Clean Refried Beans

I love refried beans..... I love them alone, in a tortilla, to dip things in, in a casserole.... the list goes on. So I was excited to try making them from scratch with all natural ingredients.  



Clean Refried Beans

Clean Refried Beans

Adapted from Pennies & Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs pinto beans

1 large onion, chopped

4 Tbsp. jarred minced garlic

2 1/2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp cayenne

10 cups hot water

Directions:

Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot. Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and on LOW for 2 hours.

Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. (We like our beans somewhere between the very-liquidy restaurant style beans, and the canned version of refried beans.)

Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency. 

Serve warm. Store in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks, or freeze in ziplock bags for later use.

So, now for my review..... VERY easy, VERY inexpensive.... however, they weren't as delicious as I hoped :(  There was just something about the flavor, or lack there of that wasn't what I had hoped.... Don't get me wrong, they are good, they just seem to be missing something.... any suggestions??

Italian Hot Pockets

That creative name to hours to come up with.... Ha!  I need someone else to name things :)

Anywho... last night I made these "hot pockets" for dinner.  

I used this Whole Wheat Biscuit recipe as the "pocket".... I cut out the biscuits and stretched them out a bit, then filled them with brown ground beef (seasoned with basil, oregano, garlic, onion, and some pureed tomato) topped with grated cheese, folded them over, and baked them at 450 for 10 minutes.  Viola!  Everyone loved them, and they were fairly easy, and quick!  

If you haven't tried the biscuit recipe yet, you must... they are pretty fool proof, and so versatile!  We use them for Breakfast with butter and honey, or cream cheese.... for lunch with a little Peanut butter... or for dinner along side a soup (or as the main dish in this case!)

Delicious, Quick, and EASY Whole Wheat Biscuits.

I know I said I was making these tomorrow, along with whole wheat tortillas, and possibly french bread... but I had some spare time this afternoon before my class so I thought I would give it a shot.

First off, I started around 3:20, it's now 3:50, and aside from the last batch in the oven, they are done, mess cleaned up and everything.  Not bad.

Secondly, they are delicious!  YUM!  I have to confess, I have eaten 2 already, they are that good.

To start you mix all the dry ingredients together, and then grate the butter into them.... kind of resembles mozzarella cheese...  :)

Cut the butter into the dry mixture, then add the milk, mix and knead.  Turn if out onto a cutting board or counter, and flatten as eavenly as possible.  Use a drinking glass, or something round (or shaped cookie cutters) to cut out the biscuits.  I used a 1/3 cup measuring cup, so I ended up with 35 biscuits (I made a double batch).  Using a drinking glass should give you 10 in a single batch.

Then bake them for 10 minutes (or until golden) at 450 degrees.

Like I said, I doubled the recipe and have 35 biscuits, so I will be freezing about half of those.  Using the others for dinner tonight, and lunches tomorrow.... if I don't eat them all!  Next time I think I will use a bigger cutting utensil, because I would like to use the biscuits to make breakfast egg sandwiches!

Whole Wheat Biscuits

Adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole wheat organic flour)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk (any kind)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well with whisk or fork.
2. Grate the butter into the flour mixture.
3. Using a fork, try to mash the butter pieces as you mix it together with the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. It is okay if the outcome just looks like the pieces of butter covered with flour.
4. Then pour in the milk and mix it all together. Knead the dough with your hands 8 to 10 times and then turn out onto a counter or cutting board.
5. Pat it out flat with your hands until the dough is a somewhat even ¾-inch thickness (sprinkle with a little flour if necessary).
6. Turn a drinking glass upside down and cut out biscuit rounds. 
7. Then put them on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
   Enjoy!

Chicken.....No fancy name..and a hodge podge of other random food.

Just chicken.... I made it up, so I don't have a fun catchy name for it!  I was at a loss yesterday and just started throwing things in the crock pot....

8 Chicken breast tenderloins (frozen)
2 cups of pureed tomato (I added a chopped up de-seeded jalapeno before pureeing)
minced garlic
minced onion
Cumin
Cayenne Pepper

Threw it all in the crock pot and let it cook for about 5-6 hours, then I added 2 cups of corn kernels, and 2 cups of pinto beans, and let it cook on low for another hour or so.

I served it over brown rice, everyone loved it! Quick and easy!

My to do list this week included making whole wheat biscuits  and whole wheat tortillas from scratch.... and MAYBE attempting whole wheat french bread... I have to stay home and wait for the cable guy Thursday, so that is probably when I will get to this list...

Speaking of whole wheat bread... I make whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread last week.  It was "ok".  I need to work on the recipe, it was a bit dry, and a little bland.  But if I toast it and put pb or cream cheese on it, it's a good breakfast. Andrew likes it, Kate doesn't like raisins, so I didn't bother, lol!

Here is the recipe I used, and this is for a bread machine...

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
(adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• ½ cup oil 
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Follow your bread machine’s directions for making a whole-wheat raisin loaf. 

There you have it... it's a combination of 100daysofrealfood.com's recipe, and my bread machines recipe, I just need to figure out how to make it come out moister....

Sorry, I have zero pictures for any of this stuff today!  Slacker!

OH!  I will also be trying a faux "Ice cream"...Peanut butter and banana's, yum! Thank you Kristen for trying it and recommending it! Review to come!

Staying on track...

has been very difficult!  I have plenty of scapegoats, Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday baking, pregnancy cravings, BUT what it comes down to is my own will power, or lack there of.  It's honesty time, I have gained 9 lbs already.  I should only gain 20 total over my pregnancy, and most of that should come in the second half.... so 9 in 16 weeks, is not good.

At my appointment today my Doctor told me to be a little stricter on my diet, that I should only be up about 5 pounds at the most right now, so 9 is a little high.  That was all I needed to hear.  I went straight to the grocery store, and set my self up to succeed.  I bought fruits and veggies, brown rice, beans, whole wheat noodles, chicken, eggs, Kashi peanut butter bars, triscuts, raisins, cottage cheese, string cheese.... I think that's about it.  All stuff that is healthy and easy.  No more excuses!!  For Breakfast I had an Apple and 2 slices of cheese, and an Americano with cream.  I had some whole grain crackers for a snack, and a Kashi bar, and for lunch I'll have a salad - spring mix, tomato, mushrooms, turkey, and dressing.  I have Ham and bean soup cooking in the crock pot for dinner.... here is the recipe (this fills my 6 quart crock pot, adjust accordingly):

Ham and Bean Soup

4 Cups Ham, cooked and diced
7 cups white beans
16 oz baby carrots, diced
4 potatoes (medium), diced
2 tbl diced garlic
2 tbl minced onion
4 cups Broth (see below)

Add everything to the crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours (or until potatoes and carrots are done to your liking)

To make the broth simmer a ham bone (with some meat still on it) in a large pot with 4 cups natural organic chicken stock and 3-4 cups water (enough to cover the bone).  I also added a little garlic and onion, and fresh ground pepper.  This made more broth than I needed for this recipe, freeze the extra!

According to my "Lose It" app, this comes out ot about 195 calories per cup.

We are down one kid for the next couple of days, so I will probably freeze half of this since it's an awful lot for only three people!

I had some left over potatoes after cutting up what I needed for the soup, so I have them baking in the oven.  I am going to use them to make "loaded" potato skins for New Years Eve.  I scoop out some of the potato, and fill them with shredded chicken, salsa and cheese, then bake them.  They are sooo much healthier than your normal Loaded Potato skin, but still very yummy, the kids love them!

Tomorrow night I am making Turkey Chilaquiles.  I saw the recipe in Red Book, and I have tons of left over turkey from Christmas dinner (also where all the ham came from for the soup!).  So I will be sure to post the recipe for that once I make it!

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

The past two weeks I have been tired, mentally, and physically!  So dinners have been less than fabulous.  But I finally have a little energy back, and school is done, so I am trying to get back into the swing of things around here.  Last night I made Crunchy Black Bean Tacos for dinner, tonight I am making Cream Cheese and Black Bean Chicken.  Both are were recipes I originally found on Pinterest, and just tweeked a little bit.

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos
adapted from Endlesssimmer.com

Ingredients:
2 C. black beans, cooked

1 C. pinto beans, cooked

½ C. onion, minced
1 tsp. cumin
4 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 cups cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
All natural corn tortillas

Directions:
1) In a skillet, add beans along with onion, cilantro, and spices. Add a pinch of salt, and simmer for a few minutes, then lightly mash all of the ingredients together. Grate your cheese and have it ready as well.

2) In a large, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-high heat.

3) Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese.

4) Using a spatula, carefully fold the tortilla over so it forms a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape.

5) As the first tortilla cooks, move it to the side and do a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to get 2 or 3 tacos at once. If you have a griddle you can do even more at once.

6) Cook each taco for about 3 minutes per side until they are nicely browned and crispy.

7) When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn't fall out.

8) Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Viola, there you have it!  Easy and delicious!  Not to mention, healthy and REAL. Everyone gobbled them up around here, I served them with Salsa and fresh corn.  I personally only had the tacos, and they were very filling.

I will do my best to get another blog up tomorrow with tonight's dinner recipe and review.

Haven't talked exercise in awhile.... but I swear I am still doing it!  The first 8 weeks or so were HARD, I was just so tired, and out of breath all the time!  But I did what I could, as often as I could.  These past two weeks have been better energy wise, but now some things hurt, the lower area of my abdomen hurts when there is any "bouncing" (running jumping, etc) so I have to be careful about that, and I still tend to get out of breath quickly.  So I just try to monitor my heart rate and do as much as I can.  I have started to do more "Instructing" instead of modeling in my classes, and I finally told them all why so that has been a relief.  There are certain exercises I avoid all together because of research and things I have read.  It's advised to avoid walking lunges, so I don't do those, and any thing that has you lay flat on your back, such as crunches, weight bench exercises, etc.  Other than that there's not a lot I CAN'T do, I just have to modify it to my new level.... which has been hard to swallow.  LoL

Happy Hump day!  It's not too late to make this a good week and make some changes!  Try a new recipe, or a new work out, and feel good about yourself!

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pumpkin!

I had a little extra time this morning, so I decided to get some baking done that I planned to do later today.  So here it is 6:30 am, and I have 3 loaves of Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread that are just about ready to come out of the oven done, as well as a batch of Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes made for breakfast!  I'd say that's a productive morning!

Both recipes came from my favorite source, 100 Days of Real Food.

I'll start with the pancakes.  Her recipe is actually for Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes, but I wanted pumpkin so I subbed the 2 ripe bananas with 1 cup of pumpkin puree.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Adapted from Williams Sonoma Breakfast Cookbook/100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour (I use King Arthur’s organic white whole-wheat flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + butter for frying
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well (hole) in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the honey, eggs, milk, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk together thoroughly, but do not overmix.
3. Gently fold the pumpkin into the batter with a spatula.
4. Heat a griddle or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Swirl enough butter around the pan until it is well coated. Add pancake batter using a soup ladle.
5. When the pancakes have begun brown on the bottom, flip them over to cook the other side.
6. Serve and enjoy!

The only thing I was disappointed with, was that they weren't very pumpkin-y at all.  They really tasted just like regular pancakes, but they were still very good regular pancakes :)

Now, the Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread.  I LOVE this stuff, so do the kids.  It's delicious.  When I am making it to keep I usually double the recipe and make one loaf, and 12 muffins, and freeze the muffins.  This time I am giving it away, so I doubled the batch and made 3 loaves. 

Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Bread

Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup oil 
• ½ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt).
3. Make a well (hole) in the center and throw in the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but do not overmix.
4. Fold in the pumpkin puree.
5. Generously grease a large loaf pan or put muffin liners in a muffin pan and then pour in the batter.
6. For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 – 22 minutes. Check for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

And there you have it!  Now, I have to tell you, I was skeptical, whole wheat, no sugar?  Hmmm.  But both recipes are delicious!  You can't even tell they are "healthy".  My kids gobble them up, and think it's some sort of treat, I love it!  So just TRY it, you'll be pleasantly surprised! Oh, and 1 hour, start to finish, I had the bread made and in the oven, pancakes made and plated, bread out of the oven, who doesn't have time for one hour?

Later today I am making Cinnamon Glazed Popcorn, stay tuned!