mexican inspired rice

After a girls' trip to Chicago with some great friends (ina, mel & abby!) and having some delicious mexican fare, I was craving more.  This rice dish is inspired by mexican flavours and makes a great filling for my version of a fish burrito/soft taco (next post!).   

what you need:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 handful of fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions
• canola oil
• 2 cups water
• salt & pepper

what to do:

1. Finely dice onion, red bell pepper and garlic.
2. In a pot, heat up 1 tbsp canola oil on medium.  Add onions and saute until slightly translucent.  Add rice to coat with oil and allow it to toast lightly.  Add bell pepper, garlic, and black beans (drained).  Stir lightly, then add cumin, oregano and chili flakes.  Stir in the water and cover pot with lid.  Turn heat to medium - high until water boils, then turn it down to medium low and allow to simmer for ~ 30 min.
3. In the mean time, slice green onions thinly on a bias and roughly chop up cilantro.
4. Fluff rice with a fork and season to your taste with salt and pepper.  Fold in green onions and cilantro, and save some to garnish on top.  Serve as a side dish and enjoy! Or use it as a filling for a burrito:)

looking at ourselves in the bean, chicago

ravioli with black bean & acorn squash

you won't miss the meat with this veggie dish

Tonight I wanted to make something entirely vegetarian (for you sones!) and as I walked around the grocery store I thought acorn squash looked fun.  Black beans were the protein of choice because I thought its texture would marry nicely with the squash. The dried chillies make the dish because it balances the sweetest of the squash - you have to try this!

what you need:
*serves 4*

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 can of black beans (540 ml)
• 5 handfuls of spinach
• 1 head of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• fresh cheese & spinach ravioli (I used Ziggy's)
• 2 dried red chillies or 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese 

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Cut up acorn squash into about 1" wedges - take the seeds out and save them for snacking later.  
3. Trim the top off the garlic and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, add a small pinch of salt and pepper.  Wrap completely with aluminum foil.
4. Toss the acorn squash with 2 tbsp olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Place the squash and garlic on cookie sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, flipping them halfway.
5. Remove from oven and allow squash and garlic too cool before handling.  Remove skin from squash.  Drain and rinse the can of black beans.
6. In a large pot, bring cold water to a boil to cook the ravioli (add about 2 tbsp salt to the water).
7. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on medium heat, add 1-2 tbsp olive oil and the red chillies.  Allow the chillies to blacken and crush them a little bit.  
8. Before you cook the pasta, cook the spinach in the boiling water for 5-10 seconds then remove immediately with tongs or a spider and set aside.  Cook the ravioli for about 5-7 min, drain and save the pasta water.  
9. Add the black beans to the pan and toss gently.  Add the squash and softly mash with the back of a fork.  Add the roasted garlic (hold it upside down and squeeze until flesh comes out).  Turn the heat to low and add 1 cup of pasta water, stirring gently until the beans and squash absorb it.  Depending on how dry the squash is, you many need to add more pasta water.  Add the spinach.
10. In a large bowl, mix ravioli with the squash and black bean sauce.  Serve hot with freshly ground pepper and Parmesan cheese shavings.  Enjoy!