Store-bought vegan black bean soup sucks....so try this recipe

I have been on a soup kick lately, which is funny because I have hated soup for my entire life. I still hate most soups, but have come marginally close to liking store-bought black bean soup. But, something was missing. Why is it that all vegan black bean soup is flavorless? I remember the first crock pot recipe I ever made; Texas Black Bean soup. It wasn't a vegan recipe, but I modified the recipe. It is weight-watchers friendly and mighty tasty.
I'll be eating this soup for lunch for the next week.

Texas Black Bean Soup

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 6

Preparation Time: 5min
Cooking Time: 240min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Course: main meals



Ingredients


* 2 can(s) Rosaritos Black Beans (Rinse & Drain) Pour into Crock Pot  (I used vegetarian REFRIED black beans)
* 1 can S & W Stewed Tomatoes Mexican Recipe, Pour into Crock Pot
* 1can S & W Diced Tomatos w/Onion & Green Chilli, Pour Into Crock Pot
* 1 can Swanson Reduced Sodiom vegetable Broth, Pour into Crock Pot
* 1 can Green Giant MexiCorn, (Drain) Pour into Crock Pot
* 2 can(s) LaVie Diced Green Chilli's FireRoasted Mild, (Drain) Pour into Crock Pot
* 4 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
* 2 tbsp chili powder, Put into Crock Pot
* 1 tsp McCormick Ground cumin, Put into Crock Pot
* 1/2 tsp Dried Minced Garlic.. Put into Crock Pot

Instructions

Put all ingredients into crock pot, stir, cover and set on high for 4-5 hours. Occasionally stir. If it begins to bubble then switch to low heat.

Our new edible garden!

Matt and I have have been wanting to start an edible garden for years. We would always talk about it, but could never commit to a spot in the yard, what to grow, how to start, etc. We were easily defeated by the daunting task of creating a thriving garden.

With the addition of our back patio cover, we now have a lovely spot that gets about 5 hours of morning sun, but skirts the harsh afternoon sun. We also have access to drip irrigation on the edge of the patio and the area gets a light sprinkling from the lawn.


While I wanted HUGE containers for our edible garden, the biggest, most economical solution for our containers were horse feed troughs. We got referred to Tempe Feed and Tack and they had 4 x 2 x 1 galvanized steel troughs for $115/each.

We got the troughs home, set them up on the patio and began to prepare them for the garden. We drilled several 1/4" holes in the bottom of the troughs. Then, we lined the bottom of the troughs with weed paper, which will allow water to drain, but not the soil. We also lined the interior of the trough with plastic sheeting, to prevent leaching of the metal into the soil. We filled each trough with 3 big bags of soil and proceeded to transplant some of our seedlings and plants into the troughs.

We are growing tomatoes, zucchini, red onions, green onions, cilantro, red grapes, strawberries, blueberries, basil, jalapenos, sage, leek, sweet peppers, cucumber, cantaloupe and eggplant.  We hope to see some success with our first edible garden. If we fail, we'll try again. Wish us luck!

Adding to the Hibbard orchard

Matt surprised me today with 2 new trees! I thought he had flowers behind his back, but he pulled out a meyer lemon tree and then a Mexican lime tree. I have grown tired of stealing my neighbors' lemons and I have yet to find a neighbor with limes, so the gifts are so appreciated! They are cute little trees and Matt got the 2 for $10 at Home Depot!

We have tomatoes, 3 types of peppers, 1 canteloupe, cilantro and basil growing.

True Food Kitchen

Matt, Christie, Rachelle and our grandma met for lunch this past week at True Food Kitchen. I love True Food Kitchen because the food is so wholesome and tasty. Also, they clearly mark if items on their menu are vegan. Matt got the organic tomato and olive oil pizza and quinoa tabbouleh salad with local arugula, beats, pomegranate, lemon and extra virgin olive oil. I ordered the Terryaki tofu with brown rice, asian vegetables, sesame and avocado. I tried a bit of Matt's salad and it was divine. I should have tried his pizza, but I was trying to be good. In the spirit of being good, I didn't partake in any dessert. Matt got some vegan strawberry sorbet and Christie got an apple crisp. Their house iced green tea is from Passport Teas and it is so tasty that I typically don't leave there without a to-go cup (which is made of corn and completely compostable). Good times!

Spring has sprung @ The Hibbard House

The smell of orange, tangelo and grapefruit blossoms was amazing today. We kept all the doors and windows opened today and ate our meals outside on the back patio. This is the truly the best part of living in Arizona. The trees start to bloom, the weather is beautiful and you actually want to spend time outside. Today was the first day of spring and our yard is starting to come to life!

Been working on the house enjoying the start of spring!

We've been busy trying to get some small projects done around the house. We're focusing our attention on the pool house, as it has the most outstanding projects right now. Today we painting some trim, touched up the paint inside and out, framed out the outside of the AC unit, trimmed out the door opening for the barn door and played around with the furniture we have for the space. I ordered a new rug for the pool house, which arrived this afternoon. And, I got a stainless steel utility cart to use for our kitchen area. Next order of business is to install the barn door hardware and the custom birch plywood door Matt is making for me.

30 days as a vegan...made a yummy salad for dinner!

Today marks 30 days of living a vegan lifestyle! I am super exited about my accomplishment. I am also 30 days sans Diet Coke! Now that I know I can REALLY do this, I am going to try to embrace new things for the next 30 days.  I am going to research new recipes and hopefully jump-start my home food garden.

Super huge thanks to Katerina and Dexter for inspiring me to make a salad for dinner. Tonight I put together a lot of ingredients I would normally never combine. I will be making this salad all the time. I can sub the garbanzo beans with black beans, kidney beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, etc. I can sub other dried or fresh fruit for the cranberries. And, the walnuts can be subbed with almonds, pecans, peanuts, etc. I like the nutty, savory and sweet combination....it's a real good time!

Did I mention that I love my Magic Bullet?! I made my salad dressing with my Magic Bullet. It is my new favorite kitchen gadget. Thank you Kinchens for the awesome gift! If only I knew how awesome it was a year ago!

Salad
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 cup garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon crushed walnuts
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 tablespoon homemade dressing

Homemade dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Vegan copycat Green mock chicken (Seitan) Kung Pao/Thai Peanut Rice Bowl

Tonight I was craving Green (big surprise). I actually met clients/friends there tonight, but didn't eat there. I was determined to create a copycat recipe to the Kung Pao and Thai Peanut rice bowls. I bought some fresh vegetables and ginger for my creation. I LOVE ginger. LOVE. I loaded up this recipe with tons of ginger. I thought it turned out exactly like Green's dishes.
Vegan Kung Pao/Thai Peanut Seitan Recipe

SERVES 4 (enough for leftovers for 2)

Change to: Servings US Metric

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Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast size pieces of seitan
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons light sesame oil or vegetable oil (I used sesame oil)
• 3 tablespoons green onions, chopped with tops
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4-1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to your own taste)
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
•  4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
•  4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
•  3 teaspoons turbinado sugar
• 1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
•  2 cups cooked rice, hot 
• 12 baby carrots sliced (or 1 regular carrot sliced)
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 cup fresh broccoli

Directions

1. Cut seitan into small pieces and combine with cornstarch in small bowl.
2. Toss to coat.
3. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet or wok on medium heat.
4. Add seitan.
5. Stir fry 5- 7 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Add green onions, garlic, red pepper and ginger to skillet.
8. Stir fry 15 seconds on medium high eat.
9. Add carrots, zucchini and broccoli
10. Stir fry about 5-7 minutes
11. Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in small bowl.
12. Stir well.
13. Add to skillet.
14. Stir until seitan is well coated.
15. Stir in nuts.
16. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until sauce thickens
17. Serve over hot rice. 

Rethinking protein in our new vegan diet

Being new vegans (on Monday we will have 30 days under our belt), we are still learning what we should be eating. I have been thinking that most of what we are eating is not very high in protein.  Or, if it is high in protein, it is also high in fat or carbs. I did some calculations and should be eating over 60 grams of protein a day, according to nutritional guidelines. Wow! That's a lot!

We are going to try to incorporate more beans, seeds, vegetables, fruit and nuts into our diets.  I'm excited about incorporating new foods into my diet. I hope to find some good salad and bean recipes. If you have any, pass them along! We'd love to try them.

Here is the protein content in various fruits, nuts, grains, beans, meat substitutes, etc:
Source: Vegetarians in Paradise

Protein in Raw Nuts and Seeds
(shelled)

Nut/Seed (1/4 cup)	Protein Grams
Almond	7
Brazil nut	5
Cashew	4
Chestnut	1
Coconut (shredded)	2
Filbert/Hazelnut	5
Flax seed	5
Macadamia	2
Peanut	8
Pecan	2
Pine nut	4
Pistachio	6
Pumpkin seed	7
Sesame seed	7
Soynut	10
Sunflower seed	8
Walnut	5

Protein in Beans (cooked)

Bean 1 cup	Protein Grams
Adzuki (Aduki)	17
Anasazi	15
Black Beans	15
Black-eyed Peas	14
Cannellini (White Beans)	17
Cranberry Bean	17
Fava Beans	13
Garbanzos (Chick Peas)	15
Great Northern Beans	15
Green Peas, whole	9
Kidney Beans	15
Lentils	18
Lima Beans	15
Mung Beans	14
Navy Beans	16
Pink Beans	15
Pinto Beans	14
Soybeans	29
Split Peas	16

Protein in Grains (cooked)

Grain 1 cup	Protein Grams
Amaranth	7
Barley, pearled	4 to 5
Barley, flakes	4
Buckwheat groats	5 to 6
Cornmeal (fine grind)	3
Cornmeal (polenta, coarse)	3
Millet, hulled	8.4
Oat Groats	6
Oat, bran	7
Quinoa	5
Rice, brown	3 to 5
Rice, white	4
Rice, wild	7
Rye, berries	7
Rye, flakes	6
Spelt, berries	5
Teff	6
Triticale	25
Wheat, whole berries	6 to 9
Couscous, whole wheat	6
Wheat, bulgur	5 to 6

Protein in Meat, Chicken, Fish Substitutes*

Product	Serving Size	Protein Grams
Boca Burger Original Vegan	2.5 oz	13
GardenVegan Veggie Patties	2.5 oz	9
Health is Wealth Chicken-Free Patties	3 oz.	14
Health is Wealth Yummie Burger	2.5 oz.	12
Lightlife Gimme Lean	2oz.	8
Lightlife Smart Cutlets Seasoned Chicken	3 oz.	26
Lightlife Smart Deli Combos	2.7 oz.	17
Lightlife Smart Dogs	1.5 oz.	9
Mon Cuisine Breaded Chicken Patties	3 oz.	7
Morningstar Farms Original Grillers	2.3 oz	15
Nate's Meatless Meatballs (3)	1.5 oz	10
Natural Touch Vegan Burger	2.7 oz	11
Natural Touch Veggie Medley	2.3 oz	11
SoyBoy Vegan Okara Burger	3 oz.	13
SoyBoy Vegetarian Franks	1.5 oz.	11
Starlite Cuisine Soy Taquitos	2 oz.	7
White Wave Seitan	3 oz.	31
Whole Foods 365 Meat Free Vegan Burger	2.5 oz.	13
Yves Canadian Veggie Bacon (3 slices)	2 oz.	17
Yves Veggie Burger	3 oz.	16
Yves Veggie Chick'n Burgers	3 oz.	17
Yves Veggie Dogs	1.6 oz.	11

*All items vegan

Protein in Hot Cereals (cooked)

Cereal	Cup	Protein Grams
Arrowhead Mills Corn Grits	1/4	3
Arrowhead Mills 7 Grain	1/4	4
Bob's 8 Grain	1/4	4
Bob's 10 Grain	1/4	6
Bob's Kamut	1/4	5
Bob's Triticale	1/4	4
Bob's Whole Grain Cracked Wheat	1/4	5
Cream of Rye	1/3	5
Kashi	1/2	6
Mother's Multigrain	1/2	5
Quaker Old Fashioned Oats	1/2	5
Quinoa Flakes	1/3	3
Roman Meal Hot Cereal	1/3	5
Wheatena	1/3	5

Protein in Fresh Vegetables (cooked)

Vegetable	Serving	Protein Grams
Artichoke	medium	4
Asparagus	5 spears	2
Beans, string	1 cup	2
Beets	1/2 cup	1
Broccoli	1/2 cup	2
Brussels Sprouts	1/2 cup	2
Cabbage	1/2 cup	1
Carrot	1/2 cup	1
Cauliflower	1/2 cup	1
Celeriac	1 cup	1
Celery	1 cup	1
Chard, Swiss	1 cup	3
Chayote	1 cup	1
Chives	1 tablespoon	0.10
Collards	1 cup	4
Corn, Sweet	1 large cob	5
Cucumber	1 cup	1
Eggplant	1 cup	1
Fennel	1 medium bulb	3
Jerusalem Artichoke	1 cup	3
Kale	1 cup	2.5
Kohlrabi	1 cup	3
Leeks	1 cup	1
Lettuce	1 cup	1
Okra	1/2 cup	1
Onion	1/2 cup	1
Parsnip	1/2 cup	1
Peas	1/2 cup	4
Peppers, bell	1/2 cup	1
Potato, baked with skin	2 1/3 x 4 3/4"	5
Potato, boiled with skin	1/2 cup	1
Radish	1 cup	1
Rhubarb	1 cup	1
Rutabaga	1 cup	2
Spinach	1 cup	1
Squash, Summer	1 cup	2
Squash, Winter	1 cup	2
Sweet Potato	1 cup	3
Tomato	1 medium	1
Turnip	1 cup	1

Protein in Fruits (raw)

Fruit	Serving	Protein Grams
Apple	2 per lb.	0
Apricot	med.	0
Avocado	med.	4
Banana	1	1 to 2
Blackberry	cup	2
Blueberry	cup	1
Boysenberry	cup	1
Cantaloupe	cup	1
Casaba Melon	cup	2
Cherimoya	1	7
Cherry	cup	1
Cranberry	cup	0
Currant	cup	2
Date(pitted)	1/4 cup	1
Durian	1 cup	4
Feijoa	med.	1
Fig	1	0
Gooseberry	cup	1
Grape	cup	1
Grapefruit	1/2	1
Guava	med.	1
Honeydew	cup	1
Jackfruit	cup	2
Jujube, dried	1 oz.	1
Kiwi	large	1
Kumquat	med.	0
Lemon	1	1
Lime	1	0
Loganberry	cup	1.4
Loquat	1	0
Mango	1	1
Mulberry	cup	2
Nectarine	1	1
Orange	1	1
Papaya	cup	1
Passionfruit	1	0
Peach	1	1
Pear	1	1
Persimmon	1	0
Pineapple	cup	1
Plum	1	1
Pomegranate	1	1.5
Pomelo	1/2	2.3
Prickly Pear	med.	1
Quince	med.	.4
Raspberry	cup	1
Rhubarb	cup	1
Sapote	med.	5
Star Fruit	cup	1
Strawberry	cup	1
Tangerine	med.	1
Watermelon	cup	1

Protein in Nut Butters

Nut/Seed (2 Tablespoons)	Protein Grams
Almond	5 to 8
Cashew	4 to 5
Peanut	7 to 9
Sesame Tahini	6
Soy Nut	6 to 7

Protein in Milk Substitutes

Beverage 1 cup	Protein Grams
Soy Regular	6 to 9
Soy Low/Nonfat	4
Rice	1
Rice and Soy	7
Almond	1 to 2
Oat	4
Multigrain	5

Protein in Soy Products

Product	Serving Size	Protein Grams
Tofu Medium to Extra Firm	3 oz.	7 to 12
Tofu Soft or Silken	3 oz.	4 to 6
Tempeh	4 oz.	12 to 20
Textured Vegetable Protein TVP	1/4 cup	10 to 12

Vegan copycat Chipotle burrito bowl (weight watchers-friendly)

To say that we love Chipotle burrito bowls would be an understatement. Me and Chipotle were practically BFFs in my pre-vegan days. No joke. When I discovered a weight watchers recipe for the cilantro lime rice, I knew I was soooo close to having Chipotle copycat perfection. Pair with some organic black beans and some homemade pico de gallo-perfecto!

We improvised our pico de gallo recipe based on the ingredients we had on hand:

Hibbard Pico De Gallo

• 3 large tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
• pinch of salt

This is a very inexpensive meal to make and doesn't require a drive in the car to the nearest Chipotle.


To serve: Use 1/2 cup of cilantro lime rice, 1/2 cup black beans and 1/2 cup pico de gallo. This serving would be 6.5 points.