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!!

Meatless Monday: White Bean and Escarole Soup

You already know I love my soups…and the way the weather has been lately, I had a hankerin’ for something to give me that warm, cozy feeling inside.  Luckily, my mother-in-law (also known as “Nanny Rose”, as you may recall if you caught this post) made this delicious soup recently that I just had to try and make myself. Even luckilier (not a word?), she gave me some leftover escarole sautéed with garlic and olive oil. What luck indeed! I was able to replicate her yummy recipe quite well, if I do so say so myself…

White Bean and Escarole Soup

(serves 8-10)

Ingredients

6 cups water

1 large bunch of escarole (or 2 smaller ones)

1 14 oz can or package of white beans, preferably Small, but Northern will work too

1 cup of baby spinach, rinsed (optional)

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp cayenne pepper (or less depending on your taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the stem section (the white part) off of the bottom, then thoroughly rinse the leafy part under cold water. Once rinsed, chop up as you would a bunch of romaine, so the pieces are not too big and not too small. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat then add the garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Next, add the escarole and spinach and mix together with the olive oil and garlic, then add the water and bring to a boil.

If you’re using canned beans, rinse them if you have not already done so, then add to the pot. Stir in the tomato paste, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring heat down to a low simmer, then cover, cooking for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour (the longer you simmer the stronger the flavors will be).  Add more seasoning as needed. Serve with sharp cheese and crispy, crusty, warm bread.

I like to add extra cayenne, but if you’re serving it to people (or kids) who don’t like things to be too hot and spicy, don’t be as liberal. You can also add more tomato paste to balance it out and bring more flavor to the broth as children may find it unappealing as is. This is also a particularly garlicy soup since it has the strongest flavor of all the ingredients you’re putting in besides the cayenne, so some kids may not dig that either. To be honest, this is more of an adult soup I’d say. I offered it to Lily and she turned her nose right up at it and I could not get her to even taste it no matter how many times I offered. Poor thing had a head cold for a couple days too, but apparently it also caused her to lose her appetite. It would have been ideal for her sinuses, but all she’d eat is small amounts of fruit. If you're a vegetarian who's feeling sick, give this soup a try!

my little sick girl :(

For little ones with undeveloped palates, you can scoop out some of the greens and beans and mix with some small-shaped pasta, such as orzo or ditalini, topped with some Parm cheese or extra olive oil. Lily liked it that way.

Escarole is a leafy vegetable I don’t make too often. Not too many recipes come to mind when I think of it, but generally it can be used like most other greens, such as spinach and kale. It’s a little less bitter and the taste is a quite delicate when cooked, but it is still extremely versatile. After making this soup, I’d like to try some other dishes with it.

Additionally, like other greens, escarole is very good for you. It’s a type of endive (which I did not know until I looked it up) chock full of vitamins K, C, A and B, as well as a high amount of folate which helps protect against cancer. Escarole also contains a wide variety of minerals, such as magnesium, calcium and iron.

I never really looked at the Livestrong website before, but there is a lot of info on escarole there as well many other foods and the health benefits associated with them. Take a look!

Happy Meatless Monday! I hope you enjoy whatever you’re having. Link it up in the comments :)

Meatless Monday Blog Hop #2: Juicing for the Whole Family

Something I like to do- especially in preparation for spring -is to juice cleanse. If you have a good juicer, it's relatively easy to do (although clean-up not so much) and what can be better than freshly squeezed juice? Here are some of my favorite combinations:

1-2 Granny Smith Apples
3 carrots

2 carrots
1 red apple (like Braeburn or Red Delicious) 
1 stalk celery
1 small piece fresh ginger (about 1 tsp)

1-2 cups cubed watermelon
1 small/medium sized aloe vera leaf (skinned)
Sprig of fresh mint

1-2 carrots
1-2 apples (any type)
1 handful spinach

These are all healthy and delicious combinations that we have tried and enjoyed in my home. We have a Juiceman Jr. that a dear friend of mine was thoughtful enough to give me while I was pregnant with Lily. The idea behind that being that it would help me lose any unwanted leftover "baby weight" I'd accumulated and also help me get back onto a healthy diet if need be.

Best. Gift. Ever.

Luckily enough for me (and please don't be jealous!), I was able to lose the extra weight after giving birth pretty quickly, but having the juicer was quite nice. We enjoyed many glasses of watermelon juice and aloe vera with fresh mint from the garden, and freshly squeezed orange, apple and carrot that summer following my little child of spring's birth :)

Carrot and Granny Smith apple juice

Lily likes the juice too, as long as fruit as involved. She is not too crazy about vegetable juices (neither am I...)- not even carrot! But, she loves some freshly juiced oranges and apples.


You can juice just about anything, although a lot depends on what kind of juicer you have. If you don't own a juicer, here are some great ones that can help you get started. Juicing benefits in many, many ways. It helps to cleanse and detoxify your body from the day-to-day stress and toxins we put into it. It provides healthy sugars and natural energy. It provides a multitude of nutritional benefits, including antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients. You can use it to help and maintain any function of the body, depending on what fruit or vegetable you choose to juice. 


One thing you should keep in mind when giving fresh fruit or vegetable juice to a small child, is that there is a large amount of high-energy natural sugars in most of them, especially in carrots, apples, pears and pineapple. You should only give children under 5 years old about 4 ounces  of fresh juice at a time; otherwise, the strong sugar content may be too much for them to handle and they will surely be bouncing off the walls! Also remember that these are healthy, beneficial sugars, but it is one of the good things you can have a bit too much of. It is not the same as when you buy juice in the store that is watered down, overly processed and pasteurized. Six ounces of fresh fruit juice is equal to one adult-sized serving of fruits and vegetables, so you'll want to give children a little less, depending on their weight and age.

I hope you enjoyed this change of pace with today's Meatless Monday recipes. You may not own a juicer yet, but this may entice you now. Once you drink fresh juice, it's hard to go back to the bottled kind!

Now it's time to share! Please link up a meat-free recipe at the bottom and visit some of the other blogs too. It can be a recipe for anything- soup, dessert, beverage, entree, whatever -as long as it doesn't use meat products. You can also link up multiple recipes if you'd like. Just follow me, your hostess, and please pass along.

Meatless Monday: Campanelle and Broccoli with Gravy

Today's recipe is a little something I whipped up on a whim with what I already had readily available in my kitchen. I wanted to use the broccoli and pasta with a light white sauce, but instead concocted this gravy-like sauce that was more tan than white. It tasted pretty darn good anyway, akin to the type of gravy my grandma used for the Swedish meatballs and rice dish she used to make (she may still make it, but it's been a while since I had it with her!). I used beef stock, but you can use vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian and it will taste just as good. The added white wine, lemon juice, and touch of light cream make this especially savory. I also used campanelle pasta- which are pictured below -just because they have such a delicate and unique shape, and are ideal for sauces such as these. I hope you like!

Campanelle Pasta and Broccoli in Gravy
makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 package campanelle pasta

2 cups broccoli florets 

Gravy:

1 cup water

1 cup vegetable or beef stock

1/4 cup white wine

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp light cream

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp parsley

1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot according to instructions. Lightly steam or blanch the broccoli for about 5 minutes or until slightly tender. In a wide frying pan, saute the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until fragrant. Add the oregano and parsley, and cook while stirring for one minute, then add the white wine. Allow the wine to evaporate into the garlic, then add the cup of broth and bring to a high simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the flour into the cup of water, then add to the broth mixture and bring to a boil, stirring to make sure no clumps form. Bring the heat back down to medium-low and stir in the lemon juice, cream and black pepper; add the broccoli and cover, cooking over medium-low heat for about 5 more minute or until the broccoli is soft enough to your liking. Add all the sauce and broccoli to the pasta and coat. Serve hot with extra pepper and a lemon wedge if desired.

such a pretty shape

This recipe is great for kids and easy to make. For babies too young for big bites of pasta and broccoli like this, here's a simple little recipe:

2-4 steamed broccoli florets

1/4 cup cooked small-shaped pasta

1 tbsp gravy or butter or olive oil

Sprinkle of Parm or Romano cheese

Mix together and serve to your little one! Yum-yum!

Her expression may not exactly say it, but she did enjoy this dish

Broccoli is obviously a well-known healthy food, but since I never really talked about it on here, I'll focus on that today. It's known as a "super food" due to its richness in vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and fiber, and is also simply chock full of green goodness. An incredibly versatile food, broccoli is anti-cancerous, anti-oxidating, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying. That's a lot for one plant! Eating half a cup a day or at least 2 cups of broccoli a week dramatically lowers your risk of cancer. These factors just add to it already being one of my favorite foods, and Lily's for that matter! It is one of the few vegetables she will happily eat!

Meatless Monday: Red Lentil Curry Soup

I have been quite a busy bee with all the holiday planning- on top of everything else, that is! Work has been keeping me quite busy as well and Lily's sleeping habits are being weird again (as in, THE CHILD WON'T GO TO BED!). Yet, somehow I managed to find time to write you this quick meatless monday recipe for a delicious red lentil curry á la Healthy Mommy, Healthy Baby.

Red Lentil Curry Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups red lentils

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups water

3 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 cup mixed grains 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

First, rinse the lentils under cold running water repeatedly until the water is no longer murky and gross looking. This may take a while, but it is worth it; otherwise, it could make you gassier than normal and also make the soup look like the picture below (ick). Plus, rinsing them increases the lentils size and soluble fiber content.

yucky water!

If the soup does get a little murky, it' not a big deal; it will still taste the same, but just look a little less appetizing and likely give you...gas. You've been warned!

Moving on...after the lentils have been rinsed, set them aside. In a medium pot, cook the grains according to package; when I made this, I used a combination of red wheat, oat groats, triticale berries, barley, rye berries, white wheat, and rye berries. This combo added an interesting chewiness to the soup, and it was good! I had some I'd previously cooked the other night and just threw it in to the pot. You can use any type of grain or grains you want, or you don't even have to- but I highly recommend it.You can also add more than half a cup if you want extra whole grain power.

In a separate large pot, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium low heat for about 5 minutes. Once they are browned and fragrant, add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and carrots and boil for about 3 minutes, then reduce heat to a high simmer. Add all other ingredients, adjusting to taste as needed. Once carrots and lentils are softened, heat over a low simmer for about 10 more minutes, enough to ensure the flavors meld together nicely. I enjoyed this soup with slices of fresh pineapple, providing a pleasing sweet and spicy flavor combo. This would also work well served over rice or couscous, or with some whole grain bread and cheese.

I found this soup tasted even better the day after I cooked it when I had leftovers for lunch, making this a great "make ahead" meal. You could even easily make this in a crock pot if that's your style, and if you do, let me know how it goes!

After 6 months, babies can eat beans like lentils, and what a wonderful food to get introduced to! Not only are they yummy, but quite versatile, and few children will turn their noses up at them if prepared right.  I remember when I was a kid at my baby-sitter's house and she would make lentil soup during cold weather. It was out of a can, if I remember correctly, but I enjoyed it anyway as it filled my little belly right up to satisfaction. 

Babies can enjoy lentils cooked until very soft, and red are even preferred since they are smaller and cause less intestinal discomfort for new digestive systems. A proper portion for a 6-9 month old would be 1-2 tablespoons. You can mix in some peas and carrots too if you like. Toddler can enjoy them just the same, or give them this soup recipe to try and don't be surprised if they like it too! Lily sure did! Sprinkle a little cheese on top for picky eaters.

Lily dug it!

It's a known fact that whole grains are waaay better for you than white grains, but how often do you use the other grains I added to this soup? I know I'm guilty of rarely using any of them, and let's face it, we all know why- they don't really taste good! Why do you think I had enough left over to add to this soup? But, this is why I'm here- to help you find recipes that work well with healthy foods you may not normally like to eat because they just make you feel like you're eating cardboard. Throwing some in soups and breads is a great and simple way to add more whole grains to your diet, though. 

One of the grains I mentioned is definitely not a leader in the "most popular" category when it comes to planning meals, and that's barley. Barley is SUPER good for you though! It's not only loaded with fiber, but also selenium, copper and manganese to name a few, which are all rich minerals that can help lower your risk of diabetes, prevent gallstones, reduce your risk for breast cancer, and reduce high blood pressure. If this doesn't get you wanting to add barley to your diet, click here to look at some delicious-sounding recipes that include this amazing grain (gotta love allrecipes.com!).

I hope you enjoy this delicious creation of mine as much as my family did. Let me know if you experiment with any additions, I love to hear how others change recipes up and make them even better!