Brown Rice with Lime, Cilantro and Jalapeño

Lime, cilantro and fresh jalapeños offer a fresh and zippy contrast to the earthy nuttiness of brown rice in this simple Mexican-style side dish. This would go well with my classic Refried Beans, or Southwest Vegetarian Chili, or Black Bean and Corn Bake with Cheese Topping.

Brown Rice with Lime, Cilantro and Jalapeño

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
juice and zest from 1 large lime
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Rinse the brown rice under cold running water. Soak overnight in 2 cups of water in a small saucepan.

Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer undisturbed until the water is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover again and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve hot or warm. Serves 2 to 4.

A big hug, flavored with passion fruit

Blogging has several good aspects, and a very important one is meeting great people – and it doesn’t matter if they live around the corner or across the ocean.

The lovely Barbara is one of those people and she’s going through a hard time right now, battling cancer once again. :(

The equally lovely Bron and Ilva organized a virtual hug for Barbara and I’m glad to be a part of it. I hope she

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes with a Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Tempted by the idea of quinoa, my favorite grain, which also happens to contain nearly complete proteins, and further attracted by the idea of combining its nutty flavour with the earthy taste of black-eyed peas, I whipped up a batch of these satisfying little croquettes that I based on a recipe I found in Vegan with a Vengeance. Because they are baked instead of fried, the effort involved is really rather minimal, but the dining experience most delightful.

This recipe can easily be doubled, which is what in fact I did. I served some cooked quinoa on the side and scooped my Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce over top. My mushroom sauce does contain yogurt, so this is not a strictly vegan combination, but I'm not a vegan and was only craving a partial cleanse of animal products, which explains why I resisted the urge to include eggs and cheese in the croquettes. Honestly, not needed, whether or not you serve them with a vegetarian or vegan friendly accompaniment.

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes


For the Croquettes:

1 1/2 cup of cooked black-eyed peas
1 generous tablespoon of olive oil
1 generous tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 red or green chili, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of paprika

For the Coating:
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup of cornmeal
pinch of sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of grated lemon zest

In a medium-large bowl, mash the black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher. Mix in the olive oil, tamari and hot chili. Add the quinoa to the bowl, along with the spices and herbs and stir until well combined.

Combine the ingredients for the coating in a small bowl.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the sheet.

Shape the bean and quinoa mixture into small patties, roll in the crumb mixture and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Turn them after 20 minutes have elapsed.

Serves 4.

Coconut madeleines

I guess I’m really getting old. Things I did not care for now bore me to death.

I remember when bands and singers came up with a new album – there would be one song to be played (to exhaustion, sometimes) at radio stations, and the musicians would perform this song in TV shows and such. After a while, they would do the same with another song, and that is how things would work.
Now I turn on

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Pinto Beans and Roasted Garlic and Herbs

A hot bowl of creamy tomato soup always provides warmth and comfort on a cold winter day, so why not turn that bowl into a filling meal as well? Puréed beans lend a hearty and heartening creaminess to any soup, while adding plenty of fibre, protein and numerous essential minerals and vitamins.

This roasted tomato soup with pinto beans is flavoured with a sweet and smoky blend of roasted garlic and herbs, and while it's nothing to look at particularly, the delicious aroma will certainly draw the attention of anyone within sniffing distance. Best of all, the soup is easy enough to make that you won't flinch at having to prepare it after a long day of work.

This soup goes beautifully with grilled toast and cheese made with fresh French or Italian bread and an old sharp Cheddar.

Creamy roasted tomato soup with pinto beans and roasted garlic and herbs

1 1/4 cups dried pinto or other light-coloured beans
4-6 cloves garlic, to taste, peeled
1/2 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
dash of paprika
1 pound ripe tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper

Rinse the beans and soak overnight covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse the following day, and cover with 4 cups of fresh cold water in a large saucepan or soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are very tender.

Preheat an oven to 400° and raise the rack to the second-highest level. Place the peeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast for 10 minutes and remove from the oven.

Stir the herbs and paprika into 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and pour into a small puddle on the baking sheet or roasting pan. Add the tomatoes to the pan, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and return to the oven to roast for 10-15 minutes longer, or until the garlic has turned a deep golden brown.

Pour the roasted garlic, tomatoes and herbs into the beans, scraping the surface with a spatula to obtain all the roasted herbs. Purée the soup with a hand blender and continue to simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavours mingle. Otherwise, process the soup in batches in a regular blender and return to the soup pot to warm.

Season with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper and serve hot in warmed bowls. Serves 4 to 6.

Banana almond cake

I can’t believe I finally made this cake! The recipe had been in my kitchen forever. I was about to rename it “Fight Club cake”- I have tried to watch that movie hundreds of times but never got around to do it. I’ve rented it over and over again, but for a number of reasons I always had to take it back before getting to the end. I’ve tried watching it on cable, too, with no success. And the funny

No Croutons Required - The Winner for November and December's Festive Challenge

Congratulations to Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe who won the November Pasta Soup and Salad challenge with this delightful Pumpkin and Tofu Laksa. Congratulations Johanna! This is the second time Johanna has emerged victorious. Her Wanton Dumplings in Ginger Broth was the winning submission to our very first challenge.

Holler has kindly offered to host December's challenge, even though it was supposed to be my turn. I've got a busy month ahead of me and dare not take on any extra projects. Holler is changing things up a bit for December. Instead of a taste sensation, the challenge this month is to post a holiday image. Your submission can be of food, your backyard, your Christmas tree or any photo that you find festive. The deadline is the 20th of this month and the winner will be announced at the end of December.