Pinto bean hummus with beet & avocado salad, chapati, and rice

This simple dinner is delicious and easy to prepare.


Pinto bean hummus

• Pinto beans (drained of liquid)
• Tahini
• Lemon
• Salt
• Olive Oil 
• Paprika

Place pinto beans and tahini in blender and blend playing with ratios until desired consistency is reached.  Add lemon and salt to taste.  Blend until smooth.  Garnish with olive oil and paprika.

 Beet & avocado salad

• Red cabbage
• Beets
• Avocado
• Lemon
• Pomegranate seeds
• Olive Oil

Slice red cabbage super-thin and place in bowl.  Shred beets and add to bowl.  Slice avocado.  Add poegranate seeds.  Add queeze of lemon and olive oil.

Rice

• Water
• Rice

1 cup rice to two cups water in pan.  Cover and bring to boil.  Turn down low until fully cooked. 

Chapati

• 2 cups Wheat flour
• 1 cup Water
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Place wheat flour in bowl.  Slowly add a little water and knead.  Add a little more water and knead.  Keep going like this until similar to play-dough adding more or less water as necessary.  Set aside for at least a half hour and even overnight in the fridge.  Turn on skillet.  Dust surface with flour.  Pinch of golf ball size of dough.  Roll into ball and then press down on surface.  Roll it out.  Putoil in pan.  Place rolled out dough in pan and let cok until medium sized bubbles begin to form.  Flip.  Let it puff up for a little bit.  Serve.

Food Inspiration

Some meatless recipes from around the web to inspire and enjoy...

Image: theppk.com

1. Veggie breakfast basic -- scrambled tofu via the Post Punk Kitchen.

Image: ohsheglows.com

2. The nourish and glow miracle bowl via Oh She Glows.

Image: thisrawsomeveganlife.com

3. Vegan Sushi Rolls via This Rawesome Vegan Life.

Food Inspiration: Recipes of the Day

Vegan Peanut Butter Granola via The Kind Life

Summer Vegetable Curry via 101 Cookbooks

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos
via Oh She Glows

Super Easy Vegan Ice Cream

Yes, this was breakfast a few days ago.  While I'm saving the fruit cobbler for a future post, today it is all about the Super Easy Vegan Ice Cream.

Ingredients:

• Banana (1 per person)

Directions:
Freeze banana.  Yes, the whole banana -- peel and all.  The taste will differ based on the stage of ripeness, so experiment.  When you are ready to make the ice cream, take out the frozen banana and let it thaw out a little.  Remove (and compost) the peel.  Blend the banana.  Enjoy!

(It is entirely possible that freezing a peeled banana is easier to handle.  I just prefer it this way.)

That's it.  Super simple.  But that doesn't have to be the end...

Possible additions:

• Shredded coconut
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Chocolate or carob powder
• Other frozen fruits

Goes great:

• By itself
• On pies, cobblers, cakes, granola, etc.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I found this simple and tasty recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread from Pickles and Honey.  I changed a couple of things based on what I had and I also used only half the sweetener.  It came out beautifully.  My last pumpkin bread was a bit and dense.  Not this time.

Here's what I look for in store bought chocolate (or carob) chips:

• absence of high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils
• grain sweetened or unsweetened (sugar isn't always vegetarian, more below)
• dairy-free (milk, casein, whey, etc)

I had no idea that sugar isn't always vegetarian.  Here is a list of companies that do and do not use bone char.

Recipe: The Liz Berry Smoothie

This is a thick, nutrient-rich smoothie inspired by one of my good friends...

Ingredients:

• Banana

• A few leaves of kale

• 1 handful of blueberries, cherries, or other berries (frozen is okay). Amounts vary (I usually measure by handfuls). 

Supplies:

• Blender (I recommend using a hand blender.  They are much easier to clean than a regular blender.)

• Cup

Directions:
Blend ingredients until smooth.  This is a thick smoothie for sure.  For a thinner smoothie, experiment with the ratios.

Nutrients:

• Bananas - potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, vitamin b6, vitamin c

• Kale - fiber, calcium, vitamin b6, magnesium, vitamin a, vitamin c, vitamin k, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorus

• Blueberries - dietary fiber, vitamin c, vitamin k, manganese