Super Easy Black Bean Cakes

Level: Beginner

Ingredients:

-2 green onions
-3 garlic cloves (minced)
-2 tsp cumin
-1 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 tsp paprika
-1 can black beans
-1 egg
-1/2 cup bread crumbs
-Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a sauce pan drizzle olive oil and cook the green onions, garlic, and spices in medium-high heat. Until fragrant, about 1 min.
2. In a bowl max the black beans that have been drained and washed. Make a puree and add the spices and onions. Finally, add egg and mix well, following with the bread crumbs.
3. Make mixture into patties. On a cooking pan drizzle olive oil and place patties, (drizzle a little olive oil on top of patties as well). Cook on broil for 8-10 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Drizzle with sour cream and lemon, salsa on top, or any other topping desired. Makes about 8 little patties.

***This recipe took me literally no time to make. It was very easy and most of the stuff I had at hand. I am sure that you can substitute the green onions for a bit of regular onion. I will freeze half the patties uncooked until they are ready to eat. Great for snack. Served here with fried canned corn.***

Original inspirational recipe: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/spicy-black-bean-cakes/Detail.aspx

Middle Eastern Meal

Meal: Baba ganoush, Hummus, Pita bread, steamed potatoes, fried long green peppers, fresh salad with bulgur wheat.

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Eggs a la Ivonne and Petit Pois Mashed Potatoes

Meal idea: fancy fried egg, radishes, mashed potatoes with peas.
Level: Beginner

Eggs a le Ivonne

Ingredients:

-1 egg

-1 tsp butter

-Parmesan cheese

-Paprika

Directions:

1. Melt butter on a pan.

2. Fry egg sunny side up.

3. When it is almost done add Parmesan cheese on egg and a pinch of paprika on yolk.

Petit Pois

Ingredients:

-Instant mashed potatoes and ingredients (we made enough for 4 servings according to box)

-1 can of sweet peas

-Hickory bacon salt (for vegetarians and vegans)

-Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Make mashed potatoes according to box.

2. Drain can of peas and add to mashed potatoes. Mash together.

3. Add hickory bacon salt, and salt, pepper to taste.

**All of these things were surprisingly good together. And it all cooked in just a few minutes!**

Mediterranean Mashed Potatoes

Meal idea: mashed potatoes, simple Cesar salad, veggy patty with caramelized red onions
Level: Beginner

Ingredients

• 5 medium potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DRESSING

• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon sumaq
• extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. 1

   Peel and cube potatoes and boil in water till soft (As for mash potatoes).

2. 2

   Drain potatoes add Potatoes and rest of the ingredients except dressing ingredients into a processor a whiz till smooth.

3. 3

   Note: you could mash all the potato ingredients together with a potato masher for a more courser texture.

4. 4

   Pour out into a serving plate, sprinkle cumin and sumaq and drizzle with olive oil.

5. 5

   Serve as an appetizer or as a side to meat.
6. http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Mashed-Potato-With-Tahini-133629

Our Lunch! (Doesn't that look fancy?)

Our lunch for tomorrow is composed of the following:

-Brown rice (left overs), with Parmesan and Romano cheese from Rice-a-Roni (left overs), with frozen peas (washed), and Parmesan cheese.

-Half a tomato basil veggie patty.

- Bread, alfalfa, and Ranch dip to make an alfalfa sandwich tomorrow.

-Grapes to dip into the left over ranch.

-And finally this little fruit called "Kumquats" which I tried at the local market and then proceeded to buy. They are citrus and you are supposed to roll them in your hand to release the sweetness from the skin. Then you eat them skin and all. Here's a link to a close up: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Quinotos.jpg Oh yeah, and they are called Quinotos or naranja china in Spanish. Hmmm, go figure!

Meal Idea #2

Yes, today we went all out!
Dishes:
-Squash cream soup (squash, broth, butter, milk, salt/pepper, parsley, pinch of Complete seasoning)
-Veggie patty with egg on top (patty seasoned with soy sauce, egg with paprika and Parmesan; all in butter)
-Whole grain rice
-Arugula with balsamic vinegar (we bought the fresh arugula at the farmer's market for $2!!!)

Meal Idea #1

Doesn't this dinner look great?!
Dishes:
-Fish sticks (with a wonderful sauce I bought at my local farmer's market)
-Green beans (garlic, butter, salt/pepper, cooking wine)
-Whole grain rice
-Arugula with tomato (dressing: olive oil, salt, lemon, Parmesan cheese)