Easiest Mexican Black Bean Dip Made in Minutes

With the holidays and holiday parties just around the corner, you will be happy to have this quick and easy guilt-free Mexican black bean dip on hand that can be made last minute and in minutes to help spread the cheer! Tired of hummus? 

Vegan Burrito with Easy Navy Bean Hummus

Who wouldn't love a delicious stuffed burrito filled with favorite fillings such as mashed beans, sprouts, chopped lettuce, hummus, chopped, avocado, scallions, and, salsa or something pickled? I make mine  gluten-free and plant-based and we eat them for lunch or dinner.

Traditionally, I might have used black beans or canned vegan refried beans, but I did not have any, so I had to be creative. All I had was some lentils and a can of navy beans and lots of stuff for toppings. 

 

Toppings from my Taco/Burrito party a few years ago 

This time, I decided to quickly whip up a creamy navy bean hummus  in my food processor. It was very fast and easy and easy to fill into the burrito.

Recipe for Easy Creamy Navy Bean Hummus

I simply peeled a clove of garlic and chopped it in my food processor, added a half can of navy beans, some lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of tahini, water, salt, cracked pepper. I also had a cup of well cooked and well drained cauliflower which I added.- (but you don't have to ). I Whizzed all together for a creamy navy bean spread which I used as my base for the burrito. 

Make It (Your Burrito) Your Way

You could use whatever you have available to fill your burrito (mashed beans, chopped sweet peppers, chopped red or green cabbage, red onion, sprouts, etc.) It makes a tasty healthy plant-based lunch that was filling and delicious. A burrito wrap and travels well for the office, school, or shopping spree and this burrito is vegan and gluten-free. 

I topped it with chopped tomato, cubed avocado, lettuce and, chopped scallion. 

My favorite gluten-free (and vegan) wraps are by a brand called Bfree.. I find them at Publix in South Florida. I believe they sell them nationally in perhaps Whole Foods, Wallmart Superstores, etc. They were on the shelf in the wrap display, not in the freezer case. They are a little pricey but really good and low in fat. They have many varieties including Pita Bread!!!

Although unnecessary, adding steamed and drained cauliflower to the hummus lowers the calories and raises the nutritional value.

If you don't have any wraps- make yourself a burrito bowl. 

What is a burrito bowl? Well it contains everything except the wrap.

What's for dinner tonight? Burritos! 

.

My Cell Phone For Dinner

                    

Why did I need my cell phone for dinner? 

This is the story of why a cell phone is certainly not a luxury and essential to function in today's world.

The other night I went out for a simple Mexican dinner with a friend. We selected a restaurant in an artsy historic tourist district of Lambertville, New Jersey (link). After driving though the beautiful scenic bucolic area of Bucks County for 1/2 hour, we reached our final destination. 

I parked the car on the street near the restaurant and immediately noticed that it required that I download an "app" to pay for parking (I know that in the cities this is protocol, but I live in the suburbs/country and have never been required to use an app to park my car). 

My problem: 

I need a new phone and despite trying to charge it in the car, my phone was dead and I could not down load the parking app. Feeling totally frustrated, I finally realized that the meter would also accept coins. Yay!

 

But then a quick Boo!! The meter required $1.25/hr in coin, and I only had bills.

 

I ran to the restaurant (a block away) where I had a reservation and since they had no parking lot, I begged them to change a $5 bill to coins. Well it turns out they had no change either. Luckily a patron was able to give me $3 worth of dimes, nickel, and quarters. 

As I noisily jingled back to the meter to spend 5 additional minutes feeding the meter the dimes, nickels and quarters, I wondered if anyone else has ever had this happen? 

Once the hungry meter was happy, I did an about face and hurried back to the restaurant for our 6 PM reservation. 

As we settled in the seats,  I noticed a scan card on the table in lieu of a menu. Apologetically, I explained to the wait person that my phone battery had died and that I would need a regular menu. 

Sorry- no such item available- only scan menus!!!!

WHAT?? Have I been living in the dark ages? 

My battery is dead (I almost sobbed) because at this point I was really frustrated and hungry. What can I do? 

The young girl looked at me in disbelief and gave me her cell phone- (do you think I knew how to use her phone???) Sheepishly, I asked for her help so she took her phone and walked away saying she would get the manager to see what he could do. Surprisingly, the manager never showed up, but another wait person did. 

You may be wondering about my friend. Well yes her cell phone worked but was very small and we did scan for the menu but had to enlarge the print so much that only a small section took up the entire phone. 

Finally, I just explained to the new wait person (who was also young and very surprised about our lack of tech skills) that I wanted a gluten free vegan meal. 

She suggested a vegan enchilada platter (forgot to take a picture) that came with, rice and black beans. I took it!! 

And it was outstanding. 

I really enjoyed the meal, the outside dining, and the beautiful atmosphere once we settled the order, but I was not prepared to need to depend on my phone to park the car and see the menu. My iPhone is old and outdated and small. I only use it for texts and calls.  

I realize now that when I update my phone (very soon), it's going to have to be a larger size, so I can attempt to deal with all the new required technology just to eat out, shop in the markets such as Whole Foods to get their "app" to be entitled to discounts. I've been kicking my feet, but I can do it!

Here is a link to one of my favorite Mexican recipes- 

Skinny Mango Salsa

Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed, outdated, or reluctant to join this new high tech age? 

How To Cook Rice In the Instant Pot

Did you know you can use your Instant Pot as a rice cooker? The rice cooks up perfectly and will remain hot until you are ready to serve it.

Loaded Vegetarian Black Bean Nachos Are A Meal

Loaded vegetarian nachos makes a quick and easy meal or appetizer any night of the week!
It is easy to assemble and is both nutritious and delicious!

It calls for simple vegan ingredients like black beans, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, salsa, fresh herbs, and seasonings piled on top of one another on a bed of crunchy nacho chips! Sprinkle generously with grated cheese or vegan cheese and bake for just 10 minutes.

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup just like in Mexico

Tortilla soup is one of my favorites! 

Whenever I go to Cancun, Mexico on vacation, I am jealous of everyone eating and raving about the tortilla soup. It always looks so good, but it is made with chicken and chicken broth, and I am a vegetarian. I've searched for a vegetarian tortilla recipe, but have never really found one I liked until today.

Today, I found a good recipe on  A Year of Slow Cooking  that looks just like the soup in Mexico and guess what? It's made in the crock pot! Does it get any better than that? Yes, it's gluten free, vegan, and made from real food ingredients. I knew I was going to like this one. 

I love the ease of crock pot recipes and that everything is in one pot and there is so little mess. I also love that once the ingredients are assembled and in the slow cooker, I can walk out of the kitchen and do other things. The timer calls me when dinner is ready! 

Although this recipe uses a 6 quart slow cooker, I'm sure you could make it on the stove top. Too much soup? You can freeze some. 
This recipe makes about 8 servings. 

 I will admit that the original recipe called for hot hot hot chili peppers, chipotle chile powder, and smoked paprika. I really don't like things that spicy, so I left out the chili peppers entirely- my bad! 

But you can certainly add them back in - the original recipe called for 4 whole serrano chilis! Personally, I only added a little chipotle chile powder and my canned organic tomatoes actually had some chiles added to them- that was enough for me !

You know your own preferences, so adjust the spices as you see fit!
I know the temperatures are scorching out there and some of you may be thinking,"hot soup in the summer" ??? Why???? The answer is , I like it.. BUT for those of you who don't like hot soup in the summer, just pin it now to make in the winter.

 Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep: overnight for soaking beans + 5 minutes prep
Cook Time in Crock Pot: 4-5 hours on high
Recipe from:   Stephani Odea A Year of Slow Cooking 
Serves: 8

Ingredients: 

1 cup of dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and then drained before adding to crock pot. 

1 15 ounce can fire roasted chopped tomatoes with chilis 
or 3 cups of chopped Roma tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped  

4 cups flavorful vegetable broth

4 cups water 
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder  
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika ( I used regular paprika- go easy) 
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 cup of fresh baby spinach

optional: 4 whole serrano chillis
optional garnishes to add to each bowl:
chopped avocado, tortilla chips, sliced black olives,  freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions: 

Add the pre-soaked beans, chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices and broth and water in that order. If you are using the chillis- add then now and let them float on top! Cook covered for 8-10 hours of low or 4 to 5 on high. Discard the chilis before serving. Add the spinach to the crock pot/slow cooker before serving and it will wilt in the hot liquid. Stir and serve. 

Also, I included a Youtube Video of how to make a quick vegan tortilla soup in the Vitamix without cooking. You use boiling water, so it is a hot soup that is made in minutes! Might be perfect for you for the summer. It looks good!

My notes: 

1. Go easy on the smoked paprika- you can always add more at the end. 
2. If you use chopped tomatoes instead of the canned, you may need to add a little salt.
3. You can always season more when the soup is done-
4. If you want to make this on the stove top in a large pot to speed up the process, use 2 cans of cooked pinto beans instead of the dry soaked beans. I would sautee the onion and then add the other ingredients.  

A VEGAN TORTILLA SOUP RECIPE 

made in minutes without cooking IN THE VITAMIX 

James Wrobel makes a version of tortilla soup in the a Vitamix type blender without cooking! So if you are looking for something really fast and easy that you simply mix up with boiling water, check out this 7 minute video!!

Linked to : 

My blog carnival list and 

Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen

Gluten Free Cauliflower Rice Fiesta

Hola! Hola!  I'm making my gluten free riced cauliflower fiesta as a side dish for tomorrow tonight's dinner! The Mexican flavors are amazing and it is so easy to make! It makes a wonderful Cinco de Mayo dish.

If you haven't tasted riced cauliflower, you are really missing out.

You can easily make it yourself in the food processor using fresh cauliflower, or buy it already made. 

Riced Cauliflower is made in the food processor by simply filling the container with cauliflower flowerettes, buzzing the on off twice and thus creating cauliflower rice! Once you have your "rice" you can use it to make a variety of tasty low carb dishes. How to make your own cauliflower rice

Riced Cauliflower is also available frozen 
Trader Joe's selsl organic riced cauliflower in the frozen vegetable department! How easy is that? I prefer to simply buy the cauliflower rice already made and then make my recipes!
It is also available frozen in Whole Foods and most supermarkets.

This recipe makes a beautiful presentation and tastes like a soothing- kind of like comfort food without the calories! Naturally gluten free and vegan, this ten minute recipe is a perfect side.

Make this recipe in 10 minutes

This festive Mexican dish takes about ten minutes to make and provides lots of antioxidants and vitamins like only a cruciferous vegetable can.  On Weight Watchers this fabulous side has ZERO smart points.

So dig in! It's Fast, Easy, Healthy, low calorie and low carb! This naturally gluten free and vegan recipe a winner!

Ingredients: 

1 bag of frozen riced cauliflower ( or 4 cups of homemade)
1 cup of diced tomato
1/2 cup of sliced black olives
Juice of 1 lime ( freshly squeezed)
Cracked pepper to taste
Optional: Red pepper flakes if you like things with a kick! ( I don't)

Directions:

In a small bowl mix the tomato, black olives, lime juice, cracked pepper and set aside.
 Pour entire package of frozen cauliflower rice into the pan. Cook on simmer until the cauliflower thaws out and cooks a little.- about 8-10 minutes ( watch the pan so it doesn't burn). Mix the vegetable mixture with the cauliflower in another bowl. Serve immediately.
*** if you are using homemade cauliflower, add a 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to cook down the cauliflower in the skillet.

. Pour entire package of frozen cauliflower rice into the pan. Cook on simmer until the cauliflower is thaws out and cooks a little.- about 6-8 minutes ( watch the pan so it doesn't burn) 

Mix the chopped tomatoes, olives, lime juice and seasoning

Toss with the cooked cauliflower . Enjoy while cauliflower is still hot

My Previous Cinco De Mayo Recipes:

2012 Cinco De Mayo Recipe: Marinated Artichoke and Tomato Salad ( vegan)

2013 Cinco De Mayo Recipe: Mexican Corn and Bean Bake ( Vegetarian)

2014 Cinco De Mayo Recipe: Mango Salsa ( vegan)

2105 Cinco De Mayo Recipe: Avocado Caprese Appetizer ( Vegan)

    *** This recipe is linked to these fabulous blog carnivals

_________________________________________________________________________________



Visit the Young Living Website

Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Mexican Lentil Soup ( Vegan)

This flavorful Mexican lentil soup contains fresh garlic, ground cumin, and chopped cilantro-all  tasty Mexican spices. With the addition of diced tomatoes, red and hot peppers, and fresh lemon juice, the lentils morph into a creamy soup that is both satisfying and delicioius.

Talk about clean eating- garlic, cumin, and cilantro are full of powerful antioxidants and the soup is full of health giving colorful vegetables and protein/fiber rich lentils.  Just real food that is good for you.

It's easy to make too. Lentils cook up somewhat quickly, so you can prep and cook this delicious soup in just under an hour. The hearty soup makes a lovely presentation whether you plan to serve it to your family or to company as a meal starter, and it freezes well too. So, if you are just two people, make a pot and freeze the rest for another night. ( It's always fun to have something you can just pull out of the freezer)

I decided to use my immersion blender to blend the soup lightly just before serving it. The light blending made all the difference, so don't skip that step! And make sure to add lot's of freshly chopped cilantro to each bowl. Personally , I do not like hot chili peppers BUT you might, so add it if you like! What a soup!! Enjoy

This soup would go great with my Homemade Mango Salsa or my Vegan Avocado Caprese Appetizer

Do you eat soup in the summer?
I do . In fact, I eat soup all year round any time of the day.
But if you don't , just pin the recipe for the fall when you might be ready for a nice bowl of delicious hot soup!

This naturally gluten free soup is also vegan and can be made into a full meal by adding  a 1/4 cup of cooked brown rice or 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa to each bowl ( Although it doesn't need it) .

A piece of garlic dropped into the bowl and it's in all the photos!!!

Author: Judee Algazi from Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time 45  minutes
Serves : 6-8 bowls
Freezes

Ingredients: 
2 teaspoons olive oil or olive oil spray
1 medium red onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped fine
1 medium red pepper , diced
1 and 1/4  cups of brown or green lentils, uncooked
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes ( I used organic and no BPA cans) low salt if possible
5 cups water
5 cups vegetable broth
2-3 teaspoons of cumin ( or to your taste)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro plus 1/2 cup to use to garnish each bowl
Optional: hot pepper to taste

Directions: 
In a large wide soup pot, saute the onions and red peppers in the oil for two minutes ( stirring). Add the garlic and lentils and saute an additional minute or two . Next add the can of diced tomatoes, water, broth, and 2 teaspoons of the cumin. Bring to a boil,  turn down to a simmer, and cook until lentils begin to soften about 1/2 hour. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, stir and taste. If you love cumin, add the additional ground cumin. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Turn off soup. Using an immersion blender, place the stick into the soup pot and blend lightly. Serve and top with freshly chopped cilantro in each bowl.

My Notes: Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, some shredded cheddar cheese, or extra lemon juice ..or add some GF corn tortilla strips for a Mexican tortilla lentil soup. We  enjoyed our soup vegan and just added lots of fresh chopped cilantro and a touch of extra lemon juice.. This soup freezes well too. I blended it before freezing.

Gluten Free Taco Bar

We had an amazing gluten free Mexican Taco party that was enjoyed by all- those who were gluten free and those that were not.

From the photo, you can see I chose a Mexican theme. It worked for everyone , and the great thing about real food is that it is naturally gluten free. Nothing has to be altered to make it gluten free. This meal is also mostly vegan.

This is what the guests had to say!!

Rena (Not vegan nor Gluten Free) - "I love this food- can't get enough"

Dave ( Meat Eater- not GF) " The Sweet Potatoes are fabulous, How did you make them?"

Valerie ( Meat Eater not GF) - Amazing Meal.Loved everything

Wendy- ( Meat Eater not GF) - Had so much fun- great meal

Vicki- ( vegetarian not GF) I am stuffed- so good

Appetizers :  I kept the appetizers easy by purchasing them at Trader Joe's

• Cilantro and jalepeno humus - BEST humus ever !!!! LOVE THIS HUMUS- you will too
• Tri Color humus - 2nd best humus ever - 3 layers of humus in one container - 
• White Bean Dip - great !! Made from beans very tasty
• Guacamole- we made our own - so simple
• Corn Chips ( Trader Joe's says that they only use  NON GMO corn in their products) 

Drinks- 

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas - basic recipe and I added tequila or make them virgin
• Fresh Fruit Sangria- A delightfully easy fresh fruit wine punch
• Frozen Kiwi Mojito - I didn't actually make these this Mother's Day! I've made them before
• Mango Rum Batida- delicious from a blog called Olla-Padrida
• Wine - handpicked Rose and Red wine brought by Jason and Jackie- 

Dinner 

Make your own Taco Bar - 
Lots of fun and everyone served themselves. 
I cut up tomatoes, red, yellow, and orange peppers, cilantro, tomatoes, tomatillas, all in separatebowls, homemade salsa, guacamole, Greek yogurt, re- fried beans, shredded cheese ( from

Trader Joe's - no hormones in their cheeses) mango salsa. I put it all out on my counter and let everyone help themselves. ( I had corn tortillas - crunchy and soft

cutting up ingredients for the taco bar 

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Mexican Dirty 
• Rice and Beans - fabulously simple but unbelievable tasty recipe
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
•  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Dirty Rice and Beans
• Roasted Sweet Potato Fries - This was the biggest hit. I cut them up in advance , put into a flat wide Corning-ware and kept warm on a hot plate during the party. ( the recipe link is for Cajun sweet potato fries) but I made them for this party differently-
• Make them this way
•  I made my fries without seasoning at all, just tossed with coconut oil. They were sweet and delicious.

• Cheese Quesadillas - corn tortillas and cheese ( made by Wendy) no pics !

We were 25 people and only 3 were gluten free,  yet everyone raved about the food!
If you use real food, it's easy to be gluten free ( just watch any processed or packaged foods you add - must be labels.)

Gluten Free Tip: Wheat , Rye and Barley are never gluten free and sometimes oats are not
 Are oats gluten free? Yes and No - For more understanding read about oats.

May be shared on a few of the following blog carnivals
Like my recipes? I post lots more ; Follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .

Please leave a comment so I can be  introduced to your blog . I will visit you and  I usually follow on G+, Twitter, and Pinterest. I would love if you followed me as well Follow me as well : Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .


Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Mexican Bean and Corn Bake

Delicious and nutritious, yet fast and easy, Mexican Bean Casserole Bake can be prepped in minutes and ready to eat in just half hour. This is a simple recipe that is big on texture and flavor.

Want to jazz it up for serving? We actually topped it off with diced tomato and diced yellow pepper salad and some sliced avocado.

Picture from the markets on our last trip to Mexico 

Ingredients
4 cups cooked pinto beans or 2 cans (16 oz. each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups cooked black beans or 2 cans (16 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz. fresh or frozen corn  ) 
1/2 bag of frozen artichokes
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained slightly
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce ( I used  a can of chopped tomatoes)
1 Tbs. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder ( used fresh pressed garlic)
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano ( left this out)
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese ( I used one cup)

Optional - corn chips, lettuce, jalapenos, black olives, and tomatoes/salsa

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the cheese and mix well. Pour evenly into a 13 x 9" pan.  Sprinkle with cheese. ( I mixed the cheese with the beans and then added a little more for the topping)
Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. ( I cooked mine for 35 minutes)

Serve with chips, lettuce, sour cream, jalapenos, black olives, and tomatoes/salsa if desired. 





A Mexican Restaurant in Cancun with great food!

Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Mexican Guacamole Plus Tips

              

There is nothing quite as simple and delicious as a bowl of colorful guacamole.

Florida Vacation With Siblings

Two of my husband's siblings and their families met with us in Florida for a family vacation. We all crashed my brother-in-law's large home in Parkland, Florida.  While we were all there for the week, we enjoyed cooking together and of course eating together. 

One of the late afternoon snacks we made and shared was this big bowl of Mexican guacamole. (Happy Hour anyone?) 

The avocados were nice and ripe, and the entire recipe only took about 5- 6 minutes to make.

This recipe makes a delicious party dip that just also happens to be gluten free and vegan, making it perfect if you or your guests have special eating needs. 

Use celery sticks or (gluten free Non GMO) corn chips as dippers and enjoy!

What makes a guacamole recipe Mexican?

I purchased Haas avocadoes which come from Mexico, and the optional tequila really authenticates it as Mexican !!! Hola

Helpful Tips for buying and  using avocados:

1.  If you make the guacamole in advance, be sure to leave the pit in the dip until you serve it. The pit will help keep the avocado dip from turning brown.. Remove the large pit before serving!

2. An avocado is ripe when the outer skin turns brown and the avocado becomes somewhat soft to the touch. If you buy a hard green avocado, you can just leave it out on the counter to ripen up. 

It takes about 3-5 days.

3.  If you need to use the avocado sooner, put it into a brown paper bag (never a plastic bag) together with a banana or an apple and the gases from the other fruit will speed up the ripening process.

4. If you forget to use your avocado and it becomes too ripe to use, you can give yourself and avocado facial or hair treatment. Avocado contains vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that are great for damaged hair.


Mexican Tequila Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 pkg. cherry tomatoes, washed and dried and chopped into quarters
Juice of 1 large lemon or lime
1 clove (or more) fresh garlic pressed
Salt to taste (we did not use any)
If you like things hot, add  red pepper flakes
Optional: 1-2 ounces of Mexican tequila (we did not add it)

Directions:
Peel and cut up avocado into a bowl. Add tomatoes, pressed garlic . Squeeze in lemon juice and mash with fork to desired consistency. ( we like it a little chunky)
Taste and add salt if desired and a the tequilla.. OLAY!!!

Add caption

                           

                       
                       Frozen Kiwi Mojitos Anyone??  click here for a great recipe


Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.