Black bean mini patties {munchie Monday}

I love, love, love black beans. They are absolutely a staple in my house. I thought I would try something a little different with them tonight and make some mini patties. They actually came out good! Admittedly, I am a little biased when it comes to black beans! But, these are easy to make and tasty, too!

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh, chopped scallion
1/4 cup corn meal
1 egg white
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander

Directions:

After you drain and rinse the black beans, put them in a glass bowl and mash them a bit. Then, add all of the remaining ingredients and mix until you have an even consistency.

Heat a prepared skillet. (I sprayed mine with a little nonstick spray.) Once warm, form little patties and place them on the skillet. Flip once the bottom is a little browned. The patties are ready when the other side is browned. Really easy!

To eat, I just rolled them in tortilla with avocado and yogurt. Yummy and a little easier on the fat!

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Asparagus and Lemon Risotto from Cooking Light {Munchie Monday}

Tonight, we tried the Asparagus and Lemon Risotto recipe from Cooking Light and really enjoyed it. I was not sure how I was going to like the lemon. However, I found it pretty refreshing and it went well with the asparagus.

We followed the recipe pretty much entirely. I did drop the butter down to 1 Tbsp. We only had 2 cups of vegetable broth, so I changed the 3 cups of chicken broth to 2 cups vegetable broth and 1 cup of water.

The recipe was pretty easy. The only complaint that I have is that the entire dish is made in the microwave. We made the risotto in the microwave for the first time but will try stove top the next time. I am always worried about the glass in the microwave even if the glass is microwave safe. Plus, I feel like the flavors meld better on the stove top.

One recommendation---definitely add a little freshly ground black pepper. My husband and I both think that the dish did not need any additional salt, so you can probably omit extra salt from the recipe. Also, I think that mushrooms would also be a nice addition.

Here is a look:

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1-2-3 Quesadillas {Munchie Monday}

Quesadillas are a staple in this house. They are easy to make and we almost always have the ingredients on hand. They make for quick lunches or an easy dinner on those busy nights. We find that they are a great way to use up random  veggies that we have remaining from other recipes.

Ingredients:

Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Veggies--chopped
Salsa, Avocado, and/or Yogurt to top off (I have been substituting yogurt for sour cream.)

Directions:

Warm a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Place bottom tortilla on skillet. Warm slightly. Then, layer a little cheese on the tortilla. Next, layer a few chopped veggies.

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Bubbly Mexican Layer Dip {Recipe}

Mexican Layer Dip has always been one of my staples for bringing to parties. It is easy to make and a lot of people like it. My husband and I have been making tons of Mexican-inspired over the years, so I changed our original recipe a little and came up with something new based on other things we have tried. (And the result was delicious, of course!)

Ingredients

1 15 oz can of black beans
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
6-8 small tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 small jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup jicama, sliced thin
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Directions
 
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Drain and rinse black beans. Place in bowl. Add 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice and 1 Tbsp cilantro. Mash together. (I use a potato masher to mash my beans--it is easy and fast!) Then, spread the mixture on the bottom of a medium-sized pyrex.

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Creamless Asparagus Soup from Eating Well

I usually stay away from cream soups because they tend to be packed with calories--and not the good ones. However, they do rank among some of my favorites. Since it is soup season, I have been combing soup recipes to add to our repertoire. Last week, I found a recipe on Eating Well for an Asparagus Soup without cream. I love Cream of Asparagus, so I thought I should give this spin a try!

The recipe was pretty easy to execute. We added a couple more ounces of potato, 1 more clove of garlic, and 1 more shallot than the recipe called for. We omitted the prosciutto and made some quinoa to go with it. The resulting soup was good but seemed to be lacking something. It definitely needs pepper, so don't skip that. It is possible that the prosciutto may have filled the void but I think something else is missing beyond that. Overall, the soup is good and I will make it again. However, I will be tweaking it a little more!

If you are looking for a nutritious soup, give this Asparagus Soup a try!

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Zucchini and White Bean Pasta with Fennel and Mushrooms

Eating Well is another great recipe source for me. Recently, I tried their Zucchini, Fennel & White Bean Pasta recipe. I could tell just by reading it that I would like it. But, that's just it--like it, not love it. I tweaked it a little bit before tasting it. It still has a ways to go and is a little bland but is a solid dish and will be better with a little more adjusting.

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Eggplant Parmesan: A Tasty Meatless Option!

One really easy option for a tasty, meatless meal is Eggplant Parmesan. I have been using one recipe for years and it is yummy every time! My husband loves the sauce so much that I make a bunch extra!

Eggplant after being in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, sliced
1-2 egg whites, depending on size of eggplant
dried bread crumbs (preferably Italian, but if you don't have Italian you can just mix in a little oregano and basil to make plain bread crumbs tasty!)
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
6 oz water
6 oz red wine
1-2 tsps dried oregano
1-2 tsps dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan

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Broccoli-Ricotta Tacos

We are always searching for some meatless options to add to our menu. I recently found a recipe for Ricotta-Spinach Tacos from Food Network and I was inspired. However, since my husband cannot eat spinach, I decided to switch that out. I also opted to use fresh chile peppers instead of canned. We have been really trying to stay away from canned food when fresh options are so readily available!

Here is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

8 oz ricotta cheese at room temperature
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small vidalia onion, sliced into rings
2 green chile peppers, sliced
1-1.5 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 tsp ground cumin
small corn tortillas
salsa verde

Directions:

First, I mixed the ricotta cheese, cilantro, and 1 clove of garlic in a bowl and set it to the side.

Next, I heated the oil in a skillet. Then, I added the onions and cooked them until they were light brown. Next, I added the peppers, broccoli, remaining garlic, and cumin. I cooked the mixture for about 3-4 minutes and then removed from the heat.

To put the tacos together, we warmed the tortillas in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Then, we added the broccoli mixture to the tortilla. Next, we spooned on some of the cheese mixture and added a little bit of salsa on top.

These tacos were easy to make and had a fresh and unique taste. I especially enjoyed the onions! The chile peppers definitely make the dish spicy, so you will want to be careful with how much you add. You can also switch out the broccoli for the spinach and follow the Food Network recipe. This recipe made enough for my husband and I to have tacos for dinner and some for lunch the next day as well!

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