Cuban Black Beans

I was really excited to make this recipe because I love the topping on Chiptole's burrito, which is basically the same as this recipe. The only difference is that their topping has chili sauce--or so I thought. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with this recipe; it was pretty easy to make, but there wasn't much flavor. I think chili sauce maybe have been the lacking ingredient, since I only used chili powder. Anyway, here's the unaltered recipe:

4 cups cooked black beans
3 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
3 garlic cloves
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1 ½ tsp cumin
½ tsp crushed oregano
½ tsp chipotle or cayenne (red pepper, chili powder)

1. Heat beans with bay leaves and salt.
2. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper (chopped) to beans. Simmer until veggies are tender.
3. Remove bay leaves. Serve over rice, in a burrito or as soup. Top with diced tomatoes or salsa.

Some changes I made include that I didn't add oregano because I didn't think it would go well with the cumin. Maybe that's just me. I also used chili powder instead of chipotle/ cayenne as I mentioned above. Also, I added the diced tomatoes with the onions, bell peppers, and garlic to cook instead of using them as a topping. Apparently, there are more detailed instructions in the book this recipe is from. Maybe I just missed something in this recipe.

Total time: 45 minutes.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

To be honest, I was a little nervous about the recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers. It looks really complicated and also looks like it takes a long time to prepare. With a little foresight, though, it's pretty simple. Here's the recipe:

• 2 cups of rice, cooked (brown, white or basmati) (1 to 1 1/4 cups uncooked rice)
• 6 to 8 bell peppers (try using a mixture of colours for visual appeal and a bit of variation in taste). One can be chopped and included in the stuffing.
• 1 medium-sized onion (about 1 cup/250 ml)
• 1 cup (250 ml) of chickpeas or 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or chopped tinned tomatoes (or use one medium-sized can of tomatoes)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) tomato paste or sauce (I used paste). Use more than this if you like.
• 4 carrots (2 cups, 500 ml), finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) paprika
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
• 1 cup (250 ml) fresh bread crumbs (or less if you prefer less of this topping)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Start off by getting the rice cooked and ready to use, using your rice cooker or a suitable saucepan on the stovetop.
2. Rinse the bell peppers and slice the top off of each, about an inch down. Remove the stem, seeds and white ribs from the inside of each using a spoon and/or knife. If they do not sit flat, slice a little bit off of the bottom.
3. Bring some water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan (enough so that the peppers can be mostly emersed in it). Add the peppers (in batches if necessary) to the boiling water, cut side up, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. While the peppers are simmering or steaming on the stovetop preheat the oven to 350⁰ F (180⁰ C).
5. Chop the onions, carrots (and one bell pepper if adding). Rinse and finely chop the parsley.
Finely chop or mince the fresh garlic.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil in a medium to large frying pan/skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper and carrots and stir until the onions are soft and the carrots are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Remove the steamed bell peppers from the saucepan, drain and set aside.
8. If using canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drain and rinse them. If using dried chickpeas you'll need to have them cooked so they are tender and ready to use at this point.
9. In a large bowl, mix together the chickpeas, rice, carrots, bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper.
10. Place the peppers cut side up in a lightly greased casserole dish. Stuff the peppers with the rice chickpea mixture pressing down when you have added enough to fill the inside of each pepper. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over top. Drizzle some olive oil over top of all of the peppers. Cover with foil or a lid.
11. Place the casserole dish on the middle rack in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cover (lid or foil) and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes, a total of 30 to 35 minutes, until the bread crumb topping is a bit crisp looking.

By the time the bell peppers came out of the oven, it was 9:00 PM. In any case, they were really good! I didn't have any bread crumbs and didn't have time to make them, but I'm sure the peppers would have been even better with the addition. Other than that, I didn't change anything. I had an idea to make this faster, though. Instead of baking the filling in the peppers, you could easily serve just the filling. (I tried some of the leftover filling and it was really good; all of the ingredients are cooked anyway.) That way, you wouldn't have to worry about firing up the oven. Plus, it would be much quicker.

Total time: 1 hour

Zucchini with Walnuts

The recipe I tried yesterday, Zucchini with Walnuts, was really quick and easy, not to mention easy:

Preparation time: 20 minutes or less

• 4 medium zucchini, washed and stems removed
• ½ Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. walnut oil, optional*
• 2 tsp. coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed, or 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 lemon, grated peel and juice
• black pepper, to taste
• ½ tsp. salt

1. Cut zucchini in quarters lengthwise and then into ¾-inch chunks.
2. Heat oil(s) in a 10-inch skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
3. Add zucchini and sauté, stirring constantly and gently.
4. When zucchini is almost tender, add walnut pieces and thyme, and continue to cook for about 45 to 60 seconds.
5. Zucchini should still be bright green in color. Season with lemon juice, grated lemon peel, pepper, and salt. Serve hot.

I didn't make any changes to this recipe; if you keep it simple, you can't go wrong with this recipe!

Total time: 30 minutes

Pasta with Garbanzo Beans and Spinach

Tonight, I made pasta with Garbanzo beans and spinach. I was particularly excited about this recipe because I love Garbanzo beans. Here's the recipe:

Preparation time: 20 minutes
4 servings

6 ounces spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup diced onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
15 ounces garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
Fresh-grated Asiago cheese (optional)

1. Prepare pasta according to packaged directions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are softened (3-5 minutes).
3. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and pepper flakes. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
4. Stir in pasta and spinach. Cook until spinach has wilted (about 2 minutes).
5. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

One of the things I changed in this recipe is that I used tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes. It turned out well, and I'm sure the diced tomatoes would have worked fine as well. I had the tomato sauce on hand, so it was more convenient for me. Another thing I changed is that I sprinkled fresh thyme over the top, as you might be able to tell from the pictures above. I thought the recipe took me longer than the 20 minutes claimed; it probably took about half an hour for me.

Total time: 45 minutes

Avocado Garden Salad

I really like avocados, so when I saw this recipe, I didn't hesitate to try it out:
Preparation time: 20 minutes or less

• 6 cups mixed salad greens
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 small cucumber, partially peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided
• 1/3 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. of coarsely ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 large ripe California avocado, peeled

1. Thoroughly mix bite-sized salad greens, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber in a large serving bowl.
2. Toss with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic powder, black pepper and salt.
3. Peel and cut avocado in half. Remove pit and slice into thin wedges, about 1/8-inch thick.
4. Arrange slices on top of salad like a starburst.
5. Brush remaining lemon juice and serve immediately.



It turned out pretty good and it was really easy. Most of the preparation was just washing and chopping vegetables. From the picture, you can tell I didn't really follow the "arrange slices like a starburst" step, but other than that, I didn't deviate from the recipe much. The one thing I did do differently was that I added 3 onions instead of 5. But maybe that's just me; I'm not a huge green onion fan. Overall, this recipe was a success!

Total time: 30 minutes

Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Sandwiches

Let it be known that I am not a huge fan of eggplant. I like to think that I'm an adventurous person, so when the chance to try out an eggplant-based recipe came up, I decided to go for it. The recipe for Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Sandwich is as follows:

Preparation time: 30 minutes or less

1 medium Italian eggplant cut into ½ inch slices
1 Tbsp. salt
1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp. finely minced fresh basil
8 (½ inch) slices, crusty bread
4 medium ripe tomatoes
Fresh ground black pepper
½ cup crumbled Feta cheese (optional)

1. Do not peel eggplant. Remove end and cut into half-inch slices. Sprinkle both sides with salt and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
2. Thoroughly rinse slices to remove all salt and drain on absorbent paper.
3. Combine olive oil and garlic and lightly brush each slice.
4. Grill over MEDIUM HIGH heat on gas grill or broil under broiler. When soft, remove immediately and sprinkle with basil.
5. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes into ¨1/4-inch thick slices and season with black pepper.
6. Arrange tomatoes and eggplant on 4 slices of bread.
7. Season with pepper and add crumbled Feta cheese, if desired.
8. Top with second slice of bread and serve immediately.

At first, I forgot to add the black pepper and when I did finally add it, the sandwich tasted much better. Moral of the story: don't forget the little things. Also, the recipe calls for a grill or a broiler. Instead, we decided to use the grating on our gas stove since it was much easier. It worked just as well, I think. (Two burners from our stove-top are pictured below) Other than that, I made no changes to the recipe and it turned out quite well, as you can hopefully tell from the pictures above.

Total time: 45 minutes

Recipe Number One: Broccoli Red Pepper Stir Fry

As I mentioned in my last post, Sarah and I are currently trying to collect recipes and try them out at home. I spent about an hour finding recipes online. We've decided to split the recipes into two booklets so that we can focus on two different populations. The two themes are using fresh vegetables in cooking and the other is staple foods. The fresh veggies booklet would directly benefit people who have access to fresh vegetables but don't know what to do with them. They would, for example, be beneficial to DIGG-ers. The staple foods booklet might be more beneficial to families who come into CHIC, the clinic Sarah's mom works at.

So tonight, I tried the first of my six recipes: Broccoli Red Pepper Stir Fry. I found this (and many other) really great recipes from http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=35&iRID=40. This website is a great resource, as it's goal is quite similar to Sarah and my goal. Anyway, before I make comments, here's the unaltered recipe:

Broccoli Red Pepper Stir Fry (Aishwarya)

Preparation time: 20 minutes

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. walnut oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups broccoli florets
2 Tbsp. water
1 large red bell pepper, washed, cored and cut into short strips
1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half and then into lengthwise slivers
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt


1. Prepare all ingredients before starting to cook.
2. Heat oils in large skillet over HIGH heat. Add garlic and sauté only until slightly cooked; do not brown. Immediately add broccoli.
3. Stir fry continuously until all broccoli has turned to a bright green color.
4. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover and remove from heat for 2 minutes.
5. Return skillet to HIGH heat. Add red pepper and onion.
6. Continue to cook, stirring for another 2-3 minutes. Vegetables will be crisp and brilliant in color when properly cooked.
7. Toss with lemon juice and salt and serve.

In general, the directions were really simple and even I, the unseasoned cook (no pun intended), was able to make this recipe without burning anything. It took about 20 minutes, as claimed. A couple things I changed, though: walnut oil? Seriously? I highly doubt people will have this, and I really don't think it's necessary; I used only olive oil. Speaking of olive oil, I added more than 2 teaspoons--probably more like 3 tablespoons because it seemed a little dry. I also added some chopped walnuts because I like a little but of crunch and black pepper for some added spice. I also served it with some angel hair pasta, as you can see from the picture at the top of the post. All in all, this recipe was a success!

I went shopping for a couple ingredients, and this plus the 20 minutes (and 10 minutes of prep) gives us about an hour of work.

Total hours: 2