Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Welcome to Day 2 of Soup Week! Today I'm going to share my version of Vegetarian Black Bean Soup. I started off thinking I could copy Panera's version, but I never tasted it myself. Hence, I can't replicate it at home exactly, so I came up with the next best thing. I've never made this kind of soup before as my family didn't particularly care for beans. But as my kids got older, and willing to try new things, I've been slowly incorporating them more into our diet. 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans & Chinet Bakeware Giveaway!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

If you've been following CEK for a while, it should be no surprise that I love this new disposable bakeware from Chinet.  I even entered one of my recipes, Sausage and Spinach Lasagna with Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce showcasing their product into a contest where the winner had their recipe posted in a 2 page spread in Martha Stewart Living Magazine (November 2012 issue). And guess what? I WON! 

 

So when Chinet asked me if I would be interested in creating another recipe this summer I was thrilled and I knew exactly what I would make. The infamous end of summer Labor Day BBQ is almost here and for our family, as with many others, it also means the kids go back to school shortly thereafter. And for as long as I've been married (19 years this coming Spring), every family picnic with my in laws has always included my  mother in laws' Portuguese Baked Beans. Everyone loves them!

I realized I had never made them myself so I finally got her recipe. Have you ever heard of the term 'Doctor it up'? It's when you take a food item that is already in essence done, but add your own unique flavor and spices to make it your own. Well, that's what she's been doing all of these years with Campbell's Pork & Beans.  At first I thought about doing the same thing, but then when I looked at the ingredients and all of the added sodium, sugar and preservatives, I knew I could make it a little healthier on my own.  So after I made my version of her Portuguese Baked Beans, we gathered together for the official taste testing and I got a huge thumbs up from all six participants! They really were very good; however, her version includes extra bacon and mine doesn't have any. Again, if you've been following along on this blog adventure I don't eat bacon so I left it out. If you like bacon, by all means throw some of that in here too.

I'll be bringing these Portuguese Baked Beans in my disposable Chinet Bakeware^® to our family Labor Day picnic so I don't have to worry about getting my dish back (not that there's going to be any beans left anyway!). The bakeware goes right into the oven (minus the plastic lid). It heats the food beautifully. And...you can take it with you! 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans
Prep Time: 20 minutes                     Yield: 16
Cook Time: 1 hour                           Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Green Pepper, small dice
• 1 c. Onion, small dice
• 1 lb. Portuguese Chorizo, skin removed, small dice
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 12-ounce Can Tomato Paste (I used Hunts)
• 2 c. Water
• 3 tbsp. White Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Paprika
• 1 1/2 c. Light Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 4 16-ounce Cans Navy Beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil then add in the peppers, onions and chorizo. Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften and the chorizo starts to brown.
3. Next, add in the garlic and saute for another minute; then add in the tomato paste, water, vinegar, paprika, sugar and salt.  Mix well then add in the beans. 
4. Bring mixture to a boil on top of the stove then turn off the heat. 
5. Transfer beans to an oven safe baking dish like Chinet Bakeware® and bake for 1 hour; stirring every 20 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 268, Carbs 37.3g, Fat 9.5g, Protein 12g, Fiber 7.8g, Sugar 20.1g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate as different brands yield different nutritional information. 

Enjoy! 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans Shopping List

And now for the Giveaway...

Chinet Bakeware^® is the first disposable baking dishes that let you take your food from oven to table to freezer to microwave, all in one attractive, non-stick pan. And because it's from the Chinet brand, strength and stability are built in. Bakeware is designed to be sturdy and dependable no matter what you've got cooked up. Not only does it look good, but you can leave it behind without worrying about losing your favorite permanent pan. And, it's made in the USA of 90% recycled material! 

The bakeware comes in four convenient sizes in sets of two including the pan and clear plastic lids: Square 8"x8", Rectangular 9"x13", Oval 7"x11" and Oval 7 1/4" x 9 1/4". Chinet has offered to give one lucky winner a chance to receive their own set of Chinet Bakeware by entering the contest below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

Italian Baked Beans

Summer, as you all know, is a time for grilling and barbecues. And one menu item can usually be found at most gatherings...baked beans. I never particularly cared for the pork and bean variety so I generally never made them myself; though my mother in law makes a great version using chorizo (I'll have to get that recipe from her one of these days to share with you!). That is until I was reading the June issue of Food Network Magazine and saw a recipe from Jeff Mauro for Tuscan Stovetop Baked Beans. They looked delicious and had many of the flavors I love like garlic, tomatoes, rosemary, wine, cheese and lemon. He even added some balsamic drizzle over the top and they looked amazing! But as I started to look at the recipe to duplicate it, I decided to make a few changes.

Since I didn't have pancetta or white wine in the house, I used turkey bacon and used up an open bottle of Chianti. I started out cooking them on the stove, but they were still a little too "watery" for my liking, so I added some cornstarch to thicken it up a bit and also decided to bake them instead of cook them on top of the stove. They really got nice and bubbly that way too!

These Italian Baked Beans were INCREDIBLE! Now as you're looking at the ingredient list, you're probably thinking there are A LOT of ingredients. But most of them you should already have in your pantry and if not, just click on the Shopping List at the end of this post for a print out of what you need to purchase.


Italian Baked Beans
Adapted from Jeff Mauro's Tuscan Stovetop Baked Beans
Prep Time:  30 minutes      Yield: 16
Cook Time: 30 minutes      Serving: 1/2 cup
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. Organic Turkey Bacon, small dice
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/3 c. Red Onion, small dice
• 2 Stalks Celery, small dice
• 1 Large Carrot, peeled and small dice
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary
• 3 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 3/4 c. Dry Red Wine (I used Chianti)
• 1 c. Crushed Tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
• 1 Lemon, zest only
• 2 c. Chicken Broth (I used homemade)
• 2 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp. Asiago Cheese, grated
• 4-15ounce Cans Small White Beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp. Cornstarch + 2 tbsp. Cold Water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; then add in the bacon. Stir until crisp about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. 
3. In the same pan, add the onion, celery, and carrots and allow to soften for about 5-7 minutes; then add in the garlic, rosemary and the cooked bacon and cook for another minute.
4. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to simmer down until reduced by half; then add in the tomatoes, lemon zest, chicken broth, both cheeses and beans. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat allowing some of the liquid to absorb.  
5. Combine the cornstarch and water together and gradually add it to the beans until they have thickened (you may not need all of it); then transfer to a 2 quart oven safe baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the beans are hot and bubbly. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 104, Carbs 18.1g, Fat 1.3g, Protein 5.7g, Fiber 5.5g, Sugar .8g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Italian Baked Beans Shopping List

Shared at Thursday's Treasures 7/11/13

Roasted Fennel & 3 Bean Chili

I know I've mentioned this before, but I'm always looking for new ways to prepare some of our favorite meals, like my latest version of this vegetarian chili with roasted fennel and three types of beans. And since tomorrow is Halloween and you'll either be busy handing out candy or Trick or Treating, I'm sure your time will be limited in the kitchen. This dish takes only 15 minutes to prepare, then plug in the 'ol slow cooker and let it do the rest of the work for you! This chili was loaded with flavor and smelled even better while cooking away all day in my kitchen. 

Roasted Fennel & 3 Bean Chili (Slow Cooker)
1 Fennel Bulb, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 - 15oz. Cans Black Beans
2 - 15oz. Cans Chick Peas
2 - 15oz. Cans Kidney Beans
1/2 c. Red Wine
28oz. Crushed Tomatoes (I used Hunts)
1 tsp. Chili Powder (more if you like it spicy)
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 c. Vegetable Broth
1 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions:
1. Mix together the fennel, onion, garlic and oil, then place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, then remove from oven and add to your slow cooker. 
2. While the fennel is roasting, rinse all of your beans and add to the slow cooker. 
3. Next, add in your wine, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, salt and vegetable broth. 
4. Mix all ingredients together and cook for 4-6 hours on low or 6-8 hours on warm. Serves 8. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 434, Carbs 76.9g, Fat 4.1g, Protein 22.6g, Fiber 22.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

Three Bean Salad with Feta

I really love bean salads lately (can you tell?!). They hold up beautifully outside in the warmer months, especially if you're serving them at picnics or barbecues. They're also colorful and add a nice contrast to your main dishes. I like making extra so that I can eat them for lunch the next day too as they are healthy and filling. Like most bean salads, this was so easy to prepare and was packed with wonderful flavors. If you're not a fan of feta cheese just leave it out, but it did add an extra creaminess to the salad. 

Three Bean Salad with Feta
1-15oz. Can Dark Kidney Beans, rinsed
1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed
1-15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed
1/4 c. Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. Feta Cheese, crumbled

Dressing:
1 Lemon, juice only
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard (I use Grey Poupon)
1 tsp. Dried Oregano
1 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1/3 c. Canola Oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
1. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Add the beans, onion and cheese to separate bowl, then pour the dressing over the beans. 
3. Mix well and refrigerate. Makes 10-1/2 cup servings. 

Enjoy! 

Shared on Family Fresh Meals 8/28/12

Fiesta Chicken Spinach Dip

Many years ago, my then boyfriend (now hubby) and I would like to go out for dinner at this mid-sized restaurant in our area. They had this appetizer there that we both loved. So one day, I had decided to ask them what they put in it and go figure...they wouldn't tell me! So the next time we went, we ordered it again but this time I really tried to hone in on my sense of taste alone to try to figure out what was in it. Well, I'm happy to report, my taste buds haven't failed me yet and I have been making this hot dip ever since! It's really quite easy to prepare and over the years, I've learned to opt for the reduced calorie versions of the cheese and sour cream. It's certainly different and not one that I've ever seen anyone else make. In fact, that restaurant still happens to be standing BUT they haven't served this dip on their menu for over 18 years.

Fiesta Chicken Spinach Dip

• 1 Boneless Chicken Breast or 5 Chicken Tenders, cut in 1/2" pieces
• 2 Tbsp. Flour
• 2 Tbsp. Canola Oil
• 1-10oz. Package Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed and drained
• 1-15oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 Cup Scallions, chopped
• 1 Plum Tomato, diced
• 8 oz. Sour Cream
• 8oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 Bag Tortilla Chips
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt

Directions

1. Add 1 tsp. of chili powder to the flour and dredge the chicken pieces. 
2. In a nonstick saute pan, heat the oil and add the chicken. Brown the chicken pieces until they are cooked through; remove from the pan and let drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. 
3. In a large bowl, add the beans, spinach, scallions, tomatoes, 4oz. of the cheese, sour cream, the remaining 1 tsp. of chili powder, the cooked chicken pieces, and salt. Mix well. 
4. Add the mixture to an 8x8 oven safe cooking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted and is bubbly. Serve hot with tortilla chips. Serves 8-10. 

Enjoy!


Shared on Baking Bad Foodie Friday 1/14/12