Vegetable Cummin Soup

6 c. chicken broth

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 head cauliflower, chopped

1/4 lb red potatoes, sliced thin

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/2 c. salsa verde

1/4 c. heavy cream

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 can garbanzo or white beans

OR 2 c. cooked shredded chicken

(Or some of both)

Combine broth, onion, garlic, cauliflower, potatoes, cumin, and salsa verde in a large pot. Simmer until the potatoes are just tender but not soft. Add the zucchini and simmer until both are soft. 

Stir in the heavy cream and beans or chicken. Simmer until heated through

Avacado bean Dip

2 Avocados

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 c. fresh or frozen corn

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

In a nonstick pan, without oil, add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until starting to brown. Add the corn and continue to cook until it is also browned. 

Meanwhile, mash one of the avocados with the sour cream, garlic, and salt. Chop the remaining avocado.

Stir the chopped avocado, corn and onions, and black beans into the mashed avocado. Taste for seasoning and serve with chips.

Tomato, Avocado, and Mozzarella Salad with Chickpeas

It's June. My apartment doesn't have air conditioning. I don't want to turn on the stove. I realllllly don't want to turn on the oven. I do want to eat grilled wurst every night, but I shouldn't, and you probably shouldn't either.

Make this instead: Mozzarella, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

(I used buffalo mozzarella - I find the pearls to be cute, but kind of insipid tasting)

Add it to a green salad, and throw in some chickpeas.

Happy summer!

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.

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.

Spicy Spinach Lentils

Scant 2 c. mong dal (split mung beans)*

Generous 4 c. vegetable or chicken broth

1 large or 2 small sweet onions, quartered and thinly sliced

1 lb. fresh spinach, chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/4 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. garam masala

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

salt to taste

In a medium pot, combine lentils and broth and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until water is absorbed and lentils are tender but not dissolving. Keep an eye on them and add more liquid if necessary. If lentils are tender and liquid is not absorbed, uncover and simmer until liquid has mostly evaporated.

While lentils are simmering, melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and beginning to brown. Add garlic and other spices and cook for two minutes, stirring, then add spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted and most of it's liquid has evaporated. Add cooked lentils and mix thoroughly. Serve with naan or over plain cooked rice.

*Split yellow peas or red lentils may be substituted for mung bean, but the split mung beans hold their shape better when cooked. Cooked garbanzo beans may also be substituted.

If you have food sensitivities, be sure to use a brand of spices and other ingredients that you know are safe. McCormick and Penzey's are both gluten-free and usually soy-free (check the label).