Tex Mex lasagna

Tex Mex lasagna
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8-ounce) can no salt-added tomato sauce
Cooking spray
6 precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken, drained
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn, half of beans and half of chicken. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions.

Nutritional Information: 439 calories, 61 carbs, 8 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Super easy, really good! This one took no time at all to put together, especially since you can use canned chicken. We did have to add some hot sauce afterwards, so if you're a fan of spicy i'd say to add it in the beginning! Other than that, easy, good and filling - love Tex Mex!

Taco Bites

Taco Bites
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Emily Bites

16 oz. chicken
1 packet taco seasoning
24 wonton wrappers
12 tbsp salsa, divided
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 can Black beans, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp guacamole, divided (we used wholly guacamole)
Cilantro, to garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Heat a pan over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, and add chicken, taco seasoning and 1-2 tbsp water. Cook until no longer pink, then shred with two forks. In the meantime, spray a 12-whole muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Push a wonton wrapper into each muffin tin. Spread no more than a tsp of salsa in each, then top with 1/12 of the chicken and beans. Top with a bit more salsa and a bit of cheese, then cover with another wonton and top with remaining salsa and cheese. Bake for 18 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes, then each with 1/2 tbsp guacamole and a few cilantro leaves.

Nutritional Information per serving (3): 435 calories, 49 carbs, 7 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: Great little guys! Loved the crunchiness and the idea that I get 3! I will say that the chicken/bean mixture fills up those cups, so definitely consider  using half of the beans, which would take down the calories, too! I thought it was plenty of cheese, loved the layers of the bits of salsa and the guacamole topper (we used Wholly Guacamole) was perfect! I'll definitely make these again, too easy not too, and am still loving those wonton wrappers!

Butternut Squash Black Bean Burritos

Butternut Squash Black Bean Burritos
Recipe Inspired by One Heatlhy Apple and Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 4 Servings

1/2 pound ground turkey
1 tsp olive oil
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1 4 oz. can green chiles
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked butternut squash
1/2 can black beans
1 batch homemade enchilada sauce (add 1 can tomato paste; ¾ cup water; 1 ½ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp chili powder to  a small sauce pan over medium heat; whisk together for 1 minute; Add in 1 14 oz. can vegetable stock and ½ tsp kosher salt; Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes)
4 large tortillas
Cilantro to garnish (optional)

Brown turkey in a skillet with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika, and set to the side. Mix cooked turkey with chiles, shredded cheese, butternut squash and black beans in a bowl. Pour a layer of enchilada sauce at the bottom of your baking dish. Stuff each tortilla with 1/4 of the stuffing and roll up; repeat until finished. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Nutritional Information: 397 calories, 56 carbs, 9 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: I find these amazing. Not going to lie – the sauce absolutely makes them. Typically I’m not a big fan of ground turkey, so to be able to ‘mask’ it in this soft tortilla and yummy sauce is wonderful! The beans went really well with the squah, and like always, the squash made this super filling. It reheated very well, and is a winner with us. Definitely make this your own – try other squash or veggies, try chicken or beef – it’s easy to mix this one up and make it your favorite. Just make the sauce and you’ll be fine!

Black Bean Fiesta Burgers

Black Bean Fiesta Burgers
Makes 4 large burgers or 12 mini burgers for sliders

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed and given time to dry
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
1 tbsp minced garlic, jarred
1 egg
Taco seasoning packet
¼ cup salsa
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
(Sliders: 6 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided; 12 small potato rolls)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Strain mixture. Then stir into mashed beans. In a small bowl, stir together egg, taco seasoning, salsa and hot sauce. Stir egg mixture into mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide into 8 small patties. Place patties on baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes on each side.

Nutritional Information: one large pattie - 205 calories, 38 carbs, 2 fat grams and 9 protein grams; one mini pattie – 66 calories, 12 carbs, <1 fat gram and 3 protein grams. For sliders, adding potato buns and sour cream, each: 161 calories, 30 carbs, 2 fat grams and 7 protein grams. I had two mini patties on two potato rolls which each had ½ tbsp fat-free sour cream. This comes out to: 322 calories, 60 carbs, 4 fat grams and 14 protein grams.

Review: Loved them! They tasted kind of like Amy’s breakfast burritos – so much so that Austin suggested we take the big pattie and use it to fill a medium-size tortilla for breakfast burritos! Great flavor, love the fiesta flavor, and truly think that you could take the breadcrumbs down if you want to reduce the calories a bit – up to you. I’m a huge fan and love that it was so filling, but yet had no meat. New favorite for us – so glad we tried it! We even reheated them for breakfast and I found two to be a great, filling breakfast - fabulous!

Mexican Quinoa Skillet

Mexican Quinoa Skillet
Inspired by a $5 Dinners Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
½ cup onion, diced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, diced
2 small summer squash, diced
hot sauce, to taste
1 cup quinoa, dry
1 1/2 cup water
Optional: 2 green onions and fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Add large pan to medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add beef and onion and stir until beef is mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Add taco seasonings and stir for 1 minute. Add black beans, tomato and squash. Drop in a bit of hot sauce. Stir, and then add quinoa and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lid, stir, then add lid and cook for another 5 minutes until quinoa is done and most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat, divide into four servings, and top with green onions and cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 450 calories, 59 carbs, 8 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Review: Awesome, healthy, filling, rainbow recipe! I was really happy with this one, especially since it's a one-pot (or skillet!) recipe - I love when you don't have to cook the carb in a separate pot! I especially enjoyed all of the colors and flavors from the tomatoes, squash, black beans and green onions. And of course - finding another quinoa recipe we love  makes me very happy. This one is a winner and will be made again, and again.

Egg and Bean Breakfast Tostados

Egg and Bean Breakfast Tostados
Recipe adapted from a nacho recipe at My Bizzy Kitchen
Makes 2 Servings

4 small corn tortillas
2 eggs and ¼ cup egg beaters (1 egg and 2 tbsp egg beaters for each)
1 tbsp fat-free milk, divided
½ oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated
1 can black beans, drained
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp hot sauce
Cilantro, diced (for garnish) or dry
2-4 tbsp salsa, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Lay corn tortillas on cookie sheet and spray them with Pam. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 9 minutes. Cook bean/garlic/hot sauce mixture in pot for about 10 minutes. Mash beans with potato masher. Set aside. Whisk half of egg mixture with milk and a bit of salt; microwave in bowl (about the size of tortillas). Repeat with second serving of eggs. When tortillas are done, divide bean mixture. Spread half of bean mixture carefully onto one tortilla, then top with second tortilla, then round, now-cooked egg. Add cheese. Repeat for second serving. Broil until cheese melts, about 4 minutes (watch it or it will burn!). Then top each with cilantro and salsa if desired, or serve on the side.

Nutritional Information: 383 calories, 57 carbs, 9 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: This meatless breakfast is insanely filling – must be all of those beans! I loved the garlic and hot sauce in the beans – great kick, but not too spicy. The tostado was crunchy, but the beans helped soften it. To make the tostado less crunch, I’d suggest lightly spreading salsa on one side of each tortilla. I would consider this one a weekend recipe – I worry it would lose its crunch on the reheat. This is a great recipe, ready under 20 minutes, and a great, filling start to the day! We will make this again. And it's easy to double if needed!

A look at the inside! I cut mine in half and dipped each bite in salsa!

Mexican Breakfast Burritos with Avocado

Mexican Breakfast Burritos with Avocado 
Makes 4 Servings

4 large La Banderita tortillas
1 can black beans, drained and very lightly rinsed
1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp hot sauce
4 eggs
4 tbsp egg substitute
1 tbsp fat-free milk
4 tbsp salsa
1 avocado, removed from skin, sliced long and divided
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, diced and divided

Set pot over medium heat. Add oil and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add black beans and hot sauce. Cook for 7-10 minutes over medium to low heat, then mash with potato masher and divide into 4 servings. Meanwhile, combine eggs, egg substitute and fat-free milk – sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a large pan over medium heat until cooked.* Wrap tortillas in a towel and heat in microwave for 20 to 30 seconds until warm. Top each with black beans (mine came out to 64 grams each), salsa, one quarter of the egg mixture, one quarter of the avocado and cilantro. Sprinkle lightly with salt again if desired. Repeat with other 3. Roll them up and enjoy.

*If making an individual serving, I’d suggest using the microwave. Combine 1 egg, 1 tbsp egg substitute and a bit of milk in a small bowl and cook in 30 second increments until cooked, then slice into long pieces. This way, you can easily take a tortilla, a serving of cooked beans, a cut avodcado, diced cilantro and salsa to work, and then just make the egg at work so it’s fresh.

Nutritional Information: 414 calories, 56 carbs, 15 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: My favorite kind of recipe - fresh ingredients, good fats, colorful and filling. I really enjoyed this recipe and think it's a pretty awesome start to the day. It made a big, filled burrito, but the calories weren't too high. My favorite meatless breakfast recipe for sure!

All wrapped up! (microwave egg process shown - long egg pieces)

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna
Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 6 servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 small (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
½ cup fat-free sour cream, light or regular
5 ounces fat-free cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large skillet, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir to combine well and cook for a minute. Stir in chili powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano and salt and pepper. Mix well. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add black beans. Mix well and heat through, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Spread 1/2 cup beef mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer four noodles on top. Spread 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture over the noodles. Dollop 1/2 of the sour cream and 1/2 of the cream cheese (pinch off chunks) across the top. Repeat layers (4 noodles, remaining beef mixture, remaining cream cheese). Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover, add all cabot cheese on top, and bake 12 minutes, until lasagna is hot and bubbly.

Nutritional Information: 421 calories, 56 carbs, 6 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Review: We loved this! The little bits of cream cheese added a lot, and the sour cream added a lot, too. I was so glad to find a Mexican lasagna recipe that used lasagna noodles. It seemed like all of them used smaller pasta shapes, no layers, etc. This one was great, made a lot of food, hearty servings and had a lot of flavor. Note, the original recipe called for corn, but I just doubled the black beans and was glad I did -I loved that every bite had beans! This was a fairly simple recipe with common ingredients - I have no doubt we'll make it again!

Mexican Bake with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Mexican Bake with Cilantro-Lime Cream
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe adapted from Diabetic Living

10 oz. rotini
16 oz. 96/4 ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
¾ cup bottled salsa
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
2 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 tbsp fat-free sour cream
3 tbsp green onions, diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tsp lime juice

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook meat and garlic until meat is brown, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain any fat. Add cooked meat into pot with pasta. Stir in beans, tomatoes, salsa, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Transfer to rectangular dish. Bake covered 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese, bake for 3 minutes until cheese melts. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, 2 tbsp green onions, cilantro and lime peel. To serve, top each serving with a spoonful of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions.

Nutritional Information: 393 calories, 59 carbs, 5 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: We really liked this one! The 'dressing' added a lot to it and it was really just a fun, simple pasta dish that was filling and EASY. Was it our favorite? Probably not - but definitely one that we'll keep in the rotation! Suggestion: when reheating - leave the dressing out of the microwave. Keep in a separate bowl then spoon on when it's hot and ready to eat. Also, note that the original recipe suggested you switch the beans up - use pinto, navy, whatever - not necessarily black.

Chipotle Bean Burritos

Chipotle Bean Burritos
Adapted from Pearce’s Kitchen, Cooking Light and Pink Parsley Catering
Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup salsa (like Pace medium)
4 burrito-size (large) tortillas, warmed in microwave for 10-15 seconds
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
4 tbsp fat-free sour cream, divided

Optional: 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, divided; 4 tbsp green onion, diced and divided

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, chil powder, chipotle chile, cumin, and salt, and cook for 1 minute. Add beans and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in salsa, and mash with potato masher. Lay out tortillas. Top each with 1 tbsp sour cream, spreading on with the back of a spoon. Divide bean mixture into four equal servings, and spoon onto tortilla. Then top each tortilla with ½ oz. shredded cheese, 1 tbsp green onion and ½ tbsp cilantro. Roll tightly and serve immediately, or crisp outside in panini maker or pan.

Nutritional Information: 429 calories, 74 carbs, 6 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: I made these for dinner on Sunday and loved them! It originally called for cherry tomatoes inside but I omitted these - I preferred to have them on the side or not at all! I thought the bean mixture had a nice spicy, without being too spicy, taste. I'm loving those chipotle chiles in adobo sauce - they are perfect. The sour cream was a nice add too, and helped cool it down. Total winner and i'll be making these again!

Southwest Salad and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Makes 40+ side servings

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Dressing:
2 cups of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup canola oil
½ cup fresh lime juice (juice from 2 limes squeezed to death)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
2 tsp jarred minced garlic
2 tsp oregano

Add to blender. Blend. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (pulse one more time before adding to salads)

Salad:

4 bags romaine lettuce, divided
2 cans corn, drained, divided
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained, divided
2 cups Kraft 2% Mexican cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size), divided
1 cup of red onion, diced and divided in half
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (recipe above), divided in half

Take out two large bowls. Add 2 bags of lettuce to each bowl. Drain corn and black beans. Add a can of corn and a can of black beans to each. Add 1 cup of cheese to each. Add ¾ cup diced tomatoes to each. Add 1/2 cup of diced red onion to each. Pulse salad dressing to ensure it’s mixed. If you plan to serve both at the same time: Drizzle each with half of the salad dressing. If you plan to serve one first and the other when it runs out: Drizzle half with salad dressing. Put the other salad and ½ dressing in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Nutritional Information (for each huge bowl of salad including dressing):2,023 calories, 158 carbs, 136 fat grams and 65 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it and it seemed to go over really well! I made it the night before, left it in the mini processor and put it in the fridge. Right before I served the salad (both at the same time), I dropped it on top of the mini processor, pulsed it again, then poured half over each salad.

Just so you know, for less salad dressing, simply divide the recipe above by 4. This is what I did (I multiplied Pam's recipe by 4!) - Pam's Recipe:

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup canola oil
1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano

Summer Vegetable Enchiladas

Summer Vegetable Enchiladas
Adapted from a Dinners for a Year and Beyond Recipe
Makes 6 Servings

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup flour
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 14 – ounce can vegetable stock, reduced sodium
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp canola oil
1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
½ cup scallions, diced and divided
12 Mission small flour tortillas
2 oz. 75% reduced fat Cabot cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400. In a small saucepan, combine cumin, chili powder, flour, tomato paste and ¾ cup water. Whisk to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add in stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat a pan to medium high heat and add oil. Add bell pepper and zucchini and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Cool slightly. Add black beans, corn and half of the scallions and stir to combine. Spray a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Add enough sauce to cover the bottom (about ¼). Lay wax paper on the counter and top with 12 tortillas. Fill each with vegetable mixture. Then roll one at a time and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining over the enchiladas, using the back of a spoon to spread, and top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information (for 2 enchiladas): 396 calories, 67 carbs, 7 fat grams and 15 protein grams.

Review: Okay, so I’m going to make my own enchilada sauce from now on – AMAZING. Seriously. So flavorful and thick – it really made this dish. Especially combined with the flour tortillas. Normally I use corn tortillas for enchiladas, but the flour really made it thick, almost like a burrito, and the vegetables just popped. Talk about another meatless dish where I didn’t miss the meat at ALL. I didn’t even need any toppings like sour cream or salsa – perfect as is! This has now knocked off one of the lasagnas to be in the top two for meatless recipes – filling, flavorful and will be made again – very soon! Seriously, I don't even know that the pictures do it justice!

whole pan - YUM

Black Bean Pizza

Black Bean Pizza
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup chopped scallions
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
16 oz. pizza dough
3 oz. 75% reduced fat cabot cheddar cheese
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
Hot sauce to taste

Preheat the oven to 450. In a medium bowl, combine black beans, tomatoes, scallions, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Roll dough into a circle. Top with tomato sauce, sprinkle with hot sauce and spread using the back of a spoon. Then top with black bean mixture, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Nutritional Information: 419 calories, 73 carbs, 6 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: Spicy & YUMMY. The seasonings added a lot to this but my favorite was probably the juicy tomatoes. I topped mine with a bit of fat-free sour cream, and could see adding cilantro. The original recipe called for corn, but that was just too carby for me! Speaking of carbs, yes, 73 is a good bit. I normally don't go about 60 on a recipe, but this is a great, protein-packed meatless option that i'm sure I'll be having again. It was simple to put together and a great weeknight meal. It also reheated well - I just wrapped it in foil and brought it to work!

whole pizza

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup
Recipe adapted from a Lauren’s Kitchen recipe

Makes 4 Servings

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 can corn, drained
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 to 1 green bell pepper, diced
1 10-ounce can medium red enchilada sauce
1 10.75-ounce can fat-free cream of chicken soup
2 cups skim milk
1 pound chicken
4 tbsp fat free sour cream, divided

1/2 tsp salt

In a slow cooker, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, bell pepper and raw chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover; cook on high for 3 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add back to slowcooker for 30-45 minutes. Divide into four servings and top each with 1 tbsp sour cream.

Nutritional Information: 458 calories, 58 carbs, 8 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: I really liked this one! I did have to add salt (so I tagged it on top) - it had a lot of flavor but was missing something. Once I added the salt this went QUICK. I think chips would have been good too, but didn't want to add the calories. I will say this was filling - huge bowl of soup for SURE. If you wanted to make it FIVE servings instead of four, to give yourself room for toppings like cheese, avocado, chips, etc. I say do it! I may next time - because I will be making this one again. I can also say that it reheats well, but note that it does take about 4 minute in the microwave with frequent stirring. For thicker soup, I'd suggest you mix some cornstarch and water - and add it to the slowcooker when you add back in the shredded chicken!

Black and White Bean Dip

Black and White Bean Dip
My Kitchen Café recipe
Makes 20 Servings

1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of white beans, drained
1 can of shoepeg corn, drained
½ cup Herdez salsa verde
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
15 grape tomatoes, quartered (squeeze liquid out of tomatoes after chopping)
garlic salt to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

Preheat oven to 400. Rinse and drain both cans of beans. Also drain the can of shoepeg corn. Make sure to squeeze liquid out of tomatoes before chopping so the dip doesn’t turn runny. Put 1.5 cups of cheese and everything else in a bowl and mix together. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray before spooning in the bean mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and pop into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and it is all warm and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with diced avocado and serve with tortilla chips.

Nutritional Information (without chips): 80 calories, 10 carbs, 3 fat grams and 5 protein grams.

Review: I thought this was excellent! Very different with all of the beans but super flavorful in the green salsa. The garlic salt definitely added a little something extra, and it bubbled up quick. This tasted good after it got cold, too, and it was good the next day. It makes LOTS of food –next time I may use a more shallow pan or pie dish so it’s not as deep.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes 4 Servings

1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes (14.5 oz size - southwest style)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can ( 10 3/4 oz) fat-free cream of chicken soup
2 cups fat-free milk
16 oz. chicken, boneless and skinless
Optional: 40 grams corn chips, divided

In crock pot, mix the taco packet together with the water and tomato sauce. Add cream of chicken soup and milk and whisk together until smooth. Add chicken. Pour drained black beans, drained corn and diced tomatoes on top of that. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Before serving, take out chicken and shred, then put back and stir it all together. Serve alone or with 10 grams tortilla chips.

Nutritional Information: 452 calories, 61 carbs, 4 fat grams and 40 protein grams. (before corn chips or other toppings).

Review: We really liked it! You could easily make it 5 or 6 servings, or less, and have as a side with a sandwich! I was just all about big, hearty bowls of soup!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Recipe from My Bizzy Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 stalks celery, diced
½ large red pepper, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 ½ tbsp of chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
½ tbsp paprika
¼ cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) chili beans in sauce (do not drain)
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp fat-free sour cream
Jalapeno, sliced thinly

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Divide into four servings and serve with fat-free sour cream and jalapeno slices.

Nutritional Information (including sour cream): 417 calories, 55 carbs, 3 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: It DID NOT disappoint – OMG. So good. Spicy but cool, flavorful, filling and I really felt like I was eating something really bad for me – but it’s not! I used all of Biz’s stuff – just cut it in half and decided to use the slow cooker...and was lazy and didn't puree the celery, garlic and red pepper!

spoonful

Spicy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Spicy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Recipe from Aggie's Kitchen

Makes 4 Servings

First: make Chili Rubbed Chicken Breasts.

12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tsp chili powder
3 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp cumin
3 tsp paprika
Salt & pepper

Turn on broiler. Combine all ingredients except chicken. Put chicken in a foil lined pan sprayed with PAM. Run spices over chicken and broil for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, flip it over, add 1 tbsp of water and broil for 3 minutes. While Chicken is cooking, make the Southwest mixture. For one serving:

4.5 tbsp salsa
150 g black beans, rinsed and drained
6 tbsp diced onion
150 g canned whole kernel corn
9-12 chopped pickled jalapeno
salt and pepper to taste
15 g fat-free cheddar cheese
6 Mission carb balance tortillas

In large bowl, stir together all ingredients except tortillas. Add the chili rubbed chicken. Divide mix into six and put on tortillas. Wrap and heat on the George Foreman for 3 minutes. Cut in half and serve!

Nutrition Information: One serving of 1.5 wraps is 371 calories, 46 carbs and 6 fat grams.

Review: These taste great the day after - easy to heat up and put in a wrap. Lots of flavor - especially the chicken and the jalapenos add a nice kick, too!

Mexican Rice Casserole

Recipe from For the Love of Cooking

Mexican Rice Casserole

Makes four servings

1 1/2 cups of white rice, prepared per instructions
1 tsp of olive oil
1 lb 96/4 ground beef
1/3 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
50 grams fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
1 large slicer tomato, sliced thickly
4 tbsp Fat Free Sour cream, divided
4 tbsp Salsa, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice per instructions. While rice is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add ground beef, making sure to break it up into crumbles. Cook beef for 3-4 minutes, then add the onion and all seasonings. Stir until well combined and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for an additional 60 seconds. Add cooked rice, drained and rinsed black beans and tomato sauce to the beef and onion mixture. Mix ingredients thoroughly. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray and pour mixture into the dish, spreading it evenly. Place tomato slices on top, then top with cheese. Spray a piece of tin foil with cooking spray (so the cheese won't stick) and cover the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil. Bake for an additional 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing into 4 servings. Top each serving with one tbsp of salsa and one tbsp of sour cream.

Nutritional Information: 448 calories, 59 carbs, 8 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: We LOVED it. Very good and flavorful! We even talked about taking the servings to 6 or 8 and stuffing the mix into tacos make burritos, or getting a bowl lined with lettuce and making a burrito bowl. I think I’ll take Pam’s advice and use spicy tomato sauce next time, but honestly, with ‘regular’ it was still fab!

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Soup
Adapted from Gina’s Weight Watchers Recipes
Makes 10 Servings

1 white onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans, in juice
1 16-oz can kidney beans, in juice
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 can corn kernels, drained
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
chopped fresh cilantro
5 cups white rice
10 tbsp fat free sour cream

2 jalapenos, finely diced

1 tsp hot sauce

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, jalapenos and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Spoon over white rice and top with fresh cilantro and fat-free sour cream.

Nutritional Information: 389 calories, 65 carbs, 2 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: It was REALLY good, super filling and flavorful. It was great and I’m glad because making 10 servings of a new recipe is a bit daunting. But I trusted it!