Black Bean Soup (With all the Fixin's)

First off, I want to apologize for the lack of posts lately. My computer has been practically unusable and I've been trying to figure out what the issue is. Unfortunately, my technical issues are happening just as my prenatal and chiropractic appointments are moving to every week and Z appears to be dropping his one nap.

Now.

When I'm 9 months pregnant.

:Facepalm:

Silver lining though - as a result of my "I'm too pregnant to feel like doing anything but not pregnant enough to be nesting yet" state, I've been trying to think of super easy but healthy meals. This week I whipped up a simple but delicious black bean soup with all the fixin's. You seriously won't believe how easy this is to put together. It would make the perfect side dish to a Mexican or Southwestern meal, or you can add some rice to make it entree material.  I'll get a proper photo up once my technical issues are resolved!

Meal Plan Monday: Spanish Gazpacho

This week's meal plan features Spanish Gazpacho!

After "Crazy Week" (Mother's Day, both our birthdays, and our anniversary) and all the celebrating, we are in desperate need of a detox.  Look out veggies, here we come!

Our meal plan for the week includes:

Now that summer weather has arrived, it's the perfect time for gazpacho, the quintessential cold Spanish soup!  I LOVE cold soups when the weather starts to get hot - especially now that I am very pregnant and in the Florida heat. :)  This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who lived in Spain for a few years. 

Gazpacho only takes about 10 min to make with a good blender and it's a great make-ahead option, as it's best after it chills for a few hours. It's a perfect quick, no heat lunch option - plus, all the ingredients are fresh, raw veggies so you get lots of good nutrients.  By making it yourself instead of buying it canned or getting it at a restaurant, you can control the sodium content.  I usually make this recipe two batches at a time. 

African Peanut Soup

Sorry for the hiatus!  I got a new job couple of weeks ago (a huge answer to lots of prayers) and now that I'm getting a hang of the new "normal", it's time to start blogging again!

West African Peanut Soup ...

I know what you're thinking.  If you've never had a peanut soup before, the idea can be a bit off-putting.  It's not a new idea to me ... I ate peanut soup as a kid when stopped in Williamsburg, VA on vacation.  But that was the very basic American colonial version - not the veggie filled West African version - and this soup was still a little out of my comfort zone when I first tried it.  However, I am SO glad I did!  Despite being completely vegan, this soup is creamy, hearty, and packs some protein without using any meat-substitute products.  Of course, you can always add some chicken to the mix if you like!

I try to plan on having this meal the same week there's another meal with rice.  That way I can add cooked rice at the end, making the cooking time much shorter!
*You may be thinking, "That's some funny looking rice in that photo ..."  You're right.  It's orzo.  I didn't have cooked rice and I got lazy.  :)

To add some green to the meal, I serve this soup with a side of roasted broccoli - YUM!

Easy, Healthy Pomegranate Guacamole

Thinking about taking some chips and guacamole to that party?  Take a good look at the ingredients before you buy a commercial "guacamole dip."  Some of them contain less than 2% avocado!  That's just wrong.   Instead, try whipping up this simple homemade guac with a twist - pomegranate.

Guacamole is super simple to make and the pomegranate seeds add little pops of sweetness and a punch of antioxidants that take this vegan dip to the next level. 

CAUTION: If you are not used to working with pomegranates be careful, the juice will stain very quickly!  Some stores carry pomegranate seeds which will some you some work, so keep your eyes out for those.  

If you want a more traditional guacamole, omit the pomegranate seeds and add some chopped jalapeno for some heat. 

Vegetable Korma

I love Indian food.  And when you're eating vegan, few things are as filling as a creamy vegetable korma over rice.

I prepared the korma with brown rice but I think basmati could be even better. Of course you could always adapt the recipe for carnivores by tossing in some cooked chicken. Also, this recipe is very mild, so feel free to add some heat! :)

I suggest pairing this with some naan (Indian flat-bread).  It's fairly easy to make from scratch, and you can usually find it already prepared in the deli section of the supermarket.

Mujadara - Lebanese Lentils and Rice

This dish is about the best combination of tasty, economical, and healthy that I have found. I had my first  taste of Mujadara at a Lebanese cafe around the corner, and I immediately loved it. The savory use of cinnamon along with cumin and allspice makes it a perfect vegan and gluten free addition to the Thanksgiving menu - which is nice if you have 3 vegans at the table like we do.  :)  Plus,  it's a wonderful excuse for some yummy caramelized onions. MMMmmmm....  

The combination of lentils and brown rice not only makes a complete protein, but also provides iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium, and a little calcium.  You can learn more about their combined nutritional powers at Livestrong.com

When served as an entree, I like to pair this with a Greek salad or tabbouleh to add a little freshness to the meal.

* Side note: For some reason, I've found that the flavor changes depending on the temperature it's served at. When warm, the cumin stands out more; and when cold, I get more of the cinnamon.  I think it's equally good hot or cold!

Gallo Pinto - Costa Rican Black Beans and Rice

Gallo Pinto, or "spotted rooster" is the national dish of Costa Rica and my personal favorite variation on black beans and rice, which is common to many cultures. If you want an authentic Tico meal - this is it! I've actually based this recipe on the one used by an older Tica woman who cooks for our mission teams when we visit Costa Rica.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Lizano Salsa and Chayote
What sets the Costa Rican version apart from the others is the chayote (chai-O-te) salsa it's often served with and a Costa Rican condiment called Lizano.

Lizano is a vegan vegetable-based condiment that's a staple the Costa Rican diet. You can order it from several places online, but snoop around your city first! I found some at a local Latin food store for about $5 a bottle! If you're not familiar with chayote, it's an apple-sized, light green squash with a wrinkled seam along the bottom. It kindof looks like it lost it's dentures... or like someone tried to make a Grandpa Pear muppet. :)