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.

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.

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:

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:

What’s your favorite cold weather food?

How do you like your chili?

What’s your favorite song at the moment?

Next Door–A Neighborhood Bistro

Have you been to Next Door in Mt. Pleasant yet? I hope you say yes, and if not, you should say you’re going very soon! Last week I connected with the social media reps behind Next Door who graciously invited me in for a dinner review. I had been to Next Door twice for pizza and wine – their fig and and goat cheese pizza is amazing – but never for an actual dinner. On Friday, Amanda and I started our weekend with a phenomenal meal.

In the space that Samos once was, Ben Berryhill and his partner from Red Drum opened up Next Door late last Summer. The restaurant is very open and inviting, but with low lighting that gives it somewhat romantic vibe. Our waitress epitomized what I look for in a perfect server. She was friendly, attentive, very patient, and offered her opinion of the menu items with emotion. When asking her thoughts on specific items, she spoke of them as if recalling fond memories, and not just repeating what we had read on the menu. 

While glancing over the menu, Amanda and I each ordered a glass of wine – Malbec for her and a Cabernet/Merlot blend for me. I’ve had several different wines here and they are all fabulous. Each glass is only $6, which I love; you don’t consider the price when choosing and your decision is more focused on a varietal you’ll enjoy. 

Chef Ben Berryhill suggested we start with a summery appetizer: Chilled Cucumber Melon Soup with Dill Cream and Radish. This cool soup was refreshing and silky smooth from the dill cream. Amanda and I thought the baby spoons were the cutest thing!

I immediately knew I wanted to try the Arancini with Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce, and Braised Beef. I first discovered arancini in Rome and fell in love with the fried balls of rice, cheese, and meat. Next Door’s version is just as delicious – they were warm, crispy, and cheese poured out with each bite. The tomato sauce on the side was sweet and rich – a nice addition to the salty arancini.

The chef also suggested we try a new menu item that was very similar to the only entrée I tried at Samos: Shrimp Saganaki, Heirloom Tomatoes, Feta, Lemon. We loved this!

Next, we moved onto pasta. The Raviolo with House Ricotta, Prosciutto, Farm egg, and Sage is the largest piece of pasta I’ve ever seen. It took up the entire plate! The very delicate raviolo was filled with the perfect amount of ricotta and prosciutto and sat in a rich, buttery sauce.

Finally, it was time to try some main courses. First was the Wild Sockeye Salmon with Corn, Bacon, Charred Okra, Mushrooms, and Heirloom Tomatoes. The salmon was extremely moist and the corn and okra it sat upon gave the entrée a nice crunch.

Amanda had the Scamp Grouper with Jasmine Rice Pilaf, Peas, Asparagus, and a Fine Herb Vin. Her grouper, cooked perfectly, was buttery and sweet.

Don’t ask me how we made room for dessert and coffee, but we did. See, we’re still smiling.

Smiling about this! Dessert was an Almond Tart with Blueberry Compote and candied Almonds.

We were just as excited when our server brought out French press coffee. Silly excited.

Cheers! It was so good, we both drank our entire press full of coffee . No wonder why we were so bouncy the rest of the evening. French press coffee from Next Door + Trio could make for a very interesting evening.

Next time you’re in Mt. Pleasant, be sure to check out Next Door! It’s a fabulous place with incredible food. Don’t forget to check out their dinner menu beforehand!

Connect with them on:

• facebook
• twitter
• open table
• instagram – @nextdoormp

**Thank you to Jennifer, Chef Ben, Chef Nathan, Lauren, and the rest of the team! It was a pleasure meeting you all and we can’t wait to see you soon!**

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Chili with Sriracha

This may sound ridiculous, but last week in Charleston, the weather was really cool. When I say cool, I mean mid 80s with no humidity. It was amazing! We enjoyed every bit of it knowing that just around the corner came nasty weather. Look at this week:

Gross, right? But it’s perfect weather for soup, chili, and cookies, so let me share a chili with you. Amanda and I made this last Thursday after work and it was excellent. I hope you like spicy food…

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 2 tbsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 (15 oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (32 oz.) container fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for topping
• Sriracha, for extra heat!

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the ground chicken, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt.  Stirring frequently, cook until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the beans, kale, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Top with Parmesan cheese and Sriracha!

Can we talk about Sriracha for a minute? I’ve tried it a couple times in the past and liked it, but while Amanda and I were housesitting, I become obsessed. I think we went through half a bottle in the 5 days we were at her parents’. We put it on everything: this chili, breakfast sandwiches, avocado dip, and veggie burgers. There were several times this weekend that we were at the table eating with tears popping out of our eyes, wiping our noses from the burn. It’s so hot, but so good you can’t stop!

I even put this book on hold at the library, so don’t be surprised if you see a lot of Sriracha recipes in the near future.

Are you a fan of Sriracha hot sauce?

What’s your favorite thing to put it on?

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!

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?

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.

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.

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?

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. Last night, Boding and I went to Crave for happy hour/dinner. We both had the veggie wrap that I’m obsessed with. I always ask for fresh veggies on the side so Chef Landen made a really mix of roasted corn, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and avocado. Must make this colorful dish at home!

2. For the past month or so, Dane and I have been doing pushups every hour at work. It’s a great way to keep moving throughout the day, burn some calories, and build muscle. I started doing 15 in a row every hour, but now I’m up to 30+. It really does get easier!

Rachel started doing crunches with us too! We’ve got to balance out the snack cabinet somehow…

By the end of the day we’re pooped.

3. Though I generally avoid fruit juices/sugary beverages, I found a Gatorade G2 flavor I can’t resist. Have you tried the Raspberry Melon?

4. Amanda and I went on a 5.5 mile bridge walk last week. Can anyone in Charleston honestly say they don’t love this sight?

5. My hair is finally long enough that I can wear a hat without looking like a boy. So, I bought one during Vineyard Vines’ Whale of a Sale.

6. I made a new playlist on Spotify. It’s called Hipstina. Ha! I’m really proud of it though. If you use Spotify, check it out here!

CSA Week 11 / Crunchy Baked Okra

I can’t believe there are only 2 more weeks of the Summer CSA. So sad! With how abundant this season has been, I’ve been able to make some really fabulous recipes. I’m pretty pumped for the Fall CSA too!

In the box:

• green peppers
• corn
• beets (!)
• watermelon
• heirloom tomatoes
• cherry tomatoes
• okra
• red potatoes
• cantaloupe
• and dem boys

A couple of weeks ago, I ate some delicious fried okra at Fat Hen. I knew I wanted to make something similar, but alas, this is a healthy food blog. And we all know how much candy I consume, so I had to find the balance somewhere.

Crunchy Baked Okra

Ingredients:

• fresh okra, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• egg whites
• whole wheat breadcrumbs
• seasoning of your choice (I used Penzey’s Mural of Flavor blend – thanks Grandparents!!)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375*. In a bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and seasoning. In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg whites.

Dip the okra in the egg white…

and then roll in the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated.

Place okra on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat (or coated with cooking spray).

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Gruber Farm CSA Week 8 / Spicy Corn & Potato Chowder

Hello Summer vegetables! The Summer produce started so early this year. It seemed like so long ago that I was picking strawberries.

In the box:

• sweet corn – a ton of it!
• tomatoes
• eggplant
• onions
• banana peppers
• potatoes
• green beans

This week, I made a new favorite recipe using 3 different vegetables from the box. I love that. Eight weeks into having the CSA, I’m still reminded that it’s easy to make healthy, wholesome, vegetarian dishes. In fact, this one’s vegan. So, Court, this one’s for YOU!

Spicy Corn & Potato Chowder

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds white potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 4 cups of fresh corn (from 6 ears)
• 16 oz. non dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can of fat-free vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add the garlic, potatoes, and corn. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a couple times.
3. Add the milk, broth, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

I’m sure I say this about most recipes I post, but I loved this. Boding can vouch for this as well; he came over and ate 2 huge bowls. It’s spicy, creamy, and hearty. It’s low in fat but very filling.

My original plan was to use coconut milk, but Publix was out of lite coconut milk. I took a chance with the almond milk in my fridge and am glad I did. It worked!

What’s your favorite soup/stew/chowder? Mine is avgolemono, a Greek egg-lemon soup with chicken and rice. Check out this post when I made it a couple years ago. PS: That post has a really hot Greek guy in it.

CSA Week 7 / Broiled Peaches with Goat Cheese & Honey

The further we get into the Spring season, the better the assortment of produce I receive from Gruber Farm. When I opened last week’s box, I thought “Woah, best week EVER.” Ehhh wrong! This week is even better. I’ve been really happy with Gruber Farm thus far because you get a good assortment of many different types of produce versus a few different things.

Week 7:

• red potatoes
• yellow corn
• onions
• patty pan squash
• a pumpkin? some sort of squash…
• string beans
• peaches (!!)
• turnips

I always dig into the fruit first. It’s the most appealing to me and easiest to cook…or not cook at all. This time I cooked!

Broiled Peaches with Goat Cheese & Honey

This “recipe” doesn’t require drawn out steps; it’s easy as pie. But not a peach pie.

All you do is turn your broiler on low, slice or halve the peaches however you prefer, and pop them in the oven. Watch them!! Let them brown a little, but be careful – they will burn and you will end up with crunch. Not fun.

When they’re browned to your liking, remove them from the oven, drizzle them with honey, and top them with goat cheese crumbles and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Eat them while they’re warm!

Top them with ice cream. But don’t tell me about it. I’ve given up desserts.

This doesn’t count as dessert right?

What’s your favorite fruit-based dessert?

Why is there a phrase “easy as pie”? PIE IS NOT EASY TO MAKE.

CSA Week 5: Orzo with Chicken and Green Beans

I’m now on my 5th week of my CSA with Gruber Farm. I’m really enjoying the variety of each box and how fresh the vegetables are. Every box is a new surprise. Sometimes I don’t even wait until I leave my pickup location to look at what’s inside.

Week 5 contents:

• collards
• broccoli
• purple potatoes
• zucchini
• yellow squash
• strawberries
• string beans
• kale (not pictured – I donated it to one of the nice gym employees)

This face shows how excited I was about the purple potatoes.

In my right hand are some fancy beets that are known as both “Candy Cane Beets” and “Bullseye Beets” for the striped pattern inside.

The inside of the purple potatoes are pretty too. They are a purplish color because they contain anthocyanin – the same antioxidant found in blueberries.

I’ve shared plenty of beet recipes with you: Beets with Yogurt & Walnuts, Citrus Walnut Beet Dip,  Beet Chips, Glazed Beets, and my very favorite Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese.

I’ve even made mashed purple potatoes with goat cheese!

Time for something new. Check out this recipe from my hero, Martha Stewart. Did I choose to share this recipe with you because it contains Orzo? Yes.

Orzo with Chicken, Corn, and Green Beans

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 pound orzo
• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 whole roasted chicken, (3 pounds), skin discarded, shredded (about 3 1/2 cups)

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until al dente, according to package instructions; add green beans during last 6 minutes of cooking. Drain; rinse under cold water until cooled.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Toss pasta and green beans with corn mixture and chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper.

(via)

You can make this in about 20 minutes! And when you pick up that box of orzo, I hope you think of me. ;)

I pretty much just asked for a slew of tweets of orzo pictures, didn’t I?

Tonight is the first meeting of the book club I organized last month. I’m so excited to have everyone over to discuss Fifty Shades of Grey. I  can just imagine the conversations we’ll have…

What’s your favorite green vegetable?

Are you in a book club? What are you reading right now?