Black Bean Dip

Hello, everyone! WOOF, it's been a while! Please forgive me for the lengthy hiatus. I've been enjoying my free time since graduation last spring, and while I've been cooking up a STORM, I haven't gotten around to blogging until now!

I recently returned from my best friend's wedding in Costa Rica, which was absolute paradise! I surfed, danced, ate delicious Costa Rican food, and best of all, spent time with some of my best friends and celebrated the happy couple.

Check out #SJKTravels on social media for more pictures of my trip!

The thing about Costa Rican food that stuck out the most to me was the freshness. Fresh ingredients were combined together in simple ways and the true flavors of the ingredients shined. We ate lots of fish, chicken, rice and beans, veggies, and fruit, which might sound kind of boring, but when those foods are of high quality, the dishes are very satisfying and light! I can't help but notice how the Costa Rican cuisine echoes the national saying, "Pura vida," which simply translates to "pure life" but takes on many joyful and thankful meanings!

One dish I had that I'd never tasted before was a pureed black bean dip at Green Papaya Taco Bar in Tamarindo. It was served alongside guacamole, a spicy pepper dip, and tortilla chips, and I could have made a whole meal out of that appetizer! It was smooth, savory, light, and PURPLE!

What follows is my attempt at recreating this black bean dip! I kept the ingredients simple (as seemed to be the trend in Costa Rica). While I think I nailed the texture and flavor, my version is not nearly as beautiful as the original :( The red onion and bell pepper weren't enough to enhance the purple tone of the black beans, but damn if it isn't delicious!

The original was free of garnishes, but I love swirling a dollop of sour cream in the mix. If you're a cilantro fan, that's excellent on top as well. My lunch today consisted of avocado toast with sliced tomato and a side of chips and this black bean dip, a meal I highly recommend!

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Black Bean Dip

by Saucy Jocey's Kitchen March-13-2016

Costa Rican-inspired Black Bean Dip is smooth, savory, and light!

Ingredients

• 1/2 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30 oz canned black beans
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• Juice of a lime
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Optional: sour cream and cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.2. Chop 1/2 onion and the bell pepper in 1 - 2 inch chunks. Toss with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper on a baking sheet.3. Roast onions and bell pepper at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes.4. While the onions and peppers are roasting, drain and rinse the canned black beans. Peel the garlic clove and juice the lime.5. When the roasting is complete, blend all (non-optional) ingredients in a food processor until smooth. You may have to scrape down the sides and re-blend a few times.6. Serve with tortilla chips. Swirl a dollop of sour cream on top and sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: Cook time: Total time: 15 mins Yield: 2.5 cups

1. - 2. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Chop the 1/2 onion and red bell pepper in large chunks and toss with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper.

3. Roast at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Prepare for your house to smell savory and heavenly.

4. While the veggies roast, drain and rinse the black beans, peel the clove of garlic, and juice the lime.

5. a. When roasting is complete, add everything (except the sour cream and cilantro) to the food processor and blend!

5. b. You may have to scrape down the sides and re-blend a few times in order to get the dip completely smooth.

5. c. The final result should be smooth with very few chunks left in it!

7. Serve with tortilla chips! Swirl in some sour cream and sprinkle with cilantro if you'd like. The final result has a fresh, savory taste to it with a little hint of sweetness from the roasted onion and bell pepper. It's both filling and light at the same time! I have a sneaking suspicion that this dip smeared on a tortilla would make any taco better. Challenge accepted!

P.S. Isn't this little turtle cute?! It's a whistle and the favor from the wedding, which I think I will make into an ornament.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are such a fun added bonus to the pumpkin carving experience! They're a great blank canvas for sweet or savory seasonings, and I thought I'd go with a little bit of both for this recipe. It's autumn overload in the best way - Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds! Sweet and spicy Pumpkin Pie Spice mixes with salt and sugar for a perfectly festive fall snack.  

Featured in La Petite Fashionista Magazine!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Pumpkin Pie Spice

Makes 1 cup

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Clean pumpkin seeds in a colander under running water. Remove any pumpkin membrane.

3. Pat seeds dry with a paper towel.

4. Mix all ingredients together.

5. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 15 – 17 minutes. All ovens are different, so watch the seeds carefully at the end of the cook time. 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Clean the fresh pumpkin seeds. It can be a messy job getting those seeds out! They're a wonderful added bonus to pumpkin carving though, a tasty roasted autumnal snack.

2. continued - Place the seeds an a colander under running water and rinse rinse rinse.

 2. continued - The goal is to get rid of all of the orange membrane from the pumpkin. Remove any orange pieces you see.

2. continued - Nice and clean!

3. Place the seeds in a relatively flat pile on a paper towel and pat dry.

3. continued - Make a little paper towel-pumpkin seed sandwich and pat off as much moisture as you can. The seeds will roast better if they are dry!

4. Mix all ingredients together.

5. Spread the pumpkin seeds out as evenly as possible on a baking sheet. I almost always line my baking sheets with aluminum foil (regardless of what I'm cooking) for easy clean-up! I didn't find it necessary to grease the baking sheet. The oil on the seeds make them release just fine! 6. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Watch the seeds closely towards the end! Every oven is different and the seeds can quickly go from golden brown to burnt.

Pineapple Cilantro Lime Marinade

Happy summertime, friends! Paul and I absolutely love firing up the grill in the summer. We both have a mild grilled-pineapple addiction, so oftentimes we throw together some shish kabobs with pineapple, bell peppers, onions, and either steak or chicken, make some rice, and boom! Dinner is done. I got to daydreaming about a marinade that would incorporate our love for pineapple and be perfect for grilling, and this pineapple cilantro lime marinade is what happened!

The smell of charcoal makes me so happy! Is that weird? Our new townhouse has a nice big back porch, so I'm excited to buy a patio set one of these days and throw a cookout! Kabobs are definitely crowd pleasers. You can get creative with different meat, fruit, and veggie combos with different marinades!

This marinade is so zesty and summery! The pineapple flavor is strong (in the best way) and the lime juice balances the sweetness nicely. I'm a sucker for cilantro, and I think it's the perfect herb in combination with the pineapple and lime. Last but not least, a little cumin and onion powder a bring some depth and a savory smokiness to the marinade. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Featured in La Petite Fashionista Magazine!

Pineapple Cilantro Lime Marinade

Marinade for 1 lb of meat

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Marinating Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 lime (for zest and juice)

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp black pepper

1. Rinse and chop cilantro.

2. Zest the lime.

3. Juice the lime and whisk all ingredients together.

4. Mix meat and marinade together.

5. Cover meat and marinade (or seal in a zip top bag) and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

6. Cook as you please! Grilling with pineapple, bell pepper, and onion is recommended.

1. Rinse and chop the cilantro.

2. Zest the lime.

3. Juice the lime and mix all of the ingredients together! So easy.

4. & 5. Mix the meat and the marinade together, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for an hour. Putting everything in a zip lock bag in the fridge works too! Here I chopped up chicken breasts in large chunks because I happen to be making shish kabobs, but you could marinate whole pieces of chicken as well! This marinade would be fantastic with steak, fish, or pork tenderloin! 

6. Cook the meat however you like! I love this marinade in shish-kabob form. I'm a sucker for grilled pineapple! I like to chop onion, bell pepper, and pineapple into large chunks and skewer them up with the chicken and grill! Here are the details of how I chop the accompaniments - I chop the top off of the bell pepper.

6. Continued:  Cut the fleshy part of the bell pepper away from the center. Cut as much of the white ribs off as possible (I hadn't trimmed the ribs yet in this picture).

6. Continued: Cut the outsides of the pepper into 1.5-2 inch pieces.

6. Continued: For the onion. Slice the scrunched up ends off of the onion.

6. Continued: Place the flat side of the onion down on the cutting board and cut the onion in half from the top.

6. Continued: Peel the onion apart and cut into 1.5-2 inch chunks. I like to peel the onion 2 layers at a time. I usually skewer two onion pieced together. I feel like they grill better and don't burn as quickly when they are packed together a little thicker.

6. Continued: Chop the pineapple in big chunks!

Slide the chicken, pepper, onion, and pineapple onto skewers repeating the pattern until all of the pieces are skewered! I way prefer metal skewers over wooden skewers - you don't have to deal with splintering wood! Grill the skewers up and enjoy!

Quinoa Tuna and White Bean Salad

If you're looking for a simple, healthy, and protein-packed lunch, this is it my friends! I'm obsessed with the Tuna and White Bean Salad recipe from Budget Bytes. It's ridiculously easy, light, and filling! I was in the mood to experiment with quinoa and I thought it would make a great addition to the recipe. Shredded carrots and broccoli slaw add some crunch for a nice texture variation, plus you work in some veggies! The lemon juice perfectly balances the richness of the beans and tuna. We all know fish + citrus is a winning combination. Throw is all together and you've got the perfect lunch!

Quinoa Tuna and White Bean Salad

Makes 3 cups

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

5 oz solid white albacore tuna in water

15 oz Great Northern beans (but any white bean will do)

1/3 cup dry quinoa (plus 2/3 cup water for cooking)

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup broccoli slaw

2 green onions

1 lemon

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Thoroughly rinse and drain quinoa in a mesh strainer.

2. Bring quinoa and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all water is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Drain tuna.

4. Drain and rinse white beans.

5. Juice half of the lemon and discard seeds.

6. Slice the green onions.

7. When the quinoa is done cooking spread it on a plate and allow to cool in the refrigerator for a few minutes (This is a cold salad. If you cooked the quinoa ahead of time, skip this step!)

8. Mix tuna, beans, quinoa, carrots, broccoli slaw, green onions, lemon juice, and olive oil together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Step-by-step Photos 

1. Thoroughly rinse and drain the quinoa. I hope you all have a larger mesh strainer than I do :( It took a few rounds to rinse all the quinoa! I'm adding a large mesh strainer to my shopping list...

2. Bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Drain the tuna. 4. Rinse and drain the white beans. Any white beans will do, but I used Great Northern beans!

5. Juice half of the lemon and discard seeds. Use the other half of the lemon for whatever you please :) This citrus juicer belonged to my Grandma Mary. It's very special to me. My mom gave it to me at my bridal shower and I proceeded to cry like a baby.

6. Slice the green onions. I think it's prettiest if you slice them on a diagonal!

7. Cooking the quinoa ahead of time is ideal, that way it has time to cool. But if you can't cook it ahead of time, just spread it out on a plate (so it cools faster) and put the plate in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. It cools pretty quickly. I suppose you could eat this as a warm salad if you want, but I like it cold and crisp.

8 a. Mix it all together! I found the shredded carrots and broccoli slaw in pre-prepared bags in the produce section. So. Easy.

8 b. Add salt and pepper to taste. Freshly cracked is the best, but any ol' salt and pepper will work of course. This salad can hold up to a good amount of salt because of the tuna. Just add a little and give it a taste test, and add more if you need to!

I hope you all enjoy this salad! The olive oil and lemon dressing makes it perfect for summertime - so bright and fresh. The tuna, white beans, and quinoa pack a protein punch, and you get a lovely crunch from the carrots and broccoli! 

My Big Fat Greek Recipe Collection

In honor of Greek Easter on Sunday, I thought I'd compile and share my Greek recipe posts! Greek Easter as a youngster for me meant celebrating with loads of family, loads of food, and an Easter egg hunt with hundreds of eggs filled with candy and cash (not just coins my friend, bills. The Greeks don't mess around with Easter).

Even if you don't celebrate Greek Easter (or Easter at all), look at Sunday as an excuse to eat Greek food! It's also Cinco de Mayo - What's a girl to do? Greek for lunch, Mexican for dinner probably. Check out my Cinco de Mayo Pinterest board for recipes and entertaining ideas!

Pictured to the left is little-me and my Papou :) Some of my fondest memories of him are of him coming over to my house and cooking for us, dictating the recipes to my parents. My parents gifted me with those written recipes a few months ago, and I was so happy I was brought to tears.

I feel the most connected to my Greek culture when I'm cooking! Below are some recipes from my family, some from me, and there is a whole recipe book full of more to come! Enjoy!

  Not only is Greek Salad undoubtedly DELICIOUS, but Greek Salad Dressing is extra virgin olive oil and vinegar based, do it's healthy! I love making a chunky salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and red onions. One of my go-to pot luck/tailgate/picnic dishes is Greek Pasta Salad, which is just the normal salad with rotini pasta and chicken! It's wonderful with or without the chicken.

One of my favorite dishes of all time is a Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce. For me, the more garlic, the better, which is why I could pretty much eat tzatziki sauce plain by the spoonful. There's only one time in my life when I uttered the words "Well that's just too much damn garlic." I was eating skordalia at a restaurant and my dad (the only full-blooded Greek at the table) was the only one who could eat the seemingly half potato, half garlic spread, which is usually very tasty, but had gone a little overkill this time. Anyway, the point is, if you love garlic, you will love tzatziki sauce! Try it if you haven't already!

These 3 recipes are straight from my grandparents' recipe book. Tiropita is a savory cheese pie, which is enticing enough I think! The phyllo dough is buttery and flaky and the cheese filling is hot and creamy... You can't beat it. You just can't. 

Dolmades are stuffed grape leaves, and just about every recipe for the filling is different. Ours is ground beef and rice based, but there are quite a few vegetarian versions out there too! These little bite-sized meaty bundles are the perfect hor d'ouevre!

Last but not least, for dessert - the simple, understated perfection that is Rice Pudding. It's nothing fancy, but it's my FAVORITE. I even like it better than baklava! I know, I know, where's the baklava? It's still in the book! Coming soon though :) don't worry.

Check out My Big Fat Greek Recipe Board on Pinterest! 

I hope you all enjoy my family's recipes :) It makes me happy to be able to share the love and share the food. It's the Greek woman in me - I need to feed people. Now go eat some Greek food!