Spicy black bean dip

Spicy Black bean dip

-1.5 cups black bean soaked over night (cook according to the directions on package) or 2 cans of     black beans boiled for 10 minutes
-1 tablespoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-salt and pepper
-2 onions
-2 scallions
-2 cloves of garlic
-1/3 cup of red wine
-1 tablespoon tamari (soya sauce)
-2 tablespoon olive oil
-1 cup of water or beef/veggie broth
-juice of 1 lime

-cook black beans (1-2 hours depending on if soaked overnight).  In a frying pan add the spices on medium heat.  Allow the spices to heat up and it enhances the flavour, cook for about 5 minutes.  Spices should be hot and a little steam rising.  Place in a bowl to cool.  Add olive oil to frying pan and add the onions, scallions, garlic and allow them to cook until soft, add the red wine and tamari and allow them to further cook, about 10 minutes on low heat to have fluid to reduce.  Add the beans, spices, water/broth and the juice of the lime.  Allow to simmer together for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.  Blend or mash and serve.  You can top with salsa, avocados, cheese, sour cream.  Serve with corn chips, pitas or veggies.

(not the best picture, but the dip is tasty)

Miso Ginger Rum Salmon

Good evening everyone, I just finished another busy 12 hour day at work.   I have made a colourful dinner tonight.  In fact I think I have covered all the colour in the rainbow.  Tonight I have started with a mixed lettuce salad with cranberries, purple carrots, peppercorn goat cheese and red pepper.

Then I pan fried king oyster mushrooms with onions, purple and orange carrots, in a frying pan in a small amount of butter until mushrooms golden brown.  Then I added red wine.  (I always keep wine that has outlived it's drinking days for recipes like this) I also added chopped garlic, ginger and scallions.

I also added quinoa from dinner last night at the end to warm up.

I made a delicious Miso Ginger Rum Salmon.


T's Miso Ginger Rum Marinate


Red miso past 2 tablespoons
1 shot of 1919 Rum (expensive but delicious) 
squeeze the juice of half a lemon
squeeze the juice of half a lime 
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons olive oil


Marinate fish
Cook at 350 covered for 10-15 minutes

I also made my mango salsa...  Here is the dinner all together

Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. 

And cooking done with care is an act of love.”

Craig Claiborne, ‘Craig Claiborne's Kitchen Primer’