Spicy Black Bean and Chicken Soup

I am so glad to be back to my blog!  My laptop has been acting up and wouldn't connect to our WIFI for more than 5 minutes. I finally found time to take it in and got it fixed, or so they said.  One day back with my computer and I am already having connection issues.  So this sucker will probably be back to be repaired this weekend.  Everyone keep your fingers crossed that they will finally just replace the dang thing and Steve can help me pick out a computer that actually works!

I am very excited for this recipe!  It was easy and one of my new favorites!

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup salsa (we used medium salsa)
• 1 package taco seasoning (we used a chipotle taco seasoning)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (optional)
• Tortilla chips (optional)

1. Place chicken in crock pot. Pour broth, beans, corn, salsa, and taco seasoning over chicken. 
2. Cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours). 
3. Remove chicken and shred. Re-add chicken.
4. Add almond milk to crock pot and stir (if you are not dairy free, add sour cream and cheese)
5. Serve with tortilla chips (we had rice and tortillas with our soup)

We had left overs of this which I ate for lunch the next day.  It thickened up over night and made a wonderful rice bowl.

Because we used medium salsa and chipotle taco seasoning it was extremely spicy!  I had to eat every bite with rice.  Steve loved it, but he loves spicy!

Enjoy!
Bry

Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 whole very firm avocado, diced
• 1 cup of corn, rinse and drained, thawed if frozen
• 1 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• Juice of 1 lime, to taste
• Plenty of chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate before serving.  Serve with chips, chicken, tacos, etc etc.



Bry

Quinoa Enchiladas

I am not a usually one to invent a recipe, but I have failed to go grocery shopping for the last say week and my poor family has been eating rice and beans and other left overs.  So scraping together what I could find I made this awesome quinoa enchilada!  Use as a taco filling or eat plain or with lettuce.  Anyway this recipe is a keeper in my book.

Ingredients:
 
Enchilada Sauce:

• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1 packet of enchilada seasoning
• 1 cup of vegetable stock

Quinoa Mix:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion
• 1 small zucchini, pepper, corn or any veggie you want 
• 2 minced cloves or garlic
• 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa
• 3 cups water or vegetable stock
• 2 cups of cooked black beans, rinsed

Sour Cream Mix:
(I made half vegetarian, half chicken)

• 1 cup of sour cream
• 3.5 cups of cheese
•  Lime juice, about 1 lime
• 1-2 cups of shredded chicken (optional)
• 1 small can of sliced olives (optional)
• 1 small can of green chillies (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat up olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high.  Add onion and zucchini and saute for a few minutes until slightly browned.  Add garlic and cook for about a minute more.  Add quinoa and cook for a few minutes on medium until toasted.  Add 3 cups of water and the black beans to the quinoa.   Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low.  Let cook for about 15 minutes until most of the moister is soaked in, stir and turn off heat, cover til all the water is gone.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. While the quinoa is cooking in another small sauce pan mix the diced tomatoes, tomato paste until it starts to bubble.  Add enchilada seasoning and 1 cup of vegetable broth and bring back to a simmer and allow to thicken.
4. When the quinoa and sauce are done cooking mix quinoa, 2.5 cups of enchilada sauce together.  Add cheese, sour cream, lime juice (chicken, olives, chillies if using).  Mix all together and transfer to a large greased baking pan.  Top enchiladas with left over sauce and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in the over for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and center is hot.

Bry

Lentil Spaghetti Sauce on Spaghetti Squash

I love spaghetti squash.   Its stringy like spaghetti with its own flavor.  It is a bit plain in flavor, however it is good on its own, so you can dress it up with any sauces you like.  Plus the calorie count in spaghetti squash is next to nothing!  So feel free to fill that plate full of  "spaghetti".

Spaghetti squash is simple to cook.  Cut the squash in half, scrap out the seeds and the guts.  Then lightly rub some olive oil over the insides and wrap in foil.  Place down on a cookie sheet and roast for about 45 minutes to an hour in the oven at 400 degrees.  You will know the squash is done when your knife slides all the way through with ease.  The little spaghetti like strings will also easily detach from the squash.

The sauce I made last night for dinner was amazing.  I don't know if I will ever eat regular spaghetti sauce again.   It was hearty and had a lot of flavor and healthy ingredients.  It taste amazing over spaghetti squash, rice or even just by itself.  

Lentil Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced*
• 2 generous tablespoons of olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried basil (I used fresh mmm)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1 (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
• 1 (28 ounce can) whole or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6 ounce can) tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley (optional)

*feel free to add whatever other diced vegetables you like in your pasta sauce: mushrooms, zucchini, etc. I used 2 small zucchinis and a green pepper.  Feel free to add as much or as little vegetables as you like, they do not effect the flavor :)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the diced onion, green pepper, any other vegetables and a pinch of salt. Saute until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and cracked pepper; stir for 1 minute. Add the lentils and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
2. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and the can of whole tomatoes- breaking the whole tomatoes with your fingers into pieces. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 45 to an hour (stirring every few minutes.)
3. Before serving, stir in the 1 teaspoon vinegar.  Add the optional fresh parsley and serve over your favorite pasta, pasta alternative, or rice.

Bry 

South American Black Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed, OR 2 cups dried black beans, cooked and drained
• 1/3 cup lime juice (If you don't love lime you might want to use less, the taste is strong!)
• Finely chopped cilantro
• Sour cream
• Salsa

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, jalapeno (if using), thyme,  cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and stir to combine.  
3. Transfer contents from skillet to slow cooker.  Add vegetable stock and beans, stir.
4. cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
5. Before serving, stir in lime juice.  In blender, puree, soup in batches.
6. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, salsa or any of your favorite toppings.

 Picture taken before I went Gluten-free

Bry

Quinoa Bean Tacos

I borrowed this recipe idea from one of my new favorite gluten free blogs: Giving Up Gluten.  The fun thing about cooking though is you can add and change things as you see fit :)  The recipe I made made enough to last us for the rest of the week, which in a house of Go, Go, Go people that is a good thing, but this recipe could easily be cut in half and be plenty for a family meal.

• 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I used a couple of fresh tomatoes chopped up finely)
• 1 can corn, drained (I left out the corn, we don't try to eat a lot of corn in my family)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tsp. olive oil
  
• 2 cups quinoa
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 3-4 heaping tablespoons taco seasoning
• Hard or corn taco shells
• Shredded cheese
• Any of your other favorite taco toppings 
• ** I also added 1 small zucchini shredded and about a cup of shredded broccoli

In a large skillet, cook onions and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until soft.
Add minced garlic and cook 1 min. longer.
Add beans, corn, diced tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, salt, and taco seasoning. Mix well.
Then add quinoa, broth, and lime juice/zest. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated together. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for until most of the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.

Bry

Veggie Enchiladas

Ingredients: 
Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin, ground 
• ¼ cup flour (I used rice flour since I am gluten free)
• ¼ cup tomato paste 
• 14.5 oz. vegetable broth 
•  Salt and pepper 

Enchiladas: 

• 3 cups (12 oz.) pepper-jack cheese; grated 
• 12 oz. can black beans; rinsed and drained 
• 1 carton (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed ( I ALWAYS use fresh!)
• 11 oz. can corn kernels; drained  ( I used frozen)
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced 
• 1 tsp cumin; ground 
• 16 corn tortillas (6” size) 
• I added red and green pepper for some extra flavor

Directions: 

1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and add cumin, flour, and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute, whisking. 
2. Whisk in broth and ¾ cup water. Bring to boil and then simmer until slightly thickened (5-8 min.). Salt and pepper, then set aside.
3. For filling, combine in a large bowl 2 cups cheese (saving 1 cup for topping), beans, thawed spinach, corn, half of green onions, cumin, plus salt and pepper. 
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
5. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish. 
6. Stack tortillas in a damp paper towel and warm 1 min. in microwave. 
7. One-by-one, fill tortillas with about 1/3 cup filling, roll tightly, and arrange in baking dish, seam down. 
8. Cover enchiladas with the sauce and top with remaining cheese. 
9. Bake 15-20 minutes, until sauce is bubbly. 
10. Remove and let cool five minutes. Top with remaining green onions and serve.

Bry

Pesto Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

8 ounces quinoa, cooked
1 small red onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange or green pepper, diced
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and diced
1 Cup feta cheese, crumbled (I sprinkled the cheese on top of each dish, less cheese, same taste, less calories)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large beet, roasted and diced (opt.)
1/3 Cup parsley, chopped

Basic Pesto: ( I used store bought this time)
Makes about 1 1/2 cups pesto
2 Cups basil
2 cloves garlic
1/3 Cup pine nuts
1/2 Cup olive oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Put a small pot of water on to boil and start cooking the quinoa.  I didn't use a recipe, just added water when needed, but you can always look up a quinoa, water ratio.   While the quinoa is cooking, about 15-20 minutes, cut the veggies into small pieces, and place in a large bowl.

2.  After all the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked add to the bowl of diced vegetables and beans (leave the beet out til last); stir.  T,hen stir in as much pesto as you would like to flavor the dish,  about a cup or so.  If you are adding a beet stir in last.

3.  Serve into dishes and top with feta.  ENJOY!

Bry
 

  

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
• 1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup (I used cream of mushroom, gluten-free recipe posted below)
• 1 1/2 cups milk 
• 1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 chicken breasts

1. In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper.  Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it’s all cooked.

Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

 

Bry


** I just found this recipe for a gluten-free cream of mushroom.  I have never tried it but it looks good

Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 3 mins

Total time: 8 mins

Serves: 3

Using only a blender and a microwave, you can make your own condensed cream of mushroom soup. Easy to customize to your needs and tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to your taste)
• Pinch of sugar
• 8-ounces 2% evaporated milk
• Handful (approx. 3/4 cup) fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions

1. Put all ingredients except the mushrooms in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Add mushrooms and pulse 2-3 times until mushrooms are chopped.
2. Pour into a 2-quart Pyrex bowl and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, whisking well after two minutes and again at the end of cooking time. If not thick enough, add 30 seconds and whisk again.

My Favorite Bean Dip

There are a lot of bean dips and a lot of different ways to make them.  My favorite I stole many ideas and recipes from many friends and mixed them together to make my favorite.

I love the Tostadas Bean and Cheese premade dip.  I mix it with a can of re fried beans otherwise the flavor is highly over whelming (and if you don't like spicy it calms the spicy flavor down).  I spread the bean mixture in the bottom of a glass casserole dish.  Then I mix a package of cream cheese with taco seasoning and spread that over the beans, (make sure the cream cheese is soft so it spreads nicely).  Then I put a layer of salsa, enough to cover the dish and add flavor but if you add to much it is to runny and overpowering.  I then add shredded cheese.  If you like tomatoes, olives, guacamole, etc etc feel free to add them.  I then bake the dish for about 30 minutes, or until melted and hot, at around 350.

~Bry