Hot Pot with Kale

This was definitely inspired by/based upon the Chickpea Hot Pot at 101 Cookbooks, but I also made a few changes to better suit our tastes and needs - most notably, I changed the spices around, and substituted potatoes for the bulgur wheat since we have gluten sensitivities in our house. It's another easy, healthy, weeknight win - we'll definitely be cooking it again.

3 T. olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

3 c. chicken or vegetable broth (use vegetable if you want the dish to be vegetarian or vegan)

1 can chickpeas

3-4 red or yellow potatoes

1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces (3-4 c.)

1 head cauliflower, in bite sized pieces (about 3-4 c.)

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. dill

1/2 -1 tsp. crushed red pepper

salt and black pepper to taste

In a large saucepot or soup pot, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add chicken broth and beans and bring to a simmer. Add the rest of the vegetables and cover. Simmer over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the seasonings, combine well, and serve.

As always, if you are gluten or soy intolerant, be sure to use a brand of bouillon and spices that you know is safe for you.

Roasted Carrot and Lentil Soup

Continuing my efforts to try something new, I pinned this Charred and Roasted Smokey Carrot Soup to our new pinboard. It's very similar to the Red Lentil Soup from 101 Cookbooks, minus the brown rice and with the addition of roasted carrots.

The only thing I changed from the original recipe was to add 4 cloves of garlic to the roasting pan with the onions.

It's a great soup, not a lot of complex flavor but it's easy, tasty and just hits the spot when it's rainy and gray.

Persian Beef and Split Pea Stew

Surprisingly (or perhaps not), we here at Bean Basics get into a cooking rut sometimes too. There's school to teach (we're both homeschool Moms of 3), husbands out of town, and a wide world to explore. So we spend a lot of time going back to tried and true, under-15-minute recipes.

But when Fall arrives, suddenly I have the urge to start cooking again. This recipe was part of my attempt to get out of my cooking rut and explore something new. I didn't come up with the recipe, I and I didn't change it substantially, so I'm just going to link it, but I will tell you what I changed, and that the entire family really liked it.

Persian Beef and Split Pea Stew

Now for my changes:

1. I used leftover cooked pot roast - so after cooking the onions, I added everything to the pot all together.
2. I think the recipe calls for too much water. I used 2 c. of beef broth rather than 4 c. of water.
3. I used 2 onions and 5 cloves of garlic.
4. I used 1/4 tsp. of Penzey's dried lemon peel instead of the Persian lime.
5. I used red lentils instead of yellow split peas (they're very similar)

As always, if you're gluten or soy intolerant, make sure you use spices that meet your needs. McCormick and Penzey's are both trustworthy.

Italians Sausage Pilaf

This was inspired by the flavors of Zuppa Toscana remade into a quinoa pilaf. 

2 Italian sausage links, casings removed

1 can white beans, drained

1 medium onion

2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp sambal oleck OR dash red pepper flakes

1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped fine

3 c. cooked chilled quinoa

1 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. cream or half-an-half

2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese plus more to garnish. 

Cook the Italians sausage, crumbling, until no longer pink. 

Add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. 

Add the kale, samal olek, beans, and broth. 

Simmer until the kale is tender. 

Stir in the quinoa and cook, stirring, 

until the quinoa is heated through and the broth is absorbed. 

Stir in the cream and cheese, mix well, and heat through.

Serve with the cheese to dust with

Bean Basics is on Pinterest!

We're always looking for something new and interesting for dinner. If you'd like a sneak preview of recipes we hope to try out soon, check out our "Bean Stuff" board at Pinterest. Happy eating!

Tex-Mex Casserole

I have seen several versions of this floating around on the internet lately. One blog said it was a Taste of Home Best casserole recipe, though I couldn't find it on their site.

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1/2 lb ground beef

2 cans black beans, drained

2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning

1 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can corn, drained

1/2 green pepper, chopped

3/4 c. salsa

1 can enchilada sauce

2 Tbsp. Italian salad dressing

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese

1 small can sliced black olives (optional)

2 c. cheese

6 corn tortillas, cut into wedges

Serve topped with salsa, sour cream, cilantro, or avocado wedges

Cook the ground beef and taco seasoning together, crumbling the meat, until cooked all the way through. Add the onion, garlic, and pepper. When the onion is tender add corn and cook 2 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and tortillas. Stir to combine well.

Place half the meat mixture in the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish. Top with 3 of the tortillas and 1 c. of the cheese. Top with remaining meat mixture, tortillas and cheese.

Bake at 425 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

Variants of tortilla soup are all over the place, and this one isn't substantially different, but it's a great quick soup that doesn't need meat to be delicious.

If you are gluten intolerant or have soy allergies, be sure to use a brand of tortillas and other prepared ingredients that you know are safe for you to eat.

1 large onion, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, diced

2-3 T. butter or olive oil

4 corn tortillas, roughly chopped

1-2 c. cooked chopped chicken (optional)

1-2 cans white beans (1 can if using with chicken, 2 cans if using alone)

1 c. corn

6 c. chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder

3 T. dried green and red peppers

1 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

cheese to garnish (optional, omit to make vegan)

Saute the onions and garlic in butter/oil over medium heat until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add stock, tortillas, spices, and juice from the can of corn. Simmer until onions are very tender and tortillas have dissolved. Using a regular or immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add corn, beans, and chicken if using. Simmer gently until heated through. Serve garnished with cheese if desired.

Some versions of this soup also call for a can of diced tomatoes to be added with the corn and beans.