Tofu Bacon- Hold On To The Seat Of Your Pants

Plant-based "bacon"??? Yes please- and it's made with tofu!! This is a treat you won't want to miss out on. 

This delicious recipe takes tofu to a whole new level! 

Tofu "bacon" is very easy to make, and is flavorful, crunchy, and crispy. This method transforms "extra- firm" tofu into something extra -ordinary. 

Do you like BLT's but want something plant-based? Try this- I think you will be in love. 

Thanksgiving Recipes for 2024- Gluten Free and Vegan

As I sit on the beach in 85 degree sunny beautiful weather, watching the waves, and listening to the gulls, I'm thinking about my Thanksgiving plans and my Thanksgiving recipes. 

We usually fly home for Thanksgiving to be with our family, but this year we are remaining in Florida. We decided not to fight the crowds in the airport or deal with hustle bustle of traveling on a holiday, despite wishing to be with our kids and grandkids. Check out my recipes!!

Easy Pasta Salad -Healthy, Vegan and Gluten Free

Eating pasta just got healthier and it's pasta salad time in our house! 

Mixed with any kind of vegetable, the new high protein pastas, which are on all the supermarket shelves, are a great base for a quick and easy healthy meal, and you can be as creative as you like with the variety of vegetables that you add to the salad.

Crispy Baked Tofu Cutlets

Got tofu ?  This recipe is delicious!
I wanted to make something that was different and more interesting than my usual tofu stir fry. This crispy baked tofu cutlet is full flavored, delicious and satisfying.

I baked/roasted the tofu on a parchment covered cookie sheet.

Vegan Pad Thai

This vegan Pad Thai is not only delicious, it is easy to make. I am a fan of Asian food, but I have to admit that I am not very knowledgable about how to replicate the vegetarian dishes that enjoy in Asian restaurants. 

Spinach Dal Soup in the Instant Pot (or Not)

Spinach Dal, known in India as Palak Dal, is a hearty soup made with channa dal or yellow split peas. Dal (also spelled as daal or dahl) is a Hindi word for dried split lentils, dried peas, or dried beans. Dal may refer to the legume itself or the finished recipe.

I made this vegan soup in a 6 qt. Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt. It cooked for 16 minutes, I let the pressure release naturally, and it was delicious. It can also be made in a soup pot on the stove top.

Gluten Free Passover Seder Recipes ( and vegetarian recipes)

If you are looking for some wonderful vegetarian, gluten free, vegan alternatives for Jewish foods for Passover read on.. Vegetarians and Vegans can enjoy all the traditional foods.

Shortcut Shakshookah Recipe Eggs-cellent

This is the fastest and easiest way to enjoy a delicious plate of Shakshookah using my shortcut.!
Shakshookah is a traditional Israeli breakfast recipe that has become a popular item in many restaurants in the US. It's delicious and you can easily make this eggs-cellent recipe at home.
Use this quick hack for a delicious meal.

Gluten Free for the Holidays and Turkey-less

 

Crisp and nippy weather, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, fireplace roaring, and the aroma of a roasting turkey filling the home. That was then; plant-based and gluten-free for me is now.

Growing up, my mother always set the table brilliantly for Thanksgiving with her best china, her treasured crystal, and beautiful orange linen napkins that complemented her pristine white freshly ironed tablecloth. Our extended table was set for 18. ( yes, she had that many dishes and crystal)

Our main centerpiece was traditionally a huge cornucopia basket filled with farm fresh local Jersey apples and red grapes accompanied by two small centerpieces of filled with seasonal flowers.

Thanksgiving Then
My mother's traditional Thanksgiving meal bragged a huge banquet of Thanksgiving family recipes which included appetizers, soup, turkey, stuffing, gravy, winter squashes, mashed potatoes, salad, Brussels sprouts, green bean and onion ring casserole, pumpkin and apple pies.

Passing on the tradition 
As my mother became a senior, it was too much for her to host and handle the cooking, set up, serving, and cleaning up that hosting involved. Consequently the tradition was passed on to me the vegetarian, her one and only child. (she had me at age 42)

I shared my mother's love of cooking, her passion for entertaining and her talent for bringing family and friends together.

The Problem 

The problem was in my mid  twenties, I decided to become a vegetarian. As a result I refused to kill a turkey and have some poor defenseless bird roasting in my kitchen oven for the better part of the morning and then lay on a platter dead on my holiday table.

I Hosted Thanksgiving Without a Turkey

For starters, a turkey-less Thanksgiving did not go over well with my father, the meat eater, who had been a butcher most of his adult life! My mother was willing, my husband was used to it, my other relatives were skeptical and everyone who came was genuinely disappointed. After all, they looked forward to their Thanksgiving Turkey tradition all year long. 

Despite making a fabulous meal- everyone expected and wanted turkey.

What did I make for an Un Traditional plant-based Thanksgiving?
Delicious appetizers, soup, vegetable sides using winter squashes, stuffing and vegan gravy, and green beans. Except for the turkey everything else was the same, and I made a vegan entree which people liked but didn't replace the turkey.

my gluten free and vegan Thanksgiving recipes.

If you, a family member, or a guest has special dietary needs, click on the link for some recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based and kosher parve. There may be some sides that you can make.

If you are looking for gluten free and vegan ideas ( even if just for the soup, appetizers or sides) have a look at the list of recipes that I published last year with a comprehensive list of 
my gluten free and vegan Thanksgiving recipes.

                   My Gluten Free and Vegan Thanksgiving recipes.

Vegan Pesto Sauce with Pasta

Hot summer days are the perfect time to make simple pasta dishes tossed with fragrant pesto sauces. Most pesto is made with nuts; this quick and easy pesto recipe is nut free and vegan, which cuts down on the calories and expense- but not taste. ( of course it is gluten free as well).

Vegan and Gluten Free CSA Recipes

This is my second CSA produce week of this farm season. I'm sharing gluten free and vegan recipes that you can make from your CSA produce this week. With the warmer weather upon us, the farm produce is flourishing. 

 I am a half share member which means I pick up or pick produce every other week. I found that every week was too much for just the two of us, especially in the spring when the haul is mostly salad and greens. ( what is a CSA) 

What did I get this week?  

• Four different types of lettuces
• 2 different varieties of kale 
• Turnips
• Kohlrabi 
• Strawberries ( pick your own) 
• Snow peas ( pick your own)
• Fresh young dill 
• Fresh cilantro 

 I also picked additional herbs from the herb garden

• Lavender
• Sage
• Sorrel
• Mint
• Parsley
• Chamomile 
• Basil 
• Catnip

Anchor Run Farm is located in Wrightstown, Pa in Bucks County
There are CSA farms in most states all across the USA

Belonging to a CSA gives us the opportunity to eat organic, local, freshly picked produce. 

I love visiting the farm and being in such a serene beautiful stretch of nature with interesting birds, butterflies, wildlife and flowers. 

The produce is sometimes very different from produce that I find in the supermarket or produce that I would not know to choose in the market. It encourages me to try a greater variety of vegetables and brings some interesting recipes to our table. 

How did I use my produce this week? 

All recipes are gluten free and vegan which also means they are dairy free and Parve.  

Kohlrabi- this vegetable can be a substitute in soup for potato and is lower in carbs. 

The peel can be tough to remove on kohlrabi, so you need a really good peeler. I have an inexpensive peeler that works better than any I've ever had. It makes my life easier and I recommend it . You can see it on Amazon. OXO Good Grips Y Peeler 

I use this 

OXO Good Grips Y Peeler and the peels slide off quickly and with ease. It's the best one I found. 

Last spring I made a delicious and easy kohlrabi and red lentil soup - prior to that I had never tasted kohlrabi. This year I'm making a grated kohlrabi salad. 

Turnips 

How to cook turnips so they taste good (and recipes) 

Kale: 

I don't think I have to tell you how healthy kale is for the body. This super green cleanses toxins, restores, and rejuvenates. It's a powerhouse of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. 

I like to find a way to eat a healthy greens like kale at least 4 times a week if not daily. 

There are many ways and reasons to eat your kale: 

• Kale and blueberry salad with or without orange cashew dressing
• Kale smoothie 
• Green Juice
• Kale Chips
• Creamy Kale Soup
• Anti- cancer vegetable broth with kale
• Cauliflower and kale snow patties
• Article: Reduce belly fat with kale and greens

Snow peas- 

The snow peas were sweet and crunchy. 
We snacked on them raw with a delicious dip. I also cut them up into our salad. 

These are some of the health giving dips we eat with raw veggies

• Homemade Guacamole ( vegan) 
• Homemade Humus ( vegan) 

Dill 

I added fresh dill to my crock pot soup broth which yielded 4 generous quarts of homemade soup broth. 

Cilantro-

Cilantro is an herb that you either like or you don't like. There is actually a genetic reason that some people have a very strong aversion to the flavorful herb. If you have that gene, cilantro will taste like soap to you. Personally, I love it and can't get enough of it. 

Here is a variety of ethnic recipes where I use cilantro:

• Mexican Lentil Soup ( vegan) 
• Asian Coleslaw with Peanuts  (my favorite)
• Vegetarian Rice and Beans (vegan)
• Sundried Tomato Salsa (vegan)
• Moroccan Carrot Salad ( fabulous, easy, and vegan)
• Cauliflower Aloo Gobi (vegan)
• Black Bean Salsa Salad (vegan)

Strawberries

We ate many of our strawberries as soon as we picked them when they were fresh off the vine, sweet, and juicy. The rest I brought home and prepped them for freezing which all I did was wash, dry, cut in half, freeze in a freezer baggy. 

We will use the frozen strawberries for vegan strawberry ice cream. 

• Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream ( so easy) 
• Chocolate Dipped strawberries
• Article: Why Strawberries should always be organic
• Vegan Strawberry Mug Muffin for One
• Vegan Strawberry Muffins

This post was featured on shared on Hearth and Soul blog party  this week

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon. If you click from my blog and then make a purchase, I will receive a ver4y small compensation which helps me defray the cost of running a blog. 

Chunky Eggplant Sauce for Pasta

Got an eggplant? Oh you will love this delicious recipe!
This chunky plant-based eggplant sauce makes my mouth water! And it's fast and easy to make too!!

With only 5 ingredients, it's a perfect complement for any kind of pasta (gluten free of course), including  zucchini noodles which are made with a spiralizer as shown below. 

Made from entirely vegetables, this healthy sauce is nutritious, filling, and absolutely delicious too.

I like to simmer the sauce covered on a very low flame for about forty minutes to allow the eggplant, red peppers, and tomato flavors to mingle while the vegetables soften and the sauce thickens.

I used this eggplant sauce two ways for dinner.

1. I ate my eggplant spaghetti sauce over zucchini noodles 
2. My husband ate his over gluten free brown rice noodles that I bought from Trader Joe's. 

   Brown Rice Gluten Free Pasta (Trader Joe's) 

If you don't know how to make zucchini noodles, it is really really simple and so healthy.

Buy a medium or large zucchini, cut it in half, place in the spiralizer, and turn the handle of your spriralizer to make the noodles. 

I use this one from Amazon (affiliate link) Spiralizer By Palermo.  I can easily make a full bowl of spiraled zucchini for one person in 1 minute.

Zucchini noodles (zoodles) can be enjoyed raw or personally, I like mine tossed quickly in a skillet (with a 1/4 cup of water or vegetables broth) to soften them. 


Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: 

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped in chunks
5 red mini peppers, cleaned and chopped
2 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 8 ounce can of organic chopped tomatoes with jalepenos (or add your own)
1/2 can of tomato paste mixed with 2 cups of water
Optional: 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves

Directions: 

Type of Pan: Dutch oven or a deep wide skillet
Add the eggplant, red peppers, tomatoes, canned tomatoes, and the tomato paste mixed with water. Stir and cook on a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Check periodically and stir. Cook for about 25 minutes until eggplant is soft.  Serve when eggplant is soft.


Where do you buy a spiralizer? 

They sell spiralizers in any store where they have kitchen items.
I bought a hand held spiralizer, but didn't like it. I found it too difficult to make a large quantity of spirals.

I then went online and bought the Palermo.
It's light, easy to use, and easy to wash. 

(affiliate link too see the sprializer on Amazon click the red wording) Spiralizer By Palermo- Voted the Best Vegetable Maker 

Get one- they are reasonable and so so easy to use and clean up! Once you have one, you won't know how you lived without it! 



I highly recommend this one!!!

shared on Pin Junkie How would you use this sauce? Do you spiralize?  Love your comments-

My Notes: 

1, This is a perfect recipe that meets Kosher for Passover requirements. Imagine the zucchini spirals with this sauce for lunch. If you eat cheese, pile it on!!!

2. This is a perfect recipe for using summer zucchini, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. 


Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon and will receive a very  small compensation if buy on Amazon after clicking on a link on my blog. Thank you for helping me cover some of the costs of blog expenses.

Roasted Zucchini Parmesan Makes a Healthy Snack

Roasted vegetables with a little melted cheese is a simple recipe that I eat as a healthy snack whenever I get a craving for something that tastes rich but is actually low in calories and good for you. ** 

please note that this blog began vegan after 2020- you are viewing an older recipe that is vegetarian and uses cheese- substitute vegan cheese if desired)

Zucchini is one of my favorites, but I think we all have simple go-to ideas that fills us up but not out. Mine usually involves a vegetable.

To begin, I roast my zucchini in the oven ( 15 minutes)  because roasting brings out the best of this prolific garden vegetable. Once roasted, this simple green squash develops a rich flavor while staying soft and juicy.

Seriously, I could just eat the roasted squash right from the oven because it tastes so good, but when I take it out I like to sprinkle a little grated cheese on it and some fragrant spices ( oregano and fresh basil) . I then officially call it roasted zucchini parmesan.

I find this little snack very satisfying and it tides me over until dinner. If I make enough of it, I serve it as a side for our dinner meal. 

It makes a lovely presentation and complements just about any entree. It's a vegetable side that even kids will rave about. 

It doesn't need any breading, so it makes a great naturally gluten free side dish.

You will want to pin this recipe right now, because despite being simple and easy it is exceptionally tasty. Think of the summer when you have more zucchini than you know what to do with and this fast and easy recipe will come in very handy. Can you ever have enough zucchini ideas?

You can play around with it and add some black olives, red peppers, onions or any other vegetable of your choice.

If you visit my Pinterest Boards, I've collected lots of wonderful whole food gluten free recipes! You can find me at Pinterest

 

Author: Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 3-5 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes or less
Serves : one portion

Ingredients: 
1 medium zucchini, sliced medium
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of oregano or Za'atar
olive oil spray
1/4 cup of grated mozzarella or grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 
Place zucchini and cherry tomato halves on a rimmed cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper into the oven when it reaches 375.
Spray the zucchini and tomatoes with olive oil spray.
Roast for 15 minutes or until the zucchini is soft.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with grated mozzarella or grated (  not powdered) parmesan, chopped basil and oregano if desired. The cheese will melt on the hot vegetables.

Eat as a lower  calorie nutrition snack and enjoy!

Linking this recipe to Miz Helen's Country Cottage Thursday Linky

Rosh Hashanah Vegetarian and GF Recipes

It's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and my holiday menu includes both Eastern European traditional recipes and Sephardic or Mizrahi traditional recipes that I have adapted to meet vegan and gluten free standards.

My husband and I could be considered a mixed Jewish marriage; I am Ashkenzi (of Eastern European descent)  and he is Sephardic (of Middle Eastern descent).

Our Rosh Hashanah dinner menu reflects the rich traditions of both of our backgrounds.

Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews (Jews of Middle Eastern or Spanish origin) celebrate the Jewish New Year dinner with a Rosh Hashanah ceremonial seder plate. The ceremonial plate holds different foods that  have a special symbolic meaning. Some of these symbolic customs started as far back as 300 C.E. and were found in the writings of the Babylonian Talmud. Some of the symbolism comes from the meaning of the old Aramaic words.

Sephardic Jewish family from Cairo, Egypt 1965

My husband's family (with roots from Jerusalem, Egypt, Iraq and Italy) create a ceremonial Seder plate with the following foods and say a blessing for each food for the New Year.


1. A new fruit for the new year- 

We recite a blessing of appreciation recognizing the splendor of something new-we look for something like dragon fruit or fresh dates or fresh figs.

2. Pomegranate seeds- Ironically the pomegranate contains 613 seeds, which is is the same number as the required mitzvot (good deeds) that those of Jewish faith are required to perform. By eating the fruit we say a prayer that we should be fruitful and multiply-

** my mother-in-law, Toni, always warns everyone to be careful how many pomegranate seeds you eat at Rosh Hashanah as you may have that many children as the seeds you eat!

3. Link to Recipe: Leek patties  - Chopped up leeks made into patties- so that your enemies/or your bad habits should be chopped up and kept far away from you.

4. Dates- to have a sweet new year- Europeans Jewish custom is a little different- they dip apples with honey for a sweet year.

5.  A fish with the head and the tail - symbolic that we should always be at the head not the tail in all our endeavors. (not at my table- I use a head of broccoli or cauliflower)

6. Black Eyed Peas- symbolic that our good deeds and fortune should increase like the number of peas


There is a prayer to be said over each of the symbolic foods. Then the food is passed around the table for each person to taste. 

Eastern European customs: We do not have a Rosh Hashanah seder

My Eastern European family celebrates with the more well known Jewish Eastern European foods like chicken soup, matzo balls , chopped liver, honey cake, apples and honey. We do not do a ceremonial seder- we simply say a prayer and dip apples in honey for a sweet New Year.

MY Vegetarian and GF Rosh Hashanah Recipes: 

Vegan Mock Chicken Soup-  ( really good) 
My mother and grandmothers made chicken soup and matzo balls for every one of our Jewish holidays. Being a vegetarian, I make a mock chicken soup that tastes pretty close to the real thing and I make absolutely delicious easy gluten free matzo balls.

Click on the links to go to the recipes

Gluten Free Matzo Balls   - (The best GF matzo balls ever)
Again, this is a recipe that is from my side of the family.
My Sephardic husband had never even heard of a matzo ball when he lived in the Middle East. He ate his first matzo ball when he came to the United States. Now, he loves them and looks forward to eating them every Jewish holiday!

Mock Chopped Liver - Chopped liver was one of my family's favorites, and my mother always gave each person a full ice cream scoop of the appetizer on a big lettuce leaf and topped it with end of summer Jersey sliced tomatoes. I no longer eat meat, but I have a recipe for mock chopped liver that is better than the real thing and perhaps healthier.

Leek Patties- This is a recipe that my mother in law always makes for the Jewish New Year. It is a typical sephardic Turkish recipe that has a symbolic meaning. The leaks are chopped up to represent that all of your enemies should be chopped up! A more modern version is that our own bad habits and evil ways should be chopped up. ( recipe to be posted) 

Stuffed Grape Leaves-  My husband's family makes stuffed grape leaves for every holiday. I use a delicious vegan filling for my recipe. 

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes- This is a very tasty lemony vegetarian recipe that can be used as a side dish or entree. Makes a beautiful presentation and is absolutely delicious.

Joyci's Aromatic Salad Dressing- This is my sister in law's fresh aromatic herbed salad dressing that is delicious on salad, rice, vegetables etc. We enjoy it at every holiday meal. It wouldn't be a holiday without it. Thanks Joyci !!!

Gluten Free Honey Cake-  Many of the Eastern European customs revolve around sweet foods for a sweet new year.  Honey cakes are very popular choices for Rosh Hashanah as well as Jewish Apple Cake.  

Butternut Squash Parmesan- This sweet and savory casserole is a delicious fall recipe that is perfect for the Jewish New Year.

Lubia- black eyed peas- . We don't really have a recipe. We just cook them with salt and pepper . 

My Notes:
How did the Spanish Jews end up in the Middle East?
When the Spanish Jews were exiled from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition in 1491, they settled in the vast area of the Ottoman Empire .  Remember Ferdinand and Isabella who sent Christopher Columbus out of Spain to discover America in 1492? They also exiled all the Jews out of Spain in 1491.

Vegan Stuffed Grape Leaves

Sephardic Jews traditionally serve stuffed foods for Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) such as these delicious stuffed grape leaves. I use a simple vegan filling that is also gluten free. It's easy once you get the hang of the rolling, and it's such a delicious lemony delight!

Healthy Bean Salad In Under 10 Minutes

Thank you Shirley at Gluten Free Easily! I could't have asked for a more delicious, health conscious fast and easy recipe for dinner tonight. I just didn't feel like cooking, but needed something quick, yet healthy, for dinner. I found this quick bean salad that can be made in under 10 minutes on Shirley's blog. ( Another few minutes for the dressing)

This recipe has everything I love- chick peas, kidney beans, and black beans, chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, chopped red peppers, cilantro optional. In addition, there is a homemade citrus dressing that enhances the recipe.

7 Reasons I love this recipe: 
1. No cooking involved
2. It's a quick and easy meal
3. Lot's of fresh summer produce
4. It's high in fiber and nutrients
5. It's vegan, gluten free, and allergy friendly
6. It can be made in advance
7. Makes a beautiful colorful presentation and tastes great

No cooking - Sometimes I just don't want to cook! It's already hot outside, so why heat up the kitchen.

Can be made in advance- make it in the morning, the night before, or just whip it up in 10 minutes before dinner. It will be easy and delicious no matter when you make it.

It's a meal- Beans are high in protein, so this salad can be eaten as an entree for a light dinner or if you want something more- make a baked sweet potato to go with it.

Fresh summer produce- summer tomatoes, red pepper, red onion are still really flavorful and plentiful- this salad gives you yet another way to use your summer produce from your CSA, farm stands, or your own back yard!

High in fiber and nutrients- Beans are not only high in protein, they are also very high in fiber. This recipe is a great way to include more healthy beans into your diet. In addition, the tomatoes, pepper, red onion, and cilantro add even more vitamins to the mix. I'd say this is a pretty nutrient dense salad.

It's vegan, allergy friendly, and gluten free- This salad is allergy friendly as well as healthy! Made from all real food ingredients, it meets gluten free, grain free,  egg free, and dairy free standards

Perfect recipe for company or a pot luck- This recipe is served at room temperature, so if you are having company or want to bring it to a pot luck, there is no need to worry about reheating when it's time to serve it. It also is allergy friendly making it a perfect choice for a pot luck!

Makes a great presentation- The finished product is colorful with the blacks, reds, and greens- it looks vibrant and inviting,

Pin it now -don't lose this recipe- I would classify this recipe as an under 10 minute recipe. This is a recipe you don't want to lose, so pin it right now to make next time for a pot luck or a fast dinner.

My notes:
** I buy organic canned beans that have no BPA in the cans
** If you have more time cook your own beans for the recipe
** I cook beans in the crock pot
** Eat over rice for a heartier meal ( buy frozen rice at Trader Joe's if don't want to cook)

Prep Time: 10 minutes for salad + 5 minutes for the homemade salad dressing
Cook Time: None
see recipe at : Gluten Free Easily

Linked :My Blog Carnival List and Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen

Black Beans Make a Great Summer Salad

Looking for a quick but satisfying summer salad that can serve as lunch or a light dinner?

My black bean salad is one of our favorites. It's light but filling and packs lots of fiber, nutrients, and taste. The best part is that it can be ready in under 10 minutes. 

I use organic canned beans for convenience and simply chop up some juicy summer tomatoes, sweet red onion, fresh summer basil, and avocado. When I have left over rice, I add that in as well. Splashed with freshly squeezed lime, this salad looks pretty and tastes delicious. Just assemble and serve.

This is also a great recipe to bring to a pot luck or BBQ since it is delicious at room temperature too. It travels well or can be assembled when you get to your get together. Simply make a container of beans and the rice and another container of the salad. Mix when you get there. I will be bringing this to a woman's meet up that I belong too. It's easy and economical, so it's perfect for a larger crowd. I just double the recipe.

Author: Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: None
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
2 organic cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
3 summer or vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
4 large sprigs of fresh basil , chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 medium Haas avocado, diced
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
Himalayan salt to taste
Optional: 2 cups leftover cooked rice or quinoa
Optional: 1 cup of chopped red pepper

Directions 

Drain and wash beans. Combine with everything except the avocado. Add the diced avocado to each plate just before serving. If there are leftovers, do not add avocado to the leftovers as it will get very dark.

Linked :My Blog Carnival List and Souper Sunday at Kahakai Kitchen