Cheesy Baked White Beans & Summer Squash

This is a satisfying main dish that’s reminiscent of mac n’ cheese, although slightly lighter thanks to all the veggies. This would also be delicious with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage or greens in place of the summer squash. If you have an oven-proof skillet, it can all be made in one dish.  Serves 4  ... Read more »

Crunchy Bean and Herb Salad

The lime juice, hot pepper and cotija really make this salad. Vary it to use what you have on hand.    Variations: Use whatever bean or chickpea you have (in the above case, it's black chickpeas) Use whatever crunchy vegetables you like/have such as radishes, salad turnips, kohlrabi, fennel, peas, carrots, onions Use whatever tender herbs you like/have such as mint, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, basil, chives, dill, chervil, oregano Omit the cheese or use a different kind such as feta or diced sharp cheddar Add toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (though they will soften and lose their crunch so add right before serving)  ... Read more »

Brothy Beans and Greens

This is a template, not a precise recipe. The idea is to soften leafy greens in a pot of home-cooked or canned beans. Season with garlic and hot pepper if you'd like.  Make however much of this you'd like. It keeps and reheats well for up to 5 days.... Read more »

Collard Greens with Spiced Chickpeas

These spiced chickpeas, when sauteed with greens and topped with a little yogurt if you'd like, are a delicious, quick meal. They are also featured in this one-bowl meal.  ... Read more »

One-Pot Moroccan Spiced Butternut Squash and Chickpeas

This dish is a lovely balance of middle eastern spices, sweetness from the squash and raisins, and a little brightness from the preserved lemon. You can of course use lemon juice instead, but preserved lemons are quite simple to make and add a unique, tart flavor with more complexity than lemon juice.  ... Read more »

Spiced Chickpeas

These are delicious as part of a one-bowl meal, added to a salad or enjoyed as a snack. My teenage son eats the whole batch in one sitting!  ... Read more »

Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup is a simple but so satisfying dish. You can make it with canned beans but it's particularly good with home-cooked beans as the cooking liquid is a flavorful and rich broth for the dish.   Traditionally you might serve this with slices of avocado, crema or sour cream, cilantro and a little lime juice. In the above version I served it with pico de gallo which is a delicious alternative. You can simply top with a few quick-pickled onions--nothing more than thinly sliced onions in vinegar--but you want something bright to complement the richness of the soup.... Read more »

No-Recipe Pot of Beans

If you want to use cooked (or canned) beans to make a savory dish, more or less fleshed out with vegetables, meat, herbs, spices, here's a template. Since the beans are already cooked this kind of dish comes together quite quickly. Quantities are flexible and totally up to you.   *Alternatively, if you want to just cook a pot of beans from scratch in the oven (recipe towards the bottom of the page) with some aromatics you'll get a delicious pot of beans in one step that takes a couple of (hands-off) hours.   Use a full pound of cooked dry beans and their cooking liquid (yields about 2 quarts for me) or make a small pot with a couple of cups of cooked beans or any combination of beans.... Read more »

Chickpea and Pickled Vegetable Salad

  This is fantastic salad for a warm summer night. It's also an excellent use of these quick-pickled vegetables. It's robust and begging for variations. In this version I had some caulilini that needed using so I quickly steamed it and added it.   This salad holds up well so is suited for picnics and potluck and lunches throughout the week.... Read more »

Chickpea, Arugula and Tomato Salad with Herbs and Seeds

Greek Salad Grain Bowl with Chickpeas

This bowl is a template - use different grains like quinoa or farro, add meat or leave it off, or add in different veggies. The sauce is tangy and bright and you might make extra to put on any leftover grains or vegetables, meat, etc.   Serves 2  ... Read more »

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

This delicious dish is ubiquitous in northern India. I always toss in various vegetables along with the chickpeas. This inauthentic version includes potatoes, kohlrabi and greens but you can add most any vegetable or combination you like.   The ingredient list looks long but if you have the spices on hand it's really quite quick to make. It's one of those dishes that in 35 minutes can taste like it's been simmering for hours. If you have time to toast and grind whole cumin and coriander it will be extra fragrant.... Read more »

Nachos

Whether nothing more than beans, cheese and fresh salsa or loaded up with lots of other toppings, nachos are fun, quick and versatile. When we have them for dinner we often manage to eat more of them than we think possible! [caption id="attachment_19080" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This version included ground beef that had been seasoned with lots of chili powder and cooked with finely chopped onion, chard stems and some chard leaves. It was fantastic![/caption] If you don't have chips on hand but have corn tortillas you can cut them into wedges, fry them in oil until crisp and use them here. They'll be thicker/sturdier than typical chips and very good.   Quantities are intended as guidelines and adjust to suit your taste/needs.... Read more »

Beans and/on Toast

Whether they're stewy like the above or drier like the below, beans and toasted bread are delicious, filling, adaptable, quick and inexpensive. There are British versions that are sweeter, more like baked beans; Middle Eastern ones using stale flatbread and broad beans and Italian ones with plenty of garlic and olive oil, to name just a few.  ... Read more »

Chickpea, Potato & Tomato Stew (w/ or w/out Chorizo)

This is fantastic! The leftovers are excellent and it's simple to make. Spice it to suit your taste, use fresh or canned tomatoes, add fresh sweet and/or hot peppers, stir in a few mustard greens at the end. Just make it!... Read more »

White Beans, Chicken and Leeks

This is so delicious and comes together quickly if you have cooked (or canned beans). It's very good with home-cooked beans because you use some of the bean cooking liquid which makes for a flavorful, light stew.  ... Read more »

Chicken (or Bean) Enchiladas

These are flavorful, simple and quite light in fact. You can use fire-roasted canned tomatoes or fresh ones you broil. I rarely have queso fresco on hand so top them with a little sharp cheddar--totally inauthentic and very tasty. [caption id="attachment_18350" align="aligncenter" width="660"] In this version I thinned sour cream with a little plain yogurt for a pourable consistency.[/caption]... Read more »

White Bean Dip with Herbs

You can use herbs in quantity and in many different combinations here. However, make it even if you’re short on herbs. It will still be good. This is a great way to use parsley and cilantro stems.   Variations Use 1-2 teaspoons sage or rosemary instead of tender, leafy herbs. You’ll want to use much less as they are more strongly flavored. Add the zest of 1⁄2 a lemon in addition to the juice for a more lemony version. You can garnish this dip with capers and if you have a spare minute, fry the capers in a little olive oil until crisp and sprinkle over the dip. ... Read more »

Hummus

Hummus is wonderful to have on hand. You can spread it on a plate and top it with vegetables, raw or cooked, chickpeas, other kinds of beans, herbs, cooked meats, herbs, hardboiled eggs and always plenty of olive oil.  Or of course you can use it as a dip or a spread. [caption id="attachment_17816" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Above: Hummus topped with finely chopped vegetables and herbs and seasoned with salt, cumin, dried hot pepper, plenty of lemon juice and olive oil.[/caption] Two things that make hummus really good: plenty of tahini and processing it for a few minutes so it gets nice and smooth.   You can change the ratios to suit your taste, more or less garlic, lemon or tahini, more water for a lighter version. Once you make it a time or two you probably won't need to measure and can just taste and adjust as you go.... Read more »

Fennel and White Bean Salad

White beans of any kind will be good here just be sure not to overcook them so they keep their shape. The lemon, crisp fennel and creamy beans are a really nice combination.... Read more »