Post-Cinco de Mayo Meatless Monday Awesomeness!

 

Cinco de Mayo! Whoo-hoo! Yeah!

Well, today is Siete de Mayo, but I figured I am still within the allotted time span for celebrating holidays. And I did celebrate (somewhat) with a little dinner party I had with some good friends on Saturday. I was also invited to a party, but I did not make it out. That is how it usually goes with me these days…I just can’t hang like I used to. All my single, childless friends say they understand, but I think they secretly all just think I am a square now.

During my college days, Cinco de Mayo meant margaritas, Coronas, and housing bowls of guacamole after over-consuming too much of the former two beverages. I had no idea what the holiday was actually about, and guess what- I still don’t! So I did some research (donate to wikipedia if you can!), and here is what wikipedia had to say:

“The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.”

Not only that, but the day is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (in English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla) in Mexico, and it commemorates, “Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.”(LINK). OK, now I feel better because I learned something new and can look intelligent at the next Cinco de Mayo party I go to (that is, if I actually make it) when I ask other drunken party-goers if they know what the holiday commemorates. Score one for moi!

But, seriously. Now the holiday means consuming delicious Mexican food in my house, and that is what we did. I made Zesty Corn Fitters(LINK) and my traditional Basic Black Beans recipe- which I am so graciously about to share with you below, along with a simple green salad. My friends brought the Coronas and limes! Gotta have those! It was quite a nice evening, even though Lily was a bit on the rampage…

Basic Black Beans

(serves 10+ as a side dish!)

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked black beans

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup water

½ cup tomato sauce (unseasoned)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp annatto

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Heat the olive oil over low heat, then add the minced garlic and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the beans and mix well with the garlic and onion, then add the water. Bring to a bubbly simmer, and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, adding extra seasoning if desired. Serve with rice or corn fritters.

I failed to take a picture of the final product, but this is how it looks right before mixing in the remainder of the seasonings

See? Super easy! That’s how we like it, right? You can use this as is, or top with shredded cheese, or mix in any other tasty ingredient, such as:

• Bell peppers
• Jalapenos
• Mixed diced vegetables (corn, carrots, peas, etc.)
• Shredded or cubed meat (steak, chicken, pork and oxtail all work well- yes, oxtail! It's really good!)
• Cilantro 

You can also use it a base for chili or blend it up for soup, like in this previous recipe I posted here. Beans are a hit with most people, and super good for you. Most kids dig them…at least I think. Tell me- do your kids like beans? Lily does…most of the time, anyway.

Beans are a staple in most Latin-American diets, and for good reason! They are not only yummy and go with just about any meal, but also aid in digestion. The rice helps to break down the heavy fibers in the beans that some people have difficulty digesting, although beans of course are worth the unfortunate, ahem, flatulence. They contain loads of B vitamins, help lower blood sugar, reduce the risk of many cancers, and help to make a healthy and functioning colon, among many other things.

Now for more fiesta!

Here some incredible vegan offerings from The Kind Life

A bunch of goodies from Go Ahead...Take a Bite!

Shrimp Tacos from Will Cook for Smiles!

Holy guacamole! Avocado Frosting from Crazy for Crust! Worth a try, I promise! Great for those with allergies.

And I know it's Meatless Monday and all, but this just looked to good not to share: Skirt Steak Tostadas with Spicy Black Beans and Fresh Mango Salsa from Baking with Blondie

Now here's a cute picture of Lily just because!

Having fun at the playground during a few hours of actual sunshine last week!

Enjoy! Let me know what you did for Cinco de Mayo in the comments below!!

A hearty, zesty soup for a stuffy, achy head

It’s that time of the year again- the transition from winter into spring, meaning cold and flu season, and the start of my seasonal allergies. I love the flowers, but that pollen can be relentless when it comes to my sensitive nostrils! Lily and I seem to be passing a head cold back-and-forth and currently I am experiencing the brunt of the symptoms. Sneezing, stuffy nose, sore throat, stuffy head, bodyaches- I have it all. So, yesterday I was thinking: “chicken soup for dinner, yum!”

But, I didn’t want just any chicken soup, I wanted something hearty and zesty as well. And I didn’t want to have to go out shopping for any additional ingredients. After searching through a few Southwestern-style chicken soup recipes on good ol’ google, I didn’t find any that really made me go “ooo” except for a good one by Alton Brown that I didn’t have all the ingredients for. So, I raided my fridge and pantry and below is the soup I came up with.

Creamy Southwestern-style Chicken and Vegetable Soup

3 cups water

3 cups low-fat chicken stock

½ lb chicken tenders or breast

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup light cream

½ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup cooked black beans

¼ cup frozen corn kernels

¼ cup sofrito*

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 bay leaf

Chopped fresh cilantro for topping

Start by boiling the chicken. While you are waiting for that, you can go ahead and chop all the vegetables like I did. Once the chicken is all white instead of pink, drain it and rinse with cold water until you are able to handle it with your hands. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot for about a minute, then add the onion and garlic. Let it fry for about 2 minutes, then add the sofrito, bay leaf and all seasonings except cilantro and cook stirring until most of the liquid is gone. Add the chicken by tearing it into shredded pieces then tossing it in and stir into the soup base you have created so it is covered, then add the water and chicken broth. 

Heat until the broth boils then add the potato and carrots. Cook until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beans, corn and cream and cook for another 5 minutes, then you can taste the broth and add additional seasonings if you like. I added a few more shakes of everything at this point, so know that the measurements I gave above are just guidelines. Once the broth tastes to your liking and all ingredients are cooked, go ahead and serve it up with as much cilantro on top as you want (I like to put a lot in mine!). Makes 4-6 servings.

*For the gringos who may not know what sofrito is, it’s a tomato-based Latin food base mainly used in soups, stews and meat dishes. You can make your own by searching for it on the internet (I recommend this one) or just buy one by Goya like I did, they carry it at just about every grocery store. I use it in a lot of dishes and most Latin recipes, it’s really good, especially with beans and chicken.

Now since this recipe was totally made up by me last night, you should be aware that it is completely alterable to your liking. For instance, Paul suggested I add rice to it next time. Some ingredients that I may have used had they been in my kitchen are tomatoes, red peppers, green chilies and avocado. It could even be topped with cheese, but of course that would add more fat and this is a low-fat recipe. You could also use heavy cream or sour cream instead of light cream, but that would also make it more fattening and I assure you, this soup was quite tasty without the extra calories.

Lily also had a similar meal of

2 tbsp cooked black beans

2 tbsp shredded Mexican mix cheese

2 tbsp cooked whole-wheat pasta

That can all be blended if your little one is still spoon-fed. Lily prefers finger foods only now, although I can still get her to eat some applesauce or yogurt if she’s in the right mood.

So, although the cream may have not been the best for my phlegm, the spices did get my stuffed up nose running (TMI?), so I think this soup was a success. Plus, Paul liked it and he can be picky :)