cajun rice and beans

1/2 red bell pepper
onion
1 can red beans
1 can fire roasted tomatoes w/garlic
cooked brown basmati rice
CAJUN SPICE BLEND

Sauteed the onion and pepper in a little water till the pepper had softened and the onion was beginning to brown. Added the tomatoes and heated up, Added the spice to taste ( I like strong flavors so a decent amount). Added the brown rice (approx. 2-3 cups). I heated the beans separately so drained and added. Heat it all together for a couple minutes and Enjoy!

Easy Enchiladas

1 Can Black Beans (no oil)
1 Can of Enchilada Sauce (no oil)
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Red Pepper
1/2 Onion Finely Minced
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Veg Bouillon
6 White Corn Tortillas

Place chopped peppers, onion and garlic into a frying pan. Add 1/4 cup of water. Add veg bouillon. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Drain can of black beans and add them to pan. Mash beans as they heat until the consistency of refried beans. Add a bit more water if necessary. Turn stove down to low to keep warm. Microwave tortillas for about 45 seconds. Remove and add beans to each tortilla, folding them closed and placing in baking pan, folded side down. (hint: add a bit of enchilada sauce to bottom of baking pan before placing enchiladas in there. It will keep them from sticking and make them nice and moist). Continue to fill each enchilada. When they are all placed in pan, generously pour the enchilada sauce over them. Bake in oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until enchiladas have slighlty crisped at the top. Garnish with cilantro/hot sauce and/or salsa verde, if desired.

Quick and Easy Enchilada sauce

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoone chili powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

combine all ingredients in a saucepan until well mixed. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened.

Hummus--creamy without tahini

1 can no-salt added garbanzo beans
1 can cannellini beans
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup liquid from garbanzo bean can

Blended that up and VOILA!! It tasted TOTALLY creamy and just like "real" hummus!! And no added fat!

Potato salad

You may find this sweet, feel free to adjust to your taste.

4 large red potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cooked and cubed
2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup low fat soy milk
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons fat free Nayonaise
paprika for garnish

In a small saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, dry mustard, salt, celery seed, and nutritional yeast flakes. Stir in soy milk and vinegar, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool completely. Stir in onion and Nayonaise. Put the potatoes in a medium bowl, and stir in the dressing. Smooth out top and sprinkle paprika on top to make it look "purty". Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cheezy Potato Casserole

4-5 potatoes sliced thinly in food processor or mandolin
2-1lb bag of favorite frozen veggies (I used broccoli and Med mix)
1/4 bag frozen kale or other green

arrange sliced potatoes in 9x13 pyrex dish then pour frozen veggies over top and spread evenly.

cheezy sauce (from fatfreevegan.com) I used 2 1/2 x the recipe cause I wanted it real cheezy but you could use just 2 x.

1 cup water
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 Tbs light miso
3/4 cup soy milk

( I added extra mustard and paprika and only used 1/2 cup ff soy milk cause the frozen veggies have water content.)
Blend it all in a blender then pour over the veggies and potatoes top with foil tightly.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. I ended up adding a cup of water to the second batch on the lower shelf of oven and cooking an additional 20min cause potatoes weren't totally done. But the top one was done fine.

White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1-15 ounces can navy or cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons Scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Clove Garlic, minced
Salt to taste


Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. For the best flavor, let salad sit in refrigerator for an hour. Serves 6, approximately 1/2 cup servings.

Cucumber Salad #2

Ingredients:

cucumber
sesame seeds
balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:
Dice cucumber into small pieces. Put into bowl, and mix with vinaigrette and sesame seeds.

Comments:
This is a really quick and easy recipe!

Cucumber Salad

ngredients:

1-2 large cucumbers, sliced thin
1 bunch radishes, sliced thin into discs
3 scallions, white part and partial greens, also cut into thin discs
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Serve chilled. Best eaten the same day.

Cucina Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1 (15-oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/4 cups peeled and chopped, tomatoes
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
3/4 cup diced yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup purchased medium salsa
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 large head romaine lettuce, finely shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In large bowl, combine beans and tomatoes, stirring gently. Add peppers and green onions. Stir to combine. In small bowl, combine salsa, vinegar, cilantro, salt and pepper. Whisk to blend. Pour over bean mixture and toss gently. (May be prepared to this point up to two days in advance.) Line large shallow bowl with shredded lettuce and top with bean mixture.

weekly weigh-in

I know this hasn't actually been weekly lately. With the move and all the junk food I have been eating, I admit I was hiding from the scales. Last week I did weigh in and in the seven weeks I hadn't weighed, I gained 8.8 lbs. Not good, but actually less than I had expected all things considered. But this week, I lost 2.4 lbs of it. I am very proud of that. I am back on track and doing the best I can. It can only get easier as Prince Charming starts his new job and our finances get better. It is hard cooking two meals a day, but I have decided I am worth it. My health is worth it. I take care of my family and I need to take care of me to do it.

Caribbean Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

* 1 large onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1- 2 tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger
* 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
* 1/2 tsp ground allspice
* 3 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 cup orange juice
* pepper to taste
* mango salsa
* brown rice, pre-cooked

Preparation:
In a nonstick saucepan, stir-fry onions and garlic in a small amount of broth, water, wine, or other liquid for 5 minutes, until onions begin to soften.

Add ginger, thyme, and allspice and stir-fry 5 minutes more, until onions are very soft.

Stir in beans and orange juice and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly Mash a few beans with back of spoon for thicker consistency.

Add pepper and serve over brown rice topped with mango salsa and crisped corn tortillas.

Scroll down for more black beans and rice recipes to try and more Caribbean recipes to try.

Breakfast Rice

Serving Size : 6

1 cup long-grain brown rice
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and cook for 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

This may also be made in a slow cooker overnight. Combine all of the ingredients and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Breakfast Polenta

2 C soy or rice milk
2 C water
1 C yellow cornmeal
2 T maple syrup
soymilk
Fresh Fruit

In a 2-quart casserole, combine the 2 cups soymilk, water, and cornmeal. Cover with a lid. Microwave on high 4 minutes. Whisk and microwave on high, covered, for 4-5 minutes, or until the cornmeal is cooked. Whisk in the maple syrup. Serve with the soymilk and fruit.

Serves 4

Black bean vegetarian chili

Ingredients:

* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
* 2 medium carrots, sliced
* 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
* 1 15 ounce can black beans
* 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup vegetable broth
* 1 tbsp chili powder
* 1 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Sautee onions and garlic in a little veggie broth for a minute or two, then add sweet potatoes, carrots and bell pepper until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low, and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.

Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until flavors have mingled and vegetables are cooked.

Makes 5 servings of homemade black bean chili.

Nutritional information (per serving if using 2 tbsp of oil instead of veggie broth):
Calories: 427, Calories from Fat: 67
% Daily Value:
Total Fat: 7.5g, 12% / Saturated Fat: 1.2g, 6% Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 368mg, 15%
Total Carbohydrates: 72.0g, 24%
Dietary Fiber: 17.3g, 69%
Protein: 21.4g
Vitamin A 289%, Vitamin C 65%, Calcium 15%, Iron 31%

Baked Rice Pudding

Servings: 4-6

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 ½ cups soy or rice milk
1 cup dried fruit
3 teaspoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
dash cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in an oven-proof pot. Heat to just boiling. Remove from heat, stir and place uncovered in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Hints: Serve in individual bowls with extra soy or rice milk to pour over the pudding and/or brown sugar to sprinkle on top. This may also be baked in individual bowls. Baking time will be reduced by about half. Different kinds of fruit may be used such as raisins, currents, dried cranberries, or chopped apricots or dates. This may also be served cold or at room temperature.

Bean-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1 head cabbage
--SAUCE--
12 ounces tomato sauce
6 ounces tomato paste
1 cup onion -- finely chopped
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
--FILLING--
1 pound white beans, canned
1 cup onion -- finely chopped
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Carefully remove 12 large outside leaves from the cabbage. Place leaves in a large pot of boiling water and boil 5 minutes. Remove leaves from water, place in a colander, and run under cold water for a few minutes. Drain.

To prepare sauce: combine all sauces ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

To prepare filling: place beans in a large bowl. Mash slightly with a fork or potato masher. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well.

To assemble: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Divide filling evenly and place each portion near the base of a cabbage leaf. Roll leaves up tightly, folding in the sides as you roll. Place rolls stem side down in prepared pan. Spoon sauce evenly over rolls. Cover Tightly and bake 1 hour.

Here's doing this right!

I am back and back on the bandwagon. It will be as best I can for a while, but I need to get back to being healthy again. I have been sick for weeks and weeks. My stomach is acting up and I have been gaining weight like crazy. I have been in a downward spiral and I need to get myself back on track. So, even though we are not back on budget yet, I went out and bought just a couple of things for me. I am back to low fat, healthy, whole grain (and of course vegan) foods. I need this. I am up 7.6 lbs and I feel icky. I don't think it is a coincidence that I have been eating poorly for about the same amount of time I have been sick.

On a sidenote, I am so happy to be vegan here! There are so many wonderful, yummy vegan foods here. Soy Creamer for my coffee, Vegan Nacho cheeses, and all sorts of other wonderful things.

Asian Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:

* 1 bunch broccoli - cut into florets, stem peeled and chopped
* 1 T oil (Tip, I use a little water, or veggie broth)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced, grated, or pressed
* 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
* 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 Tablespoon dry sherry
* 1 teaspoon equivalent artificial sweetener
* 3 Tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Preparation:
1) Lightly steam broccoli, or microwave in a covered container in small amount of water for 3 minutes.

2) While that is happening, if the almonds aren't toasted, you can do that in the skillet you're going to use for the broccoli - either in a dry pan or a small amount of oil.

3) Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, and sweetener.

4) Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet.

5) Stir-fry the broccoli in hot oil for 1-2 minutes, until almost tender. Push to the edges of the pan.

6) Put ginger and garlic in the center of the pan (add a little more oil or whatever you are usingif need be), and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. Tips for using fresh ginger

7) Put sauce in the pan, and toss all ingredients together. Top with almonds.

Nutritional Information:Each of 6 servings has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 3 grams fiber, 3 grams protein, and 86 calories.

Baked Eggplant Stacks with Roasted-Tomato Sauce

8 plum tomatoes (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups diced onion, divided
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
20 garlic cloves, peeled (about 2 large heads)
1 cup canned vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
18 (1/2-inch-thick) slices eggplant (about 2 medium)
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
Oregano sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.
Place tomatoes in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Set aside.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup diced onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, red wine, oregano, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Set aside; keep warm.

Place a saucepan coated with cooking spray over high heat. Add sliced onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine and garlic. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Place garlic mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Set aside; keep warm.

Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over eggplant. Place half of eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant; set aside.

Place a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup diced onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add spinach; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; (this is where you would stir in the soy cheese) Preheat oven to 425°.

Arrange 6 eggplant slices, 2 to 3 inches apart, on a baking sheet. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons spinach mixture over each slice. Stack each with another eggplant slice, an additional 2 1/2 tablespoons spinach mixture, and remaining slices. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Arrange 1 eggplant stack on each of 6 plates; spoon 1/3 cup tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons garlic sauce on each plate. Garnish with oregano, if desired.