Black Bean Salsa

I love the flavors in this salsa. It seems everyone has. I have made it on several occasions now, to test it out, and it has disappeared really fast every time! If you like cilantro, this is a great recipe for you!


You will need:
~16 oz , cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
~8 oz, corn
~2/3 large, white onion, finely chopped
~1 cup coarsely chopped, fresh cilantro
~2 limes
~olive oil
~dried, ground, Chipolte seasoning
~large grained, sea salt
~red pepper flakes


Mix beans and corn in a bowl as soon as you rinse them in COLD water. Mix in onions and cilantro. Drizzle some olive oil over until lightly coated and then add seasoning to taste.

Before cutting into the limes, roll them on the counter with your palm with some pressure. This helps break up the capilaries inside and allows for more juice to be squeezed. Cut each lime in half through the center and grab a fork. Stick the tines into the meaty part of the lime and squeeze the outsde around the fork. A lot of juice will come out especially if you twist the lime around the fork. It is preferable for bits of lime to go into the salsa, but watch for seeds and bits of rind. I love lime, so I use all four halves, but sometimes the dish tastes fine with three, so keep tasting as you go along! Don' follow a recipe, you're the one who is going to be eating it!!! Enjoy with corn chips, pita chips, tortillas, fingers, forks, spoons, etc. Serve chilled, or let marinate over night for GREAT flavor!

Black Bean Nachos

These are great to make for an entire meal. They are filling and fast and really healthy! I make these constantly and play around with the toppings. I intend to make them for the upcoming SuperBowl! Let me know what you think and if you have any variations that I can try!





You will need:
~14oz black beans, drained and rinsed
~1/2 lbs. ground beef, cooked and seasoned (I use a vegan substitute)
~1/2 cup diced tomatoes
~1 cup salsa verde (green chilies with white onions and seasoning)
~2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (your favorite flavor, I use a vegan substitute as well)
~Black Olives, drained
~Chipolte seasoning, store bought or homemade
~Your favorite corn chips or pita chips work really really well

Heat oven to 375d. and start preparing your ingredients. First layer the chips as deep as you want making sure they are places so the filling cant really reach t eh bottom of the pan. Then toss in the beans and spread out evenly. Next add the beef(or beef sub.) and the tomatoes. Layer the salsa on top of that and then the cheese, olives and seasoning. Bake until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. Grab a fork, you will need it.

Remember to play with your ingredients! Try different things in these. Imaging the chips as bread for a sandwich or lettuce for a salad. A blank slate waiting for you to make it spectacular! I made these on time with my sweet potato chili on top. It rocked! Sweet potato on nachos? Whew!

Black Bean and Spinach Stuffed Onions

This recipe is a wonderfully healthy dinner option, with flexibility, and is a wonderful opportunity to create something with friends and family. I made it in under 30 minutes and was making it up the whole time!

You will need:
(recipe for three people)

~3 medium to large Yellow Onions ( one per person)
~8 oz. cooked Black Beans
~ Tbl. minced Garlic
~s/p and a pinch of cumin
~2 Tbl. Olive Oil
~1/2 cup chopped Spinach
~1/2 cup shredded mozzarella ( I used a vegan version)
~1/2 tsp. liquid smoke


To start, heat oven to 350d then start coring out the onions by using a knife. Begin at the top and cut out a small cone about an inch deep, 1.5 inches around. Using a spoon start carving away the insides leaving the top of the hole smaller than the cavity to allow the stuffing to stay put while serving. The onion shavings can ether be added o a salad later or used in the stuffing.
Mix together the other ingredients in a bowl and let sit. Grab your oven safe, glass dish with a lid and put a little olive oil in the bottom; not much just enough to allow the onions to not stick. Begin to stuff your onions with the stuffing and really pack it in there. Put a few drops of water in each one to prevent dryness and top with more cheese.
Let them bake for an hour with the last 15 lidless allowing the cheese to brown on top. Serve with a light leafy salad or some fruit. Any extra filling you may have can be used in more onions or on top of a salad the next day or eaten chilled as a bean salad!