beans

Easy Italian Orzo and White Bean Soup

November 20, 2013 by Erica

It’s time for another soup! The easiest, peasiest, cheesiest soup in the land.

OK, maybe not the cheesiest. That would probably be this one. Today’s soup is actually vegan… with an optional dumping of parmesan cheese.

I know we’re in Thanksgiving planning mode, and this is not a Thanksgiving soup. That doesn’t make it any less perfect for this time of year, though, because it is a quick and easy pantry soup – perfect for making a big batch of when your next few evenings are going to be filled with holiday prep, or even for throwing together when your family gets into town and you realize that they will be here for days, but you have only planned a single meal.

So yes, my family will probably be seeing this soup next week.

…

Vegan Quinoa and White Bean Chili

November 8, 2013 by Erica

Vegan Quinoa and White Bean Chili

When I say chili, something meaty and tomato-based probably comes to mind. Or, if you like veggie chilis, you at least probably think of something tomato-y and darker in color than this. Wellll, I love that type of chili, but I decided it would be fun to make a semi-albino variation – no tomatoes here! – featuring white beans and (naturally) quinoa.

Quinoa chili has been on my to-cook list for quite some time, and now the weather is finally cool enough to make it. And as anticipated, I love the texture of the quinoa mixed in here! It thickens up this chili quite a bit, soaking up all that cumin-y broth. Along with the beans, it makes this dish super filling, not to mention being fun and chewy (which of course I have to mention anyway, because that is always what I love about quinoa). But the quinoa doesn’t take center stage like it did in Monday’s recipe – that is reserved for the veggies and spices.

…

Chipotle Butternut Squash and White Bean Dip

November 6, 2013 by Erica

Chipotle Butternut Squash and White Bean Dip

We got our first snow of the season yesterday. I woke up in the morning, changed into my running clothes, and looked out the window… uh ohhh. WHY is the ground covered in 4 inches of snow?! I am not much of an outdoor runner when it’s slippery outside. I took about 10 steps before I went back in, changed into shorts, and went to the gym to run on the treadmill.

First treadmill run of the season in the books! It’s gonna be a loooong winter.

As a side note, our neighbors still had their sprinklers on. What?!

Chipotle Butternut Squash and White Bean Dip

I’m clearly not thrilled about the quick transition to winter that we’re having around here, but it does mean I get to roast butternut squash to my little heart’s content. Our apartment is already freezing, so I’m a happy girl when the oven is on. I’ve already posted a few butternut recipes so far this fall, and I’m showing no signs of slowing down. This is just the most recent way I’ve been getting my fix.

…

Spicy Avocado and White Bean Wraps (Vegan)

May 28, 2013 by Erica

Spicy Avocado and White Bean Wraps (Vegan)

We just got back from the most wonderful holiday weekend. Our friends Bill and Aspen got married at the Glasbern Inn in Pennsylvania farm country, and it was truly one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever been to. They had an outdoor patio ceremony in front of scenic rolling hills, complete with a herd of cows grazing in the distance! I can’t get over how gorgeous the whole weekend was, and how happy they are together. Take me back!

Well fine, it’s nice to be home, too, as we’ve had quite the travel schedule lately. I don’t have another cross-country flight for the next ten days, so I’m trying to get back on a normal schedule in the meantime. Starting with these delicious avocado and white bean wraps!

Spicy Avocado and White Bean Wraps (Vegan)

If I had a restaurant, these wraps would be on the lunch menu. THAT is how much I love them.

…

Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos

May 15, 2013 by Erica

Vegetarian Breakfast Burritos

Could these be breakfast? Yes. But I like to eat them for dinner.

Before Nate and I lived together, I prepared a lot fewer meals. Dinner was often Thai takeout or a “salad” (a.k.a. a big pile of raw veggies, no dressing, that I ate with my fingers). I’m not entirely ruling that out as a dinner option as the weather gets warmer, but things are a bit more civilized around here these days. However, there is one of my “single” dinners I’ve been missing lately: Scrambled eggs.

Scrambled eggs with goat cheese, avocado and salsa was my favorite weeknight dinner for a while last year. It eventually slipped off my radar – there was the vegan thing, and then the fact that Nate expresses zero enthusiasm for scrambled eggs – and before a few weeks ago, I hadn’t made it in quite some time. I’ve since welcomed it back into my life, however – this time for good. And in my efforts to make it into more of a cohesive meal (one that I could actually serve to others rather than just eat by myself standing up at the counter), I turned it into a burrito.

…

Connect