Spending Less Time In Kitchen! Black Bean Soup

With the cold winter days and nights now in full swing, I've been falling in love with my crock-pot. I had no idea that one of  the least expensive appliances in my kitchen, could turn out to be so invaluable. I've been spending a lot less time in the kitchen, which gives me more of "me time"! One of my favorite crock-pot recipes is my black bean soup. This recipe will really warm you up!

Ingredients:

2 cups of dried black beans, (soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)

2 large green bell peppers, sliced

1 large red bell pepper, sliced

2 celery stalks - chopped

2 onions, chopped

4-5 bay leaves

5-6 garlic cloves, chopped

(2) 32 oz containers of organic low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups of water
2 tsp of cumin
2 tbsp of organic brown sugar or molasses
2 tablespoons of olive oil
*1 tsp of Bragg's amino for flavoring - great for flavoring almost anything!
*Add additional vegetables for taste (I added some of my dehydrated sweet corn, tomatoes, etc...) 
* Optional ingredients

Combine all ingredients in 6 quart crock-pot, cook for 6-8 hours on low (remove bay leaves)

Serve as a soup or over rice! 

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No Crust Zucchini Pie

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables and loaded with minerals and vitamins.
I'm always looking for ways to liven up my vegetables. My no crust zucchini pie turned out better than expected. It's great as a side dish, very low in fat, and equally suitable for a main dish as well.



Ingredients:

3 cups of sliced zucchini
1 medium onion
1 cup of sliced bell pepper (variety)

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour

3 egg whites
1/2 cup of non-fat milk or water

1 tsp of baking powder

1/2 cup of Sargento Artisan Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup of Sargento reduced fat 4 cheese Mexican

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 tsp of garlic powder

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of black pepper

other seasonings to taste                              

Lightly stir fry all the vegetables in olive oil on medium heat. Do not over cook - vegetables should still be crunchy. Set aside 1/4 cup of  Sargento reduced fat 4 cheese Mexican blend for later. Turn off heat and stir in all remaining ingredients.

Bake at 375 degree for 35 minutes

In a large baking pan bake for 35 minutes, sprinkle 4 cheese blend on top and bake for another 5 minutes until cheese has melted.

  Can Be Served As A Side Dish!

Great For A Meatless Main Dish

Great As Leftover With Spaghetti

Black Bean Veggie Steak Burger

I wanted to try and incorporate more meatless meals in my family's diet, so I've been experimenting with a lot of whole grains, beans and lentils. It has been over a year now of making my own homemade breads, rolls, biscuits and pizza doughs. August 8th, 2012 marked my 1st anniversary year of homemade bread making and another item that has been crossed off of my grocery list!

I've tried the frozen veggie burgers. It just didn't seem appetizing to serve fresh homemade bread with frozen veggie burgers. After viewing tons of recipes online, I made a few adjustments and here is my recipe that is both yummy and nutritious.

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) of black beans drained (rinsed for lower sodium)
2 egg whites
1 red or green/yellow or 1/2 combination diced
1 medium diced onion
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour or other grains
4 garlic cloves (minced) or garlic powder
2 tbs of olive oil (coat baking pan)
1 tsp of chili powder
Add other seasonings to taste

Mash beans with a fork or put in a food processor. In a medium bowl combine beans along with chopped vegetables and other ingredients. Shape into (4) patties and bake on a lightly oiled baking sheet at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Turn burgers over after 10 minutes.

Total Prep time is 10 - 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
 

Shape into patties and place on a lightly oiled baking pan.

These burgers are also great on the grill! Yum! 

Enjoy with your favorite side dishes or as a veggie steak burger! 

Below served with hash browns & salad greens w/nonfat ginger sauce ~ Yum!