Grilled Corn, Barley and White Bean Salad

Grain salads are some of my very favorite foods year round but especially when summer's bounty brings sweet corn, ripe tomatoes and abundant basil to the farmer's markets.  

Photo from this June's monthly Hyde Park Village Fresh Market

I find these salads so satisfying, filling and fresh, and the possibilities for variation are endless.  You can use different grains - quinoa, rice, barley, couscous, farro or wheat berries.  Use whatever fresh veggies are in season - summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, corn, tomato, asparagus...  Pick herbs from your own pots.  For dressing, a simple homemade vinaigrette is perfect, or if you're in a hurry try your favorite bottle of store-bought vinaigrette.  See what I mean, endless possibilities.

Here are a few of the other grain salads I have made and shared:

• Superfood Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Lemon Vinaigrette
• Mediterranean Red Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
• Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans
• Mixed Greens with Herbed Lentils, Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese (not really a grain but similar in style)

This particular salad was filled with some of my favorite summer flavors - sweet corn, tomatoes and basil.  I used cooked pearled barley because I like the size of the grains and the satisfying chew but you could always  try some wild rice or cooked quinoa in its place - really, whatever you have on hand.

My favorite way to eat this salad is on top of a bed of baby mixed greens, arugula or spinach for lunch.  The addition of the white beans makes this a bit sturdier than most pasta or grain salads, and with the filling fiber and protein in the beans, it is perfect for a light lunch.    Or alternatively, omit the leafy greens and serve it as a side-dish with grilled or roasted chicken, barbecue pulled pork, or a piece of pan-sauteed flaky white fish for dinner.  I like to think of grain salads as a healthier version of cold pasta salads, so they are perfect at tailgates, barbecues, potlucks or just a good old summer cookout.

Grilled Corn, Barley and White Bean Salad
serves 2-3, generously (this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled)

2 ears corn
juice from 1/2 a lemon (or up to 1 lemon, juiced)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or up to 3 tablespoons)

salt and pepper, to taste (I used a scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and scant 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper)

1 cup cooked barley
2/3 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, the white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped into small bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, partially de-seeded and diced
generous handful arugula leaves (about 1 cup loosely packed)
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh basil


On an outdoor grill over medium heat, grill the shucked and rinsed corn for about 10-15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the corn has light char-grill marks on all sides.  Once cooked, strip the kernels off the cobs using a knife and allow to cool to room temperature.

While the corn cools, make the vinaigrette:  in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the cooked, cooled corn kernels, cooked barley, beans, green onions, cheese, tomatoes, arugula and basil.  Pour the prepared vinaigrette over and toss gently using 2 large spoons.  Taste and add additional lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper if necessary.  Add the chopped basil and toss once more, gently.  Serve at room temperature or better yet, chilled in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or prepare up to 2-3 days ahead of time.  (If preparing the salad more than 2-3 hours ahead of time, hold off on adding the chopped basil and the arugula until ready to serve, as these are prone to wilt if stored for more than a few hours time).

Also - for those of you hoping to make homemade popsicles this summer, I spotted these star-shaped popsicle moulds at Target today in the dollar section at the front of the store for $2.50!   Hurry and get them before they're sold out!  Might I suggest you try my Mango-Yogurt popsicle recipe?

What is your favorite dish to bring to summer cook-outs and barbecues?  I always like bringing a dessert because it gives me the chance to try a new recipe!  Some past hits have been Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars and Chocolate Whoopie Pies.

Grilled Corn, Barley and White Bean Salad

Grain salads are some of my very favorite foods year round but especially when summer's bounty brings sweet corn, ripe tomatoes and abundant basil to the farmer's markets.  

Photo from this June's monthly Hyde Park Village Fresh Market

I find these salads so satisfying, filling and fresh, and the possibilities for variation are endless.  You can use different grains - quinoa, rice, barley, couscous, farro or wheat berries.  Use whatever fresh veggies are in season - summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, corn, tomato, asparagus...  Pick herbs from your own pots.  For dressing, a simple homemade vinaigrette is perfect, or if you're in a hurry try your favorite bottle of store-bought vinaigrette.  See what I mean, endless possibilities.

Here are a few of the other grain salads I have made and shared:

• Superfood Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Lemon Vinaigrette
• Mediterranean Red Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
• Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans
• Mixed Greens with Herbed Lentils, Roasted Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese (not really a grain but similar in style)

This particular salad was filled with some of my favorite summer flavors - sweet corn, tomatoes and basil.  I used cooked pearled barley because I like the size of the grains and the satisfying chew but you could always  try some wild rice or cooked quinoa in its place - really, whatever you have on hand.

My favorite way to eat this salad is on top of a bed of baby mixed greens, arugula or spinach for lunch.  The addition of the white beans makes this a bit sturdier than most pasta or grain salads, and with the filling fiber and protein in the beans, it is perfect for a light lunch.    Or alternatively, omit the leafy greens and serve it as a side-dish with grilled or roasted chicken, barbecue pulled pork, or a piece of pan-sauteed flaky white fish for dinner.  I like to think of grain salads as a healthier version of cold pasta salads, so they are perfect at tailgates, barbecues, potlucks or just a good old summer cookout.

Grilled Corn, Barley and White Bean Salad
serves 2-3, generously (this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled)

2 ears corn
juice from 1/2 a lemon (or up to 1 lemon, juiced)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or up to 3 tablespoons)

salt and pepper, to taste (I used a scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and scant 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper)

1 cup cooked barley
2/3 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, the white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped into small bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, partially de-seeded and diced
generous handful arugula leaves (about 1 cup loosely packed)
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh basil


On an outdoor grill over medium heat, grill the shucked and rinsed corn for about 10-15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the corn has light char-grill marks on all sides.  Once cooked, strip the kernels off the cobs using a knife and allow to cool to room temperature.

While the corn cools, make the vinaigrette:  in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the cooked, cooled corn kernels, cooked barley, beans, green onions, cheese, tomatoes, arugula and basil.  Pour the prepared vinaigrette over and toss gently using 2 large spoons.  Taste and add additional lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper if necessary.  Add the chopped basil and toss once more, gently.  Serve at room temperature or better yet, chilled in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or prepare up to 2-3 days ahead of time.  (If preparing the salad more than 2-3 hours ahead of time, hold off on adding the chopped basil and the arugula until ready to serve, as these are prone to wilt if stored for more than a few hours time).

Also - for those of you hoping to make homemade popsicles this summer, I spotted these star-shaped popsicle moulds at Target today in the dollar section at the front of the store for $2.50!   Hurry and get them before they're sold out!  Might I suggest you try my Mango-Yogurt popsicle recipe?

What is your favorite dish to bring to summer cook-outs and barbecues?  I always like bringing a dessert because it gives me the chance to try a new recipe!  Some past hits have been Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars and Chocolate Whoopie Pies.

Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans

I have another delicious quinoa recipe to share with you (!).  I don't know about you but I can never have too many quinoa salad recipes.  They are delicious hot, cold, or at room temperature. They are healthy, filling and make fantastic leftovers on top of a big green salad.

Prepared quinoa salads are a perfect side dish to take on a picnic or bring to a barbecue because they can be prepared ahead of time, and I actually think they taste better after sitting in the fridge for a day or so.  And they are a healthy alternative to the usual fare found at most barbecues and potlucks, like heavy mayo-laden potato and pasta salads, potato chips and creamy, cheesy dips.  I'm not saying you shouldn't try those other tasty foods, but just fill up on the quinoa salad first, so you're not so tempted to go back for seconds on the mac and cheese.

At this point, you may be asking yourself:  is this turning into a vegetarian food blog?  The majority of my recipes I've posted the last few months have been vegetable or grain-based dishes and meat has been making fewer appearances on our dinner table too, lately (although we are still eating plenty of sustainable fish).  Well, the answer is:  no, we're not vegetarians and I'm not making this a vegetarian blog.  It's just that we have adopted a more plant-centric diet and so naturally, that comes through on this blog, since it's a record of our successful home-made meals.

There are many reasons for eating fewer processed foods and less meat, especially the conventionally-raised sort.  I have been meaning to talk specifically about my food philosophies and how they came to be on the blog for some time now, but I haven't had the chance to really compose my thoughts into a concise manifesto just yet.  I will, I promise I will, because I think it's so important - in fact, it is coming to be one of the defining themes of my life.  But for now, I will leave it with just this:  in my opinion, the American obesity epidemic (and prevalence of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease) and much of the pollution of our environment can be traced to the same root cause:  the large amount of animal products and processed foods in American diets.

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook, which I absolutely love.  It's full of simple and flavorful dishes that emphasize the use of a wide variety of vegetables and whole grains and uses animal products in smaller quantities.  I really agree with Bittman's food philosophy that he describes in the book:  eat more plants and fewer processed foods and animal products, for this will not only shrink our waistlines but improve our health and that of our environment.

This Mark Bittman recipe for quinoa that I'm sharing today used one of my favorite flavor combinations:  chipotles and black beans.  (If it looks familiar it's because I've combined these flavors in patties, tacos and soup!)  Chipotles are smoked jalapenos, so they're spicy.  They come packed in adobo sauce, in a small can that can be found in the Hispanic foods aisle of the grocery store.  Since most recipes only call for 1-2 chiles, I save the rest of the can, the chiles and the sauce, in a freezer-safe ziploc bag in the freezer, then break and thaw pieces as needed.

We ate the Chipotle Quinoa as a side dish with a filet of MSC-Certified Sockeye Salmon and salad but in a larger portion, it would be a hearty entree as well, and tastes delicious on top of a bed of mixed greens too.

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.  For gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free vegetable stock, a gluten-free beer (there are a few out there!), or water.   Also, make sure to check the label on your chipotles in adobo for hidden gluten (La Costena brand is gluten-free).

Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans
serves 4-6
adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1-2 canned chipotle chiles, minced, with some of their adobo sauce (I used less than 1 chile because I'm a wimp - these are spicy!  Just go by your palate, depending on how spicy you like it)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup quinoa, well-rinsed and drained
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or use 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup corn (I used frozen)
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or beer or water)
lime wedges and 1-2 thinly sliced green onions, for serving

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Once hot, add the onion and cook until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.  Then, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring another 2 minutes.  Add the chipotles and adobo sauce (start with a little, and add more if you're braver than me), oregano and continue stirring for one more minute.

Increase the heat to medium-high, add the quinoa and continue to cook, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes.  Add the beans, corn, stock and some salt and pepper (start with about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of each, you can add more just before serving it, if necessary) and bring to a boil.  Stir, cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer, covered for 15 minutes.

Uncover the pot after 15 minutes and test the quinoa for doneness (if the quinoa is still crunchy, make sure there is enough liquid to keep the bottom of the pot moist, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes or so).  Once cooked, taste and adjust the salt and pepper, as necessary.

Serve warm, room temperature or chilled, topped with the green onion and lime wedges on the side.

Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans

I have another delicious quinoa recipe to share with you (!).  I don't know about you but I can never have too many quinoa salad recipes.  They are delicious hot, cold, or at room temperature. They are healthy, filling and make fantastic leftovers on top of a big green salad.

Prepared quinoa salads are a perfect side dish to take on a picnic or bring to a barbecue because they can be prepared ahead of time, and I actually think they taste better after sitting in the fridge for a day or so.  And they are a healthy alternative to the usual fare found at most barbecues and potlucks, like heavy mayo-laden potato and pasta salads, potato chips and creamy, cheesy dips.  I'm not saying you shouldn't try those other tasty foods, but just fill up on the quinoa salad first, so you're not so tempted to go back for seconds on the mac and cheese.

At this point, you may be asking yourself:  is this turning into a vegetarian food blog?  The majority of my recipes I've posted the last few months have been vegetable or grain-based dishes and meat has been making fewer appearances on our dinner table too, lately (although we are still eating plenty of sustainable fish).  Well, the answer is:  no, we're not vegetarians and I'm not making this a vegetarian blog.  It's just that we have adopted a more plant-centric diet and so naturally, that comes through on this blog, since it's a record of our successful home-made meals.

There are many reasons for eating fewer processed foods and less meat, especially the conventionally-raised sort.  I have been meaning to talk specifically about my food philosophies and how they came to be on the blog for some time now, but I haven't had the chance to really compose my thoughts into a concise manifesto just yet.  I will, I promise I will, because I think it's so important - in fact, it is coming to be one of the defining themes of my life.  But for now, I will leave it with just this:  in my opinion, the American obesity epidemic (and prevalence of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease) and much of the pollution of our environment can be traced to the same root cause:  the large amount of animal products and processed foods in American diets.

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's The Food Matters Cookbook, which I absolutely love.  It's full of simple and flavorful dishes that emphasize the use of a wide variety of vegetables and whole grains and uses animal products in smaller quantities.  I really agree with Bittman's food philosophy that he describes in the book:  eat more plants and fewer processed foods and animal products, for this will not only shrink our waistlines but improve our health and that of our environment.

This Mark Bittman recipe for quinoa that I'm sharing today used one of my favorite flavor combinations:  chipotles and black beans.  (If it looks familiar it's because I've combined these flavors in patties, tacos and soup!)  Chipotles are smoked jalapenos, so they're spicy.  They come packed in adobo sauce, in a small can that can be found in the Hispanic foods aisle of the grocery store.  Since most recipes only call for 1-2 chiles, I save the rest of the can, the chiles and the sauce, in a freezer-safe ziploc bag in the freezer, then break and thaw pieces as needed.

We ate the Chipotle Quinoa as a side dish with a filet of MSC-Certified Sockeye Salmon and salad but in a larger portion, it would be a hearty entree as well, and tastes delicious on top of a bed of mixed greens too.

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.  For gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free vegetable stock, a gluten-free beer (there are a few out there!), or water.   Also, make sure to check the label on your chipotles in adobo for hidden gluten (La Costena brand is gluten-free).

Chipotle Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans
serves 4-6
adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1-2 canned chipotle chiles, minced, with some of their adobo sauce (I used less than 1 chile because I'm a wimp - these are spicy!  Just go by your palate, depending on how spicy you like it)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup quinoa, well-rinsed and drained
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or use 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup corn (I used frozen)
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock (or beer or water)
lime wedges and 1-2 thinly sliced green onions, for serving

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.  Once hot, add the onion and cook until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.  Then, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring another 2 minutes.  Add the chipotles and adobo sauce (start with a little, and add more if you're braver than me), oregano and continue stirring for one more minute.

Increase the heat to medium-high, add the quinoa and continue to cook, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes.  Add the beans, corn, stock and some salt and pepper (start with about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of each, you can add more just before serving it, if necessary) and bring to a boil.  Stir, cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer, covered for 15 minutes.

Uncover the pot after 15 minutes and test the quinoa for doneness (if the quinoa is still crunchy, make sure there is enough liquid to keep the bottom of the pot moist, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes or so).  Once cooked, taste and adjust the salt and pepper, as necessary.

Serve warm, room temperature or chilled, topped with the green onion and lime wedges on the side.

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing

Public Service Announcement:  Bathing-suit season is coming.  It just is, you can't stop it.  This salad is tasty, satisfying and figure-friendly so you don't have to starve yourself in order to fit into last years summer sundresses.  You're welcome.

This started out as a recipe from Real Simple's February 2012 issue but numerous modifications ended up being made due to lacking some of the ingredients that I thought I had upon setting out to make it.  I seem to be continuing with my Squash and Black Beans theme - see it here and here, but this time it wasn't intentional.  I have no idea where that can of garbanzo beans ended up :-/

BUT my version was so good, I wouldn't hesitate to make it again.

I adapted the Tahini dressing using some really lovely Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and a White Balsamic Vinegar that I received as a Christmas present.  The original recipe called for plain olive oil and lemon juice, but I was out of lemons so I snuck the lemon flavor in using the infused olive oil and added the white balsamic vinegar for the acid component.  It was delicious, but if you don't have those items just go back to the original recipe.

For the chicken, I didn't follow Real Simple's method at all, rather I used my own favorite (and delicious, and easy) Buttermilk-Herb Chicken recipe (this time, I used a combination of parsley and thyme for the herbs).  I marinated the butterflied boneless, skinless chicken breast for about 3 or 4 hours, then broiled the pieces on high for about 9-10 minutes.  They were perfectly juicy on the inside but a little crisp on the outside, just the way I like it.

I filled out the salad with more veggies, because really, can you ever have too many veggies?  Nope.  Oh, and I also added crumbled goat cheese because it just seemed like the right thing to do.  I didn't regret it one bit.

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Salad with Buttermilk-Herb Chicken, Goat Cheese and Tahini Dressing
serves 2
adapted from Real Simple

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1'' chunks
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 ground black pepper

1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon meyer lemon infused olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 cups lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 english cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 of a (15.5 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Buttermilk-Herb Chicken, cooked and sliced - see my recipe here

Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.  Roast 25-35 minutes, flipping the pieces once after 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing:  In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon-infused olive oil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

To serve:  Divide the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and green onions among the plates and top with the black beans, roasted squash, crumbled goat cheese, and the sliced, cooked chicken.  Drizzle with the dressing.

And I may have ended the evening with a palm-full of these delightful little morsels.

I'm really kicking myself for not picking up an entire case of them at Trader Joe's.  They are about 3 times cheaper at TJ's than Sweet Riot's version and they are equally as amazing.  But maybe it's a good thing that I didn't, you know, with bikini season on the horizon and all.  

Are you ready to start rocking the sandals, tank tops and bikinis yet?  What is your favorite meal when you're trying to fit back into those summer clothes of yours?

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Salad with Tahini Dressing

Public Service Announcement:  Bathing-suit season is coming.  It just is, you can't stop it.  This salad is tasty, satisfying and figure-friendly so you don't have to starve yourself in order to fit into last years summer sundresses.  You're welcome.

This started out as a recipe from Real Simple's February 2012 issue but numerous modifications ended up being made due to lacking some of the ingredients that I thought I had upon setting out to make it.  I seem to be continuing with my Squash and Black Beans theme - see it here and here, but this time it wasn't intentional.  I have no idea where that can of garbanzo beans ended up :-/

BUT my version was so good, I wouldn't hesitate to make it again.

I adapted the Tahini dressing using some really lovely Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and a White Balsamic Vinegar that I received as a Christmas present.  The original recipe called for plain olive oil and lemon juice, but I was out of lemons so I snuck the lemon flavor in using the infused olive oil and added the white balsamic vinegar for the acid component.  It was delicious, but if you don't have those items just go back to the original recipe.

For the chicken, I didn't follow Real Simple's method at all, rather I used my own favorite (and delicious, and easy) Buttermilk-Herb Chicken recipe (this time, I used a combination of parsley and thyme for the herbs).  I marinated the butterflied boneless, skinless chicken breast for about 3 or 4 hours, then broiled the pieces on high for about 9-10 minutes.  They were perfectly juicy on the inside but a little crisp on the outside, just the way I like it.

I filled out the salad with more veggies, because really, can you ever have too many veggies?  Nope.  Oh, and I also added crumbled goat cheese because it just seemed like the right thing to do.  I didn't regret it one bit.

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Salad with Buttermilk-Herb Chicken, Goat Cheese and Tahini Dressing
serves 2
adapted from Real Simple

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1'' chunks
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 ground black pepper

1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon meyer lemon infused olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 cups lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 english cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 of a (15.5 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Buttermilk-Herb Chicken, cooked and sliced - see my recipe here

Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.  Roast 25-35 minutes, flipping the pieces once after 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing:  In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon-infused olive oil, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

To serve:  Divide the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and green onions among the plates and top with the black beans, roasted squash, crumbled goat cheese, and the sliced, cooked chicken.  Drizzle with the dressing.

And I may have ended the evening with a palm-full of these delightful little morsels.

I'm really kicking myself for not picking up an entire case of them at Trader Joe's.  They are about 3 times cheaper at TJ's than Sweet Riot's version and they are equally as amazing.  But maybe it's a good thing that I didn't, you know, with bikini season on the horizon and all.  

Are you ready to start rocking the sandals, tank tops and bikinis yet?  What is your favorite meal when you're trying to fit back into those summer clothes of yours?

An Ode to Beans...

Here is an Ode to Beans that I wrote:

Beans, beans, good for the heart!  The more you eat them, the more.....oh wait, I didn't write that did I?

OK, OK, starting over:

Beans, beans, the musical fruit!  The more you eat them, the more you....uh, hmm...didn't write that one either, you say?

Alright, I give up on Odes.  I'm not much of a poet anyway.

But in all seriousness, I think beans are one of the most perfect foods!  So versatile, so healthy, and most importantly so TASTY!

Packed with dietary fiber and protein, and low in calories and fat, beans are a superfood by any definition.  Black beans are especially high in fiber which makes them a perfect source of carbohydrates, particularly for those who are prone to blood sugar swings, such as diabetics or people with insulin-resistance, as the fiber slows down the digestion thereby blunting the increase in blood sugar and insulin that occurs naturally following a meal.  Another benefit of dietary fiber is that it helps you feel full longer which is helpful if you're trying to lose weight or even maintain your current weight.

There are a whole TON of other benefits to eating beans from their phytochemicals to antioxidants, but I won't get into the nitty-gritty science behind it since the specific advantages to eating those compounds are only partially understood:  still, the take home message is the same:  Eat your beans!

Until recently, I had only ever bought and eaten canned beans.  I knew that dried beans were less expensive than those in the can, but I also "knew" that those dried beans were a pain in the rear end to cook:  you had to plan ahead the day before to soak them, then cook them for hours, then figure out what to do with 6 cups of cooked beans from a 1 pound bag.  Ugh.

Well, I decided to give it a try anyway.  You see, over the last several months as I have been doing a lot of reading on nutrition, health, wellness, diet, etc. I have come to adopt several Dietary Commandments, if you will that make up my OWN Philosophy on Eating (lots more on that in another post coming soon).  Without going into all the details, one such Commandment is to increase our consumption of non-meat-based protein (to coincide with a decrease in meat-consumption).  And as I've already mentioned, beans are a phenomenal source of protein so they have become a staple in our weekly menu.

So, I was going through 2-3 cans of beans every week and wanting an excuse to add even more beans into our everyday meals and decided now was the time to learn to cook my own dried beans.  And BONUS:  We will be saving a lot of money too, since a bag of dried beans runs about $1.19 at our commissary and contains 6 cups worth of beans, once cooked.  Compare that to $0.89 per can which contains about 1.5 cups of cooked beans.  If my Brian's algebra is correct, that means I'm spending only one third the amount of money I would be if I was buying canned beans!  Plus, I can control how much salt is added to the cooked beans, which I always like to minimize when possible.


Now that I had made up my mind to cook dried beans, I had to figure out how to do it.  I wanted to avoid the hassle of soaking the beans overnight and I certainly wasn't going to buy a pressure cooker to cut down on the cooking time.  The lightbulb went on and I turned to my favorite kitchen how-to resource:  The Kitchn, and sure enough found this handy guide.


I followed the instructions for cooking 1 pound of beans in my dutch oven and I chose black beans to test it out with.  Well, it worked like a charm and after about 90 minutes, almost like magic, I had 6 cups of perfectly cooked black beans!  I have to say, I was so very proud of myself!


The first recipe I decided to make using my homemade black beans was this Quick Stewed Black Beans and let me tell you, it was deeelish!  I loved the smokey flavor and subtle heat from the chipotle pepper and the creamy texture from adding a bit of chicken stock during cooking.  Plus, I was able to use up my last remaining can of beans I had in my pantry (a can of refried beans) and a chipotle pepper in adobo from a can I had opened a few weeks ago (most recipes I make only call for 1 pepper and each can has at least 3 or 4, so I always have a few left that I save - either refrigerated or frozen in the adobo sauce in a ziploc freezer bag).  Next time, I'll have to try making my own refried beans to use in place of the canned...but that's an adventure for another blog post :-)

Quick Stewed Black Beans
serves 6
adapted from The Galley Gourmet

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1 1/2 cups homemade cooked black beans (or one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can refried beans or black refried beans
1 small chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (this is spicy, so use more or less depending on your taste)
1 teaspoon adobo sauce (again, use more or less depending on your taste)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken stock
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and red bell pepper and saute 5-7 minutes, until softened.  Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and add the black beans, refried beans, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce and 1/4 cup chicken stock; stir to combine.  Cover pot with the lid and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, lowering heat to medium-low if necessary to prevent burning.  At this point, check the consistency and add up to 1/4 cup additional chicken stock to reach desired thinness.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Serve warm.

An Ode to Beans...

Here is an Ode to Beans that I wrote:

Beans, beans, good for the heart!  The more you eat them, the more.....oh wait, I didn't write that did I?

OK, OK, starting over:

Beans, beans, the musical fruit!  The more you eat them, the more you....uh, hmm...didn't write that one either, you say?

Alright, I give up on Odes.  I'm not much of a poet anyway.

But in all seriousness, I think beans are one of the most perfect foods!  So versatile, so healthy, and most importantly so TASTY!

Packed with dietary fiber and protein, and low in calories and fat, beans are a superfood by any definition.  Black beans are especially high in fiber which makes them a perfect source of carbohydrates, particularly for those who are prone to blood sugar swings, such as diabetics or people with insulin-resistance, as the fiber slows down the digestion thereby blunting the increase in blood sugar and insulin that occurs naturally following a meal.  Another benefit of dietary fiber is that it helps you feel full longer which is helpful if you're trying to lose weight or even maintain your current weight.

There are a whole TON of other benefits to eating beans from their phytochemicals to antioxidants, but I won't get into the nitty-gritty science behind it since the specific advantages to eating those compounds are only partially understood:  still, the take home message is the same:  Eat your beans!

Until recently, I had only ever bought and eaten canned beans.  I knew that dried beans were less expensive than those in the can, but I also "knew" that those dried beans were a pain in the rear end to cook:  you had to plan ahead the day before to soak them, then cook them for hours, then figure out what to do with 6 cups of cooked beans from a 1 pound bag.  Ugh.

Well, I decided to give it a try anyway.  You see, over the last several months as I have been doing a lot of reading on nutrition, health, wellness, diet, etc. I have come to adopt several Dietary Commandments, if you will that make up my OWN Philosophy on Eating (lots more on that in another post coming soon).  Without going into all the details, one such Commandment is to increase our consumption of non-meat-based protein (to coincide with a decrease in meat-consumption).  And as I've already mentioned, beans are a phenomenal source of protein so they have become a staple in our weekly menu.

So, I was going through 2-3 cans of beans every week and wanting an excuse to add even more beans into our everyday meals and decided now was the time to learn to cook my own dried beans.  And BONUS:  We will be saving a lot of money too, since a bag of dried beans runs about $1.19 at our commissary and contains 6 cups worth of beans, once cooked.  Compare that to $0.89 per can which contains about 1.5 cups of cooked beans.  If my Brian's algebra is correct, that means I'm spending only one third the amount of money I would be if I was buying canned beans!  Plus, I can control how much salt is added to the cooked beans, which I always like to minimize when possible.


Now that I had made up my mind to cook dried beans, I had to figure out how to do it.  I wanted to avoid the hassle of soaking the beans overnight and I certainly wasn't going to buy a pressure cooker to cut down on the cooking time.  The lightbulb went on and I turned to my favorite kitchen how-to resource:  The Kitchn, and sure enough found this handy guide.


I followed the instructions for cooking 1 pound of beans in my dutch oven and I chose black beans to test it out with.  Well, it worked like a charm and after about 90 minutes, almost like magic, I had 6 cups of perfectly cooked black beans!  I have to say, I was so very proud of myself!


The first recipe I decided to make using my homemade black beans was this Quick Stewed Black Beans and let me tell you, it was deeelish!  I loved the smokey flavor and subtle heat from the chipotle pepper and the creamy texture from adding a bit of chicken stock during cooking.  Plus, I was able to use up my last remaining can of beans I had in my pantry (a can of refried beans) and a chipotle pepper in adobo from a can I had opened a few weeks ago (most recipes I make only call for 1 pepper and each can has at least 3 or 4, so I always have a few left that I save - either refrigerated or frozen in the adobo sauce in a ziploc freezer bag).  Next time, I'll have to try making my own refried beans to use in place of the canned...but that's an adventure for another blog post :-)

Quick Stewed Black Beans
serves 6
adapted from The Galley Gourmet

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1 1/2 cups homemade cooked black beans (or one 15 oz can, drained and rinsed)
1 (15 oz) can refried beans or black refried beans
1 small chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (this is spicy, so use more or less depending on your taste)
1 teaspoon adobo sauce (again, use more or less depending on your taste)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken stock
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and red bell pepper and saute 5-7 minutes, until softened.  Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and add the black beans, refried beans, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce and 1/4 cup chicken stock; stir to combine.  Cover pot with the lid and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, lowering heat to medium-low if necessary to prevent burning.  At this point, check the consistency and add up to 1/4 cup additional chicken stock to reach desired thinness.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Serve warm.

White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale...for my Sister

My sister Heidi came to town!  It was a quick, impromptu visit to Tampa planned only 2 or 3 days in advance and it came at just the right time!  With B still overseas and me being new to the area, it's been a lonely couple of weeks and I jumped at the chance to have some company.  And my sister is the best kind of company.


We had such a great time this weekend:  had dinner out at my favorite restaurant in town, shopped, enjoyed long philosophical discussions, watched sappy romantic comedies, laughed at silly jokes, savored decaf cappuccinos and live music at the local coffee shop, went to a wine tasting and of course cooked and ate delicious meals together at my house!


Heidi is an adventurer in the kitchen:  she talks of things like "mellow miso" and "massaging the kale."  She incorporates aspects of eating raw, vegan and gluten-free into her diet yet isn't limited to those foods, she just enjoys a balance of healthy, mindful eating as it fits into a broad wellness approach.  


We really enjoyed this White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale which came together rather quickly, especially since I had cooked up the sausage the day or two before and had some nice homemade chicken stock ready to go for this exact purpose.  We thought the kale was excellent a little "al dente" right out of the soup pot on the first night but also enjoyed it with a slightly more wilted texture, reheated in the microwave the next day.   It's a hearty, healthy and filling soup and we hope you give it a try!





White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale
serves 4-6
Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction


1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil (may not be necessary, depending on how much fat comes out of the sausage during cooking)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 large tomato, diced
1/2 large bunch kale, thick stems removed, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese for serving (optional)


In a dutch oven or large heavy pot, brown sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up with the spatula, until fully cooked.  Remove sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot and lower heat to medium, add onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms to pot and saute 5-7 minutes stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened and onions start to become translucent (you may omit the olive oil in this step if there is fat left in the pot from cooking the sausage).  Add garlic and thyme and cook another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add beans, chicken stock and tomato and increase heat to high to bring soup to a boil.  Once boiling, cover soup with lid and reduce heat to low to simmer for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove lid and increase heat to medium-low, add kale and continue to cook 5-10 minutes, until kale wilts to desired amount (we liked our kale barely wilted, about 4-5 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Ladle soup into bowls and serve, topped with shredded parmesan cheese if desired.

White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale...for my Sister

My sister Heidi came to town!  It was a quick, impromptu visit to Tampa planned only 2 or 3 days in advance and it came at just the right time!  With B still overseas and me being new to the area, it's been a lonely couple of weeks and I jumped at the chance to have some company.  And my sister is the best kind of company.


We had such a great time this weekend:  had dinner out at my favorite restaurant in town, shopped, enjoyed long philosophical discussions, watched sappy romantic comedies, laughed at silly jokes, savored decaf cappuccinos and live music at the local coffee shop, went to a wine tasting and of course cooked and ate delicious meals together at my house!


Heidi is an adventurer in the kitchen:  she talks of things like "mellow miso" and "massaging the kale."  She incorporates aspects of eating raw, vegan and gluten-free into her diet yet isn't limited to those foods, she just enjoys a balance of healthy, mindful eating as it fits into a broad wellness approach.  


We really enjoyed this White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale which came together rather quickly, especially since I had cooked up the sausage the day or two before and had some nice homemade chicken stock ready to go for this exact purpose.  We thought the kale was excellent a little "al dente" right out of the soup pot on the first night but also enjoyed it with a slightly more wilted texture, reheated in the microwave the next day.   It's a hearty, healthy and filling soup and we hope you give it a try!





White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale
serves 4-6
Adapted from My Kitchen Addiction


1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tablespoon olive oil (may not be necessary, depending on how much fat comes out of the sausage during cooking)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 large tomato, diced
1/2 large bunch kale, thick stems removed, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese for serving (optional)


In a dutch oven or large heavy pot, brown sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up with the spatula, until fully cooked.  Remove sausage to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot and lower heat to medium, add onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms to pot and saute 5-7 minutes stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened and onions start to become translucent (you may omit the olive oil in this step if there is fat left in the pot from cooking the sausage).  Add garlic and thyme and cook another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add beans, chicken stock and tomato and increase heat to high to bring soup to a boil.  Once boiling, cover soup with lid and reduce heat to low to simmer for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove lid and increase heat to medium-low, add kale and continue to cook 5-10 minutes, until kale wilts to desired amount (we liked our kale barely wilted, about 4-5 minutes).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Ladle soup into bowls and serve, topped with shredded parmesan cheese if desired.