Lentils, Mixed Vegetables and Black Bean Salsa

I am always on the lookout for a lentil recipe that works for me.

This one turned out pretty good. It's probably not as crunchy as the original recipe because I used mostly canned goods.



Lentils, Mixed Vegetables and Black Bean Salsa
(Adapted from: https://www.lentils.org/recipe/lentil-corn-black-bean-salsa/)


First, I made a batch of lentils using my recipe: Stovetop: Lentils with Garlic Powder (https://riastoneblog.blogspot.com/2019/06/stove-top-lentils-with-garlic-powder.html).

Then, with each of the items below, drain, rinse, drain again in a sieve. Then dump into a large food container with a lid.

Note: the ounces measurements are approximate.

I used: Metric-Conversions.org (https://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/grams-to-ounces.htm).

1 560g (20oz) Can Black Beans
1 400g (14oz) Can Mixed vegetables
1 210g (8oz) Can of salsa

Next, add to the ingredients:

1 Juice from a slice of lime
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 Cup cooked lentils, drained in a sieve
Stir the ingredients to mix thoroughly.

Cover container.
Place in frig.
Chill for a couple of hours.

This is a hearty, meaty tasting salsa.

#GERD-friendly

Microwave: Mug O'Apple Bread Pudding

During the COVID19 quarantine, I am rummaging around in closets, drawers, cupboards, and the frig.

I had a tablespoon of canned apple pie filling in the frig that had been sitting around for quite awhile.

I usually have a heel of bread somewhere in the frig.

So, I decided to make a Mug O’Apple Pudding based on a prior Mug O'Bread pudding recipe.

All I did different this time was stir the mixture well before microwaving.


Microwave: Mug O'Apple Bread Pudding Recipe
(Adapted from: https://riastoneblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/mug-obread-pudding.html)


Ingredients:

1 8oz coffee cup

1 TB Canned apple pie filling
1 Slice of bread, torn into pieces
1 egg
1 1-2 TB sugar
2 TB milk or yogurt (I used lactose-free dry milk mix)
1 TB vegetable oil (or margarine)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Dashes of cinnamon

Process:

Add apple filling to bottom of cup
Break bread into pieces, place in cup.
In separate bowl, mix rest of ingredients
Pour mixture over bread.
Push bread down into cup so all pieces are soaked in mixture.
Stir and mix bread, fruit and egg mixture together.
Microwave 2 minutes on high.
Remove, let it cool for a bit before eating.

It tastes like apple crumb cake!
 
Variations: use other types of fruit or no fruit.
 
#GERD-friendly

Converting Jack's Peach and Chickpea Curry into a Toast Topping

As you can see, if you preview my blog posts, I follow Jack Monroe https://cookingonabootstrap.com/.

I have also bought most of her books. Like Amy Dacyczyn, author of the Tightwad Gazette, Jack encourages people on a limited budget with limited cooking skills that they, too, can make great frugal meals.

Here is Jack's original Peach and Chickpea Curry:
https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2019/11/05/peach-chickpea-curry-recipe/.

While this post is not an actual recipe, you can go to Jack's website and try her recipe.

I was skeptical about trying to make this recipe for several reasons. Because I need to adapt recipes to make them GERD-friendly and according to available supplies, I wondered if I could actually achieve a curry.

Suffice it to say, adapting the recipe to make it GERD-friendly meant No onions, No garlic and No tomatoes. I tried to use a bit of onion and garlic powders. I tried to give it the tomato flavor by adding a few crumbles of tomato bouillon. If I use too much of any of these spices, my stomach rebels.

Well, it did not turn out the way I thought. So, I now I had a lot of peaches/chickpea mix left.

What could I do with this? First, I thought, I’d try to make the curry again by recooking a batch with additional spices. No, that won’t work, it would be too spicy.

Ok, let me sleep on it.

Then, I thought let’s see if it works as a toast topping. So, in the morning, I spread some cream cheese on a slice of toast and topped it with a 1 1/2 tablespoons of the peaches/chickpeas mix. It worked! It’s great. Hurray, another save!

#GERD-friendly

Canned Corn Salsa

Corn Salsa Recipe

Perused several Corn Salsa Recipes then made my own.

Ingredients:

1 14oz can kernel corn, drained and rinsed
1 8oz can salsa, drained
1 TBspn Onion flakes

1/2 Tspn Garlic Powder
1 Tbspn Basil flakes, crush in palms
Ground back pepper, to taste
1 capful Lemon juice

Process:

Mix all ingredients together.

Chicken Ensalada with Mixed Vegetables and Pineapple Chunks

Chicken Ensalada & Pineapple Chunks Wrap or Taco recipe

A lightbulb went off in my mind the other day, I had been using precooked flour tortillas, right out of the package, as wraps because I did not want to cook them in a skillet with oil. Not only did I not want more dirty dishes, I wasn't sure I wanted the extra oil. Then I got the idea to just brown the tortillas slightly in an ungreased non-stick skillet. Great idea!!!

Regarding chicken, I have switched from buying a whole cooked chicken and taking the time to debone it and dice the meat to save for several uses. It is a messy job. It requires a sharp knife and the smell of the grease is a huge advertisement to ants.

Now a whole chicken at about $80 pesos when deboned does provide a lot of meat, and bones for soup. But, I was never successful at making chicken soup or chicken stock with bones, so besides the mess, the process became less appealing.

A can of chicken ensalada (chicken with mixed vegetables added) costs about 15.90 pesos, and after I add diced onions, another can of mixed vegetables and about 3 tablespoons of pineapple chunks, I can make about 5 chicken salad wraps which for me is 4-5 small meals.

Chicken Ensalada with Mixed Vegetables and Pineapple Chunks Recipe

Ingredients:
1 135g (4.76oz) can of chicken ensalada
1 225g (8oz) can of mixed vegetables, drained
3 tablespoons pineapple chunks, drained
1/3 onion, diced
1/2 TB mayo (optional)
1/2 capful of lime juice concentrate
Ground black pepper to taste
1 flour tortilla

Process:
Mix the above ingredients together in a bowl or food storage container and season to taste.
Brown tortilla on both sides in ungreased skillet (one of those with a stick proof surface)
Put tortilla on a plate.
Fill center of tortilla with heaping tablespoon of the mixture.
Fold tortilla to enclose mixture or grasp like a taco.

Note: Consider adding curry powder.

Note: you can also get plain chicken breast (pechuga de pollo) or turkey with mixed vegetables (ensalada de pavo) in a can for a few more pesos.