Italian Meatless Meatloaf Muffins

I was on a muffin kick and made these for dinner after I made the Banana Chocolate Chip Millet Muffins.  I can't remember if I saw these on Jen's blog or not.  I couldn't find them but I have had them bookmarked on Peas and Thank You for awhile now.  Finally made them and...WOW!  These will be made again and again...and again.  The flavor is awesome.  The texture is "meaty".  And they are even great warmed up for leftovers the next day.  In fact, my two school boys brought them for lunches and ate them cold and said they were great!  Yeah!  New lunch option!  I made a double batch and it made 28 or so.  These would be even more economical if you use your own cooked pinto beans from scratch.  Cheaper than using canned beans.  I had to use 4 cans of beans for my double recipe.  So good though!

Italian Meatless Meatloaf Muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup marinara sauce, jarred or homemade, divided

1/4 c. flax seed, ground

Two 14 oz cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 of a large onion, chopped

3/4 c. oats

1 t. minced garlic

1T. Worcestershire sauce

2 t. olive oil

2 T. nutritional yeast

1/2 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried parsley

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. cracked black pepper

One 5 oz. can of sliced olives (optional)

Instructions

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. of the marinara sauce and the ground flax. Stir to combine and set aside to thicken.

-In a large bowl, mash pinto beans with a fork or potato masher.  Do not over mash, we aren’t looking for refried beans, but a nice chunky texture.

-Add onion, oats, garlic, Worcestershire, olive oil, nutritional yeast, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.

-Add in marinara flax mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

-Scoop bean mixture into a muffin tin that has been lightly greased or sprayed with cooking spray.

-Bake for 15-17 minutes, until edges are starting to brown. Top each muffin with a spoonful of marinara and a few sliced olives.

-Return to oven for another 10-12 minutes, until muffins are firm and set.

-Allow muffins to cool for several minutes, as they will firm up even more, before serving.

12 Muffins - Serves 4

Southwestern Spaghetti Squash

My friend, Amy, posted this recipe on her blog and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to make it.  What a delicious and different way to eat spaghetti squash!  I happened to have one just waiting to be used and made this up that very day.  I highly recommend trying this recipe!  My whole family loved it!  I did do a few things differently.  I left out the cheese and I upped a few of the spices and garlic.  And of course I substituted chipotle peppers in adobe sauce for the jalapeno...because that's what I do, and that's what I like.  It seemed a little dry so I added a bit of vegetable broth I had open in my fridge.  You could add a little water or even salsa, I think, if yours seems a little dry.  Sooo good!  To serve, I just cut each half into thirds for our family and we had our own shell to scoop out of.

Southwestern Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 medium red or yellow onion, chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small jalapeno, minced, remove seeds for less heat (or chipotle peppers in adobe sauce)

1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp chili powder (or chipotle chili powder)

1/2 tsp oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Lightly brush the inside with olive oil and sprinkle each half with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet and roast for 60-70 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Over medium high heat, heat oil in a medium pan. Sauté onion and bell pepper until soft. About two minutes. Add in garlic and jalapeno and stir so not to burn. Stir in beans, corn, tomatoes and spices. Remove from heat.  Add chopped cilantro, reserving a bit for garnish.  Squeeze in the lime juice and give one last stir.

Using a fork, scrap out most of "spaghetti" from squash. Don't remove too much because you want your shells to still be sturdy. Add to the pan and stir to combine. Scoop filling into each half of the scooped out shells.  Garnish with cilantro.

Beanballs with Tomato-Balsamic Gravy & Mashed Potatoes

I have tons of pictures of food I've taken of different meals I've made all saved up on my computer.  Just trying to get my folder cleaned up and some recipes posted.  This one, for instance, is one of them.  These were so good!  I went to make them this morning (I'm making several freezer meals to have on hand when I need something quick and easy...and still healthy!) and found out I've never posted them.  This recipe is from Jen.  HERE is her recipe.  She makes them with THESE beanballs (also her recipe) but I always use my favorite bean burger recipe HERE.  I don't always have vital wheat gluten on hand and these just have the best flavor.  Mmmm...love them.  This is one "meat"ball that I even love to eat "raw".  I double the batch and it makes TONS.  Throw the extras in the freezer for another meal.  Use either recipe or your favorite beanball recipe. :)  The tomato-balsamic gravy is super yummy over the meatballs and mashed potatoes.  Mmmm....Thanks for the great recipe, Jen!

Beanballs with Tomato-Balsamic Gravy & Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

1-2 red potatoes per person, cut in chunks
2 cloves of garlic
1-2 tablespoon vegan butter

Put potatoes into a pot and cover with water - and then some, add the garlic cloves and bring to boil. Once potatoes are tender, drain water, and mash potatoes - adding vegan butter. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Beanballs

1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained, rinsed

1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 small carrot, shredded

1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp. ketchup

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

In a food processor* bowl with metal blade, combine oats, mushrooms, onions, carrots, peppers, garlic, ketchup, and salt; process with on/off pulses until coarsly chopped. Add beans.  Do NOT puree or they won't hold their buger shape.  Stir in brown rice by hand.  Shape mixture into balls to make "meat"balls.  Roll into about 1"-1.5" balls.  Smaller is better.  Brown in lightly greased skillet being sure to cook on all sides OR bake on a greased baking sheet at 375 for 25-30 minutes until firm.

*This can also be done by blending kidney beans in blender on low then putting mashed beans into bowl and adding finely chopped veggies, ketchup and salt. Stir in cooked brown rice.

Tomato-Balsamic Gravy

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pints grape tomatoes or 3-5 large ripe tomatoes, diced in large chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil spray
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons vegan butter
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 to 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth


Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Toss the grape tomatoes and onion slices onto a baking sheet along with a spray of EVOO spray, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the tray of veggies in and roast until the onions are caramelized and the tomatoes have burst open, about 15 minutes.

While the tomatoes and onion are roasting away, get the roux started: Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the balsamic and broth to the pan, whisking to incorporate. Cook until thickened, then remove it from the heat and reserve.

Add the roasted tomatoes and onion to the sauce and break up the veggies with a potato masher (I usually just pulse it in the blender, Shayne and the kids don't like chunks). Serve a  side of mashed potatoes and a handful of beanballs per person with a hearty ladle of the tomato balsamic gravy.

Smoky Southwest Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

Oh, my goodness!  This was to die for!  This one will be made again and again.  It was inhaled by everyone in our family.  There was not a bean left in the entire 9x13 dish.  If you want leftovers, I would suggest serving with a salad.  :)  This recipe also came from Vegan on the Cheap.  I just opened up the book and had all of the ingredients on hand for this and made it!  I did make a couple changes but nothing drastic.  I added a huge, heaping pile of chopped kale which I can't imagine not including.  I used probably 4 packed cups full.  Maybe even more.  Be generous!  I also used a can of corn instead of frozen corn and only put the chipotle chile in adobo sauce in the filling...not in the mashed potatoes as well.  That's about it!  Very easy and too delicious to miss.  I hope you make this.  We thought it would be good stuffed in whole wheat tortillas as a burrito filling, too. 

Smoky Southwest Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 chipotle chiles in adobo (I used 1)
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. vegan margarine
salt and black pepper
(I also added a bit of unsweetened almond milk to thin it out)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
4 cups kale, finely chopped
3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen corn kernels (or 1 can, drained)
1 1/2 cups tomato salsa
1 tsp. ground cumin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Steam the sweet potatoes until just tender, about 12 minutes.  While the potatoes are steaming, in a blender or food processor, puree the chile(s) with the water and set aside.  (I skipped this step and just chopped mine really fine.  It was frozen so it was very easy to chop.)

Mash the steamed potatoes with the margarine, and salt and pepper to taste.  (And milk if needed.)  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate large skillet, heat olive oil (or same amount of water) over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrots, cover, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add finely diced chipotle chile.  Stir in chopped kale and corn and cook a couple minutes until kale is wilted.  Stir in beans, salsa, and cumin and heat through.  I thought it needed just a little more liquid and added about 1/2 cup water.  You could also add tomato sauce, more salsa, vegetable broth, milk, etc.

Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish.  Spread the mashed sweet potatoes evenly on top of the bean mixture.  Bake until the filling is hot, about 15-20 minutes.  Serve hot.

Buffalo Chili

This chili is soooo good!  I found this on Betty Crocker.  Of course I changed it up a bit.  It's supposed to have chicken in it but I omitted that.  And it's supposed to be served with blue cheese on top but I can't think of a good vegan substitute for that one.  Any suggestions?  I guess you could drizzle some of that yummy Ranch Dressing over the top if you wanted to.  I also added 1/2 cup total of barley and millet.  You could add one or the other or leave out completely.  I just wanted mine thicker and not so "soupy".  I also did different tomatoes and added white beans after reading some reviews.  I really liked the flavor though.  It's definitely got some "spice" to it.  Different than the normal chili flavors.  I am not a fan of chicken wings...ever.  I worked in a deli in between college semesters and saw way too many chicken feathers still attached to those suckers.  Never could eat them again.  But I do enjoy the flavors of the sauce.  We had some freshly baked whole wheat bread to go with it.  Very tasty.

Buffalo Chili

1 large onion chopped (about 1 cup)
2 celery sticks, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with chilis, undrained
1 (14.5 oz.) can chili ready tomatoes, undrained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth (might need to add up to 2 more cups of broth if you add barley/millet)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt (I will leave out next time.  Plenty salty for us.)
1/2 cup (total) barley and/or millet, optional
1/4-1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce ( I used Frank's Red Hot sauce)
Garnishes: guacamole, ranch, chips, celery sticks, etc.

Put all ingredients in crock pot except hot sauce and garnishes.  (I read the recipe wrong and put the hot sauce in, too.  Worked fine.  I'll probably do this every time.)  Mix.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  If it seems to be getting too thick add more vegetable broth.  Stir in hot sauce (if you didn't before) and serve.

Bean & Veggie Quesadillas

I'm not sure what to call these.  I cook them like a quesadilla but there isn't any cheese.  Of course you could add some vegan cheese sauce to it and that is delicious, too.  I normally make these as a "quick" or "spur-of-the-moment" meal so I normally don't have the cheese sauce handy.  But occasionally I'm lucky and have leftovers to use.  These are quick and simple and a great meal to make in a hurry.  One of our favorites.  The ones in the picture look a little non colorful.  I thought I had tomatoes but all I found was an empty container.  My kids eat grape tomatoes like they're...well...grapes!  Hard to keep them around!  But you get the idea.  Any of your favorite veggies work.  I usually serve these with salad.

Bean & Veggie Quesadillas

Whole grain tortillas
Refried beans (or leftover Un-Refried Beans which is the BEST)
Chopped veggies:  cucumber, tomato, olives, avocado, corn, onions, peppers, spinach, etc.
"Cheese" sauce
Vegan Ranch Dressing
Salsa
Guacamole

Heat large skillet or griddle.  You can oil or spray the tortillas if desired but I usually skip it.  They still get nice and crispy.  Spread beans over bottom tortilla.  Sprinkle chopped veggies over beans (or optionally, save chopped veggies to sprinkle over top of cooked quesadilla.  I have a few who prefer it one way or the other  in my family.)  Drizzle with ranch dressing and/or salsa (or "cheese" sauce if using) if desired.  Place another tortilla on top.  When bottom is golden brown, flip over and heat other side.  Remove from heat and let sit for just a few minutes.  Cut into sixths (or eighths if using really big tortillas.)  Serve with more ranch/salsa/guacamole for dipping if desired.

Un-Refried Beans

This recipe is from my friend, Mandy.  I've made it so many times now and decided it was time to put it on here to make hunting down the recipe a little easier.  I love these beans!  I could eat them every day.  And I confess, I've never actually mashed them.  We usually just have a cup of them or put them in tortillas for burritos or tacos.  (That's why I'm putting them in the "soup" category as well.)  The flavor is so good and I love the juices.  I haven't ever made them with the jalapeño.  The first time I made them I had everything but the jalapeño but I did have chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (they come in a can) so I substituted with those.  They add a really good smokey flavor.  I always seem to have the chipotle peppers because I only use a small portion out of the can and then freeze the rest.  When I make these beans I just cut off what I need from the frozen leftovers and then finely dice.  And since I was using chipotle peppers I decided to  switch the chili powder with chipotle chili powder.  One of these days I need to make them with the jalapeño!  Sooo good!  And they smell so good cooking all day.  Super simple and super cheap.  The only bad part is we sure don't have many leftovers.  I guess I need a bigger crock pot so we can double the batch!  The last time I made them I used Cranberry Beans!  I'd never seen them before.  They look a lot like pinto beans but with red stripes and some are completely red.  They turned out great and were big and plump.  Thanks for the great recipe, Mandy!

Un-Refried Beans

1 lb. dry pinto beans, picked through and rinsed

1 medium onion, diced

1 jalapeño, diced (or chipotle peppers in adobe sauce)

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder (or chipotle chili powder)

10-15 cranks cracked black pepper (I've never put the black pepper in since the peppers spice it up a lot)

1 tsp. salt 

6 cups water

Place onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder and pepper into crockpot.  Add the sorted and rinsed beans and the water.  Stir everything well to distribute seasoning.  Cook on high for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.  After cooking, remove as much water as possible, saving it in a bowl.  Mash the beans {I used my potato masher}, adding in just enough reserved water to get the consistency you want.  Season the mashed beans with salt.  I would start with 1 tsp, taste, and add more if needed.

This recipe ends up making about six cups of refried beans, so I took the leftovers and divided them into two-cup batches in Ziploc freezer bags. Cool completely in refrigerator, then transfer to freezer.  To use the frozen beans, you can just put them in the fridge in the morning and they'll be thawed by dinner.  Or, if you're like me and can't seem to plan that far in advance, you can always put the whole ziploc bag into a bowl of warm water and they thaw in no time.

Cheesy Bean Casserole

I was feeling like some Mexican food the other night but I needed it to be quick and easy to make and I needed it to be creamy.  This is what I came up with.  I used this Cheese Sauce Recipe.  I added a bit of turmeric powder to make the "cheese" yellow but you definitely don't need to.  If you do use it, remember a little bit goes a long way!  This was totally delicious and everyone loved it!  We had it with some fruit salad and a green salad.  So good!

Cheesy Bean Casserole

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chopped tomatoes, do not drain
1 cup salsa
1 cup frozen corn, optional
corn tortillas, torn into quarters
Cheese Sauce recipe (below)

Combine beans, tomatoes, salsa and corn in a bowl and set aside.  Make cheese sauce.  Cook until just starting to get thick.  Spray bottom and sides of  a 2-3 quart casserole dish.  (Not quite enough to use a 9x13.)  Cover bottom of dish with tortillas torn into quarters.  Spread half of bean and tomato mixture over tortillas.  Spread half of cheese sauce over beans.  Place torn tortillas over cheese layer.  Finish with remaining bean/tomato mixture, cheese sauce, and then one last layer of corn tortillas.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Uncover and spray top layer of corn tortillas with cooking spray or brush top with olive oil.  Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serve with chopped olives, salsa, cilantro, etc.

Cheese Sauce

1 cup water

2 small cloves of roasted garlic
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. tahini (the larger amount makes it "cheesier")
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp. rolled oats
1 Tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/8 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.  (For this recipe you want it to be more on the "thin" side.  Watch it carefully.  It thickens very quickly!)

Beanball Subs

I apologize to those of you who already have this recipe from my friend Jen's blog, Belly Bites.  (And I think at least half of my readers link to me from her blog!  Thanks, Jen!)  But I must post this recipe so that I can make it again and again.  It was soo good!  Even with all of my mess-ups.  And believe me, there were a few.  It took me while to make sure I had all of the ingredients at the same time.  When I finally thought I was ready and began to make the beanballs I went to get my kidney beans out of my pantry and...I was OUT!  I'm NEVER out of kidney beans.  But after making 7 Shepherd's Pies in one day (for a frozen dinner exchange) I used them all up and forgot to replenish my stash.  Bummer!  I decided to use black beans instead.  They worked great so if you're ever out of kidney beans...black beans make a great substitute.  Just so you know.  I also forgot to put the olive oil in the beanball mixture.  Oops!  Didn't seem to make a difference so I might leave that out again.  I also just used marinara sauce from a jar instead of making the gourmet, and much more delicious I'm sure, recipe that goes with this.  I know this looks like a lot of steps and work but it really comes together quickly.  Jen says she always doubles her beanball recipe and freezes them for another time.  That would really speed the process up!  OK...here's the recipe!

Beanball Subs

1 recipe Beanballs {below}
1 recipe (4 cups) Marinara Sauce {below}
1 recipe Pine Nut Cream {below}
4 hoagie rolls, split open
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, well washed

Prepare the recipes of the first three components. (And yes, that means cook the beanballs as directed in the beanball recipe.  I had a question about that.)  Preheat oven to 350*F. Place (precooked) Beanballs in a casserole dish and top with about 1 cup of marinara and all of the pine nut cream. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until pine nut cream is lightly browned.

Spread more marinara sauce on one side of each roll and distribute the Beanballs evenly among the sammiches, layering the spinach leaves over them - it'll wilt some. Top liberally with more marinara sauce. Close your sammiches, slice in half on the diagonal, and serve.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Beanballs
1 (20-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons steak sauce or tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for frying or baking
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced finely
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat oven to 375*F.

Mash the kidney beans in a mixing bowl until no whole beans are left. You don't want them to be completely smooth, you should still be able to recognize that they are kidney beans. Add the soy sauce, steak sauce/tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, bread crumbs, wheat gluten, and herbs, and use a fork to mix everything together. Use your hands to kneed the mixture for about a minute, until everything is really well combined and firm.

Roll the bean mixture into walnut-size balls (I use a cookie scoop so they're all uniform). But don't make them too big; smaller makes for the best texture.

Grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil {i spray}. Place the balls on the sheet and then drizzle them with a little more oil, to coat {i spray a liberal coat}. Bake for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip them and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven.

Time Saver: Double this up, freeze what you don't use. And have them quick and ready for another time.

Marinara Sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
a whole bulb of peeled roasted garlic, smooshed
roasted red pepper, chopped

Preheat saucepan over medium-low heat. Add water and garlic to steam-fry for about a minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add the remaining ingredients, cover, and raise the heat a bit to bring to a simmer. Add the roasted garlic. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roasted red pepper and warm through.

Pine Nut Cream
1 pound soft silken tofu
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
1 garlic clove
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
white pepper

In a food processor, blend the pine nuts and lemon juice, scraping the sides with a rubber spatula, until a cream paste forms. Add the tofu, garlic, arrowroot, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth.

Sloppy Josés

These sandwiches are a twist off the traditional Sloppy Joe.  The addition of chile peppers, salsa, and beans gives them a kick and I "twisted" them even further and made them with lentils instead of beef.  (If you want to use beef instead of lentils just use 12 oz. lean ground beef.)  Super!  Austin originally found the recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book we checked out from the library.  I loved the way they turned out after the changes we made.  Definitely a keeper!

Sloppy Josés

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and sorted

4 cups water

1/2-1 can refried beans, fat free (use more or less depending on how thick you want your filling)

1 (4 1/2 oz.) can diced green chile peppers

1/2 cup salsa

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

6 hamburger buns

Toppings:  lettuce, sliced olives, pickles, guacamole, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream if desired

Rinse and sort dry lentils, removing any stones.  Place in a saucepan with 4 cups water.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to med-low and place lid slightly ajar over pan.  Simmer for 20 min. or until soft.  Drain off any remaining liquid when done.  Set aside (or go on to the next step while the lentils are cooking.)

In a large skillet, saute diced onion.  Add 1/2 can (about 3/4 cup) refried beans, green chilies, salsa, water, and minced garlic to the skillet.  Stir in cooked lentils.  Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil.  Add more refried beans if desired.  Turn burner to low heat.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until mixture is thick and most of the liquid is gone.

Spoon mixture onto buns.  Top with desired toppings.  Serve.

Black Bean Avocado Salad

You could make a meal out of this salad.  I love how fresh and light it is.  No heavy oils.  Make it at least an hour in advance so that the flavors can blend.

Black Bean Avocado Salad

2 cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed

2 tomatoes, diced (I like vine ripened or Roma)

1 avocado, diced

chopped cilantro to taste (1/2-1 cup)

2 green onions, diced

garlic salt, to taste (or you can just use salt)

juice from one lime

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Red Bean Veggie Burgers

These veggie burgers are soooo delicious!  They have the best flavor.  Leave nothing out!  You won't be disappointed.  I have substituted a green bell pepper for the red but that's it.  The kidney beans give them a nice red color and the vegetables are simply delicious together.  I usually double the recipe so I can have leftovers.  Leftovers are great reheated.  I love to crumble them over a salad for another meal option.  A single recipe makes about 4 burgers.

Red Bean Veggie Burgers

1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained, rinsed

1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 small carrot, shredded

1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp. ketchup

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

In a food processor* bowl with metal blade, combine oats, mushrooms, onions, carrots, peppers, garlic, ketchup, and salt; process with on/off pulses until coarsly chopped. Add beans.  Do NOT puree or they won't hold their buger shape.  Stir in brown rice by hand.  Shape mixture** into 4 patties, 1/2 inch thick.  Cook in a skillet lightly greased with olive oil on medium high for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until nicely browned and warmed through.  Do not flip burgers more than once or they could lose their shape.  If they do, just pat them back together.  Place burgers on whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, onion or any other hamburger fixin's you like.

*This can also be done by blending kidney beans in blender on low then putting mashed beans into bowl and adding finely chopped veggies, ketchup and salt. Stir in cooked brown rice.

**You can also shape these into balls to make "meat"balls.  Roll into about 1"-1.5" balls.  Smaller is better.  Brown in lightly greased skillet being sure to cook on all sides OR bake on a greased baking sheet at 375 for 25-30 minutes until firm.

Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas

I ran accross this recipe today and HAD to make it.  I had everything I needed and whipped some up just in time for my kids to have as a school snack.  Talk about a healthy and satisfying snack!  They were so good!  I think they would also be very yummy on a salad.  I made a double batch (because one can of beans doesn't last very long in my family) and they were gone in minutes.  Give these a try if you're looking for something sweet and healthy to snack on or if you need a new salad topping!

Pumpkin Spice Roasted Chickpeas

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry

2 T. maple syrup (you could also use agave nectar)

1 t. canola oil (or oil of your choice)

1 t. apple cider vinegar

1/8 t. salt

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. ginger

3/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated.  Spread chickpeas on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 25 minutes. Stir chickpeas every ten minutes to ensure even crisping.

Gnocci with White Beans and Pesto

We loved this recipe! It's pretty simple to throw together especially if you already have pesto made up (or bought). I made my own Speedy Spinach Pesto to go with it. Gnocchi (pronounced 'Noki') are a type of pasta made from potatoes. They look like almond shaped little lumps of dough. In the photo here, I used mini-size gnocchi. Normally they are larger in size. You can typically find gnocchi in the pasta aisle at your grocery store. I buy mine at Wal-mart and they are in fresh sealed vacuum packs. If you've never tried gnocchi give it a try!

Gnocchi with White Beans and Pesto

1 pound pre-packaged gnocchi

3 Tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, de-stemmed and quartered

1 cup celery, diced

1 (15.5 oz.) can Cannellini (White) Beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups packed baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 tsp. ground sage

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup pre-packaged or homemade pesto

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Heat a 10-inch skillet and 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. When warm add mushrooms and cook for three minutes.
3. Add celery, cover and cook one minute more until celery is bright green and soft.
4. Uncover and cook until water has evaporated.
5. Remove celery and mushrooms from pan and set aside.
6. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil; when warm add drained gnocchi and brown it alone until bottoms are crisp.
7. Stir and continue to brown the other sides.
8. Turn off the heat; add mushrooms, celery, cannellini beans, spinach, olives, sage, and salt.
9. In a separate bowl, mix pesto and broth together.
10. Top gnocchi with sauce; mix well. Serve.

Makes about 6 servings.

Click HERE for my Speedy Spinach Pesto recipe.

Mexican Style Black Beans and Rice

There's nothing fancy about this meal. In fact it's just Rice-a-Roni doctored up "Brooke" style. But boy is it good! This is one of my quick meals that I normally have everything on hand for. My kids love it and it tastes great. I like to serve it with crushed tortilla chips and a little bit of guacamole, salsa, or sour "cream" on top if I have any. Mmmm...

Mexican Style Black Beans and Rice

2 boxes Rice-a-Roni, Mexican Style flavor

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 cups water

1 (10 oz.) can Rotel, tomatoes and green chilies (I use Mild)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I've used kidney beans, red beans, and pinto beans, too)

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen chopped broccoli

crushed tortilla chips, optional

guacamole, salsa, sunflower sour cream or "cheese" sauce, optional

In a large skillet, combine rice-pasta mix with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute over medium heat until vermicelli is golden brown, stirring frequently. Slowly add 4 cups water and special seasoning packets. Stir in Rotel, black beans, and corn. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Add broccoli about half way through so that it stays nice and bright green.  Serve with crushed tortilla chips and toppings if desired.

Enchilada Skillet Bake

Otherwise known in our family as "Dallin's Favorite Dinner". It has the taste of enchiladas with the convenience of stove top cooking. This is one of my quick and easy meals that I usually try to have ingredients for. Serve with a salad and you've got a meal in less than 10 minutes. I originally got the recipe from my roommate, Emily, at BYU. There were 4 of us living in our apartment and we would rotate cooking meals for each other. This was my favorite meal of hers and I always loved it when she made it. I have since adapted it to my family's taste. The original recipe had ground burger in it (I believe...I can't remember exactly now) and shredded cheese melted into the mixture. I can't remember if it had corn or not. You can tell I've been making it "our" way for awhile now. I don't put any cheese in ours.  You can make it with whole grain tortillas for a healthier variation.

Enchilada Skillet Bake

1 (10 oz.) can enchilada sauce (or one recipe of Enchilada Sauce)

1/4 can water (or more if needed)

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

6-10 tortillas, depending on size

In large skillet, heat enchilada sauce and frozen corn until corn is warm. Rip tortillas into about 2" pieces. Stir to coat with sauce. Add tortillas until almost all liquid is absorbed. If it gets too dry just add water if needed. (I've added up to 1/2 can without any change in taste.) You can also add tomato sauce if it seems too spicy for your taste. Simmer on low stirring often for about 5 minutes or until tortillas are soft. Add pinto beans and stir until warm. Serve warm with a salad on the side.

Black Bean Rice Burgers

Feel like a different kind of burger? These are a great alternative. I got this recipe from my sister, Amy. Very simple and very good!  This is one of our favorite meals. I use a smaller measuring cup and we can get 6-8 burgers out of this recipe. Normally you would get 3-4 using the 1/2 cup scoop.

Black Bean Rice Burgers

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked brown rice

2 Tbsp. + 1/4 cup salsa

1 small onion, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

lettuce and tomato

1/4 cup sour "cream"

In a mixing bowl, mash beans with fork. Add rice, onion, salt and pepper, and 2 Tbsp. of the salsa; mix well. Using a 1/4 or 1/3 cup (or 1/2 cup if you want a bigger burger) measuring cup, drop onto sprayed, preheated skillet or electric skillet. Flatten slightly. Cover. Cook on low to med-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Flip with a sprayed spatula. Can be fragile. If they fall apart just pat back into shape. (Try to avoid flipping more than once. The secret is to slow cooking to avoid having to turn too often.) Cover again. Cook until firm and brown. 

SAUCE:

In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup. sour "cream" and remaining 1/4 cup salsa. Spread generously on toasted hamburger buns, both sides. Assemble with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!

Black Bean Fajitas

This is one of my most favorite meals of all time. They are fast, easy, filling, and delicious! Another great way to use up leftover brown rice as well. Top them with some guacamole and you are set! This can also be served on a bed of rice instead of tortillas. I like to use the Great Value brand seasoning packet sold at Wal-Mart. I've tried many different kinds and this one is by far my favorite and at about $.35 you can't go wrong! If you do not have access to a seasoning packet, feel free to season with your own seasonings. I recently found a fajita seasoning in a bottle at our local Kroger grocery store that has no salt or MSG which is definitely a plus! It is Fiesta Brand Extra Fancy salt free Fajita Seasoning. A pretty tasty alternative.

Black Bean Fajitas

2 green bell peppers, cut into strips (can also use red or any other color peppers)

1 onion, cut into strips

1 portabella mushroom, cut into strips (you could also use regular mushrooms)

1 cup frozen corn

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 fajita seasoning packet + 1/4 cup water

2 cups cooked brown rice (or 1 cup uncooked brown rice cooked on low in a covered pot for 45 min. in 2 cups of water)

guacamole

salsa

Cook brown rice as directed if you don't already have leftover rice on hand. In a large skillet heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil and saute vegetables until tender crisp. (In the summer you can cook the vegetables out on the grill!) Add black beans. Combine fajita seasoning mix with 1/4 cup of water. Add to cooked vegetables. Stir and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.

To assemble: I usually spread the guacamole on the tortilla first, then brown rice, and finally vegetable mixture. 

Goulash

This is a vegetarian version of Goulash that I made up. It has the yummiest flavor! Normally I use elbow macaroni for the pasta but the last time I made it I used the new Piccolini® Mini Wheels by Barilla. The boys loved that! So fun!

Goulash

In a large skillet saute in olive oil:

1 green pepper, diced

1/2 cup onion, diced

Add:

2 cups shredded cabbage

When veggies are tender crisp add:

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce + 1 can water

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes-I like to use the Del Monte Garlic & Onion flavor

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 can Great Northern beans, drain and rinse

1 tsp. basil

1/2 packet dry Golden Onion soup mix (or you could use regular onion soup mix)

2 cups uncooked Elbow Macaroni

Cover with lid and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until pasta is soft. Enjoy!

Aztec Couscous

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Wendy.  It is a great side dish and has wonderful flavor.

Aztec Couscous

1 cup plain couscous

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

Mix together in a heatproof bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over couscous. Cover tightly and let sit until water is absorbed, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Toss In:

1 can black beans, rinsed

1/4 cup purple onion, finely chopped or minced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped or minced

1 jalapeno, minced (I had to reduce this to 1/2 jalapeno so my kids would eat it)

Mix in :

1-2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Serve warm or at room temperature.