Black Bean Soup
4 servings
30 minutes

This works best when you puree some or all of the black beans and stir them back in (if you do only half, it gives it a smooth-chunky effect). But in many Latin American versions the beans are left whole, with chunks of sweet potato squash or even mango added toward the end of cooking. A little alcohol is sometimes added to the finished soup to help cut the richness of the beans; o.j. and/or zest is another fine addition.

2 Tbsp. neutral oil, like canola
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chili powder (or up to 1Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. sherry or dark rum (optional)
3 cups cooked black beans, drained - 2 cans
1 quart vegetable stock or water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
sour cream or plain yogurt
minced fresh cilantro

Put the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook, stirring, for another minute.

Stir in the sherry if you're using it, then cook for a minute and add the beans, stock, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Use an immersion blender to puree some of the soup in the pan. Or cool the mixture slightly, pour about half of the soup into a blender, and carefully puree. (The soup may be made ahead to this point, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently before proceeding.)

Add the lime juice and stir; taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Brazilian-style: In step 2, replace 2 cups of the stock with 2 cups of o.j. (preferably freshly squeezed. Add 2 tsp. minced or julienned orange zest in the last couple of minutes of cooking.

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

Black Beans and Rice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder or smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, boiling
Salsa
Sour Cream
Cilantro
Lime Wedges

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400
2. Stir together the cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, sweet paprika, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper in a small bowl
3. Sprinkle the mixture over the bottom of a rimmed sheet pan
3. Stir in the rice and black beans
4. Set the sheet pan on the oven rack
5. Pour in the boiling vegetable broth, and stir to combine
6. Cover the sheet pan with aluminum foil (it may take 2 sheets) and crimp it around the edges of the pan to form a seal.
7. Bake until the rice is fluffy and has absorbed all the liquid, about 25 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and let is stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
9. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil.
10.  Transfer the rice and beans to a large serving bowl, and serve with salsa, sour cream, diced cilantro, and lime wedges on the side.

Sweet Potatoes stuffed with Black Beans and Quinoa

Potatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3-5 sweet potatoes, each about 2 inches in diameter and 5 inches long

chipotle crema
3/4 - 1 cup water
1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil
1/4 apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds or raw cashews
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce or 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Add the vegetable broth, quinoa, chili powder, oregano, and salt to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Add the black beans in an even layer over the quinoa. Place a tall steam rack in the pot, making sure all of its legs are resting firmly on the bottom. Place the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the rack.

Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook or Manual setting and set the cooking time for 10 minutes at high pressure. (The pot will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking program begins.)

To make the chipotle crema: In a blender, combine the water, vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, almonds, garlic, chipotle, nutritional yeast, chili powder, and salt. Blend on low speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and blend for about 1 minute more, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a 1-pint jar or other lidded container. (The chipotle crema will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.)

When the cooking program ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and, using tongs, transfer the sweet potatoes to serving plates. Wearing heat-resistant mitts, remove the rack. Stir the quinoa and beans to combine.

Using a fork, split each sweet potato down the middle. Evenly divide the quinoa-black bean mixture among each potato. Serve warm, topped with a dollop of the crema and sprinkled with chopped cilantro.

Note: The size of the sweet potatoes is important to the cooking time of this dish. If you use larger sweet potatoes, they will take longer to steam. (You can consider steamer larger sweet potatoes separately from the quinoa and black beans.)

Sandwich Bread

Sandwich Bread

One Loaf
385 g flour (combination of about 275-300 white and the rest wheat)
6 g yeast
6 g salt
300 ml cold water

Two loaves
675 g flour (combination of about 550 white and the rest wheat)
11 g yeast
11 g salt
525 ml cold water

Directions

1. Put the mixing bowl on the scale and tare it.
2. Put the flour into the mixing bowl, followed by the yeast and salt.  Mix with a spoon.
3. Pour the cold water into the mixing bowl and mix for just over 1 minute on medium speed.
4. Put the dough into a sealable container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
5. Pull the dough from the refrigerator and knead on a slightly floured countertop.
6. For two loaves, cut the kneaded dough in two.
7. Form the dough into one (or two) loaves, put the loaves onto parchment paper, and drop the parchment paper into 9 inch loaf pan(s).
8. Cover, and let the dough rise in the pans for 2 hours.
9. Preheat the over to 425, and put an empty pan on the bottom rack to heat up during the final 5 minutes of preheating.
10. Uncover the rising loaves, put the pans into the preheated oven, and then pour cold water into the heated pan on the bottom to create some steam.  Quickly close the oven door.
11. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 209 and then remove from the oven.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

For the streusel topping
6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

For the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon packed lemon zest, from 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 and set the oven rack to the middle position.  Grease a 9 inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Make the streusel topping: combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.  Use the pastry blender, mix until no lumps of brown sugar remain.  Rub in the butter with the pastry blender until it reaches a crumbly state.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of the electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed to combine.  Add the berries to the batter and fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.  Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the streusel topping every over the batter.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes, then serve right from the pan.

The cake is best served the day it is made.  Leftovers will keep for a few days wrapped in foil and stored at room temperature.