Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves or kale

Directions

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Adapted from the Tuscan Vegetable Soup recipe at Food Network

Quinoa Chili

Recipe by Cynthia Gough

 

 

This was a healthy go to recipe back when I ate meat all the time. So I've modified it with quinoa instead, and it's delicious!

1/2 cup water

3 cups chopped onions

1 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can or 2 cups cooked pinto beans, rinsed and drained (kidney beans shown in picture)

1 can or 2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cups quinoa

4-6 cups vegetable broth or water (depending how much liquid you prefer)

2 T chopped or minced garlic

1-2 T chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp mustard powder

Saute onions in 1/2 cup water over medium-high heat until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

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Bake-off Flunkie Hummus

My friend Tiffiny put this on her blog The Bake-Off Flunkie.  Yum.  Hummus.

2 15-oz cans garbonzo beans, drained, 1/2-cup liquid reserved

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

3 cloves garlic

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients, except the reserved bean liquid and olive oil, in a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade.

2. Pulse three times (3-5 seconds each pulse), and scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, add the olive oil, and 4-6 tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid. Run the processor until the hummus is very smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl at least once.

Learn more about the Sanity Health Challenge!  Click here!

Guaco Tacos

Ingredients

    1 (14.5 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained, rinsed, patted dry
    2 roma tomatoes, quartered
    1 onion, chopped, divided
    1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
    1/4 cup fresh cilantro
    1/2 jalapeno pepper
    salt and pepper to taste
    4 avocados, halved with pits removed
    12 (6 inch) whole wheat tortillas
    1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
    2 cups torn romaine lettuce

Directions

    Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    Combine the canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, 1/2 of the onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeno in a food processor. Chop roughly; do not puree.
    Combine the pulp of the avocados and the remaining onion in a large bowl. Mash until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
    Spread tortillas in a single layer on baking sheet. Place in oven until warm, about 5 minutes. Spread tortillas with guacamole. Top with beans, salsa, and lettuce.

Footnotes

    Cook's Note:
    Substitute black beans for the kidney beans, if you prefer.

Cynthia's Black Bean Chili

This recipe has been a new favorite, and a regular meal at our house. My almost 5-year old son gulps it up every time! And I love to cook it for dinner and then eat the leftovers for lunches.

Delicious Black Bean Chili

Makes about 12 1-cup servings

    1 cup water
    2 medium onions, chopped
    4 medium garlic cloves, minced (Or 2 tsp. minced garlic)
    2 small bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
    1 cup crushed tomatoes
    4 cans black beans, undrained
    2 4-oz cans diced green chilies
    2 tsp ground cumin

Heat the water in a large skillet or pot. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, and their liquid, chilies, and cumin. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until flavors are blended.

Cynthia is the creator of Postpartum Joy.  You can read more about her here or here.

Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple Salsa
   
 Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
and rinsed
   
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 green chile peppers, chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.     In a large bowl, toss together pineapple, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, corn, black beans, onions, green chile peppers, orange juice, and cilantro. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Add On:  We subbed garbanzo beans for black beans and it was fantastic!  Also, mix with quinoa for a wonderful quinoa salad!

Zingy Italian White Bean Soup

You will need to wash and soak the dried cannellini beans over night so plan ahead!  This recipe serves two people generously, so if you are making it for a crowd, increase the ingredients.  Start cooking the beans before you begin chopping the vegetables and they should be ready to go by the time you are ready to make the soup.

1 cup dried cannellini beans (white Italian kidney beans), soaked

1 unsalted vegetable bouillon cube

4 garlic cloves, minced

half a red onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

3 stalks of fresh fennel, or half a fennel bulb, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 bunch of fresh spinach, chopped

1 tsp oregano

4 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon

Directions:

1.  Drain the beans, then put them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until al dente (this is after soaking overnight).

2.  In a large soup pot, dissolve the bouillon cube in 1/4 cup water over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion.  Cook, stirring constantly, until they sweat.  Add celery and fennel with a pinch of sea salt.  Allow the vegetables to heat through and soften.  Cover the vegetables with spring water, and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.  Add zucchini, spinach, cooked beans, oregano, sage, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper.  Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked, but not mushy.  Turn off the heat.  Squeeze the juice of a whole lemon into the soup.  Adjust the seasonings to your liking and serve.  

From the book Forks over Knives

Bean and Barley Chowder

Barley is an excellent source of Soluble Fiber!  This means that they act as a prebiotic.

The longer you cook this thick and hearty soup, the creamier and richer tasting it becomes.

Ingredients:

8 cups water or vegetable broth

1 cup dry baby lima beans, soaked overnight and drained

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrot

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 T crushed garlic

1 tsp thyme

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Place water and beans in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.  Add remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper.  Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until barley and beans are tender and broth is creamy, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Recipe from Forks over Knives

Baked Lentils and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 cup uncooked wild and/or brown rice

1 cup dried lentils (red or green)

1 can crushed tomatoes, with juice

1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried rosemary

1 T chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried oregano

4 cups vegetable broth

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large, deep baking dish, combine onion, rice, lentils, tomatoes, rosemary, basil, oregano, and vegetable broth, and stir gently.

Bake, covered, for 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent sticking, until bubbly and browned.  Serve warm.

Add a side salad of mixed greens!  Lentils are one of the most nutrient dense foods around.  Loads of fiber, protein, iron, and folate!  

Red Beans and Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 bag of Red Beans
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp cajon seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of dry quinoa, cooked according to package (will make about 5 cups)

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans throughly
2. Place in a large pot add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. You will not drain the extra water so it is better to start with less and add more as needed while cooking.
3. Bring to rolling boil and let them cook for 1 hour.
4. Then add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
5. Reduce to a simmer and cover.
6. If the beans seem too watery remove while cooking.
7. Cook about 2 hours, until beans are soft.
8. Serve the beans with quinoa.

Easy Black Bean Cakes

Easy Black Bean Cakes

This makes a great vegan recipe.  I'm thinking you could also bake them and that would be even healthier.  I will try it that way next time.  You could also easily substitute other veggies as well. 

can of black beans, drained really well
¼  yellow squash, minced
¼  zucchini, minced
½  onion, minced
2 tsp cumin
salt to taste
whole wheat bread crumbs, or alternative flour (soy, almond, garbanzo bean)
1 -2 tsp olive oil or cooking spray

Mash the black beans, squash, zucchini, onion, cumin and salt with a fork or potato masher.  Add bread crumbs to keep the mixture from being too sticky. Form into patties.  Heat oil in frying pan, add patties and cook on each side till browned….about 5 minutes per side.  For the topping I added Mango Salsa.  You can be creative with the topping.

You can also sub the squash and zucchini with red, green or yellow peppers.

Cynthia's Yummy Bean Dip

Cynthia is one of the amazing women who has joined my March Challenge Group!   

2 cans of black beans (one can I drained, and one can I didn't drain)
about 1 tsp minced garlic
about 2 T lime juice
1-2 tsp ground cumin
dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)

And if I had cilantro I would've thrown that in too, but I didn't have any, and it was still good!

Throw it all into the blender and blend! YUM!

Rice and Bean Tacos

A few months ago as we transitioned our kids off of ground beef tacos, my husband came up with this creation.  We all loved it.  When we make it, the adults put it on top of chopped up romaine with some mango salsa and avocado.  The kids put it in taco shells.  We even had a guest kid tonight and he ate two of them and loved them.

2 1/2 cup of brown rice w/3 cups of vegetable broth

(cook it according to directions in a Black & Decker Steamer or Rice Cooker)

1 can of black beans

1 can of pinto or kidney beans

1 can of corn

1-2 T of Kirkland Organic No-Salt Seasoning

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

3-4 T of the mango salsa of your choice (we buy ours at Costco.  You could also use regular salsa.)

1/4 of a sliced avocado

Taco shells 

Mix the cooked rice, beans, and corn in a big bowl along with the seasoning (add more or reduce to taste).  Spoon into taco shells and top with romaine lettuce and salsa.  Or, put the mix on top of the romaine.  Top with mango salsa and avocado.  Yummy stuff!

Easy Beans and Quinoa

From The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition

Ingredients:

1 small yellow onion

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or crushed

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup dry quinoa

1 can no-salt added pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup water

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1.  In a medium pot over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in vegetable broth for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

2.  Add quinoa, pinto beans, water, cumin, sea salt, and black pepper.  Bring to a boil, lower heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, or until all liquid is absorbed.

3.  Stir in corn and cilantro until heated through.  Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 4 (1 cup serving)

170 calories, 2g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 180mg sodium, 30g total carbohydrates, 6g dietary fiber, 2g sugars, 8g protein, 64mg calcium, 3mg iron

Southwest Quinoa Soup

Ingredients
8 cups water
1 1/2 cups uncooked organic quinoa

2 1/2 cubes vegan boullion
1 1/2 tbsp all natural taco seasoning
1/2 chopped red onion
1 chopped carrot
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tbsp tumeric
1/2 tbsp cumin
Bay leaf
1/2 can of green enchilada sauce
1/2 can of green chilies
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 (8 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 sliced avocado
1 chopped scallion

Directions

In a large pot combine the first 16 ingredients (through diced tomatoes) and ring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots are tender (about 15-20 minutes).

Ladle into bowls, then dress with fresh cilantro, 2-3 drops of lime oil, avocado slices, and chopped scallions. For a complete dinner serve with a big salad and a slice of whole grain bread.

Vegan Chickpea Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon veganaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pour chickpeas into a medium size mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in celery, onion, veganaise (to taste), lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper to taste.

Black Bean Stew

This is a very inexpensive and healthy meal! Super easy to double, triple, etc.

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 can kidney beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 packet of taco seasoning (if desired)

Directions:

1. Open cans

2. Dump in pot

3. Stir

4. Bring to boil and then simmer for about an hour until beans are soft.

Makes about 4 servings.