southwestern pinto bean burgers

Ingredients

Burgers:
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon canned minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Remaining ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
4 romaine lettuce leaves
avocado, sliced
tomato, sliced
red onion, sliced

Directions

To prepare burgers, combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pinto beans and corn; partially mash with a fork. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 3 1/2-inch patty, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

To prepare chipotle mayonnaise, combine mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon chipotle in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Place patties on bottom halves of buns; top each patty with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 lettuce leaf, and top half of bun.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

southwestern cobb salad

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Green Goddess Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)

2 green onions, white and green parts, cut into thick chunks

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Black Bean Salsa:

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Yellow Pepper Salsa:

1 yellow pepper, seeded, and diced

1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 can large olives, coarsely chopped

1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced

Avocado Salsa:

2 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4-5 large eggs

6-8 slices thick-cut bacon (I used turkey bacon - it was delicious)

1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

1. For the chicken marinade, in a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

2. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together in a blender. Process until smooth. Thin with additional buttermilk (adding it one teaspoon at a time), if desired. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

3. Heat a grill to medium-high heat (an indoor grill pan or skillet could be used also). Grill the chicken until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Cool the chicken completely then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

4. Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 13 minutes then rinse them under cold water until they are completely cooled. Peel and coarsely chop the eggs. Set aside.

5. Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside.

6. In a medium bowl, combine the yellow pepper, tomatoe, olives, and 1/2 of the sweet onion. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

7. In another bowl, combine the black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and onion. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

8. In another bowl (don't worry, we are almost done with the excess of bowls), combine the avocado, 1/4 cup cilantro, juice of 2 limes, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

9. On a large platter (or large bowl), arrange the romaine lettuce. Arrange the chicken in a strip down the middle of the romaine. On either side, make piled strips of the eggs, bacon, yellow pepper mixture, black bean mixture and avocado mixture. Drizzle with dressing or serve it on the side. The easiest way to serve this on a platter is with a pair of tongs. If using a large bowl, gently toss to combine all the ingredients before serving.

* by MelsKitchenCafe.com

pesto portobello pizza

Ingredients

1 tsp. pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
1/2 cup pesto, homemade is best
1 tomato, sliced or chopped
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
pre-made pizza crust
handful of fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. In a nonstick frying pan, toast your pine nuts then remove from pan.
2. Add olive oil to hot pan and saute the mushrooms until softened.
2. Begin to build your pizza: Spread a thin layer of pesto on crust. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese. Then layer mushrooms. Then layer tomatoes. Then top with a final cup of cheese. Sprinkle on pine nuts.
3. Cook until crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted in a 400 degree F oven, about 10 minutes.
4. When finished cooking, remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh basil leaves.

guacamole

Ingredients

3 avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, and garlic.

*When storing, make sure you choose an air tight storage container to minimize browning. I like to line the very top of the guacamole with plastic wrap as well.

* Adapted from Alton Brown

fattoush

After eating some delicious Middle Eastern food this summer I decided to go searching for some authentic recipes online and was pleasantly surprised. Try the fattoush out for yourself - simple and fresh, yum!

Ingredients

2-3 tomatoes, cubed
1-2 small cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 small head of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
2 pita bread pockets, toasted and cut into cubes
lemon juice
olive oil
salt and pepper

Instructions

1. To make the dressing, combine equal parts of olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine vegetables, herbs, and bread in a large bowl.
3. Pour desired amount of dressing over salad, toss well, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

ravioli toss

Ingredients

4-5 Plum tomatoes, chopped

1 (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers drained, rinsed, and chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 lb. store-bought fresh or frozen cheese ravioli

5 cups arugula leaves, coarsely chopped (about 5 ounces)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, roasted peppers, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let the vegetable mixture sit at room temperature while you are cooking the ravioli.
2. Cook the ravioli according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the vegetables along with the arugula. Toss and serve immediately.

*From Ellie Krieger

bison beef tacos

Ingredients

1 onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. coriander

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

salt

1 lb. ground bison beef

1/2 cup smooth canned tomato sauce

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. light brown sugar

taco shells

Suggested Toppings:

sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese

1 tomato, diced and/or salsa

shredded lettuce

guacamole

Instructions

1. Brown beef in skillet over medium heat. When done, remove from pan and place in bowl. If you render a lot of grease, I recommend draining the beef now.

2. Saute onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, spices, and 1 tsp. salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in the ground beef.

4. Stir in tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, and sugar and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

5. Assemble your tacos! I like serving mine with beans and rice.

*Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

ziti with spinach, cherry tomatoes, and gorgonzola sauce

Ingredients

4 oz. uncooked ziti
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
5-10 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup  half-and-half
6 tbsp. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 bag of fresh spinach

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting fat and salt; drain.
2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 1 minute or until spinach just wilts, tossing occasionally.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

tomato, broccoli, spinach and feta cheese pizza

Ingredients

1 large tomato, thinly sliced OR 1 container of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 box of frozen broccoli, defrosted and drained well
1 box of frozen whole leaf spinach, defrosted and drained well
1 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup pizza sauce (I recommend Rao's Pizza Sauce)
1 prepared pizza crust

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Thaw spinach and broccoli, squeeze out any excess water.
3. If you are making you own dough, I recommend pre-cooking the dough until it is light brown so that the crust doesn't get mushy when you add the toppings.
4. Spread pizza sauce on crust. Then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Then add broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes. Then sprinkle 1 cup of feta cheese on top of it all.
5. Cook until cheese melts and the crust is golden brown, takes about 15 minutes.

Mom's marinara suace

Ingredients

1/2 lb. lean ground beef or ground pork
2 red bell peppers, chopped
3 onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, minced
3 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes (I like San Marzano)
1 (6oz) can of tomato paste
1/2 container (4 oz) of grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp. Italian seasoning
olive oil

Instructions

1. Brown meet in large Dutch oven on medium heat.
2. Add red bell pepper and onion; cook until onion is soft.
3. Add garlic for 30 seconds; stirring constantly.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and cheese. Stir ingredients well.
5. Add Italian seasoning and a thin coat of olive oil. Stir well.
6. Simmer sauce for 4-5 hours on low heat; stirring every 20-30 minutes.