Creamy Cannellini Bean Potato Salad

Do you ever make cold potato salad when it is not summer? I can’t remember a time when I have. Is that strange? Maybe a little, but it probably has more to do with never wanting to turn the oven on in the summer to cook anything or eating anything that is hot. And fall and winter is not time for anytime cold, I just want my potatoes hot.

I just reasoned myself my own question.

Anyway, cold potato salad. A classic summertime staple just in time for all the BBQ’s, picnics, lazy days spent at home doing nothing , and basically eating anywhere, anytime. Yes,a great side dish but I have been known to have myself a little bowl here or there for a nice snack. Heck, it would make for a nice filling breakfast treat as well. It’s your potato salad ad you can it it whenever you dang well please.

This potato salad is pretty classic in the since that is is boiled potatoes covered with creaminess except the creaminess comes form beans and not mayo. And let me tell you, the mayo is not missed in the slightest here. The bean cream is made from cannellini beans which when blended, are nice and smooth and not overly beany. Added to the cream is pickle juice and mustard for a slight tang. And it all gets mixed together with onions to complete the dish. Simple yes, but so good. And because it is mayo free, everyone can eat it, making it a perfect side dish to bring along or share at any eating event with people that might have a different style of eating. Because we all deserve some so good potato salad, don’t ya think?

Now to the potato salad!

The stuff. Potatoes, caneillini beans, an onion, a few cloves garlic, brown mustard, ground flax seeds, pickle juice, and salt and pepper

Start by dicing up potatoes into inch-ish sized chunks.

Rinse then place the potatoes into a pot completely submerged in cold water. Sprinkle in a good pinch of salt and set on stove to boil.

In the mean time, dice up onions into small pieces. Also chop garlic into smaller pieces.

Place onions into a big bowl along with a pinch of salt and1/4 cup of pickle juice (or vinegar if you prefer)

Now make bean cream. Strain all the liquid from the beans then place 1/4 cup back in. Add the rest of the pickle juice, the mustard, the chipped garlic, and the ground flax seed. Blend until smooth.

Once the potatoes are nice and from tender, remove from heat and strain away the liquid.

Toss the warm potatoes into the bowl with the pickling onion. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes so potatoes have time to cool and absorb picking liquid.

When potatoes have slightly cooled, dump the bean puree an and toss until combined.

And there you have it, super delicious creamy cannellini bean potato salad. If you want to be a little fancy, dice up something green (I used broccoli) to sprinkle on top. It never hurts!

Happy Summertime eating!

-C

---

Creamy Cannellini Bean Potato Salad

• About 2 1/2 pounds potatoes ( I used Yukon gold)

• a large onion

• 2 heaping tablespoons spicy brown mustard

• 1 heaping tablespoon ground flax seed

• 2 cups cooked cannellini beans with 1/4 cup bean liquid

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup pickle juice (or any type of vinegar)

• salt and pepper

Start by dicing up potatoes into cubes about and inch big. Place potatoes in a large pot, rinse in water, strain, then refill pot with cold water until all potatoes are submerged. Add a large pinch of salt to pot and then stick pot on high heat on stove until it starts to boil. Once water is boiling, lower heat but keep at a soft boil. Cook potatoes until fork tender which should take about 15 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, dice up the onion into small pieces. Place in a large bowl along with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of pickle juice. Toss around and set aside.

The cannellini bean cream. Strain the beans but reserve 1/4 cup of liquid. Add liquid back to beans along with the other 1/4 cup pickle juice, the garlic, the mustard and flax seeds, and a small pinch of salt and lots of pepper. With either a hand blender or regular blender, blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Also if the puree seems really thick, add in another splash of pickle juice. To thin, add in another tablespoon ground flax seeds.

Once potatoes are fully cooked, strain from water and toss the potatoes, still warm, into the bowl with the onions. Gently toss around and let sit for a few minutes to cool and absorb any pickle liquid. Once the potatoes cooled off a bit, dump the bean cream into the bowl and toss around until potatoes are all evenly coated.

And that is it. You can be fancy and spindle something green like some chopped dill or parsley or broccol on top for a little color and flavor…If you want.

And then eat right away still slightly warm or stick in the fridge to completely chill and eat cold. Last for 3-4 day in the fridge covered.

Chickpea Flour Onion Rings

I love me some onions, I mean I eat one everyday so I asked myself why the heck haven’t I made onion rings before? Probably because when I usually think onion rings, I think greasy and fried and that is not really my jam. But early in the week the lightbulb went off in my brain. I have been making a lot of stuff with bean flours lately and thought that chickpea flour would make an excellent batter for onions. And low and behold, I was right. Very very right.

These onion rings are so f-ing amazing. Sure they might not be the most traditional of onion ring but they are for sure just as good. A spicy crispy crunchy outer layer with a soft and creamy onion inside. Baked, not fried, and just really delightful. Easy to throw together and yeah, you got onion rings. I have made them twice this week already. Probably going to make them again tonight because why the hell not? They are simply a vegetable covered in bean. I should be eating them every day and you probably should be eating them everyday too.

Now to the onion rings!

The stuff. Onions (I used valida but any sweet variety will work) chickpea flour, spices (garlic, ginger, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and a pick or red pepper flakes), warm water, oil, and salt and pepper.

Mix up the batter. All the spices get mix together with the chickpea flour. Add in the water and then mix unit completely combined and all batter like.

Cut onions into rings.

Dip the onions into the batter and place on a oiled baking sheet. Try not to overlap too much and use the insides of large rings to place the small ones!

Into the oven and out of the oven. Crispy, dark, and delicious!

Get those rings onto a plate while they are hot, grab some dipping sauce of choice (tahini for me) and eat.

Get into this.

-C

---

Chickpea Flour Onion Rings

• 3/4 cup checkpea flour

• 1 teaspoon each cumin and chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic, paprika and ground ginger

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• 2 medium sized valida onions (or whatever onions you have)

• 3/4 cup warm water

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• cracked pepper

• tablespoon or so of oil to oil baking sheet

Preheat oven to 425.

In a wide bottomed bowl mix together the chickpea flour. salt. and all the spices. Add in the warm water and mix until completely incorporated and smooth. You want the batter to coat the onions when dipped but not be overly thick. If you think it needs to thicken up a bit, add a tablespoon more chickpea flour. To thin it, just add a splash more water.

Grab onions and peel off papery skin then slice into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds. Take onion rings and dip them into the batter then place rings on a large oiled baking sheet. Try not to overlap to much and definitely place smaller rings inside bigger rings. Also use a second baking sheet if you need to.

Once rings are all battered, place in preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, giving them a flip atfter about 25-30 minutes.

Once dark brown and crispy, remove from the oven. Place rings on a plate and eat. Dipping sauce recommendation is tahini but anything or nothing at all is also right.

Carrot Ginger Brown Rice Pilaf

Do you have a shit ton of rice? I know of at least a few people that might have gone overboard with their rice stock so I think it might be safe to assume that many more did too. And that’s cool, just as long as you eat it. No one like a food waster.

But are you bored with plan rice? Well I got you. Rice is so easy to jazz up. Add a little this, add a little that, and you’ve got yourself a rice dish among the greats. Even better, toast the rice a little before cooking it and you end up with a even better, flavorful rice. That is fact.

Carrot ginger is a classic flavor combination and can pair with just about any other flavors so you don’t have to think too hard about what else to serve with it. And really, you could just eat a big bowl of the rice. There is no need for anything else. It has it all. Grain, veggies, and seeds or nuts… All you need is a fork (or spoon if you are like that) and an open mouth and you are golden.

Now to the rice pilaf!

The stuff. Long grain brown rice, a couple carrots, some fresh ginger, garlic, an onion, soy sauce, olive oil, water, and pepper.

Grab onion and dice it up really small. Shredded or julienne the carrots.

Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a pot. Add in the onions and start on medium heat and let them cook for a few minutes. Then add in the carrots and keep cooking for a few more minutes until they become slightly tender.

Mince the garlic and the ginger.

Add that freshly minced garlic and ginger to the pot and give it a good stir. Add in the rice now as well and cook for another few minutes , stirring it once or twice until you can smell the toasty-ness of the rice. Then add in the water and soy.

Bring the pot to a boil then turn heat down to the lowest simmer. Pop a top on the pot and let cook, undisturbed, for about 30ish minutes, or until all the liquid has absorbed into the rice.

Once rice is cooked, grab a fork and fluff then pop the lid back on and let it rest for 5-ish minutes. Trust, this makes the rice so just do it.

And then the rice is done, all fluffy and flavorful. Add some green something for a little pretty and yum. Also added a handful of toasted sunflower seeds because why the heck not.

-C

---

Carrot Ginger Brown Rice Pilaf

makes 3-4 servings

• 3/4 cup long grain brown jasmine rice

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 1 small onion

• 2 carrots (about 2 cups shredded)

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• pepper

• 1/2 cup toasted sunflower or any other seeds or nuts you have on hand (optional)

Start by dicing up the onion and shredding or julienning the carrot into small pieces. Place into medium pot along with olive oil and set on medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until the slightly tender.

Mince garlic and fresh ginger and add it to the pot with carrots and onions. Add in dried rice too and keep cooking on medium heat until the rice smells toasty. Add in the soy and the water. Bring pot to a boil then reduce to lowest simmer you got. Place a lid on top and cook for 30ish minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Once the rice has the liquid, remove the pot from the heat and fluff it with a fork. Place lid back on pot and let the rice rest for 5ish more minutes.

Then eat. I think adding a handful of some crunchy seeds or nut and maybe something green only adds to the rice so go for it if you have it around.

ChickPeas and Peas

I am all about the quick meal. Sure I love me some kitchen time, but sometimes I just want good food good and fast. Chickpeas lightly sautéed, tossed with fresh green peas, thin pieces of raw onion, and tahini sauce. Sounds easy and so simple right? Well it is, simply freaking fantastic.

I am also thinking ahead to those summertime cookouts or when people are flowing through the house in need of food. This is a definite dish to bring to a cookout of potluck dinner situation. You know, when we can do those things safely again. Until then, I make it and eat it to my face. Now you should too.

To the chickpea and peas!

The stuff. Chickpeas, peas, an onion, some tahini, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, and a little oil. Also need a splash of chickpea waster or regular water. And pepper, if you want it.

Tahini, soy, vinegar, and a little bit of chickpea water. Stir until smooth and creamy.

Cut up onion, nice and thin like.

Now sauté chickpeas. Drain and rinse the beans and lightly coat a pan with oil. Toss chickpeas into pan on medium high heat and cook until they start to brown.

Once the chickpeas have somef dark color, toss in the peas and the onion. Mix it all tougher and turn heat off.

Dump it all into the bowl with the tahini sauce and mix it all together.

Add pepper, grab a fork, eat.

-C

---

ChickPeas and Peas

Serves 1-4 people

• 2 1/2 cups (or one can) cooked chickpeas

• 2 cups fresh or frozen (and thawed) green peas

• 1 small onion

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1-2 tablespoon soy sauce/tamari/liquid aminos

• a couple teaspoons olive oil for pan

In a medium sized bowl mix together the tahini, lesser amount of soy, and vinegar. Stir until smooth, adding in a splash or chickpea or regular water to thin out until it is the consistency of heavy cream. Taste. If it needs more soy, add a little more in until it tastes right.

Grab the onion and slice it up, really thinly and into small pieces.

Place a large skiller on medium high heat on stove. Add in a couple teaspoons olive oil to coat. If the chickpeas are still in water, rinse and drain. Dump drained chickpeas into hot skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until they start turn deep brown on some sides. Throw in the peas and the onions, turn heat off, and mix around. Let sit in hot pan for a minutes or two then dump it all into the bowl with the tahini sauce. Mix it all around, add some cracked pepper, then, eat.

Waffle Iron Hash Browns

I don’t think I can ever eat potatoes any other way ever again.

It started with me, doing my weekly pantry cleaning, you know, when I wipe down ever surface, count all the beans and lentils in the jars to make sure I am not running low, and inspect every squash for soft spots. I was just going about my thing when I looked over at my waffle iron. Poor, sad, underused. And it hit me. When was the last time I waffled anything? I remember how excited I was when I found it a few years back at a thrift store. Such a cutie little iron. When I brought it home, I used it a bunch of times for maybe a week or two. And then it was put away and I think I have busted it out like 3 times in the past 2 years. So not cool.

I also noticed I had a shit load of potatoes left from thanksgiving.

And there I had it, a reason to use the waffle iron and a way to use up the potatoes. And now, now I am a potato on the waffle iron addict, which is weird because I am not a overly potatoy person in general. But now with this new waffled hash brown thing, well I might just be eating potatoes all day, every day. (At least until I get sick of them or I run out of potatoes.) They come out soft and fluffy inside, super crispy in ever little nook and cranny, outside. Evenly, perfectly cooked. It’s hard to explain, but they are just, ugh, so good, especially dipped in mustard for a fantastic hash brown snack. (Yes mustard, no not ketchup. Let me do me, you do you.) Or smothered in refried black beans topped with salsa and avocado (that was the dinner version). These hash browns. Just make some and you will see.

And no matter what happens with my hash brown phase, I will be damned if I ever let the waffle iron go so long without use. It deserves better then that.

To the best hash browns EVER!

The stuff. Potatoes, salt and pepper, and a little oil.

Shred potatoes. Simple, easy.

Place the shredded potatoes into a clean dish towel (avoid paper towels because paper towels are the devil) and squeeze as much of the liquid out as you can.

Dump the squeezed out shredded taters back into the bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix it around.

Oil your hot iron and pile on the potatoes. Then close it and press it down. It’s a bit dependent on your iron how long they will need to cook fully, mine took about 9 minutes on high. But maybe just stand close by and check yours after 7ish minutes but expect maybe 10 or so.

Deep golden brown and crispy all over.

I mean, really look. Every surface browned and crispy. It is freaking perfection!

And then like any good waffled food, you plate it, and eat it. Me, with horseradish mustard and a big stupid smile.

Thank you waffle iron. You done good.

-C

---

Waffle Iron Hash Browns

makes 2-3 servings

• 2-3 small to medium sized starchy potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold)

• couple teaspoons olive oil

• teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Preheat your waffle iron to high

Shred potatoes on a box grater. Once shredded, gather in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze as much of the liquid as you can from the potatoes. Place potatoes back into bowl and add in about a teaspoon of each salt and pepper and mix around.

Open iron and brush with oil. Place shredded potatoes on the iron, kind of pack together, and close. If it locks, lock it shut, if it doesn’t push it down. And let cook, for about 10 minutes, checking after 7ish (you iron might have more power the mine does). Once the potatoes are a deep golden crispy brown, remove from iron.

Then eat. Any way you want. Plain, with mustard or ketchup. Next to some scramble something or another. Piled high with some black beans and salsa. Whatever. Just eat them and be happy for the waffle iron.