Summer Cookout Veggie Burger

I'm for sure no vegetarian (I could never live without chicken or turkey!) but I try to eat vegetarian several times a week. In the past, though, "eating vegetarian" meant pasta. Delicious, yes, but not exactly protein-packed or very healthy.

So you can imagine, of course, that I was happy to come across Leslie Sarna's Veggie Burger. I've always been intrigued by this concept; a burger? Made without MEAT?! Really? But why not, right?

These were SO easy to make, and I was able to throw some into the freezer for quick lunches and dinners. I gave my husband and kids their burgers on a regular bun, but I put mine on a deli flat and then put it on the panini press. Perfection.


Summer Cookout Veggie Burgers
from Leslie Sarna

• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup rolled oats (non-instant Oatmeal)
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs (I like to use Panko also called Japanese bread crumbs if you can find them)
• 1 tsp. (or more) chili powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 3 tbsp. chopped chives
• 1 egg
• olive oil
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 4 oz. mushrooms, finely diced
• 6 sun dried tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

In a medium frying pan, heat some olive oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic, bell peppers and a pinch of Salt. Let cook 2 minutes on a lower heat. Add mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes; let cook another couple minutes. Let cool when cooked. While the veggies are cooling, in a large bowl combine the Beans, Oats, Bread Crumbs and all the spices and chives. Toss a little and add the egg. Using your hands to mix the mixture until it's slightly sticky and about 3/4 of the beans are smashed. Add in the veggies. Continue to work with your hands. If the mix feels a little dry, add water by the teaspoon until right. If it's too wet, add bread crumbs : ) Form 8 burger patties. Refrigerate for about an hour. (you can also place these pouches in a ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of weeks) To cook, unwrap the burgers from the plastic and cook in a heated skillet with cooking spray or olive oil in the bottom. Cook about 3-4 minutes on each side.

PS these should always be cooked on a skillet or frying pan. Unfortunately, they can fall apart if cooked on the bbq.

Black Bean and Avocado Brownies

I assure you - this is not an April Fool's joke!

Cara's Cravings published this recipe on Valentine's Day, and it took me up until now to actually make it. It looked interesting... and I know it's healthy... but there was just something mental that wouldn't let me try them.

Even after making them, it took me a good day and a half to work up the nerve to take a bite. Although most of the ladies on my cooking message board love these, there was still something holding me back.

But... I did it. I ate one. And they are GOOD!

Don't get me wrong - you won't be confusing these with a Ghiradelli brownie or anything. But they are definitely chocolatey and brownie-like enough that I can see myself making them again. The nutritional info works in their favor as well - each brownie has more than 4g of protein and less than 2 grams of fat. Cha-ching!

They aren't bad at all on their own, and I imagine they would be even yummier with a scoop of ice cream on top.


Ingredients

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 1/2 of a ripe avocado (60gm)
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder (30gm)
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons white sugar (75gm)
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper.

Combine black beans, egg substitute, agave syrup, and avocado in food processor. Blend for a few minutes, until completely smooth. Add remaining ingredients and continue blending until fully combined, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spread into parchment-lined baking dish. Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the brownies comes out clean.

These are best if you let them sit overnight before slicing and enjoying!

Bean and Cheese Burritos

I love love love when I make a dinner that is easy, relatively fast, delicious, and somewhat healthy. These Bean and Cheese Burritos from the most recent issue of Everyday Food accomplished all four of these requisites.

I didn't change a thing and they were perfect. In the future, I might add some avocado too, maybe in place of the lettuce. This was great for a Lenten Friday meal, but would also be great for a light summer dinner.

Although my tortilla-wrapping skills leave much to be desired, we loved this meal and can't wait to make it again.


Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can (15oz) refried beans
• 4 flour tortillas (burrito sized)
• 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce (2 cups), shredded
• 1/2 salsa, plus more for serving

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350. In a small saucepan, bring rice and broth to a boil over high. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes; fluff rice with a fork.

Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, warm beans and 1/4 cup water in another small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in oven to warm, about 10 minutes.

To assemble, divide beans, sour cream, rice, cheese, lettuce, and salsa among tortillas. For each tortilla, fold side closest to you over filling, then fold right and left sides toward center; tightly roll up burritos. Serve topped with more sour cream and salsa if desired.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Like many people, I get tons of use out of my crockpot in the winter. What's better than warm, comforting meals that require hardly any effort?

This soup from Brooke is no exception. Aside from a couple of quick chops, this baby was cooking away in no time. And like Brooke, I saved even more time by using Perdue Short-Cuts.

I absolutely loved this, and can't wait to make it again. It's so filling and delicious, and I really don't feel guilty about having seconds. This makes a complete dinner, and the leftovers make for great lunches.


Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
• 1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
• 1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup, low-sodium
  
• 2 cups milk (I used skim)
• 4 chicken breasts
• Optional toppings - shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions...
  

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, drained tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. 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 low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Cut chicken into bite sized cubes. Cook over medium heat until cooked all the way through. Add into soup. Can be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Sprinkle a little cheese on top before serving.

Hungry Girl's Lean, Bean Cheesy Enchiladas

Mmm, another victory from Hungry Girl's 200 Under 200 book! These enchiladas make a perfect lunch - yummy, filling, and healthy.

I actually doubled the recipe below so I had 4 of these. One was enough for lunch for me, so I saved the rest and ate them for lunch over the next few days.


Ingredients

• 2 large corn tortillas
• 1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, cut in half
• 2/3 cup enchilada sauce
• 1/3 cup fat-free refried beans
• 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 tbsp. taco sauce
• 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix, dry
• Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 2 minutes). In a small dish, combine the onions with the refried beans, taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray. Heat tortillas in the microwave until slightly warm. Lay the tortillas on a clean, dry surface, and then spread about 2 tbsp. of the enchilada sauce onto each one. Place one half of the cheese slice on each tortilla. Then, evenly distribute the bean mixture into the center of each tortilla. Wrap the tortillas up tightly, and place them in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes (until the enchiladas are hot). Remove dish from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the enchiladas, and then return it to the oven for about 5 minutes (until the cheese is nice and melty). Plate those babies and, if you like, top with some of the optional ingredients. Enjoy!

Tuscan Casserole

Even though this pregnancy is not really allowing me to go completely meatless on Fridays during Lent, I try to at least avoid it during dinner. So it was pretty good timing when this Tuscan Casserole from Someone's in the Kitchen with Brina showed up in my reader!


I really enjoyed the flavors in this casserole and actually think I'd like to add to them next time. For example, I think some orzo in here would be awesome, or maybe some diced chicken or ground turkey.

I also added some mozzarella because really, everything is better with cheese! But stupid me put it under the layer of bread and I think it would have looked much more awesome on top. Oh well...


Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 10-oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1.5 tsp salt (I would only use 1 tsp or less next time)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 3 slices of reduced calorie bread, torn into small pieces (I found it easier to cube the bread)
• 2 TBS shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine beans, spinach, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add oil, and saute the onions, garlic and mushrooms until the shrooms start to brown and soften, about 10 minutes. Try to let as much liquid as possible evaporate, otherwise you'll end up with a wet casserole!

Add the onion mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Spoon everything into the baking dish and evenly top with the bread pieces. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until bread is toasted and spinach is warmed through, about 25 minutes. This serves 8 people, 2 points per serving.