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Black Bean Penne Pasta with Tomatoes

Last week, I made some black bean penne pasta. It was quick to make. But even better, it was good. When I cook, I often share find myself sharing the pictures with mother and son. And in turn, they share their meals with me. The message behind it all is that we share a common bond in doing what is both fun and nourishing to our souls.

This is just one way that we keep ourselves resilient and flourishing: eating healthy meals and discussing what is meaningful in our lives. Maybe your thing isn’t cooking. Maybe it’s knitting, playing chess, boardgames, or cards. Whatever it is that lights you up as a person is what can be shared with others. Sometimes we allow distance to get in the way both inside and outside of having a pandemic. We can get creative in keeping our relationships open. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of stretching outside of our comfort zones in order to make that happen. Stretching isn’t fun, but worth every minute.

Link to Last Post: The Danger of Burnout

Before I give you the recipe for black bean penne pasta, I have to tell you a funny story. I made this pasta before. However, I was doing three other things at the time. Instead of setting a timer on the stove, I figured I would remember. By the time I looked in the pot, the pasta was mush. I didn’t want to waste it, so I doctored it up with ingredients, and put it on top of tortilla chips with cheese, diced tomatoes, and avocado, and I promise you, I was on cloud nine. So, fair warning, unless you want a refried beans effect, watch the time!

Here’s the recipe:

Black Bean Penne Recipe with Tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 2 boxes of black bean penne pasta
  • 4 plum tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup of avocado oil
  • Garden vegetable pasta sauce-2 jars
  • 3 teaspoons of each:

curry powder, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, basil

Directions:

  • Boil four cups of water with a 1/3 cup of avocado oil.
  • Add pasta.
  • Rinse pasta and place back in wok with pasta sauce, seasonings, and tomatoes.
  • Add the rest of the avocado oil.
  • Heat up for 15 more minutes and enjoy!

Bless ya!

Katina

P.S. Would love to hear how you are keeping your relationships flourishing during times of distance!

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Pasta, Black Bean, and Vegetable Mix

Pasta, Black Bean, and Vegetable Mix

Check out this recipe on-the-fly that came about this past week:

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of thin spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons of italian seasoning, onion, chili, and garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoons of olive or grapeseed oil
  • herb and garlic pasta sauce
  • vegetable pasta sauce
  • 1 1/2 cans of black beans
  • 3 zucchinis
  • 1 1/2 cans of diced tomatoes

Directions:

  • Boil a pot of water, adding the thin spaghetti and a tablespoon of oil after the water has started boiling.
  • Rinse the excess water off the pasta when it is done.
  • Add the Herb and garlic and vegetable pasta sauce.
  • After cutting the zucchinis into chunks, saute them, along with the diced tomatoes and black beans.
  • Dump the vegetable and bean mix into the spaghetti mix, adding the seasonings, and then combining the ingredients.
  • Enjoy!
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Lentil, Pasta, & Eggplant Soup

Three weeks ago, I made lentil and eggplant soup.  I promise you, it did not disappoint.  So, if you are up for something new, why not try it out?  Enjoy and have a blessed rest of your week!

Lentil, Pasta, and Eggplant Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 box of Rotini pasta
  • 1 lb of French lentils
  • 1 lb of ground turkey meat
  • 2 eggplants
  • 1/2 jar of garlic pasta sauce
  • 1/2 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons of cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, ginger,curry, and parsley
  • 1/2 cup of quinoa
  • 1 cup of avocado oil
  • 1 cup of broth
  • 2 bunches of asparagus

soup, healthy eating,food,recipes, food photography, blogger, katina horton, pasta, eggplant, asparagus

Directions

  • Boil the french lentils for about one hour, simultaneously, boiling the rotini and quinoa together in water and 1/2 cup of oil for about 25 minutes.
  • While they are boiling, brown the ground turkey meat in 1/4 cup of oil.
  • Saute the eggplant, asparagus, and diced tomatoes together.
  • After the rotini and quinoa finishes boiling, add them, the vegetable mix, the ground turkey, and all the other ingredients into a bigger pot and boil for about 45 minutes longer.
  • Enjoy!
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Mediterranean Dish

About a year ago, I decided to come up with a quick meal based upon the few ingredients that I had at home.  And guess what?  It turned out pretty good.  My son stated that it tasted Mediterranean, so I decided to go with that.    I hope that you enjoy the rest of your Saturday.  

Here is the recipe:

  • Mediterranean Dish
  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cups of rice
  • 1 1/2 cans of cut-leaf spinach
  • 3 tablespoons of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and curry
  • 1/3 cup of oil
  1. Cut the chicken into chunks.
  2. Place the oil and breasts in a skillet, frying them for about 20 minutes.
  3. While the breasts are frying, boil the rice.
  4. Saute the cut-leaf spinach in oil.
  5. Place all of the above ingredients into a crock pot for an hour, along with a half cup of water to give a mashed effect and enjoy!
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Egg White with Asparagus Breakfast Sandwich

During the week, when I am working full-time, as part of my morning routine, I start off by drinking a cup of orange juice and eating two Brazil nuts.  Then, I usually eat a Cliff Bar within an hour of that.  Within an hour and a half after that, I refuel with a breakfast sandwich.

The weekends are different.  I still start off with the orange juice and two Brazil nuts.  My need for orange juice in the morning as a wake-me-up is equivalent to other people’s necessity for coffee. My meals vary on the weekends.  Why?  Weekends are my times to loosen up from a super structure when it comes to eating.  I believe in eating healthy.  I just try to have a little bit more fun during this time.

One Saturday morning I made an Egg White with Asparagus Breakfast Sandwich.  Here’s the recipe:

egg whites, recipes, food photography, breakfast sandwich, food, healthy living, asparagus, parsley

Ingredients

  • Egg White
  • Asparagus
  • Ground Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Bagel
egg whites, recipes, food photography, breakfast sandwich, food, healthy living, asparagus, parsley

Directions

  • Cut the bagel in half and place in the oven to toast.
  • Place five to eight asparagus stalks on a cookie sheet with olive oil and black pepper on a cookie sheet to roast in the oven.
  • Put oil in a skillet and add the egg whites.  
  • Once everything is ready, place ingredients on the bagel, sprinkle the egg whites with parsley, and enjoy!
  • Optional:  Add cheese, mushrooms, or diced tomatoes to the egg whites.
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Spaghetti Casserole

Last week I decided that I wanted to have a big breakfast at some point during the Memorial Day weekend since I had a three-day holiday from work. I made Belgian waffles, grits with cheese, eggs with cheese, oatmeal, and breakfast sausage. I was grateful to God that everything turned out good. I had been wanting to use the Belgian waffle snap-in plates for two months. Unfortunately, I allowed fear to get in the way of me jumping in and giving it a try. I used Amber Honey for the waffle topping, and it was soooo good.

Normally, when there’s a holiday involved, I usually start cooking early. However, this past Monday, Memorial Day, I didn’t start cooking my dish until around 4:15 p.m. or so. I wanted to have an easy Monday and not have to rush to do anything. My son and I were eating by 5:30 p.m., which was nice. The spaghetti casserole that I decided to make was a literal concoction that I came up with on the Friday before the holiday. I hope you are enjoying some beautiful weather this weekend. Bless you all!

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches of swiss chard
  • 1 (8 oz.) pack of sliced mushrooms
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes (no salt)
  • 2 red peppers
  • 2 green peppers
  • 1 box of whole wheat spaghetti
  • 1 pack of Mexican shredded cheese
  • 2 cans of Hunt’s pasta sauce (1 four cheese can & 1 garlic and herb can)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups of avocado oil
  • 5 tablespoons of each: garlic powder, curry, onion powder, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, parsley, ginger.

Directions

  • Boil about four cups of water in avocado oil, then add the spaghetti.
  • While the pasta is preparing, Saute the mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and peppers in the avocado oil. Add all the seasonings to the mixture.
  • Once the above is ready, drain the spaghetti and dump it into a big bowl.
  • Dump the vegetables on top and mix it as best you can. You don’t have to worry about it being perfect. It’s kind of like a “messy casserole mix”.
  • Grab a 9 x 13 Casserole dish and cover the bottom with cheese.
  • Dump the contents of the bowl into the casserole pan.
  • Pour the two cans of pasta sauce on top.
  • Place in the oven on 425 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top before eating. Man, that was so good mixed with the Mexican cheese.
  • Enjoy!

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Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

This past Friday was Valentine’s Day, and so I decided to treat myself with an aloe vera plant, and a meal. Then, on Saturday morning, I made some oatmeal chocolate chip raisin w/pecan cookies. One thing that I hadn’t done in a while, was to dunk my cookies in milk. Let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed.

A few days ago, I decided that I had better quick make something from the ground turkey that I had let thaw out. The end result: spaghetti with turkey meatballs. The meal came out pretty good, and I realized later that the spices that I used made all the difference. I made the turkey meatballs the first night, and then the spaghetti the second night.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 16 oz. pound of ground turkey meat
  • 3 tablespoons of parsley, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, curry, cumin, turmeric
  • 1/3 cup of Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup of oatmeal
  • 3 tablespoons of flaxseed meal
  • (1) 1 lb. box of spaghetti
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • (2) 16 oz. cans of garlic and herb pasta sauce

Directions:

  • Dump the panko, oatmeal, flaxseed meal, and all the seasonings into a mixing bowl.
  • Mix and stir this concoction.
  • Use a cookie scoop to make the balls, and then your hands if necessary.
  • Place the balls in a wok or skillet with olive oil.
  • Cook for about 20 minutes.
  • While the turkey meatballs are cooking, bowl 5 cups of water with olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking.
  • Add the pasta and then drain when done cooking.
  • Dump the pasta back into the pot and add all of the above seasonings into the pot.
  • Add the pasta sauce on top and enjoy!!

Have a blessed week!

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Lentil Asparagus Tacos

Lentil Asparagus Tacos Background Story

Last week, we had our first surprise snow. Of course, no one was prepared for it. There were several jokes going around on social media due to the fact that the snow, along with the temperatures that trailed soon after were replicating that of what would be going on in the month of January. Surprisingly, even with all the snow and cold temps, I still had about ten kids to come to the door for candy.

Last week, I made another concoction. It turned out good, and the best part about this particular one is that it left you feeling energized and overall in good spirits after eating it. I hope that you enjoy it as well. Have a blessed weekend in the Lord!

tacos, lentils, asparagus, brown rice, food photography, recipes, healthy living, healthy eating
Photo by Katina Horton

Total Cooking and Prepping Time:

1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of French lentils
  • 1 1/2 cups of brown rice
  • 1/2 cup of red quinoa
  • 2 bunches of asparagus
  • 2 cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
  • 1 pack of tortillas
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1/2 bag of frozen cut-leaf spinach
  • Optional: 1 bag of cheese (vegan or non-vegan)
  • chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, curry, turmeric, parsley, (5 tablespoons of each)
tacos, lentils, asparagus, brown rice, food photography, recipes, healthy living, healthy eating
Photo by Katina Horton

Directions for Lentil Asparagus Tacos:

  • Boil one bag of French lentils.
  • While the lentils are boiling, boil the brown rice and quinoa.
  • Also, while the lentils are boiling, saute the diced tomatoes, asparagus, and spinach in a skillet with olive oil.
  • Add 1/3 cup of olive to the boiling lentils.
  • Once all the ingredients are fully cooked, dump all of them into a separate large-sized pot, adding the nutritional yeast, and all of the seasonings.
  • Heat up your tortilla and add the mixture to the inside.
  • Optional: top it with cheese.
tacos, lentils, asparagus, brown rice, food photography, recipes, healthy living, healthy eating
Photo by Katina Horton

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Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies

Last week, I had a sweet tooth for cookies. And so, on Friday I purchased some pecans, and got to making this desire a reality on Sunday after church. I was surprised that they came out pretty good since it was my first time trying out the oatmeal raisin cookie combination.

I will definitely have to make these cookies again. If you are feeling adventurous enough to try them out, send me an email and a picture letting me know what you think. Have a blessed week!

oatmeal raisin pecan cookies, recipes, healthy eating. lifestyle, food photography,food, katina horton, blogger, food blogger, simple functional grace-filled living
Photo by Katina Horton

Total Prepping and Cooking Time

35 minutes

Ingredients

  • oatmeal- 1 1/2 cups
  • raisins- 1/2 cup
  • almond milk – 1 cup
  • chopped or whole pecans – 1/2 cup
  • sugar – 1/2 cup
  • almond flour – 1 1/2 cups
  • flaxseed meal – 3 tablespoons

Directions

  • Mix all of the above ingredients in a large bowl using a whisk or wooden spoon.
  • Using a cookie scoop, grab one scoop at a time, making sure that you press against the side of the bowl to rid of any excess liquid.
  • Place the scoops on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake on 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

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Pasta with Black Lentils

Background on Pasta with Black Lentils

Over the weekend, I attended a women’s conference at my church. It was a Holy Spirit-filled good time. Because of having a busy weekend, I decided that I wouldn’t cook on Saturday evening. I ordered two build-your-own pizzas, watched movies with my mom, and took it easy.

katina horton, blogger, healthy eating, food, recipes, pasta with black lentils, tomatoes, fettuccine, lifestyle
Photo by Katina Horton

On Monday night, I decided to cook dinner for the week. I loved the end result. The dish has a little bit of a spicy kick to it. It is just enough for you to enjoy the dish, and at the same time not be overwhelmed.

katina horton, blogger, healthy eating, food, recipes, pasta with black lentils, tomatoes, fettuccine, lifestyle
Photo by Katina Horton

I pray that you are having a blessed week so far, and preparing to embrace the weekend that is upon us.

Here is the recipe for Pasta with Black Lentils:

katina horton, blogger, healthy eating, food, recipes, pasta with black lentils, tomatoes, fettuccine, lifestyle
Photo by Katina Horton

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of fettuccine
  • 1/2 cup of quinoa
  • 1/3 cup of oil
  • 1 can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1/2 pound of black lentils
  • 4 tablespoons of onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, parsley, cumin, and curry

Directions:

Boil a pot of water, placing some oil in the water to avoid sticky pasta.

Boil the black lentils for about 30 minutes.

Place the pasta and quinoa into the boiling water.

Cut up the zucchini, and then saute the zucchini and tomatoes together.

Add the seasonings to the vegetables.

Dump the vegetables into the pot of pasta and quinoa.

Enjoy!

God bless,

Katina