The problem with loving something so much is the acceptance period where you realize that your days can’t be consumed by just this one thing. When you love something you want to do it all the time but there is school to attend, clocking into my server job, homework, laundry, errands and some kind of social life. I went through this acceptance period without a lick of grace. I was really angry and resented everything else I had to do in my life that wasn’t blogging. However all these things that I do besides this all benefit my blogging life and I had to keep that in mind as well.

One trick I use so I can keep my sanity at a job I rather dislike is to keep my server’s notepad filled with recipe ideas or menu planning or cocktails (coming this summer!) to add to my site. When it is slow or a guest is being particularly awful I turn back to my notebook and put my energy into something I enjoy. Blogging drives me insane and yet keeps me sane all at the same time.

Going back and looking at my first post, I knew I needed to make some changes. While the original tastes great it was a lot of work, cooking quinoa, four kinds of vegetables and mixing it all together. I wanted to cut the prep time since burgers should be easy and quick. Thankfully in this recipe the food processor does 90% of the work. This recipe does omit the quinoa and I added sweet potato instead for texture and switched the panko for oats (a little trick from Mark’s mother. Thanks Eileen!) These burgers are still gluten free like the original but are quicker, more healthful and contain much less oil since they are baked instead of pan fried.

While there is still much to learn about recipe development, blogging, SEO searches, coding (oh the frustration and many YouTube How-to’s) and WordPress I feel I have come a long way from the first time I hesitantly hit the “publish” button from the first time.

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Thankfully I got my lazy butt in gear and made something wholesome, filling and delicious. Planning your meals, even just your lunches for the week can be a huge relief in your day to day routine since it is one less thing to worry about when you are heading out the door in the morning. Just assemble while your morning smoothie is blending up and you are all set! Mark and I ate this for lunch all week in wraps, stuffed in whole-wheat pitas or on The Big Salad (recipe below).

Though store bought dip can be convenient, it can contain a lot of junk masking as a health food. When I buy packaged food, even healthy food I find it has a certain “packaged” taste to it. Maybe it is the taste of canola oil? I can’t quite put my finger on it. A recipe like this is effortless to make at home, is healthier and tastes better than the store bought stuff. All the more reason to make it for your lunch this week!

 Notes:

• This recipe does make a lot of dip (about 3 ½ – 4 cups) so feel free to halve it.
• Use as a spread on toast, top with sliced avocado and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and ancho chili powder for a serious protein packed breakfast.
• Only top with an optional topping if serving right away since avocado tends to go brown etc
• Don’t skip the blanching step for the onions and garlic. If you do, the dip will taste like an onion punched you in the face.
• This recipe is gluten free, oil free, nut free and soy free

 Oil Free Black Bean Dip

•  ½ cup chopped red onion
• 3 small cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1/3 cup packed cilantro leaves (not minced, just the whole leaves)
• 1 tablespoon white or black chia seeds
• 4 cups cooked black beans or 2-15 ounce cans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels (I used thawed frozen corn)

Toppings (Optional)

• Avocado
• Mango
• Cilantro
• Cherry Tomatoes

Set the onions and garlic in a small bowl and cover with boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain the water and the garlic and add to a food processor bowl. Add the diced tomatoes, salt, cumin, ancho and cilantro leaves; pulse the ingredients until chunky but not pureed.

Empty the contents of the food processor into a large bowl. Sprinkle the chia seeds on the salsa mixture. Add the black beans to the food processor and pulse until only a few whole beans remain, like a chunky hummus.

 No need to clean out the bowl from the salsa since they are going to be mixed together. 

Add the black beans to the salsa mixture and stir until well combined; stir in the corn. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes to blend the flavours. Top with optional toppings, I used a mix of mango and avocado. Serve with pita chips, corn chips, veggies etc.

This dip is also great in a wrap with some smashed avocado and lots of romaine lettuce or my version of The Big Salad.

 The Big Salad

This salad is not your typical wimpy salad. It is hearty, filling and a meal in itself. A great salad to get anyone out of their basic chopped vegetable salad rut. The toppings are completely up to you and this isn’t so much a recipe as it is a formula. If you like more tomatoes, add more or if you don’t like something don’t add it at all.

•  Romaine Lettuce
• Diced Red Peppers
• Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
• Smashed or Sliced Avocado
• Cilantro
• Oil-Free Black Bean Dip
• Pita Chips
• Roasted Sweet Potato Coins

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Scrub and dry a long sweet potato and cut into ½ inch coins, leaving the skins on. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and line the sweet potatoes in a single layer. Drizzle with 3 teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Flip sweet potatoes over, coating the bottom of the coin with oil and add a pinch more salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes on middle rack, flip and cook for another 5-7 or until browned but not burnt.

Assemble the salad and top with Lime-Cumin Dressing.

Lime-Cumin Dressing

This dressing does not last since it contains fresh chopped herbs. The cilantro will turn brown when left overnight but it is a quick dressing to make anytime. Don’t like cilantro? Parsley is a good second choice.

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cracked black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a mason jar, secure the lid and shake away!

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Chunky Guacamole

Makes about 3 cups

•  4 ripe avocados
• ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion (I bought 1 large onion and used 1 cup diced for the bean mixture)
• 1 small jalapeno, deseeded for less heat if desired and minced
• 1 medium garlic clove, very finely grated through a microplane
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

 Halve, pit and scoop out the flesh of two avocados. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients except for two of the avocados, mash lightly with a fork or a potato masher. Halve, pit and cube the remaining two avocados. Add cubes to the mashed mixture and stir gently keeping the guacamole chunky. Cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto its surface to ensure it doesn’t brown. Making the guacamole before the rice allows the flavours to blend together.

Rice: Makes 3 cups

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1-cup long grain white rice, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½- teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups water
• Zest of 1 lime, very finely grated through a microplane

For the rice:

In a small pot with a tight fitting lid, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes (some of the rice should become opaque), stirring occasionally to ensure you don’t burn the rice. Add the cumin, pepper and salt and stir frequently for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the water slowly since it will bubble and add the zest. Crank up the heat to high and bring to boil. Place lid on pot and turn down to low. Simmer for 20 minutes until the water is fully absorbed by the rice. Fluff with a fork.

 Quinoa: Makes 3 cups

• 1 cup dried white quinoa, rinsed through a fine mesh strainer
• 2 cups water

Combine the water and the rinsed quinoa in a small pot and bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered under quinoa is tender, about 17 minutes. After both the rice and quinoa are cooked, you can add them together.

 **I tried to make the quinoa and rice in the same pot, but because of the water difference it was unsuccessful**

Bean Filling: Makes about 6 cups

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 2 large peppers, stemmed, deseeded and diced, about 2 ½ cups
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 small jalapeno, deseeded for less heat, minced
• 3 small cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed (Pinto beans would be a good choice too)
• 2 cups frozen corn, preferably organic
• Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

 In a large non-stick skillet, melt the oil and when heated add the onions. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally then add the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cumin, cayenne, jalapeño and garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans, corn, lime juice and salt, cook, stirring occasionally until corn and beans are thoroughly heated, about 8 minutes.

Garnish

•  1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

 Mix together in a small bowl and set aside until ready to layer the bowl. You can easily substitute salsa for this step if you wish.

Other Add Ins

• Romaine lettuce, sliced into thin ribbons
• Minced fresh cilantro
• Hot sauce

 Layering

Add the rice and quinoa to the bottom of the bowl then the bean mixture. Sprinkle cherry tomatoes around the bowl and top with a big dollop of guacamole in the middle. I didn’t photograph the dish with the lettuce since it covered almost the entire dish. Serve. 

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