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Burrito in a Bowl

Ok, this is not really a burrito although it does have all of the best components– minus the ones that you would not think you would never miss. It has no tortilla, no cheese, no sour cream, and does not require rice. I LOVE burritos, and this recipe TOTALLY satisfies my desires for the more authentic version. As an added bonus, I feel good after I have this one.

To start, cook up some of your favorite burrito filling (chicken, pork, carne asada (steak), beans, or even grilled vegetables). I usually make a combination of seasoned ground beef (or buffalo) and kidney beans and I always make enough so that I can have a quick lunch or simple dinner without having to cook again.

Burrito in a Bowl – serves 4

Ingredients:

“Filling”:
* 1 lb ground beef (substitute buffalo, elk, ostrich, or even turkey for a lower fat alternative)
* 1 15oz can organic kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or other Mexican meat seasoning
* 1 tablespoon olive oil

Other components:
* 2 cups cooked brown rice
* non-fat Greek style yogurt
* salsa (make your own or use pre-made)
* 1-2 avocados
* cilantro and minced onion for garnish – optional

Directions:
-Saute onion and garlic in a skillet over a medium heat until it is translucent and aromatic.
-Add the meat and break it up into pieces. When it is about 1/2 cooked, add the cumin and chili powder.
-Continue cooking until the meat is completely cooked. Add the beans and mix thoroughly to incorporate.
-Taste for seasoning, add salt if desired.

To assemble the burrito heat the rice and put 1/2 cup (or desired amount) in a bowl. Top with 3/4 cup of “filling”. Add a dollop of yogurt, salsa to taste and diced avocado. Sprinkle finely minced onion and cilantro on top.

Enjoy!

4-Bean Salad


This is a fabulously easy recipe that adds variety and contrast to almost any meal. It is perfect for your home-cooked meals, salads, or even as a snack. It is an excellent accompaniment to a BBQ, and a perfect pot luck dish; It is fast and easy, keeps well, and is inexpensive too.
An added benefit is that it is extremely high in fiber, a dietary component that is often severely lacking in the modern American diet. Beans are a protein rich, high fiber superfood. This recipe will help you fall in love with BEANS if you are not already!

You can cook your own beans if you would like, the finished product will be even better if you do. Canned will work just fine though. Do be sure to choose organic whenever possible!

4-Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
½ lb green beans steamed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 celery stalk, chopped fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine
¼ cup fresh, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1T honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix the beans, celery, onion, parsley.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the beans. Toss to coat.

3. Chill beans in the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the beans to soak up the flavor of the dressing.

Serves 4 to 8. – Keeps well for up to a week sealed in an airtight container.

Jewel Studded Sweet Potatoes

I got two calls this Thanksgiving for this recipe– so I think I will share it. I have been making since I was a little girl. It is easy, beautiful, and as healthy as it gets. It is full of vitamins A, C, B6, iron, calcium, as well as generous amounts of antioxidants. And, since it is a natural sweet, it will help curb cravings for the less healthy, refined sugar treats.

It takes about 10-15 minutes of prep time, and baking time depends on the size of potatoes selected. It is a twice baked recipe, but this is a huge time and oven space saver on T day since the second baking is very short.

1. Wash and scrub desired amount of Jewel or Garnet yams. Larger ones work better for this recipe.

2. Bake them directly on the oven rack at 375 degrees for about an hour and a half or until they are soft all the way through. the longer you bake them, the sweeter they will be. Tip: Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven to make cleanup a snap.

3. Remove them from the oven and let cool. This pre baking can be done a day or two ahead of time and is a huge time saver on T day. Store in the refrigerator.

4. Wash a bag of fresh cranberries discarding any that are soft.

5. Slice the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange in a baking dish so that they are touching but not tightly packed. Be sure to leave the skin on.

6. Dot the tops of the slices with the fresh cranberries pushing them gently into the potato so that they are half buried. Use as many or as few as you like– personally I like as many as will fit into the top of each slice.

7. Bake for about 20-30 minutes. The cranberries should burst and the sweet potatoes should be warm all the way through.

Goat Korma Curry

Last week, when I was at farmer’s market, I stopped in at the Sonoma County Meat Buying Club’s table. They had goat, which I have never cooked before, so I decided to try it. This is one of the easiest recipes I have made in a while, and it was spectacularly delicious. The meat was tender and sweet, not gamy at all, and the kids loved it too. We ate it with Brown rice. Some nan would have been nice. Good ole Trader Joe’s sells that too. Next time I get goat, I will be sure to remember to buy some nan.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs stew meat (in this case goat, but lamb or beef would be just fine)
1 jar of Trader Joe’s korma curry simmer sauce
1/3 jar water
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBS ghee (butter or olive oil would work fine)
1 TBS peanut butter
1 tsp soyaki (a trader Joe’s condiment)
1 more small clove of garlic, smashed

Directions:

1. Sautee onion and garlic in 1 TBS of ghee until translucent and soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add remaining 1 TBS of ghee to pan and brown meat on high heat.
3. Add jar of korma simmer sauce and water. Put onions back in with the meat. cover and simmer on a very low heat for at least an hour. (I left it just barely simmering for 2 1/2 hours – I heard goat was tough)
4. Mix peanut butter, soyaki and small garlic clove together into a paste. Thin it with some of the liquid in the pan so that it is easy to incorporate into the rest of the sauce, then add it back in and stir. – That is it. It is ready to serve!