Bean Burritos Enchilada-Style

These were so good and the leftovers were even better. Yum, yum, and yum. This is a VERY easy recipe and you can add whatever you want to it!

8 red-fat low carb tortillas (I found 60 cal ones)
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can low-sodium black beans
1 can red enchilada sauce
2 c red-fat shredded mexican blend

green onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13×9″ casserole dish. Assemble your burritos by filling each tortilla with a couple heaping spoonfuls of refried beans, black beans, a small handful of cheese, and green onions Roll up and place seam-side down in the casserole pan. Line them up, side by side. Pour remaining sauce (as much as you’d like) over the top of the burritos. Sprinkle any remaining cheese over the sauce. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.

Original recipe found here.

Homemade Falafel with Tahini Sauce

YUM! These are deliciously crispy and Will and I agreed it was one of our new faves. You can't have just one falafel sandwich!! I also made basmati rice and roasted squash/zucchini.

2 c roughly chopped white onion
6 garlic cloves
2 c cooked chickpeas, drained
1 c lightly packed parsley leaves
1 c lightly packed cilantro leaves
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp baking powder
½ c all-purpose flour
canola oil, for sauteing 
pita bread, for serving
1¼ c plain nonfat Greek yogurt
¼ c tahini (sesame paste)
2 tbsp lemon juice

For the tahini sauce:
Add the onion and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse just until they are finely minced. Remove the mixture and set it aside. Add the chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, and cumin to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until they are roughly blended but not pureed.

Return the onion mixture to the food processor, along with the baking powder and just enough flour so that when you pulse the processor, the mixture begins to form a small ball and is not sticky. (Note: Start by adding ¼ cup of flour, and then the remaining ¼ cup. You can add more if the mixture is still too wet.

Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour. While the falafel mixture is chilling, prepare the tahini sauce by whisking together the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice. Season it with salt and pepper, cover it and place it in the fridge.

Once the falafel mixture has chilled, use a small ice cream scoop or spoons to form the mixture into balls (roughly 3 Tablespoons per ball). (Note: You can also add additional flour at this point, if the mixture is too wet to scoop.)

Set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add a liberal amount of canola oil so that the pan is well-coated. Let the pan pre-heat for 3 minutes then add the falafel one by one, browning them on the first side for 3 minutes, then flipping them once and browning the second side until the mixture is cooked throughout.

Transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined cooling wrack and immediately season them with salt. Repeat this process until you have cooked all of the falafel.

Place three or four falafel inside a halved, warmed pita and drizzle with the prepared tahini sauce. I also used a few red onions and sprinkled on some more parsley.

Original recipe found here.

Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas

I have made almost all my enchilada recipes since I've been living with my parents, and my mom has loved them all. However, she raved so much about how this one is her favorite and I need to remember that for her! She's right, these are amazing. Filling, delicious, and from SkinnyTaste! Doesn't get much better.

1 lb extra lean ground turkey
15.5 can black beans, drained
4.5 oz can chopped green chiles
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1-2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chili powder
salt
8 (6-inch) low carb whole wheat flour tortillas
1 c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
nonstick cooking spray

For the Enchilada Sauce:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 c fat free chicken broth
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, spray cooking spray and sauté garlic. Add chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reducethe heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned,add onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, green chiles, diced tomatoes, cumin and chili powder. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid andsimmer an additional 5-10 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/2 cup turkey mixture into each tortilla and roll it. Place on baking dish seam side down. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream, cilantro or scallions if you wish. 

Original recipe found here.

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

WHOA! This is so yummy and so easy!! When I planned to make this, I was expecting it to be good of course... but this was AMAZING. Will was so mad and jealous that he didn't get to have any - he was out of town. It's so pretty and colorful too!

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapenos, minced
1 c quinoa
1 c vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 c corn kernels
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Original recipe found here.

Balsamic Oven-Roasted Green Beans

Last summer I discovered my favorite way to eat green beans is to roast them. I make these Parmesan Roasted Green Beans ALL the time. This is a similar recipe, but with a yummy balsamic kick! I will have to switch off between these two recipes.

1 lb green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
lemon pepper seasoning
sea salt
garlic powder
crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet or roasting pan with aluminum foil and place the green beans in a pile in the middle. Pour the olive oil over the beans and mix them around so they're evenly coated. Season to taste with the salt, lemon pepper (or cracked black pepper), garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Spread the beans out across the pan giving as much space between the individual beans as possible. Shake or measure out the balsamic vinegar over the beans. Bake for 10 minutes, stir the beans and then bake for another 5-10 minutes. If you like your beans more crisp tender, you'll probably want to pull them out after 15 minutes. I cooked mine for 20 so there would be a bit more caramelization.

Original recipe found here.

Black Bean Enchiladas with Avocado Sauce

These are awesome!! We loved the avocado sauce. Very delicious!

After baking...

Before baking...

For avocado sauce:
5 slices pickled green jalapeno
2 cloves garlic
1 avocado
1/2 c vegetable stock
2 tbsp light sour cream
salt/black pepper

For the enchilada filling:
1 tbsp pine nuts
6 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 tbsp olive oil
1 -15 ounce can black beans, drained/rinsed
1/2 green pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced
3.5 oz cheddar cheese, grated
4 large flour tortillas (I used 60 cal low carb tortillas - and I made 5 enchiladas)
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced


Heat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor, blitz the pickled jalapeno and garlic together, then add the avocado, vegetable stock, sour cream and seasoning, and process until smooth. Transfer the avocado sauce to a bowl, and give the food processor a quick wipe (it doesn't need to be washed thoroughly).

Process the pine nuts along with the cilantro and olive oil to form your cilantro pesto.

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, diced green pepper, sliced green onions, two thirds of the cheddar, and the pesto. Mix well.

Spread a few tablespoons of the avocado sauce in the bottom of an 8x8" baking dish. Spoon about a quarter of the black bean mixture along the center of one of the tortillas, and roll tightly. Lay in the baking dish seam-side down, and repeat with the remaining tortillas and black beans. Cover with the remaining avocado sauce, and top with the last of the grated cheddar, and a few slices of tomato. Bake for around 45 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted and the tortillas are slightly crisp.

Original recipe found here.

Skinny Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

You would never know this soup is "skinny"! I also had no idea making my own tortilla strips was so easy. I love my crock pot because I like to think about it sitting there cooking during the day. :) It was also super cold today, so soup was appropriate. Approved by Will - and he can be picky about his chicken tortilla soup.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c chopped onion
16 oz can black beans, drained/rinsed
16 oz can kidney beans, drained/rinsed
8 oz can tomato paste
10 oz pkg of corn kernels, frozen
2 -10 oz cans of diced tomatoes w/ chilies 

1 pkt reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1 tbsp chili powder
32 oz reduced-sodium chicken stock

6 corn tortillas, cut into strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings: light sour cream, cheese, jalapeños, avocado, green onions, cilantro

For Soup:
Place chicken on the bottom of the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients.
Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

For Tortilla Strips:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. If you don’t have 2 sheets than you will have to bake in shifts. Cut the tortillas into thin strips. Place strips evenly on baking sheets. Mist the tops with more cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the strips are golden brown.

Serve on top of the soup, along with any other toppings you like!

Original recipe found here.

Mini Pepper Nachos with Corn & Black Beans

These are so amazing! The original recipe called for avocado, but I didn't have any so I omitted that. It also called for cheddar cheese, but I was out so I used part-skim shredded mozzarella. Delicious!

• 1 c corn (I used canned)
• 1 c black beans, drained/rinsed
• 1 c salsa
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb mini peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 c cheddar cheese, shredded (I used mozz)
• 1/2 c green onions
• 
  
• Mix the corn, black beans, 1/4 c green onions, salsa and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the peppers on a baking sheet, fill with the filling, sprinkle on the cheese and broil until the cheese has melted, about 4 minutes. I broiled on Low 4 min, then on High for 1 min. Top with the rest of the green onions.

Original recipe found here.

Slow-Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup

It's been a while since I had used my trusty crock pot. With a 12 hour days today because of conferences, I knew it was time to break out the crock pot again. But I wanted to stick with something healthy and with plenty of veggies. I came across this healthy soup on Pinterest. It includes lean ground beef, and of course you could leave the beef out, but I think it really added to it! This was so tasty and I can't wait to take leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

The original recipe is doubled for a larger size crock pot. I halved the recipe and it still made plenty! So what I have posted below is the recipe halved - how I made it.

1 lb lean ground beef
½ medium onion, diced
1 (15-ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained
1 (15-ounc)e can Lima beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can niblet corn, drained
1 (15-ounce) can carrots, drained
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes and okra
1 c water

Brown your ground beef in a large skillet. Combine beef, along with all other ingredients in the crock pot. I put everything together the night before, put the crock pot bowl in the fridge, so I just had to put it in the crock pot this morning. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.

Original recipe found here.

Black Bean & Corn Baked Egg Rolls

These are so yummy. I have made something similar before: Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls with Cilantro Cream Sauce. Those are made with tortillas and chicken (the sauce is amazing), but these are made with actual egg roll wrappers and no meat. Both are delicious. I love how crispy the egg roll wrappers get.

1 can corn (15 oz)
1 can black beans (15 oz, drained/rinsed)
1 1/2 c shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 can diced green chiles (drained, 4 oz)
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pkg egg roll wrappers (about 20)

In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Mix well to blend. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place ¼ cup of the filling in the center. Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water or beaten egg and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking. Serve warm with salsa.

Original recipe found here.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Will said this is probably his favorite mexican/chicken casserole dish I've made. That says a lot! Super easy and delicious. I love that it has avocados too!

1 c sliced onion
2 c shredded chicken
2 c red enchilada sauce; divided
1 c black beans; drained and rinsed
1 c pinto beans; drained and rinsed
1/4 c freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced (I only used 1)
6-8 corn tortillas
2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c sliced black olives
sour cream (optional)
diced tomatoes (optional)
green onions (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn a large, dry, non-stick skillet to medium high heat and add sliced onions. Let onions cook till they turn a golden brown color; stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet add the shredded chicken, 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, black beans, pinto beans, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for 3-5 minutes.

In a 8"x8" casserole dish tear up 3-4 of the corn tortillas into 1" pieces, and layer them on the bottom of the dish. Spoon half of the chicken filling on top of the torn tortilla pieces. Layer the caramelized onions on top of the chicken filling, then lay the avocado slices on top of the onions. Spoon the remaining chicken filling over the avocados. Tear up the remaining 3-4 corn tortillas to make a top layer over the chicken filling. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the top layer.

Spread out the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the casserole and then sprinkle on the sliced black olives and tomatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, add green onions, and let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!

Original recipe found here.

7/12/2015

Crock Pot Taco Soup

I prepared all of this the night before. Browned the ground beef, sauteed the onions, and put everything together in the crock pot. All I did in the morning was take it out of the fridge and turn it on! Delicious and perfect on a chilly day! Yum.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
Optional: light sour cream, cheese, chips

Brown ground beef, add onions, drain. Combine all ingredients on crock pot. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hrs. 

Original recipes found here and here.

Spicy Chicken Taco Soup in the Crock-Pot

Yes, I'm on a soup kick. It's the cool weather! Anyway, DELICIOUS.

1 onion, diced
1 can of corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed/drained
1 can chili beans
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 can/bottle beer (12 oz)
2 cans Rotel, undrained
1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own, see below)
3 chicken breasts
Optional: Light sour cream, red-fat shredded cheddar, crumbled tortilla chips

Make your own taco seasoning!  I realized I forgot to buy a packet of taco seasoning, so I just made my own. Very easy and you probably have all the spices.

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt and pepper, each

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 6-7 hours. Shred the chicken. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips!!

Original recipe found here. 

"Skinny" Mexican Pizzas

I actually made these the night before we went out of town last week... just now getting a chance to post it. This uses ground turkey and you dress up the meat so much you can't even tell... at least Will couldn't! Also, be careful with your tortillas in the broiler. They can burn pretty quickly... broil with caution!

6 whole wheat flour tortillas, medium sized
1 lb lean ground turkey
seasonings - salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano
1 pkt of beef flavored "flavor boost" (concentrated stock)
1 pkg taco seasoning
3/4 c water
1 can fat free refried beans
1/2 cup chicken stock
medium taco sauce
salsas of choice - Herdez red salsa and green salsa verde
1 diced tomato
1 small can sliced black olives
Mexican blend grated cheese
2 fresh green onions, thinly sliced

Spritz the whole wheat tortillas with olive oil spray and broil in the oven about 4-5 minutes per side until puffy and golden. Break up and brown the ground turkey in a non-stick skillet. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp dried oregano to the turkey as it is browning. Once it's cooked through, add one packet of beef "flavor boost" stock, the taco seasoning, and water. Let it cook until this makes a thicker sauce, then turn off the heat.

Put the refried beans in a skillet and add about 1/2 c chicken broth. This will thin out the beans and add flavor so you can spread it. 

Assembly: To the bottom tortilla, paint with red salsa, then add meat and a layer of cheese. To the second tortilla, add beans, then flip over where the beans are on the bottom next to the cheese. To the top of the second tortilla, paint with green salsa, add cheese, taco sauce, tomatoes, olives and green onions.

Bake at 400 degrees until all melted or put it back under the broiler in the oven. Cut into wedges and serve with condiments of choice. 

Original recipe found here.