Cuban Black Bean Soup

I love a little grain-free, clean eating alternative to Taco Tuesday. This Cuban black bean soup has tons of flavor, spice, and is great for colder weather. And the beans make it so filling, that this soup is definitely a meal.

And don't forget the toppings! A little fresh cilantro, maybe some salsa, or plain yogurt (as a healthier alternative to sour cream). I love a little jalapeno, too, to spice it up! And if you're still craving that taco crunch, crush some tortilla chips over the top, or scoop up the broth with a warm tortilla. To keep even more with the Taco Tuesday theme, put a variety of toppings on the table and let everyone personalize their own bowl. Dig in!

Technical Difficulties

I'm not the most tech-savvy,  but I do know my way around most computers. I'm a little bit angry with Google at the moment - you can read my full explanation on my other blog, and I explain exactly what's happened in a little more detail.

Let's just say that, at the moment, you might notice that a lot (almost all) of my photos on here are missing! Don't worry, it's being fixed. I promise. I'm hoping to have the whole thing back to normal by mid-week, next week.

1,000 apologies for the technical difficulties, and I promise to have lots of new yummy recipes posted soon to make up for it!

xoxo
Dani

Perfect Grain-Free "Pizza"

I don't want to sound like a hipster here, but I was making these vegetable pizzas before it was cool. Actually, I was gluten free before it was cool, too *wink*. I originally made this recipe with zucchini (courgette), when my mom had a freakishly huge crop in her garden one year. I had to come up with a way to incorporate it into nearly every meal, and I was missing pizza a lot in my gluten-free days, and so the veggie "pizza" was born.

This one turned out wonderful with eggplant, and it can easily be made vegan by omitting the cheese. It's not just for vegetarians though - you can add sausage, pepperoni, or more cheese. And don't forget, it is a great diet-friendly pizza alternative for those who are watching their waistlines, so feel free to come back for seconds!

Green Goddess Risotto

Have you ever had one of those days where you're craving a meal that is light and healthy, but still warm and filling? Well, that's how I felt yesterday, so I whipped up this veggie-laden creamy risotto and had to share my recipe. If you're on the Meatless Monday wagon, throw this in the recipe box (and on the grocery list) for next week!

The best thing about a risotto is that it's such a versatile dish; don't feel limited by the ingredients I used. Any vegetables can lend themselves to risotto, and it's the perfect time of year to incorporate some butternut squash or pumpkin if you've got any laying around. Don't be alarmed if you can't find Arborio rice either; I didn't have any on hand yesterday, so I used a regular short grain rice, and the dish still turned out creamy and delicious, even though it wasn't quite as authentic.

The most important ingredient for this recipe is a good dose of patience, because it takes about 25 minutes to cook, and there's no shortcut around that. But if you persevere and keep stirring, you're sure to have a great meal at the end.

Secret Recipe: BBQ

My so-called secret recipes are, for the most part, only a secret because I don't measure what goes into them. It's sort of like a grandmother's recipe that calls for 'a little of this, and a little of that.' From making these dishes over and over, and tasting as I go, I've got a sort of basic formula on standby when I need it. I simply try to start with the same ingredients each time, and aim for a familiar flavor. Tasting is the key in these measure-less recipes, and can be easily adjusted depending on one's own mood (sweeter, spicier, etc). Here's my basic formula for a BBQ spice rub and sauce - I make big batches and season everything from chicken to pork to steaks and ribs with this classic seasoning.

1. Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is key to a good rub and sauce. My personal blend of spices is usually a little on the hot and fiery side, so the sweetness and depth of molasses balances everything out really smoothly. I usually opt for dark brown sugar, which has a higher molasses content (and is vital for a rich and dark BBQ sauce). As a general rule, brown sugar should make up about 1/3 to 1/2 of the volume of a BBQ spice rub.

2. Chili Powders

There are 3 basic types of chili powders that should be included in a BBQ spice rub, for optimum flavor and balance: sweet, smoky, and spicy. I use a sweet paprika, a mild smoky chili powder, and an Indian hot chili powder for mine. Chili powder is, next to brown sugar, the most heavily used ingredient(s) in a BBQ rub, so make sure you have plenty on hand! Chili powders should comprise 1/3 of the volume of your rub.

3. Salt

Finely ground sea salt is perfect for this rub and sauce. It has a higher salinity than table salt, and lacks that medicinal aftertaste of kosher and iodized salts. I prefer it for all of my cooking, so naturally it's what I use in my BBQ. I recommend tasting as you go with this one - it is easy to over-salt, so add it gradually and slowly.

Other ingredients I use in my spice rub include: 

Granulated garlic - fresh garlic can't be incorporated as evenly, so I use the powder version here

White pepper - I use more of this than black pepper, which tends to burn during the cooking process

Black pepper (freshly ground) - a little bit goes a long way

Ground cumin - this adds a really nice southwestern-style flavor to the rub

Marinade.

Rinse with cold water and thoroughly dry your cut of meat with paper towels. Rub that spice mix in! I make a crust on the outside of all sides of the meat, and really pack it on as tightly as I can until it won't stick anymore. I recommend refrigerating for 8-12 hours (sometimes, for my ribs, I marinate one or two days in advance, so that the spice rub flavor has plenty of time to penetrate the meat).

Even if you only have an hour or two to let it sit, make sure you give all of those flavors plenty of time to sink in. 

Low and Slow!

Be patient. Good barbecue takes a long, long time. The tenderness of the meat you are cooking relies on cooking at a low temperature (200F, or 100C) for several hours. For a full rack of ribs, this means 6-8 hours mininum. The pork loin pictured here took about 4 1/2 hours. Don't worry, it won't be overcooked as long as you keep your temperature low. Make sure to let the meat rest after cooking, before you cut into it - this helps the juices to redistribute before you eat, so that every bite will be juicy and worth all of your time and effort.

The Sauce

Try to make double the rub you will need, because the other half turns into a fantastic BBQ sauce. One part rub, one part brown sugar, two parts ketchup, one part water, and a few splashes of Worchestershire sauce. You can always add and adjust seasoning to your own taste, but this is my general go-to formula. Simmer on medium low heat in a saucepan until it becomes a dark, rich, sweet and tangy sauce. For extra tangy-ness, add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar to the mix. Glaze the meat with this sauce about half an hour before it's finished cooking, and it'll be just perfect. If you have leftovers, this sauce freezes really well and can be defrosted year-round for summery barbecue flavor!

Now, go out into the world and create your own signature BBQ! And let me know how it turns out!

Spicy Tuna Rice Bowl

If you're sushi lover (like me) who doesn't always have the time/equipment/expertise to perfect that beloved spicy tuna roll at home, then you're going to love this rice bowl.

I love how simple and delicious rice bowls can be - and they're great for those days when you have a bunch of random ingredients in the fridge and pantry that need to be used up. This recipe takes all of the flavors from one of my favorite sushi rolls, and turns it into a vegetable and protein packed dish in about 10 minutes. It doesn't get any simpler (or tastier) than this for a quick and healthy mid-week meal!

This would also work really well with leftover or canned salmon, or if you would prefer, omit the fish altogether and toss your vegetables in the spicy marinade!