Braised Coconut Spinach and Chickpeas with Lemon

I love that I live in a home where I can experiment with new recipes to my heart's content and my family is along for the ride. This week I was in the mood for some hearty vegetables all by themselves, without the rice, pasta, or bread that usually accompanies them. Growing up in a Puerto Rican household, that would be unheard of. A meal was not complete without rice...and meat.  I had some sweet potatoes laying around that needed to be gobbled up, so I hit the internet!

Searching around on Pinterest for vegetable recipes involving sweet potatoes, I found one that looked like it could fit the bill. New recipes are always hit or miss, but this one hit the ball out of the ballpark!  It was so filling and delicious.  Everyone from my husband down to my 3yo loved it.  This will definitely be making many appearances in my home.

The only difference I made to the original recipe was that I used a bag of the Cruciferous Crunch Collection mix from Trader Joe's instead of the spinach.  It made the whole dish heartier and suitable as a dinner dish all on its own.  

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon

2 teaspoons vegan butter (I use Earth Balance. You can substitute oil of choice)

1 small onion (I used red)
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 dried hot red pepper or dash of red pepper flakes (I used a jalepeno)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound baby spinach (I used a bag of Cruciferous Crunch Collection from Trader Joe's) 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground ginger

To Serve: Whole roasted sweet potatoes

Heat the butter or oil in a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest, and hot pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes, or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture. Toss in the greens of choice, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the greens have been added, pour in the coconut milk, salt, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas are warmed through. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve hot over roasted sweet potatoes.

Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed beans) - the Remake!

Today I have a scrumptious dish for you that is sure to awaken your nostalgic Caribbean taste buds. Earlier I gave you the recipe for Spanish rice and beans, but sometimes you want those beans saucy and drenched over the top of your rice like an accompaniment. I've taken those traditional habichuelas and added some hearty veggies so they can be eaten as a full meal without feeling like you're missing a thing. The slightly embarrassing part of this recipe is that I've used canned beans. I remember my mom cooking those dried beans from the morning until the evening...and no doubt the taste difference is noticeable. One of these days I will try my hand at "all-day beans" for sure.

Maybe in the crockpot.  

Habichuelas Guisadas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup sofrito
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tbsp Sazon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cups low sodium veggie broth
2 cans pinto or kidney beans (15 oz. cans)
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp green pimento olives, chopped
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Note: You can use store bought Sazon and sofrito, but beware they are laden with harmful chemicals like MSG and artificial coloring/flavoring.  With a little prep, you can make it all yourself fresh and it stores for up to 3 months.  Click the links for recipes ;)

In a medium sized sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes, until it starts to caramelize. Add the sofrito and Sazon seasoning. Saute for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, oregano, cumin and a pinch of black pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Add the veggie broth and beans, potatoes, carrots, and olives. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 25-30 minutes, to allow the flavors to meld and the potato/carrots to cook. Check for seasoning, and add sea salt if desired. Serve over white or yellow rice - or the way I like it...steamed brown rice!

This dish is absolutely delish! Feel free to add some extra cilantro, or as we call it in Puerto Rico - recao. This is the base of your sofrito so there is already some in there, but some like it more pronounced. If you'd like your beans less hearty and more traditional, cut down significantly on the amount of veggies.

Quick and Easy Eggplant Parm

I have yet to meet a Puerto Rican that doesn't adore Italian food. That might be a stereotype, but it's a pretty safe bet. Seriously, who doesn't love pasta, tomato sauce, oozy cheese, delectable herbs and spices? What we don't love is the saturated fat, cholesterol and high calorie content of these foods.

Lucky for us, there are healthier ways to indulge!

This dish is perfect as an appetizer, or served on top of whole wheat linguine (make that brown rice linguine and you've got a gluten-free dish). It's great to serve to guests, or as a quick lunch for yourself. Either way, there's something gourmet about it. Fancy yet simple - perfection.

Eggplant Parmesan

1 Large Eggplant
Your Fave Spaghetti Sauce*
Mozzarella Daiya Cheese
Fresh Basil Leaves
Garlic Powder
Black Pepper (optional)

Peel and slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Arrange side to side on a cookie sheet. Place the sauce, cheese and basil leaves on top of each round.

Stick it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, until the eggplant gets a little darker and the cheese melts. Stack 2-3 rounds on top of each other, sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper to serve. *Feel free to substitute a 1/4 inch slice of tomato for the sauce. Yum.