Easy Pantry Black Bean Soup

If there's one thing I love, it's new kitchen toys.  If I only had 1 hour to grab things before leaving my house forever, my chefs knife, food processor and stand mixer would be at the top of my list.    Somehow along the way I've missed one crucial gadget that I kick myself for not having.  If you don't listen to anything else I say, please BUY A SLOW COOKER!

Today's recipe is a simple Black Bean Soup that uses black beans, vegetable stock and diced tomatoes from my Whole Foods Market pantry essentials.  It works great in a slow cooker but if not, a large pot works great too.  The recipe below is vegan, but by adding with some chopped smoked ham or smoked turkey it adds a little something more but isn't necessary to enjoy this soup.

Don't forget to send your recipes using the pantry essentials for a chance to win a $50 gift card from Whole Foods Market Ponce!

Black Bean Soup
1 cup black beans, soaked (I do this overnight. An hour at the least)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
32 oz. vegetable stock
1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp oregano


Slow Cooker directions
Put all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.


Pot directions
Drain soaked black beans and remove any damaged beans.  Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and cook until softened.  Add beans and remaining ingredients to the pot.  Allow beans to come to a boil, then turn it down to simmer on low for 2 hours.  Enjoy with cornbread and a couple of shots of hot sauce.

I added a little smoked ham but it didn't need it.

What's better than skillet cornbread to warm up a winter soup dish?

Vodka & Quinoa Make a Healthy Dinner

A few months ago, a friend, who shall remain nameless, visited my home and brought a bottle of cheap vodka.  No offense to any of those bottom shelf vodkas, but experience has taught me that quality vodka yields better recovery results.

Since no one in my house, or anyone who visits is willing to drink this vodka, I had to come up with a way to use it.  I decided to incorporate it with today's recipe and had amazing results.  In addition to using the vodka, I had to make sure this recipe was easy, delicious and not so far on the healthy eating side that my boyfriend would turn his nose up.  You just can't make a Southern, meat-and-potatoes man eat quinoa without a little bit of hesitation.  I settled on this delicious Spicy Shrimp & Quinoa recipe.  I used vegetable stock, quinoa and sundried tomatoes from my Whole Foods Market pantry essentials.  Hopefully it will also make you want to lick the pots clean and get rid of some cheap vodka.

Recipe Tips

• Be careful on the chiles, please.  I used 2 and it packed quite a bit of heat.  If you have kids, you may want to only use half or less.
• Infuse your sundried tomatoes and vodka the night before or the morning of.  They should infuse for at least an hour.

Spicy Shrimp & Quinoa

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (without oil)

3/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1-2 chiles, chopped (make it as spicy as you can handle)
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Place sundried tomatoes in a bowl.  Add vodka.  Cover the bowl and allow tomatoes to infuse vodka for at least 1 hour.  Prepare quinoa according to package directions using vegetable stock.

Remove sundried tomatoes from the vodka and chop.  Save the liquid.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add onions and saute until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and chiles and saute until softened.  Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Remove pan from the heat and add sundried tomatoes and vodka.  Return pan to the heat and allow the sauce to cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook out of the sauce.  Add tomato sauce to the pan.  Season shrimp with remaining salt and pepper and Italian seasoning.  Once sauce begins to simmer, add in the shrimp.  Cook until shrimp are no longer translucent and have turned pink.  Serve shrimp over quinoa.  Add a salad for a complete meal.

Featured ingredient: Quinoa

Featured Ingredient: Vegetable Broth

Vodka infused Sun dried Tomatoes 

Delicious results!  Spicy Shrimp & Quinoa

What delicious quinoa recipes do you have?  Don't forget there's a $50 gift card from Whole Foods Market Ponce up for grabs!

Cook Healthy & Win A Whole Foods Market Gift Card

Planning is the key to any healthy eating New Year's resolution.  If you waited until January 1st to figure out your approach, you're already a week behind.  Beginning next week, we'll work together on your healthy eating plan with the help of a cool promotion going on at Whole Foods Market.

Whole Foods has selected 23 pantry essentials they say are key to creating a healthy, budget-friendly pantry.  The list, found on their blog, includes lots of beans, grains, etc. that total less than $50 and can be the main ingredient or help stretch any meal. 

Starting Monday, we'll feature recipes using their pantry staples and challenge you to do the same!  We'll have some wins and misses, but fun no matter what.  Send me your best recipe featuring the pantry essentials, and the best one will receive a $50 from Whole Foods Market Ponce!  Please don't try to use them all at once, that's just gross.  Please do use as many as you'd like and have fun.