What a great appetizer or lunch. The sausage, beans and garlic make a perfect stew. Served with cheese toast, this makes a great dish to serve to guests. Even with the bread, this dish comes in under 400 calories !!

Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot)

6 servings
350 calories per serving

2 t oil
3 t garlic, minced
4 2 oz. turkey sausages (any flavor you like, I used Italian hot) cut into chunks
1 c water
1 c chicken broth
2 19 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 c baby spinach
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/8 t salt
½ t garlic powder
2 T lemon juice
6 T shredded provolone cheese
6 1 oz. slices French bread

Heat oil and cook sausage until almost done. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add water, broth to crock pot then add spinach. Add salt and pepper and garlic powder. Add beans and then add sausage and garlic and any pan drippings to the top. Cook on low 3 hours. Add the splash of lemon during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve with Cheese Toasts. To make toasts, sprinkle bread slices with cheese and broil 2 minutes to melt cheese.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you can do this stove top is a soup pot – after cooking the sausage and combining all the ingredients, simmer on very low for 1 hour.

Serve this nutritious bean based meal as a lunch with some cut up veggies on the side. Or serve as a dinner side next to Mexican flavored chicken or fish.

Black Beans and Chilies

4 servings
210 calories per serving

1 t oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chopped green chilies
2 14.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c water
¼ c salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
4 t shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Heat oil and cook scallions and garlic 1-2 minutes then add chilies, beans and water and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer ½ hour. Stir in salsa and warm through then season with salt and pepper just before serving. Garnish each serving with 1 t shredded cheese.

Can you say YUMMY?!?!?! This is such a great QUICK and EASY recipe, yet the results taste like you’ve been in the kitchen for hours. This is an ample serving. You could easily just have half a serving for a side and still have room in your calories for some fish or chicken on the side.

Rice and Beans

4 servings
400 calories per serving

1 ½ c chopped green peppers
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oil
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ¼ c water
2 c Minute brown rice
¼ c cilantro chopped
1 c low far shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby or Monterey Jack)

In a large skillet on high heat, heat the oil and cook the peppers and garlic 2 minutes then add tomatoes, beans and water. Bring to a boil and stir in rice and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes then remove from heat and stir in cilantro and top with cheese. Let stand 5 minutes, covered.

This is such a great snack – and it even makes a great, filling lunch when you pair it with Triscuits.

Black Bean Dip with Avocado

4 servings
270 calories per serving

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 c chopped avocado
1 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
4 c baby carrots for dipping

Place the beans in 4 bowls and coarsely mash. Stir in cheese and avocado. Serve carrots alongside. Add 100 calories worth of Triscuits or your favorite cracker to make it a little more filling and meal sized instead of snack sized.

And here is a video teaching you how to use an avocado slicer so you can make perfect slices for all your meals !

A great side dish that tastes just as good cold as it does warm. This is one you will definitely make again

Pepper and Bean Salad

8 servings
60 calories per serving

2 shallots, cut into thin slices
1/2 c vinaigrette dressing
1 lb. green beans
1/4 c water
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat skillet and add half the dressing. Add the onions and cook 8 minutes or until tender. Add the beans and the water and stir well then cover the pan and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Finally add peppers and recover and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the rest of the dressing, salt and pepper.

You can taste the pepperoni in each and every bite and it makes this soup just a bit different from the usual minestrone. It’s a welcome change. All the veggies add up to a nice low cal soup that leaves plenty of calorie room open for adding a nice spoon of parmesan cheese

Very Veggie Minestrone

6 servings
206 calories per serving

1 T oil
1/2 c green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 c beef broth
3 c water
1 1/2 t oregano flakes
1 t thyme flakes
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
2/3 c small pasta
1 lb. frozen mixed soup vegetables (including corn, peas, carrots, celery, onion), thawed and chopped
1 c frozen baby lima beans, thawed
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c diced turkey pepperoni
3 c lightly packed escarole, rinsed and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c chopped basil
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (not in calorie count above)

Heat oil in a soup pot. Saute peppers 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Add broth, water and spices and bring to a boil then add pasta and cook according to package instructions minus 3 minutes. Mix veggies and beans and add to soup and bring back to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pepperoni, basil and escarole and simmer 3 minutes to wilt escarole. Garnish with cheese.

Heavy, filling and a great sandwich for a cold and blustery day. I think it works just as well as a breakfast sandwich as it does a lunch sandwich !

Ham and Bean Sandwich

1 serving
250 calories per serving

¼ c Egg Beaters
2 slices whole wheat toast
4 T white beans, mashed with salt and pepper and 1 t water and heated in the microwave one minute
4 slices very thin, lean baked deli ham
1 slice Kraft Singles cheese (American or cheddar)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Heat skillet and spray with Pam. Scramble egg beaters or make a little circle out of them so they stay on the bread nicely.

Here’s a quick video to show you how to prep the eggs:

When toast is done, spread one piece with beans. Then add ham, cheese, warm eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the final piece of bread.

This is one of THE best veggie side dishes I have made in a long time. I bought a bunch of pepitas to make them for snacks and then came up with some other great ways to use them – this is one of the best ! The flavor and texture of the pepitas goes so well with the beans and the very simple seasoning. This is a special one !

Green Beans and Pepitas

6 servings
121 calories per serving

1 pound green beans
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 c pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
Kosher salt
Pepper to taste
1 t rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced

Boil water and add some regular salt and cook beans 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water then cut them into 1 inch pieces. Heat 1 T oil in a skillet. Saute pepitas until they start to brown and pop, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove to a bowl. Heat the rest of the oil and cook garlic and rosemary 30 seconds. Add beans and pepitas and cook 2 minutes to heat through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

The addition of beans makes this salad filling and add extra fiber to your meal. This is a great summer side that hits the spot.

White Bean and Tomato Salad

4 servings
167 calories per serving

1 T white vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 drop Tabasco sauce
2 t oil
16 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 T chopped basil
1 T chopped parsley
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ large red bell pepper, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and Tabasco and whisk while adding the oil. Combine beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, basil, parsley, scallions and garlic. Add the dressing and toss well to coat the cover and refrigerate ½ hour. Just before serving add salt and pepper to taste.

I’m always looking for new ways to serve up green beans – the family loves them but it gets a little boring. Sprinkling with parm just before serving is a great way to prepare them !

Check out the online cookbook, Keep the Beat ™ (available in pdf format) for some great ideas for healthful food that kids will eat and they will enjoy preparing with you. Kids learn by example – show them how good healthy food can be !!!

Parmesan Green Beans

4 servings
95 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 t garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 bag (16 oz) frozen green beans
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
¼ t ground black pepper

Combine olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook until garlic is soft, but not browned (about 30 seconds). Add onion, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until soft. Add green beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, until the beans are heated through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pepper, and serve.