Tag Archives: black beans

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad

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So, after a week spent snuggling up in sweatshirts and blankets, drinking tea as I got back into the spirit of the school year [do I hear a sarcastic *yay* for reading journal articles?], the temperature is back in the 80s and the skies are sunny. Guess summer wants to hang on a bit longer here.

After a visit to our local Farmer’s Market last weekend, I whipped up this quick, refreshing, and healthy lunch salad to enjoy all week long.

Every bite of Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad provides a thorough mix of a variety of the season’s most abundant vegetables with a mix of yellow summer squash, tomatoes, sweet pepper, and corn–all made sweeter [if that is even possible?!?!] by my latest favorite way to prepare vegetables: oven roasting. Roasting vegetables just adds another depth of flavor and texture that I’ve fallen in love with this summer. Mix in my favorite vegetarian protein, black beans, and a chewy, filling grain like quinoa and you have yourself a tasty and satisfying salad–perfect to eat at home or on the go. Any grain [rice, barley, couscous, etc.] would work in a pinch so just use whatever you have handy. I also think some cilantro thrown in would be just lovely, but I didn’t have any around so that was a no-go for me.

As much as I cannot wait to wear boots, eat my weight in apples, and take long walks with Ben while sipping a Pumpkin Spice latte, I’m content to enjoy summer’s bounty for a little while longer if it means more lunches like this Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad. I just can’t get enough!

Reader Question ~ What part of summer do you want to hang onto just a little while longer?

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 2 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
  • 6 small roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 small sweet pepper, chopped [I used Carmen]
  • 1 ear sweet corn, kernels cut off
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • small handful fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash, tomatoes, corn, and peppers in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables become slightly blackened, flipping every 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare quinoa. First, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer [to remove bitter hull]. Next, place in a 4 quart saucepan with 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes or until grains have turned transparent and spiral-like germ has separated.

When quinoa and vegetables are ready, gently combine in a large bowl. Fold in black beans, red chili flakes, and basil. Serve immediately or chill for a cold lunch salad.

Yield: 4 cups.

Time: 40 minutes.

Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous

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Okay, continuing on the CSA post trend… Sorry. [Not really. They're  yummy, and half the veggies we have in the fridge at any one time.] So far, my favorite item that I’ve received in my CSA basket has been freshly picked sugar snap peas. Ohmygoodness, they are so great, so sweet, so crunchy. I’ve been eating them by the handful straight out of the fridge. Yum.

Since my husband isn’t much of a fan of very many raw veggies, I decided it would be nice to share some sugar snap peas with him. :) Hence, this dish–Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous. I’m so nice, right?

This lovely little salad combines roasted tomatoes, peppers, and sugar snap peas, sweet raw corn, black beans, and tender, fluffy Israeli couscous. A simple lemon-basil marinade tops it all off and brings the flavors altogether in one refreshing bite. Though the veggies and grain can be swapped around, be sure keep the lemon-basil theme going on, because that is what makes the dish! This dish can be made ahead, but for best presentation, wait to stir in the black beans until serving because after a day or so they started to spread the love of their color all around. :)

This chilled couscous is fabulous for a lunch or as a side dish for a summertime BBQ. Just be sure you make enough to share!

Lemony Roasted Vegetable Couscous
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 cups red, orange, and yellow sweet peppers, cut into thin, long slices [I used mini peppers but bell peppers would work too.]
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, stems removed
  • 2/3 cup fresh, raw corn kernels, cut from one ear of corn
  • olive oil
  • freshly ground lemon pepper
  • 1 cup Israeli couscous
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup [canned] black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup red onion
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of half a lemon
  • handful fresh basil, sliced thin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking sheet, spread the tomatoes, peppers, and peas out in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil [maybe a tablespoon or so], then season with freshly ground lemon pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes or until tomatoes burst and peppers begin to blacken. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepot, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Pour in couscous and saute for 2-3 minutes until grains are lightly toasted. Then, pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Next, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet set to medium. Add black beans and onions and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until onions are crisp-tender and beans are heated.

Finally, in a large bowl, stir together roasted vegetables, raw corn, couscous, and black beans. Mix in lemon zest and juice, then top with basil. Serve chilled.

Mexican Pizza

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I’m embarassed to say that this recipe has been in my posting queue for two months now. TWO MONTHS! Oh my goodness. I am so, so, sorry, you precious pizza you. :( I should just quit school and tend to food all day long.

Kidding.

Kind of…

But anyways, I whipped this Mexican Pizza up back in the good ‘ole snowy days of yore February on a Saturday night. I was hungry after a long marathon training run and in the mood forsomething delicious and easy, packed with oodles of my favorite flavors. and filling. This Mexican Pizza fit the bill perfectly! It was substantial enough to be filling, but I think it’s light enough to be a great appetizer. It reminded me of  a less-greasy quesadilla on pizza. Each slice was loaded with savory black bean spread [that was incredible on tortilla chips too, by the way] and a chock-ton of vegetables like onions, peppers, tomatoes, and corn. I can’t wait to make this in the summer with even more fresh veggies! Summer is almost. here. YAY! Topped off with crazy amounts of gooey cheese, this dinner was  a winner in my book! [okay...maybe not crazy amounts of cheese, but definitely enough to delight in!]

Mexican Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 batch pizza dough
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese [I used 3/4 cup each cheddar and monterey jack]
  • 1 batch black bean spread, see below
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes with green chilis, drained
  • 1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onions, diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
  • sour cream, for dipping
  • spinach, for topping
for the black bean spread: [from goodLife {eats}]
  • 15 ounce can black beans, drained
  • 2-4 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • water or chicken broth, added to consistency’s sake
Directions:
Prepare pizza dough as directed, divide into two portions if applicable. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out 1 round of pizza dough and bake for about 8-10 minutes [use your judgment--longer, 14-16 minutes, if a thick crust in a springform pan; shorter if spread thin... basically you want the crust to cook somewhat but not be crispy when it's time to top that baby!].
Meanwhile, prepare black bean spread. In the bowl of a food processor, combine black beans, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Pulse to blend well. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste and water or chicken broth to thin out the sauce if need be. A hummus-like consistency is good.
Then, prepare the pizza! Spread a thin layer of black bean spread on the crust, then top with onions, tomatoes, peppers, corn, and cilantro. Cover with cheese and return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until done. Serve with spinach and sour cream.
Click here for the printable version: Mexican Pizza

Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup

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soup

Uh oh. We’ve got a situation on our hands. I think I’m becoming a soup lover. This is very frightening to me because I didn’t use to like soups. I could go for the occasional bowl of tomato with my grilled cheese, or a cup at Panera with my you-pick-two combo. But other than that, I didn’t make it a practice to buy or make soup, unless it was my mom’s Potato Soup. But see, since starting this blog and making it a quest to eat meatless at least once per week, I’ve found more and more soups that actually look … gasp … good, appealing, and even tasty. What’s going on??!?! Since August, I’ve blogged about eight soups that I’ve loved and look forward to making again. This is cRaZIneSs! [Yup, I used to type like that all.the.time back in the days of AIM. Hilarious!] Anyways, I’ll consider my problems at a later time. I’ve gotta tell you about this soup.

This Roasted Tomato and Black Bean soup is fabulous. It’s smooth and flavorful, with extra depth from roasting the veggies. It’s spicy but not too intense, and has a hint of summer in every bite. I can’t wait to make this with fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market come summer! This soup also freezes really well, so don’t be afraid of making the whole batch and dividing it into smaller containers to freeze for lunch. Have at it!

Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup [from Ellie Krieger's So Easy]

Ingredients:

  • 7 medium tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped in large pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 5 cups chicken broth [vegetable would work too]
  • 2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • dash hot pepper sauce
  • sour cream, for topping
  • cilantro, for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven t0 375 degrees. Toss the tomatoes, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, a little salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, then roast for about 35-45 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven when the garlic is softened, the onions are brown, and the tomatoes have collapsed.

Meanwhile, stir together the broth, beans, cumin, chili powder, and a little pepper in a 4-6 quart saucepan or dutch oven. When veggies are cool enough to handle, add veggies to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor or regular blender. If you choose the second option, allow mixture to cool and be sure to vent so hot liquid doesn’t explode all over your kitchen! Stir in the hot pepper sauce, to taste. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream as desired.

Click here for the printable version: Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup

Question of the Day: Were you into AIM or any other online chatting? What was one of your super cool screennames and how did you come up with it? I was wlrunner03 for many years… school + sport + graduation year…. ooooh yeah! And I was also wltrackgrl I think…

Black Bean & Corn Quinoa Salad

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saladOver the past year or so that I’ve been reading food blogs, I’ve heard a lot about the wonders of quinoa. Not only is it flavorful and a bit nutty, with a slight crunch, it’s high in protein [a complete protein at that, which is good for a vegetarian/vegan diet] and very filling. It’s an ancient grain, called “the gold of the Incas.” A few months ago during one of my out-of-town Trader Joe’s runs, some quinoa came home with me… and this is the delicious result. I whipped up this salad as one of my recent lunch specials and let me tell you that this sure made my lunches special that week. :) I loved the hint of Mexican flavors that the lime, chili, and cilantro lended to the mix of black beans, corn, and quinoa. And served over baby greens… why it’s just a beautiful dish too. Doesn’t that make lunch time even better? In my book, it does!

P.S. So, Ben and I joined a CSA for this summer. If you’re not familiar with CSAs, they’re a way to purchase vegetables on a subscription basis directly from farmers. More information can be found here, and you can use the site to find local CSAs. I just got an email from our farm and I am so excited about the list of delicious veggies, herbs, and fruits coming my way in just a few short months. Everything from tomatoes to basil to peppers… to new-to-me things like nasturtiums to okra to salsola and more. I’m so over winter… spring and summer? New veggies? New recipes? Yes please!

Black Bean & Corn Quinoa Salad [a Pajama Chef original]

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 2 cups + 1/4 cup chicken broth, divided
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and packed
  • zest and juice of 1/2 a lime

Directions:

Prepare quinoa according to package directions, using 2 cups chicken broth instead of water. [I rinse the quinoa (in a coffee filter because I don't have a fine mesh strainer...), bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 12-15 minutes.] Set aside. In a large bowl, add beans, corn, chili flakes, cilantro, and lime zest. Stir together, then fold in quinoa. Add lime juice, and depending on desired consistency, add up to 1/4 cup chicken broth for additional “dressing.” Serve hot or cold.

Click here for the printable version: Black Bean & Corn Quinoa Salad

Question of the Day: What are some pretty foods you’re enjoying lately? Ever joined a CSA?