Potatoes Green Beans Soft-boiled Eggs

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Spicy Thai Eggplant (closer to the real deal)

Potato Parsley Scrambled Eggs

Exotic Salad Part II: Steamed Kale+Orange+Dried Cranberries+Sesame Seeds

Recipe coming soon...(or see title). 

Exotic Salad Part I: Baby Spinach-Beetroot-Granny Smith Apple-Grape Tomatoes-Ginger

Recipe coming soon....(or see title). 

Mexican-inspired

You probably shouldn't make a dish that requires using three pans simultaneously when you are an hour and a half away from being picked up to go to the airport to catch a flight...but...it happens.

Why?

Determination.

Why not? (that's Determination speaking)

Plus it's peace of mind when you have all of your bags zipped up and weighed to meet the baggage rules of the chosen airline. 

Plus when you have a helpful and the most loveliest company around (i.e. my mama!), you feel slightly invincible.

Together, we crowed, hymned, increased stove heat, shook pans, decreased stove heat, and worked like pros not wasting a single second in vain. We even subbed one another as each of us went off to take a shower. We could do this everyday and forever, it felt like.

Home-soaked black beans and cabbage stir-fry, garlic tomato sauce, guacamole, and sticky short-grained steamed rice- all made from scratch and ready in time. A dollop of sour cream, a handful of blue corn tortilla chips, and a wedge of lime to complete the package of a dish that is truly, but not really, Mexican-inspired.

Serves four

Ingredients:

For the black bean/cabbage stir-fry 

1 cup black beans; soaked overnight, or for 8 hours and then strained
1 bay leaf
2 fresh sprigs of oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
1 fresh sprig of sage (or ½ teaspoon of dried sage)

¼ of a medium-sized green or yellow cabbage; shredded

6 garlic cloves; minced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

For the garlic tomato sauce 

10 medium-sized red tomatoes (preferably Roma); diced 

8 garlic cloves; minced 

1 jalapeño pepper; halved, seeds intact 

1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil 

Sea salt to taste 

For the guacamole 

3 ripe avocados; seeded and mashed 

1 red tomato; seeded and minced 

1 tablespoon minced red onion

½ teaspoon minced garlic 

½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

½ teaspoon crushed chilies (optional) 

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste 

For serving

1 cup short-grained rice; steamed in 2 cups of water 

1 dollop of sour cream per serving, or to taste

1 handful of blue corn tortilla chips per serving, or to taste 

1 lime wedge per serving, or to taste 

Creative Steps: 

Black bean/cabbage stir-fry 

First prepare the black beans. Put them in a large pot, add 3¼ cups of water, throw in the herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook between 30 minutes to an hour and a half (depending on size and age of the beans), or until the beans soften throughout without getting mushy. Begin checking for readiness at 30 minutes. Once cooked, strain and keep aside. (Tip: boil large portions of black beans, adjusting the measurements above proportionally, and store in the fridge for miscellaneous use).

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the boiled black beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add the cabbage and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cabbage wilts slightly but is still crunchy. Add salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. 

Garlic tomato sauce 

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic softens and releases its flavour. Stir in the tomatoes and then bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, use a spatula to push out the juices of the tomatoes (if tomatoes are still chunky), add salt to taste, throw in the jalapeño pepper, and let simmer over minimum heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Guacamole 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash well. 

Divide the three dishes between four plates or bowls and serve with the hot steamed rice, sour cream, tortilla chips, and lime wedges. Enjoy!