DoyCave.com

…where Doy occasionally writes.

Category: Food & Recipes

  • Rice and Beans: A Quick Fix for Strict Vegans

    I’ll say at the outset that I’m a little embarrassed to share this with you.

    A real website curator would have something more substantial with which to reward his four faithful readers for their loyalty. As it is…you have me.

    All that said, however, I really find this helpful and hope you do, too. If I get home late and dinner is gone, or if I need to fix something for myself because tonight is a pizza night for the kids, or if I realize late in the evening that I have nothing to eat for lunch tomorrow…this is basically a dish I can make in less than 20 minutes, and it’s delicious and filling.

    And it’s basically rice and beans.

    I’ve unlocked the universe for you, right? Let the waves of epiphany wash over you, transforming you into a Being of Enlightenment.

    So, if I see this scenario coming, I might stop by the grocery store and grab the following:

    • 2 Cans of reduced sodium or no salt added beans (I’m a fan of black beans, red kidney beans and black eyed peas)
    • Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
    • Your favorite aromatic veggies (onions, garlic, peppers, etc.)
    • Minute Brown Rice
    • Baby Spinach or Kale

    In the case where I don’t see it coming, I always make sure to have a few cans of beans in the pantry just in case.

    It’s ALL about planning, people.

    Before you get cooking, prepare your beans (two cans) and chop up your aromatics (usually about a cup) as well as your spinach or kale (about three big handfuls…it cooks way down). I usually put the canned beans in a colander and wash them off pretty thoroughly. Even with reduced sodium beans, you want to wash off as much salt as you can, and the more you wash them off, the less likely you are to prove why beans are sometimes called the “magical fruit.”

    You’ll also want to go ahead and get your brown rice going. A cup of rice, a cup of water and eight minutes in the microwave. Can’t beat that!

    Step one is to pour vegetable broth into a sauce or sauté pan. I usually coat the bottom of a sauté pan with the liquid…probably just a cup at most. I don’t like to have my beans really runny, so it’s just enough to get them wet and seasoned.

    Second, I use a garlic press to mince my garlic (no more than two cloves, usually), and then add my onions and peppers in the pan. Then add your spinach and Kale. I heat that on Medium heat for three or four minutes. If you’re sautéing onions, they’ll become clear, and your spinach or kale will start to wilt.

    Once that’s done, add your beans to the mixture and mix them in well. Stir the beans and veggies on occasion, both to get the flavor throughout the dish as well as to see how done you are. If cooked too long, the broth will start to thicken and get gummy. Just keep an eye on it. Nothing in this dish has to “cook through.” You’re basically just warming and wilting.

    When the beans are heated well, and the greens are wilted, add in your rice and mix the dish all together. You can also add one of the many wonderful Mrs. Dash seasonings at this point. I recommend the Tomato Basil Garlic. No salt. No MSG. Delicious!

    I can usually make this meal in 10 to 15 minutes. It’s an old standby that has kept me from straying on many occasions.

    Feel free to improve it and make it your own! Please! And then tell me! And don’t rub it in if it’s more awesome!

    Oh, and Happy Earth Day! Go plant something! And then EAT it…unless it’s a pine tree. Those are NOT tasty.

  • Black Bean “Hummus”

    This is NOT really the place for innovative vegan cooking. Lindsay Nixon over at The Happy Herbivore does that better than most, I think.

    However, I will share something that I eat…OFTEN. It’s one of my “foundational foods” and I use it for EVERYTHING. Well…except for soap. And toothpaste…I don’t use it for that. And motor oil…that would be bad.

    I use it a lot.

    It’s a “hummus” in name only, mainly because it contains chick peas, but I use it as a spread for sandwiches, a base for veggie burritos and tacos, a dip for vegetables (especially baby carrots…SO good!) and sometimes just out of a spoon. It’s really great and so easy to make.

    Here’s what you’ll need:

    • 1 Can of Reduced Sodium or No Salt Added Black Beans
    • 1 Can of Reduced Sodium or No Salt Added Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
    • 1 Lemon
    • 3 Cloves of Garlic
    • 1/2 TSP of Crushed Chiles
    • 1/4 TSP of Red Pepper seasoning
    • 1 TSP of Paprika
    • 1 1/2 TSP of Cumin
    • 1 1/2 TSP of Fresh Cilantro
    • Low Sodium Vegetable Broth, which we’ll use as needed

    First thing I do with all canned beans is put them in a colander and wash them thoroughly. This gets rid of some of the salt and also helps in making the beans less…um…”whistle-worthy” in a manner of speaking. If you’re using dry beans, be sure to note they won’t have as much moisture in them, so you’ll add more vegetable broth when blending. Might want to add a little more lemon juice in that case, too. Not too much, though. Because PUCKER!

    When that’s done, I put the black beans and chick peas into my blender. We have a NINJA blender…which I like to say because it’s fun…”We have a NINJA!” It does a great job with this kind of stuff because of the rows of horizontal blades. I haven’t tried it with another blender, so let me know how that goes.

    We usually mince the garlic with our mincer from Pampered Chef. It seems to get the flavor in there better than just peeling cloves and throwing them in the blender.

    Juice the lemon and pour that in.

    Add the rest of the ingredients, except the Vegetable Broth, which we’ll add later…maybe.

    When everything is in, go ahead and blend the ingredients. We’re basically blending until you get the consistency you want. I like it a little thicker…almost like refried beans, but we get it a little thinner sometimes, too, and that still tastes great.

    If your mixture starts seizing up from being too dry, just add the vegetable broth. Don’t add too much at a time, though. Your hummus can get runny in a flash, and that’s not great.

    Serve it hot or cold. It’s wonderful, I tell you.

    Feel free to improve this. I’m not a chef in any capacity. This is just a recipe I came to love through experimentation. I hope you’ll make it better!

  • Foundational Foods

    One of the most important lessons of eating a strict plant-based whole foods diet is being prepared.

    Preparation is what gets you through the trap of, “Oh, man…I don’t have anything here at the HOUSE to eat, and I don’t want to go to the store NOW and so I guess I just have to eat PIZZA, HAMBURGERS and DONUTS with you guys. Oh? We don’t have that here? I’ll have them DELIVERED! I gotta eat, right? RIGHT?!”

    Yeah, that trap is actually a doozy, into which I have fallen a time or thirty. Our brains can be the most divisive opponent in the fight for health.

    So to combat our superior reasoning powers and the temptations they bring, I make sure I have my “foundational food” in my pantry at all times…or most of the time. It’s like Batman’s Utility Belt…if he were vegan…and…you know…carried FOOD around instead of…smoke bombs and Batarangs.

    Black Bean Hummus (Recipe Coming Soon!)
    I use this for EVERYTHING. I can use it as a vegetable dip. I can use it as a coating for amazing veggie sandwiches. I can use it with tortillas to make a more mexican-flavored veggie or bean taco or burrito. It’s something I eat A LOT.

    Bell Peppers (Red, Green, Yellow and Orange)
    The green bell pepper is great for Hopping John (black eyed peas and rice), as well as flavoring a host of other dishes. The brighter colored peppers have a sweeter flavor and are great for adding to beans and rice, serving as a homemade pizza topping, or just going on a sandwich in slices.

    Garlic, Onions and Spices
    These items will vary based on preference, but I always want to make sure I can season my food. This is kind of a no-brainer, but I make sure I have it all on hand. I like Mrs. Dash spices, Paprika, Onion Powder (not too much because of the sodium), Cumin, Crushed Chiles, Red Pepper and fresh Cilantro. Just make sure you have what you need to create the flavor profiles you like.

    Canned, Reduced Sodium or No Salt Added Beans
    These are so foundational if you get in a bind. They’re a quick fix, which is a MUST, and can be used in SO many ways. Use them for beans and rice. Use them in black bean burgers. Use them in stews. Use them in dips. Keep them in the pantry. You will use them.

    Dried beans
    I like to have dried beans in the house, too. Ideally, you want to use the dry more than the canned because they have so much less sodium. You can soak the beans during the day, drain them in the evening and then either use them or refrigerate them to use during the week. It’s just great to have them on hand.

    Whole Wheat Tortillas
    Tacos and burritos and wraps are fantastic quick fixes. It’s always a good idea to keep these in the pantry. A word of warning, however. The sodium content in ALL brands is fairly high, usually about 250mg to 300mg PER TORTILLA. Once or twice a week at most with these, if you can.

    Brown Rice, Quinoa or Whole Wheat Pasta
    Make sure your pasta uses WHOLE wheat flour and not just wheat flour. You can get regular brown rice or Minute Brown Rice. Studies have shown them to be about the same nutritionally, so it’s really up to you. Quinoa has a great earthy flavor that you’ll love with beans or veggies. It’s great to have these on hand. They usually don’t take long to prepare and are very filling.

    Baby Spinach, Kale or Other Greens
    I use Baby Spinach on SO many things, whether on sandwiches, in beans and rice or in a stew. It’s a great vegetable to add to just about anything, and boosts the nutrition immediately.

    Food for Life Ezekiel Bread
    I love sandwiches and burgers, and with this bread, I can have both. There are several different types of this bread. You’ll find some of their varieties in health food stores or larger supermarket chains in the frozen section. Lightly toast it and enjoy!

    This is, again, just my foundational food list. I’d love to see yours! Anything you’d add? Take away?

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