Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Yield: about 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup salsa
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sour cream, green onion, shredded cheese for garnishing

Directions

• Combine beans, broth, salsa and cumin in a food processor.  Blend until fairly smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Heat soup in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Put soup in bowls and garnish as desired.

Creamy White Chili

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder (or fresh garlic, if using) in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips.
2. Slow Cooker Option: In a medium round slow cooker, place 1 pound chicken breasts (fresh or frozen) without cubing them. Add the chopped onion, garlic powder, beans, green chiles and all of the spices. Do not add the sour cream or whipping cream yet! Reduce the chicken broth to 12 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour in over the other ingredients. Stir the mixture around a bit to incorporate the dry spices. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (if using frozen chicken you’ll cook on the longer end of that spectrum, fresh chicken will cook in less time). Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred in bite-size pieces. Stir back into the slow cooker. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream and whipping cream until smooth. Whisk the cream mixture into the crockpot with the other ingredients. Let the soup cook until heated through. Serve.

Submitted by Karla Anderson

Italian White Beans with Rosemary

Ingredients

1 pound dried white cannellini beans
4 cups sliced yellow onions (3 onions)
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large branch fresh rosemary (6 to 7 inches)
2 quarts chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, cover the beans with water by at least 1-inch and leave them in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Drain.

In a large stockpot over low to medium heat, saute the onions with the olive oil until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook over low heat for 3 more minutes. Add the drained white beans, rosemary, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the beans are very soft. Remove the rosemary branch and the bay leaf. Pass the soup through the coarsest blade of a food mill, or place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Return the soup to the pot to reheat and add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve hot.

Submitted by January Stephens

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15 1/4 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1 (12 1/2 ounce) can chicken breasts, drained
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (1 1/4 ounce) packet taco seasoning

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a large pot  or Crock Pot.

Heat until warm, stirring occasionally.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Submitted by Karla Anderson

Crock Pot Navy Bean Soup

Ingredients

·         2 Tbsp olive oil

·         4 cloves garlic

·         1 medium yellow onion

·         ½ lb. carrots (4 medium)

·         4 stalks celery

·         1 lb. dry navy beans
(can be used with other beans)

·         1 whole bay leaf

·         1 tsp dried rosemary

·         ½ tsp dried thyme

·         pepper

·         1½ tsp salt (to your taste)

·         1 large ham shank (eliminate this ingredient for vegetarian version)

Instructions

1.     Mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the celery, and slice the carrots into thin rounds. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots to a large (5qt or larger) slow cooker.

2.    Sort through the beans and remove any debris or stones. Give them a quick rinse and then add them to a 5 quart slow cooker, along with the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, and pepper.  (SEE NOTE BELOW)

3.    Add SIX CUPS of water to the slow cooker and stir to combine the ingredients. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

4.    After 8 hours, bone the ham shank, stir the soup and puree a portion of the beans in order to thicken the soup.

5.    Add salt to your liking.

NOTE: The beans should be soaked in cold water overnight. However, I usually forget to do this. Therefore, I do the quick soak method by covering the beans with water and simmering on the stove over medium heat for about 1 hour or more in the morning to soften them before putting them in the crockpot.

Taco Soup

 2 lbs. Hamburger or Chicken  (cook and drain)
 large onion (cook with meat)
 1 pckg. taco seasoning
 2 cans corn with liquid
 2 cans red kidney beans drained
 1 can tomato soup
 2 cups mild salsa
 2 cans mexican tomatoes chopped (or any flavor)
 1 can sliced black olives
 1 1/2 cup water (can use chicken water)(Wheat addition: 1 cup of wheat berries can be added to soup)

 Bring to a boil and simmer.  Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream and grated cheddar cheese.  Put all in soup. 

Basic Dried Beans

"There are two steps to cooking beans: soaking and cooking. Soaking allows dried beans to absorb water; which makes them start to dissolve the gaseous starches that can cause discomfort. Cooking beans makes them tender and digestible. And rinsing them after soaking and draining any water after cooking will further help to reduce the gas-producing starches."

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried beans ( your favorite)
• 10 cups water

Directions

1. Note: Lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas do not need to be soaked.
2. Pick through the beans, discarding any discolored or shriveled beans or any foreign matter.
3. Rinse well.
4. Traditional Slow Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, cover 1 pound dried beans with 10 cups water.
5. Cover tightly and refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight.
6. Drain and rinse the beans.
7. Hot Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 10 cups water to a boil.
8. Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil.
9. Remove from the heat; cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 2-3 hours.
10. Drain and rinse the beans.
11. Quick Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 10 cups water to a boil.
12. Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil; let boil 2-3 minutes.
13. Cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 1 hour.
14. Drain and rinse the beans.
15. Gas-Free Soak: (The best method for gas-free beans, developed by the California Dry Bean Advisory Board.) In a 5-quart sauce- pan, place 1 pound of beans in 10 or more cups of boiling water; boil for 2-3 minutes, cover and set aside overnight.
16. By morning, 75 to 90 percent of the indigestible sugars will have dissolved into the soaking water.
17. Drain, then rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking them.

Directions

18. COOKING BEANS: When cooking beans, do not add salt or acidic ingredients, like vinegar, tomatoes or juice- which slow the cooking substantially; add these ingredients when the beans are just tender.
19. Cooking times vary with the types of beans used but also may vary with their age.
20. Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork.
21. Always test a few beans in case they have not cooked evenly.
22. Return the soaked, rinsed beans to the 5-quart saucepan.
23. Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of water.
24. Add herbs or spices (not salt), as desired.
25. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender (the time will depend on the type of bean, but start checking after 45-60 minutes).
26. Do not boil them since this will break the skins.
27. Check the level of the water and add more if it gets low.
28. When the beans are tender, drain and use in recipes; or for later use, immerse them in cold water until cool, then drain well and freeze in 1- to 2-cup packages.
29. One pound of dried beans will yield about 5 or 6 cups cooked beans.
30. PRESSURE COOKING: This is one of the quickest ways to cook beans.
31. After you've soaked 1/2 pound of beans, place them in a 4-quart pressure cooker with 4 cups water.
32. Cook at 15 pounds pressure following the manufacturer's directions for the type of legume you are cooking.

Chili Blanco

1 pound small white beans
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. chicken stock base
2 brown onions, chopped
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
17 ½ ounce can diced green chilies
4 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 cups cooked and diced chicken
1 cup sour cream
3 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Soak beans for a few hours. Drain. Combine beans, broth and chicken stock base in a
large pot. Simmer, covered for about 2 hours, or until tender and soft. Saute onions in
oil until golden. Add onions, garlic, green chilies, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and
chicken to bean mixture. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Add sour cream and jack
cheese. Heat just until cheese melts.

Cooks Note: Overcooking or boiling hard after adding sour cream and cheese can make
the beans hard and cause mixture to separate.
Serve with the garnishes and white corn chips.

Garnish with:
sour cream
chopped cilantro
chpped green onions
chopped tomatoes

Rich Chocolate Black Bean Cake

Serves 6

Ingredients:
Butter, flour and cocoa for prepping the loaf pan
5-oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted 
19-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/3 cup of peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt


Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (adjust oven rack so there’s one in the middle). Butter a 8.5-inch loaf pan (aka a 1lb loaf pan) then dust with cocoa and flour, tapping out any excess.
2. Melt the chocolate over a double-boiler (or melt in the microwave slowly and in 20 second intervals, stirring each time).
3. Puree the black beans, eggs, vanilla and peanut butter in a food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Add the sugar, baking powder and salt and pulse for 20 seconds.
4. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until combined – this renders a pudding-like batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then invert onto a serving platter. Cool completely before dusting with confectioner’s sugar or frosting.

Avocado and White Bean Salsa

a 16-ounce can small white beans such as navy
1 firm-ripe California avocado
1 vine-ripened tomato
1/2 medium red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Accompaniment: tortilla chips

Rinse and drain enough beans to measure 1/2 cup and reserve remainder for another use. Halve, pit, and peel avocado. Finely chop avocado, tomato, and onion and fold together with beans, lime juice, oil, and salt to taste.

Serve salsa with chips.

Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup

• Grind: 4 T of any white bean (lima, navy, etc.) to make 5 T bean flour
• Combine: 5 T bean flour, 1 ¾ c. water , 4 t chicken bouillon into a saucepan
• Cook: On stovetop at medium temperature until thick and delicious (whisk frequently).The soup should cook in 3 minutes! (this may be longer if your grinder makes a very coarse flour).

Use this with cooked veggies and or meat for a complete meal.  You can also add this to recipes calling for cream of chicken soup cans (I have found this replaces a can plus the water or milk in recipes).

Caribbean Beans and Rice

1lb (2 1/2c) Pinto Beans rinsed and sorted.  Soak overnight in 10C water.

(Note: 12 hours cooking time) 

2 hrs simmer Beans then add:

2 1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Oregano (Ground)

6-7 Garlic cloves pressed or minced

1 Tblspn Brown Sugar

Black Pepper to taste

1/3 C Bacon grease 

Continue to cook on low heat for 10 hours

 

Bring the beans and water to a boil and then simmer for 2 hours.  The simmering needs to be separated from the ingredients.  The beans should cook at the lowest simmer for the 8-10 hours.  Ideally, make the dressing  the night before it is served so it has time to marinate.

Pink Dressing

1 Cup Salad Oil

1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

2 Cloves Garlic Minced

1 Tsp Salt

To Serve

Place 1 cup of cooked rice on plate.  Serve beans on top of rice with enough liquid that is goes to the rim of the plate.  Top with shredded lettuce, chopped green onion, shredded cheese (optional) and drizzle dressing on top. 

Recipe submitted by Kathy Brague

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained
• 1 1/2 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

Directions

1. In an electric food processor or blender, combine beans, broth, salsa, and cumin. Blend until fairly smooth.
2. Heat the bean mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
3. Ladle soup into 4 individual bowls, and top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream and 1/2 tablespoon green onion.

Spicy Bean Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup cooked black beans drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (I used green onion)
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• Cilantro - optional

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine black beans, corn, onion, green and red bell pepper, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. Season with Italian-style salad dressing and garlic salt; mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight to blend flavors.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Low-Fat Ultimate Death by Chocolate Cookie

This recipe is awesome, easy, looks gourmet and NO ONE will guess you used beans instead of butter in it! If you love it, make sure you check out my NEW Everyday Beans e-Cookbook with over 90 recipes that will incorporate beans into your breakfasts, sides & salads, dinners and DESSERTS!

Ingredients

• 1 Devils Food Chocolate Cake mix (must be Devil’s food)
• 1/2 C. bean puree (you can use either black or white beans)
• 2 eggs (2 T. dry powdered eggs + 1/4 water)
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 tub Fat-Free Cool Whip
• 1/2 pkg. dark chocolate chocolate chips, melted
• chocolate covered strawberries, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine half of the Devils Food Cake Mix with the bean puree, eggs and vanilla in electric mixer for 2 minutes or until thoroughly combined. Add in second half of cake mix and mix until combined. Drop rounded balls of cookie dough on GREASED cookie sheet. Cook 10-12 minutes or until done. Take out of oven and with a glass with a flat bottom, flatten cookies and allow to cool.
2. Mix together Cool Whip and melted chocolate to form mousse. Place mousse in between two cookies. Place a little mousse on top of cookie sandwich and place chocolate covered strawberry on top.

Notes

Make bean puree by dumping a can of beans in your blender and blending until it is the consistency of a thick smoothie. 

Tips for using Beans for Oil and Butter

1. If your recipe calls for oil, you are going to use a bean puree.  What is a bean puree you ask?  It’s simply cooked beans with enough water to whirl in your blender.  If you want a simple way to try this, take a can of beans (the entire can) and dump it in the blender and blend it.  Done.
2. If your recipe calls for butter, you are going to use cooked, drained beans.
3. For substituting beans for both butter and/or oil you are going to use a 1:1 ration.  That means if your recipe calls for 3/4 C. oil, you are going to use 3/4 C. bean puree.  If your recipe calls for 1 C. butter you are going to use 1 C. beans.  You’ll use the same measurements for beans as your original recipe says to use for either the oil and/or butter.
4. When wondering which beans to use-you are going to match color for color.  If it is a chocolate cake, use black beans. If it is a spice cake, use pinto beans.  If it is a white cake, use white beans.  Now, here is the tricky part…you can also use white beans in chocolate cake but you can’t use black beans in your white cake.  Your family will wonder what all of those black specks are.  To be safe, you can use white beans in almost anything.
5. Now, you’re going to add the beans however your recipe says to use the butter and/or oil.  So, if your recipe says to cream the butter with the sugar-you’re going to cream the beans with the sugar.  If your recipe says to add the oil to the dry ingredients, you’re going to add the bean puree to the dry ingredients.
6. If you are using beans in something like brownies or cookies that are supposed to be chewy, the beans will not make it chewy-it will be cake like.  So if you’re family is big on chewy that doesn’t mean you have an excuse not to use beans.  It just means you need to use half oil/butter and half beans.  It will still be chewy and you’ll still be saving money and adding fiber and protein!  Remember, I’m not big into all or nothing-even a little or half is better than nothing and it’s important that your family likes what you make!

Black Bean Burger with grilled pineapple and chipotle mayonnaise

Ingredients

·         2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

·         2 shallots, minced

·         1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

·         1 teaspoon smoked paprika

·         1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

·         1 teaspoon hot sauce

·         1 teaspoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves

·         1 egg white, slightly beaten

·         3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour

·         1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

·         1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         Sliced red onion

·         4 buns

·         ½  cup chipotle mayonnaise (1/2 c mayo and 1 tsp chopped chipotle)

·         Grilled pineapple

·         Sliced pepperjack cheese

·         Tomatillo salsa

Directions

In a large bowl, finely mash the black beans with a potato masher or your hands. Add the shallots, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, Worcestershire, hot sauce, cilantro, egg white, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Form into 4 patties and arrange on a platter.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Sear patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they have a nice crust. Remove the patties to a paper towel lined platter.  Top with cheese, grilled pineapple, tomatillo salsa, red onion.

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans, drained, about 30 ounces
• 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup diced green onions
• 1/4 cup diced pineapple
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch ground cumin

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Hummus For Real

Ingredients

• 1 pound Slow Cooker Chickpeas, cooled, recipe follows
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup tahini, stirred well
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• Powdered sumac, optional

Directions

Place the chickpeas, garlic, and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 to 20 seconds. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process for another 15 to 20 seconds. Add the lemon juice and water. Process for 20 seconds. Add the tahini. Process for 20 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.

To serve, transfer the hummus to a bowl and drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with sumac, to taste, if desired.
SERVES: 10 (1/4 cup per serving); Calories: 257; Total Fat: 12 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 grams; Protein: 10 grams; Total carbohydrates: 30 grams; Sugar: 5 grams; Fiber: 8.5 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 337 milligrams

Slow Cooker Chickpeas:

• 7 cups water
• 1 pound dry chickpeas, sorted and rinsed
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Special equipment: a 2 1/2-quart slow cooker

Place the water, chickpeas, and baking soda in a 2 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours, or on low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or until tender. Drain and serve immediately, or use in desired dish.

Bean Dip

1 c. dry refried beans
2 c. boiling water
2 T. dried onion
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. sour cream powder mixed with 1/2 c. water

Add boiling water to beans and onions; allow to reconstitute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Blend in seasonings. Add sour cream to bean mixture.

For a thicker consistency, chill for one hour or overnight.