Recipes!

I found the basic recipe at RecipeLion.com, but I altered it a bit and this is the best new recipe I've tried in ages, and a lot of them were quite good. My changes are in the bright blue.

Black Bean Stew

Ingredients

• (2 Tbs olive oil)
• 1/2 cup brown rice (I used a half and half mix of brown and white Basmati rice.)
• 1 cup water (I forgot this!!)
• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 s cloves crushed garlic, or more to taste (definitely more!)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger (a 1" cube of fresh is better)
• 1 bay leaf (I couldn't find my bay leaves, so I left it out)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper (optional) (yes!)
• 1/4 cup cheap red wine (optional) (I used red cooking wine)
• 1 vegetarian sausage link, crumbled (optional) (I used 2 veggie breakfast sauge patties)
• salt and pepper (didn't use and no one asked for either)
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I had mild cheddar on hand.)
• (I added about 2 cups of mushrooms in bite sized pieces)

Instructions

Prepare the rice in the water according to package directions or your own procedure. While the rice is cooking, sauteé the onions, garlic and ginger in olive oil until they are soft and then add the mushrooms and sauté a few minutes longer. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the cheese and simmer, at least 15 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon the cooked rice into a casserole dish. Remove the bay leaf from the bean mixture; pour the beans over the rice and stir; it doesn't have to be thoroughly mixed. Top with the cheese and bake uncovered 20-35 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let stand five minutes before serving.

So good!

I will update this recipe with nutrition info at a later date

This was going to be Cranberry-Apple Muffins, but someone ate my applesauce. This recipe will be changed the next time I make it (if it turns out well), substituting chunky applesauce for the oil. Even with the oil, these aren't too high in calories.

Ingredients

1 cup white Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup chopped Cranberries
.5 cup Splenda
1 Tbs Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Apple Pie Spice
2 Tbs Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 cup 1% Milk

Directions

Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Mix milk and egg together and beat well. Add shortening and add to dry ingredients. Mix just enough to moisten dry ingredients then add cranberries and blend in. Do not over mix.
Spray muffin pan lightly with Pam and fill about 2/3 full.
Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Makes about 15 muffins.

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Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
2. Mix together cornmeal, flours, Splenda and baking powder.
3. Separately, beat egg and buttermilk together lightly.
4. blend wet and dry mixtures.
5. Add Smart Balance and mix for 1 minute.
6. Bake in an 8" x 8" greased baking dish for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into 9 squares.

Makes 9 servings.

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The original recipe I adapted this from had no beans (except the green beans) and had okra. The okra tastes wonderful in this with or without the extra beans. Mushrooms taste good in it, too. The nutritional information is for the recipe as it's printed here.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Drain and coarsely chop tomatoes. Save liquid. Mix together tomatoes and reserved liquid, onion, green beans, okra, green pepper, lemon juice, beans and herbs. Cover and bake at 325º F for 15 minutes.
2. Mix in zucchini and eggplant and continue baking, covered, 60-70 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
3. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese just before serving.

Yield: 25 servings--Serving Size: 1/2 cup

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Ingredients

Directions

Cook, drain and cool pasta. Mix all ingredients together.

Makes about 8 1-cup servings

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