News Taffy

Once in awhile you just crave something different to eat. The last couple of weeks I’ve been bored with the usual fare and can’t think of anything I want to eat. Lunch time has been especially hard. When I get like this, the best solution is to try new recipes. So I’ve been going through my favorite magazines and searching online. I like to get out of my comfort zone and try things that seem odd or completely different. I have found some of my best recipes this way.

I like Latin inspired food so when I found this recipe with black beans and coconut, I knew I had to make it. Who would think to pair beans with coconut? I was going to serve the beans with chicken but then I got lucky and a friend brought me some homemade tamales. This dish would work well as a main dish if you’re vegetarian or you could pair it with fish. My family enjoyed the combination of sweet coconut and spicy flavors.

Coconut Black Beans

1 cup coconut flakes

1 cup rice

3 to 4 cups broth, I used chicken

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tsp. chili powder

1 lime

3 green onions, sliced

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

sour cream

Spread coconut on a baking sheet and toast at 350 for 5 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside. Cook rice with 2 cups of the broth. Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot and sauté onion till lightly browned; add beans. Squeeze lime juice over beans, stir in chili powder, salt and peppers and let come to a low simmer. Add some broth if you like soupier beans. When beans are hot, add rice, green onions, cilantro, coconut and toss gently. Serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

My sister cooked an Asian dish for our Sunday family dinner recently and asked me to make a side. I don’t cook much Asian food so I searched the internet for inspiration. I came across this simple salad; simple if you don’t mind a bit of chopping. I actually find that chopping vegetables can be relaxing. Everyone liked the combination of fruit, nuts, cilantro and fresh vegetables. I ate the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Thai Broccoli Salad

2 heads of broccoli, finely chopped (I didn’t use much of the stem)

2 mangoes, sliced into bit sized chunks

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cashews, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Toss these ingredients in a salad bowl then make the dressing.

Dressing

1 Tbsp. chili paste

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix in a blender or whisk thoroughly and pour over vegetables. Toss gently and chill at least 2 hours before serving. Add some chopped cooked chicken to make this more of a main dish.