Garbanzo bean salad

Yup, another salad!

Ingredients
4 cups garbanzo beans

4 medium cloves of garlic (minced)

2 medium tomatoes (diced)

1 1/2 medium cucumbers (cored, peeled & chopped)

1 red onion (chopped)

1 celery rib (cut into strips and chopped)

1/2 cup minced parsley

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 Tbs lemon juice

6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp onion powder

Salt to taste

Directions:
Prepare ingredients as directed and stir together in a bowl! Makes quite a bit!

Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1-2 cans black beans, drained
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Garlic salt
1/2 tsp Onion salt
1/2 tsp Celery salt
1 small can tomato sauce

Directions:
 Brown ground turkey (beef). Season with spices.  Add tomato sauce and beans.  Stir to combine and heat through.

 

 Serve with choices:
homemade chips
leaf lettuce
tomatoes
cheese
sour cream
salsa
guacamole

Tuna and white bean sandwich mix

Loving this easy and quick meal idea from my friend Heather.  Obviously it can be put on bread for a sandwich but the pitas were easier for my kids.  We enjoyed this with sliced apples and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can white beans, drained
2-3 cans (5 oz each) tuna, drained
1/2 small red onion chopped or chopped green onions
1 tomato chopped
1-2 TBLS olive oil
1-2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
arugula or spinach (2-3 C chopped)
8 whole wheat pita pockets

Directions:
Mix all your ingredients and stuff into whole wheat pitas. (Maybe with a little hummus inside!
Or if going the bread route...toast up some whole wheat and pile it on! Maybe some spicy guac and homemade chips and fruit on the sice!

Black Bean Enchiladas

I had NO idea there was such things as canned re-fried BLACK beans!  YAY for no LARD! :) LOVE these enchiladas.  And the homemade sauce is to die for!

Ingredients:
2 TBLS olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (14.25 oz) can refried black beans
1 C frozen corn
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp cumin
1 C chopped cilantro
1 4 oz can green chilies
1/2 C tomato salsa
1/2 C tomato sauce
1/2 C chicken stock or vegetable broth
2 TBLS lime
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp dried oregano
whole wheat tortillas
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
TOP WITH
chopped avocado
chopped tomato
sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.  Heat oil, cook onion and pepper until tender, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add the refried black beans, corn, and cream cheese.  Stir well then season with cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
Place cilantro, green chilies, salsa, tomato sauce, stock or broth, lime juice, garlic, and oregano in a food processor.  Blend until smooth (about 10 pluses)
Spread about 1/3 of this mixture in your 9X13 baking dish
Plop some of the bean mixture down the center of a tortilla, sprinkle with a little cheese.  Roll up, and arrange in prepared baking dish, seam side down.
Pour remaining cilantro salsa mixture over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cup of cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
Garnish with avocados, tomatoes and sour cream.

Black Bean and Corn Soup

While waiting in a Dr. office a bit ago, (they have a TV on usually with cooking stuff) I saw them make this soup and thought it sounded worth trying.  Glad I have a great memory :) Here's what we had for dinner tonight!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 C frozen corn
3 cans of black beans, drained, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1 TBLS chili garlic paste (add more if you want it more spicy)
   Optional Toppings:
     Avocado, diced
     Fresh Pico de Gallo (Ours was tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro
     Sour Cream (this can help tone down the heat if it's too spicy)
     Panela, crumbled

Directions:
Chop onion and place in a soup pot on the stove top with a little olive oil.  Saute with frozen corn for about 4 minutes.
Place chicken broth and 2 of the 3 cans of beans in a blender and blend until smooth. Add this to the sauted onions and corn along with the other can of beans and the chili garlic paste.  Bring to a boil and then cover and lower heat to a simmer.  Simmer for about 10 minutes to combine flavors.  Serve with toppings!

(This was our first experience with Panela cheese.  A little more salty than I imagined it would be, but a GREAT addition to the soup. Love trying new recipes!  Especially when they are a success!)

White Bean Soup with Kale

Ingredients:

3 TBLS olive oil

3 onions

1 carrot, chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 bunch of kale, trimmed and sliced

1 lb of cannellini beans, soaked overnight

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

42 ounces of good chicken stock (1 carton is about 4 C.  So I use a whole box plus a little over a cup from another carton.  Unused stock can stay good in the fridge for your next meal that uses it.)

1/4 C tomato sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a skillet, heat oil and add onions, carrot and garlic.  Cook until onions are translucent.  Add kale and cook until wilted (maybe 3 minutes)

In a crock pot place the soaked beans, red pepper flakes, and everything from the skillet.  Pour in the stock and cook for 8 hours, until beans are tender.  Just before serving, add tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste.

Fajita Quesadillas

This is such a quick throw together meal, I don't know that it needs it's own post, but if I put it on here, then I'm more likely to remember it and add it to our rotation! :)  We've made them a bit different each time, but I'll give a recipe for a place to start. Sometimes instead of chicken we do black beans.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken breast

1 Red Pepper, sliced

1 Green pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Spinach, chopped

Whole wheat tortiallas

tomatoes, sliced

avocados, sliced

Cheese (cheddar, monteray jack, pepper jack, colby jack, mozzarella...basically whatever we have on hand!)

Sour cream

Directions:

Slice up veggies and chicken.  Place chicken with onions and peppers in a skillet with a lid on the stovetop. Cook over med-high heat stirring once in a while, and allow chicken to cook through while veggies soften.  Sometimes we'll add Garlic Lime Seasoning to it too.  

In a separate skillet heat a tortilla, with a little cheese.  Add some of the done chicken, and peppers mixture, sprinkle on some spinach, grate a bit more cheese and top with another tortilla.  Crisp up on one side then carefully flip it all over to crisp the other.  Slice into triangles and serve with tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and/ or salsa!

Vegetable Curry

This was delicious!  Got the recipe from my friend Heidi.  We've made it before as stated, total vegetable curry.  But the second time we made it we added about a pound of already cooked shrimp to it.  Winner dinner all around!

Ingredients:
1/4 C olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 TBLS fresh grated ginger
1 TBLS minced garlic
2 tsp curry powder
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
2 C cauliflower florets, chopped
2 C (1 large) yam peeled and cubed
1 C fresh or frozen green beans snapped into 1 inch pieces
1 C chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1 C plain yogurt
2 TBLS whole wheat flour
Cooked brown rice

Directions:
Heat oil in a wok, or large skillet.  Add cumin, garlic, ginger and curry powder.  Stir, then add garbanzo beans, cauliflower, yam, green beans, chicken stock.  Cover and cook until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes) When the veggies are done this is when you would throw in your cooked shrimp if you are adding that.
In a small bowl stir together the yogurt and flour.  Add to the veggies and cook until heated through.
Serve over brown rice.

Taco Lasagna

This is a fun twist on an old favorite!  Love finding new things that are a hit!  This ones a keeper for sure!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic
3/4 tsp onion salt
1 can La Victoria enchilada sauce (that's just a brand I know doesn't have added sugar)
1 can diced tomatoes
3/4 C salsa (we used our homemade.  HERDEZ is also a "safe" brand :)
1 can black beans, drained
whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 C cottage cheese
2 C Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
In a skillet, brown turkey, or hamburger.  Drain grease then add the "taco seasoning" spices. (Celery, cumin, garlic and onion).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a bowl combine the enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, salsa and black beans.  Add the cooked meat.
In the bottom of a 9X13 pan, layer half the UNCOOKED lasagna noodles.  Then 1 C of the cottage cheese then 1 C cheddar cheese.  Spoon half the sauce, meat and bean mixture on top. Then add another layer of UNCOOKED noodles, the rest of the cottage cheese, then 1 C cheddar cheese, and remaining meat sauce.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until noodles are tender.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Lima Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen lima beans
1 C water
29 oz chicken broth (two 14 1/2 ounce cans or measure out your own stock)
1 TBLS olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
3/4 C green onion, chopped
2 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 can (14 1/2 ounce) whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 C frozen corn

Directions:
Place frozen beans in a pot of water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions, bell pepper, and celery. Saute 4 minutes, or until onions are soft.  Add green onions, thyme, tomatoes, and corn.  Drain the lima beans and add them along with the chicken broth.  Cover and allow to simmer to mix flavors for maybe 20 minutes, or until you are too hungry you can't wait any longer!:)

Falafel

So, this isn't your traditional falafel, but this is how we make it.  We make our own flat bread instead of putting it all in a pita, and we make our chick pea nuggets flat, not in balls.  This meal is so fresh, we have it quite often.  I can't believe I haven't ever put in on the blog yet!  

Ingredients:

Flat Bread

2 1/2 C whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2-2 C warm water (Dough is good when it's just about sticking to your fingers.  It needs to be stretchy.)

Grab a ball of dough, roll it out, or stretch it with your hands (this is how my husband does it) Throw it in a hot frying pan and cook, flip over, and cook. 

Nuggets

Dressing

1 C plain yogurt

1 tsp dill weed

1/4 cucumber peeled and diced up small

There are so many options out there for spicy dressing as well.  This is just a simple one we really like!

Toppings

Chopped spinach

Sliced tomatoes

Directions:
Place a couple nuggets on your flat bread, spoon over the yogurt-dill dressing, and top with sliced tomatoes and spinach.  Fold in half and eat like a taco.  YUM!

Chili

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped
1 lb ground turkey
1 Pepper, diced
1 can Kidney beans -don't drain
2 cans black beans -don't drain
2 cans diced tomatoes (or 1 giant can)
1 can tomato sauce
1 C frozen corn
1-2 TBLS chili powder
1 tsp cumin


Directions:

Brown ground turkey in a skillet on the stove top with the onion and pepper. Pour into the crock pot if doing in the AM or use a big soup pot if cooking to eat right away.
Add the rest of the ingredients into the crockpot or soup pot on the stove.
Put the lid on and cook for 6-8 hours!  We love to top our chili with shredded cheese and serve with corn muffins!

"What's in the fridge" Salad

I have found again and again, that the more choices the kids have, the happier they seem to be.  This dinner, is a hit every time, because essentially, they make it themselves!  We give "topping options." But ultimately they are the ones who put it all in their bowl!  And they LOVE it! (We do have some rules though.  They aren't allowed to just have rice, beans and cheese.  They must add at least 2 veggies) :) There is no right way to make this meal.  We just start them off with some rice and let them go at it!  By no means do you have to have ALL of these toppings out at once.  These are all just here as ideas of things we have used and liked.  Get creative!

Ingredients:
Cooked Brown Rice
Red beans
Black Beans
Pinto Beans
Shredded cheese (any flavor, your FAVORITE!)
Chopped spinach
Diced tomatoes
Diced avocado
Sliced green onions
Diced Cucumbers
Diced Peppers
Diced Celery

Directions:
Start your bowl with a big spoon full of brown rice, then top with whatever you want!  So fresh, so easy and so yummy!

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:

1 can black beans drained

1 onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 egg
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 C blended oats (put oats into a blender and blend until they make a "flour."  Store any extra in a ziploc bag labeled "oat flour")
1 tsp Italian Seasoning

1 carrot, grated

1/2 Red bell pepper chopped

1 large handful of spinach chopped as small as you can

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil; set aside.
Place beans, onion, garlic and egg in blender.  Blend until mostly smooth.
Scrape out into a bowl.  Add parsley, cumin, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and baking powder.  Then slowly mix in blended oats until the dough is not too sticky to shape.  Shape into patties, and place on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, then take out and turn over.  Bake for an additional 7 minutes.

This is much like my "chick-un nuggets" recipe, but with black beans...plus more veggies!

It's amazing to me that something that looks this strange can taste so good.  Here is what it all looks like before adding in the oat flour.

 With the burgers this size, the recipe makes 12.  This time I doubled it (since it is slightly time consuming) so that I could freeze the extra patties. Here they are before cooking.

 And after.

I love that these burgers are not greasy.  They are more filling than a normal beef burger, AND my boys now prefer these ones.  They ask for "the healthy ones."

 They store great in the freezer and are a quick to heat up when you need a quick meal.

These with some homemade sweet potato fries makes a great meal!

Red Beans and Rice

I've decided that many meals are still great meals, even without meat.  This recipe initially calls to have kielbasa(sausage) in it as well.  You can either replace the kielbasa with more beans (pinto) or just take it out all together.  Either way, this is a very quick, simple, filling meal.


Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cans red beans, drained
1 C tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Brown rice

Directions:
In a skillet, over medium heat, saute onions, garlic and bell pepper, in a little olive oil until tender.  Add beans and tomatoes.  Season with thyme, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over brown rice

Summer Bean Salad

Just because summer is over it doesn't mean you can't still enjoy some "no oven food" for dinner!  Quick, Easy, Yummy!


Ingredients:
1 16 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2-3 Tomatoes, diced
2 C frozen peas
1 C frozen corn
1/3 C green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
2 TBLS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.
In a small bowl combine the vinegar, oil and garlic for the dressing.  Pour over bean mixture.
Toss gently to coat.  Cover and refrigerate all day.(Make in the morning, or night before.)
Serve on a bed of chopped romaine, or lettuce of your liking.  Pictured here is green leaf lettuce.

Crock Frijoles

Ingredients:
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed
4 C chicken broth
1 1/2 C tomato puree
2 tsp chili powder OR 1/2 TBLS cayenne 
1 lb dry pinto beans, soaked overnight, drained


Brown Rice
Cheese
Cilantro
Hot sauce (optional)
Directions:
Place everything in a crock pot and cook for 8 hours.  Serve over brown rice, and top with cheddar cheese and cilantro.  Sprinkle with hot sauce if you like that too.

Cincinnati Chili

Ingredients:
1 TBLS olive oil
1/2 small green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped and divided
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 16oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 16oz can tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 C water
2 cans red kidney beans or 2 C soaked kidney beans
1 TBLS chili powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti noodles
cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute green peppers and half the onion until golden.  Add garlic and saute 1 more minute.
Stir in tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, kidney beans, chili powder and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside, keeping warm.
Serve chili over spaghetti: sprinkle with cheese and remaining onions.

Chick-un Nuggets

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained
1 small onion
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 egg
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 C blended oats (put oats into a blender and blend until they make a "flour."  Store any extra in a ziploc bag labeled "oat flour")
1 tsp Italian Seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with olive oil; set aside.
Place beans, onion, garlic and egg in blender.  Blend until mostly smooth.
Scrape out into a bowl.  Add parsley, cumin, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and baking powder.  Then slowly mix in blended oats until the dough is not too sticky to shape.  Shape into chicken nuggets, and place on the foil.  Bake for 10 minutes, then take out and turn over.  Bake for an additional 7 minutes.

Last time we made these we tripled the batch to see how well they would freeze!  AWESOME!  Since it's kind of time consuming I was glad this worked so well!  I just put them in a gallon size ziploc in the freezer.  Then when the kids want "chicken nuggets" for lunch I get a couple out and put on a plate in the microwave for about 30 sec.  Turn them over and heat for another 30 or so!  Voila!  (This is also in our falafel recipe I'll be putting up.) I'm so excited about not buying chicken nuggets ever again!
Here is what a triple batch looked like in the mixing bowl. (Kind of the consistency of oatmeal cookie dough)

The ones on the left haven't cooked yet, and the ones on the right have cooked for the first 10 min.  I just turned them over to go in for the other 7 min.

Once they were cooled, I put them in a gallon ziploc bag.  A triple batch makes 7 dozen "nuggets."  Now I don't have to make them for a while! :)  I'm so glad these freeze well!

Chicken Garbanzo Stew

Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 C chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
3 scallions, both green and white parts, sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Optional toppings:
Chopped cilantro
Grated cheese (pepper jack, cheddar, whatever you like)
Shredded radishes (Use the large holes on your cheese grater)
Avocado
Sour cream 

Directions:
Place everything in a slow cooker, and stir to mix in spices.  

Cover and cook on low for 5 – 6 hours.  Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks.  Return chicken to crock pot, stir to combine.  Can be served immediately or cooked another hour.  Serve with toppings if desired. (Great as is too!)