Smoky Black Bean And Corn Chowder Recipe

The other day J came home and handed me a blank receipt with a list of ingredients written on it in black permanent marker. He said is was a delicious soup he had at a restaurant in Fargo and insisted I tried to "remake." With only knowing what was actually in the soup and not to what degree I started investigating recipes. I finally found one that with a few manipulations and "healthifying" efforts fit the bill.
Smoky Black Bean And Corn Chowder
from cdkithcen.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
1 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks organic celery (with leaves)
2 tablespoons butter (I use Land O Lakes whipped butter)
1/2 cup evaporated milk instead of cream
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
8 ounces black beans, canned, drained
3 cups chicken broth
5 slices turkey bacon or you could use Canadian bacon
1ish chipotle peppers (come in a can) - watch out these suckers are hot and people can add their own if they desire more heat
1 tsp cumin
chili powder (optional, I found there to be enough spice from the chipotle peppers)
Instructions:
Cook bacon to desired crunchiness in soup pot. Remove from heat and dice into pieces.
In a soup pot, saute onion, garlic and celery in butter until tender but not brown. Stir in salt and black pepper.
Add milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
Stir in drained corn, bacon pieces, chipotle pepper and drained black beans. Add cumin. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until ready to serve. Garnish with a spoonful of Greek yogurt. Makes 6 servings.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Black Bean Patties

Black Bean Patties

a good recipe for meatless Mondays

Ingredients:
2 c black beans, canned or cooked, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 carrot, chopped fine or grated
1/2 c oats
1/4 c nut butter (almond, peanut)
1/4 c raw sunflower seeds
3 T flaxseeds
dash Worcestershire sauce
2 T olive oil
2 egg whites
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 chopped celery leaves (I did not add since I didn't have any on hand, instead I added a dash of celery salt)
1 tsp paprika
1tsp curry powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 T fresh thyme or 1/2 T dried
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease. Place all ingredients in large food processor. Process mixture until it become uniform. You may have to do in bathces if you have a small food processor.
I added about 1/4c more oats as I though it was a bit runny, however it will probably seem a little runny, this is ok.
You should be able to scoop about 1/4 c patties onto cookie sheet without them runny too much.
Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve on whole wheat buns or bunless with all you burger fixins.


Sara B News: Look Better Naked Challenge meeting, 7pm at Crossfit Epic (Iowa City) tonight. Contact me for details! Learn about the 24 Day Challenge and how you can lose weight, have more energy and feel more positive about your health.


Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Chicken & Apple Salad Sandwich

This chicken salad was so unbelievable good...you HAVE to try.

You'll impress your family and friends. Pack up these sandwiches for a picnic in the park or toast the bread to make crispy versions for dinner.
Chicken & Apple Salad Sandwich
Ingredients:
3 chicken breast, boiled and shredded...I use the Smart Chicken brand (stoke up when it goes on sale)
1 crispy and juicy apple, sliced and chopped (try organic ones)
1/4 C ish crushed walnuts
1/4 ish C olive oil mayo...found this product last week

2 T ish mustard...any flavor (yellow, honey, dijon)
2 T ish pickle juice or relish
spices: dill, onion, garlic, chives, sea salt....OR shakes of Penzey's Fox Point Spice
bean sprouts (optional)
avocado (optional)
spinach (optional)
Instructions:



Mix all ingredients together. Make a sandwich and say YUM!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Thai Coconut Shrimp Pasta

I decided to go for a taste of Thai the other night with two ingredients I love:
peanut butter & bean sprouts............
I mean Pasta :)

Thai Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients:

8 oz dry brown rice noodles (I could not find these at HyVee but I did find Soba Buckwheat noodles that looked fun...all else fails use whole wheat pasta)

2 cups broccoli
2/3 c light coconut milk (I could not find light, so I used regular and watered it down a bit by
adding H20, you could also use skim milk)

1 T tomato paste
3T natural peanut butter

1 tsp ginger, ground
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (be generous as these give a nice kick)
dash or two of cayenne pepper (J likes it hott)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 c bean sprouts

24 medium cooked shrimp, peeled

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to directions. Once cooked place in strainer and rinse with hot water (prevents noodles from sticking together).

Fluff noodles with a fork and set aside. In a bowl add, coconut milk, tomato paste, peanut butter, spices, and lime juice. Use a fork or whisk to combine well. Simmer coconut mixture, bell pepper and bean sprouts in non stick pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Stir often. Add shrimp, broccoli, and noodles.

Heat entire mixture till it is HOT. Serve and enjoy.

NEWS:
Watch KCCI channel 8 news Wednesday the 9th at 5pm...you might see a familiar face :) I will be introducing Sara B Consulting to DSM! Very excited about the opportunity.
J now wears a new hat to go along with husband, CFO, and taste tester.............Agent.

Happy Anniversary to my parents Lee and Kay! Yesterday they celebrated 38 years of bliss! Love you!

oh, and good luck to Jeremy, Marie (sister-in-law), Kyndi (friend) and everyone else running Dam to Dam tomorrow.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
www.sarabconsulting.com

Boston Bound Part III - Rocket Fuel aka Huevos Rancheros

J and I were fortunate enough to have a contact in Boston to stay with....Carl and Julia Kinkel. They were the most gracious host and hostesses and opened up there home and arms to us.

Carl made his famous Huevos Rancheros for brunch Sunday. Keep in mind this is probably something I would have passed on, choosing something less fiberous and spicy, had I been planning on running the whole 26.2 miles the next day....however I did pass on the beans... because as I mentioned before something in the back of my head was telling I was going to be able to.

We joked at brunch that this would be great "jet fuel" for the marathon. I made a comment that mine was "unleaded" (no beans) and J's and Carl's was "diesel" (beans). We shared a good belly laugh.

The following post is written by Carl Kinkel:

Huevos Rancheros de Carlos
“Boston Marathon Rocket Fuel”

This dish is in the classification of “Refrigerator Management”- ie. Use what you’ve got and help clean things out of the fridge.

In general…Huevos Carlos consists of a flour (whole wheat) burrito/ wrap shell filled with “stuff” and folded in half. Topped by one or two sunny side up eggs… sprinkled cheese (Cheddar, Jack, whatever)… some Pace Picante sauce lavishly poured on the top. Sides can be beans (refried, regular, black), Rice (grits or Quinoa), and some iceberg lettuce sliced with an orange slice… fruit, etc.

Here’s what we made for Sunday morning brunch the day before the Boston Marathon so that Sara would have the extra added benefit of Jet Propulsion.

Stuff for inside the half folded Burrito Shell
Cooked up a bunch of Jimmy Dean Sausage (hot)… then added a can of Old El Paso Enchalada sauce to the sausage. We had some Taco Seasoning… so we added that as well… then about an equal amount of Swiss Cheese… or anything you have (a can of queso works as well). For a veggie alternative… onions, green peppers, beans, tomatoes, etc. work great. Simmer it all.

Grits
These were terrific. Regular grits following the cooking recipe on the canister. Add Some Chili Powder and Cumin to taste… 2 to 1 Chili powder to Cumin. Should just turn the Grits a yellow/ orange/ brown color.

Beans
We opened a couple of cans of refried beans and heated it up. Then added a bit of cheese to the top. Don’t doctor up the beans… it’s the one thing that you should leave bland.

Eggs
2 are best… Sunny Side Up. Placed on top of the half folded burrito with the stuff inside. Sprinkled with cheese… and Pace Picante Sauce. Then popped into the microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese.

Add Beans and Grits… and garnish. And Serve.
Good with Orange Juice!

Now Sara has the “Umph” to make it the 26 miles from Hopkinton to the Common… watch out for Chestnut Hill !!!! It’s a heartbreak. You’ll need the Rocket Fuel.

Carl- thanks for sharing your delicious recipe! It was sooo yummy, hope everyone enjoys!

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Homemade Hummus

I enjoy making homemade hummus for dipping veggies in or a tasty sandwich spread.
Here are a few simple recipes that show the different varieties of hummus.

Homemade Hummus
from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pinch paprika
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
Instructions:
1.Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
2.Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.




Black Bean Hummus
allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic
1 (15 ounce) can black beans; drain and reserve liquid
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
10 Greek olives
Instructions:
1.Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add black beans, 2 tablespoons reserved liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add additional seasoning and liquid to taste. Garnish with paprika and Greek olives.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions:
1.In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Minestrone Soup with Quinoa

Looky here...another soup!
It's still windy, snowy, and cold here in Iowa so until I see the 50's roll around I will keep myself all warm and fuzzy feeling with healthy soups!
This one is a must try (I say that about all of them, but I really mean it).

Minestrone Soup with Quinoa
from Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch dices
1 cup fennel, cut into 1/2 inch dices
1 cup red or white onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped OR dried thyme
1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed (I just kinda crushed them under my knife as you would with garlic)
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

I doubled the recipe so for my second 1 1/2 cups I used red kidney beans for more color
2 cups diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/3 cup uncooked but rinsed quinoa
sea salt and ground pepper
1 cup spinach, cut chiffonade
go here to learn how to chiffonade:
http://localfoods.about.com/od/basics/ss/Chiffonade.htm
3 T basil (fresh or dried)
2 oz Parmesan, grated, optional

Instructions:
In large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, fennel, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and fennel seeds. Cook and stir often until veggies are soft (8 minutes). Add 6 cups water, beans, tomatoes (in juice if using canned), and quinoa. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach and basil just before serving. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Abby trying to figure out how to cut the fennel!?
go here to learn how:
http://www.cookthink.com/reference/129/How_to_prep_fennel


mmmm....yum
so many colors=so many nutrients!

Viola! Enjoy!
nutrients per 8 oz with cheese: 137 cals, 5g fat, 19g carbs, 5g prot

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
www.sarabconsulting.com

Beans and Brownies....oh my!

No...this isn't breakfast....believe it or not it's a chocolate cake!

Another one of Mom's birthday cake creations.
Since we were having a breakfast brunch for the Jan/Feb birthdays (Bryan, Jeremy, Mike, Marie, and Dorcha)...she made a breakfast themed cake. LOVE IT!

You can't have cake without coffee... coffee cake that is.
She may need her own Cake Boss show on Food Network.

Peyton was so mad when the candle went out

Since we're already talking sweets....here are two ways to make delicious black bean brownies. One is the quick and convenient way and the other is the clean eating way.

Black Bean Brownies (quick and easy)
recipe from Jamie Marrow's kitchen (fellow CrossFitter)

Rinse and drain one can of black beans, puree beans in food processor or blender.

Mix bean into dry brownie mix, add the instructed amount of water on the back on the box. Omit eggs and oil. Spread onto greased baking pan. Bake as directed on box. huh.... YUM about sums it up. J and I topped our with a scoop of DQ soft served ice cream.

what a great way to get some beans in your life or your child's! never will I make packaged brownies without beans again!

Black Bean Fudge Cakes (clean)

from Clean Eating Magazine
Ingredients:

1 oz dark chocolate (705 cocoa or greater)
1 1/2 c soft-cooked blacked beans (or canned, drained and rinsed)
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 T olive oil
1/4 heaped cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Watkins vanilla
1/4 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c honey
1/4 to 1/2 c walnuts (optional)
Instructions:
preheat oven to 350F. Mist baking pan with cooking spray. Melt dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat with 1 t water mixed in. Combine chocolate, cooked beans, eggs, oil, cocoa, baking powder, vanilla, applesauce, honey in food processor. process till smooth. Stir in nuts. Pour into baking dish. Bake about 20-30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of vanilla or Greek yogurt on top.
Nutrients: about 230 calories, fat 12g carbs 28g, fiber 4 g, sugar 19g, protein 5g

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Black Eyed Pea Soup

Recently, I have been cooking with more beans. I am trying to replace one meal a week with a vegetarian option....1. because meat can get expensive and 2. it adds more variety to J and I's diet.

Beans are an excellent source or protein, carbohydrates, and fiber (I think we all know that one). "but what about the sodium" you ask?
Well there are two simple solutions to that

1. Cook with dried beans. This is very easy and you can cut the cooking time in half by soaking them overnight.
OR
2. Rinse and drain your beans that come canned. A recent study done by the University of Tennessee showed that draining reduced sodium by 35% and rinsing reduced it by 41%!


Black Eyed Pea Soup

look at these beautiful beans

Ingredients:
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine
5 firm potatoes, well scrubbed and grated
4 stalk of celery with leaves, chopped fine
5 small firm zucchini, trimmed and grated
2 parsnips, peeled and grated
2 thick carrots, peeled and grated
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and passed through garlic press (or finely chopped)
6 C Watkins chicken broth or vegetable stock
1 tsp sea salt
pinch of black pepper
1-2 C black eyed peas, cooked in water until tender (about 45minutes) or rinsed and drained
handful or fresh parsley or dried, chopped

Instructions:
Add olive oil to soup pan or Dutch oven. Heat on medium-high. Add onion and cook until soft. Place grated potatoes into pan and stir. Add other veggies and garlic and stir well. Add stock, sea salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

Let simmer for several minutes. Using hand immersion blender, puree soup until quite smooth. Add black-eyed peas and simmer until heated through. Ladle into bowls, garnish with extra beans and parsley. Enjoy!

Nutrition for 2 cups: 238 calories, 8g protein, 41g carbs, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 7g fiber, 700mg sodium (less if you use dried beans)


Did you know: according to recent studies, grating food helps breakdown plant material, which increases the body's ability to absorb nutrients.

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good...
www.sarabconsulting.com

come see me at the Simpson Health Fair on Thursday from 11-2

NYE, Cyclone Victory, CFDes Moines, and Maple Syrup Crock Pot Beans

Happy New Year!
Start this year off right with health and happiness in mind. I heard the best quote yesterday... "the best diet is the one you don't even know your on."
That is the approach I take at Sara B Consulting. It is the only maintainable "diet" there is...a healthy lifestyle.
I have New Year's resolutions myself and will write about them in my next blog...there was just too much to fit into this one...so many exciting things already in 2010!

We spent NYE at my parents watching the Cyclones win over Minnesota in the Insight.com Bowl, playing games, and eating yummy food.

the spread

of course Mom made J's favorite cookies

the soups...Vegetable Bisque (under labes:soups) and Marie's Chicken Alfredo (will have to get the recipe to post)

loaded with veggies...just the way we like it

my nieces (Emmerson and Peyton) helped bring in the New Year with noise makers and party hats!

sporting the ISU gear (brother and sister-in-law aka Bryan and Marie)

this is probably not a correct portion size :)

Maple Syrup Crockpot Beans

along with my veggie bisque, I tried a new bean recipe to bring to the party. Sweet beans it was good!

Ingredients:
2 cups yellow eyed beans or white navy beans

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 T EVOO

1 tsp dried mustard

1/2 tsp dried ginger

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 molasses (did not use)

1 C pure maple syrup (I did not have molasses on hand so I used just the 1 c of organic maple syrup which was plenty of sweetener...could probably get away with even less)

Instructions:

Soak beans overnight in plenty of water (yes I used real dried beans for the first time ;) you could probably get aways with canned, drained beans if short on time.

Next day, discard water and place bean in pot of fresh water. Boil in plenty of water until tender, about an hour. Drain beans, saving 2 cups of water. Place half bean in crockpot, layer half the onion over top along with a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with remaining beans, onions, and oil.

In small bowl mix the 1c reserved liquid with syrup and pour over beans. Then mix spices and remaining 1c liquid together and pour over beans. The beans should be just covered with liquid. Cover and cook for several hours (let the aroma take over you house). Remove lid and cook for 30 another minutes before serving. Enjoy their sweetness!

Nutrition: 8x1cup servings, calories 236, protein 3g, fat 4g, sat 1g, carbs 49g

CrossFit Des Moines

Mike (brother-in-law) opened the doors to CrossFit Des Moines today!

The whole family helped set up the gym

working it out!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

ask about NY's resolution specials!