Brrr it’s still winter. We can’t change the weather (and don’t we all just love snow) so we might as well look on the bright side which, for me, means more healthy baking and homemade soups to put in the freezer. When spring does come, or maybe we will jump right into summer, I will be out gardening and cooking up the frozen soup.
Chocolate Black Bean Muffins
I doubled the recipe and used the whole can (540 ml). I hate having little bits of leftovers. Put them in the freezer you forget, put them in the fridge and they get lost in the shuffle. I switched out the whole wheat with spelt.
1 Tbsp chia seeds
3 Tbsp warm water
3/4 cup black beans (drain and rinse well)
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 cup coconut milk, room temp
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour or spelt
1/4 cup high-quality cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 375°F degrees.
2. Combine the chia seeds, water, black beans, coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.
3. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt to the processor, and pulse until just incorporated. Stir the chips into the batter.
4. Divide batter among 12 well-greased muffin liners. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Sweet Potato Minestrone
This is an easy soup to make and great for a budget-friendly meal.
2 Tbsp sunflower seed oil
1 onion, diced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups white beans or chickpeas
1 1/2 cups whole grain or gluten-free orecchiette or other small pasta
3 cups packed baby spinach
2 Tbsp lemon juice
In large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, sweet potatoes and garlic. Saute for 8 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add vegetable broth and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Return to a boil, stir in beans and pasta, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
Immediately before serving, stir in spinach and lemon juice. Serve hot. Leftovers will keep for up to 1 week or freeze.
Serves 6
