Hearty Lima Bean Pride and Joy

I could eat this for every meal for a week... As we get into fall and winter, everyone needs a hearty, rustic, one pot meal. You likely need to go to Whole Foods to be able to find these giant lima beans in the bulk bin section.

1 lb dried giant lima beans ("gigantes")

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

3 medium onions, coarsely chopped or sliced

3 large green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips (you can use red or yellow ones instead, or a mixture)

28 oz canned diced tomatoes and juice

2 cup water

4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

2 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4- 1/2 tsp red chile pepper flakes

freshly-ground black pepper to taste

TOPPING:

About half a loaf of crusty whole wheat bread

4 TBSP Earth Balance or vegan margarine

2 Tbs minced fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, processed into a fine powder using your food processor.

Soak the beans overnight or for about 8 hours in plenty of cold water. When ready to cook, drain the water off and rinse the beans.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions in the oil until they are translucent. Mix the beans and the sauteed onions in a large medium Dutch oven, or small oval roasting pan with a lid. Pour the water into the skillet and scrape up any brown bits, then pour the water into the beanpot and add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes. Cover and bake for about 2 hours, or until the beans are soft inside. Add a little more water if they get too dry. Taste for salt and pepper.

While the beans are cooking, you will make some homemade breadcrumbs for the topping. Cut the loaf up into slices, and CAREFULLY place them under the broiler until they are super crispy toasted but not burnt. The differenc between this state and burnt is about 30 seconds, so watch closely! Let these cool enough to be handled. Take a coffee cup with roughly 1 TBSP melted Earth Balance and hand crumble the bread slices into the cup until it is full (likely about 5 half pieces of bread). Generally, I will take a spoon handle to “churn” the mixture until you get “buttery” chunks of breadcrumbs/croutons. Repeat until you have enough to lightly cover the beans. Mix them all with the parsley.

Bake for one hour covered. After 1 hour, take the cover off and bake for at least 45 minutes. At this point, there should be little liquid remaining in the dish. At this point, for the last 15 minutes or so of baking, sprinkle the top of the pot with this breadcrumb mixture and continue to bake.

Serve hot with crusty bread.

The Perfect Oatmeal

If you know me, you know that Im an oatmeal junkie...particularly in the winter time right before bedtime. I love that warm, full, happy belly feeling.. If you make oatmeal this way, you wont be able to resist being just like me...sitting in bed, under the covers, filling up on oatmeal right before turning out the lights. Mmm... Happy Belly... Oh..and I forgot to mention that you can do this in the microwave! Oh snap!

• 1 apple, preferably McIntosh, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans

Directions

Combine the apple, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl water, and stir in the water. Cover and seal with a tight fitting lid and heat in the microwave on high until apples are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup. Divide between 2 bowls and top with the nuts. Serve immediately.

Pistachio Creamy Spinach Salad Supreme

I am going to cheese out with the name of this salad JUST to catch your attention. Get ready for your socks to be blown straight off! And no one ever said that salads were low fat because this dressing is anything but....although worth every bite!

• 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts, plus more for garnish
• 2 cloves, garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
• About 1/2 cup hot water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• Splash good extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1 Fuji apple, cored and sliced
• 1 celeriac bulb, peeled and grated (do this right before serving so it doesn't oxidize and turn brown) - you can only generally get this at a Whole Foods equivalent
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add pistachios, shaking the skillet frequently so that nuts don't burn. Toast until the pistachios turn a little brown. They should smell delicious too. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and transfer the nuts to a bowl; otherwise they'll keep cooking and burn.

Add the pistachios to ablender along with the garlic, half of the lemon juice, the hot sauce, if using, hot water, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the canola oil. Blend until smooth. If it doesn't form a paste, add more water and more oil and blend until smooth. The consistency should be like a thin hummus; don't worry if you feel like you're adding a lot of oil. Taste and add a little extra-virgin olive oil and more lemon juice if you want more zing, which I recommend. It cuts the oils from the pistachios. Set aside once you're happy with it.

Wash the spinach and dry thoroughly, so the leaves can be coated with the dressing.

Toss the spinach, apple, and celeriac in a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then garnish with pistachios and serve.

I got this recipe from Aaerti Sequeira..an obvious gem

Perfect Lentils

• These lentils are simple, fresh, and so incredibly good... It is my go-to lentil dish always....
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• 1⁄2 pound green lentils
• 1⁄4 cup good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 1⁄2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 1 1⁄2 cups chopped carrots (3 carrots)
• 1 1⁄2 cups veggie broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar

Directions

Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan, add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the drained lentils, celery, carrots, veggie stock, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add the vinegar and season, to taste.

Roasted Edamame Salad

• Thank Alton Brown for this little ditty.... MMMMMMMM.........
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• 12 ounces fresh or frozen shelled edamame, about 2 cups
• 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels, about 2 ears of corn
• 1/4 cup finely diced scallion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the edamame, corn, scallion, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a 13 by 9 metal pan and stir to combine. Place on the middle rack of the oven and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the edamame begins to brown. Remove from the oven and place in the refrigerator until completely cool, approximately 30 minutes.

Add the tomato, basil and vinegar to the edamame mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Tomato and Fennel Salad

The ONLY reason this recipe came about was because I accidentally bought some fennel when I assumed it was another way to call celery root. Well, I was wrong....but the good news is that fennel can actually be good!! This is quick, easy, and might impress your "fancy" friends by your use of this more obscure veggie!

• 1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
• 1 small fennel bulb
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Core the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Remove the top of the fennel (save some fronds for garnish) and slice the bulb very thinly crosswise with a knife or on a mandoline.

Toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, season to taste, and serve.