Cheesy Chickpea and Sesame Crackers

It isn't easy to find chips/crackers at the store that taste great and have some nutritional value. I got this recipe from Everyday Foods and we love them.  I make a batch each week and keep them in a bowl in the kitchen for a quick snack.
*1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
*1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
*3/4 tsp. coarse salt
*3/4 tsp. ground pepper
*1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I use 3/4 c. 6-grain flour and 3/4 c. AP flour)
*5 TBSP. cold unsalted butter
*1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (I usually cut this down to 1/3c.)
*1 large egg white
*2 TBSP. sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350, with racks in the middle and lower third.  In a food processor, pulse chickpeas until coarsely chopped.  Add coriander, salt, pepper, flour and butter and pulse to combine.  With machine running, gradually add 3 tablespoons cold water until dough forms a ball.  Add Parmesan and pulse to combine.
Divide dough and form into to 1-inch-thick disks.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk to an 1/8-inch thickness.  Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  With a pizza cutter, cut into 1-by-3-inch rectangles and place 1/2 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake until golden brown and crisp, 25-30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Let crackers cool on sheets then transfer to airtight containers and store at room temperature, up to 2 weeks.

Tortilla Soup

I know there are a million versions of tortilla soup, but here's my super-fast version.
*1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
*1/2 chopped onion
*3 c. chicken broth
*1 clove garlic
*1 TBSP. chopped cilantro
*1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)
*dash of cumin
*2-3 c. chicken taco meat (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
*1 c. black beans

Put everything except the chicken and beans into pan and puree using a stick blender (or use a regular blender).  Add chicken and beans and simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve with add-ons of your choice: quesadillas, tortilla chips, sour cream, lime, avocado, shredded cheese, corn, etc.
This is so simple to make, especially if you have leftover meat. I always keep chopped onions, cilantro and jalapenos in my freezer so if you've planned ahead this is ready to heat in a couple minutes.

Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew

I'd seen this recipe a while back and when I saw cauliflower on sale at my market this week it reminded me I wanted to try it. But when I found the recipe online, the reviews were mixed.  I took a bunch of the suggestions to tweak it a bit. The whole family loved the end result and it was so easy!

*2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
*1/2 medium onion, diced
*1 tsp. ground cumin
*1/2 tsp. ground ginger

*1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
*1/2 head of cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
*1/4 tsp. kosher salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, with garlic
*1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
*1/2 c. raisins
*1 cup baby spinach
*Parmesan cheese, optional
*1 c. couscous
*1 c. vegetable broth

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook a few minutes until tender.  Add cumin, ginger, and red pepper; stir to combine and cook another minute until fragrant.  Add cauliflower and continue to saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add tomatoes (I mashed mine a bit), chickpeas, salt and pepper.   Simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in spinach and raisins.  Meanwhile, put couscous in a large bowl and heat the broth until hot.  Pour broth over couscous and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit 5 minutes, then use a fork to fluff and serve.  Put a pile of couscous on the plate and spoon the stew on top. Top with Parmesan if desired.

This is a very good and good-for-you 30-minute meal.

Creamy Black Bean Burritos

I adapted a recipe from Everyday Food to come up with this dinner.

*2 c. lowfat (1%) cottage cheese
*1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*1/4 c. cilantro leaves
*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
*2 c. black beans, cooked, drained rinsed
*12-ish corn tortillas

In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth.  Add onion and garlic powder, cilantro and red pepper flakes; process. Stir in black beans. Microwave tortillas to soften and lightly spray each with cooking spray before filling with a couple tablespoons of filling. Roll and place seam side down on a baking sheet. Cover with enchilada sauce and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until warm throughout.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If the bean idea in the last post didn't make you turn away, I thought I'd post a couple of the treat recipes I use them in.  Carlee and I have an ongoing discussion about the irony of 'healthy desserts', so my disclaimer is this: if you love a good Otis Spunkmeyer or can't imagine life without the Toll House recipe, stick with those and enjoy them for the delicious flavor they bring. If you love snacking and wouldn't mind having a slightly-better-for-you option, read below.

*1/2 c. beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
*1/2 c. + 2 TBSP. room temperature butter (or butter shortening)
*1/2 c. sugar
*1 c. brown sugar
*2 large eggs
*2 tsp. vanilla
*1 tsp. baking soda
*1 tsp. salt
*3 c. flour (I use 2 c. wheat + 1 c. white, but mix and match as you please)
*2 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Cream together beans, butter, and sugars.  Blend in eggs and add vanilla.  Stir in baking soda, salt and flour; mix well to combine.  Add chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

These are my husband's favorite cookie to have around.  The batter freezes well so I usually make a double batch, freeze the scoops and then bake about 2 dozen at a time.

*1 c. brown sugar
*1/2 c. white beans
*1/4 c. Crisco
*1/2 c. sugar
*1 egg
*1/4 c. water
*1 tsp. vanilla
*3 c. regular oatmeal
*3/4 c. wheat flour + 1/4 c. white flour
*1 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. baking soda
*2 TBSP. ground flax
*1/2 tsp. cinnamon
*1 c. raisins (or craisins, or chocolate chips)

Beat sugars, beans and shortening until creamy.  Add egg, water and vanilla; beat well.  Combine oats, flours, salt, baking soda and flax. Add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Add raisins. Drop by tablespoon onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 11-13 minutes.  Store in covered container, preferably glass.

White Beans

One of the reasons I haven't been posting as much lately is because I don't know how appetizing a lot of the food we've been eating around here would seem to most. We've been working our bodies a bit more than normal and thinking more about what we put back in them. But to keep track of what my favorites have been, I'm going to post some of them anyway.
One of my favorite healthier food tricks is replacing oil/butter with beans for baking. I know many have heard of substituting applesauce for oil, but we get plenty of apples in our diet and I love the protein/fiber the beans add.  Once a month I cook up a couple pounds of small white beans and make liquid and solid oil replacements.

*Cook beans according to package instructions (I try to get them a bit softer than you'd normally have them to eat). I use my electric pressure cooker and use no seasoning. When done rinse and drain.
*The whole beans can be used as a 1:1 substitute for solid oils like shortenings and softened butter. So I measure out commonly used amounts into small baggies and freeze them. For example, my chocolate chip cookie recipe uses 1/2 c. beans, so I pre-portion several 1/2 c. and a few 1/3 c.
*Take the rest of the beans and puree them with enough water to get an oil consistency. This puree can be used 1:1 for oil or melted butter.  I then measure this puree into baggies for freezing as well.  My zucchini muffins take 1 c., oatmeal-wheat pancakes take 1/6-1/3 c., brownies will take 1/4-1/2c.
*Make sure to clearly label each baggie with the amount inside.  I keep them in an ice-cube box in my freezer. When you need to use them, just thaw and use as recipe directs.
*Note: some things like olive oil have such a distinctive taste you may want to only do a partial substitution, also, if you're making butter cookies or shortbread where you really need the full-butter taste, stick with the butter.
I know it sounds strange, but really if you try it in a dessert I would bet you won't even notice.

Hummus - Favorite Version

I've posted some hummus recipes in the past, but have finally finished tweaking this to suit our taste.

*1 1/2 c. chickpeas, cooked, rinsed, drained
*3 cloves garlic, peeled (if you don't love fresh garlic taste, simmer in water for a few minutes on medium)
*1/2 TBSP. fresh chopped parsley
*1 tsp. lemon juice
*2 TBSP. tahini
*1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
*1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
*1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
*1/4-1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine chickpeas and garlic and pulse to make a paste.  Add parsley, lemon juice, tahini, pepper, cumin, and salt.  Pulse to combine.  Drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. If you plan to refrigerate this before serving you may want to add more oil because it will firm up. Enjoy on pita chips, as a spread on sandwiches or on a toasted bagel.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

Always glad to find a slow-cooker recipe that can be prepped before the after-school business kicks in. Even though the pumpkin wasn't as hidden as my kids might have hoped, this recipe was good. Next time I make it I will use 2 c. dried beans instead and add 2 c. water to cook all day.

*1 medium onion, chopped

*1 sweet yellow pepper, chopped

*2 TBSP. olive oil

*4 cloves garlic, minced

*3 c. chicken broth

*2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained

*2 1/2 c. cooked chicken or turkey (rotisserie is good)

*15 oz. solid-pack pumpkin

*14 oz. diced or crushed tomatoes

*2 tsp. parsley

*2 tsp. chili powder

*1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

*1 1/2 tsp. cumin

*1/2 tsp. salt

In a large skillet, saute onion and pepper in oil over medium-high heat for a couple minutes, until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute. Transfer to a 5-quart slow-cooker and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours until heated through.

Pasta y Fagiole

I fell in love with this Italian chili at the Olive Garden and making it has become my unofficial way of celebrating the changing leaves and cooler temps of fall. There is a bit of prep-work with the veggie chopping, but you'll forget all about it when you're enjoying a steaming bowl.

*2 tsp. olive oil

*1/2 lb. ground beef

*1/2 onion, chopped

*1 carrot, julienned

*1 stalk celery, finely chopped

*2 cloves garlic, minced

*2 cans tomatoes, (I puree mine, but if you like the chunks by all means...)

*1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

*1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

*3-4 c. beef stock

*1 tsp. oregano

*1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

*1 tsp. pepper

*1/2 tsp. Tabasco

*1 TBSP. white vinegar

*1 c. spaghetti sauce

*8 oz. V-8

*8 oz. ditali or small shell pasta

*1/2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped

In a large soup pot, saute the beef in oil over medium/medium-high heat until beef begins to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add beans, stock, oregano, Italian seasoning, pepper, Tabasco, vinegar, spaghetti sauce, and V-8. Stir to combine and return to a simmer. Add noodles and simmer until they are tender but not mushy. Add parsley and serve with Parmesan cheese and some crusty bread.

*Notes: If you have leftovers eat within a day or the noodles will get mushier than I like. The soup freezes very well, just leave the noodles out and add them when you are reheating. If you are making it in advance to take somewhere, you can partially cook the noodles separate and add them just before serving.

Grilled Chicken & Orzo with Oregano and Lemon

I am somewhat addicted to this recipe. It's a variation of one I pulled from Everyday Foods. I make a full batch at the beginning of the week, shred up the chicken, and eat it for lunches over a big mound of baby spinach.

*6 chicken tenders

*4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

*2 sprigs plus 2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

*1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges, plus 1 TBSP. lemon juice

*kosher salt and ground pepper

*1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

*1 c. orzo

*1/2 c. garbanzo beans

In a ziptop bag, use a mallet and pound the chicken a bit to flatten. Add garlic, oregano sprigs, lemon wedges (squeezing juice into the bag first), salt and pepper. Close bag and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Start a medium pot of salted water to boil. Heat grill to medium-high. Lightly rub grill with olive oil. Remove chicken from marinate and grill until cooked through, about 3-5 minutes, flipping once. I tried putting the garlic cloves on the grill as well...mercy, you should try it too! Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package (I add a tsp. of chicken bouillon or some chicken broth to the water). Drain orzo and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in chopped oregano, 1 TBSP. lemon juice, 1 TBSP. olive oil and garbanzo beans. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with orzo and garnish with lemon wedges if desired.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

A few weeks ago we went to dinner with friends and I ordered a Tuscan white bean soup for my starter and haven't been able to get it off my mind ever since. It had such a simple/hearty/tasty flavor I decided I had to try to figure it out. I think this is very close to the original and it was a hit with the whole family.

*3/4 lb. navy beans

*5 cloves garlic, divided and chopped

*2 tsp. thyme, divided

*1 TBSP. olive oil

*1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

*1 tsp. sage

*1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

*1/4 c. cream

*Parmesan cheese, slices preferred

*croutons

*fresh cracked pepper

*extra-virgin olive oil

Start by sorting and rinsing the beans. I cooked mine in my pressure cooker with 8 c. water, 1 tsp. thyme and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, for about 25 minutes. Drain beans. If using canned beans, grab 2-3 cans of cannelini beans and rinse and drain them before using. In a stock-pot heat 1 TBSP. olive oil and cook onion over medium heat until fragrant and tender. Add the sage and cook another minute. Pour in chicken broth and add beans, garlic and remaining tsp. thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Remove about 1 c. broth and 1 c. beans and puree. Add puree back to soup, stir in cream and heat another 5 minutes.

To serve: Ladle the soup into a bowl. If you have slices of Parmesan place on top of soup or sprinkle shredded cheese. Top with a handful of croutons, a bit of fresh pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Enjoy.

This picture in no way does this soup justice.

Croutons: Any time I've got extra French bread that is on it's way out, I cut it into 1-inch cubes and store in the freezer. When I need croutons, I pull them out to thaw, toast in a 200 degree oven until dry. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, toss in the bread cubes to coat and stir in some seasonings (garlic powder, Kosher salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme, whatever flavor you're looking for).

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

I had an old recipe for Mediterranean pasta salad and decided to switch the pasta for some quinoa. This is very easy to make and is good cold or room temperature.

*1 1/2 c. cooked quinoa (I boiled mine in some chicken broth, let cool and fluff)

*1/2 c. chick peas (cooked or rinsed and drained)

*1/2 c. arugula

*1/4 c. crumbled feta

*2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

*2 tsp. lemon juice

*1/2 TBSP. freshly chopped parsley

In a bowl combine quinoa, chick peas, arugula and feta. Combine oil, lemon juice in a small bowl and toss with quinoa mix. Stir in parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve. I like my lettuce crisp, so I mixed all other ingredients and served it on top of the arugula.

Chicken & Herb Soup

This time of year we could eat soup just about every day. This is a very easy soup that takes almost no time to put together. This amount works for our family of 2 adults and 2 little kids.

*1 c. shredded rotisserie chicken (if you don't have a cooked chicken, saute about 3/4 lb. chicken breasts or tenders in a little oil over med-high heat until cooked)

*1 tsp. oil

*1/2 white or yellow onion, finely diced

*2 tsp. flour

*1/2 tsp. thyme

*1/2 tsp. parsley

*1/2 tsp. garlic powder

*1/2 tsp. pepper

*1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

*2 c. chicken broth

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and saute; add chicken. Stir in flour; then add dry seasonings. Add beans and broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chili (with Chocolate)

For those of you who are reading this recipe for no other reason than the fact that you saw chocolate in the title, yeah, I made this for the same reason. Several years ago there a chili contest winner added a couple tablespoons of chocolate syrup to the recipe and I keep forgetting to try it. Weatherman predicted snow this evening, so chili it was. I loved that this took 5 minutes to prep, the house smelled great when I got home this afternoon and we all enjoyed eating it.

*1 can great northern beans
*1 can kidney beans
*1 can black beans
*1 1/4 c. chicken broth
*1 c. favorite salsa (I used mild and pureed it. You could also use a can of Mexican stewed tomatoes)
*3 TBSP chocolate syrup
*1 TBSP southwest seasoning
*1 TBSP chili powder

Rinse and drain beans. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with sour cream and/or shredded cheese if you'd like (but really this has enough flavor to skip the toppings).

Pumpkin Hummus

I made a batch of this the day before Thanksgiving and have had to make a couple subsequent batches to feed my addiction. I think the hummus is delicious and healthy (pretty sure the bags of pita chips aren't so much), but we've also tried this on veggies, tortilla chips, as a sandwich spread (on whole wheat rolls, with turkey...amazing!) and my husband has declared this the dip-of-the-year.

*3 cloves garlic

*2 TBSP. fresh parsley

*1 1/4 c. garbanzo beans, cooked, rinsed, drained (I think this is probably close to one can)

*2 TBSP. tahini

*2 TBSP lemon juice

*1 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil

*1 c. canned pumpkin

*1 tsp. cumin

*1/2 tsp. salt

*1/4 tsp. paprika

*1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne

*2 tsp. maple syrup

In a food processor, pulse garlic and parsley for about 10 seconds. Add garbanzo beans and puree for about 20 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. This makes about 2 c. Cover and it will keep in the fridge for a couple days. If you've got some pumpkin seeds or pepitas, chop and sprinkle on top for presentation if you'd like.

Slow-Cooker Pasta y Fagiole

Pasta e Fagioli is one of my favorite soups (even though I just realized I've never posted my regular recipe...coming soon). I first fell in love with it at the Olive Garden and have been making it for years, so when I saw this recipe making it in a crock-pot, I wanted to try it. I had browned ground beef in the freezer, so this took about 10 minutes to prep and get cooking (yeah). This was less broth-y than my standard and although the flavor is a bit different, the hubby and I really enjoyed it.

*1 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
*1/2 large red onion, chopped
*1 c. carrots, chopped
*2 celery stalks, sliced
*2 cans diced tomatoes (I used one can and 12 oz. V8)
*1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
*1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
*4 c. beef broth
*2 tsp. oregano (I used 1 tsp. oregano and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning)
*1 jar (16.5 oz.) pasta sauce
*1 TBSP. Tabasco sauce
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*1/2 c. dry pasta to add at end of cooking time (I use small shells or salad macaroni)

In a 6-qt. crockpot, combine all ingredients except the noodles. Cook on low for about 8 hrs. or high for about 4. Stir in dry pasta and cook another 15-30 minutes until pasta is tender. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.
I made half of this recipe and there was plenty for our family of 4. This soup would freeze very well (except for the noodles) so if you don't need the full batch, make it and pull some out to cool and freeze before adding the noodles.

Quinoa

Of all the ingredients on the market right now, few bring a smile to my face like quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) because knowing the word and how to spell it was critical in a Scrabble competition against my very competitive BIL. It's no secret that I read cooking books and magazines like juicy novels. That is how I was first introduced to this mystery ingredient and how to spell it long before I had ever tried it.
So, here's the deal with Quinoa. It is a super-food. It is an ancient, traditional grain that can be grown at 12,000 feet above sea level. It is one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable world because of the balanced amino acids. It is also high in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron...and it's gluten-free. It is also very available these days, I can find it at the small grocer down the street and even at Costco. It cooks like rice and can be served as a side or in salads, pilaf, stuffing, soups, etc. I have a few great recipes I'll be sharing soon, but if any of you have good ones, send them along because I'd love to try them.
Hopefully I've convinced you to try this, here's how to prepare it.

Thoroughly rinse the dry grains under cold water for a couple of minutes. Quinoa in it's natural state has a coating of a natural saponins, that is quite bitter, rinsing washes it off. Combine about 1/2 c. quinoa with 1 1/2 c. broth (I like beef broth) and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Let cool for about five minutes and fluff with a fork. You can also use a rice cooker (follow white rice instructions). I often chop peppers and add black beans for a quick side, or just toss with fresh chopped parsely.

Layered Bean Enchilada

I forgot to post this while I was on my fiesta kick, but I enjoyed this for lunch nearly everyday for lunch because I had all the ingredients sitting in the fridge...which made this very simple to put together with two hungry little ones under foot.

*2 corn tortillas (these keep about a week in the fridge if tightly covered)
*1/3 c. refried beans
*cheese (pepper jack, colby jack, cotija, whatever)
*enchilada sauce

Place one tortilla on a plate, spread with beans, and sprinkle with cheese. Top with another tortilla, enchilada sauce and cheese. Microwave until warmed through. Enjoy.

Hummus

A few months ago I convinced my hubby to start snacking on hummus with veggies and pitas (instead of cookies)...imagine my surprise when he decided he liked it. We're huge fans of the tub you can get at Costco, but I wanted to try making my own. I found several recipes and here's what I came up with.

*2 1/2 c. chick peas (If you use the canned kind, drain and rinse)
*3-4 TBSP tahini (sold by Mid-Eastern foods, I usually get mine at Kitchen Kneads)
*2-3 cloves garlic
*2 tsp. lemon juice
*1/4 tsp. cumin
*1/4 tsp. sea salt
*Olive oil or cold water
*a few red pepper flakes if you like a little heat

Puree ingredients in blender or food processor until desired consistency, adding olive oil or water (usually 2-4 TBSP.) to help with mixing. Cover tightly and refrigerate for a week or two. We serve ours with pita chips, baby carrots, or warm pita bread.

Last time I went to get tahini, they were out of it, so I grabbed some sesame seeds and made my own.
Tahini:
Spread 2 c. sesame seeds onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Puree in blender with 2-3 TBSP. olive oil until pourable. Refrigerate up to one month.

Note: I buy dry beans in bulk and cook them in my pressure cooker with water and oil and sometimes garlic. Then I freeze them in 1-2 cup servings.