Kale & Adzuki Beans

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup Shitake mushrooms, chopped

1 bunch fresh kale, roughly chopped

3-4 tbsp water

1 cup Adzuki beans, cooked

1/2 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp cider vinegar

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in saucepan, and add garlic and mushrooms–saute until just softened.  Add Kale–coat with oil, and allow to cook until slightly softened.  Add water to kale, and allow to simmer on low, about 10-15 min.  Add Adzuki beans to mixture–allow to simmer additional few min until kale is tender, and add more water if needed, ans stirring ocassionally. Add seasonings and spices to kale –mix in honey and vinegar, and stir.  Remove from heat, and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Homemade Bean & Cheese Burritos

Your kids have taste buds too!  And they will love you for this simply delicious and easily prepared meal that beats fast food by a long shot.  As a teenager, I didn’t eat much junk food, but I was in fact hopelessly addicted to the cheesy bean and rice burritos at Taco Bell–I stopped by often after work to get a burrito and empanada, but this homemade treat will put Taco Bell out of business, so indulge your children and yourself–reintroduce yourselves to home cooking  =) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup red beans, soaked & cooked
(I lightly seasoned beans a little while cooking with 1 packet Sazon, a little black pepper, oregano & garlic powder–minimal amounts of each)

1 tsp fresh oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning

2 tbsp Sofrito

2 tsps of lime juice

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 cup rice, cooked

Tortillas
(See my recipe for homemade, here
–beats store bought by a long shot!)

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced

3-4 strips red & green bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Shredded cheese to taste,
and any other toppings/fixings desired (sour cream, cilantro, etc.)

Directions:
Season red beans with oregano, cumin, chili powder, adobo, & sofrito.  Add lime juice.  Fold chopped tomatoes into beans.  On Tortilla, arrange layer of rice and beans (add about heaping spoonful or two of each to center of Tortilla).  In saucepan, heat oil, and add chopped onions, peppers, and garlic.  Saute until soft.  Top beans and rice with spoonful of sauteed onion mixture.  Finish with shredded cheese, dollop of sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or any additional toppings desired!

Iced Ginger Tea with Mint Cubes

Pleasantly cool and refreshing beverage–perfect for summer!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 quarts boiling water
(about 6 cups)

2 packets crystallized ginger, honey, cane sugar mix
(0.63 oz.)

6-8 slices fresh ginger

Extra honey/cane sugar to taste

Brewed mint tea, frozen into ice cubes

Fresh mint sprigs for garish

Directions:

Allow boiled water to cool slightly before pouring into serving pitcher. Mix packets of ginger mix into water, and stir well until mixture dissolves.  Add fresh ginger slices to pitcher, and allow to sit. Add more honey or cane sugar (I used a little more of both) to taste, if necessary.  To make mint cubes, brew mint tea as you normally would (either using tea bag or loose leaves–I used loose leaves, and simply poured boiling water over leaves, and then strained tea before pouring into ice tray).  Allow tea to cool before pouring into ice tray.  Freeze cubes.  Allow tea to chill in fridge before serving (a few hours)–serve in tall glass over minty ice cubes and garnish with mint–Enjoy!!