to use too many tools. The only tool I do recommend for this recipe is a microplane for grating your ginger and garlic. It's a great tool for any kitchen and will come in handy over and over again.

Bring on the warmer weather and let's beat the heat with this easy and flavorful Thai inspired salad!

Cucumber Salad + Peanut Citrus Dressing

Salad 

• 2 1/2 cups English cucumbers, sliced and quartered
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 head of purple cabbage, sliced
• handful cilantro, roughly chopped
• handful cashews, for garnish
• red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)

Peanut Citrus Dressing

• 3 tablespoons orange juice, lime juice or lemon juice, + more as needed
• 3 tablespoons raw or natural peanut butter (almond or cashew butter is great too)
• 1 tablespoon tamari, bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 garlic clove, grated
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• pinch of red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the peanut citrus dressing, set aside allowing the flavors to come together. Then before adding the dressing to the salad, taste for flavor adding anything extra you might like. For a thinner dressing add 1 or 2 tablespoons citrus juice or water. To make it thicker add a tad bit more nut butter.

Prepare your salad ingredients. Check your dressing for flavor. In a large bowl combine the salad mix with the dressing, toss well and serve. Top with cashews and red pepper flakes. Serves two.

Notes for the dressing: Use the orange juice for a less tangy dressing. I used orange for this recipe and have also used lemon as well. Both were great, and I know the lime will be wonderful too! You can also lessen the amount of juice replacing it with water. Add in some citrus zest of choice if desired. And if you're a vinegar lover, try adding a splash or two of rice vinegar!

Notes for the salad: Try tossing in a cup of cooked quinoa after mixing for a more nutritionally balanced profile.

Recommended tool for grating as mentioned above: Microplane

Enjoy!

Ginger-Orange Granola

Next time you make granola...this is a must try! Especially if you love ginger and orange zest. I thought my last granola, Seeds & Goji Berry Granola, was delicious but this may just surpass that by a margin. I've been trying a few granola's lately and these two have come out on top. My house smelled like orange cinnamon rolls...mouthwatering! This granola has such nice flavoring, especially with the orange zest. I love zest of any kind, so the addition of the orange zest is welcome. It toasts up just perfectly along with the other ingredients. And when you get a bite of the toasted sesame seeds, they add another layer of deliciousness. We have another great granola to add to the recipe list. I just love a good granola and I think you'll love this one too!

This was terrific as a cereal with diced mango and unsweetened almond milk. I can see this being a great muesli mix too for overnight oats. Might even be good with some fresh squeezed orange juice as your liquid. So simple and delicious...

Ginger-Orange Granola

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used GF)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 2/3 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• couple tablespoons sesame seeds
• couple tablespoons hemp hearts, ground flax seeds or chia seeds
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• zest of 1 - 2 oranges, chopped fine or left as is 
• 2/3 - 3/4 cups pure maple syrup
• coconut oil, to grease

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Mix all of your dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add in your maple syrup and mix well to coat. On a greased rimmed cookie sheet, lay granola in a single layer. You may need to use 2 rimmed sheets. Place sheets in oven and cook for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so to ensure even toasting.

Once done, remove from oven, let cool completely, store in an air tight container for up to a month.

Let this be a template, add/subtract anything you like. If you're missing an ingredient you may add extra of something else you do have on hand. I like lots of zest and added the zest of 2 oranges.

Enjoy the aroma and the taste!

Spring Salad with Edible Flowers & Dandelion Greens

Spring...one of my favorite times of year! This is the time for renewal, opening all the windows in the house and letting everything air out from the long closed up winter days. The birds are singing, the flowers are coming into blossom and the trees are sprouting their leaves to soak up the sunshine. It's a rebirth! This salad comes as a perfect way to add some of your favorite spring blossoms into a meal for an even more enjoyable way to celebrate the flowers of spring. They add wonderful fragrance and color. Use whatever flower is available to you. I have used wisteria here but if you don't have a wisteria, you can just as easily add some bougainvillea petals, rose petals or pansies. Here is a list of edible flowers for you to glance at when you can. Wisteria and bougainvillea are not on the list but they are edible (I did my homework before eating them.). I also added some of my bougainvillea petals (stamen and pistols removed), before eating this salad. This was a really lovely dish and I will most definitely be having it again! You can find the original recipe here: Edible & Medicinal Flowers. I wasn't sure at first but when everything is together and you take your first bite, you'll discover that these ingredients all come together with great flavor and an exotic appeal.

Let me tell you a bit about my wisteria. Every year I get so excited to see it bloom and come to life. It is so fragrant and colorful. The blooms fall and hang beautifully. The clean up is another story but it's all so worth the beauty. At this time of year you can find me peeking and peering all day long watching as the blooms get bigger and bigger. They start as a small little bud and grow into gorgeous strands of lilac and purple flowers. This beautiful plant was a gift from my parents about 15 years ago. They always have the best taste! It was originally a bonsai, but after a while I decided to put it into a large clay pot and train it as a sprawling standard. It has been there ever since blooming faithfully year after year. It's truly an easy plant to care for. They are very hardy, aren't too needy and will live a very long time once established! 

Another special ingredient in this spring salad is dandelion greens. This is my first experience with dandelions. They are full of nutrition and are very tasty. In the scheme of leafy greens, dandelions are up there with the highly beneficial kale. I purchased these at my local Sprout's store. Dandelions are known to be high in calcium, rich in iron and full of antioxidents. They are also a great detoxifying green, full of minerals and trace elements as well as being high in protein, more so that spinach. I will be alternating some of these to my juicing and smoothie regimen as well. You can use dandelion greens in many ways. I have seen recipes for sauteing them, you can also use them in a pesto, or toss them in salads, soups and stews. They are not just a weed but a beneficial green to add to your green & healthy diet. 

So casual and lively, a great way to bring in the spring...

Spring Salad: Edible Flowers & Dandelion Greens

Ingredients

• spring mix salad
• dandelions or watercress
• handful wisteria flowers, pulled of their stems (I left mine on, quite by accident)
• english cucumber, chopped
• sweet orange, peeled and chopped
• orange zest

Dressing (serves 2)

• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• juice of 1/2 orange
• cracked pepper to taste

Start with the dressing by combining all ingredients, except the oil, in a small bowl or decanter, mix well and then add in the olive oil. Mix again and let set.

For the salad ingredients, use as much as you like of each ingredient. Mix your greens, place on serving dish and top with cucumber, orange pieces, orange zest and flowers. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

Enjoy! 

Winter Salad with Creamy Orange-Ginger Dressing

With winter abound, this is a great way to enjoy some of the winter fruits while they are in season. Colorful, flavorful and filling, this salad will be sure to brighten your winter days. The creamy orange-ginger dressing is so light and refreshing. It's like eating an orange creamsicle with ginger added, just delicious. The flavors of the fruits along with the quinoa and bed of greens all mingle together creating a truly fantastic winter salad. So fresh, vibrant and healthy! 

Winter Salad with Creamy Orange-Ginger Dressing

Ingredients

• greens of choice (I used a spring mix)
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 or 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1 tangerine or cuties (mandarins), slices

Orange-Ginger Dressing

• 1 cup oranges, peeled, navel or Valencia...mandarins would be great too (about 2 small or 1 large)
• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked for 2-3 hours
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, to taste
• 2 - 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
• 1/2 clove garlic
• himalayan salt to taste

For the dressing, place all ingredients into food processor/blender and process until creamy, about 3 - 5 minutes depending on your equipment. For a thinner dressing add 1 tablespoon water at a time until desired consistency. Makes about 3/4 cup. Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

For a simple single serving dressing, use the juice of two squeezed oranges and add a tablespoons of fresh minced ginger, mix and top on your salad.

Enjoy!