Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Black bean soup is one of my favorites at the restaurant where Chris and I had our first date.  This is a bit of a different spin but definitely worth a try.  The recipe is super easy and will make a great lunch full of protein.

2 15oz. cans low sodium black beans
2 C. low sodium vegetable broth
1 C. chunky salsa
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions

Blend together beans, broth, salsa, and cumin in a blender until almost smooth.  If you would like a little texture, hold back some beans from the blender and add them back before cooking.

Cook bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through, about 10 minutes.  Divide soup among 4 bowls and top each with a tablespoon of sour cream and a half tablespoon of green onions.

Per serving: 216 calories, 3g. fat, 11.3g. protein, 36g. carbs, 13.9g. fiber, 581mg. sodium, 6.2mg. cholesterol

Chicken and Noodles Lasagna

I found this recipe in Midwest Living; the January/February 2016 issue.  It struck me as a great example of comfort food and we're having a pretty decent cold spell right now.  Don't get me wrong, this winter has been fairly easy if you compare it to the last two.  Locals will understand!  LOL

1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
5 tbsp. butter, divided
1 1/2 C. fresh mushrooms
3/4 C. pearl onions, thawed
1/4 C. all purpose flour
1 14.5oz. can chicken broth
3/4 C. half and half or light cream
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 C. thinly bias sliced carrots
3/4 C. thinly bias sliced celery
3/4 C. frozen peas
9 no boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 C. shredded Havarti cheese with dill

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Fill a medium saucepan with water; add thyme sprig and bring to boiling.  Add chicken, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15 to 18 minutes or until cooked through.  Transfer to cutting board to cool; discard cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large saucepan.  Add mushrooms and onions.  Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until just tender.  Transfer to a bowl, set aside.

Reduce heat to medium low.  Melt remaining butter in same saucepan. Stir in flour until well combined.  Stir in chicken broth, half and half, 1 tbsp. thyme, and remaining salt and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cook and stir until thickened.  Set aside 1 C. sauce.

Stir carrots, celery and peas into remaining sauce in saucepan.  Cook, covered, for 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Chop chicken; add to mixture in pan, along with mushroom mixture.  Simmer 2 to 3 minutes more or until heated through.

To assemble: Spread 1/3 C. of the reserved sauce in a greased 2 quart square baking dish.  Top with 3 noodles, half the chicken mixture, and a third of the cheese.  Repeat layers, ending with the remaining 2/3 C. sauce.  Set aside remaining third of the cheese.

Bake, covered, for 40 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until noodles are tender and cheese is melted.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving

Per serving: 477 calories, 27g. fat, 153mg. cholesterol, 1024mg. sodium, 30g. carbs, 3g. fiber, 30g. protein.

Chipotle Chili Sloppy Joes

I may try this in the crock pot or cook it ahead and reheat it.  It sounds like an interesting spin on sloppy joes.

1lb. lean ground beef 90/10
1 C. finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 C. finely chopped green pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 C. chili sauce
1/2 C. water
1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. yellow mustard
6 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
2 tbsp. butter softened

Preheat broiler. In a skillet, cook beef, onion, green pepper, jalapeño over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles. Drain.

Stir in chili sauce, water, chipotles, brown sugar, and mustard; bring to a boil.  Simmer , uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Lightly spread cut sides of buns with butter; arrange on a baking sheet, buttered side up.  Broil until lightly toasted.  Fill with meat mixture.

Per serving: 313 calories, 12g. fat, 57mg. cholesterol, 615mg. sodium, 32g. carbs, 2g. fiber, 19g. protein

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I am going to make these next week.  Lettuce has been good recently and this will save some calories skipping the tortillas.  Chris said he would try the lettuce wraps is I went Asian with the flavors.

1/2lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 C. chopped peeled jicama or celery
1/4 chopped onion - I may do red onion slices
2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. julienned carrots
6 Bibb lettuce leaves
Hot mustard, optional

In a large skillet, cook turkey, jicama, and onion over medium heat 4-6 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink, breaking up the meat into crumbles.  Stir in soy sauce, ginger, garlic and peppers.  Add carrot; cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed.

Serve in lettuce.  Add mustard if desired.

212 calories, 9g. fat, 78mg. cholesterol, 655mg. sodium, 9g. carbs, 3g. fiber, 24g. protein per serving.

Shredded Chicken and Avocado Nacho Salad

Every week when I go to the local fruit market, they are putting out the rotisserie chickens early in the morning.  This would be a good use of these chickens.  Homemade pico would round it out nicely.

3/4 C. pico de gallo, divided
4 tsp. olive oil
6 C. coarsely chopped iceberg lettuce
2 C. shredded boneless, skinless rotisserie chicken breast
2 ripe peeled avocados, sliced
2 oz. multigrain tortilla chips
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Combine 1/2 C. pico de gallo and oil in a mini food processor; process until smooth.  Set aside.

Spread lettuce over a large platter; top with chicken and avocado.  Drizzle evenly with blended pico de gallo and remaining 1/4 C. pico de gallo.  Sprinkle with tortilla chips and pepper.

Per serving: calories 412, fat 25.5g., protein 26g., carbs 25g., fiber 9g., sugars 6g., cholesterol 66mg., iron 2mg., sodium 547 mg., calcium 73mg.

Turkey Avocado Paninis

Happy New Year!

Sometimes you need a sandwich. This is a beautiful sandwich that was tweaked to lower the sodium in the December/January issue of allrecipes.com magazine. In a couple of weeks, I will celebrate a year on high blood pressure meds...yay me!  I am always looking for recipes with great taste but low sodium.  This one caught my eye and I think I will add nice thick tomato slices in the summer when I get some from Mom's yard!

1 red bell pepper
1/2 ripe Hass avocado
1/4 C. canola or olive oil mayonnaise
4 slices thin sliced wheat or rye bread
2 slices lower sodium provolone cheese
1 C. fresh spinach
1/4 lb. deli sliced lower sodium turkey breast
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat broiler.

Slice bell pepper lengthwise into flat quarters and discard seeds and stem.  Broil slices, skin side upon a broiler pan about 4 inches from heat until charred, about 10 minutes.  Remove pan, cover with foil, and let cool about 15 minutes.  When pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard skin.  Slice crosswise into half inch wide strips.

Mash avocado in a bowl with mayonnaise.  Top 2 bread slices with provolone, spinach, turkey, broiled pepper, avocado mixture, and remaining bread slices.

Lightly brush bottom of a panini press with olive oil, add sandwiches and brush tops with oil.  Cook until bread is toasted, cheese has melted, and bread has grill marks, about 5 minutes.

Stuffed Zucchini

This was an interesting recipe I saw on allrecipes.com.  I wonder if I can turn this into an appetizer.  I may also try it with Italian sausage  It might be the way I sell this to the members of my family that are less than excited about vegetables.

• 3 zucchini
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Trim stems from zucchini and slice lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and put in bowl. Mix seeds with sausage, garlic, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese. Stuff squash with sausage mixture and place in 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour sauce over squash and cover pan with foil.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until sausage is cooked. Remove foil and cover with mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is melted.