Mmmm.... Mmmm.... Mmmm!

What a delicious dinner I whipped up tonight! I sauteed up some veggies and beans with spices, and it was quick, nutritious, and seriously tasty. I didn't keep track of the exact measurements, but this is more or less what I did. Don't be intimidated, it really is quick and easy:

Saute:
2 tsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped

saute for 5-8 minutes until onions are translucent

Add in:
1 1/2 cups butternut squash in 1/2 inch dice
1 diced green bell pepper
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp epazote
2 cups black beans

saute another 10-15 minutes on high heat until the squash is tender. I added in a little extra white wine & bean water to keep it a little saucy. I popped the whole thing in a warm oven and let it sit there while I prepared the rest. I think you could happily sub in various veggies to your liking (or whatever's in your fridge looking lonely)

Prepare:
1/4 c chopped up fresh cilantro
1/2 avocado, chopped up
1/3 c fresh salsa
jalepeno-lime creme
yummy tortilla chips (I used some nice thick chips that a friend left at our house, but you could just as easily serve this over a tortilla or brown rice or quinoa)

The jalepeno lime creme is from the Real Food Daily book. I hope they won't mind if I share this one small recipe. This is just a half recipe, but it makes plenty:
1 roasted jalepeno, skinned, stemmed, and seeded*
(*roast your jalepeno over the flame on your stove top until the skin is burnt. Or in the oven if you've got an electric oven. Put in a paper bag for a few minutes until cool to the touch. Then rub off the burnt skin, stem it, and gut out the seeds)
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp raw cashews
1/4 c soy milk
zest of one lime
juice of one lime
generous pinch of salt

Put it all in a blender and blend until liquified and smooth.

Now, assemble the yumminess:
Put some tortilla chips in a bowl. Heap on some of the veggie-bean mix. Sprinkle on a generous amount of cilantro. Then a big spoonful of salsa. Then a generous drizzle of the jalepeno creme. Watch out, that stuff packs a serious heat punch. Avocado on top!

Optional garnishes:
raw cabbage & lime wedges

Serves 4


ps. did you know that women who eat cabbage 4x a week are 70% less likely to get breast cancer? That's a pretty impressive statistic, huh? Well, I love cabbage, and after I learned that little factoid, I try to eat it as often as possible. Three cheers for cabbage!