Tag Archives: beans

Lime-Spiked Black Bean Dip

It’s Cinco de Mayo so what are you planning on eating today?  Burritos?  Enchiladas?  Fajitas?  Tacos?  Mexican food is so good but can be really terrible for you, especially because so much of the Americanized Mexican food available to us is loaded with ooey gooey melted cheese.  But the good thing is, Mexican food can easily be made low-fat at home by substituting low-fat cheese, low-fat sour cream, healthy beans and lots of veggies.  As tempted as I was to make a big Mexican meal, I decided to keep things a little simple with an easy bold and healthy dip.  This Lime-Spiked Black Bean Dip is a healthy way to enjoy some Mexican food on this Cinco de Mayo without a)breaking the bank or b)spending hours on the elliptical machine working it off.

Canned black beans are whirled in a food processor until smooth (but not too smooth – chunks of beans make for awesome texture) and combined with grated carrots, fresh lime juice, scallions, garlic, and cilantro.  A little salt and cayenne pepper add seasoning to beans which can typically be pretty bland (I used low-sodium black beans so I could control the salt content).  I really love the addition of the grated carrot because it provides a fat-free crunch while the scallion gives a fantastic mild onion flavor.  And the lime – it really brings this dip to life.  This is a thick dip, especially if it’s been in the refrigerator for a bit so add a little water or black bean juice if you ‘d prefer it to be more “dippy”.  If you don’t like cilantro, you can leave it out but it provides an herby flavor that is so good in Mexican food.  Serve with tortilla chips and you’ve got a healthy vegetarian snack or appetizer than would also be great folded into a tortilla for a light lunch.

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Place beans in a food processor, and pulse until almost smooth.

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Combine the beans, carrot, and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until well blended. Let stand 30 minutes.

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Serve with baked tortilla chips.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

 

Kale, Bean and Sausage Stew

Here we go again with the Olympics.  I feel like it was not so long ago when I was writing about how I was spending my entire Saturdays and Sundays watching the summer Olympics.  My how time flies.  Before the opening ceremonies on Friday, I started to watch the very first competitions on Thursday but just couldn’t do it.  I was so sick of the cold and snow and ice that the last thing I wanted to do was watch it on TV.  But then the opening ceremonies happened and my patriotic spirit was tapped and I’ve been glued to events I wouldn’t normally think twice about ever since. I’d been excited all week to spend some time in my kitchen making some good food this weekend but when Saturday came and I got sucked into figure skating, I suddenly didn’t want to be in the kitchen.   Fortunately, this Kale, Bean & Sausage Stew was so simple that I didn’t have to work too hard and it basically cooked itself.

Smoked sausage, cannellini beans, and kale are cooked with fire-roasted tomatoes to make a hearty and flavorful stew. Smoked paprika (which you may remember is my favorite spice ever) adds another layer of smokiness making this stew hit a smoky trifecta.  The sausage and creamy beans give this stew some real heft while the kale adds an earthy yet fresh addition (the recipe calls for swiss chard but any leafy green will do). This stew came together quickly and was everything I could have asked for in a stew.  It was the perfect warm lunchtime meal to be slurping down while I sat on my couch cuddled up in blankets watching the Olympics.

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In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and paprika and cook for 1 minute.

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Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until almost dry, 2 minutes. Add 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, stir in the beans and simmer for 15 minutes.

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Stir in the greens and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.

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Season with salt and pepper.

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Additions: None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Kale

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Tex-Mex Chicken Soup

I’m not sure where you live but where I live, it’s been downright cold.  Friday we got 8 inches of snow and I woke up Saturday morning to the temperature outside being only 5 degrees.  I had plans to go to a football game later that day which meant walking around in layers and layers of clothing.  Those are the kind of days where the cold just permeates you and you can’t escape it.  Even in the comfort of home and my running heater, I was always chilled.  The best way to warm up on days like that is to warm up from the inside.  This Tex-Mex Chicken Soup is a perfect way to beat the cold.

Onion, garlic, red pepper, and jalapeño are sautéed in olive oil until soft and fragrant before being mixed together with vibrant spices of chili powder, cumin and crushed red pepper.  This mixture becomes the basis for this soup which adds precooked rotisserie chicken, corn, broth, tomatoes, and black beans (which I only left out because I thought I had them on hand when I didn’t).  The result is a bold and flavorful tex-mex soup that is a perfect soup to warm your soul.  I wish I would have had the beans to add in but even without them, this was a very satisfying soup.  Plus, there is something very satisfying about having a pot of soup simmering on your stove on a frigid day.  It’s like that little mixture of ingredients not only warms your body, but the scent warms your home too.

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The ingredients:

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Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil, onion, and next 3 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes. Add chili powder and next 4 ingredients; sauté 30 seconds.

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Add chicken and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes.

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Top evenly with cilantro and queso. Serve with lime.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:

  • Black beans
  • Queso fresco

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

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