Meatless Taco Salad

I've been in a food funk here lately. With all the talk about pink slime, as well as other research into what is *really* in the food we absentmindedly buy at the grocery store, I've gotten to the point where I wish I was adept at mass gardening and animal farming so I could know exactly where my food is coming from.

I've been so disgusted by the pink slime reports lately that since last week, I've eaten NO meat at all. I've been in this daze, walking through the grocery store as well as driving down the road past all the fast food restaurants. Much of what I see is not an option in my head anymore, as disgusted as I am at the moment.

I don't plan to fast from meat indefinitely, but I do plan to cut red meat out of our diet now. We had already cut down significantly anyway on red meat, due to its strong link to colon cancer and heart disease. I figured we could get our protein elsewhere, you know? Ground turkey is a good substitute in most cases for ground beef, and recently we've been buying ground wild turkey from Whole Foods.

Anyway, with this has come more searching for tasty meatless recipes that we can live with. My big thing is trying not to sacrifice taste in eating healthier!

So, in this, I present you with a Meatless Taco Salad! We've decided to use some of the full fat products, particularly in dairy, to eat as little added crap as possible to the food. When fat comes out, something else (usually unnatural) goes in to preserve the taste. Ive decided that I'd rather have completely natural, even if that means more calories and fat.

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Ingredients

• 4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
• 6 cups shredded romaine, or acceptable lettuce
• 1/2 cup no salt added canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives, drained
• Sliced jalapeno peppers, optional
• DRESSING:
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons ranch salad dressing
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning found here
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions

• Place four 10-oz. custard cups upside down in a shallow baking pan; set aside. Place the tortillas in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 425° for 1 minute. Place a tortilla over each custard cup, pinching sides to form a bowl shape. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until crisp. Remove tortillas from cups to cool on wire racks.
• In a large bowl, combine the romaine, beans, tomato, cheese, onions, olives and jalapenos if desired. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad ; toss to coat. Serve in tortilla bowls.

Black Bean Soup and Corn Bread

We often cook black beans in the Fall and winter. I have used several different recipes, and even believe I have another one here on the blog somewhere.

Black beans, like most legumes, are beneficial in many ways. They have tons of fiber. In particular, soluble fiber which is specifically the type of fiber that has been found very helpful in lowering blood cholesterol levels. They also have a lot of anti-inflammatory properties as well as antioxidants which make them heart healthy!

They're rich in protein, flavanoids, folate and Vitamin B6. They're good for you and help you feel full as well!

So, this is our yummy dinner tonight, along with some gluten-free conrbread from the gluten-free cookbook!

Omit the sour cream, or use GF sour cream, and you can make this gluten free entirely!
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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
  
• 1 large carrot, diced
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 (14 ounce) can gluten free chicken broth, low sodium
  
• 1 cup deli ham, chopped
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• shredded cheddar and sour cream to taste
  

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot,garlic, and cook a few minutes until tender. Mix in 1 can black beans and chicken broth.
2. Puree remaining can of beans. Add to pot. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Mix in ham, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and sour cream to serve.

Vegetable Night! Garbanzo Bean Tomato Salad, Pattypan Saute, Roasted Corn with Chive Butter

It's summer and garden vegetables are all around us!

We haven't really had a vegetable night in quite awhile and I would like to get back into the habit of having a veggie night at least once a week, and possibly work ourselves up to twice a week. This is really, really easy to make. And with summer here, corn is in abundance! It's a classic summer staple. High in fiber, and in B vitamins, as well as folic acid and a number of other things our bodies need, it is used to help with kidney function and protect the heart. It also supports lung health, memory and energy. Vegetables are good for you!!

D is such a willing participant in my experimental cooking. I have to admit that many of the recipes I have found have turned out to be quite good. If we didn't think so, the recipes would not be on here!!

However, it is important to reiterate that we have cut out a lot of sodium in our diet and we do not use table salt at all. This renders our tastes to be a tad different than some who have not done so; we have become acclimated to the natural taste of the foods we eat without salting them. It has amazed me to realize how much of our food we never really tasted before cutting salt out. It was all salt! It's hard to tell when you still use it.

An example is my 17 yr old son. A few weeks ago, I made the tomato soup recipe from this blog because I love it. It was the first time my 17 yr old had tried it. He says, "This is bland, Mom." and he proceeds to add a bit of salt to his, taste it then say, "Much better."

Well, funny thing is, he didn't finish his bowl so I started to eat what was left in his bowl. BLEGH!!! All I tasted was the overwhelming salt flavoring!! And he really did not add that much. However, it made me realize just how much salt really does mask what the food we eat really tastes like.

Please don't dismiss a recipe if you try it as is and it seems bland to you. If sodium levels are not an issue with you, feel free to add salt to taste to your dishes. When I use canned goods, I use "no salt added", but you do not need to do this if you are not watching your sodium intake.

As for our meal.....I don't really eat a lot of garbanzo beans, or beans in general. Did you know that garbanzo beans are a high source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers? The soluble fibers form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, whose main function is to capture the cholesterol containing bile and remove it from the body. The insoluble fiber, on the other hand, prevents constipation, by increasing the stool bulk (yes I know, not exactly appealing, but your body needs to do it!!!). They also help prevent certain digestive disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Most people do not have enough fiber in their diet, and beans are a great source of this! They help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. This is a good-news food for diabetics!

It is estimated that a single cup of garbanzo beans supplies around 84.5% of the body’s daily manganese requirement. Manganese is involved in the production of energy and antioxidant defenses! This means that garbanzo beans aid your immune system as well. Good things, these beans.

And we've all heard the benefits of tomatoes! Personally, I do not like the taste of tomatoes but I can (and do) eat them in certain dishes. (I love fried green ones!) An interesting trivia fact about tomatoes is that they were not eaten in the US until the 1800's because they were believed to be toxic and cause certain cancers and illnesses such as appendicitis.

Of course, we now know that tomatoes actually have the exact opposite effect on our bodies. One tomato can provide 45% of the RDA for Vitamin C (which is required for growth and repair of tissues as well as immunity support), 15% of Vitamin A (promotes eyesight, offers immunity support), 8% of potassium RDA (aids in heart health and function and muscle repair), and is also high in iron (required for red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body and supplying us with energy).

New research is beginning to indicate that tomatoes may be used to help prevent lung cancer too. Two powerful compounds found in tomatoes-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid-are thought to block the effects of nitrosamines. These are compounds that not only are formed naturally in the body, but also are the strongest carcinogen in tobacco smoke. By blocking the effects of these nitrosamines, the chances of lung cancer are reduced significantly.

For more information on the benefits of tomatoes, go here 10 Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Now, on to the recipes. Bet you thought I'd never get to it, eh? ;)
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Garbanzo Tomato Salad

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

In a bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add beans; toss to coat. Place tomatoes in a serving bowl. Top with onion. Sprinkle with basil and remaining salt and pepper. Top with bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss just before serving.




Pattypan Saute

• 2 cups halved pattypan squash
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small sweet red pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese

Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Saute squash and onion in oil for 2 minutes; add garlic, and cook one minute. Add red pepper and mushrooms; saute for 6-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.


Roasted Fresh Corn with Chive Butter
(4 servings)

• 4 ears of fresh corn, unhusked
• 1/4 cup buttery spread or butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350. Place unhusked corn on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes depending on size of corn. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove corn husks and silks and discard. Melt butter in microwave and stir in chives. Serve with corn.

Tex Mex Beef and Bean Dip

Tonight we're having taco salad, and you can find the healthy recipe here.

But I am also making Beef and Bean Dip. This dip has only 99 calories per 1/4 cup serving (plus 5 baked tortilla chips!) and 2.5 grams of fat. Lots of flavor for little guilt.



To make this dip you will need

1/2 lb ground sirloin (buy the 96/4 if you can)
2 tablespoons no salt added tomato paste
1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) canned pinto beans (no salt added), rinsed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can of diced tomatoes (no salt added), undrained
3/4 cup of crumbled queso fresco
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
3 ounces of bite sized baked tortilla chips (about 60, like Tostitos Scoops)

Cook beef in large skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well; return beef to pan. Add tomato paste and next 4 ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring occasionally.

Spoon meat mixture into a serving bowl; top with crumbled cheese and green onions. Serve with tortilla chips.

12 servings of serving size of 1/4 cup of dip and 5 chips

99 calories 2.5 grams of fat 7.3 grams of protein 11.7 grams carbs 216 (or less) mg of sodium

EASY Black Bean Soup (and delicious too)

There's something earthy and comforting with a bowl of hot soup on a cold night. Black beans in particular have a nice, meaty texture different than any other bean that I use to make bean soup.

And it's very versatile too. It goes well alone, or with a meal like a mexican dish. My picky eaters usually whine when I make bean soup with the great northern beans and bacon or ham hock. But they ate the black bean soup, which surprised me!

I actually followed a particular recipe a few months ago that I am unable to find now. When I made this the other night, however, I had found another recipe that I was able to follow and tweak just slightly to get the desired result. It was good! Many recipes call for sour cream but that is optional. I don't believe we used sour cream, but I can see how it would go well with this soup.

This can also be adapted to low sodium diets. I use dry beans, soaking them overnight, for bean soup whenever possible because they have no sodium whatsoever in them unlike many canned beans. I have been able to find an organic canned brand that has very little sodium in each can (like 4% vs the 20+% of most cans) But if you have time, use the dry beans to cut out even more sodium and make this even healthier.

And of course, if you don't do low sodium, just substitute the low-sodium ingredients with the regular ingredients.

I also use a food processor to blend my beans beforehand, but you can use a blender after everything is cooked (be careful and keep lid partially off to allow steam to escape) or opt not to blend the beans at all.
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Black Bean Soup

32-oz no salt added black beans (if dry, follow package directions to prepare them)
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion (finely diced)
2 cloves garlic (finely diced)
20 oz low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cilantro


In saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and garlic. Cook until tender.

Add in the beans, broth, cumin and lime juice and bring to boil.

Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Simmer 20 minutes (if using dry beans, cooking time will be longer.)

Stir in cilantro, and top with sour cream when serving.