Quinoa and Black Beans with Pomegranate Salsa

Tags

black beans, feta, food, main dish, Mexican, pomegranate, quinoa, salsa, vegetarian

I am totally in love with this dish! I have had it about 10 times since it was originally posted by So Hungry I Could Blog. Sarah says it was created from things in the kitchen because it was too cold and miserable to go to the grocery. It sounds much like our Kentucky winter.

This dish combines all the things I love- healthy foods, fresh flavors, and ease of preparation. When I eat it, I don’t feel like I am stuck eating sticks and twigs to get my daily dose of nutrients. I feel like I am eating a huge bowl of deliciousness. And I want to eat it every week. Try it and you will too!

Quinoa and Black Beans with Pomegranate Salsa

For the salsa:

• 2/3 cup pomegranate arils (You could use mangoes or add tomatoes)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed then minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

For the quinoa and black beans:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 can or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup feta, crumbled

In a small saute pan, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. When the onions are translucent, add the black beans, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Heat through for another 2 to 5 minutes.

Distribute the quinoa and black bean mixture between two bowls. Top with the pomegranate salsa and feta. Serves 2.

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A Delicious Black Bean Dip

Tags

appetizer, black beans, dip, food, Mexican, salsa, snack, vegetarian

My husband’s first cousin April brought this dish to a family get together. It was inhaled. Since getting the recipe, I have made it four or five times. It is tasty, reasonably healthy, and easy to throw together. I love that I usually have the majority of the ingredients in the cabinet. Everyone who has tried this dip has asked for the recipe. It would be even better with fresh tomatoes. If it doesn’t stop raining, we will never have any though…. We have had 3 inches already with another one or two to come. My poor plants are drowning… When it rains, it pours, I guess.

April’s Black Bean Dip

• 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 packages of Sazon Goya seasoning (you can find it here)
• 1 lime, juiced

Mix all the ingredients together well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. This lets the flavors really meld. I prefer to let it sit all night. Serve with tortilla chips, as a salsa on tacos or fajitas or just eat it with a spoon.

 

¡Olé!

Tags

beer, Cinco de Mayo, citrus, cod, fish, fruit, Mexican, salsa, tacos

I am so tired of hearing Republicans and Democrats bicker over immigration. I bet if Obama and McConnell sat down over plates of Mexican food and a bucket of cold beer they would get over their issues, work things out. I volunteer to act as chef for that day…

Citrus and Beer Marinated Cod Tacos with Fruit Salsa

The Fish:

• Juice and zest of a lime
• Juice and zest of 1/2 an orange
• 1/4 cup Corona
• 2 cloves of garlic, microplaned
• Cayenne powder to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb cod or other firm white fish

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Marinade the cod for an hour. Grill over medium coals until flaky. Serve with the fish salsa in corn or flour tortillas.

The Salsa:

• 1 kiwi, peeled, quartered and sliced
• 1 mango, cubed
• 1/8 cup thinly sliced cucumber
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, diced
• 1/8 cup onion, finely diced
• Juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Cilantro to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow salsa to chill and the flavors to meld. Serve over the fish.

Salsa Verde

Tags

cilantro, gluten free, Mexican, salsa, tomatillos, vegetarian, verde

When there are no fresh tomatoes available, I prefer this salsa verde. It is quick, fresh, and flavorful. No reason to buy that bottled crap. And just in time for tomorrow’s big game. (Tomorrow’s recipe is Chicken Enchilada Verde. MMM!!)

Salsa Verde

• 10 small tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1/2 medium white onion
• 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a pot of boiling water, add the tomatillos, onion, and peppers. Boil until the tomatillos turn olive green. Drain and add the combo to a blender or food processor. (If you don’t want the verde spicy, remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers before blending.) Add the garlic and cilantro. Blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. If it is too tart, add a bit of sugar. Use with chicken enchilada verde or serve with tortilla chips.

Chili Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Tags

food, grill, pork, salsa, summer

These chops are very tender and complimented nicely by the salsa. It was super easy to put together. The leftovers were tasty too. There is nothing better than an easy grill meal- they taste good and there are no dishes!

Chili Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

(From Recipe Girl)

Chops:

• 4 (3/4 inch thick) pork loin chops
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Salsa:

• 3 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise slices fresh pineapple, trimmed
• 1 medium jalapeno, halved lengthwise- seeds and veins removed
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeds and veins removed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

In a shallow bowl, combine chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with the spice mixture. Let the chops sit at room temperature while you prepare the salsa. Prepare a grill to medium-high hat and lightly oil the grate. Grill pineapple and peppers until lightly charred (2 to 3 minutes per side).
Remove from the grill and dice pineapple and jalapeno. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, jalapeno and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

Grill pork until the juices run clear.

Serve chops with the grilled salsa on top.

Pineapple Salsa

Tags

fish, gluten free, pineapple, salsa, side dish, vegetarian

I am trying to eat more fish these days. The same baked fish over and over might get boring. Not with this salsa. Honestly, it was so good, I had to resist eating it with a spoon right out of the bowl. No chips, no fish, no nothing. Love that fresh taste!

Pineapple Salsa

• 1/4 pineapple, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped,
• 3 scallions, chopped,
• 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 of a lime- juice and zest

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and allow to chill for 30 minutes before serving. That way the flavors meld together.

Ultimate Nachos

Tags

appetizer, beans, cheesy, Mexican, nachos, salsa

For some reason I have had a craving for nachos the past couple of days. No idea why but I had to indulge. Plus it was a good way to use up some of the ingredients just sitting in the fridge. The trick to keeping the chips crunchy is melting the cheese in the oven. The microwave just turns nachos into a gooey mess… I am glad I indulged my craving!

NACHOS!

• Tortilla chips
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 1 can green chilies or jalapenos
• 1 can chili beans
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 6 to 8 ounches of cheddar cheese, shredded
• Sour cream and tomatilla salsa, if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown ground beef until cooked. Drain and add taco seasoning with the amount of water recommended on the package. Heat through until the water is cooked out. On a cookie sheet spead out a thin layer of tortilla chips. Top with meat, beans, tomato, onion, peppers, and cheese. Bake in oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Any typical Mexican ingredients can be added, including avocado, olives, or cilantro. I just used what I had on hand.