Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

Simple and delicious enchiladas! Just the perfect amount of spicy, and a great way to let those in-season sweet potatoes shine.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
from a Couple Cooks
serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
3 cups diced sweet potato
15 oz. can black beans
8 oz. canned diced green chillies
1 medium red onion, diced
1/2 Tbs. cumin
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper
~2 cups salsa verde
6 - 8 oz. Colby jack cheese, shredded
14+ bag enchilada-sized tortillas
Optional: sour cream and cilantro to garnish

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Place sweet potato in a pot, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender  (~12-15 mins)
3. Drain and rinse the black beans.
4. In a large bowl, combine black beans, sweet potato, onion, chilies, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, and ground pepper. Mix to combine.
5. Warm the tortilla for a minute in the microwave. In a large baking pan, add enough salsa verde to cover the bottom.
6. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup of filling and a handful of cheese. Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat until the filling runs out. Top with remaining salsa verde and cheese.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Butternut Squash Chili

As sad as I am to see the beautiful good weather go, that means the cold-weather cooking begins! I've been waiting for a week to make this chilli, but the weather kept being... nice. I did get to take a wonder afternoon picnic yesterday, with hummus and olive tapenade from the Chicago Diner cookbook, one of my favorite vegetarian restaurants, and soon becoming one of my favorite cook books. Unfortunately, the copyright declares re-posting (without written permission) of their recipes to be banned, so I'm not doing that. But if you're looking for a solid vegetarian cookbook with all sorts of time-tested restaurant recipes that require very few ingredients, this is the book for you. I'm even thinking of doing a food-blog challenge for all of you readers out there, with a series of 4-5 recipes and the first one to make and post about their experiences gets a mandolin and a copy of this book. : D More to come on that...

Back to food.... I loved this chili, truly one of the best I've ever had. It's so fresh while being so healthily-heavy and satisfying.

Butternut Squash Chili
adapted from Cookie and Katie
serves 4

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 small (< 1.5 lbs) butternut squash, peeled, 1/2" cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin, ground
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, ground
14-oz. canned diced tomatoes, including liquid
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
(optional) garnish: avocado, cheddar, tortilla, cilantro, sour cream, etc.

Instructions:
1. Add oil to stock pot over medium heat. Then add onion, peppers, squash, and garlic and sautee until onions are translucent (~5 minutes).
2. Turn heat to medium-low, and add chili powder, cumin, jalapeno, bay leaf, cinnamon, tomatoes, beans, and broth. Stir to combine, then cover and cook for 1 hour.
3. The butternut squash should be tender and the liquid should be reduced. Ladle into bowls, garnish, and serve. 

Southwest Acorn Squash

One of my favorite things I've made this semester. Healthy, in season, delicious.

Southwest Acorn Squash
from Ambitious Kitchen
servers 4

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash, halved length-wise, stem and seeds removed
1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups corn kernels
1 tsp. cumin
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
4 Tbs. crumbled goat cheese

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Grease a baking sheet with oil (separate from the listed 1 tsp.), and place the squash halves cut-side down on the sheet.
2. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender and edges are browning. Turn off oven and leave squash in oven while preparing the filling.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, red pepper, onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook until softened (~3 mins). Then add cumin, beans, and corn and stir well to combine, cooking a couple more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Fill squash halves with bean and corn mixture, and top with a tablespoon of goat cheese each and serve.

Black bean chickpea mango salad

The original recipe calls for basil instead of cilantro, but I think the cilantro works perfectly in this (and is less expensive : D). 

Bean Corn and Mango Salad
adapted from Stylish Cuisine

Ingredients:
1 ripe mango, chopped small
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
1 - 15 oz. can black beans
1 - 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 - 15 oz. can corn, drained
2 limes, zested and juiced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro (or 1/2 cup basil)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. In a colander, place together black beans and garbanzo beans and rinse until foam doesn't form, then sit to the side to dry.
2. Whisk together lime juice and zest, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cilantro, cumin, and salt and pepper.
3. Once beans have dried, combine corn, bell pepper, beans, and mango in a bowl with a lid. Combine with vinaigrette, cover, and refrigerate for an hour. Toss again before serving.

Black Bean Chocolate Cake

My grain-free friend linked me this black bean cake, and it looked so easy and tasty, I made it! The texture was impeccable. Better than regular cake, in fact. It did taste a little odd with the black beans, and wasn't as sweet as I would have liked. But when i generously dusted with powdered sugar, it was perfect on sweetness. As far as the black bean taste, I would love to experiment with this recipe using Japanese red bean paste instead of black beans and sugar. I think it would work out well. And that could be like a sudo-red velvet cake! Exciting things to come.


Black Bean Chocolate Cake
adapted from the food faffer

Ingredients:
1 - 15 oz. can black beans, thoroughly rinsed
5 large eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. butter, softened
3/4 cups sugar
6 Tbs. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs water
powdered sugar for dusting (heavily)

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9" cake pan.
2. Mix together cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add 2 of the eggs, and beat well one after the other.
4. Put beans, remaining 3 eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt into food processor and process until completely smooth. Add butter/egg mixture, and mix well.
5. Stir in bowl of dry ingredients and water, and process on high for 1 minute.
6. Pour into cake pan, and bake for 30 mins.