under construction

Made a few changes to the blog...and I foresee it changing some more! I hope the pages make it a little more user friendly and easy on the eyes. I even learned some fancy html and added a shnazzy Facebook like button. 
I'd gladly welcome any feedback or suggestions! Thanks for stopping by and for your comments--never unappreciated. Have a nice weekend!


anabel xx

white bean and chicken chili

Nothing like a warm bowl of chili on a cold, rainy day. Served with some corn bread and this pretty much seals the deal for me. I omitted/substituted a few ingredients from the original (found here) per user comments and because I didn't have some of them handy. The outcome still delivered a tasty alternative to the normal tomato based kind. The combination makes for a super hearty and flavorful chili, with a slight kick. I love the texture and crunch the corn adds to the whole thing.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds of chicken breast, chopped (or you could use rotisserie chicken, just add it later in the cooking process)
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch (about 1 pound) kale or Swiss chard, stems removed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped


In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Lower heat if they start to brown too quickly. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add chopped chicken, salt, cumin, oregano, and chili powder, and stir till chicken is cooked through.

Add beans, kale or Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. Stir ingredients and bring to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits that got stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for about 40-50 minutes until the stock has reduced by half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon into a large bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley and enjoy thoroughly.

ensalada azteca

There’s a vegan restaurant in my neighborhood that, along with this recipe, makes me believe I could live off vegan food, climb trees, climb mountains, etc. all the live long day. (I say this with the caveat that they have these awesome nachos, corn bread, a decent cheesecake as well).

This salad was the first thing I had there…and tried to recreate a few months later for one of my first dates with Abe many a years ago. My memory failed me as I ended up with a bowl of romaine, quinoa and honey mustard dressing. Fail.

Anyways, redemption came when I found this recipe on the Native Foods Blog here. It’s all kinds of crisp veggies, and the raisins and sunflowers add an unexpected flavor and texture to it; not to mention the subtle kick from the cayenne. Pow.

Altogether, I’m a fan. The ingredient list seems long, but you’ll have leftover dressing and a big, heaping, delicious, beautiful salad at the end of it.

 

For the Mango Lime Dressing:

Combine the following ingredients in a mixer and blend till smooth. Allow the dressing to sit before serving so the flavors can come together. *Note that the dressing comes out pretty thick, so you might have to use a spoon to drizzle it over your salad (vs. pouring it out of the blender or bottle).

1 cup of fresh (or frozen) mango

½ cup sunflower oil (I used canola; any neutral flavored oil will work)

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

Tomato Mixture:

Combine the following ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

1 cup tomato, chopped

1 cup cucumber, peeled + chopped

1 cup jicama, chopped

1 cup avocado, chopped

½ cup red onion, minced

2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

Additional ingredients:

2 cups of mixed greens

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to instructions and cooled

Topping:

4 Tablespoons sunflower seeds

4 Tablespoons raisins or chopped dates

Slices of fresh mango

Cayenne pepper (optional)
 

To assemble Salad:

Divvy up the mix greens onto 4 plates. Top with equal amounts of quinoa, then drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of dressing.
Top with Tomato Mixture and drizzle with more dressing. Garnish with sunflower seeds, raisins, and fresh mango. Sprinkle with a dash of cayenne pepper if you don’t mind a kick. Serve and enjoy.

happy first day of spring!

{Pictures from my mom's most beautiful garden.} 

chevron details

Eye catching chevrons. How beautiful is this wall? It makes me want to own a home...or at least just an entryway. :)
1) Apartment Therapy | 2) UO | 3) UO
4) Pretty Tape | 5) Pinterest via Brandi via Note to Self