Showing posts with label black beans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black beans. Show all posts

Dec 7, 2012

The Friday Five 12.6.12

1. What I’m Reading: The Conscious Cook. My sweet coworker let me borrow this cookbook that’s full of  delicious meatless recipes.

2. What I’m Eating: I’m on Day 5 of no candy/sweets. I still can’t believe I haven’t freaked out. At work yesterday, someone kept talking about cake and I wanted to shush her so badly. Thankfully, the one thing my mother taught me was manners. A new purchase for me is these Lightlife Kick'n Black Bean Burgers. image

They’re a lot heftier than Morningstar’s and have good flavor, but are pretty dry. What’s your favorite black bean burger?

3. Recipes I’m Bookmarking: Kale and Roasted Beet Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

4. What I’m Listening to: Oh, you want a little love song? This is fun but not too sappy.

5. GIFs I’m Loving:

WHEN I MIX VODKA AND HIGH HEELS

WHEN I BREAK OUT THE TEQUILA

WHEN I GET OLD

 

. . .  

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

Nov 1, 2012

Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili (Vegan!), New Running Playlist

And just like that, the temperature dropped. I realize it’s snowing in some places, but holy crap this crisp weather came out of nowhere. It is 45* as I type this. 45 degrees!!! That’s just rude.

Meanwhile, my Gruber Farm CSA still thinks it’s Summer. I’m not upset about it; I’ll hang onto Summer as long as I can.photo 1

Week 7’s box:

  • apples
  • corn
  • tomatoes
  • black eyed peas
  • the cutest pumpkin ever
  • yellow squash
  • broccoli

I was so excited to see that adorable pumpkin as I hadn’t bought one this year. It may be too late to carve it, but I can surely make pumpkin puree for more pumpkin bread. I bet it’ll be a million times better than the canned stuff.

Just checked the weather. It’s still 45*. I’m still cold. I bet you are too, so I made us some chili.

Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
  • 2 (14.5 oz.) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree
  • 2-3 tbsp. Sriracha, depending on your heat preference
  • 2 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • Optional toppings: crumbled pita chips, avocado

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, pumpkin, Sriracha, and spices. Stir until evenly combined. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve warm with toppings. Makes 5 servings.

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This chili is very different from anything I’ve had. In fact, it’s better. It’s both sweet and spicy and you can adjust the seasonings to your liking. You should also note that when you first mix all the ingredients in the pot, it will seem very thick. I promise that after simmering, the juices will come out and it will be just right. You can trust me…and Sarah:

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She made my day with that tweet!

In other news, I’m still running longer distances, with 5 miles being my new minimum. Amanda and I always run together, but right now her doctor says she has a sprained ligament. : ( Will you please pray for her? I hate that she’s hurting and want her healed a.s.a.p.!

Now have a looksee at my current running playlist:image

What’s your favorite cold weather food?

How do you like your chili?

What’s your favorite song at the moment?

Oct 15, 2012

Feeling Hungry and Healthy? Purée Café Is Your Place.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been head over heels in love. But no, not for a boy. For a restaurant! Purée Café in Mt. Pleasant is a new gem that you must check out. Purée caters to those health-conscious individuals like myself, but will surely please the appetites of anyone smart enough to eat there. The menu is vegetarian, with many vegan and gluten-free options. Fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, and GMOs are no no’s at this joint. Go in hungry and leave feeling happy and healthy!

My first visit to Puree was with my friend Eric, a meat-loving man, who worried the vegetarian menu wouldn’t satisfy him. While we glanced over the menu, we ordered two juices: the Green Clean (spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, parsley, apple, and lemon)  and The Vitality (kale, beet, carrot, and peach).

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We also couldn’t pass up the White Bean Dip with pita chips as an appetizer. I could not stop eating the dip!White Bean Dip from Puree. - Jonathan Boncek

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We shared a salad too. Hey, we saw a lot of things we liked…The arugula, goat cheese, & roasted beet salad with toasted nuts & berries was another great starter -- sweet, savory, and summery. Pretty, isn’t it?Beets and Berry Salad from Puree. - Jonathan Boncek

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The meat-eater immediately spotted two items that intrigued him:  the Blackened Jalapeno Cheddar Burger and the BBQ Tempeh Sausage Burger. Jenan, the owner, stopped at our table and convinced him to go with the latter. Wise choice – the burger was huge and topped with sautéed onions, avocado, and melted cashew cheeseBlackened Jalapeno Cheddar Burger at Puree. - Jonathan Boncek

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I chose the Mediterranean platter:  falafel  & hummus, served with mixed green tahini salad & toasted pita. I loved this dish because I got to try a little bit of everything. The falafel is a family recipe and the roasted red pepper hummus is better than anything you could buy in a store.The Mediterranean platter, with a pureed drink on the side, is packed with vibrant flavors. - Jonathan Boncek

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After my visit with Eric, I was hooked. Thankfully, so is my good friend Danielle, and we’ve been going pretty often. One day we didn’t tell each other we were going for lunch and happened to go at the exact same time. I’m not sure if we were more embarrassed or amused that we caught each other. :)

On more than one occasion (like four, sue me), I’ve had the Black Bean Burrito. I can’t stop! Jenan urges me to try new things, but I keep going back to it. The whole wheat wrap is filled with black beans, greens, pico de gallo, and avocado.photo (11)

One afternoon, Danielle and I decided a cocktail with lunch was necessary. She got a margarita with organic tequila and I got a mixed drink with organic vodka, beet juice, strawberries, and lime. These were probably the healthiest cocktails we’ve ever encountered, ha!photo (13)

My most recent visit (when I spilled the beet juice everywhere) was for brunch. I had the The scrambler: tofu with cheese, tomatoes, kale, sweet & Yukon gold potatoes wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla and a side of pesto. The tofu tasted pretty darn similar to eggs and I loved that there were two kinds of potato.photo 2 (3)

Locals, please check out this adorable café! Vegetarian or not, I know you’ll find something delicious. Stop in for a juice, eat one of the awesome entrees, chat w/ the sweet owner, and leave with a freshly-baked dessert. The vegan chocolate chip cookies are ridiculously good. Trust me, I’ve had a couple. ;)

Check out Purée on their website, facebook, or twitter. Tell Jenan I sent you!!

Puree Organic Cafe on Urbanspoon

Do you often find yourself ordering the same thing over and over because it’s so good or do you like to always try new things?

What’s your favorite vegetarian dish?

Aug 14, 2012

Black Bean Company–Mt. Pleasant location

Late July, Black Bean Company opened a third location in Mt. Pleasant. Though the restaurant is right up my alley, I’d only been to the James Island location once because it’s a bit far. When I heard the news about their location in the new MUSC East Cooper building, I was excited to give it a second try. Black Bean specializes in fresh wraps and salads and has many vegetarian and vegan options.

Last Friday, Amanda texted me saying she had just picked up a wrap. I knew there was no way I couldn’t go after hearing her tell me how great her Black & Blue wrap was. So an hour later, there I was inside MUSC, thankfully only for a wrap and not hospitalization.

I debated between several options, but ultimately chose the Southwest Chicken wrap – Roasted chicken, black beans and Jasmine rice, fresh local sweet corn, roasted tomatoes, southwest chipotle sauce, shredded carrots, parmesan cheese, mixed greens.

This was one of their pricier wraps, at $9.95; that’s a bit steep for my taste. The wrap itself was fresh and flavorful. The Greek yogurt and granola that I chose as a side (other options include potato or macaroni salad) was incredibly thick and creamy. Addictive. My only qualm was that they skimped on the corn and tomatoes. There were only a few kernels of corn and TWO tomato chunks. Odd. The spicy dressing had a nice kick to it.

Over the weekend, I was wishing Black Bean was open, but this particular location is only open Monday-Friday, 8 to 5 pm. Luckily I work from home on Mondays, so, you guessed it…I went back on Monday.

This time around I ordered The International – turkey, hummus, guacamole, artichoke hearts, pico de gallo, goat cheese, Spicy Goddess sauce, mixed greens.

I really liked this wrap as well, but it had the same issue with lack of ingredients. There was ONE artichoke and ONE chunk of guac in the entire wrap. Sad! They were pretty liberal with the cheese though, and I didn’t mind that.

Last year when I attended the Best of Charleston party, I was given a coupon for a free order of Vegan spring rolls, so I redeemed that.

The spring rolls are simply purple cabbage, carrots, and greens in a soy wrap served with a spicy sauce. They’re good, but kind of boring. Had it not been for the sauce, I wouldn’t have really cared for them.

Overall, I’m happy with Black Bean and will continue to try new wraps. I just wish they wouldn’t be so conservative with the fillings! If a menu says something is in a wrap, it should be in there, and not just a small amount. I read reviews on Urbanspoon, and a lot of people commented saying they had issues with missing ingredients too. Hopefully they’ll work on that!Black Bean Co. on Urbanspoon

Have you ever been to any of the Black Bean locations? Which is your favorite wrap or salad?

Do you typically choose wraps or salads when dining out1?

Jul 25, 2012

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

I miss my CSA with Gruber Farm so much! I’m going through withdrawals. I’m seriously having a countdown until the Fall season begins on August 28th. On Tuesday, Boding and I stopped by the Mount Pleasant Farmers’ Market so I could restock my refrigerator. One of the greatest health tips I can give you is that having fresh fruit and vegetables on hand will discourage you from eating processed foods. You also save a ton of money by not eating out. It’s not rocket science, I promise!

Southwestern Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Trader Joe’s Harvest Grain Blend (or just plain quinoa)
  • 2 medium ears of fresh corn, kernels removed
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • juice of 1 lime
  • fresh cilantro, for topping

Preparation:

  1. Prepare grain blend or quinoa as directed on package. Let cool and place in a large bowl.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently until evenly combined. Top with fresh cilantro or sliced avocado.

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This is one of those recipes that is satisfying on so many levels.  It’s delicious, healthy, and full of flavor. It packs a bunch of fiber and protein to boot. Share with your friends – they’ll love you for it! Here’s the nutritional information that I calculated on Livestrong.image

Meals like this are the reason I’m okay with frequent visits to frozen yogurt shops because it’s all about the balance. But, as of 1 week ago, I haven’t had any desserts/candy AT ALL. At work the other day, Dane (pushups partner) and I decided we should try giving up sweets for 2 weeks. I’m happy to say that I didn’t go into cardiac arrest OR a deep depression. One week to go!

Ironically, I got 3 cavities filled yesterday. Another reason to abstain from sugar! Wells Fargo was not happy when I swiped my card for that dentist bill.

And then I bought this Sonicare toothbrush. : )

Favorite vegetable combo? I can’t get enough of fresh corn & avocado!

Do you regularly eat sweets or are they a random treat for you?

Apr 2, 2012

Pure Barre & Pure Food

Last Thursday, I went to happy hour with my friend Sarah. The HH was hosted by Andrea, one of the teachers from Pure Barre. For each drink purchased, you were entered in a giveaway to win prizes from the studio. I was lucky enough to win four free classes! (source)

Bright and early on Sunday morning (okay, 9 a.m.), I went to my first free class. This was actually my third time at Pure Barre. (Read about my first experience here.) I wish I could take each and every one of my readers to the studio. The workout is incredible! It’s one of those classes that makes me wake up the next morning saying, “I have muscles there? Ouch.” And I love it! Check out the Pure Barre site to find a location near you!

At the Mt. Pleasant location, the new client special is $99 for a month of unlimited classes. On Sunday, their facebook page announced a deal I could not pass up.

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You see that word challenge? GETS ME EVERY TIME. How could I say no to that? Twenty classes in 30 days…I’ve got this, right? I am both scared and excited to see what happens to my bum. Excuse me,  my seat ;)

Speaking of all things pure in Mt. Pleasant, let’s talk about The Sprout, an organic café and juice bar. My friend Nicole and I popped in for brunch over the weekend. The first thing I noticed were all the juices. My eyes immediately darted to The Refresher: beet, apple, celery, cucumber, and carrot.

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Sold. It was pink! #beetsmakeeverythingpinkIMAG2080

We also split the Black Bean Burrito: black beans, lentils, tomatoes, greens, dairy-free cheese, and tahini dressing. The juice was great and the wrap was also tasty, but the service was beyond slow. It took over 20 minutes to get our food. Our raw food. Um, what?IMAG2081

Nicole also snuck in an order of two wheatgrass shots. She threw hers back like it was water. I, on the other hand, took one sip, gagged as quietly as I possibly could, and passed mine over to her. Could not handle it. They were a pretty green though, I’ll give her that.

IMAG2082 Sprout on Urbanspoon

Have you ever taken a class at Pure Barre? Do you think I can handle 20 classes in 29 more days?

What’s a health trend you can’t get on board with?

Jan 31, 2012

Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Corn Salsa & Avocado Crema

After reading Food Matters by Mark Bittman, I decided to make much more of a conscious effort to eat as clean as possible. Everyone’s idea of “clean eating” varies, but to me it is eating little to no processed foods. Of course it would be difficult to eat clean 100% of the time, and honestly, I’d be absolutely miserable without my Chick-fil-A and candy. With that said, my goals are to eat:

  • 4-5 servings of vegetables per day
  • 1-2 servings of fruit per day
  • less meat/poultry than I typically do
  • more fish
  • more whole grains
  • less sugar

This is pretty much the way I eat now, aside from the random candy at work, Chick-fil-A, and frickles.

Early last week, I read about a perfect recipe on my sweet friend Mary’s blog. I tweaked it a bit according to my food preferences and it was absolutely delicious. image

Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Corn Salsa & Avocado Crema

Makes 6-8 servings

Black Bean Burgers

  • 2 (14.5 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed,
  • 2 roasted red peppers from a jar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 (4 oz.) can of green chiles 
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs 
  • Olive oil

Avocado Crema

  • 1 avocado, pitted and cubed
  • 1 (6 oz.) container of plain, fat free Greek yogurt 
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Spicy Corn Salsa

  • 1 (15.5 oz.) can of sweet corn, drained
  • 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 (4 oz.) can of green chiles
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, process 1 can black beans, roasted red peppers, eggs, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the additional can of beans and the green chiles, then pulse a few more times until combined, but not completely smooth.

In a large bowl, combine black bean mixture with bread crumbs. Add more bread crumbs if needed, forming a firm mixture that is the consistency of ground meat. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 

To make the avocado crema, mash the avocado until smooth. Add Greek yogurt, lime juice. Mix with a fork until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

To make the corn salsa, mix the corn, tomato, green chiles, jalapeno, garlic, and lime juice in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Remove the black bean mixture from the refrigerator and shape into 8 patties. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook the patties for 5-7 minutes, flipping once.  

To serve, top the cooked patties with the spicy corn salsa and avocado crema. Serve immediately. IMAG1668

I insist you make this! The avocado crema is absolutely delicious on the mildly spicy burger and the corn salsa gives a good texture to the overall dish. The meal is low fat and full of fiber and protein. Thank you, Mary, for the awesome idea!

Jan 10, 2012

Southwest Meatloaf and Half Marathon Plans

Don’t be scared when you see a meatloaf recipe. Chances are, it’s not like the meatloaf you shuddered at in the cafeteria line. There are so many variations to this classic dish that you’d be surprised to find a modern-day recipe that’s anything like what those hairnet-donning women were serving you in grade school. Did you just shudder? I did.

Southwest Meatloaf

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. angus ground beef, 96/4 extra lean
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 4 oz. can fire-roasted diced green chiles
  • 1/4 cup skim milk
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing lightly. Add meat mixture to a greased loaf pan and press down to smooth top. Crumble goat cheese atop loaf. Bake for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165*. Let rest for 20 minutes until slicing. Makes 4 servings.

Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
  • 1 15.5 oz. can of no salt added black beans, drained
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • juice of 1/2 a lime
  • chopped cilantro, if desired

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well. Serve along with meatloaf.image

Hot damn, that did not photograph well. But let me tell you, it was delicious! If you make this, be sure to let it rest before slicing or else you will make a huge mess. I wonder who did that? Hmmmm.

In my very first post of the year, I mentioned that 2012 is the year I complete a half marathon. My grandfather immediately suggested that he and I run the Clemson Easter Bunny Run in April. Racing around Clemson in bunny ears? Sure! The course starts at the South Carolina Botanical gardens and goes around the University with views of Lake Hartwell and the surrounding community.

With that said, I looked up some training courses and found a 12-week schedule. This meant I had to start, like, today. I took one look at the schedule and found it extremely boring. Instead of following the schedule, I set out to run in the gorgeous 70 degree weather to see what I could handle.

10 miles later it was dark and I had to stop. Apparently I can run almost a half without training. Who knew?10miler

It may not have been my smartest move to run that far, but as I do run on a regular basis, my body wasn’t going to go in complete shock, right? Or maybe I am just Superwoman.

Needless to say, when I got home, I wanted to eat everything in sight. I refueled with coconut water, almonds, walnuts, cranberries, Greek yogurt, and a big bowl of vegetables. Honest to goodness, I don’t even know what I’m doing, so if you have any tips, let me know. Just please don’t tell me that I’m going to break my body or something because that will make me sad.

I know I have to be smart, so I will follow the rest of the “schedule”, but the competitive side of me took over during that 10-mile run. I couldn’t help it.

Tips on running your first half marathon – give them to me! Seriously, tell me everything you know. Write me a book in the comment section, send me an email, sing me a song. Goooooooooo!

Oct 24, 2011

Black Bean Company and More Downtown Running

I spent the night with Mariah on Saturday night after a somewhat tame evening downtown. I spent my third weekend at The Macintosh. Still obsessed with this new bar. Mariah was housesitting on John’s Island, so on Sunday we decided to take advantage of different restaurants.

Black Bean Company is a restaurant that so many people have recommended to me. Calling themselves an “Energy Food Restaurant,” they serve premium organic and all natural foods. They have a breakfast and lunch menu, which specializes in gyros, wraps, and salads.

I chose a wrap that a friend had recommended a while back.

Beach Burrito: roasted chicken breast, black beans & rice, mixed greens, fresh guacamole, and mango salsa.DSC_0684 (1024x683)

Mariah opted for a wrap as well.

Black and Blue wrap: chicken, blue cheese, mixed greens, avocado, fig balsamic vinaigrette, black beans, and jasmine rice. DSC_0685 (1024x683)

Both wraps came with a side; Mariah had the couscous with golden raisins and I had yogurt with granola. We both really enjoyed everything. The wraps were huge and tasted extremely fresh. I was so close to ordering one to go for dinner, but instead saved my other half for my next lunch. I will definitely be back.Black Bean Co. on Urbanspoon

After lunch it was time to lounge in leather recliners and watch TV. We caught the end of the Jersey Shore reunion, then watched How Do You Know. It was just okay. I didn’t mind staring at Paul Rudd for 2 hours though.

That afternoon, still feeling pretty healthy, I decided to go for a run downtown. I am certain that downtown is my favorite place for a run. Although I’m constantly having to dodge tourists, cars, and cyclists, I never get bored. I always seem to see someone I know too, so each time is an adventure. I just pray I never fall on the cobblestone or brick sidewalks. It was a nice 5 mile run and I enjoyed every minute of it.

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Locals: Have you been to Black Bean Co. or Dell’z Deli? What’s your preference?

What are you guys dressing up as for Halloween?

Oct 18, 2011

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash

What’s your morning computer ritual? Mine is:

  1. Open gmail
  2. Open work email
  3. Open facebook
  4. Post the day’s post on my blog’s fb page
  5. Start work

I’m sure my boss is really pleased by the order of these tasks. While on facebook today I noticed this post from the local Great Harvest.

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Had I not just inhaled a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal, I would have driven straight to to GH for breakfast. I exhibited self control and waited for my lunch break to go pick up a loaf. It is 100% heavenly. I am going to have to freeze 1/2 of it so I don’t eat the entire loaf in 2 days.DSC_0674 (1024x683)

After work, Mariah and I went for a run around the Old Village, a pretty, old neighborhood in Mount Pleasant. It’s getting darker much earlier, but I did manage to snap a pretty photo of the water before the sun set. download

When I got home, I whipped up an extremely easy vegetarian recipe.

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash, makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 acorn squash
  • 1 15 oz. can low-sodium black beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 15 oz. can yellow corn
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • juice of one lime

Preparation:

  1. Cut squash in half horizontally and scoop out and seeds and strings. Place squash in baking dish cut-side down. Add a little water and bake at 350* for 45 minutes or until tender.
  2. While squash is baking, add black beans, tomatoes, corn, and seasonings to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, cook for about 10-12 minutes or until heated through. Squeeze lime juice over mixture and stir again.
  3. Once the squash is done, remove from pan and stuff with the Southwest mixture. Serve immediately.

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Oh, I love colorful meals. Colorful = lots of vitamins…usually. Unless we are talking about a bag of peanut m&ms. That just = happiness.

XO!

Sep 20, 2011

Southwest Meatballs with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

So, you guys know I subscribe to an obnoxious amount of magazines. We’ve talked about this. Er, I’ve blogged about this and then you guys commented. Same thing, right? Yep.

One of the magazines I subscribe to, Clean Eating, was never one of my favorites. I thought the recipes were boring and not worth trying. Well, when I plucked the October issue out of my mailbox, I took one look at the cover and thought, “Oh I am making that!”

Black beans + corn = one of my favorite combinations, ever. And meatballs? Who doesn’t love a freaking meatball. Oh, vegetarians you say? Boo.

This lady’s on a red meat kick lately. I’ve no idea where it came from, but I’ve been ditching the chicken for the cow at least once a week. (The Chick-fil-A Gods are hating me right now.) So, I often pull recipes out of magazines and shove them in a folder and forget about them. Or I star them on google reader but rarely go back to them. This time it was different. The next day, I made the recipe on the cover with a few changes. And it was good. So good. DSC_0604

Southwest Meatballs with Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground sirloin (or turkey breast)
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 15 oz. can low-sodium black beans, drained
  • 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • juice of one lime

Preparation:

  1. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, egg whites, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into 16 meatballs.
  2. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add meatballs and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned on all sides. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, green chiles, and cumin. Mix well. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through. Squeeze lime juice into the pan, and mix well. Serve immediately.DSC_0610

This is such a flavorful dish and so easy to make! I highly recommend using ground sirloin. Browning the meatballs in the pan seals in all the juices and really adds a good flavor to the entire dish. I really can’t wait to make this again!

What are your favorite food combinations? Some of mine are:

  • brown sugar & cinnamon
  • peanut butter & banana
  • avocado & honey
  • goat cheese & honey

What’s your favorite spice? I love cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. Cinnamon on everything!