One-Pot Chickpeas and Rice

My sister sent me this recipe years ago, and I finally made it last night. It is easy and delicious, so of course my toddler won't touch it.

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes, or 6oz fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 1/2 cups white basmati or jasmine rice
1 Tbsp yellow curry powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
lots of black pepper
1 1/4 cup water

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan (with a lid!) over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add curry powder and cook a few minutes more.
Add water, tomatoes with juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add drained chickpeas and rice. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
Taste test. If the rice is not done, add another 1/4 cup of water and re-cover to simmer 5 more minutes.

Instant Cocoa

2 cups dry milk
dash salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup non-dairy creamer powder

Combine well. To prep, add 4 T to 1 cup hot water and mix to dissolve.

Tofu Stir Fry

This one is more of a guide than a proper recipe, so it's kind of vague on things like... ingredients. And times... And temperatures... It's what I wrote down when I realized I didn't actually know how to make a proper stir fry (as opposed to a pile of undercooked vegetables covered with squishy crumbled tofu bits, which I have totally mastered) and asked my dad. Really the only other detail I can add is that you should use extra firm, non-silken tofu, like Nasoya, as it will hold up better.

Quick Pizza Dough

This makes dough for one 9" pizza. It tends to be kind of sticky, so have some extra flour for your hands.

img via: Simply Recipes

1 package (2 1/4 t) yeast
1 cup warm water
1 t sugar
1 t salt
2 T oil
2 1/2 c flour
sauce, cheese, pizza toppings

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Then add the sugar, salt, oil, and flour. Beat 20 strokes, then set aside to raise for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a baking sheet or pizza stone and stretch into shape. Add your toppings and bake for 20 minutes.

Cranberry-Orange Salad

This is an simplified version of a rather complicated salad that I made for Thanksgiving one year. Now I make this one for everything.

img via: pinch my salt

2 oranges or several clementines
6oz baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup (or more) dried cranberries
4oz chopped pecans

Toast the pecans about 5 minutes at 350 degrees, then set aside to cool. Peel and separate the oranges and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces. Baby spinach usually comes well washed, but rinse if you want to. Toss everything together. Serve with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Potato & Mushroom Casserole

I don't know where this came from, probably the back of a soup can. Apparently I didn't feel it necessary to note how long you bake it for, I don't know what's up with that, but it's at least a half hour.

img via: tales of thyme & place

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 c grated cheddar cheese
6-10 potatoes
black pepper
paprika

Wash potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Combine condensed soup, cheese, and pepper. Arrange potato slices in a sprayed casserole dish - we usually end up with three long rows of overlapping slices. Top potatoes with soup and cheese mix. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350F "until cheese melts & potatoes are softened."

Edit 5/15/12: I found my mom's recipe card. This recipe is from my aunt Helen, and it bakes covered for 45 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes.

Black Bean and Rice Burritos

From Vegetarian Times.

1c brown rice (dry)
12 6-inch flour tortillas
16 oz. can black beans
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 c chopped onion
1-2 t chili powder
1/2 t ground cumin
chopped scallions
salsa

Cook the rice as directed, usually: 1 cup rice to 2 cups water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat 35 minutes.
Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven at 200F, or microwave as directed.
Combine the black beans (with canning liquid), garlic, tomato, onion, chili powder, and cumin in a saucepan. Simmer until tomatoes are soft, usually 5-15 minutes.*
Spoon rice and beans into each tortilla. Garnish with scallions and salsa.

Per burrito: 185 calories, 0 cholesterol, 3g fat, 35g carbs, 6g protein.

*The even simpler cheater version of this is to just combine a can of drained black beans with a can of half-drained tomatoes and chilis (I usually get either Rotel or Hunt's), add some cumin and chili powder, and cook on medium heat until it's hot throughout and starts to simmer.

Best Guacamole Ever

It's true. More yummy goodness from Ms. Julie Jordan.

img via: 30 Pounds of Apples

1 ripe avocado
1/4 medium tomato
1/4 small onion
1 T sour cream or ricotta cheese
1/2 t ground cumin
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 t salt (or less)
a little lemon or lime juice

Finely chop the tomato and mince the onion. Press or mince the garlic. Mash everything together, then beat until fluffy.

Black Bean Salad

This is a bean salad recipe that my mom developed when trying to replicate a salad she had at a restaurant. The amounts are pretty flexible, so play around with what you like.

15 oz. can black beans
1/2 t pressed garlic
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced green pepper
1 tomato
1/8 t cumin
1/2 t dry cilantro
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt and peper

Drain and rinse the black beans. Chop the tomato. Mix everything together in a bowl and let sit at least an hour before serving.

Quick Black Bean Dip

Exactly what it sounds like. Quite good!

15 oz. can black beans, drained and rised
1/2 cup mild salsa
2 T fresh lime juice (aprox 1 small lime)
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 t cumin

Throw everything in the food processor and blend until smooth. Serve with baked tortilla chips to not destroy the healthy-ness of the dip.

1/2 cup serving contains aprox: 100 calories, 5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, zero fat

Szechuan Cold Sesame Noodles

My sister's graduation party tomorrow, so while we've got party food on the brain, here's some of our favorites. This is an excellent noodle/sauce recipe from the book "One Pot Vegetarian Dishes". It's really good & easy, and we usually make it in a double batch.

img via: foodzings

1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 T hot water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T soy sauce (tamari)
2 T sesame oil
1 t vegetable oil
1 t chili oil
2 t sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. sesame noodles or spaghetti
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Start boiling water for the noodles. In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter and water until well blended. Gradually whisk in vinegar, soy sauce, oils, sugar, and garlic. Cook the noodles as directed, drain and rinse. Add the noodles to the sauce, toss to mix well, and serve cold with carrots and scallions as garnish.

Marinated Tomato Sauce

Only make this in the summer when you've got really good, ripe tomatoes and fresh basil avaliable.

4 large ripe tomatoes
12-15 large basil leaves
1 large clove garlic, pressed
3 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
6 oz. mozzarella cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Cut tomato and cheese into 1 inch cubes. Mince basil. Combine all and let stand 1 hour at room temperature. Serve over pasta.

4 servings: 687 calories, 23.5 grams fat
6 servings: 458 calories, 15.6 grams fat
8 servings: 343 calories, 12 grams fat

Hummus

We love this stuff, it's from Julie Jordan's first cookbook, Wings of Life. Eat hummus with pita bread, carrots, celery, cucumbers, crackers, whatever makes you happy!

15 oz. can chick peas (drain, but reserve liquid)
2 cloves garlic (or more)
1/2 t salt
1 T tahini
juice of 1 lemon (or more)
2-6 T chick pea canning liquid
optional: chopped parsley, shredded carrot

Put everything in the food processor and grind until smooth. Add more canning liquid if necessary to unthicken and anything else to taste. Let sit to blend flavors before serving.

Serves 4. Aprox 121 calories, 3.5 grams fat per serving.