For John.

Thank you Mandy.

The Veggie Casserole thing:

This is about as close as a recipe will get:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/07/mexican-lasagna-or-enchilada-casserole.html

I substitute Anaheim or pasilla peppers for the jalapeño pepper.

Usually use two or three kinds of beans (red, black, Anasazi, peruano...)

It says two cloves of garlic, I use the whole bulb, crushed

Make about half the beans into refried (frijoles refritos)

When it comes out of the oven, top it with freshly chopped green

onions, salsa, mushrooms, shredded lettuce... sour cream?

I usually make two pans, cutting the second one up in serving

size squares and freeze them (they have been eaten as long as

two months after cooking, sort of by accident--they were in the

back of the freezer).

rgot

John M.

I love this recipe.

 

 

Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• Filling
• 2 teaspoons olive or corn oil
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained well
• 1/2 cup sweet corn, frozen or fresh
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• All of the reserved cooked squash, about 4 cups
• 1/3 cup cilantro, minced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Method: 

Roast squash in a 375°F oven for 50 minutes until tender or cut squash in half and place in a microwave dish with 1/2 inch of water, lightly covered with plastic wrap for 20 minutes on high until tender. cool. When cool, scoop flesh from squash halves leaving the shell intact for stuffing.

For the filling, heat oil in a large pan and sauté red onion, jalapeño chili and red pepper for 2 minutes. Add beans, corn and chili powder; sauté 1 minute longer. Add cooked squash, cilantro, lime juice and salt, cook 1 minute until heated through.

Fill squash halves with filling, mounding mixture in the center.

Nutritional Info: 

PER SERVING:160 calories (30 from fat), 3.5g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 330mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 5g sugar), 6g protein

i am going to try this tomorrow night. i have a bag of SS waiting in queue and a ton of peppers in the garden. Sans corn. Corn is for cattle. With a side of chicken livers. i will try to get photos.

I just found this one and thought it would fit the description:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/health/quinoa-salad-with-avocado-and-kalamata-olives-recipes-for-health.html?src=rechp&_r=0

I have not tried it yet, but the recipes of the NYT that I have tried so far were all keepers!

My favorite quinoa recipe:

Quinoa, Corn and Bean Salad 

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup corn
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, chopped

1 large avocado, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) 

Dressing: 
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp grated lime peel
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt
¾ tsp chili powder
1 garlic clove, minced 

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Place in strainer; rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well. Place in large serving bowl. (I just let it cool in the fridge because I am lazy.)

Meanwhile, in small nonmetal bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well. Refrigerate. 

Add beans, corn, tomato, avocado, cilantro and dressing to quinoa; mix well. Cover; refrigerate at least one hour to blend flavors.

Ok, here is a dessert one that you can make to throw off people (have them try to guess what it is). Warning, not low cal or 'healthy'

Avocado

Heavy Whipping Cream (do not substitute)

whip till it's basically a mousse, add powdered sugar until desired sweetness. Fridge. Serve.

Sometimes you can incorporate an acid (I like a little lime).

It will really freak out those who have never had it.

These are some tasty cookies!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields about 4 dozen

1 cup canned pumpkin (I used 1 can)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp milk
1 Tbs vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips (I used 1C chocolate & 1C PB chips)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional - I omitted this)

Preheat oven to 350

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir it in to the pumpkin mixture. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by the spoonful on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes (the original recipe said 10 minutes but mine were all closer to 15 min).

Quinoa Fritters

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water or broth
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour (I like to use whole wheat)
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for frying

Directions

1. Simmer the quinoa in the water until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes and let cool a bit.
2. Mix the cooked quinoa with the eggs, onion, garlic, flour, parmesan, salt and pepper, adding more flour if required.  (I added a bit more flour and panko bread crumbs.  I also upped the spices and added red pepper flakes.)
3. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Spoon the mixture into the pan and form patties of any size that you desire and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side, and set aside on paper towels to drain.

Serve over spinach and top with a poached or fried egg and salsa.

(Okay, think I'm done with the quinoa recipes now.  I had a big bag to use up and it's pretty much gone now till I buy a new one.)