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.

This has the down home earthy flavor that all good soups should have. I had a leftover baked potato when I made this last, so I cubed it up and threw it in for some extra bulk. Sometimes I used canned chipotle pepper instead of poblanos. This one is easy to make your own – so many extras go so well with the ingredients.

Spicy Tomato and White Bean Soup

4 servings
157 calories per serving

14 oz. can chicken broth, divided
1 c water
2 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
16 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium poblano chile, halved and seeded
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 T lime juice
1 T oil
1/2 t salt
¼ t pepper

Mix broth, chili powder and cumin in a large soup pot on medium high heat. Mix the water with the pepper and onion in a food processor and pulse to chop veggies. Add onion mix to pot. Mash some beans a bit to help thicken the soup and then add all beans to the pots. Put tomatoes and cilantro in food processor and coarsely chop then add this to the pot. Bring all to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, oil, salt and pepper.

This is loaded with veggies and tastes so good ! It’s way quicker than a regular paella and if you really want some seafood in there, add some Buttery Baked Shrimp. Paella is a great healthy dinner that the whole family will enjoy.

Vegetable Paella

6 servings
362 calories per serving

3 T oil
½ onion, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
½ poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
12 oz. sliced mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t paprika
1 t oregano
½ t pepper
¼ t red pepper flakes
1 ½ c brown rice (MINUTE rice)
2 ½ c vegetable stock / broth
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 ½ t salt
9 oz. baby spinach leaves, chopped roughly
1 c frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 c frozen or canned artichoke hearts
2 T red vinegar
¼ c chopped parsley

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot on medium heat and cook onion 7 minutes. Add bell pepper, poblano pepper, mushrooms and salt and cook 5 minutes then add garlic, paprika, oregano, red pepper and black pepper and continue cooking another minute or two. Add stock and tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Then stir in rice. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, peas, artichokes, vinegar and half the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cover again and let sit 5 minutes for all the juices to absorb. Serve with parsley garnish.