If you’ve read this blog for a while you’ve probably figured out that I like black beans. My husband does too and my kids will eat them (usually stuffed in a burrito or quesidilla).

I’ve been trying to make soup each week this winter (it’s been about every other week). Last week I combined this recipe from Weelicious with this one from All Recipes and came out with a really wonderful soup. I used dried beans and after 8 hours in my slow cooker they were perfect — firm but not too firm. Your slow cooker might require a longer cook time — up to 10 hours. Bottom line: take your slow cooker’s tendency to cook fast or slow into account. It’s almost impossible to overcook soup which is nice!

Do you have a different twist on black bean soup you want to share?

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
-1 Tbsp Olive Oil
-1 Onion, diced
-3-4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
-2 Cups Dried Black Beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
-1 32 oz Chicken Broth or Vegetable Stock (low sodium optional)
-1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
-2 Bay Leaves
-2 tsp Chili Powder
-1 tsp Cumin
-1 tsp Garlic Powder
-1 Tsp Kosher Salt

Toppings: cheedar cheese, yogurt and/or sliced avacado

1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and sauté onions for 4 minutes and then and sauté for another minute.
3. Pour the onion/garlic micture into the crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
5. (optional — I did not do this) Puree the ingredients to your desired texture with blender (or partially blend).
6. Top with suggesting toppings or anything you like!

I’ve been wanting to try this recipe I found on the Meal Makeover Mom’s blog for some time now. I don’t usually ”healthify” dessert but these sound so intriguing. I have to admit, my chocolate-loving husband was skeptical.

Me: Should I make black bean brownies?

Him: Do what you want, but I probably won’t eat them

Me: Will you at least try them?

Him: Yes

So I made them but of course was missing the right pan so I used my muffin pan. The dinner I was making tool longer than planned so I took a bite of one. Then my husband took a bite and he kept going back for more!

Everyone loved these, including Little D, who is taking after his Dad’s love of chocolate. These lasted less than 24 hours. They are not as rich as regular brownies but pretty darn good.

Anyone else make something like this?

Ingredients:
-15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed well
-3 large eggs
-3 tablespoons canola oil
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional (I skipped)
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-Pinch salt
-1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (I added a bit more)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Place the black beans in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract as desired, baking powder, and salt and process until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the chips and pulse a few times until the chips are incorporated.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (in the muffin pan it was 30 minutes). Cool in the pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 120 calories, 5g fat (1.5g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 95mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 3g protein.

Thanks Meal Makeover Moms!

When I got Real Simple’s A Month of Easy Dinners in the mail, I knew I had to try the Shrimp Tacos on the cover. While their picture was way better than mine, it didn’t show up in the taste which was excellent (hopefully Santa is getting me a new camera this year).

This is a great way to present shrimp to kids who are relactant to eat it. Little D ate some but Big A stuck with her tortilla, guacamole and beans.  They say it takes 15 exposures so I only have 14 more to go!  I will definitely include shrimp tacos in my Mexican Monday rotations.

If you try it let me know how it turns out!

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
-1/4-1/2 cup olive oil plus 1 Tbsp (I used less than the 1/2 cup called for)
-4 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
-2 15 ounce ans black beans, rinsed
-1 pound peeled and deveined small shrimp
-1 large egg white beaten
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup cornmeal (I skipped this ingredient as I didn’t have on hand)
-8, 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed
-toppings of choice (avocado, salsa, sour cream)

Directions: Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Cooked until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens.

In a shallow bowl, toss the srhimp with the egg white. In a second shallow bowl, combine with the flour, cornmeal, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and toss.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve in the tortillas with the toppings along with the beans.

I was about to make baked macaroni and cheese when a friend told me to try it in the rice cooker. She got the recipe of Weelicious and it sounded so easy. So I tried it.

I put the ingredients in the rice cooker, gave the kids a bath, and then added the last ingredients and it was done in the next 10-15 minutes. I served it with garlicky green beans and some fruit.

It was really good! Big A doesn’t really eat mac and cheese but Little D loved it. This is great for a weekend when you want something a little indulgent or perfect when babysitters are feeding the kids.

Here’s the recipe adapted from Weelicious.

Ingredients:
-2 cups macaroni (or any pasta)
-1.5 cups chicken broth (used reduced sodium)
-1 tsp. salt
-1 cup milk
-1.5 cup cheese of choice (used grated cheddar)
-1 cup of frozen peas or chopped broccoli (optional)

Turn the rice cooker on. Add the macaroni, chicken broth and salt and close the lid. After 15 minutes open the lid and add the rest of the ingredients (stir it up) and cook for another 10-20 minutes (check on it because rice cookers vary– do more time if you want a crust on the bottom).

Of course you can get creative with this and add different ingredients to suit your taste. I’m just excited have another use for the rice cooker.

I’m always looking for ways to dress up veggies so when I saw this recipe in Real Simple Magazine I knew I had to try it.

Peas are one of those foods I discovered after having kids.  I don’t know why but I never made peas much.  It could have to do with the fact that my husband was forced to eat them as a kid. When his parents weren’t looking, he’d stuff them in the couch. Not a lot of good memories for him!

Peas have a sweet taste and are full of nutrition — vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fiber and potassium to name a few.  They make the perfect finger food for toddlers.  Because they are not bitter like other green vegetables, they are a good starter vegetable for kids. 

How do you make peas at home?

Ingredients:
-16 ounce frozen peas
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan
-2 TBS fresh lemon juice
-2 TBS olive oil
-1/2 tsp kosher salt
-1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions: Cook the frozen peas according to package directions, then mix the rest of the ingredients: parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

I’m bone tired.  We just came back from our annual Disney vacation on Friday, and the American Dietetic Association Conference began Saturday which is right in my home town.  It’s been great to meet many of the dietitians I’ve become friends with online since starting this blog.  But I’m exhausted!

So it’s all about easy and familiar meals this week.  I’ve been on the lookout for a chicken teriyaki recipe.  I tried this slow cooker one from Meal Makeover Moms which turned out great — but even that’s too complicated for this crazy week.  So I winged and made this easy and yummy meal in minutes.

And here’s what I did.

I steamed the vegetables ahead of time — I put the carrots in first since they take longer and then added the broccoli until it turned bright green.  I stored these in the fridge until it was time to cook.

I defrosted frozen cooked chicken I had in the freezer and cut them into small pieces — tofu or shrimp would work too.  I put everything in large pan (or wok) with a little oil and 2-4 Tbsp. of this teriyaki sauce from Trader Joe’s (Island Soyaki).  I mixed it around until everything heated up, about 5 minutes.

I used frozen brown rice (also from Trader Joe’s) which only takes 3 minutes in the microwave.  I served the chicken and veggies over the rice. 

Big A is not a stir fry fan so I served the meal with some fruit.  I also cut up the chicken and veggies a bit more for the kids. Little D loves stir fries, it’s so cute.

So that’s my easy meal for the week.  Anyone making something like this?

I finally found it. The perfect bean burrito recipe I can make and freeze for quickie meals.

I’m not going to lie. It was a tough road. I tried many different combinations. But after making this recipe from
Rockin Robin Mexican Recipes, a site with authentic Mexican cuisine, I’m happy to say I found “the one.”

This does take some time to make. My husband commented that this doesn’t fit my quick meal criteria (but I think he was only complaining because he had to wash the pan).

But it isn’t hard or complicated which is key. It’s just the kind of thing you’ll want to make on a weekend or even at night and you have frozen homemade burritos whenever you want them.

Step 1: Cook the beans:

Ingredients:
-2 cups dry pinto beans
-1 bay leaf
-2/3 cup vegetable oil
-1 bulb of roasted garlic, approximately 6 or 7 cloves (or 2 Tbsp. jarred roasted garlic)
-2 – 3 tsp sea salt, depending on how much salt you like
-1 finely chopped tomato (I added 2)
-4 quart pot

Measure out 2 cups of dry pinto beans, discarding any bad ones, and rinse in a colander. Put the beans in a big pot with 8 cups of water and a bay leaf.

Cook on high and cover the pot partially with a lid. As soon as the beans start to boil, lower the heat a little but continue to boil. Cook for 2 hours and keep adding water as it gets absorbed. Try to keep the water 2 inches above the beans. Stir occasionally.

After about two hours of cooking, add the oil, salt, tomato, and roasted garlic. I bought roasted garlic from the store and added 2 Tbsp. Remember not to add the salt before the two hours of cooking or your beans will not soften.

After adding the salt etc. bring the beans to a boil again and lower the heat to low. You want to cook them on a slow boil for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours (when they start sticking to the pot that’s a sign that they are done.)

You will need to stir them occasionally to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

When they are done, get a potato masher and mash to desired consistency. For a video on how to make them go here.

Step 2: Make the rice

Ingredients:
-12 inch frying pan, with tight fitting lid
-2 cups long grain uncooked white rice
-1/4 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 yellow onion cut into 1 inch chunks
-1/2 bell pepper any color, cut into 1 inch pieces
-3 cloves of garlic, minced or 3 heaping tsp garlic powder
-3/4 cup tomato puree
-2 tsp. sea salt (can reduce based on preferences)
-2 tsp. granulated chicken base (I used half a bouillon cube — can skip if you want lower sodium)
-2 3/4 cups of chicken broth (reduced sodium optional)

Add the oil to the pan add rice and put heat on to medium high. Saute until golden brown approximately 10 – 15 minutes and then add onion and bell pepper. Saute another 5 – 10 minutes.

Added the minced garlic and continue to saute for an additional 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree, chicken broth and salt. Stir and turn heat up to high. Bring to a full boil while stirring and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes (do not stir!!). Let it stand for 5 minutes.

For a video on how to make the rice go here.

3. Put the Burrito Together

Rockin Robin suggests using homemade tortillas if possible. I used trader Joes whole grain homemade tortillas. If you are having this for dinner you can put out all the ingredients with toppings like guacamole, grated cheese, tomatoes, salsa and sour cream.

To freeze I add one part beans, one part rice and one part cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend) and fold into a burrito and put in freezer bags. This makes about 12 frozen burritos but could more or less depending on the size you prefer. I didn’t add much rice so I only used half of what I cooked and froze the rest for next time.

To heat, just pop in the microwave for 1 minute per side for a total of two minutes. Add some salsa and guacamole on top and you have a nutritious and satisfying quick lunch.

The kids reaction? Little D loved the burrito while Big A is still warming up, which means she only ate the tortilla part.

Give them a try and let me know how they turn out!

While taking time to prepare meals is always a challenge for families — summer adds a whole new dimension to it. With longer days and fun-filled activities, parents need healthy and light meals that can be prepared in a snap or earlier in the day.

So I asked some fellow bloggers for their favorite quick and healthy summer meals. And I got some good ones that can be used each day of the week — and all year long.

Monday: Baked sweet potato topped with eggs scrambled with spinach, garlic, and olive oil.
Let’s face it, no one feels like cooking on Monday. This meal from nutritionist Kait Fortunato, can be made in a snap. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave and spinach (fresh or frozen) in garlic and olive oil, then add the eggs and scramble.

Tuesday: Black Bean Burgers
Dietitian Leah Kaufman sent over this easy black bean burger recipe that can be made in no time. Perfect for a no-fuss Tuesday dinner. Serve with fruit salad and veggie toppings to round it out.

Ingredients:
-1 can of black beans
-1 egg white
-1/4 white onion
-Dash of Cumin, Salt and Pepper
-1 oz cheddar cheese (low fat optional)
-1/4 cup bread crumbs

Throw half of the can in the blender and blend till it becomes a paste. Mash the other half with a fork. Mix together with 1 egg white, 1/4 cup chopped white onion, sprinkle on cumin, salt and pepper then mix in the cheese. Make a small ball and pat down into a burger. Sprinkle on bread crumbs to both sides (a very thin layer is all it takes!). Place in pan on medium heat for about 3 minutes each side. A good indicator for me was when the cheese melted. Want more food ideas, follow Leah Kaufman on twitter

Wednesday: Grilled Butterfly Chicken:
Time to fire up the grill! This one comes from dietitian Jill Castle at Just the Right Byte. She marinates the chicken at lunchtime and uses the butterfly technique with the chicken to assure a quick cook time on the grill (or the indoor grill).

Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup of honey

Butterfly the 4 chicken breasts and place in a ziploc bag (earlier in the day); pour the marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to grill. Grill on a medium-hot grill 3-5 minutes per side or until done. Place on a platter.
Meanwhile, shuck and break the corn cobs in half; place in a pot with 2-3” of water. Cover with lid and cook on high to steam for about 8-10 minutes.

Slice tomatoes and watermelon and place on separate platters. Place all items on table and serve!

Thursday: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes, Spinach, and Beans
Here’s a sneak peak into Elizabeth Ward’s upcoming book MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better. It’s quick and delicious and vegetarian, but can also be made with shredded leftover cooked chicken. Top with crumbled feta cheese for a Mediterranean flair.

Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
-8 ounces whole-wheat ziti pasta
-8 pieces sundried tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
-¼ cup hot or boiling water
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-10 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 10 cups packed leaves)
-1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak tomatoes in ¼ cup hot or boiling water for about 5 minutes. Do not discard fluid. In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add half the spinach and cook until just wilted. Remove from pan and reserve. Repeat with remaining spinach. Add first batch of spinach back to the pan. Add tomatoes and their soaking liquid and the beans. Toss to combine well. Add warm pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Serve.

Friday: Pizza on the Grill
This is dietitian Sally Kuzemchak’s favorite summer meal. Don’t miss her adventures in feeding at Real Mom Nutrition.

It’s much easier than it sounds—the dough doesn’t fall through the grates, trust me!—and the crust becomes crispy and smoky like it never would in the oven. You can use store-bought dough, though I like to set my bread machine to make a batch (I provide a recipe here). It can be fancy or simple, depending on the ingredients you have on hand. Serve it with a bagged salad and dinner is done—without turning your oven on or shelling out for (less healthy) pizza delivery.

Saturday: Whoo-hoo chicken
This more indulgent meal from Stephanie at Foodie-isms is perfect for the weekend. It also can easily be modified by using a lighter dressing or turkey bacon.

Ingredients:
-6 chicken breasts
-1 cup of ranch dressing
-2 cups of Pepperidge Farms stuffing (I substituted Panko crumbs)
-6 slices of bacon

Preheat oven to 375. Marinate chicken breasts in ranch dressing. Dip the ranch coated chicken breasts in the stuffing mixture and cover completely. Arrange the chicken in a glass-baking dish. Top each chicken breast with one slice of uncooked bacon. Bake for 45 minutes.

Sunday: Summer spring Rolls
Mommy Dietitian creator Angela Lemond sent this recipe over. While this one take a bit more time than the others, it can be made earlier in the day. Bring it to a barbecue and wow your friends.

Ingredients/Spring Rolls
-1/2 lettuce leaves separated and ribs removed and slicked in half
-1 grated carrot
-1 diced cucumber
-2 diced mangos
-1 diced red pepper
-1/4 cup minced basil
-25-36 medium shrimp shelled
-12 (8 inch) round Rice Paper (can be found in ethnic aisles at store)
-1 large bowl filled with warm water

Dipping sauce:
-1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
-2 tsp. minced basil
-1 lime juiced
-2 Tbs. minced garlic
-1 Tbs. sugar
-2 Tsp soy sauce

1. Combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside to infuse flavors.
2. Cook shrimp in boiling water until they turn opaque, which may take 1-2 minutes. Take them out of the boiling water and immediately place them into cold water to stop the cooking process. When it is cool, devein each shrimp.
3. Mix grated carrots, cucumber, mango and red pepper and minced basil together in a bowl.
4. Take one rice paper sheet and soak in warm water for couple of seconds. You will want to make sure that it absorbs the water, but not for too long. In a few seconds, you will see that it is pliable and flexible. Keep the sheet flat and place onto a plate.
5. Take one lettuce leaf and place it in the middle of the rice paper, and bring halfway towards you. Leave a 2 inch border on the bottom of the rice paper round. Next, take a couple scoops of the mango-vegetable mixture and place it on top of the lettuce. Then, place two or three shrimp halves upon the vegetable mixture.
6. Take the left and right sides of the rice paper and bring it towards the center. Holding these sides down, take the side of the rice paper closest to you and bring it up over the filling. Make sure that these are secure enough to hold the filling , but not too tight to tear. Continue rolling the filling away from your body until you have the perfect spring roll.

What’s been your favorite summer meal?

I got this meal idea from one of Super Healthy Kid’s Daily Dinners on facebook. The meal Amy posted was chicken, pasta and veggies made with a homemade white sauce. I looked up “homemade white pasta sauce” and it looked so easy I gave it a try.

I cooked the whole wheat pasta ahead of time and used frozen veggies and leftover chicken breast so was able to put this meal together in under 15 minutes!

It was really good and the kids liked the creamy pasta. I served it with bread and fruit. The perfect summer meal.

Have a great weekend!

Ingredients:
-1 (8 ounce) package dry pasta
-1-2 cooked chicken breasts chopped
-1 package frozen veggies of choice
-1 cup milk (used 2%)
-2 Tbsp. butter
-2 Tbsp. flour
-1/4 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
-parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Follow directions on package and cook the pasta. Heat up the chicken and cook the frozen veggies in the microwave.

2. In saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, garlic powder (or any other spice you prefer), salt and dash pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

3. Mix all ingredients together and enjoy.

Every Sunday we gather for dinner at my mother-in-law’s. I make a point to read People magazine to catch up on my celebrity gossip. When I ran across the recipe for Caulifower “Mac ‘N’ Cheese” I knew I had to try it. It comes from MasterChef (reality show) winner Whitney Miller.

It turned out great. Little D and I really enjoyed it while my husband and Big A didn’t really partake (my husband is a mac and cheese purist). The recipe calls for heavy cream, which is an ingredient I never use — it’s the dietitian in me. But I worked up some courage and tried the recipe “as is.” Maybe I’ll get help from the Meal Makeover Moms to lighten it up a bit.

This inspired me to search for other cauliflower mac and cheese recipes that actually have macaroni in them. Here are a couple that look good: Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower from Real Simple and Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese from Shape Magazine.

Anyone else making something like this at home?

Ingredients:
-8 cups cauliflower florets (1 head)
-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-1/2 tsp Kosher salt
-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
-2 Tbsp butter
-2 Tbsp flour
-1.5 cups fat-free milk
-1/2 cup heavy cream
-1/4 tsp table salt
-1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (reduced fat optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss florets in oil (and garlic if using) on a baking sheet (I prefer to mix in a sealed bag first). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce to 350.

2. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in cream and cook 5 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and all but 2 Tbsp cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

4. Place cauliflower in an 8X8-in glass baking dish. Pour cheese sauce on top and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.