Category: Recipes

Banana nice cream with granola

Eat Frozen Banana Nice Cream & Be Nice to Yourself!

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When you need a frozen creamy dessert, blend up this frozen banana nice cream and enjoy! You’ll feel like your indulging, but there’s everything right about this dessert and nothing to be ashamed of. Frozen banana nice cream to the rescue!

You need to plan ahead so that you have frozen bananas in the freezer ready to go. The coconut milk can be substituted with almond or oat milk, but coconut is quite a bit creamier if you use the canned full fat coconut milk. Then all you need is a little vanilla and you are set!

By the way this does work with other frozen fruit and vegetables.  Try adding frozen cauliflower to bump the nutrients or even frozen spinach and add a little mint. One of my favorites besides banana Is frozen cherries. So give this recipe a try and You’ll never go back to dairy ice cream. Finish it off with a crunchy granola topping.

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Coconut Banana Nice Cream

Creamy delicious and hits the spot!
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Keyword: banana, coconut milk
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender or food processor

Ingredients

  • 3 cups frozen banan chunks can substitute other frozen fruit
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk substitute almond or oat
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

Instructions

  • A day ahead of making this dessert, peel and freeze a bunch of bananas, breaking them into chunks.
  • When you’re ready to have dessert, place three cups of the frozen banana chunks into a blender or food processor.
  • Add the coconut milk (almond or oat) and vanilla.
  • If using a blender, start on low speed and increase up to high speed, stopping and scraping the container sides and blending again to incorporate.
  • If using a food processor, begin by pulsing the mixture to break the bananas down and then blend constantly until it becomes creamy. You may have to stop and scrape the sides.
  • If the mixture is having a hard time blending, add more milk a tablespoon at a time until a thick soft serve consistency is reached..
  • Portion out into serving bowls. Top with granola, chopped nuts, cacao powder or nibs.
  • Serve and enjoy. This is also delicious served with your favorite cake, brownie or between cookies.

 

 

Lemon-berry tart

This Lemon Berry Tart Won’t Disappoint!

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With it’s refreshing lemon flavor and fresh bright berries, this plant-based lemon-berry tart won’t disappoint! Delicious, yet dairy free, refined sugar free and gluten free, so it’s practically appropriate for anyone. This beautiful tart is perfect for a special occasion, but easy enough to make as a treat for a weekday meal.

I make it with a raw crust, but if you have a favorite pastry crust, you can use it, just be sure to bake it before filling. You can also try using different milks for the filling, just keep in mind that the full fat coconut milk makes it’s really creamy.

For the berries, you can use fresh cut berries like the strawberries pictured, or any other berry or even cherries. Another variation  is spreading a layer of Berry Chia Jam on the crust, then cover with the cooked milk filling.

So go ahead and treat yourself to this refreshing lemon tart.

Lemon-berry tart
Print Recipe

Lemon-Berry Tart

Delicious And creamy plant-based Lemon tart.
Prep Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: almond, berries, coconut milk, lemon, oats, raw crust
Servings: 8
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender
  • Small sauce pan
  • 8” Tart pan or springform pan

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup oats
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • Pinch Salt
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
  • 2 Tbsp Coconut oil melted
  • 1-2 Tbsp water

Lemon Cream Filling

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup oat or almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp corn starch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 tsp agar agar
  • 1 cup fresh berries or 1/2 cup berry jam

Instructions

For the crust:

  • Add the oats, almond flour and salt to a food processor or blender and pulse to reach a flour texture.
  • Add the sweetener and oil and pulse to combine.
  • Add 1 Tbsp. of water and pulse, adding another only if the crust mixture does not stick together when pinched.
  • Press into the bottom of a tart pan and up the sides slightly. Place in the freezer, while you make the filling.

For the filling:

  • In a small saucepan, gently warm the coconut milk and maple syrup, stir in a pinch of salt.
  • In a blender, combine the oat milk, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, cornstarch and agar agar and blend until smooth.
  • Bring coconut milk to a simmer and then add the mixture from the blender while you whisk.
  • Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, continue to whisk. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temp.
  • Remove crust from freezer and add sliced berries or spread the crust with jam.
  • When the filling has cooled, pour over the berries and crust and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.
  • Garnish with fresh berries on top or drizzle with thinned jam.

Notes

To make individual tarts, line cupcake tin or ramekins with parchment paper or paper liners and press crust into the paper. 
Try different berries to vary the flavor or I think cherries or a fruit coulee would also be delicious. 
Meal bowl

Build Wellness Meal Bowls That Stretch Your Budget

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Build Wellness Meal Bowls That Stretch Your Budget

Wellness bowls are a quick way to build a nutrient dense and delicious meal in a bowl.  If you plan leftover ingredients, building wellness bowls are easy and budget friendly. So save any leftover shredded greens, grilled vegetables, cooked grains and sauces and you’ll have what it takes to build a wellness bowl. Think of wellness bowls as composed meals in a bowl, made in the same fashion you would build a salad at a salad bar. It’s totally up to you how many options you put out to choose from. Consider ingredients based on a theme or flavor profile. Before shopping, take into consideration the seasonality and availability of ingredients, and of course, pick items you like. Remember, the freshest and most nutrient dense foods will be in-season and locally grown. 

To get you started, choose and ingredient from each category below and experiment with different dressings and sauces.

Plant proteins: beans, lentils, split peas, nuts, mung bean sprouts, seeds, tofu, tempeh

Grains & Starchy Vegetables: amaranth, faro, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, quinoa, rice, winter squash, sweet potato, potato, whole grain and rice pasta

Greens: sprouts, micro-greens, arugula, lettuce variety, cabbage, kale, bok choy, chard, collards, spinach, watercress

Non-starchy Vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, fennel, jicama, mushrooms, onions, radish, snow peas, snap peas

Non-sweet fruits: avocado, bell pepper, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini

Fresh Herbs, Spices, Toppings:  basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, chives, garlic, ginger, ground flax, nutritional yeast, toasted nuts & seeds, spice blends

Condiments & Dressings: chutney, pesto, pickles, raw kraut, salsa, tapenade, creamy or vinegar based dressing, Braggs aminos, citrus, hot sauce, tamari, balsamic vinegar, tahini dressing

To prepare each ingredient, you decide how simple or involved you want to get. For example, the protein can be as easy as opening a can of cooked garbanzo beans or as involved as boiling, marinating and pan sauteing tempeh. Greens can be raw, shredded, sauteed or even roasted or grilled. Vegetables and non-sweet fruits can also be raw, shredded or spiraled or cooked by steaming, roasting, sauteing or grilling. Adding herbs and toppings bring a bright freshness and pop of flavor to the dish. The condiments and dressings will pull the flavors together for a deliciously composed meal.

Finally, I’ll share one of my favorite Wellness Bowl combinations. First, I place a cup of arugula in the bottom of a bowl and add a scoop of quinoa that is cooked in coconut milk in the middle.  Then around the quinoa, I place scoops of sliced crimini mushrooms that I marinate in coconut aminos, sprouted mung beans or lentils and steamed broccoli and bok choy.  I top it off with cilantro and mango chutney. Yum!
Try your own combination and let me know how you like it!

Veg patty and Brussels Sprouts

Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Crunchy with a bit of sweetness is the BEST way to eat Brussels sprouts! These Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts are a favorite and easy to make your own.

  • You need a pound of Brussels sprouts
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 T maple syrup
  • salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 or fire up the grill.  Rinse the sprouts under running water and pull off any loose outer leaves. Trim the stem if it has dried out or turned brown, and cut each sprout in half through the stem end.

Place the sprouts in a bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Toss to coat the sprouts and pour onto a baking sheet turning them so the cut side is down. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until they get a little brown and crispy. If grilling, pour onto a sheet of foil and wrap the foil loosely and pinch edges to seal it and place it on a hot grill for 13-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!!

 

Overnight oats

Easy Raspberry Orange Overnight Oats

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If you like oatmeal, you have to give this recipe a try. Raspberry Orange Overnight Oats is easy to prepare the night or two before you want it.  It satisfies the desire for something a little sweet, because of the berries and orange juice. It not only fills your tummy, it’s packed with vitamins and minerals for a nutrient dense breakfast to start you day off right.

Overnight oats can be made with steel cut oats or rolled oats. The steel cut will be chewier than rolled oats.  Steel cut oats will be chewier and can be pulsed in the blender or food processor if you want it smoother. I like to open a capsule of probiotics and add it to the oats to help start the breakdown process, by slightly fermenting the mixture. Probiotics help to ease digesting the grains.

In this recipe, I add tahini. I like the flavor and the fact that it is a good calcium source, but you can substitute any nut or seed butter you have on hand.  Substituting different berries, nut butter and liquid can switch up the flavors and keep you from getting bored with the same old thing, even though it’s delicious.  For liquid variety try flavored plant milks, coconut water or milk, tea, even coffee works.

Overnight oats
Print Recipe

Orange raspberry overnight oats.

Prepare your breakfast tonight for tomorrow. Creamy fruity oats.
Prep Time15 minutes
Resting time8 hours
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: berries, oats, probiotics
Servings: 1
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c oats rolled or steal cut
  • Handful of frozen raspberries
  • 2 T dried fruit (goji, apricot, fig, berries) chopped if needed
  • 1 T tahini
  • 1-2 tsp maple syrup or 3 drops stevia optional
  • 2 T yogurt or open a probiotic capsule
  • 3/4 c orange juice substitute plant milk

Instructions

  • In a jar or bowl, combine the ingredients.
  • Stir, cover, refrigerate overnight.
  • Enjoy in the morning

Notes

The recipe can be made in bulk, so breakfast is ready for several days. Double or triple the recipe.
If using steel cut oats, overnight soaking is necessary, whereas rolled oats can be eaten after only a couple hours. 
For variation, substitute nut or seed butters for the tahini. Try different berries or dried fruit. Change up the liquids used to alter flavor. 
baked gluten free banana bread

The BEST gluten free and vegan Banana Bread

Chef KimLeave a Comment on The BEST gluten free and vegan Banana Bread

There are affiliate links in this post. If you follow links, I may receive a small percentage of sale at no extra cost to you.

I love banana bread and have enjoyed more than my share of banana bread over the years – traditional, vegan and gluten free banana bread. Gluten free bread typically needs more eggs than I like, in order to hold the grain together. Vegan breads typically are not gluten free, because the the gluten is needed to hold things together. This recipe hit the mark. It is an adaptation of a vegan recipe, in which I altered the nut butter, flour and sugar,  And to date, it really is the BEST gluten free banana bread.

 I usually blend my own flour with a combination of oats, brown rice and almond flours. But in this case, I had some 1:1 gluten free flour blend by King Arthur. I picked this blend because it has the greatest amount of whole grains compared  to Bob’s and Pamela’s brands. Tapioca and potato starches are often the first ingredients listed is gluten free flour blends, but in this blend, rice, whole grain brown rice and sorghum flour are listed first. 

The potato and tapioca flour/starches used in gluten free flours are simple starches and go into the bloodstream like sugar, quickly raising the blood sugar. Whole grain flours have more fiber and slow that process down so the spike is not as rapid. So I encourage using whole grain flours above processed flours and starches. Many gluten free products are made with high starch concentration resulting in greater impact on blood sugar regulation. So take caution when eating gluten free as it can increase insulin resistance if the majority of products eaten are made with high starch content flours.

The sweeteners in this bread are bananas and just a little maple syrup. The maple syrup can be substituted with honey or another liquid sweetener. Try making a date syrup by blending dates and water.

Tahini is my favorite butter to use in this recipe, but cashew butter is mild as well. Other seed and nut butters can be used, just be mindful of the flavor that comes with it. Peanut butter and almond butter have strong flavors. 

The stir ins can be anything you fancy – any nut, seeds, dried fruit or chocolate chunks. Some combinations to consider are: cranberry-walnut, raspberry-white chocolate, chocolate chip-coconut, apricot-coconut, cherry-pumpkin seed and mixed berry-pecan.

baked gluten free banana bread
Print Recipe

The BEST (gluten free and vegan) Banana Bread

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana, bread, gluten free,, vegan
Servings: 8 pieces
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • 4X8 bread pan

Ingredients

  • 3 bananas brown
  • 1/3 cup tahini or cashew butter almond or peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup honey or date syrup
  • 2 tablespoons flax meal
  • 2 tablespoons plant milk almond, oat, coconut
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut flakes
  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a mixing bowl. mash the bananas.
  • To the bananas, add the wet ingredients and flax meal, mix well.
  • In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this to the banana mixture and stir.
  • Fold in the walnuts and coconut flakes.
  • Transfer to an oiled bread pan and smooth the top.
  • Bake for 60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Notes

The tahini can be replaced with any other seed or nut butter, just keep in mind the flavor will transfer. Tahini and cashew butter are very mild compared to others.
The coconut flakes and walnuts can be substituted with your favorite nuts, seeds, dried fruit or chocolate chips

 

 

bakes eggless spring quiche

Eggless Spring Quiche

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Eggless Spring Quiche

Eggless Spring Quiche… because vegetable pies are a pretty addition to any table. Offering a quiche with a creamy texture and full of vegetables can make anyone feel welcome at your table. This is a great recipe to make and take along to a pot luck gathering or family gathering. Mother’s Day is coming up!  This vegan eggless quiche would be a delightful and delicious addition to the celebration.

A gluten free crust holds this quiche and is quick to stir together and press into a pie dish. However, any crust could be substituted here, or I’ve also made the quiche into mini quiches and not used a crust at all. To make minis, add filling to greased cupcake tin and bake. You will need to watch and decrease the cook time.

For a Spring quiche, include vegetables that are in season, like asparagus, spinach and fennel. Change up the vegetable variety as the seasons progress and you’ll always have something special and in season. Instead of fresh tomatoes, try adding roasted tomatoes, one of my faves.

This quiche keeps well for several days in the refrigerator, but it can also be frozen to have on hand for easy meal planning. Make two and freeze one for later. I find when making dishes that have several steps, if I plan on doubling the recipe and freezing half, I get more out of my time in the kitchen. And dinner is done for a future meal.

Quiche can be eaten at any meal: breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add a side salad and you will reap the benefits of all the phyto-nutrients and micro-nutrients available in the variety of green and vegetables. Enjoy the nutritional benefits and a full tummy.

bakes eggless spring quiche
Print Recipe

Eggless Spring Quiche.

A healthy alternative to eggs bursting with Spring vegetables.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: eggless, protein, quiche, vegetables
Servings: 8
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1.25 cup garbanzo flour
  • 2 T nutritional yeast
  • 2 T melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup + 1T water

Filling

  • 1 T flax meal with 3 tablespoons water mix in a small bowl and let sit to thicken.
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 cups of chopped vegetables you like asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, peppers, spinach, mushroom, cauliflower, fennel bulb
  • 1¼ cup water or nut milk
  • ½ cup cashews optional if using water – adds richness
  • 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 T coconut aminos
  • 3 T nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp oregano and thyme
  • ½ tsp salt and pepper
  • 1 fresh tomato (or roasted tomatoes are nice here) sliced

Instructions

Crust

  • To prepare the crust: combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
  • Roll out between sheets of plastic wrap or press into 9” pie plate.
  • Bake for 15 minutes at 350. For individual quiches, press a couple tablespoons of crust mixture into muffin tins or omit crust altogether.

Filling

  • To prepare the filling: combine flax meal and water in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Saute onions until soft and then add garlic for 1 minute, while stirring. When softened, spoon into a blender.
  • In the same pan, add your choice of vegetables and stir over medium heat to soften slightly.
  • To the blender add one cup of sauteed veggies, the milk (or water and cashews) along with the flax mixture, flour, baking powder, aminos and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Pour back into pan with remaining vegetables, mix well.
  • Spoon filling into pie dish, place more tomato slices on top.. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until set.
  • Filling can also be made into mini quiches without crust: spray muffin tins with a little oil and fill. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
bean, orange and arugula salad

White Bean, Orange and Arugula Salad

Chef KimLeave a Comment on White Bean, Orange and Arugula Salad

Pile this salad into a bowl for a full meal. It’s filling and satisfyingly tasty. Adding beans to a salad, increases the protein, carbohydrate and fiber content.  White beans, oranges and arugula complement each other in flavor and texture, making a tasty bite with each forkful. Give this bean, orange and arugula salad a try!

This salad has a citrus dressing – a combination of hop pepper and lime which adds a nice acidic tang to the sweetness of the orange and spiciness of the arugula. The creaminess of the beans help to mellow some of the spice, but feel free to leave it out if you are sensitive to cayenne.

When considering the sprouts for this salad, use leafy sprouts rather than the crunchy legume sprouts. And depending on your desire for spice, radish sprouts add a kick, while pea shoots, broccoli, kale and sunflower sprouts are all mild. I decide based on whats available and freshest at the store if I haven’t sprouted any myself.

For another recipe post using leafy green sprouts and crunchy sprouts as the focus, go HERE.

Oranges add sweetness and tang along with a juiciness that  lends itself nicely to compliment the dressing. Blood oranges are available only certain times of the year. If you can find them, give them a try. But don’t shy away from the recipe if you can’t find them, navel oranges are very nice, just a little sweeter. If you are not comfortable cutting the orange as indicated, you can add segments of the peeled orange without removing the membranes.

peeled and sliced orangeorange peeled with a knife

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions about this or any other recipe, please don’t hesitate to connect with me.

bean, orange and arugula salad
Print Recipe

White Bean, Orange and Arugula Salad

Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: arugula, citrus, orange, salad, white bean
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • knife
  • large serving bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 small hot red chili thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 T fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt ground black pepper
  • 3 cups cooked white beans navy, cannellini, great northern (or 2 cans)
  • 3 navel or blood oranges sliced or supremed
  • 2 stalks celery very thinly sliced on a diagonal
  • 1 cup sprouts pea, radish, or broccoli, divided
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves divided
  • 4 cups arugula

Instructions

  • Combine the chili, oil, lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the beans and let them marinate in the dressing while preparing the vegetables.
  • Use a knife to peel the oranges by cutting the peel off each end of the orange, set the orange on the cut end to stabilize and cut the peel from the flesh from top to bottom all around the orange. Once the peel and outer membrane is removed, slice thinly crosswise.
  • Add the oranges, celery, half the sprouts, cilantro and arugula to the beans and dressing, toss to coat and serve.
  • Garnish with more spouts.

Roasted Carrot Hummus

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Roasted Carrot Hummus

Ooh My! You will adore this recipe roasted carrot hummus if you like savory snacks and creamy spreads that can be topped off with a variety of veggies and sprouts. This savory hummus recipe is is quick and easy to blend together and if you don’t have tie to roast the carrots, just shred some raw carrots and add a little sprinkling of dried herbs to ramp up the flavors.  For traditional hummus flavor keep the Mediterranean spices, but for a creative edge, try garlic with rosemary and thyme.

When roasting carrots, if you cut the carrots into similar size pieces, they will cook evenly within a set time. when I roast vegetables I will typically roast a large quantity to have ready to use in other dishes or as sides. So fill up your baking sheet and get roasting, use a portion for this recipe.

To roast carrots, cut and toss with a little olive oil or to be oil-free, use broth or coconut aminos to coat the carrots. Sprinkle with salt and dried herbs and roast at 375-400 for 20-30 minutes. Length of cooking time will depend on the size of your pieces and the temperature.

When they are fork tender, they are ready. Use some in this recipe and save the remaining pieces for adding to a grain wellness bowl or even blended with some broth into a rich and creamy soup.

Print Recipe

Roasted Carrot Hummus

A perfect dip or spread, packed with a nutritional punch and gentle sweetness.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: carrots, chickpeas, dip, hummus, spread, tahini, white bean
Servings: 4
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup roasted carrots mashed
  • 1 ½ cups or 1 can cooked chickpeas
  • 3 T tahini
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • 1 T cumin
  • 2-6 T water
  • 1 T olive oil optional
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Instructions

  • Carrots can be roasted or raw in this hummus.
  • To roast, cut carrots in half or in large chunks, toss with some olive oil or broth and place on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes. (Roast a big batch to eat and keep out ½ cup for this recipe)
  • If using raw, shred the carrots before continuing.
  • Combine carrots, chickpeas and remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Start with the least amount of water and add more water if needed, to reach the smoothness and consistency desired.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl to use as a dip or spread onto toast, tortillas or collard leaves and pile high with chopped vegetables and avocado and roll up to make wraps.
  • Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Three Ways to Use Your Canned or Dry Beans

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We have been under stay-at-home orders for about four weeks now. Did you stock up on canned items or dried beans?  I ended up getting the last 2 pound bag of navy beans on the shelf when I was shopping a couple weeks ago.  I have since batch-cooked them all, giving me a large quantity of white beans to incorporate into snacks and meals. I froze a few bags, used some in this SOUP and came up with the following three ways to use your canned or dry beans. For a primer on cooking dry beans go HERE.For each of these recipes you can use canned beans or some you’ve cooked yourself. Any white bean will do.

The first recipe is for a snack dip or lunch spread and one of the favorites in my house, Roasted Carrot Hummus, where we load it on flatbread crackers or pita bread and pile on chopped veggies or raw kraut or kimchi.

This next recipe is a hearty salad with White Beans, Oranges and Arugula. I love fresh greens with beans. Another combination to consider is: roasted chickpeas with garlic and back pepper, or plain tossed with shredded kale, bell peppers and tomatoes with a balsamic dressing

The third bean-based recipe is a Mediterranean Skillet Meal. It’s easy to make with staples on hand. Again canned beans work just as nicely as your own cooked beans. I had artichokes and canned tomatoes in the pantry, so this came together quickly. If you make this during the summer when the tomatoes are at their peek, slow roasted tomatoes substituted for the canned tomatoes are lovely!

Try one of these recipes or all of them and make beans a common ingredient in your meals. Not only do beans taste good and have a nice supply of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they actually improve the gut microbiome, which is an important part of the immune system. At this time, during this pandemic, the immune system is vitally important. (Actually it is all the time.)