Seasoned Cilantro Black Beans

This is such a fast, easy and tasty side dish!  And healthy to boot!  I can't claim 100% credit for this recipe - I got it from a friend I used to go to church with years ago, but it is too easy and too yummy to not share!

The flavors are fresh and pair perfectly with your favorite Mexican main dish (tacos, burritos, tamales...)

Seasoned Cilantro Black Beans

Seasoned Cilantro Black Beans

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup tomato juice

3/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Directions

In a nonstick skillet cook and stir cumin and garlic in oil over medium heat until fragrant.

Add beans, juice and salt. Cook until heated through.

Stir in cilantro.

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How do Vegetarians get Protein?

Vegetarian here signing on.... If you are familiar with the world of being a vegetarian you almost always get asked questions about your diet.  "What do you eat?"  "What do your meals consist of?" and almost ALWAYS "Where do you get your protein?"  This is a great question since the belief is that protein primarily comes from meat sources.  FALSE!  One of the most common myths about becomming a vegetarian is that once you ditch the meat you can't meat the suggested guidelines for protein intake.  There are many other sources one can obtain protein, and if you are looking for a meat free or a less meat kind of diet, let me share with you a few.

Here are the top 10 sources of Veggie Protein:

1. Spinach (contains 49% protein)
2. Kale (contains 45% protein)
3. Broccoli (contains 45% protein)
4. Cauliflower (contains 40% protein)
5. Mushrooms (contains 38% protein)
6. Parsley (contains 34 % protein)
7. Cucumbers (contains 25 % protein)
8. Green Pepper (contains 22% protein)
9. Cabbage (contains 22% protein)
10. Tomatoes (contain 18 % protein)

(statistics brought to you by The GIVE project)

Other protein sources include:

Quinoa (1 cup of cooked quinoa is about 8 grams of protein)
Hemp (6 grams per ounce)
Spirulina (65-71 % a complete protein)
chia seeds (4 grams per ounce)
tempeh (1/2 a cup is about 25 grams protein)
almonds and almod butter or milk (between 6-8 grams per handful)
Lentils and beans (1 cup is about 18 grams of protein)
Organic plain greek yogurt (15-20 grams in a 6 oz. serving)
eggs (6 grams per egg)

Source: foodmatters.com

There you go!  Look at all of these healthy options that bring a ton of protein content!  I have people all the time come to me and ask for "healthy" vegetarian meals for their family because they are looking to consume less meat; either for health or budget purposes.  Now you can refer to this list and know what you are getting! Pin It

Chinese Pork Ribs

Years ago while I was living in San Diego, my church women's group created a cook book.  Everyone submitted their favorite recipes and we had them spiral bound.  After the book was complete we had a tasting party and everyone brought their best loved dishes to share.  These pork ribs were among those dishes.  They were delicious!  The secret to these is the simple perfect sauce!

Let me tell you just how easy this meal is!

First lay about 1-2 pounds of country style pork ribs in a pan.  Combine worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar and soy and pour over the ribs.

Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes depending on the cut of your meat.  You want them to be slightly pink in the middle.  If you overcook them they will be dry!  Remove lid, turn heat to high and thicken the sauce.  Turn the ribs occasionally to coat.  Once sauce is the consistency of syrup remove from heat.  Slice pork.  Serve pork and sauce over steamed white rice and garnish with green onions.

Chinese Pork Ribs

Chinese Pork Ribs

Ingredients

1-2 pounds country style pork ribs

4 tbsp rice

vinegar

4 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup white sugar (white works too)

green onions for garnish (optional)

Directions

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over medium-low heat, turning ribs occasionally for 45 minutes or until ribs are slightly pink in the middle.

Uncover, turn to high and cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of syrup, turning ribs to coat. Be sure to watch carefully so they don't burn.

Remove from heat, slice and serve over steamed rice.

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Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

mmmm.. I"m really trying hard to come up with the best way to tell you all about my high school days with Jolyn. Should I sell you our secrets about our "out of towners" (our friends that were boys in the nearby towns, wink wink) OR should I tell you about the very inapproprate jokes that were made when we played balderdash. Maybe, the pranks. no. I'd like to keep my records clean, haha. 

I wish I could tell you about what a good friend she was, always there for me through a lot of thick stuff, and a lot of thin. I had a lot of thick stuff in high school and she was there, jamba juice in hand. After my chemo weeks quite often I didn't feel good and we'd bunker down in her house and consume handfuls of and handfuls of calories. Cadbury eggs. Mint M&M's. Applesauce Cookies. Homemade Caramels. Snickerdoodles. all sorts of junk food. 

She was a true friend. now she is half a country away, but for a short time in our married life we lived 1.5 hours apart and got to see each other ever month or so. happy days. One of those times I snagged her memory filled applesauce cookie recipe we made so much. ha. or more like ATE so much. 

Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup shortening

(can do 1 cup shortening)

3 eggs

2T vanilla

2 cup applesauce (1 can)

2tsp baking soda

4 cups flour

1 t salt

1 pkg of chocolate chips

Directions

Cream Together butter, shortening, eggs, vanilla

in the can, or a small bowl combine applesauce and baking soda

Add to butter mixture

gradually add flour

add salt

stir in chocolate chips

drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 350 for 12-15 minutes

makes about 3 dozen

These cookies are light and sweet. SUPER FLUFFY. Their texture is much like a pumpkin cookie. 

so fluffy 

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Lemon Pesto Hummus

A few months back I attended a baby shower and a one of the guests brought this amazing hummus. It was creamy, it was smooth, it was tangy, it was everything that makes a hummus divine. All the guest gathered around the table gathering their ordurves. Munching and commenting on the spread. Our Southern Dip, Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts and Lemonade made an appearance at this baby shower as well... I brought some pretty stellar cupcakes all dolled up with pink frosting, edible pearls and silver sugar flakes. {I'm a cake kind of person and a any given children's party I will happily be the first adult to take a piece of cake. And eat what my kids don't. Stop calling me a fatty.} As the night went on guess what the guests when back for?! The Hummus! I think everyone took a small suspicious helping to begin with. And after tasting and being impressed they went back for more. 

I asked my friend Lindsay for the recipe because this bombshell needed to be shared. She happily sent me the recipe and I am so excited to bring it to you all! 

To start you are going to need mucho basil. When I am making a recipe that demands a lot of basil, I buy a whole plant. It seriously is the most affordable way to go, compared to the expensive small refrigerated packs. And if I don't use it all, I can keep growing it! I suggest Trader Joe's Plants. Huge and Cheap. 

For this hummus we are going to go the extra mile and toast our pines. Really bring out the flavor of the nut. You will notice that all the elements of pesto are being thrown in to this hummus. Rather than making the pesto then the hummus we just make it all at once. 

Add in some lemon to brighten the flavor and sea salt for savory. Blend all together until smooth and creamy. 

Serve with veggies or pita chips. I love to have a batch of hummus made up to snack on through the week. So much better to go back for seconds on hummus then on the cupcakes ;) 

Lemon Pesto Hummus

Ingredients

2 cans of Garbanzo Beans

2 cups loosely packed Basil

1/4 cup toasted Pine Nuts

1/3 cup EVOO

1/4 cup Water

1 tbsp mince Garlic

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt & Pepper

Tiny pinch of Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Toast pine nuts in a skillet til golden brown. Wash basil. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Serve with Veggies or Pita Chips. Use as a spread on wraps or sandwiches.

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Chimichurri Steak Tacos

Chimichurri is officially my new favorite word. How can you read that and not want to say it aloud? 

Go ahead, say it.

Chimichurri.

Not only is it my new favorite word, but it's my new favorite condiment. This stuff tastes amazing. It's a flavor I haven't tasted in many foods, and I think pairs so perfectly with these steak tacos. It's originally an Argentine sauce, but has made it's way here to Orange County. Obvi.

It's full of fresh herbs, lime juice, garlic, oil, and a little kick to boot. 

Bursting with flavor, I tell ya.

Meet oregano, parsley, and cilantro. The main characters.

Roast some tomatoes. 

Grill some corn all smokey and whatnot.

Grill some ribeye (high heat-- 450-500 degrees, couple of minutes each side).

And throw it all in a warm, fresh tortilla.

Chimichurri Steak Tacos

Ingredients

grilled steak, sliced thin

grilled corn

roasted tomatoes

avocado slices

fresh tortillas

CHIMICHURRI:

1 1/2 c fresh parsley

1 1/2 c fresh cilantro

1/2 c fresh oregano

juice from 2 limes

1 T red wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1/2 c EVOO

Directions

1. In food processor, blend all ingredients for chimichurri sauce. Store in refrigerator.

2. Prepare tacos by placing steak, avocado, corn, and tomatoes in taco, then top with chimichurri.

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Lemon Albacore Quinoa Salad

Do you know how to say quinoa?

I'll give you a hint, it's not kwin-o-wa.

It's actually keen-wah.

Also, did you know that quinoa is The UN's 2013 superfood of the year? It supplies all of the nine essential amino acids, it's not a grain but a seed so it's gluten-free friendly, has twice the fiber as most grains, great source of protein (14% by weight), has twice the amount of calcium as whole wheat, and basically is just 'pure health' (as one of our friends used to say!)

I've started to use quinoa instead of brown rice or pasta in some of my dishes, and we love it as such a great alternative! Even my 2-year-old loves it.

Throw in some healthy, fresh ingredients and a lemon parsley dressing and you'll love pure health!

Lemon Albacore Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1 c quinoa

2 c water

1 6 oz. can quality albacore tuna

1/2 c olives

1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 c chopped cucumber

1 avocado, chopped

fresh parmesan for garnish

LEMON PARSLEY DRESSING:

2 lemons, juiced

3 T EVOO

large handful fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic

1/4 c freshly grated parmesan

1/2 t sugar

Directions

1. Cook quinoa by boiling 2 c water, adding 1 c quinoa, simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Cool completely in refrigerator until cold. (Can be done in the morning)

2. Prepare Lemon Parsley Dressing by adding lemon juice, EVOO, parsley, garlic, parmesan, and sugar to food processor. Blend until garlic and parsley chopped finely. Cool in refrigerator.

3.Gently mix cold quinoa with tuna, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado. Drizzle dressing and gently mix together.

4. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan.

I love this refreshing, light dinner. We were definitely full quickly and stayed full because of all of the protein and fiber. Not to mention it's chock-full of monounsaturated fats and omega-3s.

Perfect as a side dish without the tuna if you'd like, or if you're a tuna-hater (you know who you are!).
P.S. Albacore has twice as much omega-3 as plain 'ol tuna

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