black bean bowl.

Last week, I wrote about how I plan meals for our family. This recipe is an example of what might come of that plan. It's hardly a recipe because it was created from the ingredients we had at home on a Wednesday night, but there's no harm in sharing anyway!

It is always best to soak beans for an extended amount of time (I try to start the soaking process before I leave for work in the mornings), but in case you forget (as I did on Wednesday), here's a great how-to for quick-soaking beans. If you're new to soaking beans and would like to read a bit more, this is a well-written and informative article.

B L A C K  B E A N  B O W L
Serves 2, with plenty of leftovers

Ingredients
1 cup pre-soaked black beans
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup steamed corn
3 small peppers, chopped
1 heaping handful spinach, chopped
1/4 of onion, chopped
1/2 avocado, sliced
Honey-Lime dressing (recipe below)

Directions
1. Cook black beans on a low simmer for one hour (for firmer beans [my preference]), or an hour and a half (for softer beans) with 2 cloves of garlic in 2 cups water, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Add 1 teaspoon salt during the last 10 minutes of cook time.
2. Divide beans into two bowls,* and top with corn, peppers, spinach, onion, avocado, and dressing.
3. We like serving with these chips.

* This is where I save the remaining beans and toppings + dressing in a reusable container for the following day's lunch.

H O N E Y - L I M E  D R E S S I N G
Serves 2, with plenty of leftovers

Ingredients
1/2 avocado
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon coconut milk
up to 2 tablespoons water, for thinning
up to 1 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Place all ingredients (except for water) in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and combined.
2. If desired consistency is not reached (or your appliance needs a little extra help), add up to 2 tablespoons of water to thin the dressing. Add salt for taste.

Enjoy! xo

construct your meal consciously.

My dream kitchen is big and open with beautiful tile, hardwood floors, a wide, sprawling countertop, fresh flowers on every surface, and a fridge full of vibrant, organic produce. I have endless time to cook whatever my heart desires, and there's always a healthful dessert in the oven to enjoy later that evening. (I let my dreams run pretty wild.)

In reality, our kitchen is quite small. It's (more or less) galley style with scarce counter space, a very old oven/stove combination, and the refrigerator door cannot even open all the way (that might give you some reference as to how wide our kitchen is). When I get home, I'm often in a frantic mad dash to prepare something tasty and healthy.

It's all quite imperfect and, truthfully, our kitchen is the last place I want to spend my time. However, I do enjoy cooking if it involves fresh, wholesome, vibrant ingredients, so our little kitchen has to make do for now. I pretty much follow the same procedure for making our meals. I make a lot of bowls: hearty, quick meals that pack a lot of punch and taste great, too.

As a general rule, there's something from every category (above). I include mostly veggies and incorporate items from the rest of the sections, too. Obviously there are no rules to this, but I've found that I have the most success when I build from this template.

Here's to cooking (with or without that dream kitchen)! ;)

a week of dinners.

S T I R  F R Y --

(Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

• brown rice pasta, water
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• handful green beans
• handful (frozen) broccoli
• 1 tablespoon nama shoyu (for the sauce)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (for the sauce)
• sesame seeds (for topping)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package's directions
2. Meanwhile, heat coconut oil a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onions and a clove of garlic. Sauté while you chop the carrots and peppers. Add carrots, peppers, and green beans and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add broccoli and sauté  until veggies turn vibrantly colored (about 5 minutes).
3. Slowly add the nama shoyu + maple syrup and sauté  until sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. 
4. Serve over brown rice pasta and sprinkle with plenty of sesame seeds.

Big Comfy Sweet Potatoes

H A P P I N E S S  B O W L -- 

(Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup peas
• handful (frozen) broccoli
• handful sunflower sprouts (pea shoots or alfalfa sprouts would be a good alternative here)
• 1/2 avocado, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse the quinoa (even better if you can soak it for 8 hours and then rinse it!) vigorously. Place in a large pot and cover with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then immediately bring to a simmer. Stir and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2. Heat coconut oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Add 1 clove garlic, peas, and broccoli. Sauté until peas and broccoli are bright green and cooked through.
3. Spoon quinoa, broccoli, and peas into two bowls. Add onions, sprouts of your choice, and avocado.
4. Pour plenty of sauce over the mixture (recipe below).

H A P P I N E S S  S A U C E -- 

(Serves 2, with plenty of leftovers)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large carrots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt + pepper to taste
• ~ 1/4 cup water (for thinning)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place carrots into a food processor or blender (you might want to add one at a time if your appliance is a bit more on the delicate side). Pulse until finely chopped. Add the garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Pulse until combined.
2. At this point, your mixture will most likely be quite thick. Add in some salt and pepper, and introduce a slow stream of water. Add as much or as little as you'd like until desired consistency has been reached.
3. Store leftovers in an airtight jar. Will keep for about 1 week.

Black Bean Salad with Cumin-Roasted Carrots
(You might recognize this! I used the leftovers for lunch!)

H E A R T Y  S A L A D

(Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 big handfuls spinach
• 4 Romaine leaves
• 2 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese
• fresh grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 pear, chopped and roasted (450º F for 10-15 minutes)

DIRECTIONS

1. Shred spinach and lettuce. Place in a large bowl.
2. Crumble Gorgonzola and grate Parmesan over greens. Top with onions, pear, and candied walnuts (see below). Toss with vinaigrette (see below).

C A N D I E D  W A L N U T S

(Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss coconut sugar, honey, and salt over walnuts and combine until evenly coated.
2. Roast at 450º F for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.

R A S P B E R R Y  V I N A I G R E T T E

(Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/8 cup raspberries
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 splashes balsamic vinegar
• 1 healthy pinch of salt
• 1 pinch garlic salt
• ~2 tablespoons water (for thinning)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse all ingredients (except for water) until combined. Slowly add in a steady stream of water until desired consistency is reached.

We believe homemade dinners should be simple. After all, we're two of the most likely people in this world to go out to eat because we love it so much. Therefore, we have to be pretty persuaded to stay home for our dining experience. That boils down two to things: Will the ingredients be simple? Will it be healthy?

In all honesty, answering those two questions in the affirmative actually takes a lot of forethought. That is, forethought in the form of a grocery list. We are meal planners, and for the last five years of our relationship that has made all the difference. We account for one date night a week, in which we dine out; the rest of our meals are eaten at home. On the (not-so-rare) occasion that we eat out twice in a week, we try to choose restaurants that still use simple ingredients and are (for the most part) healthy.

However, life happens in those in-between moments, so we're also not ones to turn down pizza if the mood strikes and we just happen to be driving by our favorite local haunt.

orangey whole wheat waffles + strawberry puree.

When I think of breakfast for dinner, I am transported to my seat at my sister's turquoise kitchen table. She is over the stove, creating some tasty dish, while her husband, Mark, is chopping red potatoes into impossibly small pieces, and nestling them into the oven to turn golden brown.

Or, it is Jeffrey and I in our small Gainesville kitchen, making a mile high stack of pancakes. My sister is sitting on the bright red stool in the corner and Mark is in the doorway. We're probably musing about Woody's good looks.

Breakfast for dinner is one of my fondest memories of my graduate work at the University of Florida. It just so happened that my sister lived a block away and we walked to each other's houses each week to enjoy some lovingly prepared dish — always breakfast for dinner, usually on a Thursday evening.

Breakfast is special, but breakfast for dinner is magical. It is especially magical when the company is good, the table is small, and the helpings are aplenty. While Jeffrey and I no longer live just a block away from my sister and Mark, our hearts are still neighbors. Sometimes it feels good to create a dish that brings back a memory. A memory of turquoise tables, small kitchens, tiny potatoes, red stools, and the best company in all the South.
O R A N G E Y  W H O L E  W H E A T  W A F F L E S  +  S T R A W B E R R Y  P U R E E

Serves 2 (with leftover puree to drizzle over anything and everything your heart desires!)

I N G R E D I E N T S

Orangey Whole Wheat Waffles

• 1 egg
• 1 cup (organic) whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons almond milk 
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-3 tablespoons water (to thin batter)
• zest of 1 (organic) orange

Strawberry Puree

• 6 strawberries
• juice of half an orange (use the one you just zested!)
• 1/4 teaspoon honey

W A F F L E  D I R E C T I O N S

1. Preheat the waffle iron. Set aside.
2. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl, until it is pale yellow and fluffy (a light foam should form on the top).*
3. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients (except for the zest and the water) and beat to combine.
4. Gently fold in the orange zest until well combined.
5. Start by adding one tablespoon of water to the batter and fold to combine. The consistency should be slightly runny, but not too runny (a bit thicker than a traditional pancake batter). Continue adding water by the tablespoon until desired consistency is reached (I added three tablespoons, but could have added four).
6. Coat the waffle iron with a thin layer of coconut oil. Use your waffle iron's directions to heat and cook waffles (the amount of batter per waffle is often dependent on your particular waffle iron). Serve hot with butter (we use Earth Balance), maple syrup, and a dollop of strawberry puree (directions below).

* Note: A fluffier egg leads to fluffier waffles. Beat a little extra if you're a fluffy-waffle lover.

P U R E E  D I R E C T I O N S

1. Wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
2. Place strawberries, fresh orange juice, and honey into a blender and pulse until combined.

As an aside, this makes plenty of puree (much more than we needed for this recipe). Its other possible uses are endless: on yogurt, in oatmeal, on ice cream, added into a tasty smoothie of coconut milk + ice cubes, etc. Yum!