Puerto Rican-Style Rice in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker)

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Kari's Puerto Rican-Style Rice in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker)


1 cup chopped sweet onion
3 small chopped red and yellow sweet peppers (1/2 cup)
5-6 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 Tbsp)
4 pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp Mexican oregano
1/2-1 tsp salt (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp parsley flakes
2 twists fresh-ground black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can small red beans, rinsed and drained (or substitute another favorite bean such as pinto, kidney, or pigeon pea)
3 cups water
handful cilantro, chopped (1/4 cup)
2 cups long-grain white rice

1.  Set Instant Pot to "Saute."  Chop and saute in a small amount of water, adding as you go: onion, peppers, garlic, and olives.  Add more water in small amounts as needed to prevent sticking/burning.
2.  Add spices: pepper flakes, oregano, salt, cumin, parsley flakes, and black pepper.  Saute a couple minutes to "toast" spices.
3.  Add tomatoes, water, beans, and cilantro.  Cook and stir a minute or two.
4.  Add rice.
5.  Place lid on Instant Pot.  Place vent in sealed position.  Select "rice" setting to cook.  This will cook for 12 minutes after reaching pressure. 
6.  When timer sounds, turn off.  Release pressure by turning valve to "venting."  When all the pressure is released, remove lid.  Stir and fluff rice.  Serve.

Note:  You can also make this in a regular pan with a tight-fitting lid on the stovetop.  You will need to cook the rice about 20 minutes.  If you prefer to use brown rice, adjust cooking times accordingly.

Banana-Walnut Muffins

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Kari's Banana-Walnut Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

3 tsp Ener-g Egg Replacer
1/4 cup water
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2 Tbsp Ener-g Rice Bran
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/3 cup very ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray nonstick muffin cups with baking spray.

In small bowl, whisk together egg replacer and water; set aside.

In mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients; set aside.

In medium bowl or 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine bananas, applesauce, vanilla, and egg replacer mixture.  Add banana mixture to dry mixture and stir together until all dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in walnuts.  Divide batter equally between 12 muffin cups.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Chickpea Flour Omelette Taco with Salsa

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Tunisian Fusion (Sweet Potato-Rice Stew)

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Kari's Tunisian Fusion (Sweet Potato-Rice Stew)
Serves 4-6

This recipe was inspired by Mary McDougall's Tunisian Sweet Potato Stew and my craving for congee.  Rich, tomato-y sauce is thickened by brown rice, long-cooked in large amounts of water.  

1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and quartered (or more, if desired)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tps red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown basmati rice
water (about 15 cups total)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel vegan no-salt cubes)
1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can no-salt tomato sauce
3 cups chopped Napa cabbage (or regular green cabbage)
1 cup cut green beans (I used frozen)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in small chunks
1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp each chopped fresh parsley and cilantro

In a large pot, saute onion, adding water as necessary to prevent burning, until onion is golden brown.  Add garlic, ginger and jalapeno; saute a couple minutes.  Add cumin, ground coriander, pepper flakes and cinnamon; cook and stir 1 minute. 

Add 8 cups water and vegetable bouillon; bring to a boil and stir in rice.  Cook uncovered over med-high heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add 4 cups boiling water and continue cooking 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, green beans, cabbage, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and 3 more cups boiling water.  Cook over medium heat 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add peanut butter, salt, and raisins.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 30 minutes.

Stir in cilantro and parsley.

Serve with favorite flatbread or over cooked grains or couscous. 

Yam and Sweet Potato

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Kari's Oatmeal-Raisin Bar Cookies

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Kari's Oatmeal-Raisin Bar Cookies

(makes 18)

3 tsp Ener-G egg Replacer

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup sunflower seed butter

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 3/4 cup oats

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375.

In small bowl, combine egg replacer with water; set aside.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger; set aside.

In large bowl, combine applesauce, sunflower seed butter, brown sugar and vanilla; add egg replacer and stir until well combined. Add flour mixture and coconut. Stir in raisins. Transfer batter to a 11x7 baking pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into 18 bars.

Nutrition per serving: 128 calories, 3.3g fat, 2.5g protein, 23.6g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 12.5g sugars, 7.6g starch,



Black Bean Patties

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Kari's Black Bean Patties (makes 12 patties)
　
1/2 cup kasha (buckwheat) cooked in 1 cup water, cooled (makes about 1 1/2 cups cooked)

1/4 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), pulse in food processor or chop in smaller pieces

1 medium onion, minced

1 rib celery, minced　

1/4 cup bell pepper (red, green, or combination), minced

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

One 15.5 oz can Trader Joe's Cuban Style Black beans (or 2 cups cooked black beans)

1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

2 twists freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup P.A.N. brand precooked white corn meal


Cook kasha and chop pepitas. Set aside.

Sauté onion and celery until soft and beginning to brown, adding a small amount of water if necessary. Add bell pepper and serrano chile; saute a couple minutes longer then remove from heat.

Place TJ's black beans in a large mixing bowl; mash some with the back of a spoon. Add oregano, granulated garlic, cumin, nutritional yeast, black pepper, cilantro, and soy sauce. Add cooked kasha and pepitas. Mix and mash together until combined. Add P.A.N. corn meal, stirring until mixture is uniform and no dry corn meal remains. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes in refrigerator.

To form patties: Take mixture by 1/3 cupful. Form into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Patties can be placed on a tray, chilled, and cooked later or cooked immediately.

Pan fry or grill. I used the George Foreman grill, cooking patties 5 minutes.

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