Recipe: Chipotle Navy Beans & Kale

If you haven't noticed yet, I like my rice and beans. There is something about this dear legume and grain that is encoded in my DNA.

Fortunately (for my wife), Heidi Swanson's great blog 101 Cookbooks has given new life to this combination, with her recipe for Giant Chipotle White Beans, the inspiration for this dish.
 
We've simplified the recipe so that it can be made in one pot with relative ease. We've also taken out the feta, but feel free to add it back in.  It's delicious either way.  Cooks in 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pinches red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Chipotle Peppers
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 pinches of salt
1 15 oz can navy beans (or cooked beans from 1 cup dry)
1 bunch of kale, chopped with stems removed
A few dashes Chipotle Tabasco sauce (to taste)
2 cups basmati brown rice, cooked

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and stir for less than a minute. Next, add canned tomatoes, oregano, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes. Combine beans and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Stir. Add chopped kale and 1/4 cup water to help cook down. Cover and heat another five minutes. Add tabasco sauce to achieve desired spice level. Check for salt. Serve over basmati brown rice.

Recipe: Coconut Squash Curry

This dish, known as Olan, is from in the coastal state of Kerala in India. Swati and I first came across this dish while planning the menu for our wedding.

I love this dish and we've made it several times since our wedding. The coconut milk gives this dish a rich, creamy taste, while also being completely dairy-free! It's also refreshing to find an Indian recipe that uses winter squash and is free of the usual nightshade vegetables. I never thought I'd find a seasonal Indian dish for winter time. But now I have!

We used butternut squash for this dish, but you could easily substitute any winter squash or even sweet potatoes. Traditionally, this dish uses chili peppers instead of Thai curry paste, but sometimes one has to improvise! This dish should be enjoyed over rice. Enjoy.

Serves 4-5

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp brown mustard seeds

5-6 curry leaves 

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste

15 oz coconut milk (1 can)
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (from 3/4 cup dry or 1 can)

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add mustard seeds to oil. Wait until seeds start to pop, then add the curry leaves. Add the onions and cook a 2-3 minutes until translucent.

Next, add the butternut squash, coriander, salt, and Thai curry paste. Saute for a minute or two until spices coat the squash. Add 1/2 cup of water to help the squash cook. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until squash is somewhat soft and water has boiled off.

Add coconut milk and the cooked black-eyed peas. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Check for salt. Remove from heat. Serve over brown rice.