sel et sucre

Tag: black beans

  • Summer Fajita Bowls

    summer fajita bowls

    When I was a kid, I remember feeling annoyed when my parents would proclaim some fresh vegetable to be “as sweet as candy!” It seemed like such a blatant falsehood that I couldn’t believe these people who had so impressed on me the importance of being honest could dare to utter it. But maybe my taste buds have changed because I could’ve sworn this sweet corn I roasted tasted just like candy. Alongside other fresh summer produce – squash, bell peppers, onion, and jalapenos – also roasted until caramelized, it added a wonderfully savory sweet touch to these fajita bowls, rounded out by black beans and chorizo. Of course, you can also grill all the vegetables, if you’d like. Either way, this recipe is perfect for all that overflowing summer produce that’s currently at its peak!

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  • Vegetarian Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew)

    vegetarian feijoada

    If you are Brazilian or have been to Brazil and eaten authentic feijoada, let me apologize right now. Traditionally, feijoada is a stew of black beans with a variety of cuts of meat, so I’m sure I am being completely blasphemous by creating this vegetarian version. In place of the meat, I’ve used mushrooms and quinoa (a new favorite of mine) to add a variety of textures and flavors. If you’re like me and not totally vegetarian (I eat mostly vegetarian for health and cost reasons), feel free to use beef broth in place of vegetable broth and bacon fat in place of olive oil to add a little extra heartiness and smokiness, but you should also fare just fine without it. I’m always looking for tasty and filling dishes to have on hand for weekday lunches, so this was a nice change of my pace from my usual while still using ingredients I had on hand.

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  • Chipotle Black Bean Soup

    chipotle black bean soup

    On Sundays, I love making huge pots of hearty soups to have for lunch throughout the week. Having this food stockpiled feels like a secret arsenal, a little extra something for a healthy midday energy burst. And many soups actually improve after sitting in the refrigerator for a couple days as the different flavors have a chance to meld together. This black bean soup is simple but delicious, meaning that even on my lazier Sundays, it’s an easy option to give me a head start for the week. I nearly always have all these ingredients on hand in my kitchen, too, so this is a good recipe for when I’ve gone a little too long without grabbing fresh groceries. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are a staple in my kitchen; their smoky spiciness adds a welcome depth to many dishes, and this soup is no exception. I usually like to top off my bowl with cilantro and sour cream, but there’s a lot of room for topping variety (which can also help prevent this soup from feeling boring by the time Friday rolls around). Green onions, grated cheese, diced avocado, or even a fried egg can perch atop this tasty soup.

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  • Chile Con Carne

    chile con carne

    Tread carefully with this chili. This is not your tame ground beef and tomatoes; no, this chili is a whole different beast, a dark fiery primal stew. Here you’ll find whole chunks of beef swimming amidst the flavors of smoky chipotle peppers and spicy chili powder. There is an incredible depth here due to the inclusion of cocoa powder, beer, and coffee (trust me, you want all of these in your chili). I was inspired by a traditional Texas red but chose to include tomatoes and beans (which many will debate, I know) – you can omit these if you want, and your chili will still be really tasty. This is not a quick meal as you have to let the chili simmer for 4+ hours (a slow cooker may work well here), but it is very much worth it.

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  • Vegetarian Chili

    vegetarian chili

    This vegetarian chili is packed with different beans and grains; the combination of lentils, barley, bulgur wheat, black beans, and kidney beans means that you won’t even miss the meat. Pumpkin puree helps create an extra rich texture, and hefty amounts of garlic, ginger, hot peppers, and chili powder lend a lot of flavor here. I especially loved having this chili topped with an egg for breakfast, but of course, it makes a great lunch or dinner too. I like topping my chili with cheese and sour cream, but if you forgo the dairy toppings, this chili is actually vegan.

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  • Jerk Chicken Chili

    Jerk Chicken Chili

    I first made this jerk chicken chili when I went camping for the first time. I was tasked with choosing dinner recipes, and this recipe stood out because it seemed relatively simple and could be made in a single pot yet had an interesting combination of flavors. It turned out delicious, and I set about making it at home recently, wondering if I only remembered it being so tasty because we had been starving and in the wilderness (well, relatively so – we were actually at a well-established campground with treehouses). But this chili turned out equally delicious prepared in more traditional surroundings!

    This recipe is a great way to use leftovers of my perfect roast chicken (especially after cooking it with a jerk rub), but you can also use a cooked rotisserie chicken purchased from the grocery store to make this especially easy. The chili was outstanding paired with a generous dollop of sour cream and some fantastic honey-glazed cornbread. The inclusion of all-spice adds a slight twist to the traditional chili flavors (I would recommend grinding whole all-spice, if possible, for maximum flavor; I love my trusty mortar and pestle for things like this), and the bit of chocolate stirred in at the end is a great touch. I think next time I make this, I’ll replace one cup of the stock with a cup of beer (ideally something dark and smoky), adding it slightly before adding the stock to deglaze the pan.

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  • Summer Succotash

    Summer Succotash

    I love the abundance of fresh high-quality produce that’s available in the summer.  The farmers’ market sets up shop one block from me every Sunday, and I like to spend my morning strolling through, sampling peaches here and heirloom tomatoes there, not to mention cheese from Keswick Creamery, bacon from Truck Patch Farms, and gelato from Dolcezza Gelato.  Yes, I’m very spoiled (from May to November, at least).

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