Quinoa and Bean Salad

Hi Drunks!

I know it's been a longgggg time since I've posted.  Our travel schedule has made my cooking pretty much non-existent (I know nobody feels bad for me :), but now that we're back I'm ready to share some recipes again! We shared a delicious dinner with the newlyweds last night and I brought this as a side.

This salad is delish, healthy, and pretty easy to make.  You can put in pretty much any veggies / beans that you have lying around, and could also add some chopped nuts for an extra crunch.  This makes a large batch (it's great leftover / for lunch), so feel free to half.  I pretty much just wing it on the spices, so below are estimates, but definitely give it a taste and adjust to your liking.  Happy Mailmanning!

KReh

This is only ~half the batch :)

Ingredients

• 1.5c quinoa, rinsed if needed
• 3c water
• 1 bouillon cube, chicken or vegetable-flavored (optional)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can corn (or ~1.5c fresh or frozen corn, thawed)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 a red onion
• 1 lime
• 1/2 c olive oil
• ~1 tbsp garlic powder
• ~1 tbsp chili powder
• ~1 tsp cayenne pepper (gives it a bit of a kick)
• ~1 tsp salt
• ~1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Cook quinoa in water, adding bouillon cube prior to boiling if desired (will give it a bit more flavor); let quinoa cool to room temperature
• Drain and rinse beans / corn and let dry
• Finely chop onion and red pepper
• Combine quinoa, veggies, and beans in large bowl; mix well
• Cut lime into halves and juice over mixture 
• Add olive oil and spices to mixture
• Mix everything up really well!



Mellerho mailmanned the whole bowl!

• Mailman!

Mailman! (The mellerho's steak salad was also delish)

Spicy Tomato Soup with beans, veggies and pasta

a.k.a. I'm not very good at creating a name for this one

This is a very quick soup which combines two of my favorite food items: soup and beans.

Ready to begin my food photography career.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil (as much as you need to cook veggies)
2 carrots (peeled & chopped)
1 red onion (or another type if you're a weirdo)
1 red pepper (or green for kitten)
3-4 cloves garlic
26 oz jar marinara sauce or crushed tomatoes
28 oz veggie broth (two cans)
1 can white beans (I like cannellini beans)
1/2 c small pasta (like small shells or something)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depends on how spicy you like it. A little goes a long way)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

1. Saute the veggies for 5-10 minutes in olive oil in a soup pt.

2. Add everything else except for cheese: seasonings, broth, pasta, beans and tomatoes (sauce or crushed). Simmer for at least 20 minutes or however long you can wait.

3. Garnish with cheese and don't burn your mouth.

8/10 difficulty: Selfie, at work, mailmanning a hot food