Tagged: Meatless Monday
Meatless Monday: “Refried” Bean Burritos + Freezer Homework
This recipe is a terrific, fast way to get a Meatless Monday meal out of the way, and add some deliciousness to your freezer for fast dinners or work-lunches. So for this, you’re going to have Meatless Monday + Freezer Homework.
Because this recipe makes a ton of beans, be prepared to freeze some of it, or literally feed bean dip to a crowd. I found this recipe on Six Sisters’ website. I love looking around at their ideas and food. Definitely a blog to check-out, especially if you want their recipe for turning these beans into bean dip.
Several years ago, a group of friends and I got together and cooked multiple freezer meals. One of those meals was meat and bean burritos. They were the first thing gone at my house. Everyone loved them.
The recipe for the burritos calls for canned beans. I’m not a bean snob, but they never seem to taste as good as they do when they’ve cooked at my house. So, I decided to combine the recipes for this Meatless Monday.
You’ll need to prepare the beans in advance of the meal, at least 4 hours (depending on how quickly your slow cooker cooks). I did mine 4 hours and they were just right. Once you get them down, use a portion of them in the burrito recipe. The recipe below indicates meat, but for Meatless Monday, make a batch without the meat!
After you eat bean burritos and made the freezer homework ones, you’ll more than likely, still have beans left. Throw them in a freezer bag, label them and throw them in the freezer. You can pull them out on a night when you’re having fajitas or making nachos!
And you could make the burritos even healthier by switching out the tortillas with a more reasonable calorie counted version. And sodium watchers can make their own taco seasonings.
“Refried” Beans
Serves 12+
Recipe from: http://www.courtneymilleson.com adapted from Six Sisters
Ingredients
3 c. dry Casserole beans
1 onion, chopped
2 T. minced garlic (I used the refrigerated kind)
jalepeno pepper (to taste – I omitted it because I didn’t have any)
3 t. salt
1 3/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 t. ground cumin (I doubled the original amount suggested)
5 c. water
4 c. chicken broth
Directions
Drag out the BIG slow cooker for this recipe the night before you’re serving the burritos. Rinse the beans and throw everything in the slow cooker. Stir, cover and forget for 4-6 hours. Drain, reserving liquid. Get out your potato masher (if you need a workout) or your stick-blender (if you’re lazy like me) and make some refried beans. Add liquid until you get the consistency you want for the refried beans. You can water the beans down again when you’re ready to mix them into the burritos.
Nutritional Information – Beans
(according to information entered into myfitnesspal.com)
1 serving
Calories 162
Total Fat .5g
Sat. Fat 0g
Mono 0g
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 795mg
Potassium 0mg
Total Carbs 31.2g
Dietary Fiber 7.3g
Sugars 2.4g
Protein 10.2g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 7.3%
Calcium 4.7%
Iron 10%
Beef and Bean Burritos
Serves 12+ (two burritos each)
Recipe from: http://www.courtneymilleson.com adapted from Six Sisters
Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs. 90% ground beef
1/4 c. finely chopped onion (I used the dried minced onion so reduced it to 3/4 t. or so)
1 1/4 c. Leal’s salsa
2 T. reduced-sodium taco seasoning
24 ounces Refried Beans (about 3-4 cups of beans)
1/2 c. water
2 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
24 flour tortillas (8″) warmed
Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion. Drain. Stir in salsa and taco seasoning. Mix together in a large bowl. Set aside.
With a stick blender, combine beans and water (to spreadable consistency). Add to beef mixture. Stir in cheese.
Spoon mounded 1/4 c. beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Fold ends and sides over filling; roll up.
If freezing burritos: wrap in waxed paper (saran-wrap) and foil. Place in gallon sized freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month.
To reheat frozen burritos: Remove all wrapping, and place burrito on a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high for 2-1/2 – 2-3/4 minutes, turning burrito over once.
Nutritional Information – Burritos
(according to information entered into myfitnesspal.com)
1 serving
Calories 430
Total Fat 11.5g
Sat. Fat 4.6g
Mono 1.8g
Cholesterol 36.7g
Sodium 1302.7mg
Potassium 234.3mg
Total Carbs 56.7g
Dietary Fiber 2.5g
Sugars 3.5g
Protein 9.2g
Vitamin A 9.2%
Vitamin C 12.3%
Calcium 31.7%
Iron 27.2%
Meatless Monday: Red Beans and Rice
These were hands down the best tasting red beans and rice I’ve had at home. And super easy to get ready.
I used the seasoning suggestions from Emeril Lagasse’s Prime Time Emeril but left out the meat.
And the oil.
And a lot of the salt.
Delicious. And instead of cooking them on the stove I prepared everything the night before and threw it into the slow cooker before I left for work. Easy peasy!
My mom swore by Casserole brand beans. I tried another type once. I didn’t make that mistake again. I soaked them overnight and drained them this morning and plopped them into the slow cooker with my bag of spices and veggies.
I’d hoped this wouldn’t be too salty and it turned out just perfectly, with enough heat to be ‘Cajun’. I used Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning instead if making my own.
I put the beans on at 6:15 a.m. This morning and let them cook for 10 hours. Low and slow baby.. Then use part of the juices to make the rice.
Insert your own evil laugh.
Cajun Red Beans & Rice
Serves 4-6
(Nutrition based on 6 servings)
Ingredients
1 pound red beans
1/2 c. Onion, chopped
1/2 c. green bell pepper, chopped
2 T. minced garlic
1 t. creole seasoning
1/2 t. cayenne
1 t. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 quarts low sodium chicken stock (adjust to cover beans)
Rice
Directions
Rinse and pick through one pound of Casserole Red Beans. Place in bowl and cover with water overnight. Start chopping onion and bell pepper. Place in sealable container. Measure out spices, garlic and bay leaves. Place in container with veggies.
In the morning, drain the beans and place in crock-pot on low. Cover beans with stock and place veggies and spices mixture in slow cooker. Stir to incorporate.
After work, put together some rice and serve!
Nutritional Information
(Taken from myfitnesspal)
Calories 260
Fat 0
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 240.7mg
Potassium 939.2mg
Carbohydrates 92.3mg
Dietary Fiber 56.4mg
Sugars 6.2mg
Protein 29.6mg
Vitamin A 0.9%
Vitamin C 18.1%
Calcium 16.4%
Iron 60.4%
Meatless Monday: Quesadillas
Yesterday’s Meatless Monday was actually one of my favorite quick fix meals.
As a West Texan, I thrive on
- Tex-Mex
- Cumin
- Flour Tortillas
I don’t know how anyone can do without these staples!
When I figured out quesadillas could be a Meatless Monday offering it was like the angels sang down and gifted me!
If you’ve never had one – and really what planet are you from if you haven’t – it’s basically a grilled cheese.
Now, I don’t like grilled cheeses.
I don’t know why, but they’re not my favorite. However, I adore their Tex-Mex counterpart!
To make these, I used grilled veggies, freshly made tortillas, and 2% cheddar cheese. I served them with a side of black beans. These are also a great way to use up any leftover meat you may have from a previous meal – but that defeats the whole meatless part – not that it wasn’t suggested.
Please, do try to keep the young’ens out of the cheese pile.
And before you *gasp,* yes, I made my tortillas.
I know! I can get them at Rosa’s or the store. But I have the stuff right here at the house. And when it’s fresh it’s best! Plus, who doesn’t like to have a geography lesson with their food?
Oh, look! There’s France! Oh, Michigan!
Try to get the tortilla close to a circle, but don’t beat yourself up if they’re not perfect. Only Mexican mommas are allowed to make them perfectly.
Although I am trying to channel my inner Mexican momma. They’re rock stars.
Plus, if I get tortillas from Rosa’s, my self-control leaves and I have two, three before I get home. Honestly.
This is really just a meal that allows you to clean-up all of the partially eaten veggies in your fridge (or an excuse to have mushrooms). Think of it like Tex-Mex stir fry. If you can chop it up, it’s probably good in a quesadilla.
Quesadillas
Serves 4
Recipe from: http://www.courtneymilleson.com
Ingredients
2 c. Harina Preparado
1/2 c. warm water
1 c. chopped portabella mushrooms
1/2 c. chopped bell pepper
1/2 c. white onion
1 T. olive oil
1 c. 2% cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream
salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine water and harina. Mix together well. Once incorporated knead for five minutes until smooth. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 15 minutes. Turn griddle on (400-425 degrees).
Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and all veggies – except mushrooms. Sauté for five minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another minute or so. Remove veggies from heat.
Uncover the tortilla dough and divide into 8 pieces. Turn each piece under until it forms a small circle. On a lightly floured surface roll out the tortillas until they are about 6-7″ around. Place on griddle. Turn after a few brown spots are visible. Repeat for other side. Remove and place in a warming sleeve or in kitchen towels. Continue until all tortillas are done.
Grab a tortilla and put it back on the griddle. Put 1/4 c. cheese on it and add veggies. Wait for the cheese to melt and then place second tortilla on top and flip. Let the cheese ooze to the other side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into fours.
Once completed, serve with salsa, sour cream (mixed together is a college favorite) and serve with side of black beans.
Nutritional Information
(according to information entered into myfitnesspal.com)
1 serving (2 tortillas, cheese and grilled veggies, does not include black beans)
Calories 216
Total Fat 10.2g
Sat. Fat 3.2g
Mono 2.5g
Cholesterol 10g
Sodium 369.9mg
Potassium 193.6mg
Total Carbs 24.8g
Dietary Fiber 1.6g
Sugars 3.2g
Protein 7.3g
Vitamin A 4.8%
Vitamin C 52.8%
Calcium 12.8%
Iron 8.1%
Stuffed Shells
An easy, low-fat Meatless Monday option.
This recipe tastes just like something my mom would have made me when I was growing up. The instant I tasted it I was transported to about four years old.
And then I looked at my four year old…
The recipe’s simple enough and I’d say you could do most of the work the night before if you had room in the ‘fridge for it. Simply come home, take it out of the ‘fridge while the oven is warming. A simple salad, a loaf of bread, and viola, dinner is served!
If you wanted, you can even change up the stuffing mixture. Whatever floats your boat! If you don’t want the spinach added in (and I think it made the sauce a tad bit watery) then you could just add some parsley flakes. It won’t change the flavor much, but it does give it that pop of color!
To make this easier on me, I used one of the large strainer baskets inside of my large pot when cooking the pasta. Once you’ve taken the pasta out of the water, you’ll want to run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. That, and I didn’t feel like chasing 18 pasta shells around a pot.
I splurged at the store and bought real nutmeg. (I’m keeping it in the freezer. Can you say eggnog?) I didn’t notice that much flavor difference; however, it smelled divine when I grated it. Be sure to use more than you normally would – pre-ground nutmeg is stronger than fresh.
Now, you maybe one of those people. And by that I mean you’re one of those who can just see how a spoon should easily fill a floppy pasta shell while cramming it open with your two fingers.
I am not. So, I just used my fingers to stuff the shells. Yeah, I tried the whole, fancy spoon idea, but you know, I’m not that fancy. Maybe a zip-loc bag with one of the ends chopped off would work? Anywho, I made them, they tasted fine even with the finger prints. It’s your call. I also didn’t add the mozzarella to the top of the dish. I just didn’t want to open another package of cheese!
Two-thirds of my kids ate this. So, that seems kid-friendly enough to me!
Stuffed Shells
Serves 8
(2 shells each)
Recipe from: www.courtneymilleson.com
Ingredients
1/2 box of large pasta shells
Topping
jar/can of pasta tomato-based pasta sauce
1/2 c. 2% mozzarella (shredded)
Filling
1 28 oz. container of low-fat cottage cheese
1 c. 2% mozzarella (shredded)
2 eggs, whisked
1 cup (or so) spinach
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. onion salt
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a 1/4 teaspoon (or to your preference) of salt. This will be your only chance to flavor the pasta itself.
Once boiling, place 1/2 of the pasta into the water. Check the cooking directions for partial cooking times (mine was shortened by 3-4 minutes since they’d finish cooking in the oven).
Pre-heat the over to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by lightly covering with cooking spray and then topping with about a cup of the pasta sauce. You may need more depending on the chunk of your sauce. Eyeballing it here is totally okay.
Start assembling the remainder of the filling ingredients. Mix well.
After about nine minutes (or whatever your package directions indicate) remove the shells from the boiling water. Rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Take each shell and place a fair amount of the filling mixture into the cavity. Place filled shell into the 9×13. Repeat x 18.
Once you’ve filled all the shells, pour the remaining pasta sauce over the shells. Then top with remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella (or more depending on how you like it). Cover with foil and place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information
(according to information entered into myfitnesspal.com)
1 serving (2 shells and sauce)
Calories 248
Total Fat 7.4g
Sat. Fat 2.8g
Mono 0.6g
Cholesterol 70.6g
Sodium 577.3mg
Potassium 169.1mg
Total Carbs 30.3g
Dietary Fiber 2.7g
Sugars 4.4g
Protein 17.6
Vitamin A 26.5%
Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 10.5%
Meatless Monday: Stuffed Shells
As I posted on Facebook, we’re implementing “Meatless Mondays.”
No, we don’t have anything against meat.
Here’s our first offering: stuffed shells. Basically it’s a take on lasagna, except you add another egg and cram it into shells.
To it I added a fresh loaf of ciabatta bread. Half of it covered in pesto and the other with melted butter. Yummo! I also added a quick salad.
Courtney Milleson 