I have been on a severe citrus kick lately. Oranges, limes, lemons, kumquats. I want it all and have been eating it all. A lot of it all. Espeically the oranges which are just so good right now. We have been going through bags of them faster then ever and I am not mad about it.
Which then brings us to chili. Chili is one of the things that I make on a very regular bases. It%u2019s beans, veggies, tomatoes, and a ton of spices. Easy as can be, most people like it, and I never get sick of it. I mean, how could you get sick of it, it is so good! Anyway. Chili, its great but have you ever added orange to it? Oh man is it amazing. Bright and acidic and sweet. The whole pot of chili just radiates more goodness, more intensity, more, moreness. (I know that doesn%u2019t make sense but you get it.) It%u2019s a whole new level of chili and I don%u2019t if there will ever be a time when I don%u2019t add orange to my chili again. Well at least during citrus season.
But enough about all that, what you really want is to just start making this orange black bean chili so you can eat it. I hear you, so I%u2019ll let you at it.
To the chili!
The stuff. Oranges, black beans, crushed tomatoes, an onion, a couple carrots, a pepper, and jalape%u00f1os. Also lots of cumin, chili powder, ground ginger, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
Small dice up the pepper, onion, carrots, and jalape%u00f1os. Don%u2019t want it super spicy, don%u2019t add the jalape%u00f1os.
All that stuff gets tossed into a big pot along with all the spices, some salt and pepper, and a little water too. Place on stove to start cooking down the veggies.
Slightly tender and smells amazing.
Now add in the beans, the tomatoes, and the zest and juice of an orange. Mix it all up, set it back on stove and keep on cooking,
Now eat your chili, with extra orange slices to squeeze all over it of course. And maybe you want to serve it with some corn bread? That is entirely up to you, but who would be made about it?
-C
Serves 4-6 people
1 pound cooked black beans drained (about 5 cups or 3 cans)
5 cups crushed tomatoes (or 2 28oz cans)
2 oranges (navel or cara cara work)
2 carrots
1 large onion
1 bell pepper
2 jalapenos (optional)
2 heaping tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
salt and pepper
Start by chopping up the veggies. Small dice the carrot, the onion and the pepper. If using jalape%u00f1o, dice that into small little bits too. And remove seeds for less heat or leave them if you like it. Once that is all cut up, dump it all into a large heavy bottom pot along with the cumin, chili powder, garlic and ginger powder, and about a teaspoon or so each of salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 cup water, mix it all up, and place the pot on stove on medium heat and start to cook the veggies and spices until they begin to smell fragrant and are ever so slightly tender, which should take 5-10 minutes.
Now add in the beans, the tomatoes, and the zest and juice of one orange. Mix together and keep cooking on medium heat, partially lidded, for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring once in a while, until the chili has thicken and tastes good to you.
Once done, season to taste with more salt and pepper and either stir the juice of the second orange into the whole pot or serve with slices of orange to squeeze on top.
Eat. Store any left overs in fridge. Tastes delicious cold too.
What a way to start the day, with a mouth full of c words%u2026%u2026.Caraway, cauliflower, chick peas and cabbage%u2026What did you think I meant?
This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly%u2026..nah, it’s been freaking freezing! Yeah, freezing cold. When I woke up this morning to walk the pup, it was 5 degrees. So needless to say, when it gets this cold, I like to keep inside. Tying not to be a complete lazy bones, I went to town on my spices%u2026 refilling jars with all the little baggies scattering the kitchen, screwing on lids, and wiping down the shelves. Not a bad accomplishment for a day. While cleaning I came upon a little bag or caraway seeds, %u00a0Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish. %u00a0
When I think of the bright, somewhat sweet and peppery caraway, I think cabbage.(anything cabbage and I am sold) A big pan cabbage, added cauliflower for the mister,(his favorite) creamy chick peas because we need %u00a0protein and they be tasty, and of course mustard, because everything tastes better with mustard.(I’ll let you in on a little secret.I eat a lot of mustard, I am kind of obsessed. Mustards of all kind; grainy, homemade, dijon%u2026but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots%u2026don’t judge) A warm, bright and filling dish, perfect for a freezing cold evening stuck inside. You can eat it as main dish or add a pile of quinoa or wild rice, or even a big plate of greens. What ever say you eat it, you and your stomach will be happy.(If your worries about cabbage bloat..don’t be. Cooking cabbage helps breaks down the enzymes that create gas, plus caraway has anti bloating properties%u2026WIN!)%u00a0
Cabbage, cauliflower,(fresh of frozen%u2026.I used frozen in this recipe) pre-cooked or canned chick peas, caraway seeds, yellow mustard, and salt..(I added pepper too)
Chop the cabbage and toss into a lightly oiled pan with the rest of the stuff. Heat pan with everything but water %u00a0for a couple of minutes.. to warm the caraway and give everything a cooking head start, then add the water. Stick a lid on it and let simmer.%u00a0After about 15 minutes, give it a stir or two and do a taste test. At this point, it’s up to you%u2026how cooked you want the veggies? I kept mine cooking for another 10 minutes. I also added another 1/2 cup of water. Not enough water and the pan will burn, a little extra water is good, it creates a yummy broth.
When you are happy with the flavor and doneness, eat it. I made myself a %u00a0bowl with a heap of pickled beets(holy yes!). I am sorry if you don’t have any pickled beets, but the dish is still amazing without them. %u00a0Fresh ground pepper really does the trick too!
So there you go, make it tonight, it will make you warm,smart and happy
-C
serves 2-3
1/2 small head of green cabbage(about 2 cups chopped)
2 cups cauliflower(fresh or frozen)
1 cup cooked chick peas
1 1/2 -2 cups water
1 tablespoon caraway seed
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Lightly oil a medium sized skillet and add all ingredients except water. Heat for a few minutes to warm up veggie and caraway seeds then add a 1 1/2 cups of water. Keep on medium heat with a lid and stir on occasion If water evaporates completely out, add another 1/2 cup. %u00a0Dish is done when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes%u2026.but whenever tastes best to you!
Lets kick the weekend off right, with a nice warm and hardy salad. Not a frilly little salad, but a salad that fills you up and leaves you feeling warm and cozy. %u00a0 A salad with a lot of squash! So here’s the thing, I eat a lot of winter squash, maybe 4 plus a week. Because I eat so many, I store a good amount in a cold storage area outside of the little warm living space we call home. Last week we had a drastic temperature change and %u00a0a good few of the my butternut and spaghetti squash froze.. then started to de-thaw. Not good. That was the second bad food experience of the day%u2026.. Earlier that day I had bought about 2 dozen super ripe bananas that I had been planing on freezing and what not. There were four bunches and each bunch was wrapped in plastic and were in a bag that I left near the back door. The thought crossed my mind, but I hastily brushed it away. Washer won’t eat those%u2026.. Well guess what? The shit ate half of my freaking bananas%u2026plastic and all. Needless to say, I was kind of pissed already so finding my squash on the way out really set me off. I was not about to let more food go to waste.(or be eaten by the dog) I went into rescue mode..Chop chop and dice%u2026boil, roast and steam%u2026and eat eat eat%u2026. and eat. I have been eating butternut for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the past week and that’s ok with me cause man it does taste oh so tasty. But for some people in my life, eating mashed squash out of a jar all day long does not hold the same appeal so I have been sneaking it in where ere I can. %u00a0
So some of that diced squash tuned into this lovely warm salad. Even the mister liked it and he is not a fan of warm salads(he says he is not, but I think he actually is, as long as I don’t call them “salads”) Any who%u2026This salad hits all the marks%u2026. Fantastically filling, super delicious, fast and healthy. %u00a0Check, check, and check! I am so good.%u00a0
Easy peasy%u2026.
Diced butternut squash, half a vilalia onion, %u00a0prepared lentils and a bunch of kale%u2026 Nothin else.(salt and pepper, but they don’t count)
Diced butternut and a mediumly sliced onion..(mediumly is a new cooking term) Spritz a bit of oil in a pan and toss the squash and onion in there and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shove into the hot oven and roast until squash and onion are tender and tasty.
Remove the pan from the oven and toss in finely chopped kale and a big scoop of lentil%u2026 Mix it up and let the sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026it will make the kale get soft and warm.
Plate it and eat eat%u2026 I drizzled a little balsamic vinegar on mine%u2026Nick like his straight up. Do what you will cause either way, it’s going to be awesome!!!!
Hooray for Friday and for winter squash!!!!
-C
Warm Winter Salad
Ingredients (This made one good sized salad%u2026and exact measurements were not used so feel free to add greater or lesser amounts of any of the ingredients)
1 1/2 cup Diced Butternut squash
1/2 Vidalia Onion(or any variety you like)
3-4 large Kale leaves
1/2 cup Precooked Lentils
salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic Vinegar%u00a0
drizzle of oil for pan
In a 425 degree oven, %u00a0place diced squash and sliced onions in a slightly oiled pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes until tender. Remove pan from oven and toss in chopped kale and lentils and let sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026 Plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
What we got here is an%u00a0easy one pan meal for the beginning of a hectic(but fun) holiday week . But I am sure that you %u00a0have your wits about you, that you are not feeling like a stretch Armstrong doll. No, you are all calm and collected%u2026 Well that’s nice because I feel like my head going to explode.So what I need this week is easy, %u00a0fast food %u00a0with lots of healthy good stuff and maybe to get rid of the meatballs that are in the freezer%u2026.. Mission accomplished with this dish. It’s basically a hug pan of veggies with a few left over meatballs from Nicks bday dinner and a little cottage cheese. %u00a0Nothing fancy%u2026 hearty and warm..Nick likes it so it’s a winner.%u00a0
The spaghetti squash is the main component in this dish so if you want to use other veggies, go for it. You can make this vegan and leave out the cheese and use fake balls or no balls at all (hehe) %u00a0You can even toss in some beans, lentils, or tofu. I make variations of this dish often%u2026 and lentils are a really good addition..
Besides the squash and the meatballs, I used mushroom, onion, kale, tomato and garlic %u00a0plus about a half cup of cottage cheese, cause that was what I had in the fridge.%u00a0
First thing first, cook the squash. %u00a0Just stick it in the oven for half hour at 425.. Once you can stick a fork into it, pull it out and let it cool enough to handle.. While thats cooling off, cook down the veggies. Started with a little oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, toss the onion and mushrooms ands frozen meatballs*(or whatever you want to use) and heat %u00a0until meatballs are cook through and the onion and mushroom are browned. Now add the garlic, kale and tomato, Turn heat off. %u00a0When the squash is cooled enough to handle,. slice open, scoop out the seeds and scoop the flash out. Spaghetti squash and cottage cheese into the skillet and toss.. Sprinkled a bit of mozzarella or parmesan cheese on top. %u00a0Lots of crushed black pepper and into the oven for about 15 minutes. or until the cheese is nice and melty and you are hungry and want to eat.%u00a0
*Note. If you want to make meatballs fresh, my recommendation would be to make them in the skillet first and then just toss all the veggies into that pan to cook down%u2026 No need to make more dishes.%u00a0
Pulled straight from the oven%u2026.Served nice and hot, placed right onto my wooded counter. I need to stop placing hot pans on the wood, I am leaving burn marks. There is actually a lot of thing that I need to stop doing in the kitchen, like setting towels on fire, burning myself at least once a day, slicing my fingers,.breaking dishes%u2026%u2026.So maybe place skillet on a trivet of %u00a0some kind and serve it up!
So easy and fast.. Served with a piece of crusty bread%u2026 Man, I wish everything this week could be this fast sans easy%u2026.. but I am not complaining.%u00a0
Have a good Monday!
1 small Spaghetti Squash
5-7 pre cooked vegan meatballs
Small red onion
2 -3 big mushrooms
1 small tomato
a few kale leaves
3-5 cloves garlic(or as many as you like)
half a cup of cottage cheese *
a handful of shredded parmesan or mozzarella*
salt and pepper
oil (for pan)
*use vegan versions or dairy versions.. up to you.
Preheat oven to 425
Place spaghetti squash in oven. Let bake for about a half hour or until fork tender. Remove and let cool enough to handle.
While that’s happening, chop the veggies into any size you want.. Drizzle olive oil in medium skillet and place diced sliced mushrooms, onion, and pre made meatball to brown. Once meatballs are warmed through, add the kale, garlic, tomato, and cottage cheese. Take the cooked spaghetti squash and remove seeds and scoop flesh into the skillet. Toss everything together, sprinkle with salt pepper, top with shredded cheese and place in oven for 15 minutes
Take it out of the oven and let cool. for a minutes and%u2026…
THE LOVELY CRAZY
January 28, 2020 by maximios • Blog
I have been on a severe citrus kick lately. Oranges, limes, lemons, kumquats. I want it all and have been eating it all. A lot of it all. Espeically the oranges which are just so good right now. We have been going through bags of them faster then ever and I am not mad about it.
Which then brings us to chili. Chili is one of the things that I make on a very regular bases. It%u2019s beans, veggies, tomatoes, and a ton of spices. Easy as can be, most people like it, and I never get sick of it. I mean, how could you get sick of it, it is so good! Anyway. Chili, its great but have you ever added orange to it? Oh man is it amazing. Bright and acidic and sweet. The whole pot of chili just radiates more goodness, more intensity, more, moreness. (I know that doesn%u2019t make sense but you get it.) It%u2019s a whole new level of chili and I don%u2019t if there will ever be a time when I don%u2019t add orange to my chili again. Well at least during citrus season.
But enough about all that, what you really want is to just start making this orange black bean chili so you can eat it. I hear you, so I%u2019ll let you at it.
To the chili!
The stuff. Oranges, black beans, crushed tomatoes, an onion, a couple carrots, a pepper, and jalape%u00f1os. Also lots of cumin, chili powder, ground ginger, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
Small dice up the pepper, onion, carrots, and jalape%u00f1os. Don%u2019t want it super spicy, don%u2019t add the jalape%u00f1os.
All that stuff gets tossed into a big pot along with all the spices, some salt and pepper, and a little water too. Place on stove to start cooking down the veggies.
Slightly tender and smells amazing.
Now add in the beans, the tomatoes, and the zest and juice of an orange. Mix it all up, set it back on stove and keep on cooking,
Now eat your chili, with extra orange slices to squeeze all over it of course. And maybe you want to serve it with some corn bread? That is entirely up to you, but who would be made about it?
-C
Serves 4-6 people
1 pound cooked black beans drained (about 5 cups or 3 cans)
5 cups crushed tomatoes (or 2 28oz cans)
2 oranges (navel or cara cara work)
2 carrots
1 large onion
1 bell pepper
2 jalapenos (optional)
2 heaping tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
salt and pepper
Start by chopping up the veggies. Small dice the carrot, the onion and the pepper. If using jalape%u00f1o, dice that into small little bits too. And remove seeds for less heat or leave them if you like it. Once that is all cut up, dump it all into a large heavy bottom pot along with the cumin, chili powder, garlic and ginger powder, and about a teaspoon or so each of salt and pepper. Add about 1/2 cup water, mix it all up, and place the pot on stove on medium heat and start to cook the veggies and spices until they begin to smell fragrant and are ever so slightly tender, which should take 5-10 minutes.
Now add in the beans, the tomatoes, and the zest and juice of one orange. Mix together and keep cooking on medium heat, partially lidded, for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring once in a while, until the chili has thicken and tastes good to you.
Once done, season to taste with more salt and pepper and either stir the juice of the second orange into the whole pot or serve with slices of orange to squeeze on top.
Eat. Store any left overs in fridge. Tastes delicious cold too.
What a way to start the day, with a mouth full of c words%u2026%u2026.Caraway, cauliflower, chick peas and cabbage%u2026What did you think I meant?
This week has been nippy, no, its been chilly%u2026..nah, it’s been freaking freezing! Yeah, freezing cold. When I woke up this morning to walk the pup, it was 5 degrees. So needless to say, when it gets this cold, I like to keep inside. Tying not to be a complete lazy bones, I went to town on my spices%u2026 refilling jars with all the little baggies scattering the kitchen, screwing on lids, and wiping down the shelves. Not a bad accomplishment for a day. While cleaning I came upon a little bag or caraway seeds, %u00a0Not enough to warrant a jar on the wall, but defiantly enough for one dish. %u00a0
When I think of the bright, somewhat sweet and peppery caraway, I think cabbage.(anything cabbage and I am sold) A big pan cabbage, added cauliflower for the mister,(his favorite) creamy chick peas because we need %u00a0protein and they be tasty, and of course mustard, because everything tastes better with mustard.(I’ll let you in on a little secret.I eat a lot of mustard, I am kind of obsessed. Mustards of all kind; grainy, homemade, dijon%u2026but usually just plan old yellow. And I eat it on everything.. but my go to is French’s yellow mustard and carrots%u2026don’t judge) A warm, bright and filling dish, perfect for a freezing cold evening stuck inside. You can eat it as main dish or add a pile of quinoa or wild rice, or even a big plate of greens. What ever say you eat it, you and your stomach will be happy.(If your worries about cabbage bloat..don’t be. Cooking cabbage helps breaks down the enzymes that create gas, plus caraway has anti bloating properties%u2026WIN!)%u00a0
Cabbage, cauliflower,(fresh of frozen%u2026.I used frozen in this recipe) pre-cooked or canned chick peas, caraway seeds, yellow mustard, and salt..(I added pepper too)
Chop the cabbage and toss into a lightly oiled pan with the rest of the stuff. Heat pan with everything but water %u00a0for a couple of minutes.. to warm the caraway and give everything a cooking head start, then add the water. Stick a lid on it and let simmer.%u00a0After about 15 minutes, give it a stir or two and do a taste test. At this point, it’s up to you%u2026how cooked you want the veggies? I kept mine cooking for another 10 minutes. I also added another 1/2 cup of water. Not enough water and the pan will burn, a little extra water is good, it creates a yummy broth.
When you are happy with the flavor and doneness, eat it. I made myself a %u00a0bowl with a heap of pickled beets(holy yes!). I am sorry if you don’t have any pickled beets, but the dish is still amazing without them. %u00a0Fresh ground pepper really does the trick too!
So there you go, make it tonight, it will make you warm,smart and happy
-C
serves 2-3
Lightly oil a medium sized skillet and add all ingredients except water. Heat for a few minutes to warm up veggie and caraway seeds then add a 1 1/2 cups of water. Keep on medium heat with a lid and stir on occasion If water evaporates completely out, add another 1/2 cup. %u00a0Dish is done when veggies are tender.. about 20 minutes%u2026.but whenever tastes best to you!
So some of that diced squash tuned into this lovely warm salad. Even the mister liked it and he is not a fan of warm salads(he says he is not, but I think he actually is, as long as I don’t call them “salads”) Any who%u2026This salad hits all the marks%u2026. Fantastically filling, super delicious, fast and healthy. %u00a0Check, check, and check! I am so good.%u00a0
Diced butternut squash, half a vilalia onion, %u00a0prepared lentils and a bunch of kale%u2026 Nothin else.(salt and pepper, but they don’t count)
Remove the pan from the oven and toss in finely chopped kale and a big scoop of lentil%u2026 Mix it up and let the sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026it will make the kale get soft and warm.
Hooray for Friday and for winter squash!!!!
-C
Warm Winter Salad
Ingredients (This made one good sized salad%u2026and exact measurements were not used so feel free to add greater or lesser amounts of any of the ingredients)
In a 425 degree oven, %u00a0place diced squash and sliced onions in a slightly oiled pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes until tender. Remove pan from oven and toss in chopped kale and lentils and let sit in hot pan for a few minutes%u2026 Plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
What we got here is an%u00a0easy one pan meal for the beginning of a hectic(but fun) holiday week . But I am sure that you %u00a0have your wits about you, that you are not feeling like a stretch Armstrong doll. No, you are all calm and collected%u2026 Well that’s nice because I feel like my head going to explode.So what I need this week is easy, %u00a0fast food %u00a0with lots of healthy good stuff and maybe to get rid of the meatballs that are in the freezer%u2026.. Mission accomplished with this dish. It’s basically a hug pan of veggies with a few left over meatballs from Nicks bday dinner and a little cottage cheese. %u00a0Nothing fancy%u2026 hearty and warm..Nick likes it so it’s a winner.%u00a0
The spaghetti squash is the main component in this dish so if you want to use other veggies, go for it. You can make this vegan and leave out the cheese and use fake balls or no balls at all (hehe) %u00a0You can even toss in some beans, lentils, or tofu. I make variations of this dish often%u2026 and lentils are a really good addition..
Besides the squash and the meatballs, I used mushroom, onion, kale, tomato and garlic %u00a0plus about a half cup of cottage cheese, cause that was what I had in the fridge.%u00a0
First thing first, cook the squash. %u00a0Just stick it in the oven for half hour at 425.. Once you can stick a fork into it, pull it out and let it cool enough to handle.. While thats cooling off, cook down the veggies. Started with a little oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, toss the onion and mushrooms ands frozen meatballs*(or whatever you want to use) and heat %u00a0until meatballs are cook through and the onion and mushroom are browned. Now add the garlic, kale and tomato, Turn heat off. %u00a0When the squash is cooled enough to handle,. slice open, scoop out the seeds and scoop the flash out. Spaghetti squash and cottage cheese into the skillet and toss.. Sprinkled a bit of mozzarella or parmesan cheese on top. %u00a0Lots of crushed black pepper and into the oven for about 15 minutes. or until the cheese is nice and melty and you are hungry and want to eat.%u00a0
*Note. If you want to make meatballs fresh, my recommendation would be to make them in the skillet first and then just toss all the veggies into that pan to cook down%u2026 No need to make more dishes.%u00a0
Pulled straight from the oven%u2026.Served nice and hot, placed right onto my wooded counter. I need to stop placing hot pans on the wood, I am leaving burn marks. There is actually a lot of thing that I need to stop doing in the kitchen, like setting towels on fire, burning myself at least once a day, slicing my fingers,.breaking dishes%u2026%u2026.So maybe place skillet on a trivet of %u00a0some kind and serve it up!
So easy and fast.. Served with a piece of crusty bread%u2026 Man, I wish everything this week could be this fast sans easy%u2026.. but I am not complaining.%u00a0
Have a good Monday!
1 small Spaghetti Squash
5-7 pre cooked vegan meatballs
Small red onion
2 -3 big mushrooms
1 small tomato
a few kale leaves
3-5 cloves garlic(or as many as you like)
half a cup of cottage cheese *
a handful of shredded parmesan or mozzarella*
salt and pepper
oil (for pan)
*use vegan versions or dairy versions.. up to you.
Preheat oven to 425
Place spaghetti squash in oven. Let bake for about a half hour or until fork tender. Remove and let cool enough to handle.
While that’s happening, chop the veggies into any size you want.. Drizzle olive oil in medium skillet and place diced sliced mushrooms, onion, and pre made meatball to brown. Once meatballs are warmed through, add the kale, garlic, tomato, and cottage cheese. Take the cooked spaghetti squash and remove seeds and scoop flesh into the skillet. Toss everything together, sprinkle with salt pepper, top with shredded cheese and place in oven for 15 minutes
Take it out of the oven and let cool. for a minutes and%u2026…
EAT!