Lentil & Walnut Picadillo

This is a super quick rich and delicious dish (with very few ingredients) you can make in less than 30 minutes- I promise! I don't recall where I found the original recipe, so if you know it please let me know so that I may provide proper credit. I make this dish often and it's so simple that I never had to reference the original post. The only change I made was to add a bouillon cube or two. I like to make a double batch for the week along with some white rice. You can switch up the way you serve this picadillo - over some rice one day and rolled into a tortilla with some refried beans the next. You can even go wild by roasting sweet potatoes and topping it with this yummy dish. Well, let's get to it!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

2 bouillon (I used Edward & Sons Not-Beef Natural Bouillon Cubes)

1 yellow onion (diced)

1 cup walnuts (chopped)

2 cans black lentils ( drained and rinsed)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat pan, add oil, add onions and saute until translucent.

2. Add bouillon cubes, mix well, add chopped walnuts, mix and cook until golden.

3. Add black lentils, mix, cook for 5 minutes.

4. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Bean Stew

This week has been busy and the weather has turned from warm to downright chilly, for El Paso standards that is! Yesterday, we had a booth at our local Fall Art Market and it was a lovely 42 degrees for most of the morning. I was finally able to open my scarf and beanie drawer. As I was enjoying the clear blue skies and cool weather, I naturally started to think of yummy warm dishes. Stews are some of my favorite dishes to make and enjoy during the cooler weather. They are hearty, delicious, and usually made in just one pot - which makes cleaning up so much easier. During my Pinterest search, I came across this recipe from Amy Fulwood from TheCookReport.com

In my usual fashion I did change a couple of things from the original recipe, such as the recipe called for kale, but since I didn't have any- I just left it out. I do want to add some next time because I think that the added nutrients are a huge bonus, plus the color pop would be lovely. Also, I used navy beans instead of kidney beans; in all fairness, she said that any bean or chickpeas would work. Here is the thing y'all, it's okay to play with the recipes you try, and it's okay to alter ingredients for the most part. Just get in there and try. If all else fails, PB&J's can be a great meal too!

Ingredients:

2-tbsp olive oil

1- onion (chopped)

1- garlic clove (crushed)

2- sweet potatoes (medium-sized peeled and cubed)

1/2- tsp ginger powder

1/2- tsp turmeric

1/2- tsp cinnamon

1- can crushed tomatoes

2- cans of beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2- cup quinoa or barley * (rinsed)

4- cups veggie stock

1 veggie bouillon cube

salt - to taste

pepper- to tasted

*If you decide to use 1/2 of barley add three extra cups of stock, cook for about 40 minutes and add beans at half-point.

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent, then add garlic.

2. Add cubed sweet potatoes, spices, crushed tomatoes, beans, quinoa, and veggie stock.

3. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

Holy Moly Guacamole!

On this fine Sunday, I went to pick up a few groceries and was pleased to see that avocados were on sale... 2 for a dollar y'all! This is a wonderful deal because my household can make an entire meal out of a large bowl of guacamole.

Through quite a bit of trial and error, we found our favorite recipe on Self.com - the article is "Chipotle Reveals Their Secret Guacamole Recipe" and it is very delicious! Like, really, very delicious. It's important to note that choosing the right avocado is key, so look for avocados that are soft but still firm. So without further ado, let's begin!

Ingredients:

2- ripe hass avocados

2- tsp lime juice

2- tbsp cilantro (chopped)

1/4- cup red onion (finely chopped)

1/2 to 1- jalapeño (finely chopped, seeds and all)

1/4- tsp kosher salt (has a different texture and flavor burst)

Directions:

1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit.

2. Scoop the avocado and place in a medium bowl.

3. Toss and coat with lime juice.

4. Add salt.

5. Smash avocados with fork or potato masher until a smooth-ish consistency.

6. Add the cilantro, red onion, and jalapeno.

7. Taste, adjust seasoning to taste and enjoy!