This is simple to make and you can even pack it up to go as it travels well. All the southwest flavors mingle nicely and it’s a refreshing lunch salad. If you don’t like Ranch dressing, substitute any other low fat or no fat dressing.

Southwest Ranch Salad

4 servings
380 calories per serving

4 c mixed salad greens
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 large red pepper, chopped
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
½ c low fat ranch dressing
2 T cilantro, chopped

Arrange greens on plates and top with beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes and cheese. Top with dressing and cilantro.

This is a soupy stew or a thick soup Whatever it is, it’s absolutely delicious. The sweet fennel adds just the little something different that makes this meal one of a kind.

Chicken Tortellini Stew (Crock Pot)

6 servings
380 calories per serving

2 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped
19 oz. cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t garlic powder
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2 c water
9 oz. refrigerated tortellini
1 c baby spinach leaves
2 green onions, sliced
1 t basil flakes
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Pam

Spray crock pot with Pam. Layer carrots, garlic, chicken, fennel and beans then add broth, water, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Sit in pasta, spinach, onions and basil then cover and cook on HIGH 20 minutes. Spoon into bowls and garnish with cheese.

This recipe transforms regular mac and cheese into a Mexican flavored side dish that is great next to a lean piece of chicken or fish.

Chili Cheese Macs

4 servings
290 calories per serving

7.25 oz. boxed Mac and Cheese dinner
1 c canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 c canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Make the mac and cheese according to the package instructions using margarine and skim milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat through.

Minestrone meets Stracciatella in this soup full of beans, spinach, cheese and yummy sausage ! To make this a dinner serving instead, just add some pasta or rice to bring it up to 400 calories.

Sausage Soup

4 servings
264 calories per serving

10 oz. sweet sausage
Pam
1 c chopped shallot (onion will do if you do not have shallots)
2 t minced garlic
½ c water
15 oz. cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
24 oz. can fat free chicken broth
2 c baby spinach
1 T fresh basil or parsley, chopped
2 T grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove casing from sausage (or buy it without the casing). Spray pan with Pam and cook sausage on high heat until brown stirring to break up the pieces well. Add shallot and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in water, beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper and cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 4 minutes or until it has thickened up a little bit. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and basil and then place in bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Warm soup on a cold day; nothing could be better. This soup is a little bit pasta fagioli, a little bit chicken soup, a little bit minestrone and a little bit straccitella – it’s everything soup

Tuscan Chicken Soup

6 servings
390 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 T butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c coarsely chopped carrot
1 medium onion, chopped
13.25 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 c diced potatoes
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained – take ½ c and mash them; leave the rest whole
4 cups fat free chicken broth
2 cups vegetable broth
1 c water
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t oregano flakes
1 t parsley flakes
3 c cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
10 oz. spinach
3 T chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c grated parmesan cheese

Heat butter and oil in a soup pot – sauté onion 4 minutes. Add garlic, carrot, mushroom and potato and sauté another 7 minutes. Add broth, beans, mashed beans and seasoning and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes. Add basil and spinach and cook another 3 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

I have a lot of recipes pairing white beans and escarole – but this one is just a bit more – this one adds extra veggies and the dish is totally different than plain old sautéed escarole. The creamy texture of the beans just goes great with the crisp zucchini and corn.

Sauteed Escarole with White Beans

4 servings
210 calories per serving

2 heads escarole, rinsed well and chopped
2 oz. pancetta or bacon, chopped
1 zucchini, quartered and cut into julienne strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c frozen corn kernels , thawed
15 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder
Pam

Heat a large skillet and spray with Pam. Add escarole and cook 6 minutes to wilt. Remove and set aside. Cook bacon 2 minutes then add zucchini and cook 4 minutes. Add garlic and corn and cook 1 minutes. Add back the escarole then mix in parsley, beans, salt, pepper, garlic powder, vinegar and oil. Toss well and serve.

Sometimes you are just in the mood for ‘junk food’ for lunch. This junk food favorite gets pretty healthy when you bake your own chips and add healthy toppings. So go for it !!

Lunch Nachos

6 servings
344 calories per serving

12 6 inch corn tortillas, quartered
Pam
1 T oil
2 t ground cumin
1 ½ t chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
30 oz. pinto beans, undrained
1 c crumbled queso fresco or shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 c chunky salsa
1 c diced avocado
6 T chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with Pam. Sprinkle tortilla quarters with salt and ½ t chili powder and bake 8 minutes or until crisp. Work in batches. Heat oil and add cumin, 1 t chili powder and garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add pinto beans and bring to a boil stirring frequently. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes then partially mash beans. Place 8 chips per plate and spoon bean mix over the chops. Top with cheese and microwave 30 seconds to melt cheese. Add salsa and avocado and garnish with cilantro.

Sofrito is filled with just incredible spices – when you add that and bacon to beans, there is nothing better ! The creamy texture of the beans mixed with the spicy sofrito is just perfect.

Sofrito Beans

8 servings
290 calories per serving

2 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 c sofrito sauce (In the Mexican section at your grocer)

Cook bacon then add beans along with sofrito and cook 15 minutes.

This is just what it’s called…a great company casserole. It is easy to prep, all the prep is done way ahead, and the result is a creamy, tasty vegetable side dish that disappears very quickly !

Company Casserole

7 servings
178 calories per serving

1 can low fat cream of celery soup
1 c low fat sour cream
1 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder
½ c finely chopped onion
9 oz. frozen cut green beans, thawed
6 oz. frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 c frozen corn, thawed
¼ c crushed low fat Ritz crackers
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soup, sour cream, cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion then stir in the veggies and place in a 2 quart baking dish sprayed with Pam. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Then uncover, sprinkle crumbs around edges and spritz the crumbs with the ICBINB spray. Bake another 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.

Looking for something a little spicy and a little different? This will definitely perk up your lunch ! The poblano pepper makes a great grilled sandwich – coupled with the bean and salsa mash, you barely want anything else – even the cheese becomes secondary (and that is often IMPOSSIBLE).

Poblano Grilled Cheese

4 servings
305 calories per serving

4 poblano peppers
14 oz. can pinto beans
3 T salsa
1/8 t salt
½ c shredded low fat Cheddar cheese
2 T low fat plain yogurt
2 T chopped cilantro
8 slices 45 calorie per slice whole wheat bread
ICBINB Spray

Place peppers in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave 4 minutes to soften. Let sit covered until cool. Mix beans with salsa and salt and mash most of them to form a paste. Mix cheese with yogurt and cilantro. Heat a Panini maker or indoor grill with a press. Spread the bean mix on 4 slices of bread and then top with the cheese mix. Split the peppers in half and remove the seeds then place peppers over the cheese and finish the sandwich. Spray both sides of the sandwiches with 5-6 squirts of ICBINB spray. Grill until golden brown.