Creamy Energy Power Salad

In addition to writing here on the ABC blog, I also regularly read about half a dozen other food/fashion blogs. I am pretty selective in my reading, so these elite five-six blogs must be pretty good to have made the cut!  If you haven't noticed "My Blogroll" before on the toolbar to the right, you might like to check it out sometime.  These ladies come up with amazing vegetarian/vegan cuisine, and frequently do it in style as well!

With that being said, it isn't uncommon for these blogs to serve as my inspiration for recipes, outfits, and home decor on a regular basis.  In fact, the dressing for today's Creamy Energy Power Salad is borrowed from Angela Liddon of Oh She Glows.  Angela is one creative cat in the kitchen!  She comes up with so many delicious and healthy recipes that have me drooling every time.  When I saw this Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing, I knew right away that I had to come up with an original way to use it!

For me, avocados frequently = Mexican cuisine.  Blame it on living in New Mexico for so many years, but you say "avocado" and I think salsa and chips, enchiladas, green chile, refried beans, chile rellenos, and quesadillas!  Since we didn't have any tortillas at the time, I decided to use what we had on-hand to create this protein-packed and energy-filled salad.  Trust me, it didn't disappoint!

Full of healthy fats and protein-rich beans, this salad will keep you energized and mentally sharp for hours!  With the perfect balance of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, protein, and fat, this salad is a champion of health and nutrition.

Creamy Energy Power Salad
Serves 2-4

1/2 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 can hominy, rinsed
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced and roasted
1 tsp EVOO
1/2 C rice, cooked and chilled
2-3 handfuls of Spring Salad Mix
1/4 C Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing from Oh She Glows

Directions:

• Cook the rice on the stove-top (i.e. 1/2 C rice + 1 C H2O + 20 minutes on the stove-top = perfectly fluffy rice!)
• Place the black beans, hominy, tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper into a medium mixing bowl.  Toss to coat.

• While the bean/hominy mixture is marinating, slice your bell pepper, toss it in olive oil, and roast at 450 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
• Note:  You will want the bell pepper to blacken around the edges, but you do not want it to burn.  Watch it closely for the last couple of minutes in the oven!  They should end up looking something like the picture below.

• Add the rice, bean/hominy mixture, and bell pepper into a large salad bowl with the Spring Salad Mix.  
• Toss gently.
• Begin by pouring 1/8 C dressing onto the salad and incorporate fully.  
• Add more, up to 1/4 C, until you have reached your desired coating.
• Due to the avocado, this salad is best served immediately.  
• Note:  Leftovers of this salad will not be very good.  Therefore, I would suggest either halving the recipe or eating it all in a single day.

Next time - I will share the beginnings of a new fashion/style project.  Maybe some of you will even be inspired to join me!!!

Question of the Day:

If you need lots of energy for the day, what is your go-to meal?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

3-Layer Mexican Casserole

Last night continued my efforts to use up what was in our refrigerator, freezer, and pantry before we leave on our trip.  I almost always have beans and rice on hand, but I wanted to whip up a little more exciting than the boring old staple.  After a brief scavenging around the kitchen, I discovered:

• salsa;
• green chile;
• frozen corn;
• a red bell pepper; and
• Daiya cheese.

Visions of the party-favorite 7-layer dip immediately came to mind.  By my count, I had no where near enough ingredients for seven layers...but an idea had been born, so I rolled with it!  

This is a Mexican-style casserole with a little kick!  If you like heat, go ahead and use "hot" salsa and "hot" green chile.  The final result is creamy, hearty, and as Bo says, "fills you up right!"

3-Layer Mexican Casserole
Serves 4-6

For the Rice Layer:
1 C brown rice
1 3/4 C water
1/2 C salsa (preferably HOT!)

For the Vegetable Layer:
1 C corn
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

For the Bean Layer:
1 can refried beans
1 4 oz. can of hot green chile
1/2-3/4 C Daiya cheese (or other cheese)


Directions:

1. Place the rice and water in a medium saucepan.
2. Boil, reduce to simmer, and allow to cook for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the refried beans and green chile in a small saucepan over low heat.
4. In a separate pan, saute the corn, bell pepper, salt, pepper, and cumin over medium heat.  Continue cooking until the corn and bell pepper begin to soften and brown slightly.
5. Once the rice is cooked, mix in the salsa.
6. Now you are ready to layer your casserole in a medium/large oiled dish:
1. Place all of the salsa rice in the bottom of the dish.
2. Cover with the vegetable mixture.
3. Spread the bean mixture on top.
4. Sprinkle with cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-12 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Recently, I've been trying to learn more about my camera.  I have been taking it off of "automatic" mode in an effort to take more professional pictures for the blog.  However, a lot of the recipes I end up putting on the blog are cooked in the evening.  Therefore, by the time I need to take pictures, the sun has gone down and I am left without any natural light (which, I have read, is best for quality photography).  Last night I took several with the flash, and several without...but I can't decide which one looks better.  What do you think? (just leave a comment in the "Comments" section below).

With the flash...

Without the flash...

Bo ate his casserole with roasted chicken.  Believe it or not, every bit of this plate was devoured, and later on in the evening he went back for seconds of the casserole.  Today, he asked me if there was any left for lunch...if you ask me, I think he kinda likes this one! :)

FYI - This picture is without the flash.

Next time - I promise you that oatmeal recipe that will keep you full for hours!  And this time, I mean it!

Question of the Day:

What's your favorite throw-together meal?  Or, like most people, do you just get take-out on nights when the refrigerator/pantry are low?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Saturday Adventures

I knew I had a busy morning ahead, so I started my Saturday with this:

What is it, you ask?!  Why it's Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats, of course!

Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats
Serves 1

1/2 C oats
1 1/2 C liquid (water, milk, a combination thereof, etc.)
pinch of salt
2 stevia packets (or 2 tsp sugar)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 small banana, sliced (or 1/2 large)
2 T peanut butter (I used homemade)

Directions:

1. Add oats, salt, and liquid to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until beginning to bubble.
2. Turn down heat to low.
3. Add stevia and vanilla extract.  Stir until smooth.
4. Pour into a Tupperware, or other container, and store in refrigerator overnight.
1. Note:  The oats will not be fully cooked at this point.  Overnight, the oats will absorb the remaining liquid, continue to cook, and become voluminous and fluffy.  YUM!
5. In the morning, stir in a splash of milk to loosen the oats.
1. Note: I prefer my oats cold.  Weird, I know, but I like what I like!  If you prefer warm oats, at this point you may choose to heat them up either via stove top or microwave.
6. Place the sliced banana on top of the oats, and drizzle peanut butter on top.
7. Enjoy!  Elvis would have loved this bowl of oats!

After devouring this bowl of PB&B oats, Bo and I headed to the Corpus Christi Farmer's Market Fall Arts & Crafts Fair to do some Christmas shopping. 

Although it was pretty overcast and blustery, over 50 vendors showed up to display their food and/or crafts!  Bo and I were pretty impressed with some of the stuff up for grabs!

  

We ended up buying several Christmas gifts for our family and friends, but just in case some of you are reading, I can't show them here! :)

Later that afternoon, after returning home for some lunch and a little down time, Bo and I decided to go play golf.  This go 'round I played the role of caddy by driving the cart, holding his clubs, and manning the pole flag.  It was just a little too windy for me to feel comfortable hitting the ball, but next time I am definitely going to have to get back in on the action!

I completely forgot my camera for that outing, so there aren't any pictures from that part of our day. :(  Oh well, there is always next time!

For dinner, I decided to make something simple, quick, and easy: stir-fry!

Asian Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce
Serves 2

1 broccoli crown, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small carton of button mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp grapseed oil (or other oil)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 block of firm tofu, cubed (or other meat such as chicken, beef, etc.)

Directions:

• Heat oil over medium heat.
• Add onion and stir-fry until beginning to sweat and soften.
• Add bell pepper and broccoli, and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, and stir-fry for 7-10 minutes.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Note: The peanut sauce has soy sauce/tamari in it and is quite salty.  Be careful not to over-salt this dish.

• While vegetables are stir-frying, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Once the saucepan is heated through, add the cubed tofu.  Allow to brown on the first side before rotating.
• Continue rotating tofu once every 5-7 minutes until tofu is browned on all sides.
• Note: This step can be a nuisance, but the end-product is well worth your effort!

• Once tofu is browned, add to the vegetable mixture.
• Toss vegetable/tofu mixture with Peanut Sauce (see recipe below) until fully coated.

• Serve over brown rice.

Bo and I both agreed that the Peanut Sauce made this dish!  Without it, it is a bit boring and a bit "flat" in terms of taste.  So, if you are going to make this dish, I would strongly recommend making the sauce to go along with it!

Peanut Sauce
Serves 2

1/4 C PB2
1 T rice vinegar
1 T sesame oil (or other light oil)
2 T tamari (or soy sauce)
2-3 T water (I used 2T)

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
• Pour over stir-fry and serve.

As you all know, I LOVE regular peanut butter, but PB2 is particularly good for recipes like this because it is peanut butter in powder form.  As a result, it mixes very easily into sauces and dips and creates a smooth, slightly thick, consistency.  It is perfect for sauces such as this one, because it sticks to each individual vegetable and piece of tofu.  If you can find it, I would strongly suggest investing in some PB2.  It is great to have on-hand in your pantry!

Sadly, we didn't have any leftovers from dinner. :(  I guess it was just too good!

Question of the Day:

Did you have any adventures this Saturday?  If so, I would love to hear all about them!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo