Black bean chili/4 recipes

Nutritionally boost your day with this chilled cucumber and wood ear mushroom salad, it’s an effective way of getting flavour and nutrients rolled up into one meal. Eating cucumber, a chilled one especially, not only thaw any encumbrances in the digestive tract, but also goes flavourfully on the tongue. Wood ear mushroom, commonly sold in Asian markets, is a dear ingredient-mate of the cucumber in the cooking of this tantalizing salad. If you’re struggling to find wood ear mushrooms then Oyster mushrooms would be an excellent replacement. Furthermore if you don’t have access to Japanese cucumber, then the ordinary type of cucumber would be perfectly fitting too. Also if you’re buying them fresh, then instead of boiling, blanch them by dropping the oyster mushrooms into boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute at the most, then submerge them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The glossy look of this salad is not only pleasing on the eye, but contributes perfectly to a balanced diet. Wood ear is known for its ability to reduce cholesterol in the body, aid blood circulation, and improve melanin and keratin efficiency too. Cucumber will not be left behind as it can also help in weight loss, hydration, is good for eyesight, among other benefits. And if you take a look at the other ingredients, sesame seed, ginger, lime etc. you should definitely add this to your recipe book! Let us get into its preparation without further ado. Shall we….

Very good soup and a lot of fun with tortilla stripes.. A little bit too sour for me, but only a little bit.. Thanks, my photo is at the top of the page..

A quick and easy, filling Mediterranean-inspired Italian tortellini salad. This easy pasta salad can be made a day in advance.

Juicy tomatoes on a bed of flaky puff pastry with caramelized onions and goat cheese.

Made this pasta with veggies for supper yesterday, and I was impressed. I wan't sure that if there would be enough flavor, and it actually came out quite tasty. I did add a bit hot chili sauce. A quick, easy and yummy one-pot meal.

Unlike classic hummus, this one is made with chickpea, almond butter and light sour cream. It tastes incredibly creamy and delcious. If you are a big fan of all of these three ingredients, this hummus should on your to-make list. Enjoy :)

Prepare your own salad with this easy recipe that's perfect to use when those backyard barbecues come around the corner!

After a few potsticker recipes, I finally made my very first bunch of pot sticky buns (another popular food in China). They came out soft, and quite delicious. Nicely browned and crispy at the bottom. It's an excellent way to use up some of our fresh veggies.

An easy yet tasty sauce is made with tomatoes, almonds, chili and garlic. Toss it with pasta, top it as a topping for hot dog... YUM!

Served at RS dinner. I ate a whole bunch.

Quick, easy to make and these pancakes are delicious.

Sugar beets and carrots covered a sweet, tangy, warmly spiced coating. West Indian spices and ginger.

The spices used in this recipe give these little meatballs a Moorish influence. A variation of a popular item at tapas bars, these albondigas can be served in a broth or with a sauce for dipping.

Breaded and golden-fried goat cheese medallions are a great appetizer served with a drizzle of honey, garnished with sliced or diced peppers and spread on baguette slices. These little beauties would also be great atop a green salad.

This family favorite yields light and fluffy mashed potatoes that are the perfect side dish.