Sweet Potato Black Bean... Stuff

Peyton and I have had a wonderful time recently riding bikes to the Whole Foods to pick up some yummy goods. I ride along, hair blowing, curvy calves glistening, laughing away with the fresh vegetables sticking out of my beautiful wicker basket. (Ok, reality. Have helmet hair when I arrive, sweat dripping out of every pore, can barely breathe let alone laugh, and lug a heavy backpack full of orange juice, almond milk, and soon to be smooshed bananas. But ya know, I like to imagine it the other way... It's that whole Pinterest fascination (more on that here) that has me living my life through gorgeous (and imagined) images.) Anyway, even though they aren't picturesque, these trips truly are great. As always in life, there is:

The Good: Bonding time without any gadgets, fresh air, helping save the world, helping save the dollas, and most importantly, a good booty workout.

annnd...  

The Bad: We don't plan well, leave when hungry, and come home famished with no energy to put together any of the ingredients for recipes we just decided on.


Luckily, there is a meal that saves the day time and again by keeping us from eating frozen food good badness. It's quick, easy, and great for the ticker too. I learned about it from my lovely friend Jenn and none of us have come up with a name besides that "sweet-potato-black-bean-salsa-and-cheese-stuff." But the yumminess makes up for the lackluster title. (I mean, how much would we really sell from a menu with that one? Possibly lots if we added "Locally grown, free-range, grain-fed, and hormone-free potatoes." Hmmm...)

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Salsa and Cheese Stuff

Ingredients: 

One sweet potato

Black Beans

Vegan cheese **We've decided that Daiya is the best after sampling almost every other out there**

Salsa

1. Bake sweet potato. Due to our lack of planning, we always use the microwave. Scrub that bad boy down, keep it wet, fork it a few times all over, then wrap it in a paper towel and microwave for around four minutes each side (or until soft.) **It can't just be me that was thinking this was getting "dirty" after the first few steps... can it? :) **

2. Chop and mash potato (we keep skin). Add beans, cheese, and sprinkle of salt and microwave until cheese is melted. 

3. Top with salsa and whatever else your heart desires! I sometimes add avocado or spinach and then have salad as a side.

It seriously is that simple. So simple, in fact, that I wonder if you are questioning my sanity over writing it down. But sometimes the simplest combos can be the best. And this sweet potato as taco (getting towards a name... hey hey!) thing hits the spot. So snatch up these versatile, long-lasting ingredients next time you're shopping and I bet that "stuff" will be beckoning you to try. 

P.S. Despite a post having nothing to do with our recent accomplishments, we have indeed had a very successful weekend in home business. I am totally giddy to share the details with you but have to finish the final touches... More soon!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Thai Coconut Tomato Soup

After a week of catching up-- on work, school, sleep, you name it-- we finally headed out to Whole Foods yesterday to restock our empty fridge and pantry. The downtown Austin Whole Foods is the home of their corporate offices, and the store itself is an experience unlike any other. They have just redone their layout that includes extra wide aisles, an open market feel for fruits and veggies, a vegan/raw food bar, a clothing/household section, and a huge area dedicated to pre-made and made to order foods. It is so big and so different from other stores that I actually saw an associate giving a tour to some newbies, much like a large health club would to sell their services. In all of the hubbub and options, it is just glorious. The mecca to foodies near and far. It replenishes my soul the same way that stepping foot into WalMart zaps the life right out of it.

So to celebrate Sunday and our return to having a kitchen with edible elements, we made an event out of shopping. We ate our breakfast tacos on the second floor terrace looking over the other guests; took our time in making a list of recipes for the week; and meandered through the aisles to find just the right ingredients to tantalize our taste buds. Including a quick trip to Costco (probably where all soul fulfillment was immediately lost), our total time out equaled four hours. After this super long expedition, we decided we had to use some of the goodies we had just gathered, but sadly didn't have much energy.

Here enters thai coconut tomato soup. This quick and super easy dish was just what we were craving: fresh, tangy, and lightly filling. It takes very minimal prep time, so is perfect for an easy night. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Thai Coconut Tomato Soup

2 cups veggie broth

2-3 heads baby bok choy, chopped

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (to taste)

1/4 cup Basil

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup mung bean sprouts

1 (45 oz) container tomato juice

3 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk

Fresh lime juice (1/2 to 1 lime)

1. Combine veggie stock, bok choy, ginger, and basil in pot over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms, bean sprouts, tomato juice, and soy sauce. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, roughly 10 minutes.

3. Stir in coconut milk (add extra if you'd like creamier soup) and fresh lime juice. Serve hot.

We also had some sauteed tofu on a bed of steamed spinach with peanut sauce for some protein and extra veg. You could add tofu directly into the soup also if you so chose. What a delicious, easy meal that takes you on a little trip to a beautiful place. Enjoy!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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