Chipotle Bean Burritos

As much as I love cooking, I don’t like having to coordinate a bunch of dishes at once or cook multiple nights in a row, so meals that consist of one dish and make lots of leftovers are a favourite around here. And these burritos fit the bill perfectly!

I consider these a fairly healthy version of a burrito with beans instead of meat, some veggies, low-fat sour cream, not too much cheese, and whole wheat tortillas (which taste just as good as regular tortillas in my opinion!).

These also involve fairly minimal effort to make, and make six servings, which meant lots of leftovers for us!  To prepare them, a mixture of black beans and kidney beans gets cooked with some onion, garlic, vegetable broth, spices, chipotle sauce, and salsa to give it lots of flavour. It’s then rolled up with lettuce, tomatoes, mashed avocado, cheese, sour cream, a few pickled jalapenos, and some chipotle hot sauce for a packed and flavour-filled meal-in-one.

We ate these three nights in a row this week and liked them more each time. That may have to do with my getting much better at rolling them with more practice (the last picture was the third night’s burrito which I thought looked much better than the first!)

Ryan commented on how good these are each time too and said they’re way better than beef burritos, and I’d have to agree! (though I don’t like beef anyway, so I’m a little biased)

Chipotle Bean Burritos

Adapted from Cooking Light

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the bean mixture:

1 teaspoon canola or olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder*

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 (540mL) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (540mL) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chunky salsa – Mild or medium depending on your preference.  You could also use a chipotle salsa for more chipotle flavour!

2 teaspoons chipotle chile in adobo

Remaining burrito ingredients:

6 large (10-inch) whole wheat tortillas

2 large or 3 small ripe avocados

~1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese (or a blend of cheese)

3 plum tomatoes, diced

1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

~1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, optional

~6 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

Chipotle or regular hot sauce, optional

*I get chipotle chile powder at the bulk store.  If you can't find it, you can use a combination of regular chile powder and some cumin for spice.

Directions:

Heat oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and saute about 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent and starting to turn golden brown.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Add chile powder and salt and stir to coat for another 30 seconds.  Stir in vegetable broth and beans and bring to a boil.  Let simmer about 7-10 minutes, or until no liquid remains. Remove from heat and stir in salsa and chipotle sauce.  Partially mash mixture.

Warm tortillas up for about 30 seconds in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towel, so they are easier to roll.  To form burritos, spread 1/6 of the bean mixture (so it divides evenly among 6 burritos) onto one half of the tortilla, leaving about a 1-inch border.  Top with avocado, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, and hot sauce (again dividing evenly among 6 burritos).  Roll up the side closest to the filling, then fold in each end, and roll the burrito toward the empty side of the tortilla, wrapping the filling completely.  Others prefer to fold in the sides of the burrito first, then roll up from the bottom.  I've also seen starting with the filling in the middle.  Use whatever method works for you but make sure to roll tightly and keep the filling in!

Serve while filling is still slightly warm.  I like to warm my completed burrito up in the toaster oven for a couple minutes before eating to make sure it's warm throughout.

If you have leftovers, keep everything separate.  Warm bean mixture up in the microwave and then prepare burrito as before.

Mediterranean Quinoa Veggie Burgers

I always associate summertime with the five B's: beaches, backyards, barbeques, beer, and burgers.  There's nothing better than being able to eat dinner in the backyard and biting into a freshly cooked burger that's just oozing with flavourful toppings.  I actually just returned from a delicious lunch at The Works, a burger chain in Canada with a pretty crazy list of burger toppings.  I had a turkey burger with avocados, roasted red peppers, havarti, and a vegetable mayo sauce, and it was messy but one of the tastiest burgers I've had in a while!

While I'm not much of a beef burger eater, I absolutely love chicken burgers, turkey burgers, and pretty much every type of veggie burger.  I know some people are super picky about their veggie burgers and I'm not sure why; maybe it's because they're looking for a veggie burger that tastes just like a meat burger?  What I like about veggie burgers is that they don't remind me of meat burgers, and there are so many different kinds to try - black bean, chickpea, sweet potato, lentil, portobello mushroom, and even quinoa burgers!

I've tried many of the veggie burger varieties I just listed, except for a quinoa burger, which is surprising because I love quinoa!  So I decided to remedy that last week and kick off the start to burger season with these Mediterranean quinoa feta burgers.

These are a great healthy and tasty alternative to traditional meat burgers.  They're full of Mediterranean flavours both in the quinoa patties, which include red pepper, garlic, parsley, and feta, and in the burger toppings, for which I used lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a storebought Greek feta yogurt dressing.  If you can't find a similar dressing, you could easily just use crumbled feta or make your own feta yogurt dressing with a recipe like this one.  You can also change up the toppings however you like - I think roasted red peppers would work really well with these!

I loved the way the quinoa added an extra texture to the burger so it wasn't completely mushy like some bean burgers can be, and that it added lots of protein to the dish so I still felt full afterwards.  I served mine with a side of cucumbers drizzled in the feta yogurt dressing to keep my meal light and healthy, but the fact that the burgers are healthy could easily justify eating them with a big side of fries!

These probably won't satisfy someone looking for a veggie burger that tastes like a meat burger, but they're a great option for anyone looking for a healthy alternative to a traditional burger.

Mediterranean Quinoa Burgers

Adapted from Whole Living

Makes 6-7 quinoa patties

Ingredients:

For the patties:

1 cup dry quinoa

1 (540mL) can kidney beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 a red pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup crumbled light feta

2 egg whites, lightly whisked

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup to 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Non-stick cooking spray

For the Burgers:

6-7 multigrain thin hamburger buns

Lettuce, tomato, cucumber for topping
Feta cheese (optional)
Feta yogurt sauce (storebought or homemade)

Directions:

Cook quinoa as per package directions and let cool slightly.

Mash the kidney beans in a large bowl.  Add the cooked quinoa, shallot, garlic, red pepper, parsley, feta, egg whites, salt, and pepper, and mix well.  Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs and attempt to form a patty.  If the mixture is too wet to hold together well, continue adding more bread crumbs (up to an additional 1/2 cup) to reach a texture where the patty will hold its shape when you pick it up gently with your hand.  Shape mixture into 6 or 7 round patties.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Cook patties in batches, about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve quinoa patties on hamburger buns, topped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and feta yogurt salad dressing or feta cheese.

Pumpkin Chili in Pumpkin Bread Bowls

While everyone else started posting pumpkin recipes as soon as September rolled around, I waited until October because I was trying to stretch out the summer recipes as long as I could. Now I can't believe that a new season is already beginning, as stores have put up their Christmas displays, holiday ads are playing on tv, and recipes with candy cane and gingerbread are starting to pop up all over the blogosphere. And yet here I am, still posting pumpkin recipes! I do want to switch over to holiday recipes soon, but not before I share a few more delicious pumpkin recipes with you guys!

Fortunately, this recipe is something that can be enjoyed all winter long. Chili is one of my favourite things to make in the winter because it's easy, it's healthy and filling, it makes a ton, and it packs well for lunches. Ever since I saw a recipe for a pumpkin bread bowl on Breadworld I'd been dreaming about how good a pumpkin chili would taste inside a pumpkin bread bowl. The answer? Amazing!

The bread bowl has a subtle pumpkin flavour and is soft but sturdy enough to hold up to the chili. The dough was easy to make and form into buns, which you then tear out the center of to fill with the chili. You could probably save the inside of the buns for breadcrumbs or another purpose, but I couldn't stop myself from eating all the dough as I tore it out because I have no self control when it comes to fresh bread. I think if you have kids they would have a lot of fun preparing their chili bowls themselves, and getting to eat them after they finish their chili. Of course, there's nothing wrong with adults enjoying this just as much!

The chili I made had a very subtle pumpkin flavour, and not a lot of add-ins because I went grocery shopping for it very early in the morning when my brain wasn't fully turned on yet, so all I could think to buy was kidney beans. But feel free to add in whatever you like (as I've suggested in the recipe below), the recipe is really a base that you can customize to your own liking.

While the meal is a bit time consuming to make overall, there isn't a lot of hands on cooking time involved. Make it on a Sunday and have the leftovers for lunch the rest of the week - a bowl of this chili fills me up for the rest of the afternoon.

What about you guys, are you ready for the holiday recipes already or still hanging on to Fall a little while longer?

Pumpkin Bread Bowls

Adapted from Breadworld

Makes 6 bread bowls

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 envelope active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°F)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

2-1/2 cups bread flour

2 to 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Heat milk, 1/2 cup water, butter, sugar and salt in a small saucepan just until butter is melted. Cool to between 100° to 110°F.

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the milk mixture, pumpkin and 1 cup of each flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in remaining bread flour and enough whole wheat flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. If using an electric mixer, just leave the dough in the bowl and use the dough hook to knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer dough to a large greased bowl. Cover with heavy tea towels and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1-1/2 hours.

Punch down dough. Divide into six portions and form each into a flattened ball. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

To serve: Cut off the top of each bowl and hollow out the center. Fill with your favourite soup or chili recipe, such as the pumpkin chili recipe below.

Pumpkin Chili

Serves 6 with bread bowls

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14-oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 (24-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups canned pure pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Optional: add in black beans, extra kidney beans, or ground turkey/beef for more protein; corn or red peppers for extra vegetables; chicken, veggie, or beef broth for more liquid; or any other desired add-ins.

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and pumpkin puree and stir. Add all spices and stir to mix. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 1 hour. Serve warm, spooned into pumpkin bread bowls. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

If you’re craving something hearty and comforting to warm you up on a fall day, this is the recipe for you! I made this many times to get me through last winter and plan to make it many times again this winter. This is my kind of comfort food, and unlike many traditional comfort foods, this one is really good for you too - while still managing to taste rich.

The recipe comes from Janet at the the taste space, a blog (by a fellow Canadian!) that’s full of really unique and healthy recipes that are so different from anything I see anywhere else, and I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from there.

I didn’t want to change much about the recipe because I knew it was perfect as is, but you could definitely mix things up with other ingredients if you want. Janet mentions that the peanut butter taste is not very dominant, so I doubled the peanut butter because I really wanted to be able to taste it. I wrote the recipe with the amount I used below, which I thought gave it a perfect hint of peanut butter, but if you’re not crazy about peanut butter then feel free to halve that amount back down to 2 tablespoons.

I’m also not a big fan of peppers in stews, so I decided to switch the pepper for carrots, which I thought would work well in this dish. I bought one of those ginormous bags of carrots at the grocery store, lugged it home on the bus along with all my other groceries, and when I finally went to take my first spoonful of the completed dish I realized I’d completely forgotten to put the carrots in. Urggh. Unless I write something down, I never remember it - does anyone else have that problem?

Anyways, if you have a better memory than me, you could try adding some chopped carrots in at the same time as the sweet potatoes. But even without any extra vegetables, this stew was still amazing. It also makes great leftovers for a filling lunch later in the week, so make lots!

African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew

Adapted from the taste space

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper (green or red), deseeded and chopped (optional – I omitted)
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds sweet potato (about 2 medium or 1 ½ large potatoes), peeled and cut into small chunks
1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes (I couldn’t find a can in this size so I just used half of a 28oz can)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 (19-oz) can red kidney beans
1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion (and pepper if using) and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, and spices and briefly sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to one minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock, followed by the sweet potatoes. Cover and let simmer gently on medium-low for 30 minutes, until sweet potatoes are soft.

Add kidney beans, stir and heat through. Add the peanut butter and stir until completely incorporated into the sauce. Serve warm.