Tag Archives: vegetarian
Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad
When I got my braces on in middle school, my orthodontist gave me a rather long list of foods I’d have to strike from my diet for two or so years – it included, but was not limited to, bubble gum, pizza and corn on the cob. Quite a price to pay for straight choppers – especially when summertime barbecues rolled around. If it wasn’t bad enough that I had to eat pizza with a fork and knife, backyard picnics weren’t quite the same now that corn and I couldn’t be together anymore.
Eventually though, my mom came to the rescue – instead of chewing the corn straight off the cob, she used a knife to slice it off the cob off in beautiful yellow slabs. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with this “new” delicacy – in fact, I’ve been braces-free for almost a decade now, but this is still my preferred method when it comes to corn.
With Memorial Day weekend in progress and summer on the horizon, the time for corn is now. Make sure you get fresh, sweet corn for this recipe – canned corn has a tendency to get mushy. To make sure you pick a winner, pull the husk and silk back slightly and prick one of the kernels with your nail. It it squirts millky white juice, you’re good to go!
I roasted my corn, but this would be fabulous with grilled corn as well! Either of these methods will highlight the corn’s natural sweetness.
Enjoy as side dish at a barbecue, or add some crumbled pressed tofu to make it a substantial lunch.
Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad
Serves 4
2 ears fresh white or yellow corn, husks on
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt & Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Place corn directly on oven rack and roast for 30 minutes, or until corn is soft. Let cool slightly before removing husks and silks. Holding the cob vertically at a slight angle, slice corn off in large slabs. Place kernels in a large bowl.
2. Add the beans, bell pepper, green onions and cilantro to the corn and mix thoroughly.
3. In a small bowl, mix together lime juice, oil, spices, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Dress salad and mix well. Refrigerate until serving.
Nutrition per Serving: 148 calories, 1g fat, 32g carbohydrates, 9g protein.
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Gluten Free Cranberry-Almond Clif Bars
I’ve always been a little particular about my granola bars. A good granola bar is moist, not too sweet, and big enough to serve as a substantial snack.
When I discovered Clif Bars, I was ecstatic that they met all my qualifications – I still do enjoy them as midday snacks at work and fuel for the gym. However, the $1.69-per-bar price tag means I’m not really able to incorporate them into my diet as often as I would like. And as with all homemade delights, it allows me to customize the flavors, which I am totally into.
By using gluten-free rolled oats and Koala Crisp cereal, even those with Celiac Disease and other gluten intolerance can enjoy the beauty of the simple, substantial granola bar. If you don’t have Koala Crisp on hand, any crispy rice cereal will do – I’ve even used crushed Rice Chex in the past with great success.
Gluten Free Cranberry-Almond Clif Bars
Adapted from Enlightened Cooking
Makes 6 bars
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 1/4 cup gluten free cereal, such as Koala Crisp
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup
1/2 cup natural almond butter
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1. Combine oats, cereal, flax, cranberries and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine syrup and almond butter and microwave 30-60 seconds until melted. Stir together, then add vanilla. Stir until creamy.
3. Add the syrup-almond butter mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing well first with a spoon and then with your hands. Ensure that everything is well-coated and scrape the stickies off your hands.
4. Firmly press mixture into a greased 8x6inch pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Slice into 6 bars and wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition per Bar: 209 calories, 10g fat, 27g carbohydrates, 6g protein.
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Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Soup embodies everything I love about cooking. A couple of forgotten potatoes, that celery that’s been growing a little limp in the fridge, a few herbs and spices – somehow they all come together to create a warm, delicious and comforting dish without a lot of planning or effort. Everything about its creation appeals to my lazy side – which, admittedly, is a pretty big side.
Plus, soup and I go way back. The very first dish I ever learned to cook, it was an ever-present, yet unassuming, part of my culinary life – every holiday dinner, every snow day, every sick day somehow included a bowl of the steamy stuff. I think everyone has at least one childhood memory that involves Grandma’s soup. It’s a dish that’s practically synonymous with warmth and comfort, so it’s no wonder that when the temperature starts to dip, everything from food blogs to Food Network blows up with soup recipes.
As much as I do love soup, it’s not generally considered a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal. That’s where this Bean and Sweet Potato Soup comes in. It’s filling and satisfying – a soup’s soup, if you will – and is sure to fight the February blues with bold Southwest flavors.
By pureeing some of the dish and leaving the rest chunky, the textures are almost as interesting as the flavor combinations. Sweet chili powder and smoky cumin add a little depth to the top-notch trio of sweet potato, black beans and lime. This soup would be fantastic served alongside a few hot corn tortillas and topped with a generous dash of hot sauce.
I used two different beans in this soup, black and small red, but that’s just what I had on hand. Feel free to use whatever you have in the pantry, or whatever you need to use up – some chopped dark greens would be a delicious addition.
Bean & Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 4
1 medium red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 medium sweet potato, diced
2 celery ribs
1 roasted red pepper
1 15oz. can black beans, drained
1 15oz. can small red beans, drained
Juice of 1 lime
4 cups vegetable broth
1-2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1. In a non-stick pan, cook onion, garlic and celery until soft.
2. Add sweet potato, beans, vegetable broth, spices and lime juice. Stir.
3. Simmer 30-40 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft. Remove a third of the soup and set aside. Puree remaining soup and combine.
4. Garnish with hot sauce and a slice of lime.
Nutrition per Serving: 241 calories, 1g of fat, 56g carbohydrates, 15g protein.
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