Marinated Bean Salad–An All-Season Salad

When my neighbor saw this she said it reminds her of summer. She’s right there because this or my Mexican 3 bean salad is generally on my menu when I have cookouts on my deck.

But I tend to think of this marinated bean salad as an all-season treat. In fact, it is a meal in itself when you think about it. Beans are a great source of protein and also a wonderful source of fiber so it’s pretty filling. To top that off–if you could–it’s totally vegan. Therefore, it’s a great main course when you’re serving those who don’t eat meat.

Economical Salad

Perhaps one of the best things about this recipe is that it is very economical.

Face it, beans are cheap. With rising prices, we’re all trying to economize where we can. Pasta, rice and beans are some of the best money savers around. Many of us are cutting down on meat too because it’s very high in price at the moment. What better way to save than with this delicious bean concoction.

It calls for canned beans which a lot of us already have in our pantry to begin with. I used white (cannellini) and red kidney beans because they make a great presentation. But you can use any variety or a combination of such.

Marinade

Basically, the marinade or dressing is a vinaigrette.

One tip I picked up from watching numerous Julia Child shows is that the proportion of oil to vinegar is a highly personal choice. She said she preferred more olive oil to vinegar and/or lemon juice. I’m totally the opposite. Therefore I suggest you mix up the marinade first and taste it. Then you can adjust for your personal taste.

The Recipe

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Marinated Bean Salad

Totally vegan and totally addictive

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Course: Main/Side, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: marinated kidney beans, mixed bean salad, salads using canned beans

Servings: 6

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 30 oz cannellini beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
• 15 oz dark red kidney beans 1 can, drained and rinsed

Bean Marinade:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbs chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbs chopped fresh dill
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbs finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Place beans in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients. Pour over beans and toss to coat.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss well before serving.
• Will keep well for about 3 days so you can make this ahead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 379IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 6mg

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Jamaican Coconut Rice: Budget Meal

Coconut rice is a meal for these times.

With so many people now unemployed because of the virus and waiting to sign up for their unemployment benefits, money is definitely tight. The only way you can reign in expenses is on food.

While we’re on the subject, many items are hard to get as well. Jamaican coconut rice is usually served with chicken as a side dish. Well, chicken is one of those near-impossible things to get now.

But take heart; the “side dish” can become a main dish. It’s very nutritious too. In fact, the mainstay for protein in vegan and vegetarian diets is good old rice and beans.

Far from being bland, this rice and bean dish is loaded with flavor.

Hot Or Mild

You can spice things up here too. If you like a bit of zip–or a lot of it–in your food, this can fill the bill.

To spice things up, pop in a hot pepper (or part of one) in the liquid you cook the rice in. Traditionally, this is a habanero or scotch bonnet. But be careful with either of those–they are off-the-charts hot.

However, this rice is equally good when it’s mild. My personal preference is eating it without the hot pepper. To my taste, the flavors really sing without the heat and the pepper distracts from it’s great flavor.

Try it both ways to see how you like it.

Substitutions

As I mentioned before, some items are hard to get in stores now. And my mantra has always been use what you have on hand, Especially now.

The recipe calls for dark red kidney beans, but if you have light red, they work too. Cannellini beans are another good choice. The only ones I’d hesitate to substitute is black beans.

Jasmine rice is preferred, but use regular long-grain if that’s all you have. And as for the thyme, I always prefer using fresh because I have an indoor garden where I grow it. But the dry stuff is fine and use about 1/4 tsp. Add more if you want a fuller flavor.

The Recipe

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Jamaican Coconut Rice

Rice so tasty it’s a main course

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main/Side, vegetarian dishes

Cuisine: Jamaican

Keyword: coconut rice, jamaican rice recipe, rice side dishes, vegan main course recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 539kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 14 oz can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 hot pepper optional
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1 cup long-grain white rice such as jasmine
• 15 oz can dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Combine the first ingredients (through garlic) in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Stir in rice; reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove pan from heat; remove the thyme sprigs and garlic, and discard. Gently stir in the beans. Cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Traditionally, the pepper used is a scotch bonnet or habanero. I made this an optional ingredient.

If you don’t have fresh thyme, 1/4-1/2 tsp of the dried can be substituted. Always start with the lesser amount.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 312mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 143IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5mg

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Common Asian Condiment

Black bean sauce is a pretty common Asian ingredient. However, it’s not readily available in a lot of stores–mine in particular. I could find mostly everything else but that.

So I went searching on how to make my own for a recipe I’d found. I came up with many, but I wanted to use either what I had on hand or things that were easy to come by. I can say that I didn’t find a recipe that filled what I needed 100 per cent, so I combined parts of recipes that did. I came up with this and have to say that it’s magnificent.

Looking For Protein?

Right now, we’re all looking to work with what we have in our pantries.  However, we still want to eat a decent meal that’s not only satisfying but nutritious.

This black bean sauce is perfect if you use it as part of a meal and not just as a condiment.

If you’re pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as provisions are concerned, this is perfect mixed with rice. Not only is it delicious, but it’s good for you and filling. It’s also pretty cheap so if you have to watch your budget more closely now, it’s perfect.

Substitute

Since many people enjoy Mexican food, having a can of black beans in the cupboard is pretty much certain. But what to do if you don’t have those?

I’m sure any beans would suffice here. I haven’t tried this myself, but I don’t see how it wouldn’t work. At this time, you use what you have and the flavorings in this sauce would go with practically any variety of beans.

The Recipe

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Black Bean Sauce

Make your own—it tastes better

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, condiments, Main, Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: black bean sauce recipe, canned bean recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 101kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 15 oz can black beans undrained
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 garlic clove minced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 543mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg

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Simple Yet Stunning

If you’re looking for a salad that will really wow your guests or family, look no further than this Mexican bean salad!

It’s also a great option for a main dish if you are having company that doesn’t eat meat.

The colors are mouthwatering so this really can be the centerpiece of any meal.

Easy To Make

At first glance, you may think this is complicated to prepare, but it’s not!

The hardest thing here is opening the cans of beans! Of course, all canned beans have to be well rinsed and drained. Therefore, I suggest you begin preparation about one hour before you plan to serve the salad.  The colander can be set either in the sink or on the draining board so it drains well and doesn’t get in your way.

Other than that, the only other prep work you have is a bit of chopping and defrosting. I might add at this point that you can vary the amounts of anything in the salad itself to suit your individual taste. For instance, I’m not a big lover of cilantro but recognize it’s needed for a special flavor. I tend to go light on it, but if you love it, add more!

The same applies to the dressing. Again, I’m not a lover of cumin but the dressing needs that flavor. Add more of anything if you like it. Just don’t alter the oil/acid amounts.

Your Choice Of Beans

I love the color combination you get with the variety of beans used in this salad. To me, color is very important for food because the more vibrant it looks, the more appealing it is to eat.

But that doesn’t mean you cannot substitute one bean variety for your favorite. If I were to substitute anything here, I’d switch out the cannellini beans for garbanzo beans (aka chick peas) because I really love them. Doing that would also give more depth to the shapes and textures–another thing that’s pleasing to the eye and palate!

The Recipe

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Mexican Three-Bean Salad

Three-Bean salad is a simple Mexican style bean salad that’s a complete meatless meal!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: bean salad, three bean salad

Servings: 6 -8

Calories: 335kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 15 oz canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 15 oz canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels defrosted
• 3/4 cup red onion chopped
• 1/2 cup poblano peppers finely diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper finely diced
• 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbs white wine vinegar
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 Pinch salt
• 1 Pinch pepper

Instructions

• Place the drained beans, corn, onion, peppers, parsley and cilantro in a large bowl.
• Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk it well; pour over bean mixture and toss to coat.
• Chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 34.6mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 4.8mg

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Delicious hearty mixed bean soup is great for a winter meal, but the kielbasa and ham add great flavor!

Winter Is For Bean Soup

Bean soup is perfect for a cold winter day!

This soup is extra special because it contains a variety of beans and two meats!

The Flavors Are Terrific

Bean soup is traditionally flavored with ham.

Whenever I make a ham for dinner, I always save and freeze the bone for later use. This is one of the uses I have for the leftover ham bone. Always make sure to leave some meat on the bone for adding to the soup!

Kielbasa or smoked sausage is less traditional for flavoring the soup, but it’s absolutely delicious!  It has a smoky flavor but is quite different from ham. This adds another level to the flavor.

Also, most mixed bean packages come with a seasoning packet. Use it because this adds even more flavor, but if your package of beans doesn’t come with this seasoning, don’t worry–it’s totally optional.

Add Some Veggies

I generally will add carrot and celery to most any soup I make.

In this one, I had no celery so I only added carrots. I like the sweetish flavor that carrot imparts to a soup. You can add anything you like that you think goes well with the meats.

As far as herbs and spices, something such as this soup lends itself to bay and a bit of basil for my tastes. You can really get experimental here if you want. I have to admit I’m not that adventurous with herbs so I haven’t tried other combinations. I’d love it if you could let me know your personal favorites for bean and ham soup!

The Recipe

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Mixed Bean Soup with Ham & Kielbasa

Delicious hearty mixed bean soup is great for a winter meal, but the kielbasa and ham add great flavor!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 hours hrs

Total Time10 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Pork, soups

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bean soup, ham, kielbasa

Servings: 6 -8

Calories: 65kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 bag approx 16 oz mixed dried beans + enclosed flavor pack (see NOTES)
• 8 cups water
• 2 tsp chicken base i.e. Better Than Bouillon -OR- 2 chicken stock cubes
• 1 cup sliced carrots - about 1/2-inch thick
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• meaty ham bone -OR- 1 large ham steak cut in chunks
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 package fully-cooked kielbasa cut in 1/2-inch slices
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place soaked beans in a 5-7 quart slow cooker.
• Add the water and the flavor pack that was in the beans (if there isn't one in your package, it's not essential so don't worry), the chicken base, carrots, onions, basil, bay leaf. kielbasa and ham bone/ham chunks.
• Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours, high 5-8 hours (times are approximate).
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

To prepare beans-- place beans in a large pot and cover with water 1" above the beans. Soak overnight. Alternate method (but not as good)--place beans in a large pot and cover with water 1" above the beans. Bring water to a boil, boil 5 minutes then remove from the heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour. With either method, drain the water and rinse.

Flavor packet--if the brand of beans you buy doesn't have a little packet of flavoring, it's not essential so don't worry.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3573IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

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Kielbasa and jazzed-up beans make up the base of this casserole and it’s all topped off with delicious and cheddary cornmeal biscuits.

I always tell everyone that one of the best things to have on hand in your fridge or freezer is kielbasa because you can do so much with it.

There’s another benefit to it to–it’s great for days you’re not really into cooking and want a fast meal. And that meal can be anything from simply heating the sausage up and having a side to making quick skillet meals like this tasty Smoked Sausage with Cheesy Rice.

Lately, I’ve been craving kielbasa served the simple way–with baked beans. However, I wanted to get a bit more adventurous with the beans. Sure, they sell them in a whole variety of flavors, but I wanted to create my own.

An old friend who was a short-order cook once told me that the secret to her BBQ beef strips was nothing more than the addition of pancake syrup. Hard to believe, but it’s true. When she put it on the menu, it was standing room only at the diner. I wondered whether this would work for the beans as well (with the addition of other ingredients). It did.

I got the idea for the biscuits from an old–and I mean OLD–recipe from a Pillsbury Bake-Off from the 1950s. The casserole in question was topped with a cornbread-like biscuit. That recipe was much like a batter where the topping was something like a pancake. I wanted biscuits and I wanted cheese in them.

Since I don’t fuss with biscuits from scratch and I hate to roll them out even more, I used baking mix and did drop biscuits.

The result was a simple-to-make casserole that was delicious and done in 30 minutes. This one is a real family pleaser and totally kid-friendly–even the grown-up kids!

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Kielbasa & Beans with Cheddar Biscuits

Kielbasa and jazzed-up beans make up the base of this casserole and it’s all topped off with delicious and cheddary cornmeal biscuits.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals, Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beans, cheddar biscuits, kielbasa

Servings: 4

Calories: 556kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1 pkg 14-16 oz kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut in 1/4-inch pieces
• 28 oz can baked beans (see NOTES)
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce see NOTES
• 2 tbsp pancake syrup -OR- maple syrup
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp water

BISCUITS

• 3/4 cup baking mix i.e. Jiffy or Bisquick
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a 11 x 7-inch baking pan
• Mix the beans, BBQ sauce, pancake syrup, mustard and water in a large bowl. Add the kielbasa and stir until combine.
• Place bean mixture in prepared pan.
• In another bowl, mix the baking mix, cornmeal, cheese and sugar. Stir in the oil and milk--DO NOT OVERMIX.
• Drop biscuit mixture by heaping tablespoon-full on top of bean mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the beans are heated through and the tops of the biscuits are browned.

Notes

Use the beans in brown sugar sauce, not the ones with the tomato sauce (Bush's, B&M, etc)

I always use Sweet Baby Ray's Original (or the store equivalent) BBQ sauce

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1448mg | Potassium: 784mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 315mg | Iron: 5mg

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