Salads - Bean Salad!

This fabulous salad is a great way to add more beans to your day!

🌿  Main Ingredients

• black beans
• corn
• onion
• tomato
• garlic

    Optional:  

• cilantro
• bell pepper
• avocado
• celery
• chickpeas

🌿  Dressing

• lime juice
• 1T canola
• cumin
• salt & pepper

    Optional:  

• 2 T honey
• onion powder

  

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Eat Yourself Skinny

The Kitchn

Flatbread Pizza Crust - From Red Lentils

Red Lentil Flatbread Pizza Crust

(Or flatbread, tortillas, crackers)

• 1 cup red lentils soaked overnight
• ½ cup water
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Olive oil

SOAK - Place your lentils in a lidded jar or bowl & cover with water. Soak overnight, or at least 6 hours.

Drain & rinse your lentils.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Place soaked lentils & 1/2 cup water in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

Add garlic, salt, and baking powder. Blend well.

Drizzle a parchment lined cookie sheet with olive oil.

Pour flatbread batter onto your parchment paper & spread with the back of a spatula into desired shape, about 1/4-1/2″ thick. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until firm and edges are beginning to turn golden.

Top with desired toppings* and eat as is, or place under a broiler for a few minutes for warm/melted toppings.

 ✅  TIPS

• For a firmer crust use 6 tablespoons of water instead of 1/2 cup before blending and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Re-heat in a 400 degree oven until warmed throughout.

 ✅  This batter can also be used to make tortillas, chips and crackers!

Red Lentil Tortillas:

Follow all recipe instructions up to blending the batter.

Heat a greased skillet over medium heat.

Pour red lentil batter in a thin layer to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes or firming up.

Flip. Cook 2-3 minutes longer. Set aside, and continue with remaining batter. 

Red Lentil Chips:

Follow all instructions up to blending the batter.

Spread the batter more thinly than you would for pizza crust (1/4-1/8”). Follow remaining instructions.

Remove the flatbread from the oven and slice into chip shape(s) of your choice.

Brush the chips with oil and return to the oven. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until very firm, crisp and turning golden.

Let cool before serving!

Red Lentil Crackers:

Follow all recipe instructions up to blending the batter.

Instead of spreading the batter pizza crust-thin, you’re going to spread it more thinly (1/8-1/4”).

Follow remaining instructions except bake for 15 minutes. Remove and score the flatbread into the cracker(s) shape of your choice. Place back in the oven and bake 5-10 minutes or until firm and turning golden.

Let cool completely before breaking up (along score lines) into crackers. Enjoy!

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  Moon and Spoon and Yum

Salad - Salsa with Beans & Corn

☝️ This recipe is super easy to double, so making a big batch at the first of the week is a great way to meal prep. It will keep stored covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.  

BASICS

• Black Beans – Canned or cooked from dried. Make sure to drain and rinse them!
• Corn – canned or frozen is fine, but you can use fresh as well. It's nice to use both yellow and some white.  Roasting the corn (15-20 minutes at 450 degrees) gives it a little something extra!  Another tip - You can throw the frozen corn straight into the bowl without thawing and it will be ready to serve shortly.
• Onion – chopped into small pieces. Red is most common.  I don't like to use an entire red onion - just a little will do, but I love the color. You can substitute sweet or yellow onion. Or use spring onions.  Or OMIT onions entirely for a milder flavor.  
• Tomatoes  – If you want it to truly be salsa-ish, don't use canned tomatoes.  USE FRESH!
• Bell Peppers -  chopped, yellow, orange or red 
• Cilantro or Parsley - Pull the leaves from the stems and chop.  
• Lime Juice – fresh is always best to give a bright burst of flavor to the salsa.  If no limes, lemon, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do.

Drain and rinse the black beans and drain the corn. 

Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, onion, herbs and chilies in a bowl.

Squeeze the juice from the lime and pour it over the other ingredients.

Toss everything together, taste and adjust flavor with salt if needed.

Cover for 30 minutes or more, allowing the flavors to meld.

Options and Variations

• Cucumbers - chopped
• Black-Eyed Peas - This makes it something like Cowboy Caviar
• Rice - This makes it something like Black Bean, Corn, and Salsa Rice Salad
• Spinach - It looks like the herbs, but adds a little extra nutrition without being very noticeable.
• Jalapeños - For more heat, add in chopped fresh or pickled jalapeños. You can also add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce for a spicy kick.
• Avocado - chopped, for a bit of creaminess
• Maple Syrup - just a tiny bit
• Garlic Powder

Cowboy Caviar

Rice and Salsa Salad

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

A Southern Soul

The Live In Kitchen

The Cabin Diary

Nikki Vegan

Beans - Lentils

Cooking lentils in the Instant Pot is the easiest way to go!  

Basics:

• 1¾ cup water or veggie broth
• 1 cup lentils

Reds get mushy and are great for soups or thickening recipes.

The other colors can stay firmer unless you cook them too long. They are great for salads, grain bowls, wraps, etc. 

 

 

Optional Additions:

Lentils are like sponges - they absorb the flavors of the ingredients in which they’re cooked.

These Can be sautéed right in the Instant Pot before cooking the lentils!

• onions
• bell pepper
• garlic
• mushrooms
• carrots

Spices and Herbs!

• salt (this can interfere with softening, so best to add after cooking)
• pepper
• bay leaves
• cumin
• coriander
• chili pepper
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• paprika
• turmeric
• thyme
• rosemary
• oregano

Instant Pot - Cook at High Pressure, release after 10 minutes. If you let them release on their own, they might be a bit softer, but it's no big deal.   NO NEED TO SOAK before cooking!

 

RED -  2-3 minutes  

Keep in mind that red lentils will have a mushy texture no matter what, so you can cook them longer if making a soup or curry with them. They will completely dissolve into a soup and will act as a thickener if you cook them for 10 minutes at high pressure.

BROWN, GREEN, r BLACK -  6-9 minutes, 10 for softer

If you want them softer, you can always add an extra 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook them again for 2-3 minutes. There shouldn't be too much liquid left in the pot, so you can use them right away without draining them.

Store cooked lentils in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze for 4-6 months.

Easy ways to use pre-cooked lentils.

• Toss them with BBQ sauce for a vegetarian sandwich
• Serve them over a salad for plant-based protein
• Add to Salad
• Add them to pasta sauce for vegetarian spaghetti
• Add to soups

Recipe Inspiration Source/s:  

Rainbow Plant Life

Detoxinista

🌿  💚  ✅  ☝️  ★   ★  

The Cool Symbols Page has lots more food and drink symbols to swank up posts!

Beans - Lima Beans and Pears

This recipe is a good side dish.  It's not something people would rave about, but it's definitely a step above plain lima beans.  I like it.  I like that it's easy.  I like that I can get it cooking early in the day when I have energy.  It can be cooked for 2-12 hours in the oven, depending on the oven temp used, OR it can be cooked in the crock pot, which is how I hope to cook it most often.  It's a keeper.  

Recipe Inspiration Sources:  

• Nora Ephron - She talks about several favorite recipes in her book, Heartburn.  This is one she mentioned she had learned about from Lee Bailey in his book, The Way I Cook.   I had not heard of combining lima beans and pears, but the combination was intriguing.  After trying it, I am totally on board.  
• Food Talk Central - Most of the recipes for limas and pears are cooked stovetop.  However, one HOT summer evening, I was cooking something in the stove and wondered if I the limas could be cooked in the stove as well.  I found this recipe and loosely followed it.  I only made enough for one meal. Voila!  Perfect!  Also, I have a bad habit of letting beans boil over on the stove and make a mess.  Cooking the beans in the oven takes care of that.

"That's the sort of food she liked to serve, something that looked like plain old baked beans and then turned out to have pears up its sleeve." 

Huff Post has a wonderful article on Nora Ephron's favorite recipes.  The photo above came from that article.   But the photo doesn't match the description entirely.  What are the toppers used in this photo?  Bacon bits maybe?  Some tiny bits of orange bell pepper?  

Of course, the lima's and pears are mentioned.  The recipe is a tad different and it even calls for longer cooking -  Take 6 cups defrosted lima beans, 6 pears, peeled and cut into slices, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 onion chopped, put into a heavy casserole, cover and bake 12 hours at 200 degrees. 

If you're a Nora Ephron fan like me, then you'll enjoy this article, too, where Nora talks about her friendship with Lee Bailey.  Anyway, here's the thing about dinner at Lee Bailey's: it was always more delicious and more fun than dinner at anyone else's house, so much so that I began to make a study of it...

Here's one more article by Nora Ephron published in The New Yorker.  She talks about her cookbook crushes and more.

I miss Nora Ephron.  

Here's the recipe as published by most sources.  This makes a large amount, but can easily be reduced.  

• 3 packages (10-oz.) frozen lima beans
• 2 large ripe pears, cored, peeled, and sliced crosswise
• 1 cup vegetable broth (Nora used chicken broth)
• ¼ cup brown sugar*
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup light molasses*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

* The first time I made it, I didn't use molasses or brown sugar and it was fine.  

The recipe calls for cooking this (in a heavy 2-quart casserole) in the oven for 8 hours at 200 degrees!!!  

I was cooking something else at 400, so I just went with that and cooked the beans for 30 or 40 minutes.  One source recommended cooking for 2 hours at 250 degrees.  

✅  I'm thinking this would be a great thing to cook in the crockpot in the future, especially in the summer when the last thing you want to do is keep an oven on all day!!!

Soup - White Chili

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Contentedness Cooking

This recipe is a wonderful keeper, but I'm definitely adjusting the spice level!!!

I love the green pot shown in the photo!

 ✅  First heat a bit of broth for doing this oil-free - in a soup pot. I used a large deep skillet.  If you have a Le Creuset , this would be a perfect time to whip that baby out.  Sauté the garlic and the optional onions and bell pepper for around 5 minutes.

• 2 cups vegetable broth (only use a little of this for the sautéing)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 chopped bell pepper
• ¾ cup chopped white onion

 ✅  Now add the remaining vegetable broth and vegan cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is thoroughly incorporated.

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 8 oz vegan cream cheese
• 🌿 Hmmm... Could I add something green to this for extra color?  Kale?  Parsley?  If I omit the jalapeños, which I definitely will, that green will be gone.

 ✅  Now for the heat...  Be careful with this!!!  The first time I made this soup, I used the full can of jalapeños and a full packet of McCormick White Chili seasoning mix.  Holy cow!!!  It was soooooooo hot that it was almost inedible.  The saddest part is we could tell, we would have loved it if the heat had been toned down.  Lesson learned!   In the future, I will add a little of the seasonings at a time and then "taste as you go"!  Eventually, I will learn just how much to add to make it just right.

• white chili seasoning packet - be careful -  Add a little and then taste!
• To make your own - 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1 tbs chili powder, 2 Tbs Cumin, 2 tsp garlic powder and 2 tsp maple syrup)  I haven't tried this yet, but it may be the best way to go.
• 1 (7 oz) can jalapeño slices, drained Oh, hell, no!!!

 ✅  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for around 10 minutes on medium heat. 

• salt, pepper to taste

 ✅  Add the beans and optional corn and cook for another 5 minutes.

• 2 (15 oz) white beans, drained
• 1 cup corn cooked and peeled

 ✅  When serving, it's really nice with a great bread!

☝️  How do you tone down spicy chili?

• One of the best ways to counteract this chemical compound is by adding a dairy product: whole fat milk, heavy cream, yogurt, cheese, or sour cream. I don't do dairy, so that's no help to me, but apparently rich coconut milk can do the trick. 
• Sugars help to neutralize the heat of chile peppers. So try adding a little sugar or honey to balance out too-hot flavors.
• Add more of the ingredients that are not hot thus reducing the concentration of spice. In a chili, the easiest tool for dilution is simply to add more beans but more tomato can be effective as well. 
• If the chili is only a little too hot, consider diluting it by adding more liquid. Tomato juice, water or a stock can be effective for this purpose.
• You should consider diluting your chili with a starch as another option. One traditional method of toning down spice in chili is to add a paste made with masa and water. If you do not have masa on hand, consider using pieces of potato to help absorb the spice. You can place the potato into your chili as it cooks and remove it before serving. Both masa and potato can help to thicken your chili without making a significant difference to its overall flavor profile.
• When diluting the heat in your dish remember that you will also be diluting the other flavors. Be sure to increase the cumin, garlic and other flavors in your chili to compensate for the dilution.
• Peanut butter, almond butter and tahini paste are also effective for toning down the spice in a chili. Like dairy products, nut and seed butters are able to neutralize heat without dominating the other flavors.

Soup - Judy's Black Bean

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Epicurious

Judy made this for JC and I during a visit to the mountains.  Even though JC claims to not care for black beans, he loved this and has changed his mind about the whole black bean thing.  I love black beans and could have eaten this soup 'til I popped.  

This is from the first time I made it.  Just as Judy claimed, it was super simple.
And, oh my, sooooo good!  This recipe is a definite keeper!

The original recipe on Epicurious includes a few things I don't eat - olive oil, chicken broth, feta cheese.  Those were easy to skip or replace.  These directions reflect my preferences.  Also, canned ingredients are easy, but my sensitive stomach does better with fresh tomatoes than with canned.  As for the beans, sometimes I use canned, sometimes I cook from dried.


Sauté onion, carrot, and garlic until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes.

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

garlic - 4 cloves, chopped

Mix in cumin and 1 teaspoon jalapeño.

jalapeño chile with seeds - 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped , divided

cumin - 2 teaspoons ground

Cumin tip I plan to try sometime:  More intense and nuanced flavor can be enjoyed by lightly roasting whole cumin seeds and then grinding the seeds in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Add beans, tomatoes, and broth; bring soup to boil.

black beans - equivalent of two cans, undrained 

tomatoes, diced - equivalent of one can petite diced tomatoes in juice

broth - 1 1/2 cups

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
Transfer 3 cups of soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot.
Simmer soup until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon jalapeño, if desired.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cilantro and green onions.

cilantro - Chopped fresh 

green onions - Chopped 

CUMIN INFO

This recipe reminded me how much I enjoy the taste and smell of cumin.  Even better, cumins good for you!  It's mostly known as a digestive aid, but there are other benefits as well.

Snack - Chocolate Chickpea Clusters

Green Smoothie Gourmet came up with the perfect description for these - 

"Super healthy, crazy easy chocolate and chickpea snack rich in protein, fiber, magnesium and anti-oxidants. The perfect grab-and-run snack to boost you out of those afternoon slump."

picture

NOTE: To make the melting magic happen, the chickpeas must go straight from the oven into a bowl of chocolate chips – so plan your schedule accordingly!

• 1 can 15oz of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips - semi sweet, dark,...

More options:

• 1 TBSP cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• cayenne pepper
• cacao nibs
• nuts - toasted would be good!
• seeds - especially sesame, but also pumpkin or sunflower
• dried fruit

1. Rinse chickpeas.
2. Spread them on a small parchment-lined cookie sheet. 
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour. 
4. Shake baking sheet in a circular motion every 10-15 minutes to ensure even roasting.
5. After first 15 minutes, sprinkle with cinnamon and salt if using.
6. Pour chocolate chips in a bowl, and put HOT chickpeas straight from the oven on top of the chocolate chips, stirring to melt them. Chocolate should be completely melted and drip off of the end of the spoon easily.  If you need to, microwave the bowl in increments of 20 seconds until chocolate is melt enough to stir and coat the chickpeas.
7. Replace the parchment in the cookie sheet and dollop 1 tbsp of mixture in rows, with 1 inch separation. 
8. Chill in refrigerator for one hour.
9. They are ready to eat! Store in frig or room temperature, it’s up to you.

Notes:

• One recipe recommended cooking chickpeas10 minutes at 400.

Recipe Inspiration Sources:  Green Smoothie Gourmet, Nest and Glow and Meal Prep on Fleek

Salad - Tu-No Chickpea

Recipe Inspiration Source: Shane and Simple

Gosh, I love his photos!

His blog is becoming one of my favorites.

This is Shane's photo.

A pastry cutter is the bomb for cutting through the chickpeas -
much easier than a fork or potato masher.

I had been eating the salad as part of a sandwich,
but I think now I prefer it on the side.
My bread was itty bitty and I like more salad, less bread.

CHICKPEA SALAD INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-ounce can low-sodium or no salt added chickpeas
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup diced green onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery (use some of the leaves, too!)
• 1/4 cup sweet relish or dill pickles
• Pinch of salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse and drain chickpeas.

Place in a mixing bowl and mash with a PASTRY CUTTER, leaving a few of the beans whole.  A fork or potato masher can be used but will take a little longer.

Add the tahini, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, green onion, celery, and sweet relish to the chickpeas and mix until everything is well combined.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chickpea salad onto one piece of bread. Add lettuce, tomato, red onions and more Dijon (if you prefer) to the second slice.  Put them together and make a sandwich.

NOTES
The salad will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.

Feel free to add whatever toppings you wish. The ones in the recipe are my favorites, but get creative and build your own. Pssst...avocado works really well with this recipe 😉

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More... 

I love how he describes the ingredients in his post - 

CHICKPEA SALAD SANDWICH INGREDIENTS

I know this is not some new “revelation” of a recipe. There are lots of variations and I’m sure they’re great. But, I like my sandwich plain and simple. All you need are seven simple ingredients.

Chickpeas: Super healthy. Loaded with protein and fiber. They’re also hearty and very filling.

Dijon Mustard, Tahini, & Maple Syrup: These three come together to make an awesome sauce that replaces the mayo usually found in these types of sandwiches. Dijon for a little “twang.” Tahini provides a “nutty” flavor and healthy fats. And, the sweetness of the maple syrup brings everything together.

Celery, Green Onion, & Relish: Celery and onion add a savory crunchiness to this recipe. And, the sweet pickle relish adds a tanginess that just goes well with all these other flavors. You can use diced dill pickles. They work great! I just love sweet relish.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Forks Over Knives has a slightly different version - 

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup diced celery
• ¼ cup diced pickle
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained and loosely chopped
• Healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon roasted unsalted sunflower seeds (optional)

Rice - Jambaya-ish Spicy Rice and Veggies

"This simple vegan jambalaya is a super tasty, satisfying and nutritious dish. It’s a delicious dinner recipe, which is also oil-free and very low in fat."


Inspiration Source: Simple Vegan Blog

The veggies were cooked separate from the beans and rice which made for a more colorful presentation.
In this photo, the beans had just been added.  Also, the beans were cooked with a bit of tahini, which was in the original recipe.  Lots of reviewers loved that addition.  I wasn't a fan of it and it's been dropped from my recipe.

VEGGIES

• garlic 
• onion, - sweet, red, spring, whatever 
• bell pepper - red, yellow, purple or orange 
• 1 carrot 
• fresh tomatoes (could also use canned) 
• squash and zucchini (optional) 
• finely chopped kale or spinach (optional) 

* Rotels or canned fire-roasted tomatoes could also work, but the amount of spices would need to be adjusted.

HERBS SPICES

• 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce - Add salt instead of the tamari or soy sauce if you want. 
• 2 tsp dried oregano 
• 1 tsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1 tsp cumin powder 
• 1 tsp paprika 
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1/8 tsp cayenne powder - Maybe more! 

RICE

• 1 cup uncooked rice - cook in Instant Pot   - Might as well cook extra and freeze the leftovers!

BEANS - Use any legumes you like.

• 1 cup canned or cooked beans - black beans, chickpeas, whatever - drained and rinsed!

GARNISH

• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Note: This method messes up 3 pans, but it's worth it to keep the meal more colorful. (see photo below)

1. Cook rice - in the Instant Pot.
   
2. Cook beans - in separate pan.
   
3. Sauté onions in a skillet - once the onions are well on their way, add in carrots, and bell pepper.
   
4. Add faster cooking veggies - squash, zucchini, greens and tomatoes and herbs and spices to skillet and cook for a bit more. Careful! Don't overcook and turn it all to mush!
   
5. Stir in beans just before serving.
   
6. Rice can be stirred in or kept separate.
   
7. Serve with some chopped fresh parsley on top (optional). 

READER COMMENT - Cooking Everything Together in Pressure Cooker:

• This was great. I cooked everything together in a pressure cooker.  I set the cook time to how I normally pressure cook rice I am using. 

The original recipe calls for the beans and rice to be cooked together.  Then it's all added to the veggies.  Everything ended up this brownish color and it looks like mush.  It was still good, but I made changes in the recipe to keep the color.  On the other hand, if I were making it just for me and nobody else would see it, I'd probably throw everything in the Instant Pot and cook it together.  

NOTE ABOUT RICE:

My first time with this recipe, I had a box of Zatarains Jambalaya Rice on hand so I skipped making the spicy rice myself. I'll make my own from now on.  Some of those ingredients are not nice!

Here are the ingredients in Zatarains:
Enriched Long Grain Parboiled Rice (Iron Phosphate, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate and Folic Acid), Dehydrated Vegetables (Onion, Bell Pepper), Salt, Yeast Extract] Soy Sauce (100%, Soybean), Dextrose, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Soybean Oil (Tbhq Added As A Preservative), Paprika, Garlic, Spices, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Chili Powder, Caramel Color, Silicon Dioxide (Flow Agent).

Beans - Roasted Garbanzos, Tomatoes, and More

Inspiration Source:  AllRecipes

This was from my first try.  It was declared a keeper.

SAUCE

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt
• black pepper
• juice from 1 lime - can use lemon instead

SAUCE SEASONING IDEAS:

Balsamic vinegar, rosemary, curry powder, cumin,  Montreal Steak Seasoning, a few TB honey (to help it caramelize),

MAIN INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cherry or regular tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained - could also use another bean - like cannelini

ADDED VEGGIES - Choose 1 or more

• cauliflower (this is what the original recipe called for)
• Brussels sprouts
• broccoli florets
• onion or scallions (Some reviewers suggested red onions)
• bell pepper - red, yellow, or orange

GARNISH

• chopped fresh cilantro
• REVIEW SUGGESTIONS:  Top with avocado wedges, sprinkle with lime juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray.

Combine olive oil, garlic, and other sauce ingredients in a bowl. 

Add garbanzo beans first and mix to coat - the beans need a little more of the oil so they won't dry out while cooking.

Add tomatoes and and other veggies; toss until well coated.  You can let it all marinate for a bit if time permits.

Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. 

Roast in the preheated oven until vegetables are caramelized, about 25 minutes. 

Remove lime wedges and top with fresh cilantro.

SUGGESTIONS from REVIEWS:  

• Serve over rice, couscous, quinoa, barley...

Beans - Dried or Frozen - In The Instant Pot

Inspiration Sources:  The Blond Cook, The Foodie Eats, and Simply Recipes

Suggested Instant Pot Times for DRIED Beans - 

I'm still trying out these times!

• Black beans: 20 to 25 minutes 
• Black-eyed peas : 10 minutes, slow release 
• Great Northern beans: 25 to 30 minutes 
• Navy beans: 25 to 30 minutes 
• Pinto beans: 25 to 30 minutes 
• Cannellini beans: 35 to 40 minutes 
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): Perfect - no soak, 30 minutes, slow release 

Make sure they don't turn to mush! Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure.

Carefully remove lid and stir. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

FROZEN Instant Pot Baby Lima Beans - 

• 1 bag frozen baby lima beans 
• chopped medium yellow onion 
• minced garlic 
• liquid - broth and water - Just enough liquid to cover the beans 

1. Rinse and sort beans in a colander, removing and discarding any debris.
2. Place beans and spices (except parsley) in the insert of your Instant Pot.
3. Add liquid (enough to account for the beans expanding) and stir well to combine.
4. Place the lid on and lock. Steam release knob should be set on “sealing”.
5. Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 7 minutes. 
6. Make sure they don't turn to mush! Do a quick release, stir and let sit on warm for 10 minutes.
7. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Seasoning Suggestions for Beans: 

• Italian seasonings 
• salt - I read in some places to put salt in at the start, but also this - If you add the salt before cooking, the skin of the beans will be tougher. It is kind of a rule-of-thumb to always add salt to beans AFTER they are cooked. 
• black pepper 
• bay leaf - Apparently, bay leaves help reduce the chemical that causes gas in beans 
• turmeric 

Garnish Suggestions for Beans: 

• parsley 
• cilantro 
• basil 
• salsa and guacamole are good on black beans 

Using and storing your beans: 

The beans can be strained and used right away, or cooled and stored in their cooking liquid. They will keep for up to a week refrigerated or up to 3 months in the freezer.



What to do if your beans aren't quite done: 

Put the lid back on the pressure cooker and make sure the release valve is set back to "sealing." Cook at high pressure for another 5 to 10 minutes (depending on if you think your beans need just a little more time or a little more time to finish). The pot will quickly come back up to pressure because the contents are already hot. Check your beans after the extra cooking time and continue cooking for longer if needed.

Beans - Black-Eyed Peas in the Instant Pot

This recipe was inspired by the recipe on Forks Over Knives.

Soak the black-eyed peas in double the water up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse the beans.

• 1½ cups black-eyed peas (dry)

Sauté onions in the Instant Pot 

• chopped onions

Add soaked beans and other ingredients 

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup 
• sea salt - When adding salt to beans in an instant pot, add it at the beginning.  If cooking beans stovetop or in a crock pot, add it at the end.
• Liquid:  3 cups water and/or broth

Optional Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 4 teaspoons minced/dried onions
• 1 can tomato paste (6 ounces) - I cut up some fresh campari tomatoes instead
• cayenne (optional)
• liquid smoke (optional)
• smoked paprika (optional)

Instant Pot Settings:

set on high for 6 minutes

FAST Release 

*Notice the big onion end!

TIP - - - You can add leftover vegetable bits to create a more flavorful stock - carrot ends, the end of the onion, limp celery and more.