Quick Chili

This isn't my favorite chili recipe, but it only takes about 15 minutes and I always have the ingredients on hand.

browned ground beef
1-2 cans kidney beans
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
diced onion
chili powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Mix, heat and eat.

enchilada bake

Here's another blog-stalked recipe. It's going on my regular meals list!

8 small flour tortillas, torn into quarters
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 large leaves of kale, finely chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
2 cups salsa, divided
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Saute onion and kale together with olive oil. Add corn and cook until no longer frozen. In large bowl, combine rice, beans, soup, milk, cumin and 1 cup salsa. Add kale/onion/corn mixture to bowl and mix well. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam and line with half of tortilla quarters. Spoon filling into pan and then top with remaining tortillas. Spread remaining 1 cup salsa on top {cover the entire thing - this keeps the tortillas from getting crispy while cooking} and sprinkle with shredded cheddar. Cook for 25 minutes at 375*.

Black Bean Fajitas

I've started blog-stalking the recipe blog of a girl in my ward. She has some great, healthy meals. This one was really tasty.

2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 onion, cut into strips
4 oz sliced 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
guacamole
salsa, sour cream, and cheese if desired

Cook brown rice as directed. In a large skillet heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil and saute vegetables until tender crisp. 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.

Assemble however you like on the tortillas and enjoy! I think the next time I make these I might even just opt to eat them as a burrito bowl with a bit of extra rice!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos

This recipe is from a family friend...who is the healthiest eater that I know. Sounds like a crazy combination, but they're awesome together and amazingly healthy... which makes them even better to me. I added some cheese on top before I baked them. And then topped with some guacamole.

3 cup peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 ½ cup diced onions
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh green chile
4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoon ground coriander

4 ½ cup cooked black beans (3 - 15oz cans)
2/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
8 tortillas
Fresh Salsa
{I topped with 1/4 c. pepper jack cheese before I baked them}
Guacamole/Avocado {I did this instead of the salsa}

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sweet potatoes in medium saucepan with the salt and water to cover. Cover & bring to boil, simmer till tender, roughly 10 minutes. Drain, set aside.

While these cook, warm the oil in a skillet and add onions, garlic, and chile. Cover, cook on med-low, stirring a bit, for about 5-8 minutes. Add cumin, coriander and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

In food processor add black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked sweet potatoes; puree until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, and mix in cooked onions and spices.

Put your burritos together, and then put them seam side down in a lightly oiled baking dish or tray, and cover with foil, bake for 30 minutes. Serve with Salsa.

{Pictured with Rachael Ray's Tex-Mex Fried Rice... yummy!}

Honey LIme Chicken Enchiladas

This is my new favorite mexican dish! Sweet and spicy at the sime time so different!

6 TB honey
5 TB lime suice ( 1 large lime)
1 TB chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

3 chicken breasts
Montreal steak seasoning ( packets sold by taco seasoning, etc)
1 can black beans
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 oz green enchilada sauce
1 Cup heavy cream ( or whole milk)

Mix first four ingredients together and set aside. Place chicken in a saute pan and season with half package of montreal seasoning, and cook till almost done, add honee lime mixture to chicken pan and shred chicken. saute until Chicken is completely cooked.

Pour half of enchilada sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 dish Filll flour tortillas with chicken beans, and cheese, save some cheese for top. mix the reamaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover sauces from the chicken. Pour sauce on top of enchiladas ( they will be swimming in liquid its okay) and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 350 for 20-30 min until brown and crispy on top.

Southwest Chicken Chili

I found this recipe on Picky Palate and was excited to make it because it requires NO dairy! Matt's not a fan of spicy food so I dialed down the heat, but it was still excellent and way easy to make.

4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 14-oz cans chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can cannelini beans, drained
1 14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 T Tabasco {I just did a few drops}
1 T fresh lime juice
2 T chili powder {I used about half}
2 T cumin
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and shredded chicken; cook for 1 minute then stir in rest of ingredients. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve. You can top with cheese, sour cream, or whatever else you like. Serve with Pancheri Cornbread.

Chorizo Black Bean Soup

This is my new favorite black bean soup, it beat out my old favorite. It's really good and really cheap to make but totally filling - BONUS!

1 tablespoon EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound cured chorizo, casing removed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Salt and ground black pepper
3 14-ounce cans black beans, drained
3/4 to 1 quart chicken stock, depending on desired thickness
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup sour cream
Zest and juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup (about a handful) flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

{{I did 4 cans of black beans and the full quart of chicken broth, and it was barely enough for 1 serving for 4 adults}}

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until crispy, 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add the onion, garlic, serrano peppers, smoked paprika, salt and ground black pepper to the pan, and cook until the onions are tender, 5-6 minutes.

Add the black beans and chicken stock to the pan, and bring the liquids up to a bubble. Ladle a couple of scoops of the soup into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and keep warm.

After pureeing the beans, rinse the food processor bowl out and return it to the base. Add avocados , sour cream, lime zest and juice and process until smooth.

Serve the soup topped with some avocado cream, reserved crispy chorizo and cilantro.

Rachael Ray

{{I served with Pancheri Cornbread}}

Chicken, Corn & Black Bean Stoup

2 T vegetable oil
2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 T ground cumin
1 1/2 T ground coriander
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups corn {I used frozen}
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 T. flour
1 quart chicken stock
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
hot sauce {Tabasco}

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil. Add the chicken and season with salt, pepper, cumin and coriander. Cook the chicken until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, corn and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Dust the chicken and veggies with flour, stir, and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and add the chicken stock. Bring the stew up to a simmer and then add the black beans. Simmer the stew for 15 minutes. Add the lime juice and cilantro and stir to combine. Add a little hot sauce {I used about 5 drops}. Serve garnished with sour cream, cilantro and/or cheese.

Also from 365: No Repeats

Black Bean & Mozzarella Bowl

1/4 cup smoked tomato vinaigrette (I used Brianna's Santa Fe)
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 t ground cumin
2 c fresh corn kernels, about 2 large ears (I used canned corn)
2 oz smoked mozzarella, diced (I used fresh mozzarella)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 cup coarsely chopped avocado
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a largo bowl, combined vinaigrette, beans, cumin and salt and pepper to taste; sent aside. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and pan-roast, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir corn and remaining ingredients into black bean mixture and toss together. Chill until ready to serve.

*This would also make a great salsa.
This recipe is from Women's Health Magazine {Makes 4 servings; per serving: 324 calories, 9 g fat, 42 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 13 g protein}

Black Bean Rice Burgers

I can't believe I didn't think to post this one before!

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons salsa

Using a fork or potato masher, mash beans in a bowl. Add rice, onion, egg, and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Coat a nonstick pan with cooking spray. Drop bean mixture by 1/2 cupfuls onto hot pan; press each to about 1/2" thickness. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, until well-browned and firm. (Note: If there is a secret to flipping these things without them falling apart, I haven't discovered it. I just sort of reshape them after flipping.)

For a great burger topping, combine 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup sour cream. Use instead of ketchup, mayo, etc.

Black Bean Stoup

A Rachael Ray Recipe (from her365: No Repeats Cookbook) that I LOVE and could eat once a week at least! So much flavor for black beans!

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 dried bay leaf
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 celery ribs with greens, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
3 - 15 oz. cans black beans
2 T. ground cumin
1 ½ t. ground coriander.
Salt and black pepper
2 to 3 T. hot sauce
1 qt. chicken or vegetable stock or broth (I use less because I like it a little thicker)
1 – 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
½ c. sour cream
2 to 3 scallions, chopped (I omit these, and it tastes just as good… not a big onions fan!)

1. Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO to the hot pot, then add the bay leaf , jalapeños, garlic, celery, and onions. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the bell peppers and continue to cook.



2. Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. With the remaining can, pour the juice and half the beans into the pot. Use a fork to mash up the beans remaining in the can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot and season with the cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce.



3. Add the stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.



4. Ladle up the black bean stoup and top with sour cream and scallions.

Can serve with Southwestern Monte Cristos or with Pancheri Cornbread (shown w/ the pic)

3 Bean Dip

This is the perfect March Madness (or Super Bowl) snack. I could eat the whole bowl myself! This recipe comes from either Mel or Michelle (I can't remember who) and it's one of my favorites.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ green pepper, diced small
½ red onion, diced small
1 tomato, diced small
½ to ¾ cup Catalina dressing
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with Fritos scoops.

Mexican Lasagna

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz. can black beans (or pintos), drained and rinsed
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime
1 cup salsa (whatever kind you like, I use green)
2 tsp. cumin powder
salt & pepper
8 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese (or Monterey jack if pepper jack is too spicy)
5-6 corn tortillas, cut in half

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook until onion is clear, about 5 minutes. Add beans, diced tomatoes, salsa and cumin powder. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Heat through, about an additional 5 minutes. In a 9X9” pan, place about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture. Layer tortillas, half of bean mixture and half the cheese. Repeat this a second time ending with all the cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with diced fresh tomatoes, avocado, sour cream….anything you might put on enchiladas. I also love it with fritos on top.

This has become a fast favorite (even Pops likes it) and a regular in my home. I have also added corn to the bean mixture, but I like it better without the corn others like it either way. It also makes great leftovers to take for lunch to following day.