Black Bean Spinach Pepper Potatoes

Wishing you a delicious Monday!

Ever have leftover baked potatoes and wonder what to do with them?

They just sit around unhappily in the fridge.

This happens frequently in my household. I love to fry them up in my cast iron skillet with spinach, bell peppers and black beans. I often top this hash with salsa for a delicious vegan lunch. It's also great with a sunny side up egg for breakfast, or served with fish or meat for dinner. You can whip this dish up from scratch by simply precooking some potatoes in the microwave or oven first. 

Black Bean Spinach Pepper Potatoes

Serves 2 people

Gluten-free; vegan

Cooking time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 large russet potato, cooked and chopped

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 cups baby spinach

1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

salsa for garnishing (optional)

fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cumin reduce the heat to medium. Saute for one minute until fragrant. Add the peppers and potatoes and cook until the peppers are beginning to soften (about three to four minutes). 

2. Add the baby spinach and quickly wilt. Fold in the beans and cook for another few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve topped with fresh salsa or chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Sausage, Zucchini & Bell Pepper Pasta (Gluten-Free)

Happy Monday!

The gluten-free journey continues, and so far I feel much healthier. Though I'd been pretty strictly gluten-free when I started this blog, I'd fallen off the wagon, and consequently, my health suffered. BIG TIME. So I'm back to to it and no more shortcuts this time—I've seen the light!

I'm sure you've heard the news about the Mediterranean diet's health benefits and how it could ward off thirty percent of heart attacks and strokes, so I thought I'd share a gluten-free pasta recipe. In today's world there are so many great options for gluten-free folks, including lots of pasta choices. For this recipe, I used an organic brown rice rotini from Trader Joe's.

This yummy recipe is simple to make and super yummy with no gluten or dairy (cheese). I saute chicken sausage (organic Italian variety from Applegate that's gluten-free) with zucchini and orange bell pepper. I toss the sausage-vegetable mixture with the cooked pasta and top with just a little chopped parsley (basil would be great, too). The resulting dish is healthier than many traditional pasta recipes, but just as satisfying. I might even make it for dinner again tonight.

Sausage, Zucchini & Bell Pepper Pasta (Gluten-Free)

Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Gluten-free; dairy-free

Ingredients

1 package gluten-free pasta (such as the organic brown rice rotini from Trader Joe's)
1 package Italian sausage (Applegate makes a good gluten-free variety)
1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped plus more for garnishing
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Bowl water for the pasta and cook according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and reduce heat to medium. Saute for one minute. Add the zucchini and bell pepper and cook until beginning to soften (about five minutes). Add the sausage and cook for two minutes, until heated through (the sausage should come precooked, but if not then make sure to cook first). Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Toss the sausage-vegetable mixture with the pasta, adding a little pasta water and/or olive oil if needed to keep moist. Garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy!