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Black Bean Quinoa Chili | alidaskitchen.com

Black Bean Quinoa Chili

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Black Bean Quinoa Chili combines black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetables and quinoa into a delicious, easy to make chili! Perfect for the busy holiday season, a weeknight or anytime! {gluten free, vegan} Thank you to Hunt’s Tomatoes for sponsoring this post.

Black Bean Quinoa Chili | alidaskitchen.com

During the busy holiday season (or any weeknight for that matter), easy recipes like this Black Bean Quinoa Chili are a lifesaver. With a little advance prep work, i.e. chopping vegetables, and key pantry staples, this delicious, healthy chili can be whipped together in minutes!…

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Easy Skillet Granola | alidaskitchen.com

Easy Skillet Granola

This recipe for Easy Skillet Granola is a delicious way to start the day…and takes minutes to make!  It is also vegan and can be nut free and gluten free.

Easy Skillet Granola | alidaskitchen.com

As much as we love granola, it is not something that we buy very often.  It is challenging to find granola made without nuts, and with nut allergies at home…well it just makes sense to find something else.  I actually never realized how easy it is to make granola at home until making this Easy Skillet Granola recipe!…

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Black Bean Corn Edamame Salad | alidaskitchen.com

Black Bean Corn Edamame Salad

Black Bean Corn Edamame Salad is a little spicy, packed with vegetables and protein, and tastes delicious!  Thank you to Pompeian for sponsoring this post as part of the Pantry Insiders program. Black Bean Corn Edamame Salad | alidaskitchen.com

 

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I like to have healthy, easy recipes on hand for easy lunches and quick weeknight dinners.  This Black Bean Corn Edamame Salad is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that are naturally flavorful.   This salad is delicious for a light meal yet can be made heartier with the addition of cooked quinoa (I use 2 cups cooked for this recipe) or shredded rotisserie chicken. This salad recipe is very flexible and the ingredients can be adjusted to taste….

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Chipotle Quinoa Chili | alidaskitchen.com

Chipotle Quinoa Chili #WeekdaySupper

Chipotle Quinoa Chili is packed with heart-healthy proteins from quinoa and beans, and a smokiness from the chipotle chiles. Made in 30 minutes, perfect for a weekday supper! {vegan, gluten free}

Chipotle Quinoa Chili | alidaskitchen.com

This winter has been exceptionally cold and snowy, with weather extremes everywhere it seems.  For me, nothing combats these winter chills quite like a tasty bowl of chili.  This Chipotle Quinoa Chili is healthy comfort food that will warm you up from the inside out.  There is a little heat from some green chiles, a subtle smokiness from the chipotle chiles and all around goodness from the protein-packed beans and quinoa.  I had never had quinoa in chili until this recipe, and it is a delicious addition!  Quinoa adds a wonderful texture, adds some protein and fiber, and makes the chili seem especially hearty….

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Lentil Tacos | alidaskitchen.com #WeekdaySupper

Lentil Tacos #WeekdaySupper

Lentil Tacos are a hearty, vegan dish made a little spicy and a lot delicious.  Even meat lovers will enjoy these high-protein, fiber-rich, vegetable-packed meatless tacos!

Lentil Tacos | alidaskitchen.com #WeekdaySupper

Lentils are one of my favorite ingredients to use in healthy, meatless recipes.  They are high in protein, fiber and are so versatile. Lentils are quick cooking, which makes them excellent for weeknight meals. We enjoy them in salads, pasta sauce, and here as Lentil Tacos.  

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Jalapeno Hummus | alidaskitchen.com #RubbermaidSharpie #PMedia #ad

Jalapeno Hummus

Jalapeno Hummus is a healthy dip (or spread) with a little jalapeno kick.  Luckily it takes only 10 minutes to make, because this popular hummus disappears quickly!  

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Rubbermaid and Sharpie but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #RubbermaidSharpie  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

Jalapeno Hummus | alidaskitchen.com #RubbermaidSharpie #PMedia #ad

With the Big Game just around the corner, I have been putting the finishing touches on my menu planning and coming up with some fun recipes.  In fact, it’s almost like planning for the holidays – mass quantities of lots of tasty foods to share with family and friends!  

After making Sweet Potato Hummus, I have been looking forward to making more varieties of homemade hummus. This time I thought something a little spicy was in order ~ something like Jalapeno Hummus!  With just a few simple ingredients and a food processor (or blender), you are 10 minutes away from one of the best hummus recipes ever!  Jalapeno Hummus is flavorful without being too spicy.  All of the flavors blend very nicely, with a little jalapeno kick at the end.  The recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled!), making Jalapeno Hummus ideal for game day entertaining.    

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Avocado Green Smoothie - a healthy, #vegan smoothie made in minutes | www.alidaskitchen.com

Avocado Green Smoothie {health key™ system}

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Avocado Green Smoothie is a nutritious, vegan smoothie made in minutes.  Combining fresh fruits and vegetables, this healthy pick me up is a delicious way to get your little ones to eat their veggies!

Avocado Green Smoothie - a healthy, #vegan smoothie made in minutes | www.alidaskitchen.com

The other day I went to my local Rainbow Foods to pick up some produce.   Their cored, fresh pineapple is a favorite, and a welcome addition to our diets as we make an effort to increase our fruit and vegetable intake after the New Year.  As I continued shopping the produce section, I noticed little tags that said ‘organic,’ ‘gluten free,’ and ‘vegan.’  I learned this was part of their health key™ system, which is a wellness program designed to simplify your shopping experience and make it easier to select healthier foods….

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili #SundaySupper

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili from Alida's Kitchen

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is a chunky, spicy chili with a hint of sweetness that combines two superfoods into an easy, healthy, one-pot meal.  {vegan, gluten-free}

As the temperatures get cooler, we tend to gravitate toward warm comfort foods, such as baked pastas, soups, and chili. This is one of the many reasons that Fall is my favorite time of year for cooking and baking!  On Sundays, I love to make a big pot of chili or a pan of baked tortellini to have leftovers for lunches or easy dinners throughout the week.

While I have several favorite old standby recipes, I am am always looking to find new recipes to try.  This Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili will definitely become part of the regular rotation.  Sweet potatoes and black beans are two of my favorite superfoods that go so well together; there are lots of vegetables; there is plenty of spice to warm you up; and this recipe is very simple to make in under 45 minutes using just one pot.  (which also means easy clean up!)

The theme for Sunday Supper this week is one pot recipes.  Since one pot meals are typically easy recipes, this theme is right up my alley!  The group is sharing recipes for slow cookers to desserts and everything in between that can be made in one pot or pan or dish, you get the idea.  Be sure to check out what everybody made below.   …

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Chocolate Zucchini Brownies from alidaskitchen.com

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Brownies from alidaskitchen.com

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies are so chocolaty and fudgy, you would never guess they’re filled with zucchini!  Plus they are made with whole wheat flour and can be made vegan.  These are quite possibly, the best brownies ever!

The other night I shredded zucchini to make Chocolate Zucchini Bread again.  It was so chocolaty and good, I just couldn’t resist!  But then I opened my iPad and saw a zucchini brownie recipe that I had been researching.  Brownies are always tasty, plus this recipe looked quick and easy.  Why not try something new?  Considering how delicious chocolate and zucchini are together, I had no doubt Chocolate Zucchini Brownies would be good.  Now, they weren’t just good,……

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Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

vegan mediterranean vegetable lentil salad with balsamic vinaigrette and feta cheese


Mediterranean Lentil Salad is a healthy, protein-packed, veggie-rich grain salad, mixed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.   There are so many delicious flavors at play here, with red onions, garlic, parsley and, of course, the balsamic vinaigrette.  This easy recipe is a great base recipe with lots of flexibility to customize it to your preference.  You could add spinach, change up the amounts of tomatoes, onions, etc.  Mediterranean Lentil Salad can also be vegan by simply omitting the feta cheese.

I really like using lentils because they are such a great source of lean protein and high fiber and iron too.  Per the bag I used, there are 12 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber…all with zero fat.   I find lentils to be a great meat substitute in recipes, such as tacos.  In fact, I am putting the final tweaks on a lentil taco recipe to share with you soon!

Mediterranean Lentil Salad
 
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup chopped red onion, plus 1 1-inch thick slice (for cooking water)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus 3 parsley sprigs (for cooking water)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 cup halved cherry (or grape) tomatoes
  • ½ cup diced cucumber
  • ½ cup feta cheese, divided
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the balsamic vinaigrette:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
Instructions
  1. COOK LENTILS: Add 2½ cups of water to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add onion, parsley sprigs and minced garlic and bring to a boil. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered until lentils are tender (about 20-25 minutes). Drain and discard onion and parsley.
  2. MAKE VINAIGRETTE: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, water, vinegar, mustard and garlic until combined. Pour into a sauce pan (I just used the same pan used to cook the lentils) and heat on low until just warmed (do not boil).
  3. ASSEMBLE: Place warm lentils in a serving bowl. Add cucumber, tomatoes, chopped parsley, ¼ cup feta and warm vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup feta and serve.

It’s my favorite time of month again…the Eating with the Alphabet Challenge hosted by Brenda from Meal Planning Magic!  This month we were to showcase a recipe using a fruit, vegetable or grain that begin with the letters K or L.  Lentils are the first that came to mind, and I had so much fun trying different, healthy recipes with them.  If you’re a blogger, why not join us!  It’s fun to come up with new, healthy recipes as well as see what other bloggers decide to make.   Brenda has more information and sign up details here.