How to diet fast 1 week

The kids are back to school and summers winding down, although you wouldnt know it here. Temperatures have climbed back into the 90s and Ive got a garden that just wont quit.

Some veggies, like dark leafy greens, I planted because I love and theyre a daily staple of my diet. Others I planted, well, for their color. Yes, long before singing dinosaurs and Steven Spielberg made it popular, Ive been a fan of the color purple. I look fabulous in it, and I like to eat it.


Just look at those Royal Burgundy beauties. Gorgeous! Ive been enjoying them fresh-picked, as is. Mmm, so good. Much more flavorful than any "green" bean.

So, what gives em their vibrant color? Anthocyanins, the same thing youll find in elderberries, blackberries, blueberries, and grapes. Those are some mighty powerful antioxidants, so eat up and enjoy!

I had some guests over the weekend and wanted to include a side dish for our alfresco dinner on the back deck. Heres what I did:

Garlic Garden Beans

6-8 C filtered water
2 pounds fresh beans, stem snapped off
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp tamari (or Nama Shoyu if you are gluten tolerant)

1. Boil water and allow to cool slightly. Place beans in a deep bowl and pour enough hot water to cover. Allow to sit 2 minutes. Drain and rinse.

2. Return to bowl and toss with prepared mixture of garlic, olive oil and tamari. Plate and serve.

Okay, heres a little science lesson for you: Remember those anthocyanins I mentioned? Well, they change color with acidity levels. Heat dilutes the acidity of the cell sap and causes a decomposition of anthocyanin. Less anthocyanin means less purple.

Now, I didnt boil or steam my beans which would have resulted in them turning from purple to green, but submersing them in the hot water for even two minutes, caused my Royal Burgundy beans to transform into a lovely shade of lavender. Magic!


Thats exactly how I felt this winter when I spied these cutie pies: Fairy Tale Eggplant. Oh, even the name had me dreaming of happily-ever-afters.

Arent they darling? The perfect size for a dwarf or sleeping beauty. But, the best part? The flavor! Tender, sweet, succulent. No bitterness here, I promise.

Normally, Id suggest "sweating" your eggplant prior to preparing. Eggplant skins can be rather bitter, so youd cut the eggplant into whatever size/shape your recipe calls for, place it in a colander, salt lightly, and leave for about 30 minutes. Then youd rinse, pat dry, and begin preparing your recipe. But, really, with these little guys, I have yet to encounter any bitterness.

So, this makes me wonder...folks with arthritis should try and limit their intake of nightshades – eggplant, tomatoes, peppers – because there seems to be a link between joint stiffness and solanine, which is the toxin found in nightshades. Im wondering if thats what also gives nightshades their slightly bitter taste. Since the Fairy Tale eggplant isnt bitter like traditional eggplant, perhaps its a variety individuals with arthritis could safely enjoy. Anyone know?

Anyways, Ive been slicing mine into thin rounds on a mandoline and marinating it in some olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and garlic. Then, I toss with kalmata olives, red onions and fresh basil from the garden. To.die.for.

Okay, tell me, what have you been harvesting recently from your garden (or local farmers market)?

Ive perfected black beans. Which is a good thing, since Safeway had a buy-one-get-one-free deal and I still have 5 unopened bags in the cupboard.

side note: the kids and I are *fascinated* by that Extreme Couponing show--- holy cow! What are they going to do with 84 boxes of Captain Crunch?

anyhow. 

Its summer, and I have fully embraced the "I dont want to do anything" vibe that summer gives off. Were staying up too late, sleeping in, watching mindless television, (Wipe Out? really? who comes up with these things?) and sometimes forgetting personal hygiene. 

you know, typical summer time stuff....

but yesterday I wanted to have something to show for myself, so I got up early and plugged in the crockpot. 

and then went back to bed. 

1 pound black beans, soaked overnight, then drained

(if you dont have time to soak overnight, no problem. Put them in a large pot, and cover completely with water. Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes, then turn off stove and cover pot. Let your beans sit for 1 hour, then drain water and put beans into crockpot)

6 cups chicken broth (if vegetarian, use veggie broth; Im concerned water wont provide enough flavor)

6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, or 2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Soak your beans overnight and drain (or use quick soaking method described above). 

Ive heard that you should water your outside plants with the bean water, but Ive never done so--- I really should give that a try.

Put the drained beans into your slow cooker, then add the chopped garlic, broth, tomatoes, cumin, and chili powder. Stir well to combine.

I used bouillon cubes for my broth. If youre on a low-sodium diet, you may want to use low-sodium broth, or only use 5 cups and then 1 cup of water--- Ive been cutting out salt and these beans tasted salty to me, but Adam and the kids thought they just tasted "good"--- 

cover and cook on low for 8 hours. If you live in a high altitude area, you may need to cook for longer. Were at sea level and my beans were perfect at 8 hours.

Everyone in my house loved these--- I ate them alone, but Adam and the kids had them alongside quesadillas and rice. The baby had 3 servings (small plastic bowls) and then painted the highchair with bean goop.

The seasoning is fantastic--- the cumin and chili powder complement each other nicely and I liked the bits of tomato and garlic. If you want some heat, opt for a can of tomatoes and chiles (Rotel)-- there is no heat here, just flavor.

This morning, the beans have soaked in more of the liquid, but taste marvelous, even cold. If youd like to freeze in batches, be aware that the beans will break down a bit-- no biggie, unless youd like them picture-perfect.

carnitas

fajitas

tacos

creamy tacos

vegetarian tortilla soup

(Updated with new photos and better instructions, April 2013.)  Back in 2005 when I first started blogging, one of the first bloggers I "met" online was Ilva from Tuscany, who writes the beautiful blog called Lucillian Delights.  This recipe from 2007 was inspired by the White Beans and Sausages with Tomatoes and Sage that Ilva posted, and since she's in San Francisco this weekend speaking at the IACP Conference, I thought it would be a fun time to update this recipe with better photos.  I was sad that the timing of the conference came right after my move so I couldn't make the budget stretch to go meet Ilva in person, but I was definitely thinking about her as I enjoyed this delicious Italian Sausage and White Beans with Sage!

I promised one more idea for a red-and-green dish to celebrate the holidays, but Southwestern Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Green Chiles will make a delicious dinner any time of year.  This recipe uses my favorite techniques for stuffed peppers.  First, I start with raw peppers so they aren't too soft by the time the filling cooks.  Second, I trim the bottom ends of the peppers flat so they stand up in the dish.  Third, I chop the trimmed parts to add more pepper flavor to the filling, which in this recipe includes black beans, diced green chiles, cooked rice, tomatoes, and grated cheese.