Lucky 32 Black Bean Cakes

I was recently introduced to Lucky 32  Black Bean Cakes.  Oh my goodness, I daydream about this delicious entree, served with whipped sweet potatoes, and kale with black eyed peas.  It is to die for!  Their recipe is actually on the website and we love to fix them at home.  To keep them kid-friendly (=not too spicy), we leave out the jalapeno peppers.  We do put in the Tabasco sauces (traditional red & milder green) the recipe calls for, and our kids are okay with that.  And, we of do not cook them in oil, but instead spray our pan with olive oil spray.  I like to top with a scoop of hummus and pico de gallo or Trader Joe's black bean & corn salsa.  Sometimes I will serve over sauteed spinach.  Double the recipe and freeze half for easy lunches!  You can just pop one or two out of the freezer and into the pan for a quick, healthy meal.


Adapted from Lucky 32 Black Bean Cakes recipe


6 1/2 cups black beans (~4 cans)

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 1/4 red bell peppers, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups (whole grain) bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (red)

1 teaspoon Tabasco jalapeño (green) sauce

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

Rinse black beans in cold water. Place in a colander and drain well (at least 10 minutes). Add all ingredients except tortilla chips, cumin, and coriander to a mixing bowl. I usually stick the red peppers and onion in my food processer and pulse a few times, to achieve a smoother, less chunky bean cake.  Blend well with hands, mashing some of the beans to form a thick mixture. Form into 3-ounce patties and set aside. Using a food processor, blend tortilla chips, cumin, and coriander until it is a crumb consistency. Dredge each bean patty in the tortilla mixture. Spray a large skillet with olive oil spray and sauté bean cakes over medium-high heat, turning when they are golden brown. 

Happy yummy eats-
Dawn 

Stuffed Peppers

A friend shared this recipe last week and it sounded so yummy and easy!  I don’t make two meals for my family each night as my girls really do try (and like) most of the recipes I make.  But tonight’s dish combined several ingredients and I didn’t think my girls would appreciate the flavors.  So, I made them a vegetable stir-fry instead.  I was very wrong as they loved it and wanted seconds!  I tell you this to encourage you on your journey of feeding your kids nutritious meals.  Never underestimate what they will eat and keep trying new foods each week.   It’s a journey for them as well, and I bet you will look back in a year and see how big their rainbow of colors food chart has gotten because you kept trying!

Ingredients:
4 small to medium green, red, or yellow sweet peppers
1 cup cooked brown rice

1 15 ounce can chili beans or baked beans (we recommended Eden's Chili Beans)

1 15 ounce can or two 8-ounce cans no-salt-added tomato sauce

1/3
cup finely chopped onion

Chili powder (optional)

Directions:

Remove tops, membranes, and seeds from sweet peppers. Chop enough tops to make 1/3 cup and set aside. If necessary, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each pepper so they sit flat. In a medium bowl stir together rice and undrained beans.  Spoon mixture into the peppers. Pour tomato sauce into the bottom of a slow cooker and add reserved chopped pepper and onion to the sauce. Place peppers, filled side up, in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 6-1/2 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.  To serve, transfer peppers to serving plate and cut in half, if desired. Spoon tomato sauce over peppers and sprinkle with chili powder if desired.

enjoy-

leanne

Note: (This recipe was adapted from the Skinny Slow-Cooker Better Homes and Garden Magazine.)

Best EVER Peanut Butter Cookies

I have a friend who I share recipes and food with on a weekly basis.  When I cook something I love, I bring her some to try and she does the same.  It's a great way to taste new things and experiment with new recipes!  She gave me these cookies to try today and OH MY GOODNESS they are delicious!  A new staple dessert recipe for sure!  This food journey was never meant to be lived alone!  Grab a friend and share what you are finding you love!  Feel free to email us or post on our Facebook page recipes your family has enjoyed!  We are in this together to be healthy and strong!

Ingredients:
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1 tbs. flax meal mixed with 3 tbs. water (let mixture rest for 5 minutes)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips optional (we use vegan which are made with soy)

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.  Once the mixture is combined, fold in your chocolate chips.  (I divided the mixture into 3 different batches and made 1/3 plain peanut butter, 1/3 with chocolate chips, and 1/3 with chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of oatmeal.)  Honestly I liked all 3 batches!  

Using two teaspoons, scoop and drop the cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  (I baked mine for 11 and they were the perfect chewy consistency.)  Note that the cookies will bake up exactly as they are on the cookie sheet without spreading.

Remove from the oven and cool.  

enjoy every bite-
leanne

Note:  These cookies were adapted from a recipe on The Gracious Pantry Website who adapted them from a recipe from Paula Dean.

Avocado Dressing

from Whole Plants Cookbook

2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. soft avocado
1/4 c. white wine
2 T. lime juice
1 t. dijon mustard
1/4 t. sea salt
1/4 t. black pepper

Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined.  Refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors.

Hummus-Orange Dressing Plus

from Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

2-3 T. hummus
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. orange juice
1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
1 t. mustard of your choice

Mix all the ingredients together.  Makes about 1/2 cup. 

Eat a rainbow

We posted this fabulous link on our Grab Your Greens Facebook page, but we are aware we have at least a handful of readers who aren't on Facebook, so we wanted to make it available to you, too.


Print this cute rainbow coloring sheet for your kids and have a fun, healthy competition on eating the colors of the rainbow, in a day, a few days, or over the course of a week! 


Color Your World


And, just a note of trivia for our non-Facebook fans, you can bookmark and still view our GYG Facebook Page, without having to be a member!  You just cannot participate in discussions.  We do typically post more frequently on our Facebook page, than we do our blog, so it is worth it to check it out for little words of encouragement, inspiration, or short tips & tricks for living healthier!


Eat a rainbow today-
Dawn

Tangy Chickpea Salad

(adapted from The Joy of Clean Eating recipe)

1 can (15 oz) no salt added chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed
3/4 c. shelled edamame (frozen works well, simply thaw beforehand)
1/4 c. red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 c. green pepper, finely chopped
1/3 c. carrot, finely chopped
1/3 c. organic dried cherries
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. sea salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. italian seasoning
1/4 t. rosemary
black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sea salt, garlic, cumin, italian seasoning, rosemary, and black pepper.  (I do not use rosemary when i make mine, and it is still yummy).  Stir the dressing well and set aside.  In a medium bowl mix together chickpeas, edamame, peppers, carrots and cherries.  Toss with dressing and stir evenly to coat.  Refrigerate salad for 1 hour before serving to let flavors meld.  I like to double this recipe, so I have enough to use for a few lunches through the week, and as a side or main dish at dinner.