10 | Mmm Mexican Meal

1 |   Main Dish

Black Beans and Cilantro Rice

For a long time, I was scared of cooking rice because as a kid I would burn it. I’ve finally gotten over my fear after several successful attempts. Like with the quinoa in Issues #2 and #6, this is another time when infusing flavor during the cooking process is important. The rice and bean combo creates a complete protein. However, it’s not just a heathy combination— it’s also a flavorful one.

3 |   Side

Sizzling Sweet Potatoes

Usually, corn is paired with rice and beans. I thought we could mix it up a bit this week by adding something sweet to this savory, spicy meal. You might be someone that thinks of sweet potatoes as only a holiday dish. They are also great roasted. With this simple recipe, the ordinary day can become a little more special.

2 |   Salad

Spicy Slaw

I love cabbage. Old fashioned coleslaw is still one of my favorite summer side dishes. I was surprised to find cabbage on the menu at a Mexican restaurant a year ago. My friend and I started experimenting with ways we could make it at home. This is the final result. It’s a spicy side that’s especially great if you want to make this entire meal into a hand-held tortilla dish.

4 |   Dessert

Peppery Pear Mini Cakes

Cinnamon and chocolate is a classic Mexican combination. Cayenne pepper is added for an even more unbeatable punch. Don’t let the heat scare you. It brings out the other flavors and even people, like me, that don’t appreciate chocolate will get a kick out of it. If you can keep your hands off of them, they’re even better the next day.

Cilantro Rice:
1 1/2 cups water

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 clove garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon lime zest

2 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon salt

Black Beans:
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 large can black beans, drained (30 oz can)

1 can stewed tomatoes (15 oz can)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? Tonight it's simple to be dairy and gluten-free just follow the recipe.

Make ahead option– The black beans will last for 5 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. In fact, they taste even better the next day after the spices have permeated the beans. The rice will last for three days in the fridge. It tends to dry out after a few days. To reheat rice, try steaming it. Just place one or two servings on a large microwave safe plate. Pour two tablespoons water over the rice. Place a microwave safe bowl upside-down over the rice and heat it for a minute in the microwave. Depending on your microwave, it will take between 1-3 minutes.

The Simple Steps...

1. Cook the rice.

• My Method: Add the water to a medium pot and bring to a boil.
• Stir in the rice, garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes. While this is cooking, make the black beans.
• Remove the bay leaf. Use a fork to fluff the rice and place it into a medium mixing bowl.

2. Gently fold in the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro.

3. Taste the rice. Does it need more salt? If it does, add a 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix it in, and taste again.

4. Cook the black beans.

• My Method: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sauté the onion for three minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
• Stir in the cumin, chili powder, black beans, and stewed tomatoes. This is the part where you can spice it up. Taste the beans. Do you want more heat? Add another 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder if you prefer.
• Allow the mixture to boil. Cook for ten minutes stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

5. Before serving, add the lime juice, cilantro, and salt to the beans.

6. To enjoy, scoop a serving of rice onto a dish and top with the black beans.

4 cups shredded green cabbage

2 cups shredded purple cabbage

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 jalepeno, finely chopped

juice from 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons real mayo

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This is already a gluten-free recipe. This slaw is simple to make dairy-free just use Follow Your Heart Vegenaiseinstead of the mayo. It’s an excellent dairy-free replacement.

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This slaw tastes delicious the next day too. You can also slice the cabbage and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. When your ready to make a little spicy slaw, just mix it in.

The Simple Steps...

1. If you have a food processor or mandolin, use it to slice the cabbage. If you don’t have one, slice the cabbage as thinly as you can using a large knife.

2. Add all the vegetables to a large mixing bowl.

3. Stir in the lime juice, salt, and mayo. I wear food safe plastic gloves and mix everything using my hands. It’s normal for this mixture to turn pink once you start mixing.

4. Taste the slaw. Sometimes a jalapeño can have a mild heat. If your family likes to spice things up, add another half of a jalapeño pepper.

large sweet potatoes or 4 small sweet potatoes

1 small onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Add right before serving:
1 cup crumbled queso fresco

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free? This recipe is gluten-free. For a tasty dairy-free option, leave off the queso. The sweet potatoes are still delicious without it.

Make ahead option– Wash, peel, and chop the sweet potatoes and onion. Store them for up to five days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚. Wash, peel, and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Chop the onion into approximately 1 inch pieces.

2. Place the pieces of sweet potatoes and onion into a large bowl. Toss them with the oil, cumin, salt, and cayenne.

3. Spread out the mixture onto a large baking tray with sides.

4. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

5. Top with the crumbled queso fresco and cilantro right before serving.

6. Enjoy!

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 pears, peeled, cored, and mashed (about 1 cup mashed pears)

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 eggs

Walnut Crumble Topping:
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped

Want to make this dairy or gluten-free?For a simple dairy-free option, use coconut oil instead of the butter. To replace the egg, use 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water; let it sit for one minute before using it. To make this gluten-free, make sure your cocoa powder is gluten-free like, Hershey’s. Also, replace the flour with your favorite blend of gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Make ahead option– These are spectacular the next day. These mini cakes freeze nicely and can be stored in a sealed container for up to a month in the freezer. Simply take them out ahead of time to thaw them at room temperature before serving them.

The Simple Steps...

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Using a fine sieve, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt together into a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the pears, butter, yogurt, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on low until combined then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. This is to get some air into the batter to make the cake fluffier.

4. Add the egg and mix for another two minutes.

5. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners.

6. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, walnuts, and sugar. Sprinkle this on top of the batter, dividing it evenly.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least five minutes. Allowing them to rest overnight will make the flavors even more intense.