Quinoa Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (19 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin; cook and stir 1 minute to release the flavors. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, zucchini, jalapeno pepper, chipotle pepper, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir in the reserved quinoa and corn. Cook to reheat the corn for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cilantro to serve.


[This recipe is taken from allrecipes.com.]

Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:
4 14 oz cans stewed tomatoes (there are many different types of stewed tomatoes, try them all)
1 large onion
1 bell pepper
4-5 Cloves Garlic
Cumin
Cilantro
Mrs. Dash Table Blend
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb
[Crushed Red Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
2 Jalapeños
1 Habanero ]*
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
~4 oz Corn (canned or frozen)
~6 oz Black Beans

*Alter these ingredients as desired to satisfy different tastes for heat. Leaving in seeds greatly increases the heat. I generally use jalapeños or habanero, not both.


Directions:
1. Put about 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a small saucepan and bring to a low heat.
2. Sprinkle in Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb/Table Blend, Crushed Red Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Cumin (Be most generous with the Cumin) and finally about 5 chopped cloves of garlic. Make sure the stove is on a low enough setting not to burn the garlic.
3. While that simmers, gently blend the stewed tomatoes to get a salsa-like consistency. Put the blended tomatoes in a mixing bowl leaving a small amount in the blender.
4. Next, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, corn and black beans.
5. Put chopped jalapeño/habanero (whatever the amount decided), 2 tbsp of dried cilantro (1/4 cup fresh cilantro) and the simmered seasonings/garlic into the blender with the small amount of tomatoes. Blend to a fine saucy consistency. Add this into the mixing bowl and stir it up.


Enjoy this in burritos, with chips, with rice and beans, beans and rice or with ice cream.

Homemade Coconut Milk

First, acquire a few coconuts, preferably dried and de-husked. (The brown coconuts most are
familiar which have already been de-husked).

Find the part of the coconut with three soft holes (almost like indentations). Take a knife or nail
and twist a hole in one of the indentations. Drain the coconut. This will be the “coconut water”.

Next, use a hammer or an axe to crack open the coconut (or Belizean's use a machete).

Continue hammering the coconut until you have more manageable sized pieces.

Once the pieces are small enough, then shuck the coconut meat from the shell using a butter
knife. It should easily detach once you have a good knife hold under the coconut meat.

With a blender, puree a handful of coconut chucks in water until the mixture has a milk-like
consistency.

Then, take a strainer and place over a pot. Pour the pureed mixture over/through the strainer.
Squeeze the pulp until dry. This separates the liquid from the solid.

Re-use the coconut pulp several times in the blender (along with more water) to extract the
maximum amount of milk.

Repeat process until coconut chucks are gone.

Once all milk has been extracted and strained into the pot, place pot on stove and bring to a boil.
This will pasteurize the coconut milk. Set aside to cool. And then place in container of your
choice in the refrigerator.

Finally, enjoy!

A special thanks to Dawn Bell for teaching volunteer staff how to make coconut milk.

Side Dish: Rice and Beans

Side Dish: Rice and Beans

1 lb red beans

1 ½ lb white rice

1 whole coconut

1 small onion

2 scallions

1 tbs butter (optional)

Directions:

Soak beans the day before (first rinse them; then add water for soaking).  Begin the next day with preparation of the coconut milk:  In the eye of the coconut, poke a hole and drain the water.  Crack coconut on a hard surface to break open.  Carefully scrape out the meat of the coconut (a thin part of the husk may still be included).  Cut into pea size pieces (unless your blender can handle more).  In blender, add a portion of the coconut pieces and water (approx double the amount of water but not more).  Blend together until coconut pieces are shredded.  Drain milk through a strainer.  Continue process with the rest of the coconut pieces.  (Repeat the process with the blended coconut if necessary to squeeze out as much as possible). 

Without draining the water from the beans that have been soaking, add the fresh coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low until beans are 90% cooked (approx 30 min). In the mean time, quarter an onion and trim the scallions, then add to the cooking beans.  Once the beans are finished, the coconut milk should still be above the level of the beans (about 1 to 1 ½  inches – or add more coconut milk).  Add white rice.  Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low until mixture is thoroughly cooked.  Stir occasionally to ensure proper texture.  Bon Appétit! 

 

Lessons in Living:  Known as “rice and peas” in Jamaica, the Belizean’s call this dish “rice and beans” which includes coconut milk.  “Beans and rice” is stewed beans with white rice – this is a different dish.  For best results, soak the beans for a full day (24 hours).  Adding too much water while preparing the milk will water down the coconut milk – you want it as creamy as possible.  

Dinner: Kevin's Italian Alfredo

Dinner:  Kevin's Italian Alfredo

Dinner:  Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce
1 lb. Wheat pasta
2 jars of Alfredo sauce

1 lb ground turkey (or sausage)

crushed red pepper

Italian seasoning

2-3 scallions diced
1 green pepper diced

1 yellow or red pepper diced

2-3 cloves of garlic (diced)

2-3 cloves of garlic (minced or shredded)
Garlic Bread/Toast

Butter

Directions: 
Dice up vegetables and garlic in preparation.  Cook ground turkey in covered sauce pan/skillet.  Add crushed red pepper (double portion) and Italian seasoning as the turkey is cooking. Prepare water for pasta and turn on high.  In separate pan saute garlic, green (and red/yellow) peppers, and scallions on low/medium heat until soft.  Add pasta to boiling water.  Prepare bread with butter and garlic then put in the oven.  Drain turkey and vegetables.  Mix Alfredo sauce, ground turkey and vegetables all together and keep on low/medium heat until pasta and bread is ready.  Finish Alfredo with seasons:  Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. 

Lessons in Living:

Garlic butter spread is made by grading or mincing garlic cloves then mixing with butter. "Al dente" is an Italian term for pasta when cooked as to be still firm when bitten.  Seasonings are based on preference; however the key to this meal is spicing it up with crushed red pepper to make it taste like sausage.  Other seasonings can be substituted for “Italian Seasoning” such as lots of parsley flakes, lots of basil, lots of garlic powder, and a couple sprinkles of oregano. A true Italian would make the Alfredo and pasta homemade, but this meal is absolutely delicious!  Another favorite of volunteers. This meal feed 4-6.

Breakfast: Flour Tortilla Quiche

Breakfast: Flour Tortilla Quiche

1 lb ground turkey

1 frozen package of spinach

1 can salsa

12 eggs

Directions:

Cook ground turkey and drain (add spices as desired).  At the same time, cook spinach in separate pan and drain.  Crack eggs and add to bowl with salsa, cooked ground turkey and spinach.  Mix all ingredients.  Cover ingredients with Belizean tortillas or ground up bread crumbs.  Place in baking pan and back for 30 minutes. 

Lessons in Living:

Spinach is a water based plant so we purchase frozen packages in Belize that are produced in the States; therefore bacteria that volunteers are not accustomed to (being in another country) is avoided.

Dinner: Dawn’s Curry Chicken with Brown Rice

Dinner:  Dawn’s Curry Chicken with Brown Rice

1 lb. brown rice

1 whole chicken

herbs and spices

curry (3 times the amount of herbs)

1 whole onion diced

2-3 scallions
1 green pepper diced (optional)

Directions: 
First wash and prepare the chicken by cutting into sections then pieces.  Cut onion and pepper into chunks and add to pot.  Add spices and three times the amount of curry over chicken and vegetables.  Cover on medium heat until vegetables produce water.  Watch closely the first ten minutes or so to see if some water is needed depending on the vegetables.  Approximately one hour.

In another pan wash brown rice. Add enough water over the top of the rice and let it boil on medium heat then turn down to low for duration of cooking. 

Taste to see what else you might need to add as it simmers. 

Lessons in Living:
Boiling vinegar while cooking the curry, helps to mask the smell of curry throughout the kitchen.  Same recipe can be used with soy sauce instead of curry.

Dinner: Smokey Burgers

Dinner: Smokey Burgers

1 can black beans

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup oats or oat flour

1 snack pack of carrots

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon of liquid smoke

Bragg's Amino - optional

Suggested Garnishings:

Bun

tomato

spicy brown mustard

Directions:  Cook wild rice until fluffy.  Chop or mince carrots.  Mince oats or use oat flour.  Mince garlic.  Mix all ingredients to rice.  Patty out and fry or bake burgers.  Serve on a bun with garnishings of your choice.

Lessons in Living:
This is not a quick-fix meal if the rice and beans are not prepared ahead of time.  Rice takes about an hour.  We used canned beans (although beans are easily found in Belize - a staple of the Belizean diet).  Makes 4 burgers.

Dinner: Celeste's Marinara Sauce with Spaghetti

Dinner: Celeste's Marinara Sauce with Spaghetti

1 lb. Wheat Spaghetti
5 cups ripe tomatoes
Olive oil
Morton's Nature
1 1/2 to 2 heads of garlic
3-4 basil leaves
1 whole onion diced
1 green pepper diced
(lots) Parsley Flakes
(lots) Basil
(lots) Garlic Powder
Oregano (sprinkle)
Garlic Bread/Toast

Directions: 
First prepare the homemade Italian sauce by placing tomatoes in boiling water for 5-8 minutes.  Remove and place in cold water.  Peel off the skin.  Cut out the core.  Cut tomatoes into pieces and place back in large pot.  Pour in some olive oil.  Add a half of a head of garlic (cut into halves).  Add 3-4 bay leaves.  1/2 CAP full of Morton Seasoning ( make sure it's not a 1/2 CUP; just half of the cap).  Turn on medium/high heat.

In sauce pan/skillet, pour olive oil to cover the skillet.  Mince a head of garlic, green pepper, and onion.  Sautee on low/medium heat until soft.  Add to sauce.  Finish with seasons:  lots of parsely flakes, lots of basil, lots of garlic powder, sprinkle Mortons (as needed), and a couple sprinkles of oregano.

Taste to see what else you might need to add as it simmers.  After sauce has cooked for 3-5 hours (or longer), cook pasta al dente and serve with garlic bread. 

Lessons in Living:
The longer the sauce simmers, the more flavorful. Surprisingly, this sauce taste better with "lots of" parsley, basil and garlic powder (oregano is not the main herb).  "Lots of" is a cooking term, right?!  - Okay, "use quite a bit of" was what the recipe called for from the Italian cousin.  "Al dente" is an Italian term for pasta when cooked as to be still firm when bitten.  Wheat or angel hair pasta can be substituted (whatever is available in San Pedro).  We did find whole wheat pasta at the Greenhouse Store.  This meal feed 4-6.  Extra sauce can be frozen in freezer bags and used for another time.

Needed Items for Our Meals

Needed Items for Our Meals:

Peanut Butter (all natural) - Kroger has a great brand, but anything is appreciated.
Turkey Pepperoni
Wild Rice (mixture of brown rice, etc)
salt free tomatoes and/or tomato paste
Whole Wheat Pasta
Quinoa

Spices:
Bragg's Organic Sprinke
Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Spike (Gourmet Natural Seasoning)
Mrs. Dash (all varieties)

Dinner: Belizean Grilled Pizza

Dinner: Belizean Grilled Pizza
14 slices (7 sandwiches)
2 can low sodium tomato paste (US)
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
turkey pepperoni (US)
Italian seasoning

Directions:
Butter bread on both sides.  Add sauce to both sides of bread.  Place cheese and pepperoni on one slice.  Season both sides before putting second slice of bread on top of sandwich. Place the buttered sandwich in a hot skillet.  Brown sandwich on both sides to desired state. 

Lessons in Living:
This meal is prepared like "grilled cheese sandwiches" (buttered with Blue Bonnet and fried).  We haven't found a good way to prepare this meal without oil. Breads are made fresh in Belize so bread is generally abundant to purchase for a reasonable price.  Tomato sauce is available in San Pedro but we brought low sodium paste from the States.  Although we had some frozen, cheese is expensive on the island but worth the cost of this meal.  Turkey pepperoni from the States topped off this meal.  (The turkey pepperoni was great to season several other meals too.  Just be sure to refrigerate after opening; things spoil quickly on the island because of the warm temperatures.)  Prepare as many grilled sandwiches as people or two each depending on the appetite.  This meal was prepared for 7 sandwiches.  This was everyone's favorite meal :)>

Dinner: Connie's Rice Burrito

Dinner:  Connie's Rice Burrito
wild rice (1 pkg)
2 cans beans
1 can corn (no salt added)
1 small Parmesan cheese (BZ)
1 can rotel (lime and cilantro)
Bragg's seasoning
with tortilla


Directions:  Cook wild rice until fluffy.  Add all other ingredients to rice and warm over stove top until desired temperature is met.  Serve tortillas to make burritos.

Lessons in Living:
This is not a quick-fix meal if the rice and beans are not prepared ahead of time.  Rice takes about an hour.  We used canned beans (although beans are easily found in Belize - a staple of the Belizean diet).  Fresh Parmesan is ideal; we used a small container of the powered Parmesan (we were familiar with the label).  San Pedro stores have a "Rotel" equivalent with a Spanish label (don't remember the name).  Bragg's seasoning was brought from the States (other seasoning can be used but between the Parmesan and the Bragg's, it was very flavorful). Tortillas are locally made for a reasonable price.  This meal feeds 4 with leftovers and was one of our favorites.

Breakfast: Eggs in a Basket

Breakfast: Eggs in a Basket
eggs
bread
butter/oil

Directions:
Butter bread on both sides.  Use a small cup to cut out a hole in the middle of the bread.  Place the buttered bread in a hot skillet.  Add eggs in the middle of the "basket".  Cook eggs to desired state (sunny side up or well done).  Flip over the full basket carefully and cook the other side.  Season as needed.

Lessons in Living:
Eggs are generally abundant and fresh in San Pedro.  Egg cartons are not included in the price but can be purchased for a small fee.  Some grocers keep the eggs in a refrigerator section; others stack them up in large cartons on the floor.  We haven't found a good way to prepare this meal without oil. Breads are made fresh in Belize too so toast is easily made.  We brought down "Ezekiel Bread" which is fresh and usually in the freezer section of US grocery stores (all natural and the recipe is straight from the book of Ezekiel).  Prepare as many "baskets" as people or two each depending on the appetite. 

Dinner: Stove Top Tuna Noodle Casserole

Dinner:  Stove Top Tuna Noodle Casserole
1 bx Wheat Rotini noodles
3 cans tuna
1/2 onion
1 can peas
2 cans cream mushroom

Directions:  Boil water for pasta.  Dice 1/2 onion.  Throw in pasta and cook al dente.  Drain tuna and peas.  Drain water from pasta.  Add all ingredients to pasta and warm over stove top until desired temperature is met. 

Lessons in Living:
"Al dente" an Italian term for pasta when it is cooked as to be still firm when bitten.  Macaroni noodles or other noodles could be used instead (whatever is available in San Pedro).  We did find whole wheat pasta at the Greenhouse Store.  Canned tuna is a bit pricy but available (fresh tuna would probably be tasty).  This meal fed 4 with leftovers and was one of our favorites.

Breakfast: Scrambled Omelet

Breakfast:  Scrambled Omelet
1 dozen eggs (scrambled in water)
1 green pepper
1/2 white onion
1 can peeled tomato (low sodium from US)
shredded cheese
and Toast

Directions:
Fill the bottom of the skillet with water and bring to a boil.  While water is processing, prepare eggs by stirring them all together. Chop green pepper and onion.  Add eggs to boiling water.  Add vegetables.  When eggs are almost done, top off with shredded cheese.

Lessons in Living:
Eggs are generally abundant and fresh in San Pedro.  Egg cartons are not included in the price but can be purchased for a small fee.  Some grocers keep the eggs in a refrigerator section; others stack them up in large cartons on the floor.  We cooked the eggs in water to avoid using oils (including butter).  Cans of tomatoes are available but are not low sodium; fresh tomatoes could be used too.  Breads are made fresh in Belize too so toast is easily made.  We brought down "Ezekiel Bread" which is fresh and usually in the freezer section of US grocery stores (all natural and the recipe is straight from the book of Ezekiel).  Cheese is available in San Pedro but is generally more costly than in the States.  This meal fed 4 with leftovers.

Eating at the Staff House

Eating in San Pedro Belize at the Living Tree Academy staff house is an ever growing adventure. Finding local foods and nutrition sources at a good price in itself is work in progress. However, preparing and serving these meals to the guest, staff and students is key to a great experience.

With this blog, we are going to document what works for each meal that is developed. We are then going to get the dining participants to grade their experience.

So, if you have ANY suggestions for meals or ANY comments about what is posted, SPEAK UP! We want everyone to be totally satisfied with each and every dining experience every day of the year.

HAPPY EATING!