bean salad

my friend, rebecca, made this salad for us over the summer and i loved it.  i forgot to ask her for the recipe but i improvised my version from a recipe i found at allrecipes.com and i am super happy with the result.  this salad is packed with protein and makes a great side dish, main course, or snack...

ingredients/supplies:
-5 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
-3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
-1/3 cup fresh cilantro
-2 limes
-1 teaspoon agave (or sugar)
-1 small red onion
-4 green onions
-1 or 2 jalapenos
-1 pound shelled edamame (i used frozen and it was 1 package)
-3 cups frozen corn (again, i used frozen for ease- 2 packages)
-2 handfuls of cherry or grape tomatoes
-salt to taste
-15 ounces of black beans (1 can if you are using canned)
-measuring cups and spoons, a strainer, a large mixing bowl, a large spoon, a knife and a cutting board

prepping/chopping/mixing:
prep:
-thaw the edamame and corn (i just left it out for 2 hours and it thawed but if you want to speed up the process, just throw them in a pot of barely salted boiling water for about 3 minutes and strain...be sure to cool them after)
-drain, rinse, and strain the beans
-wash and dry the jalapeno and green onion

chopping:
-chop the onions (green and red), jalapenos (i diced mine without the seeds or veins), and half or quarter the tomatoes

-chop the cilantro at the last minute, right before adding to the dressing mixture explained below

mix:
-in a small bowl mix the 5 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil, the juice of 2 limes, 1 teaspoon of agave, and a pinch of salt
-add the red onions, green onions, jalapenos, and cilantro to the dressing

-in a large bowl mix the corn and the edamame and pour the dressing over and mix

-add the black beans and the tomatoes give a careful, final mix so that tomatoes and beans do not fall apart

-salt to taste

it is good right when you make it but it is excellent after chillin in the frig overnight...

enjoy!

black beans

i use this recipe for black beans and pinto beans...i love having beans in the frig to add to salads, tacos, soups, and just plain topped with a bit of pico de gallo....

ingredients/supplies:
1 x 16 oz bag of organic black beans
2 small onions
2 jalapenos
3 cloves of garlic
1 shallot
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 ham hock or 1/2 pound of bacon (optional...i actually prefer them vegan)
6-8 cups of purified water for soaking beans
5-6 cups of purified water for cooking beans
salt to taste
a knife, cutting board, a large pot with a lid

prepping/chopping/cooking:

pre-prep:
-sort beans
(place beans on your counter and discard any little rocks, split beans, and discolored beans)
-rinse beans
(place beans in a colander and rinse them)
-soak beans in 6-8 cups of purified water overnight

prep/chop:
-drain and rinse pre-soaked beans
-cut 2 onions in 1/2
-peel and smash garlic (no need to chop--better to leave it whole)
-cut the jalapenos in 1/2 and de-seed and de-vein (wash your hands immediately after handling the peppers)
-peel shallot
-set bay leaf aside
-if you are using bacon, slice the strips into 2 inch pieces

-heat pot over medium heat
-add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to hot pan to heat

cook:
-add onions, garlic, jalapeno, shallot, and bay leaf to hot oil (add bacon or ham hock if using)
-add beans
-add water to cover beans
-lightly simmer for about 2-2.5 hours or until beans have reached the desired tenderness (you may need to lower heat to medium low as soon as you reach a simmer)
-i cook the beans for about 1 hour without a lid and then add water if needed and cover for the remaining hour
(check on the beans frequently to make sure that they are cooking at a light simmer and never boil...lower heat if needed.  the water level should cover the beans for the duration of cooking so add water to the beans while cooking if the water lever lowers too much)
-add salt to taste when the desired tenderness
(if you add salt too soon, i find that the beans break down.  i add the salt after about 1.5 hours of cooking)

if you are feeling like a little more spice...add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper when you are adding the veggies....

enjoy!