Friday Recipes

Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN WRAPS

This is from Natalie Monson, RD, About.com’s Childhood Nutrition expert. Natalie wrote, “Does your family ever have a meatless meal? Having a meatless meal every so often is a great idea for several reasons. First, it opens your eyes to other sources of protein, providing variety in your family’s diet. Secondly, some meats are high in saturated fat, so going meatless for a few meals can help to reduce unwanted fat intake and/or give you the opportunity to add healthier fats. And lastly, it could allow you to save some money since meat is generally more expensive than, for instance, beans.

”The Meatless Monday movement began in 2003. Why? Because going meatless once per week may reduce the risk of several chronic preventable conditions. It also helps reduce our carbon footprint by helping to conserve natural resources used in meat production. Would your family consider going meatless once per week?

”One of our family favorites for a meatless meal are black bean wraps. They are so simple to prepare that you can have them on the table in under 30 minutes, and they require minimal cooking.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 8 wraps

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

About 1/4 cup water

Salt to taste

1 avocado, pitted and sliced into strips

About 4 leaves of kale, washed and dried, with stem removed and roughly chopped

Crumbled feta cheese

1 tomato, diced

8 whole wheat tortillas

Preparation

Warm a small pot on low to medium heat on the stove.

When the pot is warm, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic.

Once the garlic is sautéed, add the black beans and about 1/4 cup of water and heat through.

Mash the beans slightly and add salt to taste.

Once the beans are warm, add a few tablespoons of beans to the center of each tortilla.

Top the beans with sliced avocado, kale, crumbled feta, and tomato, wrap it up, and enjoy.

Note: Natalie added, “Of course, tailor the wrap to your child’s tastes. I have one that loves tomato and cucumber, so he gets those additions. But he dislikes avocado, so I leave it out of his. Another fantastic addition is adding leftover brown rice that you’ve warmed in the microwave. If the kids enjoy assembling their own wraps, set out a “wrap bar” for them to choose their own toppings. For the adults, we add a small amount of diced jalapeno to spice it up or a pinch of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning.”

STIR-FRIED BEANS WITH TOFU AND CHILES

This comes from Martha Rose Schulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “This crunchy, colorful stir-fry has an added kick from serrano chiles. I can’t resist buying an array of beans when they’re at summer farmers’ markets. I love to mix yellow and green beans in this crunchy, colorful stir-fry, but don’t hesitate to make it if all you can find is green. For added kick and color I threw in some serrano chiles from my garden that had ripened to bright red. Thai chiles will work too.” Time: 7 to 8 minutes; makes 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

One 14-ounce box firm tofu, drained and cut in 1/4-inch thick, 2-inch by 3/4-inch dominoes

1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce (to taste)

1 tablespoon Chinese cooking sherry (Shaoxing rice wine) or dry sherry

1/2 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sugar, to taste

1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot dissolved in 2 tablespoons vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

2 tablespoons peanut, canola, sunflower, or grape seed oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, minced (to taste)

1 pound green beans, or 1/2 pound each yellow and green beans, stem ends trimmed

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

Drain and dry tofu slices on paper towels. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and stock or water. Combine salt and sugar in another small bowl and cornstarch slurry in another. Have all ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.

Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the wok or pan and swirl the pan so that the oil coats the sides, then add tofu and stir-fry until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Swirl in remaining oil, add garlic, ginger and chiles and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add beans and white parts of the scallions, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add salt and sugar, toss together and add soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return tofu to the wok along with scallion greens, cilantro and cornstarch slurry. Stir together just until lightly glazed, and remove from heat. Serve with hot grains or noodles.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can prepare all ingredients hours in advance. Keep in the refrigerator until 15 to 30 minutes before you cook.

MANCHURIAN CAULIFLOWER

This comes from Sam Sifton, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Time: about 30 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

About 2 quarts corn or canola oil, for frying

3 eggs

2/3 cup cornstarch

Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 large or 2 small heads cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup ketchup

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Steamed greens, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Put at least 2 inches of oil into a deep-sided, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. (In a bind, put a pinch of flour into the pot; at 350 it will sizzle but won’t burn.)

In a bowl large enough to accommodate the cauliflower, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Season with a large pinch of salt and pepper and add the cauliflower. Toss to coat the florets evenly.

Fry the cauliflower in batches, so as not to crowd the pan, making sure that the oil is hot each time you add fresh florets. Cook until the cauliflower begins to mottle, about 4 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

Now take a tablespoon of the hot oil from the frying pot and place it in a large pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant, then add the ketchup, stirring occasionally, until it begins to bubble and caramelize around the edges. Add cayenne pinch by pinch to taste and then the cauliflower. Toss until hot and coated. Serve with white rice and steamed greens, if desired.

OUTRAGEOUS CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY FUDGE CAKE

Not sure where this recipe came from. Possibly Ocean Spray®? That’s the closest I can think of. I received it in an email in early 2009. Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

For cake:

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For glaze:

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Directions:

Make cake:

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with foil. Coat foil with cooking spray. Dust pan with flour, tap to remove excess.

Microwave 2/3 cup chocolate chips, butter and unsweetened chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on High for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate.

Add cranberry sauce and sugar; mix well. Add eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder mix well. Pour batter in prepared pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until cold.

Make glaze:

Microwave cream and chocolate chips together in medium microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on High. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate. Add cranberry sauce; mix well.

Turn cake out onto serving plate; remove foil. Spread glaze over top allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Chill 1 hour or until glaze is firm. Can be made a day ahead of time. Store at room temperature.

7-LAYER MEATLESS TORTILLA PIE

Tortillas without meat? Yes, most assuredly! This yummy recipe is from FamilyTime.com, and begins, “Black beans and pinto beans are flavored with Pace® Picante Sauce and seasonings to make separate and delicious bean mixtures, which are then layered with flour tortillas and Cheddar cheese, and baked until hot, but into wedges and served.” Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 40 minutes; Serves: 6 servings (1 wedge each)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cans (about 15 ounces each), pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons choped fresh cilantro leaves

1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

7 flour tortillas (8-inch)

8 ounces Shredded Cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)

Directions

Mash the pinto beans in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in 3/4 cup picante sauce and the garlic powder.

Stir the remaining picante sauce, cilantro, black beans and tomato in a medium bowl.

Place 1 tortilla onto a baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup pinto bean mixture over the tortilla to with 1/2-inch of the edge. Top with 1/4 cheese. Top with 1 tortilla and 2/3 cup black bean mixture. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat the layers twice more. Top with the remaining tortilla and spread with the remainning pinto bean mixture. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until the filling is hot. Uncover the pie. Top with the remaining cheese. Cut the pie into 6 wedges. Serve with additional picante sauce and spring with additional cilantro, if desired.

BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Yield: 16 servings

Source: "Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking" by Maggie Powers

Book info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/12.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound dried navy beans

1 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 tomato, chopped

1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions

Place the beans in a strainer and sort through the beans to remove stones, discolored beans, or any other objects. Rinse with cold water until beans are clean, about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, salt, and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Let stand 8 hours or overnight at room temperature; do not refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a strainer, drain and rinse the beans and onion. Place in a 4-quart saucepan and add the tomato, sugar, molasses, vinegar, ketchup, ginger, mustard, and pepper; stir until blended. Add enough water to cover the beans, about 2 cups. Cover and bake until bubbly and the beans are soft, 5 hours.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 50 mg, Carbohydrate: 21 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 6 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch