Black Bean Burgers

Since it had been a while since I made something in the book I decided to make the Black Bean Burgers on page 120. This is very easy to make, I hadn't checked my spices very well so missed that I didn't have thyme but for me the flavors were great that it wasn't missed. Not that I have that talent to pull out flavors by trying something unless it's an obvious flavor.

The recipe makes 4 but I doubled it so that I could have some just about all week & not have to stop & make it again.

--Gymmie

Black Bean and Corn Burritos

I love burritos and the Black Bean and Corn Burritos on Page 127 hit the spot.

This can be a quick snack as it just takes as long to heat up the filling and warm the tortillas.

I forgot to double check my Salsa as when I went to grab it it was bad :(.



But I added some Sriacha and all was nom :).

--Gymmie

Black Bean Soup with a Splash

Another easy to put together recipe is the Black Bean Soup with a Splash on page 159. The soup takes about 45 minutes to cook.

I didn't realize I had an immersion blender until I looked at some attachments I have for my Do it All. It's a gadget I bought off an infomercial a million years ago that I probably used twice pre-gan but a zillion times now that I'm vegan.

The "splash" is some optional Brandy that you can either add at the end or serve separately and allow your guests to add if they choose.

I liked the punch that it added. I didn't realize I forgot the parsley so put some dried parsley on top :p.

--Gymmie

Black Bean and Walnut Croquettes

What pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and other comfort foods on a cold fall day? If you guessed Black Bean and Walnut Croquettes {page 267} you are right!

These little babies are made from pantry staples {if you're into keeping walnuts stocked, like I am}, and come together in minutes. The mixture is really easy to work with, and holds together great {unlike many croquettes I've made in the past}. Lightly coated in panko breadcrumbs, these little babies fry up great, the outside getting crisp and delicious while the inside is still soft and supple. Mmmm...supple...

I served these with Hollandaze Sauce drizzled over top {as the recipe suggested}, and it paired really well. I can also see these being great in a wrap, pita, or sandwich. They are flavorful on their own, but are also happy to work behind the scenes to make the flavor-magic happen for other accompanying sauces or dishes.

Both the Ninjahusband and Supertoddler enjoyed them {the Supertoddler calling them "poke-ettes"}. I can see this recipe being easily modified to use any bean and nut combination you like. These will definitely end up on our menu again and again. Great, solid, cheap, quick, versatile...what's not to love?

-- Your Friendly Neighborhood Batgirl

Spicy Black Bean Orzo Soup

The recipe for Spicy Black Bean Orzo Soup (p160) was full of promise. It had four things I love just in the title alone, especially spicy and soup. My interest was also piqued by the addition of sun-dried tomatoes, which pair so well with black beans.

Overall, it was very good. A little different for a black bean soup in that you puree this one, and the orzo goes in the bottom of the serving bowl and is then topped with the soup. Our carb portions are likely way off anyway, but I didn't have nearly enough orzo to go with the amount of soup I had. Next time I would double the 1/2c called for in the recipe. I would also (of course) double or triple the jalapeno as I didn't really get any spicy notes. Mixing in a little Tabasco Chipotle perked this soup right up and closed the flavor loop.

This one wasn't served to Grandma V as I assumed it would be too spicy for her. Mr. V's initial comment was "It's good, it's just really mellow for the time it took to make it." I would make again, but with the addition of more jalapenos, more orzo, and more sun-dried tomatoes. Geez, I'm becoming a stereotype of myself.

--The Divine Miss V