Black Bean Taco Salad

Let me start off by saying that Trader Joe’s is my favorite grocery store. Did anyone have any doubts about that? Probably not. However, the other day, I went hiking with Elise and I was close to a Wegman’s so I decided to give it a try. I’m not sure how large they normally are, but this Wegman’s was about four times the size of the Trader Joe’s I normally go to. As a result, I was literally there for 2 hours! There are so many isles, so many different flavors and variations of foods that I normally do not see, and therefore was slightly overwhelmed! One of the different things I bought that I do not normally see, were these Caribbean flavored black beans. Instead of just plain canned black beans, these had added spices! I’m a big bean fan as it is and could not pass these up. Of course, driving back home, I was already thinking of dishes I could make to incorporate these beans. Because at least two times a week I try to incorporate meatless days into my diet, I figured this could be one of those days.

This dish came together very easily because the beans did not need any additional preparation! See below for a tasty meatless meal.

Ingredients (makes about 2 meals):

1 can of Caribbean Black Beans (regular black beans would work fine!)

1/2 yellow onion

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 beefsteak tomato

1/2 avocado

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil

approximately 4 cups of mixed greens

Directions:

Cook the brown rice using the instructions on the back of the package. While the rice is simmering, under medium to high heat, saute the onion, 1 tbsp coconut oil, and the can of black beans, stirring occasionally. Once the rice is fully cooked and the onions are translucent, transfer the rice to the pan with the black beans and onion, and add all spices. Once fully mixed, plate the mixed greens (around 2 cups per plate) and pour the black bean and rice mixture over the greens. Slice the tomato and avocado and place on top. Top with taco strips and some fresh lime juice. Add a small amount of salad dressing or olive oil if desired and sprinkle some additional sea salt on top.

Light, simple, and delicious! 

Breaded Eggplant

Is it me or is eggplant sprouting up in every grocery store? I had never made eggplant before this recipe but something about seeing them everywhere spiked my interest. I have never been a huge fan of eggplant, that is until my mom made eggplant parmesan one night. The trick is, to skin the eggplant before cooking it! Pure genius. I’m not quite sure what I’d do with out her…not eating eggplant I guess!

The outside skin is very harsh on the digestive system which never appealed to my sensitive stomach. But now, I think it’s amazing! Peeled eggplant = happy stomach 🙂

I wouldn’t say this recipe is “healthy” but it is made with wholesome ingredients–just a little heavy on the olive oil. But hey, that never hurt anyone right?

Ingredients

1 medium sized eggplant

1 cup of bread crumbs (I used panko because that’s what I had on hand but I bet whole wheat would be awesome!)

2 eggs

approximately 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

Start by peeling your eggplant, then slice it into 1/4 inch slices.

For the breading, crack the two eggs into a bowl and mix well. Lay a handful of breadcrumbs on a plate.

Take an eggplant slice and dip it in the egg mixture. Once fully drenched, cover with bread crumbs

Pour about 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil onto the pan and turn on to medium heat

Cook each side of the eggplant slices for about 5 minutes until golden brown

Repeat as many times as it takes to cook all of the eggplant slices.

I ate my breaded eggplant with sauteed mushrooms and red quinoa. I had this over a big bed of greens. This goes wonderfully with a light balsamic dressing or Mariana sauce!

 

Vegetable Fried Quinoa

My new obsession recently has been red quinoa. I’m not sure why, but I like it so much more than regular quinoa. I know it’s all mental but just humor me. I think it has better flavor! I’ve been eating quinoa instead of brown rice because of the added protein and it doesn’t take as long to cook. 10-15 minutes simmering, and you’re good to go!

When I was younger, I used to love fried rice. I haven’t eaten it in a while because it now hurts my stomach, but the other night I was craving the scrambled eggs and fresh, crunchy veggies. I just so happened to have a red pepper and snap peas, so I knew it was meant to be. Oh how correct I was. This turned out amazing! This recipe is very simple and will not take a long time to make. Perfect for a quick, meatless meal! This would also go great with grilled chicken or shrimp!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of red or regular quinoa

1 + 1/3 cup of chicken broth or water

1 red pepper

1/2 red onion

1 cup snap peas

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:

Start by bringing the quinoa and chicken broth to a boil. Once it boils, cover the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes until fluffy with a fork.

While the quinoa is simmering, take 1 tbsp of coconut oil and melt it in a pan. Once melted, add the sliced onion, pepper, and snap peas.

Toss in the coconut oil under medium heat until the quinoa is fully cooked. Transfer the quinoa into the pan with the vegetables and add 2 tbsp of soy sauce.

Easy and tasty! Give it a try!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burrito

Am I the only one that gets so excited when a random meal turns out to be amazing? I know that must sound weird to some, but the other night some magic happened right here in the heart of Baltimore.

I needed a burrito. Not just the typical Chipotle burrito, I wanted something a little lighter and healthier. I decided to challenge myself with food that I already had in my pantry. Sometimes, this is disastrous and I get mad at myself for not following recipes, but this time, it turned out right. The ingredients list is short, and so simple, but trust me. This burrito is so tasty, not to mention a great meatless monday idea!

Since I always have black beans, I knew this was a must. I needed protein and I asked myself, “what goes with black beans?” And I thought, Sweet potatoes, baby, SWEET POTATOES! So, I went to work. I decided that I wanted the black beans to be similar to refried beans so I cooked them at the same time as the sweet potatoes. This allowed them to become quite soft by the time the sweet potatoes were cooked all the way through. I added about 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil to 1/2 can of black beans and 2 small cubed sweet potatoes. I stirred these around until the sweet potatoes were soft. This took around 10-15 minutes.

Because I am completely obsessed with kale, I had to add some to my burrito, along with huge slices of avocado. I always add garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper to my food. It’s starting to become a habit which might not be a good thing but, so far so good! I also added 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and the flavoring was perfect.

I also found that by heating up the tortilla first, it allowed the burrito to be rolled much more easily. I lightly toasted each side of the whole wheat tortilla in a pan and placed everything inside of the burrito while still warm. Roll it tightly, cut the burrito in half, and enjoy.  Be sure to add about 1/4 of an avocado. This was one of my favorite parts of the burrito!

Delish! I ate my burrito with a small salad because I was starving. Mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, and some balsamic dressing did just the trick.

In the burrito:

2 Small Sweet Potatoes

1/2 Can of Black Beans

1/2 Cup of Raw Kale (unfortunately this is all I could fit! If you can fit more, go for it!)

1/4 Sliced Avocado

1 Tbsp Balsamic Dressing

Sea Salt, Garlic Powder, and Pepper to taste