Baked Beans

So Corey and I have started griping about our limited and boring repertoire of food. Maybe it's the grey days but we are both uninspired when it comes to cooking and both of us are starting to crave pizza on a daily basis. However, we are trying our best to fight against this cooking lethargy and we are attempting new recipes from our plethora of cookbooks.

Tonight I tried a recipe for baked beans and we ate them on top of pasta (one thing to note - rice pasta does not freeze well as I found out when I reheated the pasta we had in the freezer... ugh! I just cooked a new bag.)

Baked Any Type of Beans

5 cups cooked beans (I used my frozen black-eyed peas but you could use kidney or pinto or other beans)
1 cup water
5 cloves garlic, gently crushed with the side of the knife
3 tbsp minced ginger
4 tbsp soya sauce
3 tsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoked tofu in small cubes
4 drops liquid smoke (or more or less depending on your smoked tofu or preference for the smoky flavour)

Preheat over to 375. Mix all the ingredients together and put into a bean pot or deep casserole dish with a lid. Bake for 45 minutes. Easy!

Easy Yummy Indian Lentils

I received a book from a friend in Nepal who is caring for 15 orphan girls and putting them through school. She is from England and returns home every so often so on one of her trips home in 2012, she mailed me this awesome little cookbook entitled Indian Vegetarian Cuisine by Kikky Sihota. I've tried several recipes and have found them all to be yummy. I always modify them a bit based on my needs but I have not hit a dud yet! On Monday I wanted to eat some Indian food to go with the naans Corey had made so I tried two new recipes from this cookbook. The lentils were amazing and SO easy to make. I hope you enjoy them as well!

Mixed Dal

3/4 cup dried red/yellow lentils
3/4 cup dried brown/blue lentils
5 cups water
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 salt
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli flakes

Pour small amounts of the lentils onto a plate and swirl them around to check for rocks and other debris. Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan (lentils foam up when they boil so they need a lot of space.) Bring to a boil uncovered. Turn down the heat to medium and cover but allow the steam to escape and let bubble until the lentils are done. I removed the lid and let the mixture thicken a bit as well before serving. DELICIOUS!

Thai Coconut Corn Soup

This soup can be as spicy as you want it to be depending on how much cayenne pepper you use and if you add a sliced chili. I used a Thai red chili but you can use a jalapeno. For a milder version but with the flavour of the chili, remove the seeds before adding the chili to the soup. Just make sure to wear gloves when you chop a red chili as the oil burns your fingers and then burns any other skin you may touch!

I used kaffir lime leaves and dried galangal but lime juice and fresh ginger will work just as well.

Thai Coconut Corn Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 - 3 carrots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more or less)
1 chili pepper, sliced - see note above
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed or 1 cup cooked garbanzos
1 sweet red pepper, sliced
1 sweet yellow pepper, sliced
2 cups frozen corn
2 cans coconut milk (about 400 ml each)
2 cups water
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp lime juice or 2 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger or 2 pieces dried galangal

Heat the oil on medium in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and cayenne. Stir and cook until the onions and carrots start to soften. Add all the other ingredients and bring the soup up to a boil. Turn the heat down and let the soup simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings (salt, cayenne pepper, lime juice) as needed.