Saturday, October 16, 2010

Black Bean Burgers

Time for black bean burgers, they have tons of flavor and are a healthy option when I am out of grass fed ground beef. I also love that this recipe makes 18 burgers and they freeze well, which makes for easy future dinners!

 Uncooked black bean burger, it's ready to get grilled!

After it's been grilled

Black bean burger, ready to eat!

Black Bean Burgers

  • 4 cups cooked, rinsed and drained black beans 
    • (1 1/2 cups of dry beans makes about 4 cups cooked, also cook them with garlic, onion, and celery to add flavor)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
    •  (1/2 cup dry will make 1 cup cooked)
  • 2 Tbs flax seed
  • 3Tbs water
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 1 Tbs ground cumin 
  • 1 Tbs dried parsley
  • 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
  • 1 tsp. coarse salt 
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • Gluten Free Bread Crumbs or oat flour (to roll in)


  1. Cook black beans (this needs to be done in advance) or buy a few cans of black beans. Cook the quinoa while mixing the other ingredients.
  2. Chop the cilantro, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. (I used my food processor.) Place in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Place 2 cups of the black beans in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until chunky.
  4. Transfer to the large mixing bowl. Add flax meal and mix with water.  Add remaining whole black beans, tomato paste, cumin, parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes and mix until well combined.  When the quinoa is done cooking mix that in as well.
  5. Let chill in fridge for 15 minutes to set up.
  6. Can cook in a lightly greased pan, I used a pancake griddle so I could cook 9 at a time. Turn griddle onto 375 and make the patties while warming up.
  7. Pour some gluten free bread crumbs onto a plate. Scoop out 1/4 cup bean mix and lightly roll in the bread crumbs. This prevents the bean mixture from sticking to your hands.  Then form a patty about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. If you want bigger patties scoop  1/3 of a cup.
  8. Spray the griddle/pan and cook for about five minutes on the first side or until well seared and with a flipping spatula, turn onto second side and allow to cook for an additional five minutes


    This made 18 burgers so you could easily half the recipe. I like making a large batch like this and then freezing the leftovers between parchment paper. Then all I have to do is microwave a burger, grab ketchup n mustard, chop up my tomato, lettuce, pickles, onion, and toast a gluten free bun!


    NOTE: I cooked my own black beans and I didn't drain them well enough (I just scooped them out of the pot and tried to avoid the liquid) so I had to blend up gluten free oatmeal to thicken the "batter."  So drain the black beans well or you may have to add a thickener of some sort. I have made them in the past with well drained beans and I haven't had to add anything.  Lesson learned: trying to take the easy way out just makes for more work!

      Thursday, October 14, 2010

      sautéed greens tossed with toasted walnuts

       Toasting walnuts with garlic and a little EVOO on medium heat
       
       Toss in the chopped greens (I used arugula and spinach)
       
       Let them cook for a few minutes while stirring
       
      Add a pinch of salt and they are ready to eat!

      Monday, October 4, 2010

      Roasted Garlic Hummus

      Not the best picture but it was soo good I just wanted to eat it right away!!

      Hummus is one of my favorite foods. It's healthy, taste great, and is very versatile. My top 3 are Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Jalapeño with Cilantro, and the one I am about to give you-Roasted Garlic Hummus!

      Hummus calls for Tahini. You can buy a jar for 8-11 bucks at the store or blend up your own and save a ton of money. I usually buy 1 lb of sesame seeds out of the self serve bins for $3.50. You only need 1/2 cup of sesame seeds and you'll be able to make this hummus recipe a couple times.

      Tahini
      1/2 cup hulled sesame seeds
      1 Tbs olive oil

      Dump the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat on the stove. Stir the seeds until the start popping and turn golden brown. Usually takes about 7 minutes or so, remove and let cool on a plate. Pour the seeds into a food processor, add 1 Tbs of olive oil, and blend until it turns into nut butter. Seal in an air tight container and it will store in the fridge for several weeks.

      Roasted Garlic
      1 bulb garlic
      1 Tbs olive oil

      Cut the garlic bulb in half and place them on 2 sheets of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up the bulbs in the foil. Set oven to 375 and roast in oven for 40 minutes. The garlic with be very soft, golden brown and easy to squeeze out of the bulb.


       As you can see the sesame seeds aren't completely pureed. I used sesame seeds that were NOT hulled. The store was all out of hulled so instead of buying a jar I decided to try unhulled. I put the garlic in and after a few minutes I eventually had nut butter. So for quick tahini use HULLED! 

      Roasted Garlic Hummus

      1 bulb roasted garlic
      2 Tbs olive oil
      15 oz chickpeas cooked and drained (garbanzo beans)
      2 Tbs tahini
      Juice 1/2 lemon
      1/2 tsp cumin
      1/2 tsp salt or 1/2 tsp veggie base 
      Chopped parsley and Greek olives for garnish (optional)

      Add all the ingredients except the garnish into the food processer. You'll have to squeeze out the garlic. Blend until very smooth. Scrape into a bowl and top with the garnish. Serve with carrots, cucumbers, celery, radishes, crackers, pita bread, and any other food you like to dip with.

      I made whole wheat crackers to dip in my hummus that turned out wonderful! I'll be posting them soon!  



      Saturday, October 2, 2010

      Vegan "Chicken" Seasoning



      Here is an easy and cheap way to make your own "Chicken" seasoning! There are two options one can be made up and kept in the pantry and another one can be made and kept in the freezer. The picture above is of the freezer option.


      Chicken Seasoning (keep in Pantry)
      1.5 cups nutritional yeast 
      1 Tbs onion powder
      1/2 Tbs garlic powder
      2.5 tsp ground celery seed
      1 tsp chili pepper
      2 Tbs sea salt
      2.5 Tbs Italian seasoning mix

      Blend all ingredients in blender until fine. Store in airtight container. Does not need to be kept in fridge. Add to soup and items that call for chicken bouillon. 1 Tbs equals 1 cube. 

      Chicken Seasoning (keep in freezer)


      Small Batch
      1/2 cup nutritional yeast
      1 Tbs onion
      2 cloves garlic
      3 Tbs celery
      1/2 tsp salt
      1 tsp Italian seasoning
      1/4 tsp chili pepper

      This one is kept in the fridge because I am using raw onion, garlic, and celery instead of the dried options. I put everything in my food processor and blend until it looks like the pictures above. 

      Saturday, August 28, 2010

      Blackberry pie with my Grandmother's pie crust


      This blackberry pie was so delicious (and simple) I am going to make it again this Sunday. My friend Emily and I went and picked blackberries for the sole purpose of making this pie and it was time well spent. After we baked it I asked Emily if she would take a picture for me because she is an excellent photographer and my snap and shoot pictures don't always turn out that great. Here is a link to see more of her wonderful work!

      My Grandmother's oil pie crust turned out wonderful and we ate the pie with vanilla ice cream (for the non vegans) and I tried my slice out with vanilla coconut bliss  and can't wait to have some more of that wonderful stuff!
       
      *Update* This pie is not gf. I made it and posted it before I knew of my allergies. I have made gf versions and will post that recipe sometime.

      Grandma's Pie Crust 

      Mix dry together
      1 1/2 c flour
      1/2 tsp salt
      2 Tbs ground flax seed (my own addition)

      Mix wet together
      1/2 c melted coconut oil (scant)
      5 Tbs dairy free milk

      Mix dry and wet together
      Knead dough together well and form a ball. Press into pie pan and chill for 15-20 min before baking



      Blackberry Pie

      • 1 cup raw can sugar
      • 1/2 cup flour
      • 1/2 tsp  ground cinnamon
      • 6 cups blackberries
      • 1 Tbs coconut oil chopped up  

      Heat oven 425
      Mix sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
      Stir in blackberries and pour into pastry lined pie plate.
      Drop the Tbs of chopped up coconut oil on top of the pie.

      Can cook pie 3 ways:
      1. Open faced without any crust on top
      2. Roll out more pie crust put slits in it and seal the pie shut. If this is the chosen option cover the edge with a 3 inch strip of foil so the crust doesn't get too brown, and remove foil during the last 15 minutes of cooking
      3. Top with a pastry lattice

      Bake for 40-45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Cool for 2 hours so that the pie will set up.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with vanilla coconut ice cream.

      Wednesday, August 18, 2010

      Tamale Time!

      I have always liked the idea of tamales, yet I have always been disappointed when I take a bite and they are dry with out any flavor. However I think they are so cute all wrapped up in corn husks so I went on a recipe search. At the mayo clinic I found this recipe that would work and of course went on to make my own changes.  I made these for some friends and they were delighted, especially about the Avocado salsa that goes on top!


      It was such a nice day that we pulled the table outside to eat! I think tamales look so pretty all wrapped up!

      3 Tablespoons of the masa dough placed in a damp corn husk. It's just waiting for the filling. 

      This is after the filling has been put in and I rolled it in the corn husk, then unrolled so you can see how it gets packed together.

      I've rolled the tamale up in the corn husk and now am folding the sides down. (please ignore the cilantro on my thumb)

      Then I take a small corn husk strip to tie it all together. This tamale is ready to get steamed!
      Tamale dough
      • 18 dried corn husks, plus extra husks to make ties
      • 3 cups organic corn kernels (I used a bag of frozen thawed out to room temp)
      • 2 cups masa harina
      • 1/2 cup lukewarm veggie broth
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 3 tablespoons olive oil
      Place the corn husks in a bowl of water to soften for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Pat dry and set aside.
      In a food processor, process 2 1/2 cups of the corn kernels until coarsely pureed.
      In a large bowl, combine the pureed corn, masa harina, lukewarm broth, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and oil. Mix/knead with hands until a ball of dough is formed

      Filling
      1/4 cup diced red bell pepper 
      1/4 cup diced green bell pepper 
      2 tablespoons diced yellow onion
      1 Tbs garlic minced
      1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      8 oz Tempeh chopped in small cubes
      1/2 cup cooked black beans rinsed and drained
      1/2 cup corn kernels 
      1 Tbs cumin
      salt to taste

      Place a dry nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, tempeh, black beans, and remaining 1/2 cup corn kernels, sauté for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and remove from the heat.

      To assemble a tamale, place 3 tablespoons of masa mixture in the center of a soaked corn husk. Flatten with your hand and form a small well in the center. Add 1 tablespoon of the filling to the well. Fold the long side of the corn husk over the filling to cover, then fold over the ends, overlapping them. Tie with a thin strip torn from an extra soaked husk. Repeat to make 18 tamales in all.

      In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Layer the wrapped tamales in the steamer basket. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and steam until the filling becomes firm and the tamales are heated through, 50 to 60 minutes. Add more water as needed.

      Avocado salsa
      1/4 cup chopped avocado
      1 small can of blended tomatillos 
      1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
      2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or fresh coriander
      1/2 teaspoon seeded, minced jalapeno
      1 chopped tomato
      1 Tbs onion diced
      1 tsp garlic minced
      1/4 teaspoon salt





      While the tamales are steaming, make the salsa. In a small bowl, combine the avocado, tomatillos, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss gently. The salsa is sooo good you may want to double the recipe. We ran out and wanted more!

      Saturday, July 24, 2010

      Health Benefits of eating Fruit and Veggies

      Here is a poster the Cancer Project came up with to give people a visual of how eating the rainbow of fruit and veggies can benefit their health!

      Saturday, June 5, 2010

      Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa

      This was full of flavor and it was made in 15 minutes, what more can you ask for?
      I found the original recipe on Susan V’s blog as I was skimming through food gawker (love that site). To see what else Susan  is cooking up click here!
      SANY0319
      • 1 medium onion, chopped
      • 2 cloves garlic, minced
      • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
      • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
      • 1 1/2 teaspoons good curry powder (or adjust to taste)
      • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne or other ground red pepper (or to taste)
      • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
      • 1 cup cooked quinoa
      • salt to taste
      Heat a medium-sized, non-stick sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring, until onions soften. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
      Add the chickpeas, curry powder, and red pepper, and stir briefly. Add the tomatoes and cooked quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add salt to taste.
      Serve in wraps, pita bread, or lettuce leaves or with naan or other flatbread
      I know you are thinking I see mushrooms in the photo but not in the recipe?! You are right. I threw some mushrooms in there because we like mushrooms here and put them in a lot of our dishes just because we like em!

      Thursday, June 3, 2010

      Indian Mango Dal

      I love Indian food! So I suppose it is a good thing I live in Seattle because I have soo many options! I was looking for lentil recipes a while back and found this one from Eating Well and decided to give it a try. Well I have made it several times now because it is really good!


      SANY0346
      This is a jar opener but it also does the trick to take the papery skin off of garlic

      SANY0347SANY0349
      Slightly dampen a paper towel and wipe down mushrooms. You can do a quick rinse and then wipe them down but never soak mushrooms. They will absorb water and become rubbery and lose their flavor otherwise.

      SANY0350
      I still prefer to peel my mango and then dice it but the slice then scoop  method looks better on camera. So I changed things up a bit just for this post.

      SANY0355
      Now it’s ready to eat! Also you can see that there are mushroom in my picture but not in the actual recipe. I had some mushrooms that needed used up so I tossed them in and they tasted great and also gave a little more texture to the dish.
      • 1 cup yellow lentils (I used brown but yellow would probably be “prettier”)
      • 4 cups water
      • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
      • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
      • 2 Tbs coconut oil
      • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
      • 1 medium onion, chopped
      • 4 cloves garlic, minced
      • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
      • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
      • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
      • 2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
      • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
      1. Place lentils in a colander and rinse until the water runs clear. Combine lentils, 4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and turmeric in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
      2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until fragrant and starting to brown, about 30 seconds. Add onion; cook, stirring, until soft and beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
      3. Stir the garlic mixture and mangoes into the lentils. Return to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes more. Stir in cilantro
      One last thing. I always cook up a huge pot of lentils and freeze what I don’t use. So I probably cook up 4 cups and then scoop out 2 cups once they are cooked to use with this dish.

      Tuesday, April 27, 2010

      Red Rice and Beans

      red beans and rice
      After a few bites Tyler said this tasted like something his mom would make and that he really liked it! Hearing that means this dish is an instant keeper! It was really good, the different flavors worked so well together! Be sure to have all the veggies chopped up and ready to go and this meal can be made  in no time! Pretty sure it was done in 20 minutes or less! Next time I might even try Quinoa instead of rice to change things up a bit.
      • SAUCEPAN
      • 4 tsp olive oil
      • 1 bunch asparagus chopped
      • 1 red bell pepper chopped
      • 1 small onion, finely chopped
      • Salt and Pepper
      • 2 cups cooked basmati brown rice
      • 12 INCH SKILLET
      • 3 garl1ic cloves crushed
      • 1 tsp chili powder (I put more in! we like spicy food)
      • 3 cups red kidney beans (2 cans rinsed and drained)
      • 1 tsp turmeric
      • 2 large carrots, finely chopped
      • 28 oz diced fire-roasted tomatoes
      • 1 Tbs tomato paste
      • 1/4 cup salsa
      • 1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
      I used my food processor to dice up the garlic and parsley, I also used it to chop the onion and carrot. This sped things up because all I had left to chop was the bell pepper and asparagus.
      1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat 2 tsp olive oil on medium heat. Add asparagus, red pepper, onion, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 5 minutes or until just tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cooked rice until well mixed. 
      2. After carrots are copped steam them until soft. Add them to the rice mixture. 
      3. In 12-inch skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp olive oil on medium until hot. Add garlic and chili powder and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in beans, salsa, tomatoes, turmeric and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and simmer 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
      4. Mix the rice and sauce together, and sprinkle some parsley on top when serving. Place leftover parsley on the table for others to add more while eating.

      Saturday, April 17, 2010

      Swiss Chard Italiano

      Technorati Tags:
      I made this a while back and it was full of wonderful flavor (and vitamins/minerals).  I served it with whole wheat bread,  brown rice, and black beans for a complete meal.
      kale
      I could have used a bigger pan (I think a wok would have been perfect)  because the kale was too fluffy until it cooked down. I actually had to cook the kale in a pot and then transferred it to the tomato/onion mix.
      kale 2

      Ingredients and Directions

      • 1 tsp olive oil
      • 1 garlic clove minced
      • 1/2 red onion diced
      • 7 cups chopped Swiss Chard, Kale, or spinach
      • 16 oz can diced tomatoes
      • 1/2 tsp basil

      • Heat oil in a LARGE nonstick skillet over medium heat, add garlic and onion. Cook for 3 min.
      • Add remaining ingredients. May want to transfer to a big pot because my large skillet wasn't large enough. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
      • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

      Thursday, April 15, 2010

      Cashew Cheese Sauce

      Tonight this went on EVERYTHING!!! I will admit I miss dairy sometimes. More specifically I miss cheese. This is the perfect remedy.


      SANY0231
      SANY0236 SANY0235

      My thoughts are in green! Also the cheese freezes well. If you add gelatin and chill it you can slice it like cheese to put on sandwiches :-)


      Ingredients:
      • 1 cup  water
      • 2 tablespoons  lemon juice
      • 1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers 
      • 1/2 cup  raw cashews 
      • 1 teaspoon onion powder (I used a real onion )
      • 1/4 cup  nutritional yeast 
      • 2 teaspoons salt
      • 1 cup hot water
      • 1/2 cup coconut oil
      Directions
      • Toss ingredients except boiling water, coconut oil in the blender for 6 min. 
      • Add hot water and coconut oil, then blend for about 30 seconds.
      • Pour liquid into sauce-pan and whisk on medium heat until it has thickened.



      Sunday, April 11, 2010

      EGG Substitutes

      I just wanted to list all the different substitutes that can be used in place of eggs. I used 1/2 of a mashed banana recently in some muffins and they turned out great! However I probably wouldn’t use the banana if I were making something like, black bean burgers (I’ll have to post those soon they are soo good!) I use bread crumbs and tomato paste. So if you do do an egg replacement be aware if you are making something sweet or salty. You want to use something that will act as a binder and thickener.
      • 1/2 mashed banana
      • 1/4 c applesauce or pureed fruit
      • 1 1/2 tsp of Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer + 2 Tbs lukewarm water
      •  Tbs psyllium husk powder + 2 Tbs water
      • 1 Tbs ground flaxseed meal + 3 Tbs water 
      • 1 Tbs ground chia seeds + 3 Tbs water
      • 1/4 c mashed potatoes/sweet potato
      • 2 Tbs potato starch or tapioca starch
      • 2-3 Tbs tomato paste
      • 1/4 c cooked oats
      • 1 tsp baking powder
      • agar agar 

      Thursday, February 18, 2010

      Quinoa "Taco" Salad

      My friend and I take turns making dinner each week. She usually makes something really tasty on Tuesday  and I always beg her for the recipe! I usually get creative (which can be interesting sometimes) on Thursday. Well I was clicking through food gawkers (you've never been? Oh its so fantastic you'll want to make it your homepage!) food gawker and I stumbled upon this recipe: "here" by Katie Goodman.

      Anyone new to quinoa? here is some great info on it. Quick health notes: fiber (aids digestion), protein (building block of the entire body!), magnesium (bone, heart, and muscle health), phosphorus (bone health), and manganese (antioxidant, bone, reproductive health).

      Lets just say this Thursday's dinner was a huge success!!!!
      I used Katie's photo as well, my camera is not the best so if I don't have natural light (like the pics on my previous posts) the food tends to look very yellow. I'm more of a chef than a photographer so I need to keep practicing in that area.

      This dish packs a lot of flavor and is very nutritious!! I did make a few changes to the origonal recipe:
      1. I cooked my quinoa in canned diced tomatoes instead of water. (I was lucky and had tomotoes that my parents had grown in their garden and bottled).
      2. I also mixed basil in with the Spinach-Cilantro mix.
      3. I cooked my own black beans and mixed 1/2 cup of salsa with them.
      4. I threw a few dashes of turmeric in my dish as well. It has some excellent health benefits.
      Here is the Origonal by Katie Goodman:
      •1 cup quinoa
      •1 red onion, chopped
      •3 cloves garlic, minced
      •half a red bell pepper, chopped
      •half a green bell pepper, chopped
      •half a yellow bell pepper, chopped
      •1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
      •1/2 teaspoon oregano
      •1-2 teaspoons chili powder, depending heat preferences
      •dash cayenne pepper
      •1 -15 ounce can black beans, drained
      •3/4 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
      •2 limes
      •salt and pepper, to taste
      •6-8 ounces baby spinach
      •1 bunch cilantro
      •1/3 cup feta cheese
      •1 avocado, diced
      Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. (I cooked mine in diced tomatoes instead of water)
      Meanwhile, swirl a bit of olive oil in a saute pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne and peppers and saute an additional 2 minutes.
      Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans(I mixed some salsa with mine), tomatoes, and the juice of 1 lime. Stir in quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.

      Roughly cut baby spinach into strips like you would shred iceberg lettuce for tacos. Remove about 1 cup of cilantro leaves from the bunch, rinse and pat dry, and toss with the spinach (I also included some basil). Divide spinach and cilantro mixture evenly among 4 salad plates. Top each plate with a scoop of the quinoa salad.
      Top each salad with your choice of cheese (feta was divine and I'll be sticking to it!) and diced avocado. Cut the remaining lime into slices to garnish the plates.

      Sunday, February 7, 2010

      Spicy Salsa!

      I love summer for many reasons but one that stands out is that it is salsa time! We like ours hot but you can always add less jalapenos if you need the heat toned down.
      The key to salsa is to have everything the same size. Whether you are going for a chunkier salsa or a smooth blend. Just make sure when you dice the ingredients stay consistant.


      Spicy Garden Salsa
      6 large tomatoes, dice 3 and puree 3 in blender/food processor
      Dice:
      1 yellow bell pepper
      1 orange bell pepper
      1 green bell pepper
      3-6 jalapenos seeded
      1 small red onion
      Blend:
      3 cloves garlic
      1/2 cup cilantro
      Squeeze:
      2 limes
      Salt and pepper to taste!

      Corn Tortillas!!

      Tacos are a favorite around here. The fresh veggies, black beans, and of course we like them spicy!!! Fresh food is a must at our house so grabbing store bought tortillas just doesn't taste the same as hot from the griddle. Mine are simple and healthy, plus cooking them makes the house smell delightful!

      Corn Tortillas
      First mix together for about 3 minutes, or until it becomes a dough ball:

      2 cups Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina (I'm looking into grinding my own because the fresher the better!)
      1/2 tsp salt
      1/2 tsp baking powder
      1 1/8 cups water

      I use a pancake griddle and get it heated up on medium heat. You can also use a skillet.
      Then separate the dough into 16-20 equally sized pieces and roll into balls. Cover with plastic wrap so they don't dry out as your roll and cook them.
      Grab a bag (not plastic wrap it sticks together, a bread bag works just cut it open) or two sheets of wax paper. Put a ball in the middle of one half of the bag and fold the other half over. I push a heavy bowl down ontop (one that has a flath bottom) to flatten out the ball. Then I proceed to roll out my tortilla. I have a granite rolling pin so it rolls out fast!
      Gently pull the plastic off the top of the tortilla and flip it over and pull off the other plastic.
      Quickly flop the tortilla onto the griddle or skillet. Once you begin to see some bubbles appear, take yoru spatula and flip it over and let it cook on the other side. Once the other side is a little brown just remove it from the burner. I place mine in a 1 1/2 quart souffle dish and put the lid on to keep the heat in. It's the perfect size!