Recipe: Black-Eyed Peas with Smoky Collards & Cheesy Grits

From Vanilla & Bean

For The Black Eyed Peas

2 1/2 C Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas
*OR*
1 C Dry Black Eyed Peas soaked overnight, rinsed
2 C Vegetable Broth
1 C Yellow Onion small dice (about 1)
1 C Green Bell Pepper small dice (about 1)
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Bayleaf
1 tsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce gluten free if needed
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
A few dashes of Tabasco optional but recommended!

For The Collard Greens

1/2 C Vegetable Broth
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp Tamari Sauce
4 Cloves of Garlic minced
1 lb Collard Greens cut into ribbons and washed throughly
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes optional but recommended!

For The Grits

3 C Water 711g
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 C White or Yellow Corn Grits
1 1/2 TBS Nutritional Yeast (optional) or 1/2 C (50g) shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese

Serve with Fresh Sliced Jalapeños
Tabasco
Slather with easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

If using Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas, skip #2 and move right into cooking the collards.
In a medium saucepot, add the soaked black eyed peas, vegetable broth, onion, bell pepper, garlic, bayleaf, and optional tabasco. Bring to a boil, turn down to low or to a low simmer and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, uncovered. The peas should be tender with just a slight tooth, not mushy. Add the worcestershire, and liquid smoke. Taste for seasoning adjustment.

For the Collard Greens: In a large stockpot, bring the broth, liquid smoke, tamari sauce, and garlic to a boil. Add the collard greens, stir throughly using tongs, lid the pot and cook on med-low for between 10-15 minutes. Stir the greens at least twice while they cook down and become tender. Their color will darken a bit too. Add the apple cider vinegar and pinch of red pepper flakes. Taste for seasoning adjustment (add salt if needed).

For the Grits: In a medium saucepot bring water and salt to a boil. Turn down to low and whisk in the grits. Stir in the nutritional yeast. Cook on low, covered, for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. (if using cheese, stir in the cheese after cooking for 5 minutes). Grits can dry out pretty quick, so if you need, add a TBS of water at a time and stir in after they're done cooking.

To Assemble: To an individual serving bowl, add the peas, greens and grits arranged separately. Serve with jalapeños and/or tabasco and plenty of BBQ sauce for slathering
Store in individual lidded containers, refrigerated for up to two days.

Recipe: Fingerling Potato & Kale Hash

Adapted From The Baker Chick

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 bunch kale, chopped
4-6 eggs

Preheat oven to 400F. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet on medium-high.
When the pan is hot add the potatoes. Add salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until crispy. Add the peppers and garlic, and cook until soft.

Add the kale and stir until slightly wilted. Add more salt & pepper.
Use a spoon to make some wells in the hash and add the eggs with more salt & pepper. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until eggs are at your desired consistency. (7 minutes was perfect for me.)

Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls with Cabbage & Bean Slaw

Adapted from Cookie & Kate

 

Roasted Squash
1 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed
1 Tbs olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cabbage & Bean Slaw
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced and roughly chopped into 2-inch long pieces
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
⅓ cup chopped green onions, both green and white parts
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt

To roast the spaghetti squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. On the baking sheet, drizzle the halved spaghetti squash with olive oil. Rub the olive oil all over each of the halves, adding more if necessary. Sprinkle the insides of the squash with freshly ground black pepper and salt. Turn them over so the insides are facing down. Roast for 40 to 60 minutes, until the flesh is easily pierced through with a fork.

Meanwhile, to assemble the slaw: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, black beans, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Toss to combine and set aside to marinate.

To assemble, first use a fork to separate and fluff up the flesh of the spaghetti squash. Then divide the slaw into each of the spaghetti squash “bowls,”. Add your favorite salsa, hot sauce, grated cheese, or a dollop of sour cream!

Recipe: Roasted Bell Peppers In Garlic Olive Oil

From Chili Pepper Madness

6 bell peppers – use multiple colors! It looks awesome!
8 cloves garlic
6-8 ounces olive oil as needed
1 tablespoon salt and pepper mix

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Set them all onto baking sheets along with the garlic.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pepper skins are nicely charred.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Peel the skins from the peppers and remove the seeds and innards.
Squeeze the garlic from their skins and set aside.

Layer the peppers into a large sterilized jar along with layers of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic, until the sterilized jar is filled. I filled a large quart jar.
Tap out the air, or use a fork around the edges. Cap and refrigerate.

Recipe: Veggie Fajitas

From The Spruce Eats

1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 bell peppers (sliced into strips)
1 onion (sliced thin)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream or non-dairy sour cream substitute (optional, but tasty!)
4 flour tortillas (warmed)

In a large skillet or frying pan, saute bell pepper and onion in olive oil.

Add the garlic salt, curry powder, chili powder and cayenne pepper and allow to cook, stirring frequently, until peppers and onion are soft, about 5 - 7 minutes. Make sure to not overcook the bell peppers; they should be tender, but not too soft. 

Warm the flour tortillas in the microwave for just a few seconds, or in the oven. I like to use my toaster oven for this, so I don't have to turn on the big oven just to warm up tortillas. 

Divide the peppers between the four warmed flour tortillas. Add a bit of salsa and sour cream (or a vegan non-dairy substitute) to each and serve immediately.

Recipe: Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers

From Budget Bytes

1/2 lb. Mexican Chorizo
2 cups cooked rice
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
15 oz. can black beans
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz. Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
3 large bell peppers

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add the chorizo to a skillet and sauté over medium heat until fully cooked. Remove it from the heat.

Rinse and drain the black beans, then add them to the skillet, along with the diced tomatoes (with juices), cooked rice, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine. 

Add half of the cheese and half of the green onion to the chorizo mixture, then stir to combine.

Slice each of the bell peppers in half and then carefully remove the white ribs and seed pods, keeping the stem intact to help hold in the stuffing. Pile the chorizo and rice mixture into each pepper, making sure to stuff it up into all the crevices, and mound it up over top. Place the peppers in a casserole dish as you fill them.

Once all the peppers are filled, add about 1/2 inch of water to the dish to help the peppers steam and soften. Cover the dish tightly with foil, then bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the foil and top the peppers with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly on the edges. Top the peppers with the remaining sliced green onion just before serving.

Recipe: Simple Chili With Fresh Shelling Beans

Rae's Recipe!

1lb ground beef (optional)
1-2 Bell Peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, chopped
About 3 cups shelled fresh beans
2 14.5oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Salt to taste

Add your shelled beans to a pot with one clove of garlic, and simmer them with just enough water to cover for 20-25min. Set Aside.

In a thick-bottomed pot, saute chopped onion, bell peppers, and minced jalapeno over medium heat until the vegetables start to soften. Add in minced garlic and spices and cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Add in ground beef (if using) and saute, breaking up the beef, until it is no longer pink.

Fold in crushed tomatoes, reserved shelling beans, and water, and simmer gently over medium heat until all of the flavors have combined-about 15min. Add salt to taste.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, grated jack cheese, and minced cilantro
The chili will taste even better after sitting in your fridge over night!

Recipe: Baked Chard With Peppers & Feta

from Fountain Avenue Kitchen

This unique way of cooking chard delivers crisp edges and golden brown bits of feta. Try adding in your reserved beet greens!

1 bunch rainbow chard (about 8 ounces), rinsed and well drained

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced (separate the pieces)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use (plus a little extra for greasing the pan)

1 bell pepper, seeded and thickly sliced or chopped

1 slightly rounded 1/2 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled

Freshly ground pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 teaspoon)

Optional: chopped, toasted walnuts for garnish (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with sides with olive oil.

Separate the stems from the leaves of the Swiss chard and chop both, keeping the piles separate. I like to chop the stems into bite-size pieces and the leaves into pieces 2-3 inches long and across.

Toss the chard stems and sliced onion in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with pepper to taste, and spread onto the prepared baking sheet. (I completely omit salt in this recipe as the feta offers sufficient saltiness; if you prefer more, you may always salt at the end.)

Bake in the preheated oven until the chard stems have softened and the onion is starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir around a little.

In the bowl you used to toss the stems and onions, toss the chard leaves and the sliced pepper with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few more grinds of the pepper mill. (I find this easiest to do with my clean hands.) Sprinkle the leaves and peppers over the stem mixture, and then scatter the feta cheese over top.

Return to the oven, and bake until the leaves are beginning to crisp and the feta is starting to turn golden, about 20 minutes. You may also broil for a minute or so at the end to add a hint of crispiness to the leaves and a touch of golden brown to the feta. Just watch very closely so as not to burn.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the optional walnuts, if desired.