Black Bean Taco Salad

Dinner last night was a yummy Black Bean Taco Salad. I love it when I develop one recipe that can be used in various different ways so you never get bored!.  The Black Bean Taco Salad is exactly that.  The Black Bean base the same recipe I use for tacos; the difference was presentation.  I served the Black Beans on a bed of Romaine Lettuce and topped it off with my guacamole and fresh cut cherry tomatoes.

I made two versions of the Black Bean Taco Salad; 1 was vegetarian and 1 was vegan and gluten free.  The great thing about this recipe was the only difference was cheese and corn chips!  No matter how many different diets you have in your household, you can accommodate all very easily.

Don't forget to check out my Guacamole Recipe which is also on the blog!

Black Bean Ingredients

2 cans black beans 

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp garlic powder & onion powder 

Cayenne red pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp but we like heat in this household)

1/2 white onion 1 garlic clove 

1 tbsp olive oil 

Brown the garlic & onion in the olive oil and add drained and rinsed beans. Add about 1/2 cup water, it will cook down. Then add seasonings and cover to cook on high heat until desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

Vegan & Gluten Free Version

Vegetarian Version

This recipe is clean, organic, and whole food eating at its best! Something so simple and flavorful that is, Oh So Good for you.  The avocados were not organic; the thicker the skin you don't necessarily have to go organic. So if you are trying to cut cost at the grocery store that is a helpful hint.

Margherita Flatbread Recipe

I hope you have had a chance to check out my Flatbread Dough Recipe which is also a post on the blog.  If you haven't go and check it out because it is super simple and tastes amazing!

Now that you have this beautiful flatbread that you just pulled off the skillet and it is ready for toppings let's make a Margherita Flatbread!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. And while the oven is preheating go ahead and cut and prep all the ingredients listed below. 

Margherita Flatbread Ingredients

1 organic tomato

1 clove garlic minced

Olive oil

 organic mozzarella sliced thin

1C lightly packed fresh organic basil

Ground black pepper

Once your veggies are all prepped and cut, drizzle the olive oil lightly over the flatbread. Then add your minced garlic clove in top of the flatbread. Then use your hands to light spread the oil and garlic evenly on the flatbread crust. The add your sliced mozzarella, tomatoes, basil leaves, and sprinkle it all with crushed black pepper. 

Then place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or till the cheese is melted and lightly browned. 

Viola you a delicious, clean, and wholefood flatbread that is just ready for the eating. Feel free to add your favorite crushed red pepper.

Flatbread Dough Recipe

Flatbreads appear to be all the rage at restaurants, and it is one of my favorite things to order. I got to thinking it couldn't be that hard to make at home and clean up the recipe,so after one failed attempt at the crust I gave it another go and man am I glad I did.  This is amazing! Seriously I'm going to be making these all the time.

So let's start with how to make the dough, because once you have mastered  the dough recipe you can make all kind of variations of flatbreads. 

Flatbread Dough Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp of salt

1 1/2 cups water

In a large mixing bowl combine all your ingredients and mix with a spoon till you have a sticky consistency. Then turn out on to a floured surface. 

Begin to knead the dough as pictures above; adding flour till you have a non sticky, palpable, and smooth consistency.

Then separate the dough into 2 halves.  This recipe will make 4 flatbreads.  I froze one of my halves to use at a later time as 2 flatbreads is more then enough for my little family. 

Then break down 1 of your halves one more time so you have 2 small halves. 

Shape the dough into a round smooth ball and begin rolling out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin. 

Courtesy of my time at a pizzeria in high school I have some serious mad pizza stretching abilities. So once I have the dough flattened out I begin to stretch with my hands into a thinner shape.  If this is something your don't feel comfortable with just continue to roll out till you have a thin circular, rectangular, or misshapen piece if dough.  At the end of day taste is what matters and more you make the prettier they will be.

Then heat a skillet on the cooktop with a small dollop of olive oil till the skillet is very hot and sizzling.

Place the dough on the skillet and cook on high. You will need to flip the dough multiple times to assure it cooks crisply without burning.

Once your flatbread is crisp and resembles the one in the above picture remove the flatbread from heat and place on a pizza pan. 

Now the flatbread is ready for toppings and then the oven! Look at that you made a delicious flatbread dough that is clean and made with whole ingredients.

I have the recipe for Margherita Flatbread on the blog as well. Go to that post to see what the ingredients are! 

Rosemary Free-Range Organic Whole Chicken

Dinner tonight was a yummy organic free-range whole chicken! On a budget? Whole chickens are a great way to get some bang for your buck. You get a whole chicken to eat on for dinner, you get leftovers, and if you trim the meat from the carcass when you've eaten all you can eat, you can then freeze the extra trimmed meat to use in a salad, enchiladas, or really whatever you can think of later.  So basically if you have a family of 2, like us, you can get 3 meals out of it and if you have a bigger family, you will get at least 2 out of it.  If you're really adventurous, which I have not been till now (I'll let ya know how it goes), you can also make your own chicken stock from the carcass.

Basically a whole chicken is amazing and it gives you a chance to be respectful to the chicken by not wasting any of it.

So now we have covered how whole chickens are great on a budget and now it's time to cover how absolutely yummy they can be! 

Whole chickens have a lot of different flavor combos that require very little work (which is one of the reasons they get a 👍).  Tonight I made a Rosemary Chicken with carrots, onions, frozen peas, and I threw in a few potatoes.  I rarely use potatoes because of the starch, but I also don't believe in throwing food out and I had to use this potato up.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

6 organic carrots chopped

1 organic onion chopped

1/2 organic bag frozen peas

1 russet potato cubes

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place the chicken in a roasting pan with the chopped veggies arranged around it. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.  All the insides of my chicken had been removed, but make sure to double check inside and pull out any insides if there are any. Then separate the skin from the body of the chicken with your fingers 

Then take the dry rub and rub it all over the top of the skin and under the skin (for good flavor) 

After saturating the entire chicken with the dry rub, whatever seasoning is left over sprinkle on the veggies. Then pour 1 cup of water on all the veggies (this will help them cook and not burn). 

Place in the oven with the lid for about 30 minutes then uncover to let the chicken brown and crisp.  I use a meat thermometer to gauge when my meat is done. I have learned the hard way it is the best way for me to determine when the meat is done without over cooking.  It took my whole chicken 1 hour and 10 min to cook, but I have also learned every oven is a little different. 

The rosemary added a beautiful aromatic touch to the savoriness of the chicken. I definitely recommend this guy, it will be a family pleaser. 

Pesto Portobello Sandwiches

Tonight's dinner features some homemade pesto sauce slathered on meaty portobello mushrooms. These are perhaps the juiciest portobellos I have ever had and the saltiness from the fresh melted mozzarella was just the cherry on top for me.  My belly is so very happy.

This dish was quick and easy.  It took an entire 30 minutes to make! After a long work day and on top of my lingering cold, it was just what the doctor ordered.

   

The pesto is basically my grandmother'a recipe.  I personally had to cut down on the olive oil because it was just too oily. So since I did that I also had to cut down on the pine nuts and the cheese. Still it is a delicious, easy favorite around here that can add character to any meal.  All of the ingredients I used were organic and the basil came straight from my herb garden.

Pesto ingredients

2 cups lightly packed fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 teaspoon each of salt & pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Put all in blender or food processor and blend till thoroughly combined 

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Portobello ingredients

5 medium sized portobello mushrooms

1/2 cup  diced grape tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella cheese 

Place the mushrooms on a cookie sheet. Baste the mushrooms in the pesto mix and top each mushroom with a few diced tomatoes.  Then bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 min.  Add the thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese. Continue to bake till the cheese has melted.  

We ate them on organic whole grain bun thins but they are also delicious by themselves.  We ate our's with some fresh cut watermelon to keep it simple, light, and fresh. 

Grapefruit & Banana Smoothie

It has been a bit of a rough weekend and start to this week. I apparently have one of those terrible "summer colds" my grandmother always talked about.  Honestly, if you have to be sick, August in Texas is probably the worst possible time to have said sickness.  Ugh.... My head feels like it is  in a vice, my nose is leaking like a sieve, and my throat is on fire. Basically I feel like crap.

The best possible antidote for a cold is always going to be prevention: eat the right things, get plenty of rest, and stress management. Well the last week I have not done any of the above listed things, hence the obvious weakness in my immunity allowing me to catch, the "terrible summer cold". 

So if you are like me and happen to be enduring a visit from the wonderful common cold (please I hope you can catch my sarcasm) what now? Well plenty of rest and fluids is always a must.  Also on the menu for recovery is healthy bug fighting food! 

Today I had a tasty smoothie made from grapefruit, banana, and kiwi. 

Grapefruit is packed with Vitamin C which is an immune boosting antioxidant.  Bananas contain B6 which is a supplement that helps our bodies fight infection.  Kiwi is full of more Vitamin C and Vitamin E.  Vitamin E helps aid our bodies in the production of immunoglobulins which are our bodies defense system against invaders. 

Ingredients

1 grapefruit (peeled)

1 banana

2 kiwis

1/2 cup of coconut water

1 spoonful of almond butter (protein)

Ice to desired thickness

All in all we have a delicious immune boosting, cold fighting, glass of deliciousness. It really does matter how we treat our bodies and what food we eat. Remember to be kind; our bodies are amazing and deserve it.

Chipotle Bucks at the Dallas Farmer's Market

Folks who here loves Chipotle? Who here also loves a good farmer's market?  Well, do I have news for you!  This Saturday, August 9th, at the Dallas Farmer's Market, Chipotle is handing out 5$ vouchers to the 1st 300 people who visit the Chipotle tent at the Dallas Farmers Market.  The Vouchers are redeemable for produce at the Dallas Farmer's Market. Chipotle is a huge supporter of local and sustainable produce, so in support of National Farmer's Market Week(Aug 3-9) this is how Chipotle is showing their support. 

I mean how seriously cool is this?  All you have to do is show up at the Dallas Farmer's Market,  grab your favorite burrito from Chipotle, and then pick up a voucher for 5$ worth of amazing local produce.  This is a total steal!  If you live in Dallas or the DFW area you have to swing by.   I know we will and I hope to see everyone out and about at the Dallas Farmer's Market!

They only have 300 vouchers so beat the heat and get there early!

Strawberry, banana, & kiwi smoothie

I am loving this random Wednesday off from work and feeling so blessed to have my brother and his girlfriend visiting.  After an awesome yoga session with my brother (his 1st yoga session ever!) a energy, nutritious, and replenishing smoothie was in order. 

I used almond butter to replenish protien, banana for the "good carbs",kiwi for the potassium and vitamin c (awesome at combating soreness), and chia seeds for the omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates,protien, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. 

A dietary serving of chia seeds is 2 tbsp per serving.  So when I make a smoothie for me I use 2 tbsp. These are seriously a little superfood!

All in all this smoothie was delishious, refreshing, replenishing, and packed full of goodness. 

Ingrediants ( made for 3 )

1 cup strawberries

2 kiwis

1 banana

Large spoonful of Almond butter

1/2 cup coconut water

4 tbsp chia seeds

Ice to thickness

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! 

(All ingrediants I used are organic)

Organic Gardening Hacks

For those who know me, you know that I have always been a self declared brown thumb. Gardening has never been my thing.  In fact, last summer I killed 3 basil plants alone.  Well, this spring I decided, I was gonna do this! I was gonna grow a small garden and it was going to be organic. 

Step 1 was to order my heirloom organic non GMO seeds from SEEDS NOW.  I decided to start out simple with green bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, beefsteak tomatoes, basil, cilantro, and Italian parsley.  

 

Well between now and then I have had an ongoing battle with the squirrels.  Which is still very much ongoing so the story of my pepper plants is to be continued as they have been caught in the crossfire. 

My tomatoes and herbs look beautiful! I couldn't be more proud.  So 2 of my favorite  Organic Gardening Hacks came from my great grandmother.  How cool is that.  Sometimes when we hear the word organic, we think it has to be a new age complicated thing. When truely it is simply how generations before us always used to grow their food; before pesticides and genetically modified seeds came to be in common use. 

The best way I can think to describe organic is "think about it as old school, it's the food our grandparents used to eat".  

So taking that into consideration here are 2 Organic Gardening Hacks that if have used consistently. 

Ground Egg Shells

When egg shells are ground into a fine dust and sprinkles on plants they act like sharp shards of glass to beetles. This will repel the beetles from hanging out and making a lunch of your hard grown veggies.

 

I collected a handful of organic cage free egg shells, washes and dried them. 

Then I used my food processor to break them down into shards.  My food processor can not get the pieces fine enough so then I transfer them to my coffee gender. ( it helps to use the food processor 1st so your coffee grinder doesn't have to work so hard) 

Then sprinkle a layer on your plants. 

Another Organic Gardening Hack is to use coffee grounds as fertilizer. 

 Just throw in the used coffee grounds from that mornings coffee to your soil.  It helps to add nitrogen.  I have used this tactic for years with my flower pots and I believe they have lead to some of the largest mutant like marigolds I have ever grown last year.

Caprese Salad

I know, I have been a little MIA this week. It has been a crazy busy week and I have literally been living off of smoothies and left overs 😳 but last night I was able to cook and dang did it feel good!

Between late nights at work and a sick puppy I still needed something easy and quick to whip up.  I started hunting through my fridge; honestly I didn't know what I still had in there as grocery shopping is on the To Do List.  Well I found some beautiful heirloom tomatoes left over from last weeks summer share from Green Grocer (seriously if you live in Dallas you have to check this place out).  Then I found some mmm... good fresh mozzarella cheese. Well natrually I thought, Caprese Salad. 

I have never made a Caprese Salad before, but I thought tomatoes, cheese, and basil how could I go wrong? There is not science to this dish, I basically just threw it together in a bowl and crossed my fingers hoping it would work out (as I was starved and the chicken broiling was not gonna cut it for dinner alone).  

 

Ingrediants (mine are all organic)

Olive Oil

Apple Cider Vinegar

7 fresh basil leaves

Fresh Mozerella

2 heirloom tomatoes

Black pepper

Pinch of stevia

 

 I cubed the tomatoes and mozzerella in a bowl.  I then drizzled the olive oil (about 2 tbsp) over the tomatoes and mozzerella.  I then added the chopped fresh basil.  Sprinkled with black pepper (about 1/2tsp) and a pinch of stevia. I added a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar, mixed together with a spoon, and viola a Caprese Salad. 

Now, I know my measurements are exact on this one, but have a little fun with it.  You can always add less, then taste, and add more pepper or stevia if you think you need it.  Also feel to comment if you have any questions :)