Bean Salad

I always thought bean salads were unappealing. I mean, I like beans and all, but something about bean salads just looked boring. Not this one!

Bean Salad

One can kidney beans, drained
One can pinto beans, drained
One can black-eyed peas, drained
One package frozen lima beans, thawed
One can corn, drained
1/2 an onion, diced
1 t. pepper
1/2 c. Italian dressing

You know the drill: mix everything together in a large bowl, stirring to make sure it's all coated well. Chill or serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Three Bean Chili

Day 14, and the Vegan Mofo challenge is: Share something vegan (and delicious, duh!) with a non-vegan. I have found the the easiest thing to share with a non-vegan is chili. Sure, everyone has their own version of chili, some like beans, some think beans are of the devil. But I think most non-vegans rather expect vegans to offer them a beany chili. I won't disappoint them. But I will surprise them.

Three Bean Chili

One can of pinto beans, drained
One can of black beans, drained
One can of Great Northern beans, drained
One onion, diced
3 or more cloves of garlic, mined
3 c. vegetable broth
1 T. chili powder
1/2 T. chipotle chili powder
1/2 T. cumin
1/2 T. paprika
One can diced tomatoes
1/4 t. black pepper

Saute the onion and garlic until soft, in a large Dutch oven. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Let cook about 20 minutes. My family likes to eat chili with fritos.

Just Another Chili

I love trying different versions of chili. We have our favorites, of course, but I like to attempt variations on a theme occasionally.

Just Another Chili

2 cans pinto beans (or 1 lbs. dried, cooked)
2 cans kidney beans (or 1 lbs. dried, cooked)
1 t. garlic powder
2 cans diced tomatoes
One onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
One can tomato paste
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. black pepper

Bring everything to a boil in a Dutch oven, cover, reduce heat to simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over rice or corn chips. Enjoy!

Not Really Texas Chili

On an episode of The Big Bang Theory, this scene took place:

Priya: Would you like some homemade chili?
Sheldon Cooper: Are there beans in it?
Priya: Yes?
Sheldon Cooper: Then it's not chili. Real chili has no beans in it, but you're from a foreign land, so your ignorance is forgiven.
Priya: [Sheldon tries some of Priya's chili]
Sheldon Cooper: Mmmm, this is good... whatever it is.

According to Sheldon, this chili would not qualify as chili, but it is darn good!

Not Really Texas Chili

One package vegan beef crumbles
One onion, chopped
2 cans pinto beans, drained
1 can tomato paste
3 c. water
1-1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic salt

Saute the onion in a Dutch oven until softened. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve. Enjoy!

My family likes to eat their chili on top of fritos.

Texas Twister Hot Dogs

My daughter moved out recently and while visiting, she wanted to show me the fabulous vegan section she'd discovered at a grocery store near her. I have to admit, I was impressed! There I found, for the first time, the Tofurky Jumbo Hot Dogs as well as the regular Tofurky Hot Dogs that we like. I bought one package of each.

Of course this meant hot dogs would be on the menu, but I didn't want the usual: a simple hot dog with mustard. I do make an excellent Wolf Brand Chili knockoff (you can find it here), if I do say so myself, but I wanted to try something different. I consulted my recipe collection and found one I had cut out from a newspaper years ago. It was different but surprisingly good.

Texas Twister Hot Dogs

One can pinto beans
1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped
One onion, chopped
1/4 c. ketchup
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. garlic salt
One package of hot dogs

In a pot, combine the undrained beans, green pepper, onion, ketchup and seasonings. Simmer 20 minutes. Cook the hot dogs according to package directions. Put the hot dog in a hot dog bun and top with the bean mixture. Top with vegan shredded cheddar, if you'd like. Enjoy!

Meat(less)loaf

There is something definitely homey about meatloaf. It makes such a perfect sit down kind of meal. I always hear how the leftovers make for good sandwiches, but we never manage to have any leftover. Go figure.

Meat(less)loaf

Olive oil
One onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
One can pinto beans, drained (or cooked from dried if you have the time)
One package extra firm tofu, crumbled (see note)
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. mustard
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped fine
1/2 c. old fashioned oats (not quick)
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 c. vital wheat gluten
1 T. parsley
1 T. basil
1 T. thyme
1 T. savory
Salt and pepper

Saute in oil the onion, celery, carrots and garlic until softened. In a food processer, add the tofu, soy sauce, tomato paste, mustard and walnuts. Whir until a paste. In a large bowl, add the oats, panko crumbs and vital wheat gluten. Add the herbs and salt and pepper. Now stir in the tofu paste and the sautéed vegetables until mixed well. Pour this into an oiled or sprayed loaf pan, and bake at 375 for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool slightly before removing from pan and slicing.

We topped our with a spicy ketchup and served it with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans.

Okay, about the tofu. You may have noticed that when it comes to tofu I typically say to freeze it in the package, boil to thaw and press to remove liquid. This is an excellent process to go through if you are sautéing or frying the tofu. But for this recipe, I do something a little different. I take the tofu out of the package before freezing. I put it in a Ziploc sandwich bag without the liquid from the package and freeze it. It does turn yellow, but that's okay. I don't boil it, just remove it from the freezer and let it thaw. I do squeeze out the excess liquid. I have found that freezing tofu this way makes it ideally crumbly for things like meatloaves or using in place of eggs in egg salad.

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

While rice and beans are pretty much a staple in my house, very much a comfort food, I haven't had spicy red beans and rice in a very long time. I thought I needed to remedy that situation.

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

1 c. water
One onion, chopped
One green bell pepper, chopped
One bunch of green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One small can of tomato sauce
1 t. mustard
One bay leaf
1/2 t. oregano
1 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. thyme
1 t. black pepper
1 t. basil
3 cans red beans, drained and rinsed
One package vegan sausage
Olive oil
Cooked rice

Add the water, onion, bell pepper, green onions and garlic to a Dutch oven, and cook over low heat, until vegetables are softened. Add tomato sauce and seasonings, cover, and continue cooking over low heat for about 20-30 minutes. Slice the sausage into coins and fry in the olive oil. Add the sausage to the vegetables and seasonings and heat through. Serve over rice. Enjoy!

Warning: this stuff is HOT! You wouldn't think so, looking at the ingredients, but trust me. I found it a little too spicy hot for my tastes, but my kids loved it and devoured it. If you don't like that much heat, try halving the cayenne and black peppers.

Drunken Bean Stew

My ancestry is both Irish and German, with plenty of Viking thrown in for good measure. One would think that I could drink anyone under the table. Surprisingly, I'm not fond of the taste of strong liquor, and I've never actually acquired a taste for beer. Unbelievable with my ancestry, right? I like Belgian beer, because they are sweet, and my son concocted what my dad later told us is known as red beer. Beer mixed with tomato juice. I can drink that.

All of that aside, I really like cooking with alcohol. I'm not sure why I like the flavor it imparts food, but don't like drinking it straight. So when I come across a recipe that lists alcohol as an ingredient, I tend to want to try it.

Drunken Bean Stew

One can green beans
One can black beans
One can kidney beans
One can lima beans
One can pinto beans
One can corn
One quart of V8 juice
One can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 bags frozen mixed vegetables
One small cabbage, diced
2 T. barley
3 cloves garlic, diced
One bottle of dark beer

Combine all the ingredients except for the beer in a large pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour. Add the beer and simmer another 45 minutes to an hour. Season to taste. Serve. Enjoy!

What I like about this stew is how adaptable it is. You can add or subtract the veggies to suit your taste. It is one of those recipes for a cold day and you don't want to go to the store, so you raid your pantry and freezer. Kind of like add a rock and you have stone soup.

Serve it up with some cornbread or a crusty bread that invites you to tear hunks off and slather with some vegan butter, and you've got a great filling meal.

Mexican Food, Two Ways

Call me a snob, but the best Mexican food is in Texas. I've traveled around the country, but nowhere do I enjoy eating Mexican food as much as the places in Texas. We call it Tex Mex - a blend of Mexican food with a dash of Texas cuisine.

So when I come across a recipe that uses the word *burrito* or *taco*, naturally I expect it will be something similar to what I find locally. It usually turns out to be anything but. However, that doesn't stop me from trying those recipes. That's what happened here.

Mexican Food, Two Ways

One can pinto beans, drained
One can black beans, drained
One can garbanzo beans, drained
Olive oil
One onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, diced
One jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 carrots, diced
One green bell pepper, chopped
One zucchini, chopped
2 t. oregano
1/2 c. salsa
1 t. cumin
1 t. chili powder
One can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
Flour tortillas
Phyllo dough sheets
Daiya shreds - I used both cheddar and pepperjack

In a skillet with the olive oil, saute the onion, garlic, jalapeno, carrots, and bell pepper until tender. Add the zucchini and oregano until heated through. Mix in the beans, salsa, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, corn and cilantro.

Here comes the two ways. Add a spoonful of the bean mixture with a sprinkle of the cheese to:

- the middle of a flour tortilla. Fold it like an envelope, sides first, then top and bottom. Place seam side down in a casserole dish. Pour over some extra salsa.

- lay a sheet of phyllo on a flat surface and brush with olive oil. Add a second sheet and brush with olive oil. Add a third sheet on top of the first two sheets and once again brush with olive oil. Place the bean mixture and cheese in the corner of the three sheets and fold up in a triangle. Place triangles in a separate casserole dish.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve the burritos with some vegan sour cream and the phyllo triangles as is.

No, I did not make these on the same day. When I made the bean mixture I had some left over after using the entire package of flour tortillas. The next day I pulled out the phyllo to make a version of an empanada.

Both are tasty, but my family said they preferred the phyllo empanadas to the burritos. Try it both ways and see which way you like it best.

No, this does not taste like the Mexican food I know, but it was good nonetheless.

Bean Dip for Grownups

One of the dishes we like to whip up often is the nachos from The Engine 2 Diet. It's quick and versatile and even my meat eaters scarf it. But, me, I like to switch things up a bit from time to time, so when I came across this recipe, I thought I'd give it a go.

Bean Dip for Grownups

2 cans pinto beans, drained
4 oz. can milk green chilies, chopped
3 T. olive oil
2 t. parsley
2 T. lime juice
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 cans vegetarian refried beans
8 oz. jar salsa (I prefer mild)
Tortilla chips

In a bowl combine the pinto beans, green chilies, olive oil and spices. Stir well, but gently. Heat the refried beans in a pot until warm. Spread the refried beans on a platter, top with the pinto bean mixture. Encircle the beans with the salsa. If you want to be showy, encircle the salsa with the tortilla chips. Now dig in!

This was surprisingly good. I was a little concerned that all the beans would overwhelm any other flavors, but they didn't. I think this recipe also lends itself to variations, like using black beans or some chopped green onions. At any rate, I had no leftovers.

Bean and Potato Bake

My youngest likes beans of any kind. Everyone in my family loves their potatoes. So, this seemed like a logical pairing.

Bean and Potato Bake

2 cans of beans, your choice - I used pinto beans and black eyed peas
Potatoes, sliced thin - I think I used 5-6
Daiya Cheddar shreds

Layer the ingredients in this order - potatoes, beans, cheese, repeat. I did not drain the beans so that the liquid would help in cooking the potatoes. If you cook the potatoes first, you can drain the beans. Bake 350 for about 45 minutes, covered with foil.

I'll be honest. I thought this was ordinary. Boring. My youngest, however, devoured it. I had no leftovers because he had 3 or more servings. A serving size to him means a heaping plate. So I present it here in case you have a kid like mine who will totally love this dish.

Even Pumbaa Would Like This!

After spending the day painting and gardening, you don't want anything with too many ingredients or too much preparation time. You want quick, but still tasty.

African Beans and Potatoes

2 T. peanut oil
One red onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 c. vegetable broth
Potatoes (I used five), chopped (I scrub, but don't peel, mine)
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained

Saute the onion, celery and garlic until soft. Add the broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Add chickpeas and pinto beans, heat through. Sprinkle with peanuts or pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Serve. Enjoy!

My daughter thought it was a little bland, so add salt to taste.

You can add more broth to make it more of a stew and serve it with some good crusty, buttered bread. A simple salad will round it out nicely.

Vegan Munchies

Ever get tired of the usual chip and dip routine? A bowl of peanuts or pretzels? I know I do. Ugh. I like those things just fine, but sometimes an occasion calls for something more thrilling to the taste buds. For me, that's actually just about any occasion where snack and finger foods are on the menu.

The last family party we went to the offerings consisted of cheese, cheese, cheese, oh, and cheese, and bacon wrapped something. Did I mention there was cheese? Not much there for the conscientious vegan to nosh on. Luckily, I did bring a couple of things, knowing all too well the likelihood of yummy snack availability was low.

Fortunately, I like to entertain. Low key, come as you are, no frills. I much prefer enjoyable, chatty visits than full scale parties where I barely get to see much less talk to anyone. Those have there place, don't get me wrong, and hey, I'm planning one such in a few months to celebrate my birthday. But mostly I like things on a smaller scale.

Take New Years Eve, for example. Hubby and I make up a batch of munchies, the kids invite friends over. Small, yes, but a big way to bring in the new year!  A childhood friend of my son was so enamored of my snacks, he said he could almost convert to veganism. Hey, it's at least a step in the right direction. Winning converts through their stomach!

Cajun Crunchies

Extra firm tofu, frozen in container, boiled to thaw, drained, pressed and cut into 1/4" slices
2 T. olive oil
1 t. Cajun seasoning
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper

Toss the tofu strips with the remaining ingredients. Arrange in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, turning over once. When done, let cool before serving.

Make sure you don't cut these slices too thin or they get more crunchy than you want!

Fireballs

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. minced green onions
1 minced garlic clove
3 T. vital wheat gluten
3 T. unseasoned bread crumbs
4 T. Tabasco
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne
1/4 c. vegan butter

Press beans to remove any excess liquid. Put beans in food processor with pecans, green onions, garlic, vital wheat gluten, bread crumbs, 2 T. Tabasco, salt and cayenne. Pulse until mix well, but leaving some texture. Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls. Place the balls on a lightly oiled baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350, turning about half way through.
In a small saucepan, combine 2 T. Tabasco with the vegan butter and melt over low. Pour over the fireballs and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve.

Enjoy!

Raid the Pantry Chili

We've all had those moments when we are confronted with a ravenous horde (otherwise known as our family) and realized, much to our chagrin, that we really should have gone grocery shopping earlier but just didn't manage to fit it into our day. Ack! That's when it is handy to have a few staples on hand in the pantry.

Raid the Pantry Chili

Into a Dutch oven, add:

24 oz. jar chunky salsa
1/4 c. barbecue sauce
2 T. chili powder
1 t. salt
1-1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. paprika
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1/2 c. bulgur
2 c. water

Bring everything to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook about 45 minutes. Serve however you like; my family likes to eat their chili over crunched up tortilla chips.

Chili is a stew-like soup made entirely with meat, chilies, or chili powder (or both) and according to what region of the United States that you live in, it can also include beans. "Con carne" means "with meat."

There are many legends and stories about where chili originated and it is generally thought, by most historians, that the earliest versions of chili were made by the very poorest people. J. C. Clopper, the first American known to have remarked about San Antonio's chili carne, wrote in 1926:

"When they have to pay for their meat in the market, a very little is made to suffice for a family; this is generally into a kind of hash with nearly as many peppers as there are pieces of meat - this is all stewed together."

According to an old Southwestern American Indian legend and tale, it is said that the first recipe for chili con carne was put on paper in the 17th century by a beautiful nun, Sister Mary of Agreda of Spain. She was mysteriously known to the Indians of the Southwest United States as "La Dama de Azul," the lady in blue. Sister Mary would go into trances with her body lifeless for days. When she awoke from these trances, she said her spirit had been to a faraway land where she preached Christianity to savages and counseled them to seek out Spanish missionaries.

It is certain that Sister Mary never physically left Spain, yet Spanish missionaries and King Philip IV of Spain believed that she was the ghostly "La Dama de Azul" or "lady in blue" of Indian Legend. It is said that sister Mary wrote down the recipe for chili which called for venison or antelope meat, onions, tomatoes, and chile peppers. No accounts of this were ever recorded, so who knows?

Some Spanish priests were said to be wary of the passion inspired by chile peppers, assuming they were aphrodisiacs. A few preached sermons against indulgence in a food which they said was almost as "hot as hell's brimstone" and "Soup of the Devil." The priest's warning probably contributed to the dish's popularity.

The only thing certain about the origins of chili is that it did not originate in Mexico. Charles Ramsdell, a writer from San Antonio in an article called San Antonio: An Historical and Pictorial Guide, wrote:

"Chili, as we know it in the U.S., cannot be found in Mexico today except in a few spots which cater to tourists. If chili had come from Mexico, it would still be there. For Mexicans, especially those of Indian ancestry, do not change their culinary customs from one generation, or even from one century, to another."

If there is any doubt about what the Mexicans think about chili, the Diccionario de Mejicanismos, published in 1959, defines chili con carne as (roughly translated):

“detestable food passing itself off as Mexican, sold in the U.S. from Texas to New York.”

Chili historians are not exactly certain who first "invented" chili powder. It is agreed that the inventors of chili powder deserve a slot in history close to Alfred Nobel (1933-1896), inventor of dynamite.

Wherever it came from, it is one of the most versatile dishes I know of. It tolerates variation to variation, and always come out good.

Beans - Not Just For Music Making!

My daughter got back home yesterday, after a nearly weeklong conference out of state. She was able to eat vegan only once, and even that was cold. Her first question to me upon landing was, "What are you feeding me?" LOL! So I whipped up some avocado and pinto bean enchiladas for her.


Avocado and Pinto Bean Enchilada Bake

One onion and one clove garlic, diced
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
Olive oil
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. raw cashews, chopped
2 avocados, sliced
Enchilada sauce (I buy mine in a can)
Grated vegan cheese
6-10 corn tortillas

Saute the onion and garlic with the spices until onions are soft. Add mushrooms, pinto beans and cashews and saute until mushrooms are cooked. Spread some enchilada sauce on the bottom on a casserole dish, top with corn tortillas. Spread mushroom-bean mixture over tortillas, and top with sliced avocados. Layer more tortillas, pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas, then sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

The original recipe suggested rolling each enchilada up individually, but I decided to make it easier by layering it like lasagna. It came out very tasty if a little on the spicy side.

Pinto beans and other beans such as kidney beans, navy beans and black beans are all known scientifically as Phaseolus vulgaris. They are all referred to as "common beans" probably owing to the fact that they derived from a common bean ancestor that originated in Peru.


From there, beans were spread throughout South and Central America by migrating Indian trades. Beans were introduced into Europe in the 15th century by Spanish explorers returning from their voyages to the New World. Spanish and Portuguese traders brought them to Africa and Asia.

As beans are a very inexpensive form of good protein, they have become popular in many cultures throughout the world.

Pinto beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, pinto beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, pinto beans provide virtually fat-free, high quality protein. But this is far from all pinto beans have to offer. Pinto beans are also an excellent source of molybdenum, a very good source of folate and manganese, and a good source of protein and vitamin B1 as well as the minerals phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper.
 
I remember reading an article somewhere that recommended 1/2-1 c. of beans daily were excellent for heart health. This is something I try to incorporate, typically having beans at at least one meal a day. Pinto beans' contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate, magnesium, and potassium these beans supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Elevated blood levels of homocysteine are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20-40% of patients with heart disease. It has been estimated that consumption of 100% of the daily value (DV) of folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered by Americans each year by 10%. Just one cup of cooked pinto beans provides 73.5% of the recommended daily intake for folate. Pinto beans' good supply of magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker. When there is enough magnesium around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart. Want to literally keep your heart happy? Eat pinto beans--a one cup serving provides almost one-quarter (23.5%) of your daily needs for magnesium. Potassium, an important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart, is another mineral that is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Pinto beans are ready to promote your cardiovascular health by being a good source of this mineral, too. A one cup serving of pinto beans provides 800.3 mg of potassium and only 3.4 mg of sodium, making these beans an especially good choice to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis. So, you see why I like to have my daily dose of beans! Much better than taking medication!


Beans, beans, the magical fruit is a song we probably all remember from childhood. I hear from people who complain about beans giving them gas. Well, yes, that happens. Beans contain the complex carbohydrates stachyose and raffinose, which the intestine can't absorb, but the bacteria in the colon love. The problem is most serious in people who have been eating a low-fiber diet and switch to a diet rich in beans and other high-fiber foods. Their digestive tracts don't have enough of the enzymes needed to digest bean sugars, which now pass undigested into the lower intestine where the bacteria metabolize them and generate gas. If people eat beans on a regular basis, the problem usually lessens as the body begins to produce the enzymes it needs. Now you can see why eating beans daily is not only good for your heart, but reduces potentially embarrassing social situations! LOL!