Ancho Black Bean Tortilla Soup with Homemade Baked Tortilla Strips

This Ancho Black Bean Tortilla Soup is a hearty and tasty vegan dish that is great for cold days. The ancho chili and paprika add a smokey flavor that goes well with the earthy black beans. This soup is tasty on its own or as a starter because it comes with crunchy tortilla strips that were baked at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 dried ancho chili, seeded and diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans 15 ounces each black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can 14
• 5 ounces diced tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 corn tortillas

Instructions:

Before you start cooking, heat the oven to 375F 190C

In a big pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat

Put in the red bell pepper, onion, and garlic

For about 5 minutes, or until softened, saut

You can add oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and diced ancho chili and mix them in

Go on and cook for two more minutes

Put in the black beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth

Turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes

Put the tortillas on top of each other and cut them into thin strips

Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and put the strips on it

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crispy, flipping them over halfway through

To taste, add salt, pepper, and lime juice to the soup

Serve the soup hot with homemade baked tortilla strips and chopped cilantro on top

Easy Spinach and Ricotta Pasta with Peppers

Ricotta cheese adds a creamy richness to this easy pasta dish, which also has bright spinach and sweet bell peppers. Its an easy, quick meal thats great for busy weeknights.

Ingredients:

• 250g pasta penne or fusilli
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions

Drain and set aside

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat

Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant

Add sliced bell peppers to the skillet and saut until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes

Stir in chopped spinach and cook until wilted

Add cooked pasta to the skillet, followed by ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan

Toss everything together until well combined

Season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese if desired

Grilled Green Chile Cheeseburgers

There is a hint of heat from the roasted green chiles in these Grilled Green Chile Cheeseburgers. Its great for a summer barbecue

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 hamburger buns
• 4 slices of pepper jack cheese
• 4 roasted green chiles, peeled and deseeded
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 4 slices of tomato
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil, for grilling

Instructions:

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat

Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions and shape them into burger patties

Season with salt and black pepper

Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil to prevent sticking

Place the burger patties on the grill and cook for about 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium doneness

During the last minute of grilling, add a slice of pepper jack cheese to each patty and allow it to melt

While the burgers are grilling, toast the hamburger buns on the grill until theyre lightly browned

To assemble the burgers, place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each bun, followed by a tomato slice, a green chile, and a burger patty with melted cheese

Top with red onion slices and the other half of the bun

Serve hot and enjoy your Grilled Green Chile Cheeseburgers

Cutting Garden Cocktail

This cocktail with herbs will make your happy hour feel more fresh. When you mix gin, elderflower liqueur, and fresh herbs, you get a drink that tastes like a walk through a fragrant garden.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin
• 0
• 5 oz elderflower liqueur
• 0
• 75 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0
• 5 oz simple syrup
• 4-6 fresh basil leaves
• 2 slices cucumber

Instructions:

In a shaker, muddle basil leaves and cucumber slices

Add gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup

Fill shaker with ice and shake well

Strain into a chilled coupe glass

Garnish with a basil leaf and cucumber slice

Loaded Avocado Toast with Guacamole

This tasty loaded avocado toast with guacamole, fresh tomatoes, ricotta cheese, and fragrant thyme will make your breakfast or snack more interesting.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 slices of whole-grain bread

Instructions:

Cut the avocados in half, take out the pit, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl

Put salt, pepper, and lime juice in the bowl with the avocados

Use a fork to mash the avocados until the guacamole is the consistency you want

You can choose how to toast the whole-grain bread slices

Cover every toasted piece of bread with a thick layer of guacamole

Diced tomatoes and ricotta cheese should be put on top of the guacamole on each slice

Add fresh thyme leaves on top of the other ingredients

Serve your loaded avocado toast right away and enjoy it

Almond Chia Pumpkin Seed Bread

This almond chia pumpkin seed bread is a delicious and nutritious vegan option packed with plant-based protein and healthy fats. Its perfect for breakfast or as a snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Warm the oven up to 175F 350C

Put ground flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl

Toss the dry ingredients together with the almond milk and maple syrup until everything is well mixed

Put the batter into a loaf pan that has been greased

Put it in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean

The bread should cool in the pan for 10 minutes before being moved to a wire rack to cool completely before being sliced

Lentil Taco

These lentil tacos are a vegan meal that is both healthy and filling. Lentils are a healthy alternative to traditional taco fillings because they are high in protein and fiber. Plus they dont have gluten

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Corn tortillas, for serving
• Toppings of your choice: avocado, lettuce, tomato, salsa, vegan cheese, etc

Instructions:

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan

Lower the heat, add the lentils, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is gone

Put olive oil in a skillet and heat it over medium-low heat while the lentils are cooking

Put in the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it gets soft

Spice it up with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper

Go on and cook for two more minutes

Put the lentils that have been cooked in the pan with the onion and spices

Mix everything together, then cook for 5 more minutes

You can warm corn tortillas in the microwave or a dry pan

Put the lentil mix inside the tortillas and then add your favorite toppings on top

Serve right away and enjoy