Bean Burritos

We have been trying to eat a lot more beans in place of meat, and this was an awesome recipe to incorporate them.  The bean mixture made a great meat replacement because the consistency had a "meaty" quality to it in that it held together tightly and was very flavorful from the garlic and chili powder. This was also pretty quick to make so was great for a weekday dinner. 

Bean Burritos

Makes ~ 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup water

1 (15oz) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15oz) can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 Tbsp mild salsa

whole wheat or multigrain tortillas

3 small vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (~1 1/2 cups)

1 avocado, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/3 cup green onions, chopped

6 Tbsp organic light sour cream

Directions

1. Heat canola oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chili powder and salt. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add water and beans. Simmer until liquid has cooked off. Stir in salsa and partially mash bean mixture.

2. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Fill  each tortilla with about 1/3 cup bean mixture and top with tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, green onions, and sour cream. Roll up and serve.

(Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Kidney beans provide lots of protein, folate, fiber, and iron. 100% whole wheat tortillas are rich in B vitamins and fiber. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and lycopene. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamins, A,  K and folate, as well as the mineral molybdenum, and is a very good source of fiber, minerals manganese, potassium, copper, and iron, as well as vitamins biotin, B1 (thiamin) and C. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Black Bean Burgers

I finally found a black bean burger recipe that I like! And a bonus - they don't fall apart! They were very simple to make and were perfect with a whole wheat bun, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. You can make these spicy by increasing the amount of chili powder and hot sauce, but I kept these ingredients to a minimum since I'm not big on spicy food.  

These were really good on a bun, but would also be great on a green salad to add some protein in place of meat.

Black Bean Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 can (16oz) organic black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 organic green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 yellow or sweet onion, cut into wedges

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 egg

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp hot sauce (I used Cholula)

3/4 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly oil baking sheet with canola oil.

2. Mash black beans in a bowl.

3. Place bell pepper, onion and garlic in food processor and finely chop. Add to mashed beans and combine.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce. Stir into bean mixture. Stir in bread crumbs.

4. Form 4 patties and place on oiled baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes per side, or until firm and fully cooked.

(Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Garlic is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Cheese is rich in calcium and protein. Choosing whole wheat buns, as opposed to white buns, provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron because they are less refined.

Shrimp Tacos

We are big fans of tacos made with seafood (ie. fish, lobster, shrimp), and order them at restaurants all the time, but I've never attempted to make them at home.  We had some shrimp in the freezer, so I made these easy and super healthy shrimp tacos tonight. They were amazing (if I do say so myself :)!  I topped mine with a small amount of sour cream - and my husband also added some hot sauce to his. I am going to be making these again soon for sure.  

Shrimp Tacos

Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound pre-cooked large shrimp, tails removed and diced into thirds

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp olive oil

1 large tomato, seeded and diced

1 avocado, diced

1/2 cup organic green onions, chopped

1/2 cup fresh organic cilantro, chopped

1 cup canned organic black beans

Multigrain or whole wheat tortillas (make sure they are whole grain)

Organic sour cream, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add shrimp, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir and cook until shrimp heated through - about 3 minutes.  

2. Place black beans in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave until hot - about 2 minutes (or heat in a pan on the stove). 

3. Fill tortilla with 1/4 cup black beans and 3 oz shrimp. Top with avocado, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro.  Also top with a small amount of sour cream, if desired.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Shrimp are an excellent source of protein, providing 18g of protein in a 3oz serving. Shrimp are also a good source of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Tomatoes are an excellent source if vitamin C and lycopene. Cilantro is packed with vitamins C, A and K, and provides a small amount of B vitamins. Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Black beans are high in protein and fiber and are a significant source if iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese and B vitamins thiamin and folate. Multigrain tortillas (if they are whole grain) are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins and fiber.