Cuisine: Beans

Yellow Eye Bean Soup

These Yellow Eye Beans are from Rancho Gordo. They are amazing heirloom bean producers located in Napa, California. I decided to make this rustic Yellow Eye Bean Soup from The New York Times. These beans are absolutely incredible, and very creamy inside. These beans are rich, creamy, and mild and are traditionally used for New England style baked beans. There is nothing better on a cold night than to have rustic bean soup with some crusty bread.

By Leslie Blythe

Bloody Mary Sausage Casserole

Bloody Marys aren’t just for breakfast. This Bloody Mary Sausage Casserole uses spicy Bloody Mary mix, which gives it a nice kick. The bacon-wrapped sausage is braised in the oven with white beans, a perfect combination.

By Leslie Blythe

Cheesy White Bean & Leek Casserole

I found this recipe for Cheesy White Bean & Leek Casserole on a package of dried beans when we lived in London in the ‘90s. As the Brits would say, this is cheap and cheerful! It’s actually one of our favorites. I haven’t made it in years and now will keep it in rotation.

By Leslie Blythe

Lentil Chickpea Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing

This Lentil Chickpea Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and a power bowl of nutrition. It lasts in the fridge for up to 5 days, which makes it the perfect packable lunch.

By Leslie Blythe

Cheesy White Bean & Sausage Tomato Bake

I made this Cheesy White Bean & Sausage Tomato Bake last night for dinner and it got rave reviews. The original recipe did not have any sausage. you can leave out the sausage and then it's paleo, sugar-free, low-carb, gluten-free, whole30, and vegetarian! It is so fast and easy to make and it's all done in one pan.

By Leslie Blythe

Jennifer Aniston Friends Salad

I guess I might as well jump on the bandwagon with this recipe that is flooding the internet. Actually, the reason I made it is because I can never figure out what to have for lunch. I absolutely hate eating the food I make while catering because I've shopped for it, cooked it, and served it. By that time, I want something else.

This is the salad that Jennifer Aniston ate every day for 10 years on the set of Friends. What I like about it is that it's very versatile, you can easily adapt it to suit your taste. I used a packet of ready-made 7 grains instead of bulgar. You could use quinoa, brown rice, or any combination. You can change the kind of cheese, nuts, etc. Next time I make this, I will use green onions instead of red onions, I'm not a fan of red onions even after I soak them in water to remove some of the "oniony" taste. Anyway, it's a very good, healthy and nutritious lunch.

By Leslie Blythe

Herby Buttered Mushrooms and Wild Rice

Mushrooms have a "meaty" texture and a strong umami flavor. Umami is the fifth basic taste and was discovered by a Japanese scientist. Umami in Japanese means “a pleasant savory taste." Herby Buttered Mushrooms and Wild Rice is a delicious satisfying dish. The earthy, nutty flavor of the wild rice marries well with the buttery mushrooms.

By Leslie Blythe

Margherita Pizza Beans

I love this recipe for Margherita Pizza Beans. If you have lots of tomatoes from your garden, this is a great way to use them. It's basically an Italian "beans on toast". Serve it with a fresh green salad and you have a meal your family will be asking you to make again.

By Leslie Blythe

Lentil Salad with Lemon Dressing

This Lentil Salad with Lemon Dressing great for a picnic. The combination of cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and fresh mint goes perfectly with the lemony dressing. Lentils are an excellent source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. They are high in protein, fiber and a great choice for the heart and for managing blood pressure and cholesterol. I could go on with even more health benefits of lentils!

By Leslie Blythe

Lamb Chili

My father has been going through some major health issues and needs to eat more. We were out at a restaurant and he ordered Lamb Chili, which he absolutely loved. I decided to make him a big pot of it and have included two methods - stovetop and Instant Pot. This was definitely a labor of love given that I really hate lamb!

By Leslie Blythe