Sometimes you just don’t want to fuss over a meal, but you want something hearty that will stick to your ribs. It helps if the meal is delicious, too, and who would argue against it being healthy? One of my old reliables is a black bean mix that can be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator, and used all week to make any number of easy meals. The best thing of all is that this is one bean mix that comes together fast, just the way I like it.

Prep time is minimal, so folks who have an aversion to cooking can make it. If your pantry is well stocked, you probably don’t even need to go to the store to buy anything. Here’s what you need for the basic filling:

• • canola oil
• • chopped onions
• • chopped bell peppers
• • minced fresh garlic clove
• • frozen corn kernels
• • store-bought or homemade salsa
• • dried oregano to taste
• • dried cumin to taste
• • ground cinnamon to taste
• • chopped plum tomatoes
• • canned black beans, drained

Cook the onions, peppers, and garlic in about a tablespoon of oil heated in a skillet over medium heat. Don’t let the veggies burn. Meanwhile, put the drained black beans in a bowl and mix in the chopped tomatoes. Once the onions, peppers, and garlic have softened—about 5 minutes or so—stir in the herbs and spices to taste. Now scrape the cooked vegetables out of the skillet and in with the beans and tomatoes. Return the skillet to the stove and toss in some frozen corn kernels. There’s no need to thaw the corn. Heat the corn until it begins to brown slightly, then stir the kernels into the black bean mix. Stir a few tablespoons of salsa around in the hot pan to thicken it slightly, then turn off the heat and spoon the salsa into the bean mix. That’s it. Let the mixture cool, then store it in the refrigerator inside a tightly closed container. Here’s what the filling looks like before adding the corn and salsa:

Is this recipe too complicated for you? Don’t give up on it just yet. Here’s an even simpler mix for when you’re really in a hurry:

• • store-bought salsa
• • frozen corn kernels
• • frozen or fresh store-bought chopped bell peppers
• • frozen or fresh store-bought chopped onions
• • small jar chopped chilies, drained
• • canned black beans, drained
• • chili powder to taste

No cooking required. Just mix everything together in a bowl. Don’t bother thawing the frozen vegetables. Store in a closed container in the refrigerator until you need it.

When you’re hungry, just put together…

A Simple Hearty Meal 

Remove the black bean filling from the refrigerator and scoop out as much as you want for your meal. The easiest meal of all is to wrap cold black bean mix inside soft tortillas and devour. Embellish them with grated cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt, and shredded iceberg lettuce. If you don’t fancy cold wraps, heat the bean mix in a covered skillet over medium-low heat. Inside 10 minutes, it will be warmed through. Do you fancy tacos? Then warm taco shells in the oven or microwave while heating the bean mix, then fill the tacos, garnish with your favorite toppings, and tuck in. Serve with steamed rice for a more complete meal.

Another simple way to enjoy this black bean mix is to heat it up in a skillet, and serve the beans over scrambled eggs. Or scramble a couple of eggs and stir in the black bean mix just as the eggs are coming together in the pan, then wrap the egg-bean mix in warmed tortillas.

If you’re up to a more ambitious dinner, preheat the oven to 450-degrees Fahrenheit. On a baking sheet, lay out one 8-inch tortilla (flour or corn, your choice) per serving. Spread bean mix over each tortilla (no need to heat the beans), top with a scoop of plain yogurt or sour cream, an spoonful each of salsa and guacamole, and a generous amount of grated cheese (I like sharp cheddar). Slide the baking sheet into the oven, and cook the tostadas until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 15 minutes, tops.

Perhaps you prefer a different approach. Fold the beans, salsa, sour cream or yogurt, slices of avocado, and cheese inside a large tortilla, forming a closed cylinder with each one, with one per serving. Place the burrito on an oiled baking sheet, top with more salsa and cheese, and bake in a 450-degree Fahrenheit oven. Within 20 minutes dinner is served.

Black bean mix will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, and will be enough for up to 12 individual servings, depending on how you use it. So what are you waiting for? Mix up some today. You won’t be sorry.

 
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Tired of winter? So am I. Are you impatient for spring? Me, too. Winter’s beauty is starting to pall. To make matters worse, I’ve gotten bored with fighting the battle of the bulge on a stationary bike and rowing machine. Swaddling myself in puffy layers and donning Yaktrax to pick up the mail have also lost their novelty. Luckily, there’s a hint of change in the air. The days are noticeably longer, and the winter stillness is yielding to the quickening cacophony of spring. Woodpeckers are already hammering away, staking their claims to territories, while chickadees are singing the fee‑bee song with ever‑increasing vigor. And the squirrels have shaken off their winter lethargy at last. Now they’re chasing each other round and round the trunks of the tallest pines, chattering furiously as they leap from branch to branch.

There’s renewed activity on the home front, too. Cyclists are dusting off their fair-weather steeds, oiling the drive train, and pumping up tires. They’ll be hitting the roads as soon as the accumulated slurry of sand, salt, and slush has been washed away with spring showers.

Many Canoe Country paddlers are taking their drysuits out of the closet and trying them on, hoping against hope that they haven’t “shrunk” over the winter. Why? That’s easy. In less than two weeks, the first club outings of the new year will bring scores of eager, shivering boaters to muddy put‑ins along New York’s and New England’s south‑flowing rivers. Of course, if you live a bit closer to the equator, you’ve probably been on the water already.

But even if there’s no thaw in prospect where you are — and if none is likely for another month or two — I’ll bet you haven’t been idle. There’s nothing like longer days to get cyclists, paddlers, and hikers thinking about Big Trips to come. And food’s always an important part of our trip preparations.

That’s no surprise, is it? Whatever your fancy — whether it’s leisurely bike rides round the countryside, hard-charging centuries with a group of like-minded friends, strolls along the local nature trails, scrambling steep slopes, chasing the run‑off down mountain torrents swollen with snow‑melt, taking laid‑back day trips on Golden Pond, or embarking on summer‑long sojourns as far from “sivilization” as your legs or paddle can take you — this is a good time to ponder how you’ll keep your motor running between meals. There’s no such thing as passive cycling, hiking, or paddling, after all. When you’re the engine, you have to keep fuel in your tank. And what happens if you ignore your body’s warnings that you’re running on fumes? Simple. Your engine will sputter to a stop. Marathon runners call this unhappy state of affairs “hitting the wall.” North American cyclists call it “bonking” (and get giggles from any Brit within earshot). Whatever you call it, it’s no fun. Luckily, though, bonking isn’t inevitable. To avoid it, just snack frequently, keep your water bottle handy, and take short rest breaks every hour or so. Better yet, lay the foundation for every day by eating a hearty breakfast. But breakfast is only the beginning. The prudent cyclist, hiker, or paddler is a constant eater… Read more…

 
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