Black bean soup

Can't go wrong with Our Best Bites. Original found HERE.



Prep & cook time: 40 mins
Servings: 4-6

Black bean soup

• 1 T olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-15 oz cans reduced sodium black beans
• 1-7 oz can diced green chilis
• 4 C vegetable stock
• 1/4 t fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/2 T fresh oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 limes

Saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, 4-5 minutes. 

Add black beans, chilis and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and add chili powder, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. 

Simmer uncovered 20-25 minutes (until vegetables are tender). Remove from heat and remove bay leaf. Blend soup with immersion blender or in blender with the ventilation cap removed and the hole covered with a paper towel. Squeeze in juice of one lime. 

Serve garnished with cilantro, lime, cheese or sour cream, and avocado. Or eat it plain ... either way, it's delicious!  

This soup is freezer friendly. To thaw, run freezer bag under warm water until you can break the contents into chunks. Finish reheating in a covered soup pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 411 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  556 Calories from Fat  42

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  4.7g 7%

Saturated Fat  0.9g 4%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  239mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates  100.1g 33%

Dietary Fiber  24.6g 98%

Sugars  7.9g

Protein  32.1g

Vitamin A 105% • Vitamin C 45% Calcium 21% • Iron 43%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Low in sodium
• High in dietary fiber
• High in magnesium
• High in potassium
• High in thiamin
• High in vitamin A
• Very high in vitamin B6

Greek Pasta Salad

For some reason I've really been loving Mediterranean flavors lately. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise, I mean, what's not to love, right? This recipe is perfect for a hot summer day (or any day for that matter) when you don't want to heat the house up too much. Best part? Store the leftovers in the fridge and enjoy for tomorrow's lunch or dinner.

Greek Pasta Salad (original from HERE)



Servings: 4, about 2 C each
Prep time: 30 minutes

• 2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 T red-wine vinegar
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 8 oz whole-wheat farfalle or similar-size pasta
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 C crumbled feta cheese
• 2 T chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 T chopped fresh basil

Bring a large pot or water to boil. Combine tomatoes, garlic, oil and vinegar in a large bowl and let stand while pasta cooks. Cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again. Add the pasta, chickpeas, cucumber, feta and herbs to the tomato mixture. Gently toss to combine.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 350 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  726 Calories from Fat  204

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  22.6g 35%

Saturated Fat  5.2g 26%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  58mg 19%

Sodium  255mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates  104.2g 35%

Dietary Fiber  20.8g 83%

Sugars  14.2g

Protein  31.1g

Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 37% Calcium 26% • Iron 61%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in sodium
• High in dietary fiber
• High in manganese
• Very high in vitamin B6

Chipotle black bean burgers with cilantro-lime mayo

I tweaked this recipe a little to make it more "us." I also added in the most amazing mayo recipe ever from here (P.S., I absolutely LOVE Our Best Bites' Southwest Burger recipe [referenced in the previous link]. Eat it. It's good. It's meaty. It's amazing). Enjoy!

Chipotle black bean burgers:

• 1 15 oz can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 2" chunks
• 1/2 onion, cut into 4 wedges
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 egg
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 T cumin
• 1 chipotle pepper canned in adobo sauce 
• 3/4 C plain bread crumbs
• 8 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 3 avocados, mashed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Mash beans in a bowl with a fork until thick and pasty. 

Blend bell pepper, onion, garlic, egg, cumin, chili powder and chipotle pepper in a blender or food processor. Stir blended mixture into beans. Add bread crumbs as needed until the mixture holds together. Shape into 8 patties. Place on baking sheet and cook for 11 minutes on each side. 

Serve on buns with avocado and cilantro-lime mayo (two "musts"), tomato, pepper jack cheese, and whatever else your heart desires! 

Mayo:

• 1/4 C mayonnaise
• 1 t lime juice
• 3/4 t adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers)
• 1 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Store in the fridge until your burgers are ready for consumption.  

Nutrition information includes the hamburger buns, mashed avocado and cilantro-lime mayo.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 208 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 356 Calories from Fat 154

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17.1g 26%

Saturated Fat 2.7g 13%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 23mg 8%

Sodium 315mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 44.5g 15%

Dietary Fiber 11.5g 46%

Sugars 5.6g

Protein 10.5g

Vitamin A 14% • Vitamin C 31% Calcium 11% • Iron 19%

Nutrition Grade A-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in cholesterol
• High in dietary fiber

Vegetable Stuffed Shells

I was hoping THIS recipe would turn out well ... and it did! I made a few minor tweaks, but for the most part, I stuck to the original. It was delicious and packed with veggies (and there wasn't too much cheese to offset the vegetable good-for-you-ness).

Vegetable Stuffed Shells

• 15 oz can diced tomatoes


• 8 oz can tomato sauce


• 1 C water


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped


• 2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped


• 1/2 sprig rosemary, chopped


• 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese


• 15 jumbo pasta shells


• 1 tsp olive oil


• 1 1/4 C broccoli, finely chopped


• 2 carrots, shredded


• 1/2 onion


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 5 oz spinach, thawed and coarsely cut


• 1/2 C water


• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped


• 1 C lowfat small-curd cottage cheese (2%) or part-skim ricotta


• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan


• 1⁄8 tsp each salt and pepper


• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided

Combine tomatoes, sauce, water, two cloves of garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary and 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to use. 

Preheat oven to 400º F. Cook pasta, drain and cool on baking sheet per box directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté broccoli, carrot, onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until just tender. Add spinach and 1⁄2 C water; cover and cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Remove cover; cook until liquid is mostly evaporated. Stir in basil, cottage cheese, Parmesan, 1/4 C mozzarella, salt and pepper. Spread tomato sauce on bottom of an 8x8-in. baking dish.

Spoon filling into each shell; arrange in baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 C mozzarella, cover tightly with foil and bake 35 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 486 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  333 Calories from Fat  81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  9.0g 14%

Saturated Fat  4.5g 23%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  29mg 10%

Sodium  1053mg 44%

Total Carbohydrates  41.3g 14%

Dietary Fiber  6.7g 27%

Sugars  12.6g

Protein  23.1g

Vitamin A 193% • Vitamin C 86% Calcium 42% • Iron 20%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• High in calcium


• Very high in vitamin A


• Very high in vitamin C

Bad points

• High in sodium

I use no-sodium-added canned tomatoes and sauce. If you do the same, you won't have the high sodium content that the nutrition information suggests. 

Vegetarian Chili

This one hails from foodnetwork.com and is soooooooooo good! I was a little skeptical about chili sans meat, but boy-oh-boy, we gobbled this up. HERE is where it came from. We ate this with the best cornbread in the world.



Vegetarian Chili

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil


• 1 large onion, chopped


• 4 large cloves garlic, minced


• 3 Tbsp chili powder


• 1 green pepper, cored, seeded and diced


• 1 red pepper, cored, seeded and diced


• 1 zucchini, diced


• 1 yellow squash, diced


• 1/2 tsp dried oregano


• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)


• 14.5 oz no sodium added diced tomatoes


• 11 oz can corn kernels, drained


• 15 oz can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed


• 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon 


• 1/2 tsp cumin

Accompaniments, optional: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado and cornbread.

Heat oil in 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and chili powder; saute for 5 minutes. Add green and red peppers; saute 5 minutes. Add zucchini, squash, oregano and ground red pepper; saute for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook 10 minutes. Stir in corn, black beans, bouillon and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.

Serve with the accompaniments, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 249 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 152 Calories from Fat 44

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.9g 7%

Saturated Fat 0.9g 4%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 250mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 26.4g 9%

Dietary Fiber 6.7g 27%

Sugars 5.9g

Protein 6.3g

Vitamin A 40% • Vitamin C 87% Calcium 6% • Iron 13%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• No cholesterol


• High in dietary fiber


• High in potassium


• Very high in vitamin A


• High in vitamin B6


• Very high in vitamin C

So healthy, so good. 

Vegetarian Borscht (Вегетарианский борщ)

Another fantastic recipe from the excellent Russian cookbook, "Please to the Table."

Vegetarian Borscht (Вегетарианский борщ)

• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter


• 1 large onion, finely chopped


• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated


• 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4" dice


• 3 1/2 C shredded green cabbage


• 1 medium beet, peeled and grated


• 1 small rib celery, cut into 1/4" dice


• 1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 1" dice


• 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2" cubes


• 6 oz tomato paste


• 4 cloves garlic, minced


• 6 C chicken broth


• Bouquet garni (1 bay leaf and 8 peppercorns tied in a cheesecloth bag)


• 1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika


• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


• 1/2 tsp sugar


• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice


• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish


• Fresh dill, chopped for garnish


• Sour cream

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and bell pepper and saute until the onion and bell pepper are slightly softened, 5 minutes. 

Stir in the cabbage, beet and celery and continue to saute, stirring and tossing occasionally, 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the apple, potatoes, tomato paste and garlic, then add the broth and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. 

Add the paprika, salt and pepper, sugar and lemon juice to taste. Let stand at least 2-3 hours, or overnight. Remove the bouquet garni before serving. Serve garnished with parsley and dill, and under no circumstances should you EVER leave out the sour cream! 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 388 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  232 Calories from Fat  117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  13.0g 20%

Saturated Fat  7.7g 39%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  29mg 10%

Sodium  691mg 29%

Total Carbohydrates  23.3g 8%

Dietary Fiber  4.6g 18%

Sugars  9.4g

Protein  7.3g

Vitamin A 60% • Vitamin C 95% Calcium 7% • Iron 10%

Nutrition Grade B

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• High in potassium


• Very high in vitamin A


• Very high in vitamin C

Bad points

• High in saturated fat


• High in sodium