Main Dishes – Page 21 – The Pajama Chef

Quinoa Black Bean Burritos with Southwest Sauce

August 9, 2013January 5, 2017 Sarah

We eat a lot of black beans around here–as a simple side with tacos, on salads, with rice. For some reason though, it’s rare that the black beans themselves are the star of the meal. And why not? They are so good and so filling! These Quinoa Black Bean Burritos with Southwest Sauce are the perfect example of that.

I honestly wasn’t expecting much of this meal, but it was so phenomenal that I just had to share. Quinoa and black beans are a natural combination, and when flavored with garlic and taco seasoning, are pretty amazing. I also added some cheese because duh. Cheese. It’s all melty and wonderful. You could certainly add the cheese separately to the burrito, but I kinda liked the gooey factor when it was stirred in with everything else.

As good as the burrito filling is, adding some guacamole and a quick Southwest Sauce makes this burrito. For sure. The sauce’s intriguing ingredients–salsa, mayo, lime juice, maple syrup, and spices–sound a bit off, but trust me. It totally works! This sauce is tangy, sweet, and has a tiny kick–but no real heat. You could spice this up if you wanted though! These Quinoa Black Bean Burritos make a wonderfully easy vegetarian weeknight dinner, and the leftovers last for days. Serve it with a side salad and chips and salsa for a complete meal. My kind of recipe! You can bet this will be part of our regular rotation from now on. Enjoy!

a year ago… Summery Squash & Chicken Lasagna
two years ago… Watermelon Coolers
three years ago… OTT: Brown Sugar Bacon Twists

Quinoa Black Bean Burritos with Southwest Sauce

Servings: 6-8
Time: 30 minutes
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adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed [I used 1/2 cup each red and white quinoa]
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups black beans [or a 15 ounce can], drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
flour tortillas
chopped avocados or guacamole [I made a simple guac–1 mashed avocado, lemon juice, cilantro, salt, pepper]

for Southwest Sauce

1/2 cup salsa
1 tablespoon mayonnaise [I think sour cream or plain yogurt could be substituted too]
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

Place quinoa and broth in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer until all liquid has been absorbed–about 12 to 15 minutes. Then, add black beans, garlic, cheese, and taco seasoning and stir until cheese has melted. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through.

Meanwhile, prepare Southwest Sauce. Whisk together salsa, mayonnaise, maple syrup, cumin, lime juice, and chili powder. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If salsa is chunky, you may want to smooth sauce by pureeing in a blender or food processor.

Serve by spooning quinoa black bean mixture in a large flour tortilla. Top with avocados or guacamole, then roll shut. Drizzle Southwest Sauce on top immediately before serving.

Linked up with Foodie Friday and Weekend Potluck.

Recipes, Salads, Sides

Chopped Kale Salad with Bleu Cheese & Bacon

July 29, 2013August 21, 2013 Sarah

Kale. Seriously can’t get enough of it. Ben can’t either. No complaints here.

Normally, our kale is cooked–in pasta, fried rice, or as a base for chicken or pork. But this time, I decided to do something different and make a chopped kale salad. That’s right… raw kale, chopped into a billion teeny tiny bites and tossed with a fabulous array of toppings and the most spectacular dressing ever. Intrigued?

What makes this salad special and different is ALL the tastes and textures going on. Crisp carrots, sweet apples, salty bacon, pungent bleu cheese, tart cranberries, crunchy toasted almonds. And a sweet peanut butter-maple vinaigrette that is nothing short of amazing. I was literally eating it with a spoon, for goodness sake! It has a peanut butter base, so that’s totally legit, right?

By the way, if you aren’t the biggest fan of bleu cheese, don’t let this scare you. There’s only enough to give a hint of the flavor, but if you like it you can always substitute feta or parmesan. I don’t always include cheese in my salads but it really works in this one, to make it more substantial. Just FYI.

I threw this recipe together quickly on a busy night when we were headed to a small group dinner, and it was all but polished off. Fortunately, there was enough leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day, but the salad definitely got a little soggy on day 2 so I would recommend adding the dressing just before serving if at all possible. I only made this a couple weeks ago and am totally craving it now, as I write this at 10:27 pm. I have a feeling this salad is going to become a regular in our house and I hope it will in yours too! Enjoy!

So you tell me… have you ever had a kale salad before? What are your go-to [kale] salad mix-ins?

a year ago… Man Cupcakes
three years ago… Creamy Baked Spaghetti

Chopped Kale Salad with Bleu Cheese and Bacon [dressing adapted from Iowa Girl Eats]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 1/2 bunches kale
1 1/3 cups red cabbage
1 large carrot
1 large Fuji apple
3 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries
freshly ground black pepper

dressing

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Directions:

Wash and dry kale, then tear into small bite-size pieces, discarding thick stems. Add to a large bowl and set aside.

Wash and dry cabbage, carrot, and apple, then shred. I used my food processor but a grater would also work. Add to kale, along with bleu cheese, bacon, almonds, and cranberries.

Whisk together balsamic, olive oil, maple syrup, and peanut butter until smooth to make dressing, then drizzle half over the salad. Toss to combine, and add more dressing as desired. I used about 3/4 of the total dressing made. Season with black pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Time: 20 minutes.

Yield: 10-12 side salads, 3-4 meal size salads.

Linked up with: Tuesday Talent Show.

Main Dishes, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces

Kale Pesto Pasta

July 15, 2013July 17, 2013 Sarah

If you read my menu plans with any regularity, you might notice that our vegetarian meals tend to fall into one of three categories: black beans, eggs, and kale. Before we got married, I never thought Ben would be a guy who enjoyed vegetarian meals, and I certainly didn’t think he’d be a kale aficionado. But he is, and I am grateful because it’s healthier and easier on the budget to eat vegetarian meals a night or two per week. One of our fave veg meals is Lemony Kale Pasta, and once I saw this recipe, I knew that we had to try it. I am so glad we did, because it is absolutely amazing!!

I’m a big fan of pesto in any form–classic basil, sundried tomato, and now, kale. Pesto can totally be made with a variety of herbs/greens, nuts, and cheese–this version is flavored with just a few fresh ingredients: kale, walnut, garlic, and lemon. And don’t forget the cheese! I used asiago, but Parmesan or any other hard or semi-hard Italian cheese would also work. I just love the flavor of Asiago… and have since my first taste of those famous Panera bagels. 🙂 But back to this pesto. I could just eat it by the spoonful, sans pasta. It is utterly heavenly!

Each bite is a burst of nutty, lemony, cheesy flavor. This is a great starter kale recipe, since there are many other strong flavors in the sauce. If you aren’t into lemon, or don’t have one lying around, it can easily be omitted but I highly recommend it! The flavors just go so well together.

I can’t wait to make this pesto again. I think it would be a fabulous appetizer or light lunch–you could spread it on mini toasts, use it as a breadstick or veggie dip, or as a pizza sauce… or really, however you use pesto normally. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! What do you use pesto for? I’m in search of excuses to make this pesto again soon. 🙂

Kale Pesto Pasta [slightly adapted from What Megan’s Making]
click to print

Ingredients:

⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons walnuts
1 large bunch kale, stems discarded, roughly chopped
1 cup grated asiago cheese [2 ounces] + more for topping
1 clove garlic
zest of 1 lemon
freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup olive oil
12 ounces fusilli or other short pasta

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Cool, then chop 2 tablespoons of walnuts and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, then add kale and boil for 30 seconds. Remove kale to colander, saving the cooking water. Return to a boil, then add pasta to water and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, add asiago, garlic, ½ cup walnuts, lemon zest, and pepper to a food processor. Use spatula to press kale against side of colander to squeeze out excess water. Add kale to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With food processor running, pour oil in through the feed tube in a steady stream.

When pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return to pot. Add the pesto along with ¼ cup cooking water, tossing to coat. If pasta seems dry, add more water as necessary. Serve pasta with additional toasted walnuts and grated asiago.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings.

Linked up with: Tuesday Talent Show.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups, Tofu

Thai Tofu Ramen

June 17, 2013June 16, 2013 Sarah

So, last month I had a Rachael Ray Magazine recipe on my weekly menu plan. I was all excited to make Tofu Ramen Soup with Spinach, but then I saw that Hannah had made that very soup recently… and thought it was basically a flop. A good idea as a nod towards a healthified college classic, but a flop nonetheless. Good thing I found this out before I made it. Thanks to Hannah, I can present you with this amazing Thai-inspired Tofu Ramen.

Each noodle-y slurp of this spicy, garlicky, gingery broth took me back to my sophomore year of college when, sick of dorm food, I enjoyed a steady rotation of ramen, easy mac, and oatmeal for lazy dinners or weekend meals. Prepared in the microwave, of course. Fortunately, this ramen has grown up and gotten much healthier, but still delivers in terms of ease, taste, and comfort. Instead of just a salty bowl of meat-flavored noodles with a few dehydrated vegetables thrown in, this ramen has tons of personality–chunks of carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Spinach! Cilantro! Tofu! A little coconut milk to add a bit of creamy sweetness and balance out the spice… and ta da! You have an easy, flavorful soup that is darn near perfect comfort food.

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, including the scary fish sauce. This soup certainly comes together quickly and the fish sauce? Well, all I can say is a little goes a long way. Just stir it in quickly and ignore the smell, because you’ll love the taste! All the flavors go so well together, and definitely improve over time, so leftovers will be really coveted. At least they were here! Enjoy!

Thai Tofu Ramen [adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine]
click to print

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 ounce freshly grated ginger
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth [or vegetable broth]
3/4 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, minced
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced and cleaned
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 pound tofu, drained, pressed, and cubed
4 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 bunch scallions, minced
3 packages ramen noodles [uncooked, broken, noodles only]
3/4 cup lite coconut milk

Directions:

Heat oil in a medium pot set over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper and saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chicken broth, carrots, celery, mushrooms, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.

Next, stir in tofu, spinach, cilantro, scallions, and ramen. Cover again and simmer 3-5 minutes until noodles are tender. Reduce heat to low and gently stir in coconut milk. Simmer for another minute or so until hot, then season with additional crushed red pepper or coconut milk as desired.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Beef, Main Dishes, Recipes

SRC: Blueberry Burgers

June 3, 2013June 5, 2015 Sarah

Blueberry burgers? You must think I’m crazy. And you might be right. However, to borrow a phrase from Katie who blogs at This Chick Cooks and introduced me to this fabulous recipe, these burgers might sound so wrong, but they taste so right. Ben and I made these burgers last week for our Memorial Day dinner and let me tell you–they do not disappoint!

Unfortunately, we don’t have a grill at our apartment so we had to cook them indoors on the George Foreman, but they still were a tasty introduction to summer eats… and a great recipe for this month’s Secret Recipe Club post! I love SRC days because they encourage me to broaden my culinary horizons while introducing me to a new blogger.

If you’re new, you might be a bit confused. SRC? What’s that? Let me explain. It’s a pretty amazing blogging club. Basically, the premise is this: you’re assigned a different member’s blog every month. You visit their blog, choose any recipe you want, then make it and share it on your blog… all while keeping your assignment a secret! Everyone else posts about their secret blog the same day. It’s fabulously fun to try out new blogs. If you have a blog, definitely check it out and consider joining! I highly recommend it.

Katie writes This Chick Cooks with a focus on eating and cooking real, whole foods. It is her mission to feed her family well, and she has plenty of recipes to accomplish that. She has tons of wholesome, tasty recipes–including many for muffins and coconutty treats… two of my loves! 🙂 Aside from making these unique burgers, in the future I’m definitely going to try Coconut Cream Larabars, Cornmeal Apple Cheese Muffins, and Creamy Corn and Chicken Summer Soup. They all sound so amazing, but for now, let’s talk about these burgers!

Blueberry Burgers are so fresh and tasty. I totally get the sentiment that fruit in burgers is just weird, but hear me out. The sweet, ripe burst of blueberries throughout is a sophisticated [Ahem… Can burgers be sophisticated? I vote yes.] foil for the salty, vinegary tang from the balsamic and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the bite of minced garlic and this meat really shines.

When I first saw this recipe, I wondered how to top these burgers. Normally I’m a cheeseburger-all-the-way kinda girl, but I thought these burgers bursting with juicy berries were perfect with just a bare minimum of fresh burger toppings like lettuce, tomato, onions, and ketchup [some unpictured because I forgot the sliced tomato and onion on the countertop until I was halfway done with my burger…ha!]. My homemade pretzel rolls [click here for the recipe!] made these burgers even better. Thanks, Katie–I enjoyed checking out your site and will be back soon. 🙂

Now, before the recipe, I do want to make one shameless plug–I recently made a Facebook page for The Pajama Chef. Please take a moment to check it out and like it here. Thanks!

Blueberry Burgers

Servings: 5
Time: 20 minutes
Print

from This Chick Cooks

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup blueberries [fresh or frozen]

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Add pepper to taste, then gently mix in blueberries. Shape into burgers, then cook as you normally would. On our George Foreman, this took about 8-9 minutes. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and desired condiments.

Be sure to check out other great recipes from this month’s SRC round-up at the linky below. Have a happy Monday!