By Leslie Cerier

Posted 11/27/2022

In Blog

Thank you so much for preparing the delicious chili for our gathering. Everyone loved it!

– Amy, Northampton, MA

It all started with the call from a personal chef client.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili; please make it for 40 people for dinner.

My recipe said serves 6-8 and I wanted to make sure I had enough.

I presoaked 8 cups of black beans with kelp sea vegetable over night.

In the morning, as I rinsed the beans well, I realized I made enough black beans for an army.

No worries.

I made a black bean dip for another gathering. YUM!

And this inspired me to recall an article I wrote, “Better Beans with Spices” for East West Journal. In it, I described carminative herbs that aid digestion and reduce flatulence. Using carminative herbs and spices like ginger, cayenne, thyme, dill, you can create tasty global flavors.

I shared several original recipes for a variety of beans in beautiful salads, vegetarian soups & healthy side dishes.

My recipe back then was quick and easy. Blending salsa (including cayenne), cilantro and black beans.

But this time I was out of salsa and wanted to invent a new recipe.

With cumin, also a calmative spice, garlic, fresh squeezed lime juice, cilantro, chipotle pepper & sea salt, my black bean dip was a big hit at the party.

Surrounded this vegan, gluten free, farm to table tasty dip with local organic rainbow radish, and carrots, it also looked beautiful.

Remember black goes with everything.

Mexican Black Bean Dip

And then, I still had some leftover cooked black beans. The perfect amount to make my Jamaican Spicy Beans. Besides cooking the beans in coconut milk, I included thyme in the recipe, a carminative herb.

Black Beans in 3 delicious, organic, vegan and gluten free dishes. And flavored with distinct spice combinations to create variety.