Spicy Black-Bean Cakes

Looking for creative new recipes for Meatless Mondays?  Look no further!  These boldly flavored Black-Bean Cakes are sure to fill up even the heartiest of appetites.  

For the Black Bean Cakes

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (why coconut oil?)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1-2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 2 cans black beans (15.5 ounces each)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and grated (about 2 cups)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Move oven rack to top position and heat broiler.

2.  In a small skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp of oil.  Cook scallions until softened, about 1 minute.  Add the garlic, jalapeño, and cumin.  Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Set aside.

3.  Add the beans to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher, leaving about one quarter of the beans whole.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  I used 1 tsp of salt and several twists of fresh cracked pepper. 

4.  Fold in the sweet potato, egg, and bread crumbs.  Divide into 8 balls of equal size and flatten into patties.

5.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the patties 1/2 inch apart.  Broil about 4 inches from heat until golden brown, about 8- 10 minutes.  Using a metal spatula carefully flip the cakes and broil until crisp on the opposite side, about 3-4 more minutes.  

6.  Serve with lime yogurt dipping sauce.

Lime Yogurt Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or sour cream if you happen to have an aversion to greek yogurt, but greek yogurt is much better for you!)
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 small jalapeño chile, minced
• Coarse salt

1.  In a small bowl combine the yogurt with the lime juice and jalapeño; season with salt.  

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

So, if you love the lettuce wraps at P.F. Changs or Pei Wei you will love these!  I will not say they are a copy cat recipe because, let's face it, copy cat recipes are never as good as the real thing, but these are absolutely delicious!

• 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1.5 tsp, peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1.5 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water
• 12-16 Boston lettuce leaves, 1-2 heads

1.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over high heat.  Add the chicken and cook stirring constantly until chicken is opaque throughout.  About 3-5 minutes.  

2.  Transfer the chicken to a plate

3.  Heat the remaining Tbsp oil in the skillet.  Add the onion and bell pepper and cook stirring constantly until onion is tender.  About 4 minutes.  You may need to reduce the heat for this step.

4.  Reduce heat to medium if you haven't already.  Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the pan.  Cook just until fragrant.  About 60 seconds.

5.  Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.

6.  Serve in lettuce wraps.

Veggie Fajitas with Black Beans

• 6 whole wheat tortillas
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Red or Green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Smoked salt and pepper, available at Mama Jeans
• Shredded cheddar cheese, I use raw smoked cheddar available at Mama Jeans
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil (why coconut oil?)
• Optional fajita seasoning if you want more flavor,  but I love them with just the smoked salt and pepper

Optional garnishes:

• Sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• Salsa
• Avocado

1.  Heat coconut oil in large skillet on medium high heat.  

2.  Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 45 seconds

3. Add onions, peppers, zucchini, and smoked salt and pepper and stir fry until slightly softened but still slightly crunchy.  3-5 minutes usually does the trick.

4.  Add black beans and fajita seasoning if you wish.  You may need to add a few drops of water to help the seasoning blend.

5.  Fill the tortillas with cooked veggies and top with cheese and your choice of garnishes.

Ours end up looking something like this...

Enjoy!