Tag Archives: Beans

Black Bean Lettuce Wraps

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I tend to eat lettuce wraps a lot! Why??? They are so easy to throw together super fast and most importantly they are incredibly healthy! See fast food CAN be healthy!!! I like to use black beans because they are my favourite bean but you can use what ever bean you prefer. The picture below is of a super plain wrap because that bean mixture was made for my 9-year-old who wanted just beans & hemp hearts. I like to add bell peppers, shredded carrot and sprouts if I have them on hand to my wraps. The beauty of these wraps is that you can pretty much use any veggie you have on hand or that needs to be used asap in them. Another bonus of lettuce wraps is that they are kinder to your waistline compared to wolfing down a bunch of tortilla wraps. Go ahead and wolf these down though because they are delicious and healthy … no guilt required! 🙂

 

Simple Black Bean Lettuce Wraps

Simple Black Bean Lettuce Wraps

 

 

Black Bean Lettuce wraps

You will need:

  • 1 can of black beans
  • garlic
  • apple cider vinegar
  • hemp hearts
  • salt & pepper , I use Himalayan pink salt
  • parsley
  • lettuce of your choice, *Boston/butterhead lettuce is a great choice because it holds the bean mixture well. I’m inserting a picture I found of Boston Lettuce in case your not familiar with this type of lettuce.*
Boston Lettuce

Boston Lettuce

 

 

Bean mixture:

  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed really well
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • 2 TBSP hemp hearts
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh torn up parsley
  • 2-3 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
  • Veggie/veggies of choice, I usually cut up 1 large bell pepper and grate 1/3 cup carrot

Add all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. The longer you let these ingredients sit the better your bean mixture will taste! I sometimes make it the night before and keep it in the fridge.

 

Method:

  1. Pre wash & dry your lettuce leaves. Make sure they are nice and dry!
  2. Add your bean mixture to the lettuce. If you’re using the Boston lettuce it acts like a cup so it’s really easy to fill up.
  3. Top with more hemp hearts
  4. Eat them all up!!! Without any guilt I might add! 🙂

 

NOTE: I also sometimes add some brown rice or quinoa to my wraps which makes them a little more filling when I’m enjoying them for dinner. Give it a try! You will love this addition!

 

Enjoy!

Dinner Rush Tacos!

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One of my gotta get dinner on the table fast meals is vegan/vegetarian tacos. They are always a hit with my kids! I love how you can use whatever veggies you have on hand and create a super fast meal. I cook up the veggie “meat” and always add black beans to it because it’s my kids favourite bean. As far as toppings go I use whatever I have in the fridge. I’ve made it using just the “meat” & beans along with chopped bell peppers, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes like pictured below. Other times I add in spinach or other mixed greens, corn and sliced avocado. Top it with a little hot sauce or taco sauce to give it a kick if you like and your cheese of choice. I don’t always top my tacos with “cheese” but if I do then I use a bit of daiya cheese. My kids eat their tacos vegetarian style and use regular cheese because they are not fans of faux cheese at all. As far as the veggie meat goes I try not using it very often because soy is one of the biggest foods genetically modified. When I do buy it I try to get organic when possible for a little piece of mind.

 

Dinner Rush Tacos!

You will need:

  • 1 package of tortilla wraps (I use the small size)
  • 1 package of veggie ground round/veggie “meat”
  • Spices and herbs of choice. I use paprika, oregano, chili powder, Himalayan pink salt and black pepper.
  • Veggies of choice, bell peppers, greens, tomato, etc.
  • 2 – 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup water
  • A couple tbsp.’s of olive oil
  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed very well.
  • 1 large frying pan

 

Method:

  1. Heat olive oil in frying pan and add in garlic and sauté it for a minute on medium heat.
  2. Add your veggie “meat” into the pan and crumble it up.
  3. Next toss in your spices & herbs of choice as well as the black beans.
  4.  Give it a good mix and sauté for about 5 minutes on a medium heat.
  5. Add 1 cup of water and combine well. Cook for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and your beans are softened.

 

* You can either add in veggies such as bell peppers & mushrooms to your meat & bean mixture and slightly cook them up or serve them raw in your taco*

 

To assemble:

  1. Grab a tortilla wrap and add some of the meat & bean mixture to it and add your veggies of choice.
  2. Top with cheese and taco or hot sauce if desired.
  3. DONE!!! Dinner is served! 🙂

 

Yep it’s pretty much the easiest meal to whip together which is perfect for rushed dinner times!

Enjoy! 🙂

 

Image

Simple Bean & Herb Salad

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Simple & Easy Bean And Herb Salad!

Simple & Easy Bean And Herb Salad!

 

 

I’ve had many people ask me for this specific bean salad recipe so I thought I’d just post it here for everyone. I make many different types of bean salads but this is one of my favourite ones. It’s always a hit with family and friends! I use chickpeas and black beans in this salad but the bean possibilities are endless so use whatever you have on hand. I love how you can use whatever staple ingredients you have at home and create a lovely protein packed salad super fast!  I like adding chopped bell peppers into it because it adds a pop of colour to the salad and adds another element of great taste as well. For me fresh parsley is a must for bean salad so I add in a lot of it! I like to top my salad with healthy hemp hearts to finish it off.

 

 

Simple Bean & Herb Salad

 

You will need:

  • 2  – 19 oz  can of black beans
  • 1 – 28 oz large can of chickpeas
  • 3 – 4 large cloves of garlic
  • 3 – 4 tbsp. hemp hearts
  • 3 Tbsp.’s Apple Cider Vinegar, adjust to desired taste
  • 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil, adjust according to desired taste
  • Salt & black pepper
  • handful of parsley, I use two handfuls 🙂
  • large bowl or large container

 

Method:

  1. Mince the garlic
  2. Open up the cans of beans and rinse, rinse, rinse them very well!!!
  3. Add beans to your bowl or sealable container and toss in the garlic
  4. Drizzle with a 3 tbsp.’s of extra virgin olive oil and 3 tbsp.’s of apple cider vinegar. Adjust to desired taste. Add more olive oil or ACV if you need depending on how strong you want the flavors to be.
  5. Season with Himalayan salt and black pepper and add the parsley.
  6. Mix well and top with 3 – 4 tbsp. of hemp hearts on top.

 

* I keep my bean & herb salad in the fridge to let the flavors marry for a while before serving. The longer it sits the better it will taste!!!*

 

Enjoy!

Portuguese Style Fava Beans

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One of my favorite comfort foods that I grew up with is Fava Beans! I always have  a bag of frozen green fava beans in my freezer because it’s a great fast dish to whip up. This is my go to meal when I have no idea what’s for dinner! Traditionally Portuguese sausage is cooked with the fava beans but because I make mine vegan I omit that. They do however have Vegan sausages on the market these days and you could add one to this dish if desired. If you’re adding it then cut it up and add it to the onion and garlic saute. With or without I think this dish is fantastic!

 

Here’s the super easy recipe …

 

Ingredients:

  • Garlic, I use a lot 🙂 … like 5 cloves minced but you can use however many you like
  • 1/3 cup chopped white onion
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Sprinkling of chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp of pureed hot red pepper paste (optional)
  • 1 bag of frozen green Fava Beans
  • Add desired amount of paprika, Himalayan salt, & black pepper
  • 1 tbsp of dry oregano, I dry my oregano from the garden & use it all winter long 🙂
  • 5 cups of liquid (water, veggie broth or you can combine both)
  • 1/3-1/2 cup red wine (optional)
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Method:

  1. In a large pot with olive oil add the onion and saute
  2. Add in garlic, chili flakes & red pepper puree if you’re using it
  3. Toss in the bag of frozen fava beans
  4. Give it a mix
  5. Add liquid and spices and dry oregano
  6. Add in wine if you’re using it
  7. Cook at a medium heat for about 30 minutes covered, stirring from time to time
  8. Adjust seasoning and see if you need more salt or pepper
  9. Throw in the fresh parsley for the last 5 minutes of cooking
  • Serve with Bread for those who enjoy to dip it into the yummy sauce!

Note: I prefer my fava beans not to be too over done! If you prefer them to have a softer texture then cook an additional 10 minutes or so. Give one a try at the 30 minute mark and see if the texture works for you.

 

Fava Beans

 

Smashed Slow Cooker Beans

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I really like using my slow cooker to make many different types of beans and they always turn out great! For this recipe I used black beans which happen to be my favourite type of bean. I prefer using dry beans and I soak them over night in water so I can use the next day. If I don’t get around to soaking them then I just grab a can of beans and make do. If using canned beans be sure to rinse them very well! I throw them into the slow cooker and add lots of healthy garlic , olive oil and spices. The canned beans cook up faster than the soaked dry type. Every slow cooker is slightly different and some of the newer types have many different settings. I find in mine the canned are ready in 4-5 hours on High. The soaked type will take a bit longer at about 6 hours on High. I sometimes like to “smash” my beans up when I want to make bean burritos. I will add the bean spread to my tortilla wrap, veggies and even some brown rice sometimes. I also use any left over beans as a dip for my crackers. I also like to cut up tortilla wraps into triangles and place them on a baking sheet. Then brush on a touch of olive oil on them and pop them into the oven at 350 F. Bake for about 10 minutes or until crisp and browned. I then use these tortilla chips to go with the left over black bean mixture. Yum! I think that is a great snack idea to throw together fast and the best part is it’s HEALTHY!

 

Smashed Slow Cooker Beans 

 

You will need:

  • 1 can of black beans or equivalent in dry and soak them in water over night
  • Fresh Garlic (As much as you like but I use about 6 cloves in mine)
  • 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil
  • Spices of choice (I use paprika, Himalayan salt, black pepper, chili powder, dry oregano and a touch of cayenne pepper)
  • 1/2 cup -3/4 cup Vegetable broth (add a bit more or add water if it starts to dry up too much during the cooking process)
  • 1/2 onion diced very finely (Optional) or add some onion powder along with the other spices
  • A little bunch of Fresh parsley and Thyme 
  • Any veggies you have on hand (I use diced tomatoes or I cut cherry tomatoes from my garden in half, bell peppers cut up in strips and lettuce or mixed greens)
  • A potato masher

 

  1. Add beans to slow cooker with a couple tbsp of olive oil and spices and optional onion if desired
  2. Add garlic and vegetable broth
  3. Add fresh herbs
  4. Cook for approx. 4-5 hours on the high temp setting, longer if using soaked type of beans
  5. Once the beans are cooked turn off your slow cooker and use your potato masher to “smash” the black beans up
  6. Spread the black bean mixture onto a soft tortilla wrapper and add any vegetables you have on hand. Roll it up and ENJOY!