Baked Red Beans & Rice

This was such an easy dinner to make and I really liked it.  It had a good mexicanish flavor.  We made ours into burritos and then just had chips & salsa on the side.  It made about 4 cups.

Baked Red Beans & Rice

1 cup long grain rice
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cups tomato salsa
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained & rinsed (I used pinto beans instead because I like pinto beans with rice better)
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the rice and broth in a lightly oiled 2-quart casserole dish.  Stir in the salsa, beans, chili powder and salt & pepper to taste.  Cover tightly and bake until the rice is tender, about 1 hour.

Super Delicious Bean Soup

I've been playing around with bean recipes lately.  Meaning I've been making stuff up.  Last night I had a successful experiment.  I took about 3 cups of a 9 bean soup mix and put them in my crock pot at about 11 with 4 cups of Pacific chicken broth on high.  Then at about 3 I diced and threw in a couple of onions, a couple of bay leafs, and a can of diced tomatoes.  Then at about 4:30 I chopped up about 4 carrots and 3 stalks of celery and threw them in.  Dinner was at 6 and it was delish.  Only Lucy struggled.  And today for lunch it is even more delicious.

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew

This is another recipe from America's Test Kitchen.  I had not cooked with kale before and I loved it in this.  I like my soup to be a little thicker, so I added more celery and carrots, left out one cup of the water and doubled the amount of tomatoes.  I also did not do the toasted bread in the soup although it sounds very good.

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew


We prefer the creamier texture of beans soaked overnight for this recipe. If you're short on time, quick-soak them: Place the rinsed beans in a large heat-resistant bowl. Bring 2 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Pour the water over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well before proceeding with step 2. If pancetta is unavailable, substitute 4 ounces of bacon (about 4 slices). For a more substantial dish, serve the stew over toasted bread.

Yield: 8 Servings

1 pound dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over (I just used whatever dried white beans I could find)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
6 ounce pancetta cut into 1/4-inch pieces (see note)
1 large onion chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium celery ribs cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
8 medium garlic cloves peeled and crushed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), stems trimmed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes drained and rinsed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Ground black pepper
8 slices country white bread each 1 1/4 inches thick, broiled until golden brown on both sides and rubbed with a garlic clove (optional)

1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 6 to 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, bay leaves, and soaked beans. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost tender (very center of beans will still be firm), 45 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Remove pot from oven and stir in greens and tomatoes. Return pot to oven and continue to cook until beans and greens are fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

4. Remove pot from oven and submerge rosemary sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig and season stew with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve over toasted bread, if desired, and drizzle with olive oil.

Soup Au Pistou

It's a new year and I am renewing my vows, so to speak, to eat food, not too much, mostly plants.  I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! Another New York Times hit.  Love their recipes for health section!  (The rest is copy and pasted from the website)

Perhaps Provence’s answer to minestrone, this seasonal vegetable soup — enriched with a simplified basil pesto (no pine nuts) — was inspired by the white beans, canned tomatoes and soup pasta languishing in my pantry, as well as the basil in my garden and the early summer vegetables at the local farmers’ market. The ingredient list is long, but the labor involved in making this soup is minimal. It tastes best if you make it through step 2 a day ahead.

Recipes for Health

Each week this series will present recipes around a particular type of produce or a pantry item. This is food that is vibrant and light, full of nutrients but by no means ascetic, fun to cook and a pleasure to eat.

See previous recipes »

Related

Recipes for Health: Cleaning Out the Pantry (July 13, 2009)

Recipes for Health: Bulgur and Walnut Kibbeh (July 14, 2009)

Recipes for Health: Wheat Berries With Broccoli (July 15, 2009)

Recipes for Health: White Beans With Celery (July 16, 2009)

For the soup:

1 1/2 cups white beans, soaked for six hours in 6 cups water and drained

2 quarts water

1 large onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

A bouquet garni made with a few sprigs each thyme and parsley, a Parmesan rind and a bay leaf

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned and sliced

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 14-ounce can, with liquid

2 cups shredded savoy or green cabbage

2 large carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium-size zucchini, scrubbed and diced

2 medium-size turnips, peeled and diced

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and broken into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups), blanched for five minutes and set aside

1/2 cup soup pasta, such as macaroni or small shells

Freshly ground pepper

For the pistou:

2 large garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed

Salt to taste

2 cups, tightly packed, fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling

1. Drain the white beans and combine with 2 quarts water in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, then add half the onion, half the garlic and the bouquet garni. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Add salt to taste.

2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, and add the remaining chopped onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the leeks and remaining garlic. Stir together for a few minutes, and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and the mixture is fragrant, five to 10 minutes. Stir this mixture into the soup pot, add all of the remaining vegetables except the green beans, and bring back to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

3. While the soup is simmering, blanch the green beans for five minutes in salted boiling water. Transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain and set aside.

4. To make the pistou, mash the garlic with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Remove it and set aside. Grind the basil to a paste in the mortar, a handful at a time, then add the garlic back in and mix together well. Work in the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, then stir in the cheese.

5. Add the pasta to the simmering soup about 10 minutes before serving, and cook until cooked al dente. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt. Stir the blanched green beans into the soup and heat through. Serve, adding a spoonful of pesto to each bowl for guests to stir in. Pass additional Parmesan for sprinkling.

Serves: Six to eight.

Advance preparation: The soup can be made through step 2 up to two days ahead, and definitely benefits from being made a day ahead. Refrigerate overnight, then bring back to a simmer and proceed with the recipe. The blanched green beans will keep for two or three days in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

White Bean Burgers

The New York Times had this recipe in their well column. It sounds delicious. I'm a big fan of black bean burgers, so am excited to give this one a try.

Another Falafel Recipe

This is a pretty forgiving recipe and amounts are approximate.  I have made this three times.  The second time they were dry and awful, so I decided the next time to make sure the mixture was pretty moist (I added another egg).

Cook a bag of Garbanzo beans for a total of about 6 cups.  I soaked mine overnight and through the day and boiled them for about 20 minutes.  Then grind them up in a food processor and put in a large bowl.  Add the following:

3 beaten eggs

4 Tbs Tahini

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup minced parsley

1/2 cup minced cilantro

1/2 cup minced scallions

1 heaping teaspoon cumin (I buy cumin seeds and grind them with my mortar and pestil and it is much tastier)

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 Tbs flour or bread crumbs

S&P to taste (about a tsp salt and a few dashes of pepper)

4-8 cloves garlic.  Can you ever have too much garlic?

Mix it up using your hands.  From here you can fry or bake.  To fry heat up oil till good and hot and form into balls or flat round discs and fry until golden.  Baking is easier and healthier and less stinky.  To bake pour a bit of canola or olive oil in cake pan or jelly roll pan.  I baked mine at 400 for about 10 minutes on each side.  Basically until they started to turn a bit golden.  They were nowhere near as golden as when fried, but tasted great.  Better.

Serve them in a pita with tomatoes, hummus, tatziki, ranch, lettuce, parsley, or whatever else you can think up.  You can serve them without the pita too.  

Protein from Plants

In Michael Pollan's Eater's Manifesto, which this blog is named after, he talks about how people have been eating natural foods in beneficial combinations for eons.  Until of course industrialized food came along.  

Today I went to a weight class at the gym and my muscles are quivering.  It hurts my shoulders just to type.  The teacher wanted to make sure everyone made sure they went home and ate plenty of protein.  Sadly her suggestions were to go eat manmade bars and drinks.  Anyway that got me thinking about how superior plant protein is.  Scientist keep discovering more and more ways that simple old plants are good for us.  We don't even know all the benefits yet of eating God-given food versus supplement industry food. Of course if you eat beans without rice you aren't getting a complete protein. But the way humans have evolved to eat plant protein and in certain combinations is interesting.

Anyway most of you already know this stuff, but just in case here are some ways to combine plant foods to get complete and perfect proteins:

• Grains plus legumes. Try black beans and rice (the staple diet of a huge number of people). 
• Nuts and seeds plus legumes. Lentil soup with a serving of almonds on the side.  Or Hummus (sesame/chickpea).
• Corn plus legumes. Try pinto beans in a corn tortilla.

Isn't nature a funny old thing?  The way natural foods just seem to provide all the nourishment our bodies need and old-school culture helps combine those foods in ways that suit our dietary needs perfectly?  

Black Bean Soup with Spinach

Another recipe from the NYTimes that looks pretty scrumptious.

This spicy soup is a highly nutritious meal in a bowl and one more way to use spinach in a bag. It’s inspired by a black bean soup made in the highlands of Veracruz with a local green that is somewhat like lamb’s quarters.
12 ounces black beans, washed and picked over for stones, soaked in 2 quarts water for six hours or overnight

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground

4 large garlic cloves, minced

Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and finely chopped

12 ounces (two bags) baby spinach

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish if desired

1. Soak the beans in the water for at least six hours. If they will be soaking for a long time in warm weather, put them in the refrigerator.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes, and add half the garlic and the cumin. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute, and add the beans and soaking water. They should be covered by two inches of water. Add more water as needed, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and skim off any foam that rises. Cover and simmer one hour.

3. Add the salt, chipotles, remaining garlic and half the cilantro. Continue to simmer another hour, until the beans are quite soft and the broth is thick and fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
4. Partially puree the soup using an immersion blender, or puree 2 cups of the beans with a small amount of broth in a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Stir back into the soup. Bring to a simmer. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and simmer for five minutes. Stir in the remaining cilantro, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with warm corn tortillas, garnishing each bowl with queso fresca.

Yield: Serves six

Advance preparation: The cooked beans will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator, and they freeze well. Bring back to a simmer and add the spinach before serving.

Falafel

Okay, I swear, I am not trying to take over the blog, but I have been trying out a lot of new recipes lately. Some are just too good to keep to myself. Here is another one. I got this from my aunt who got it from her friend who is from Jerusalem. They were sooo good. They had such a good flavor and were very moist in the middle. Here you go:

Falafel

1 bag garbanzo beans (8-12 oz.)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 loaf of bread soaked in water and squeezed of excess water
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
3 tsp. cumin powder
3 T. parsley, chopped
3 tsp. baking powder
salt & pepper to taste

• Soak garbanzos overnight (or for quick method, pour boiling water over beans and let stand for 3 hours)
• Do not cook
• Run beans through a meat grinder or food processor to make a pasty mix
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well
• Form into 1" balls (wet hands if mixture is too sticky)
• Deep fry in hot oil (350 degrees)

Tastes best when hot. You can serve balls in pita bread with finely chopped salad of tomatoes and cucumbers and season with hummus and salsa.

Here are my notes:
I used a heavy wheat bread (it was kind of wierd and slightly gross to soak the bread and then drain the water and it really does not take very long to soak up water) that is a little bit sweet. So, it made the falafel slightly sweet, which actually tasted really good.

Also, the food processor was almost too full with the bread and beans, but it still worked well.

I used a small cookie scoop to shape them and then I sort of flattened them out a little before I fried them. They are easier to stuff in a pita if they are a little flatter.

Enjoy!

P.S. The leftover dough freezes very well!

Black Bean Burgers

Challey's friend, Emily posted this recipe on a different blog. Challey told me these were pretty awesome, so I am cutting and pasting it here. I may try it with whole wheat bread crumbs and fresh seasonings. Can't wait to try it.

These burgers are awesome! Cooking the onions and peppers over high heat helps to give the burgers a "grilled" flavor.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, large dice
1 red bell pepper, large dice
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. grill seasoning (such as McCormick Grill Mates)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans black beans, rinsed and well drained
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. Panko bread crumbs

Heat oil over medium-high heat until it is just starting to smoke. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir constantly to avoid scorching. When onions are golden brown, reduce heat to low; add garlic, grill seasoning and salt/pepper to taste. Stir occasionally until onions and peppers are softened.

In a food processor, pulse the onion and pepper mixture until finely chopped. Add the black beans, and process until the desired texture is achieved. TASTE the mixture at this point to check for seasonings. If necessary, add more salt or pepper.

Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the bean mixture and the bread crumbs. Stir to combine. Use a large ice cream scoop to form balls, and shape into patties using wet hands. Place patties on an oiled baking sheet, and cook at 375 for 10 minutes. Flip the patties over, and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Avoid overcooking or the burgers will be dry.

Serve the burgers on crusty rolls with your favorite burger fixins'.

Chickpea Soup

This is one of Jamie Oliver's recipes and it is so good! If you make it according to the directions it will be the consistency of mac and cheese, so you might want to double the stock. I also pureed more than half the beans leaving only about 1/4 of them whole.

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
A sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 14-oz. cans of chickpeas
2 1/4 cups of chicken stock
3 1/2 oz. ditalini or other small Italian "soup" pasta
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: a small handful of fresh basil or parsley, leaves picked and torn

Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.
Drain your chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for half an hour and then, using a slotted spoon, remove half the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.
Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan. Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.
At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley or basil.

I suggest serving with some good bread.

Black Beans and Orzo

I stole this recipe several years ago from our friends, the Marosticas, and it has become a staple at our house ever since. Besides being so delish, it's primary benefit is that is uses stuff that you already have on hand in the pantry, so it's a great fix for the "what can I make for dinner in a pinch" quandry. And, it's the ultimate in, "it's so easy...and the kids just love it." Actually, I love it too. I've yet to do it starting with dried black beans, but I'm sure that it would be even better. Until I can get my act together, we've been using canned beans.

Black Beans and Orzo

olive oil
1 med onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup salsa (the Pace variety...not a fresh pico de gallo kind)
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 14oz can black beans, rinsed and drained.
1/2 lb orzo pasta
grated mozzerella cheese

Heat a Tb or so of olive oil in a saute pan over med-high heat. Cook onions for 4-5 mins, or until onions are soft. Add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add cumin seed, chili powder and oregano and stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Then add salsa, tomatoes, and black beans. I usually add about a 1/8th cup of water (that I've deglazed the tomato can with) as well. Bring to a boil and then turn to low and cover to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and then remove lid to simmer for another 10 or so minutes (or until your pasta is ready). Watch the liquid level in the pan as you may need to partially cover the pan if it looks like it's getting too dry.

In the meantime, start the water for your orzo pasta and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain.

Serve immediately with sauce over the pasta and top each portion with grated mozzerella cheese (trust me--it sounds strange, I know).

Like most sauces, the longer you can simmer something, the better, but often we serve this as soon as the pasta is ready and it's still tasty enough.

Bean Burritos

I got this recipe from Everyday Food on PBS (photo is also from website). It's pretty quick (it didn't take me an hour to make) and easy. I used the organic frozen sweet corn from Costco, which made the burritos have a sweet flavor. It makes quite a bit and can be frozen.

Bean Burritos

Serves 8 Prep time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour

¾ cup rice (brown or white)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 box frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
6 scallions, thinly sliced
8 burrito-size (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 ounces)
Salsa and sour cream (optional)

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. Add beans and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
4. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese.
5. Assemble: Mound ¼ cup rice, ¾ cup bean mixture, and ¼ cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
6. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze up to 3 months.

Per serving: (without salsa and sour cream) 519 calories; 18.6 grams fat; 18.7 grams protein; 70.5 grams carbohydrates; 7.4 grams fiber

Note: Before wrapping individually, freeze burritos on a baking sheet so they don’t come apart in the process; then put back in freezer.

Reheating From Frozen:
Microwave and oven: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high for 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; bake at 450° until crispy, about 10 minutes. This is our favorite quick method.
Oven only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap; rewrap individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 450°, 40 minutes; remove foil, and bake to crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. (To reheat defrosted burritos, remove any wrapping, and bake for 10 minutes.)
Microwave only: Remove frozen burritos from plastic wrap. Place on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe bowl, and defrost at high power for 3 to 4 minutes; uncover, and microwave on high, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

Zesty Three Bean Salad

2 T. olive oil

2 T. lime juice

2 T. light terriyaki sauce

2 tsp. lime zest

2 T. chopped cilantro

1-15 oz can chick peas

1-15 oz can black beans

1-15 oz can kidney beans

1/2 c. finely diced red onion

1 c. diced or shredded carrots

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

salt & pepper

Combine oil and seasonings. Add rest of ingredients. Toss. Serve. Better if made ahead and chilled 30 min. or longer.

We had this in VA and it was sooo good, and, my kids just loved it!

California Vegetarian Chili

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 cans (14-oz) redi-cut tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 can black beans, drained
1 can great northern beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 Tbsp yellow mustard

Heat oil in a large (6 qt) kettle. Add garlic and veggies. Heat until veggies are crisp-tender.

Add all other ingredients. Stir well. Cover and simmer at least 10 minutes. Serve and garnish with cheese and/or avocados. Can also put over rice, baked potatoes, or in burritos.
Got this from Dinner is on me.

Black bean burritos

This isn't really a recipe...but we eat them about once a week because they're easy, delicious, and pretty darn healthy.

Cook a can of black beans over medium heat. As they warm, mash with a potato masher.
Warm whole wheat tortillas
Cheddar cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Guacamole
Salsa
Sour cream

That's it. We eat two each and usually finish a can of black beans. That gives us each 10 g of protein and 10 g of fiber. Not too shabby.

Chick-Pea Curry

2 cans chickpeas (garbonzo beans) drained and rinsed

1/2-1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (I added until it was as moist as I wanted it, to taste)

2 cloves minced garlic

2 small onions sliced long

2 Tbs lemon juice

Several Tbs chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbs sesame seeds

1 Tbs soy sauce

1-2 Tbs curry (to taste, I like lots)

Fry the garlic, curry, and onions.  Add some of the chicken broth as it cooks.  Add the chickpeas and some more of the broth.  Add sesame seeds and lemon juice.  Let simmer.  Add more broth if needed.  Add soy sauce.  Remove from heat and add parsley.  Serve over rice.  This meal takes about 5 minutes to throw together.  You can also mash the chickpeas up if you prefer a thicker curry.

Tortilla Soup

This can be made with or without chicken (at our house we make it both ways ). If you do make it with chicken my great time saver is to buy a Costco roasted one, shred it and throw it in.

1 tsp minced garlic

1 small chopped red or white onion

1 small can diced green chilies

Brown the above ingredients in 3 Tbls olive oil until onions are transparent.

Add;

1 or 2 cans diced tomatoes (with juice)

12 oz black beans (soaked and drained)

2 cups corn

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

juice of 1/2 lime

12 oz garbanzo beans

1 1/2 cup cooked, seasoned chicken

2 cups chicken broth

Simmer 20 minutes

Garnish with chopped cilantro, avacados, cheese, tortilla chips