black bean cakes

black bean goodness

craig and i have been attempting to do carb-free dinners.  i tend to subsist on carbs, so the transition has given me a much needed daily reprieve from my cereal, oatmeal, rice, pasta, bread lifestyle.  in my ongoing attempt to be creative in the kitchen, i made black bean cakes last night...and they turned out pretty good : )  so, i thought i'd share the recipe in case any of you want a crab-free evening!

black bean cakes (for two)

1 small onion, chopped
1/4 red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed
salt & pepper

chopped peppers

1. saute onion, pepper and garlic in 1 tsp olive oil until softened and lightly browned.  season with salt & pepper.

2. mash all but 1/3 cup black beans and add 1/2 of onion/pepper mixture (reserve other 1/2 for topping).

3. toast the reserved 1/3 cup beans in 1 tsp olive oil  for a few minutes (season with salt, pepper and additional garlic if you want).

4. add toasted beans to mashed beans/onion/pepper mixture.  form patties - you should be able to get approximately 8 small cakes.

5. saute cakes in remaining olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until browned.  season with more salt & pepper.  (beans can be bland, so be sure to "layer in" seasonings.)  fyi: cakes will be soft (like mashed potato texture) with a thin crispy shell.

dinner time.  come and get it!

serve over chopped romaine and top with curry sour cream and remaining onion/pepper mixture.
feeling crazy?  also top with chopped pickles.  they add a great salty crunch!

yum!

for you health nuts out there: 75 calories/cake.  oh yeah, and they're vegan!.

ode to my cereal

i love my cereal.  i have it every morning for breakfast (and have done so for the past 4 years or so).  what can i say...i'm a creature of habit.  and (since i've had the luxury of time) i'm pretty sure i've mastered the art of the perfect bowl.  my morning cereal ritual is not to be taken lightly.  it's much more than corn flakes in a bowl with milk.  it's an experience that takes finesse.

my perfect bowl : )
-1 cup cereal (preferably a mix of 2-3 of your favorite kinds.  i <3 kashi golean crunch and multi-grain cheerios)
-1 tbsp raisins (or craisins if you're feeling spunky)
-1 tbsp chopped pecans
-1/4 banana, sliced (save the remainder for tomorrow's bowl or a snack or shake later : )

-a few strawberries, sliced

-sprinkle of cinnamon
-dash of nutmeg
-3/4 to 1 cup soy milk (or skim milk)
mix all dry ingredients with fruit & spices in bowl.  top with milk.  it's the perfect mix of slightly sweet & satisfyingly crunchy.  enjoy! 
my favorite bowl is my buddha bowl.  craig gave it to me for my birthday last year, and it's sculpted to fit in the palm of your hand.  if you're a serial cereal consumer, you need one.  believe me.  oh cereal, you're deliciously divine!
what's your go-to breakfast?  (for a free kashi treat click here.)

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Secrets of a Skinny Chick

I recently created a HubPage filled with great information for achieving a happy, healthy lifestyle.  If you want some inspiration as to how to live a harmonious life, check it out! SKINNY CHICK!  Let me know what you think : ).

Farm to Table

In my on-going quest to live better, I've decided to eat more local, whole foods and cut many processed foods out of my diet. That said, over the past week I've stopped at a local farm stand for fresh zucchini, corn and blueberries and made homemade granola and trail mix to replace my go-to granola bar. Even though it's only been a few days (and actual, physical benefits I'm sure have yet to take place), I already feel better.

Just the idea of eating farm-to-table makes you feel healthier. The concept that your food was locally grown and cared for by people in your community is completely cool. Not only are you eating healthy and DELICIOUS food, but you're also supporting your community and reducing your carbon footprint on the planet. You can't really beat that combo, can you?

If you're interested in becoming a "locavore" too, check out http://www.localharvest.org/ for the location of your nearest farmer's market. And remember, small changes can have big results. If we all just made a few small changes to our grocery shopping habits and diets, amazingly positive changes could occur.

So, next time you're hungry, think about eating something from nearby : ).