Tag Archives: beans

Big Pot o’ Chili

Savory, hot chili – make it as spicy or as mild as you like. This one bulks up the veggies and uses turkey and very lean ground beef so it comes in at a low calorie count for a good sized portion. For 400 calories you can have a huge portion ! Try making this the next time you have a football party.

All the different tomato products used in this recipe have their own unique flavor and the combination of them is just perfect. But if you don’t particularly like one or another, feel free to substitute.

Cook this stovetop for hours to get that deep, rich, long simmer flavor – or you can cook this in the crock pot all day long while you are at work. Chili also does well in a pressure cooker. If you need instructions, just write to me and I’ll be happy to send you info.

Big Pot o' Chili
Big Pot o' Chili

20 servings
210 calories per serving

2 T oil
1 onion, chopped
20 oz. lean ground turkey
16 oz. very lean ground beef
5 ribs of celery, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 t minced garlic
10 oz. mushrooms, chopped
15.5 oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
15.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
15.5 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 15.75 oz. cans Campbells Pork and Beans (this addition really mellows out the tomato base)
28 oz. petite diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. fired roasted diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. stewed tomatoes
3 oz. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (if you don’t like heat, remove this ingredient. If you like it very spicy, add more of this ingredient)
29 oz. tomato sauce
1 T salt
1 T pepper
2 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
5 T chili powder
3 t cumin
2 t basil flakes
2 t parsley flakes
3 t oregano flakes

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large dutch oven or soup pot. Saute onions, celery and green pepper and yellow pepper 15 minutes. Add the turkey and beef and continue cooking until meat is done. Be sure to break up meat into little pieces as it cooks. (if cooking in a crock pot, do this first step stove top in a skillet and then turn it all into a heated crock) Add garlic and mushrooms and stir. Add all spices and mix well. Bring to a boil them lower and simmer for 2-3 hours on a low heat. Stir occasionally and adjust spice during the last half hour of cooking. (if cooking in a crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours or high 5-6 hours)

The leftovers freeze well – so don’t be afraid of the huge serving size. You can also cut this in half and make 10 servings – just halve everything. Serve with low fat sour cream and low fat shredded cheddar as a garnish / topping.

Kidney Bean Salad

Very refreshing – very summery…it’s the perfect side to any grilled meat.

Kidney Bean Salad
Kidney Bean Salad

8 servings
150 calories per serving

2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 can red and one can white makes a nice salad)
10 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ small cans mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed well
1 medium green pepper, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
½ c light zesty Italian dressing
¼ c sliced almonds

Mix beans, tomatoes, oranges, peppers and onions. Add dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.

Sausage Soup

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
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.

Roasted Green Beans

Get the pre-washed, pre-trimmed beans and your prep time is literally 1 minute. Using kosher salt can really make a difference in recipes and it does in this one. Kosher salt is a much larger crystal (much like sea salt) and instead of melting into the food, it kind of stays on the surface giving you a much bigger burst of the salt flavor – I think it works really well with green beans.

Roasted Green Beans
Roasted Green Beans

4 servings
42 calories per serving

1 pound fresh green beans
1/2 T olive oil
1 t balsamic vinegar
2 t minced fresh basil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Mix together green beans, oil, vinegar and basil. Place on a non-stick baking sheet in one layer and roast for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lunch Nachos

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
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.

Poblano Grilled Cheese

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
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.

Southwest Ranch Salad

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
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.

Chicken Tortellini Stew (Crock Pot)

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)
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.

Chili Cheese Macs

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
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.

Tuscan Chicken Soup

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
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.

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