Black Bean, Sweet Potato, and Sausage Soup

I looked up this recipe from Forks over Knives on my iPhone, and it seemed really familiar.  I could have sworn I had made a recipe like this recently, but didn't remember for sure.  Just now, I checked, and sure enough on May 29, I made this soup.  Click here for the original posting.  Needless to say, I went ahead and made something that was INSPIRED from this recipe and this is what I came up with.

I halved the recipe and added Tofurky vegan Italian sausage.  Also, I made rice and put that on the bottom of the bowl before ladeling in this deliciousness.  No wonder if I love this recipe so much and have now made it twice.  This is one of the only dishes I like with sweet potatoes.  As much as I love sweets, I am just not a fan of eating sweet vegetables as an entree.  Pairing sweet potatoes with spicy vegan sausage and hearty black beans in a savory soup really does the trick for me.  Will loves just baking a sweet potato and eating it with salt, pepper and Earth Balance.  Me?  Not so much.     

Will and I scarfed down the entire pot of this soup, which is great because it means no leftovers!  My husband is not prone to the eating of leftovers, so if I make too much of something it usually goes to waste, or I'm stuck eating it for lunches for the next five days.  

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

I don't care that it was a perfectly hot summer day today -- I wanted to make this soup!  I didn't even do any menu planning or grocery shopping this week, but I had a sweet potato, and that's all I knew.  Thus, this soup. 

I quickly googled a recipe and found this one from Forks Over Knives:

Click here

I made yellow rice on the side, and we had a delicious, healthy dinner! 

Caribbean Vegetables with Coconut Rice and Black Beans

From Chloe's Kitchen

When I told Will what I was making he started salivating.  "That sounds like it's going to be amazing!"

And the final verdict?  It was.  I mean, everything was amazing, but the coconut rice won the prize.  SOOOO good. 

Enough said. 

Slow-Cooker Black Bean and Zucchini Chili

Here's the story of the 48-hour chili:

Sunday night:  Prepare the ingredients for the chili and place them in easy to find places.  Chopped onions, zucchini and soy beef on an eye-level shelf in the fridge; cans of tomato paste and fire roasted tomatoes on the counter next to the crock-pot of soaking black beans.  Measure the spices and put them in a baggie. 

Monday, 6:30 a.m. -- Double-check everything and write instructions on sticky notes next to magazine recipe on counter next to ingredients. 

Monday, 12:15 p.m. --  Text Will a reminder to compile all ingredients and turn on crock-pot.

Monday, 6:16 p.m.  -- Enter wonderful-smelling house after work.  Test chili; beans are still crunchy.  We decide to let cook for another hour or so and eat at 7:30 when the beans should be done.

Monday, 6:51 p.m. -- Beans are still crunchy and we are getting hungry and impatient. 

Monday, 7:01 p.m.  -- Decide that chili will be for dinner tomorrow night.  Make Mushroom and Chickpea Ragu instead (see yesterday's post). 

Monday, 8:30 p.m.  -- Put crock-pot in fridge.

Tuesday, 6:30 a.m.  -- Turn crock-pot on again.  Let simmer all day.

Tuesday, 6:15 p.m.  -- Come home from work and test chili.  Beans are done!  Hurrah, let's chow down! 

Recipe is once again from Real Simple, September 2012. 

Replace ground beef with soy beef.  Add jalepeno peppers and any other secret ingredients you so desire.  Will did and he still won't tell me what they are.  To serve, top with fresh avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro and Daiya vegan cheddar.   (We halved the recipe.)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  pounds  ground beef
• 1  28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2  15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 3  medium zucchini (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 1/4  cup  tomato paste
• 2  cloves garlic, chopped
• 1  tablespoon  chili powder
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• kosher salt and black pepper
• sour cream, cut-up avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the beef, tomatoes, beans, zucchini, onions, tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, oregano, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
2. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked through, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
3. Reserve half the chili for tomorrow’s dinner. Serve the remaining chili with the sour cream, avocado, and cilantro.

Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers

I had no idea what to make for dinner until I opened the pantry and saw a package of tricolor Quinoa from Trader Joes. 

I just happened to see a recipe on the back of the package for black bean and quinoa veggie burgers and that is what turned into dinner.  I made them into sliders and topped with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and avocado.  Don't forget vegenaise and mustard!  Also, we had tater-tots on the side, just because...

Here's the recipe from the back of the package, but -- Warning:  This recipe isn't vegan.  It calls for an egg.  And I used one.   Oops.

6 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, diced small (I used about 1/4 cup white onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves ( Skipped this because didn't have)
1 can black beans, drained (Used dry beans, cooked, 1 cup)
2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package
1 egg, beaten
2 cups bread crumbs (didn't end up using, see below)
TJ's Everyday Seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste


Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet, add red peppers and saute until slightly soft, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and shallot and continue to saute until soft.  Remove from heat, cool for a few minutes and combine with beans and cilantro; add to food processor and pulse until chunky.  Blend mixture with quinoa, salt and pepper.  Taste; adjust seasoning if needed.  Add a beaten egg and mix well.


Divide into 7 or 8 patties and refrigerate for about 10 minutes.  Season bread crumbs with Everyday Seasoning; salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge patties in bread crumbs.  (Okay, I tried this, and they just crumbled to pieces when I tried to put them in the bread crumbs.  Skipped.)  Fry in remaining olive oil until browned.  About 3 minutes on each side.


These were pretty good, but even with the egg to hold it together they were really crumbly and fell apart easily.  I just don't get it!  How do people make veggie burgers from scratch?  Especially vegan ones, because those have NEVER turned out for me.