Meat Sauce

From Tina

Ingredients
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Oil or butter
1 lb ground beef
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 jars prepared marinara sauce
Oregano, basil, and rosemary
1 tsp sugar
1 cube chicken bouillon

Method
Heat the oil or butter in a large pan and cook the onions. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add the ground beef. Add the red wine when the beef is cooked through and bring to a boil. Mix the marinara sauce, spices, sugar, and bouillon. Taste for seasoning.

Besciamella Sauce

From Tina

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Add flour until it forms a thick paste. Add 1 quart of whole milk and 1 tsp nutmeg. Stir constantly on medium heat until almost boiling. Do not let it boil.

Beef Bulgogi

From Crazy Korean Cooking

Ingredients
3/4 lb beef strips
1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c sugar
1 c water
1 onion, sliced into crescents
1 green onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
pepper
1 tsp sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
1 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp sesame seeds

In a large bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar, and 1 cup cold water. Add onions, green onions, sugar, garlic, a pinch of black pepper, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Add the meat, making sure it's completely covered by the marinade. Cover the bowl and keep covered for at least 4 hours.

Add the meat and the onions from the marinade, as well as the mushrooms and chili flakes, to a frying pan and cook on high heat until the meat is just cooked through. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve with rice.

*To substitute pork or chicken, add 1 tsp minced ginger to the marinade

Saag Paneer

Serves 4
From Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 12 ounces store bought paneer (Indian cheese)
• 1 (16-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 1 (1-inch thumb) ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped (seeds removed if you don't like it spicy!)
• 1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth

Preparation
In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.

Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up very finely with your knife.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Now here's the important part: saute the mixture until it's evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes. Don't skip this step - this is the foundation of the dish! If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.

Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven't already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.

Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4
From Food Network

Ingredients


Marinade:

• 1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
• 3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks

Sauce:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)
• 2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 8 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 to 2 cups water
• Oil, for grilling
• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

• 1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Preparation

Sauce:
For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste:
Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.

Fried Rice

Serves 4
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain converted white rice, rinsed
• Salt
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons light Japanese soy sauce
• 3 large eggs, beaten until just blended
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
• 2 cups frozen broccoli
• 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced into 2-inch strips
• 2 or 3 scallions, thinly sliced, including some of the green tops, 1/2 cup
• 2 cups diced store bought roast pork, optional
• Sesame oil, as needed

Preparation

At least 1 day before you plan to make the fried rice, place the rinsed rice in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan. Add 2 cups of cold water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, and cook at a gentle boil until the water has cooked down to the level of the rice. With a spoon (not a fork), stir the rice well. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating for 24 hours.

Break up any clumps of the cold rice with your fingers and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce and soy sauce and set aside.

Coat a large, nonstick skillet with nonstick vegetable spray and set over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the eggs, swirling them around to make sure they coat the whole bottom of the pan. Cook, without stirring, and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the eggs are firm and cooked through but not yet starting to brown, lifting the skillet and tilting it so that the eggs cook evenly. Slide the eggs onto a plate and when they have cooled, cut into small pieces and set aside.

Return the skillet to the burner and heat the oil over high heat. When it is hot, add the peas, broccoli, bell pepper, and scallions, and cook, stirring constantly, until the scallions are limp. Stir in the rice, sauce mixture, eggs and roast pork until well mixed. Continue to cook, stirring, until the rice is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Plate and drizzle with sesame oil, to taste.

Simple Spanish Gazpacho

Serves 4-6
From food.com

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ripe juicy tomatoes, rinsed and cut into pieces
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 white onion, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, rinsed, seeded, and diced
• 1 cucumber, about 6-7 inches long, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup virgin olive oil
• 1 piece French bread (3-4 inches long piece)

Preparation
Place the piece of bread in a bowl with water in order to soak it. Once soaked, put all water away, squeeze the soaked bread with your bare hands as much as you can and set aside.

In a good blender or food processor, put the tomatoes, the garlic, onion, pepper, cucumber, squeezed bread. Add remaining ingredients and blend on a high speed until there are no bits and pieces left. It should be creamy with a bit of texture, not watery. Pour it in a jar or bowl and let it chill in your fridge. Do not heat or freeze. Serve it in bowls as a first course for any meal.

Asian Chicken Cabbage Salad

Serves 4
Adapted from Katherine Martinelli

Ingredients

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin (sub white wine vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken
• ½ large white cabbage, shredded
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 package snow peas, cut in half
• 1 bell pepper, julienned
• 1 cup sliced scallions
• ¼ cup almond slivers, toasted
• 1 package ramen noodles, broken up
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Put the soy sauce, mirin, water, sesame oil, and brown sugar in a small pot over low heat. Heat, stirring, just until the sugar has fully dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil and set aside to cool.
2. Roast the chicken in the oven set at 350 for 25 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. Cut into bite-size pieces.
3. Put the cabbage, carrot, snow peas, pepper, scallions, almond slivers, and uncooked noodles in a salad bowl. Pour half of the dressing over and toss vigorously until every piece of vegetable is coated. Add the chicken and more dressing until the salad is well dressed. The remaining dressing will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for at least 1 week.
4. Garnish with the sesame seeds and serve (salad can be made up to a few hours ahead and refrigerated; simply omit the noodles and toss in just before serving.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Based on a recipe by Central Market
Serves 6

Ingredients

• vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8oz can green chiles
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Juice from 1 lime

Toppings

• Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 avocado, diced
• tortilla chip pieces

Preparation

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add the remaining ingredients except lime juice and toppings. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour. Off the heat. Stir in the lime juice, ladle soup into bowls, and add the toppings.

Chai Tea from Scratch

Ingredients

• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 pieces crystallized ginger
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 whole star anise
• 1/2 tsp whole cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon whole tellicherry peppercorns

Preparation
Wrap the spices in cheesecloth. Bring 7 cups of water to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and place bag of spices in the water for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow spices to steep for 15 minutes. Turn the heat on low and add 2 tsp black tea (Assam if available), stir in 1 cup milk (any kind), and 1 tsp honey (or to taste). Heat until almost boiling. Turn off the heat and discard bag of spices and tea.

Serve hot or cold over ice.

Chicken and Kale Hand Pies with Cheddar Crust

From Everyday Food Magazine
Makes 6

Ingredients

• Flaky Pie Dough, recipe doubled and 1 cup shredded cheddar added with flour, or store-bought
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 leek (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick, and rinsed well
• 1 small bunch black (Tuscan) kale, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup cooked chicken, torn into bite-size pieces (about 5 ounces)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. On a floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out one half to a 14-inch round. With a knife or biscuit cutter, cut out six 4 1/4-inch circles (rerolling dough once if necessary) and transfer, on parchment, to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, cutting out six (larger) 4 1/2-inch rounds. Chill rounds on sheet until ready to use.
   
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add leek and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add kale and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook until kale wilts, 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until mixture thickens, 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, season with salt and pepper, and stir in chicken. Let cool slightly.
   
3. Place a heaping 1/4 cup chicken mixture on each of the smaller dough rounds, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush edges with egg and top with larger dough rounds; using fingers, press edges firmly to seal. Cut a small vent in each pie. Bake until browned and crisp, 30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool slightly on sheets on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   

Cook's Note

If using store-bought rolled pie dough, add 1 tablespoon cheddar inside each hand pie.

Sausage Gumbo

From Eating Well Magazine
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 12 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links, removed from casings
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chopped tomatoes
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups frozen chopped okra
• 3/4 cup instant brown rice
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl lined with paper towels.
2. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and Cajun seasoning and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring to coat the vegetables, until the flour browns, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, cover, increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
3. Return the sausage to the pan, along with okra and rice; reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the okra is heated through and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with sliced scallions, if using.

Indian-Spiced Braised Chicken

From Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. grated ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (I used a scant 1/4 tsp. because of the kids)
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilanto
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala (optional)
• cooked white rice, for serving

1. In a 5-6 qt. slow cooker, stir together chicken, onion, tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, coriander, and cayenne; season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook on high 4 hours (or low for 8) until fork-tender. Stir in yogurt, cilantro, and garam masala, if using. Serve with rice.

Slow-Cooker Carne Guisada

From Everyday Food Magazine
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast or bottom round, cut into 1-inch pieces
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium white onion, diced medium
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
• 1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced small
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• Flour tortillas, warmed, grated cheddar, and cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In two batches, cook beef until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch (add 2 teaspoons more oil for second batch). Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
   
2. In same skillet, cook 2 teaspoons oil, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic over medium, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour broth into skillet, stirring until liquid is smooth. Simmer 2 minutes, then transfer mixture to slow cooker, along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 6 hours. Serve in tortillas with cheese and cilantro.
   

Warm Chicken Sausage and Potato Salad

From Eating Well

Ingredients

• 1 pound small potatoes, cut in half
• 1 5-ounce bag arugula (about 4 cups, gently packed)
• 12 ounces precooked chicken sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain or Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  

  Preparation

• Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add arugula; cover with foil to keep warm.
• Cook sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add to the potato-arugula mixture.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in vinegar, maple syrup and mustard, scraping up any browned bits. Gradually whisk in oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the arugula is wilted. Season with pepper.

Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

From Food & Wine

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups quinoa
Salt
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 large Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 packed cups baby greens, such as arugula or kale (about 6 ounces)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the quinoa and toast over moderate heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer the quinoa for 16 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff the quinoa, spread it out on a baking sheet and refrigerate until it is chilled, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until golden and softened. Let cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Add the quinoa, sweet potatoes, apples, parsley, onion and greens and toss well. Serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD The quinoa and sweet potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Red Beans & Rice

From Eating Well

INGREDIENTS

• 4 1/3 cups water, divided
• 1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, or pink beans, rinsed
• 6 ounces sliced Canadian bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
• 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, (see Note) or cayenne pepper
• 
  

PREPARATION

1. Combine 3 1/3 cups water, rice and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until all the water has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.
2. About 10 minutes before the rice is ready, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is lightly colored and tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Place 1 cup beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mashed and whole beans, the remaining 1 cup water, Canadian bacon, celery, celery leaves, bell pepper and ground chipotle (or cayenne) to taste to the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened into a gravy and the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls, spooned over the rice.

Polenta with Mushroom Sauce

From Eating Well

INGREDIENTS

• 1 16-ounce tube prepared plain polenta, sliced into 8 rounds
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 pound mushrooms, such as white or cremini, sliced
• 2 cups stemmed and sliced shiitake mushrooms, (4 1/2 ounces with stems)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2/3 cup shredded fontina cheese, (see Note)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Arrange the polenta on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crispy on the bottom and heated through, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Pour in wine; bring to a boil and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the liquid until the pan is almost dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in cheese and tarragon. Serve the sauce over the polenta.

Wheat Berry Black Bean Chili

Makes 4-6 servings
From Eating Well

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large yellow bell pepper,chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (see Tip)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries, (recipe follows)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.

Roasted Pumpkin Salad

From 101cookbooks.com

3 cups of pumpkin (or other winter squash), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
extra-virgin olive oi
fine grain sea salt
12 tiny red onions or shallots, peeled (OR 3 medium red onions peeled and quartered)
2 cups cooked wild rice*
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375.
Toss the pumpkin in a generous splash of olive oil along with a couple pinches of salt, and turn out onto a baking sheet. At the same time, toss the onions with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and turn out onto a separate baking sheet. Roast both for about 45 minutes, or until squash is brown and caramelized. The same goes for the onions, they should be deeply colored, caramelized, and soft throughout by the time they are done roasting. You'll need to flip both the squash and onion pieces once or twice along the way - so it's not just one side that is browning.

In the meantime, make the dressing. With a hand blender or food processor puree the sunflower seeds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and honey until creamy. You may need to add a few tablespoons of warm water to thin the dressing a bit. Stir in the cilantro, saving just a bit to garnish the final plate later. Taste and adjust seasonings (or flavors) to your liking - I usually need to add a touch more salt with this dressing.

In a large bowl, toss the wild rice with a large dollop of the dressing. Add the onions, gently toss just once or twice. Turn the rice and onions out onto a platter and top with the roasted squash (I'll very gently toss with my hands here to disperse the pumpkin a bit). Finish with another drizzle of dressing and any remaining chopped cilantro.

Serves 4.

* To cook wild rice: Rinse 1 1/2 cups wild rice. In a medium sauce pan bring the rice and 4 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes or until rice is tender and splitting open, stirring occasionally. You'll have enough for this recipe and some leftover.