Rice and Beans

I'm back! I'm back! My computer is all better (I hope!) and I have sooo much to share with you. Here is one of my new favorites...

This was a reader request. She wanted a good rice and beans recipe. I have to be honest here. I have never had rice and beans before, so I had no idea what the flavor profile is, what it's supposed to taste like, or even what kind of beans are usually used. So, I raided the pantry and started dumping stuff in a pot. The end result was pretty tasty, in my opinion, and I ate it for dinner that night, and lunch the next few days until it was gone. Then I made it again a few days later, and again the week after that. I don't generally repeat recipes in the same month, so to make something 3 times in less than 3 weeks, well that's saying something. For me, anyway. I don't know if it was what my reader had in mind, but I hope she likes it!

Bangin' Black Bean Burgers

We LOVE burgers in our house. Beef is definitely our first pick, but I've been working on getting the boys to branch out. They didn't mind the Very Veggie Quinoa and Bean Burgers, and they recently started liking turkey burgers. I figured I'd push my luck a little more and see how far I could get. I snuck a can of black beans into the kitchen and got to work. The smell won Andrew over before he even tasted it (they smell amazing) and the fact that they look very beef-like had K diving in without a word. All in all, they were a total success!

Avocado Hummus

I am a huge hummus fan. I have recently forsaken all other dips in favor of this Middle Eastern spread. I particularly like the one that has extra minced garlic piled on top in the container. Yes, I said container. I, Foodie Mama, buy my hummus. It's embarrassing to admit, especially since there are so few ingredients involved and only one prep step, but every hummus recipe I have ever tried turned out barely edible. Until this one.

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

Andrew makes the most amazing beef enchiladas. He uses corn tortillas and a ton of cheese, and they are so, so good. He knew somebody whose sister had a friend who was from Mexico and she made "authentic food". She was kind enough to share a few of her recipes with him. Because of this, Andrew is the go-to guy around here whenever we want mexican food.

I make tacos. From a packet. That's about where my expertise ends. But I decided to give it a shot and see what I could come up with. Andrew looked at me kind of funny when I told him I was making enchiladas and no, it wasn't his recipe. It only got worse when I started talking about beans and rice and such. But when it was all over, he was hooked and we were fighting over the leftovers. K even cleaned his plate before I was half done, and that's saying something. Move over Andrew, Mama's going south of the border.

Confetti Burritos

Tortillas are such a perfect little thing. They come in all different sizes, made of all types of grains, and you can stuff absolutely anything inside them and have a fun, portable meal for the whole family. Most kids will eat anything that's wrapped up taco or burrito-style (hint, hint). Whether you are making peanut butter banana roll-ups for breakfast, turkey and hummus wraps for lunch, or chicken enchiladas for dinner, tortillas are the answer to every time-crunched mom. Try these super-stuffed burritos out on your picky eaters - they just may surprise you. Mine sure did!

Make Your Own Soy Milk

If you or someone in your family is lactose intolerant or otherwise allergic to regular milk, you know how expensive the alternatives can be. I'm not too crazy about all the weird additives they throw in there either. I figured there had to be a better way, and there is. Did you know you can make it yourself? It takes just a few simple (real) ingredients and it tastes way better than anything you can get in the store. Come on, I'll show you how.

Very Veggie Quinoa and Bean Burgers

Meatless Monday has been such a success around here, I'm thinking of adding another meat-free day later in the week. I always seem to have tons of dinner ideas that use alternate forms of protein, like these burgers. Andrew and K can't stand store-bought veggie burgers, but I love them. What I don't love is the price - they are super-expensive, but I bought them for years because I was too intimidated to try it on my own. 

I think I hit the jackpot with these. Not only are they easy to make, but they use ingredients that I always have on hand and the boys finished them in minutes. I was actually quite impressed.

Black Bean Chicken Quesadillas

I grew up in a meat and potatoes house. But dinner does not have to be a separated affair, with the food groups all in their respective corners on a plate. It has taken me a long time but I am finally starting to let go of this concept. I also have to remind myself that meat is not the only source of protein. Not that I truly forget these things, I just fall into a rut now and then.

Black Bean Cocoa Bars

Stop! Don't run away! I know what you're thinking - black beans? In my brownies?! Really? Is this chick crazy?? You're just going to have to trust me on this one. Take a deep breath. It's going to be ok, I promise.

Slow Cooker Red Lentil Soup


For soup-and-bread Sunday last week, we went Italian. This time I decided to head west and go French. I love so many things about this soup. First, it's done in the slow cooker, leaving me free to do other things, like make breadsticks to go with it. Second, it makes the house smell amazing. Third, it uses lentils, a perfect source of protein that is often overlooked. Plus, it's totally customizable. Don't like red lentils? Use brown or green. Out of white rice? Choose your favorite (I used Jasmine). Don't have herbes de provence? Use thyme. Ok? Ok. Here we go...

White Bean Patties with Garlic-Lime Sauce

Let me start by saying this... If you had told me a year ago that I would be throwing around words like "Garlic-Lime Sauce", I would have laughed you right out of my under-utilized kitchen. Fast forward to today. Not only do I talk about sauces like this - I actually make them! And then I serve them with things like these white bean patties (fritters?) that I made this morning.

Pasta Fagioli




There are foods that I want to like, but I just don't. Maybe that makes me weird, but things like avocados and sweet potatoes are on this list. After years of persistence, my taste buds have finally given in and I love them both now! Pasta fagioli has always been one of them as well, until I decided to make it on my own. This is a very simple and easy soup with lots of yummy broth - perfect for crusty bread-dipping.

Refried Beans / Bean Dip

We love mexican food, so bean dip and refried beans are pretty common around here. Unfortunately, the store-bought varieties of these classics tend to leave a lot to be desired. Determined to make an easy version that could double as either, I came up with the following recipe.  We use it on our tacos and fajitas, in our chimichangas, and straight up with tortilla chips. The best part? You can use whatever beans you want. Love this stuff!

Super Simple Chili (A.K.A. Even-people-who-hate-chili-will-love-this Chili)

I hate used to hate chili. I have tried so many chilis, but they were too spicy or too bland, and the beans were always still hard or total mush. I finally realized the only way I was going to get a chili I liked was if I made it myself. I have been serving this up for years and have converted many other chili-haters. Enjoy!