Northern Bean Dip

This dip is a great way to get your family to eat beans. If you are like me, I am always looking for new ways to enjoy beans. Here is another great recipe too.  It tastes good and is good for your too. Some of my family liked theirs heated up. Cold or warm works. If you wanted to make your own homemade beans that would be fantastic, if not you can use the canned ones.  

Ingredients:
2- 14 0z canned of Northern Beans drained and rinsed
1 C salsa (I used homemade)
1 tsp cumin
optional * 1/2 onion diced
1/2 tsp sea salt with iodine
2 avocados peeled and mashed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice
1 big tomato chopped up in pieces
Chili powder and sea salt to garnish
serve with chips or vegetables, or plain

Directions:
1. Mash or blend in food processor the beans, stir in the salsa, cumin and salt. Spread out in a 8x8 pan.
2. Then mash the avocados stir in the garlic, chili powder, salt, and lime juice. Spread on top of the beans
3. Spread cut up  tomatoes on top and sprinkle with chili powder and a little salt. Let set in the fridge for about 30 min. To let all the flavors combine together. Enjoy! 

White Northern Beans with Vegetables on a Tortilla

I have been finding more ways to incorporate a variety of beans into my diet as well as my families. The more I read about the nutritional value and the benefits of eating them It gets me more motivated. It is also been said that the more you eat beans it is easier for your system to digest them because they are use to them. Here are some health benefits to Northern Beans. I have enjoyed making them in my pressure cooker but if you are in a hurry you can just used canned beans. Loved this veggie wash that I got from Desiree.:) Thanks Desiree.

Ingredients:
2 C northern beans* Mashed
1/2 tsp cumin 
1/4 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 avocados chopped up
3-4 Roma tomatoes chopped
4-5 green onions chopped
1/2 chopped jalapeno if desired
1/4 purple onion chopped up
juice from a fresh lime
10 whole grain tortillas (Homemade are wonderful)

Directions:

1. Mash Beans in a bowl with cumin, chili powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Put all the cut up vegetables in a bowl and toss with the lime juice.

3. Spread the beans on the tortillas and then put the vegetable mixture on top. You can squeeze on extra lime juice if desired.

* Cooking  Beans in pressure cooker. 1. Rinse the beans. 2. Put in the pressure cooker. 1 C of beans to 2 C water, and 1 T coconut oil. 3. Set on high pressure for 30 min. and let the pressure release on its on if you aren't in a hurry. It is very simple. If you have time the night before you can soak them ahead. You can also add 1/2 tsp of baking soda while cooking them to add extra potassium.   

Amy's Sopa Especial

This recipe comes from my friend Amy. She taught a wonderful class today about clean eating, and how she feeds her family. I got a lot of great ideas. I love learning from other people. She shared one of her wonderful recipes with us and I asked if I could pass it along and she agreed. It tasted so wonderful. It would make a great lunch or dinner. It is all healthy ingredients and tastes so fresh. Black beans could be a yummy addition as well.

Sopa Especial

From the Kitchen of Amy Moreno

Rice and Broth Ingredients:

2 cups long grain brown rice

2 T chicken bouillon

1 clove garlic

¼ white onion (pull layers apart)

Pico de Gallo Salsa Ingredients:

2 cups chopped tomato (I like Roma’s)

1 cup chopped white onion

2/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 T chopped Serrano chili

1 T fresh lime juice (approx.½ lime)

Salt to taste. (you can also add a little sugar if the tomatoes aren’t sweet enough)

Add-ins:

1 ripe avocado (cubed)

3 limes (quartered)

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (shredded)

Instructions:

1. Cook brown rice as directed on package. Set aside.

2. Boil chicken breasts in 8 cups of water with bouillon, garlic and onion for flavor.

3. When chicken is cooked, remove from pan. Set aside to cool.

4. Strain broth to remove onion chunks, garlic,and excess fat. (I usually use a gallon pitcher to strain the broth into so that I can easily pour it back into the pan later.)

5. Clean out pan with a paper towel, then return broth to pan. Keep warm.

6. Combine salsa ingredients and put in a bowl.

7. Shred chicken breasts and put in a bowl.

8. Cube the avocado and put in a bowl.

9. Slice limes and put in a bowl.

To Serve:

Each person creates their soup (sopa) by serving themselves some broth, then adding the chicken, rice (about a ½ cup), salsa, avocado, and lime juice. 

* They said you can sprinkle on a little cayenne to give it a little more bite. 

Vegetable Whole Grain Pasta

This was a yummy healthy dinner.
This is an easy meal with all the vegetables that are available right now, in your stores or your garden. :). I got the tomatoes from my garden.
I put all the vegetables in the frying pan with a couple tablespoons of olive oil .


Ingredients
Whole Wheat Blend Pasta Rotini 13.25 oz (6 grams of fiber Oh yes!)
3 T Olive Oil
3-4 Roma Tomatoes Chopped up
1/2 Onion Chopped up into small pieces
1 Pieces and Stems of Mushrooms 8 oz or fresh
1 Zucchini chopped up
1 handful of fresh Spinach Leaves
3-4 Basil Leaves fresh or 2 tsp dry
1 tsp marjoram
salt, pepper and garlic (whatever other spices you choose as well)
Parmesan Cheese fresh or canned (The fresh is worth it)
Optional * chicken or bacon pieces (I had a couple small pieces of chicken I cut up)

1. I used the whole box of pasta. Follow the package directions. Cook till the pasta is tender. Drain out all the water.

2. Cut up all of the vegetables. I put the onions. mushrooms, zucchini, spices, and tomatoes in a frying pan with the olive oil. Saute a few minutes. I put the lid on a few minutes. Let the vegetables soften. May want to stir it a couple times while its cooking. Take off the stove.

3. I mixed the pasta with the cooked vegetables, then tore up spinach into smaller pieces and mixed in with pasta mixture. *(I added a little bit of cooked chicken too. It really doesn't need it.) I put the lid on for a few minutes. (Off the stove) Just to let the spinach warm up slightly.

4. Grate Parmesan Cheese over the Pasta. (I used my zester)

It tasted Wonderful !

Picco De Gallo

My Daughter Juleen made this out of our Roma tomatoes and jalapenos from our garden. It tasted wonderful with chips and Tilapia. She does such a wonderful job cutting up the tomatoes in perfect pieces. I love having her help cut up things in the kitchen. She is more patient than me. :)

6 1/2 C Roma tomatoes (Cut up)
1 C Onion diced in small pieces
1/4 C Lime Juice
1/2 Green Jalapeno diced in small pieces
1/2 Red hot pepper diced in small pieces
1 small handful of cilantro chopped up
1 1/2 T minced Garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare all of the vegetables. Mix Them together.

2. Mix in the lime juice and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Let sit for a little bit for the flavors to all combine.

4. It tasted wonderful! I love eating foods fresh from the garden. Thanks Juleen ! :)