Black Bean Curry

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
½ small onion, shredded on the largest grating holes of a box grater
1 fully ripe tomato, cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon store bought  Garam Masala
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Two 15 oz (425 g) cans precooked black beans with liquid from cans

Pour the oil into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the garlic, ginger, and onion. Sauté until the onion is golden brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
    Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the tomato and cover the saucepan. Cook until the tomato becomes completely soft and mashed and is combined with the onion to form a coarse paste, stirring every minute or so and lightly mashing the tomato, about 5 minutes.
    Add the Garam Masala, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook uncovered for 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
    Add the canned kidney beans with their liquid and the additional 1 cup (250 ml) water and bring to a boil over high heat. (Or add the boiled kidney beans with 2 cups (500 ml) of their cooking liquid and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.)
    Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to thicken the curry and let the flavors infuse, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

Serves 4-6, Vegetarian

Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

 

Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Arugula, and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• Cooking spray 
• 8 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta) or fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups trimmed arugula
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Asiago cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 475°.
2. Combine squash, vinegar, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange squash mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 475° for 25 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
3. While squash bakes, cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon cooking liquid.
4. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts, sage, and garlic; cook 3 minutes or just until the pine nuts begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Place pasta, reserved cooking liquid, pine nut mixture, and squash mixture in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, arugula, cheese, and black pepper; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Bibliography: Pappardelle With Roasted Winter Squash, A. P. N., Squash, Vinegar, Oil, Salt, D., Spray, Fettuccine, Butter, Nuts, Sage, Garlic Cloves, M., Arugula, Cheese and Pepper. 2014. Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Arugula, and Pine Nuts | MyRecipes.com. [online] Available at: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pappardelle-with-roasted-winter-squash-arugula-pine-nuts-10000000833317/ [Accessed: 16 Feb 2014].

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips

This recipe combines a fruit salsa of strawberries, apples, kiwis, and raspberries with homemade cinnamon tortilla chips.  Although the addition of white and brown sugar decreases the healthiness of the fruit it truly enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit.  To keep the recipe healthier, only add one tablespoon of white sugar and omit the brown sugar completely or use fresh pita bread instead of the cinnamon chips!

Ingredients:

for the fruit salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples – peeled, cored and diced
8 oz raspberries
1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp fruit preserves, any flavor (I used strawberry; would only use 2 tbsp next time)
for the cinnamon chips:
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray
cinnamon sugar:
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1.  In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 degrees.



2.  Coat one side of each flour tortilla with melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray.  Sprinkle tortillas with desired amount of cinnamon sugar, cut into wedges, and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Spray again with cooking spray (not necessary if using melted butter).




3.  Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture. This salsa can also be served with cinnamon graham crackers or cinnamon pita chips. Best when made and eaten the same day otherwise the fruit gives off so too much juice and it gets runny.