Mashed White Beans and Cauliflower with Leeks

Mashed White Beans and Cauliflower with Leeks
(makes 18 1/3-cup servings, 6-1/2 cups)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium fresh leeks, ends trimmed

8 ounces cauliflower florets

6 cups cooked white beans

1-1/2 cups fat-free low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth

3 tablespoons finely sliced fresh chives

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Instructions
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile,
halve leeks lengthwise then cut crosswise into thin, 1/4-inch half-moon
shapes. When oil shimmers, add leeks, season with kosher salt
and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until softened, about
5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and use
a spatula to scrape up the golden bits. Cook for another 1 to 2
minutes and set aside.
Meanwhile, place an inch of water in a medium saucepan and
bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place cauliflower in
a steam basket and nest in pot. Cover and steam until fork tender,
about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
Combine leeks, cauliflower, and beans in a food processor and puree
until smooth. Add broth, parsley, and kosher salt and puree until
smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Serve warm or room
temperature. Can be made up to 5 days ahead. Store
refrigerated in an airtight container and reheat before serving.

Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories: 100
Fat calories: 10
Total fat: 1 grams
Saturated fat: 0 grams Cholesterol: 0 milligrams Sodium: 180 milligrams
Total carbohydrates: 17 grams Fiber: 4 grams
Sugars: 1 grams
Protein: 6 grams
Vitamin A IUs: 4%
Vitamin C: 10%
Calcium: 6%
Iron: 15% 

This is a recipe from the Biggest Loser. Haven't tried it yet.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

This is a Quinoa Ancient Harvest Recipe, slightly modified.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Traditional Quinoa
• 2 cups Water
• 4 large or 6 medium Peppers
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• ½ lb. Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 – 28 oz can Tomatoes, coarsely diced (reserve juice)
• 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 – 12 oz jar Mexican Salsa
• 2 Tbsp. Dry Sherry

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 325. Cook traditional quinoa following the directions on the package. Steam peppers until soft but not limp. In a large skillet, saute the onion and mushrooms. Add the diced tomatoes (reserve the juice). Add the crushed garlic and Mexican salsa. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer 10 more minutes. Fold in quinoa. Place peppers on baking dish and fill with quinoa mixture. Thin remainder with reserved juice and pour around peppers.

We added additional 2 Tbsp. Sherry to reserve mixture with a little salt and pepper.

Plate, sprinkle with mexican cheese (if you are not vegan) and enjoy.

Chunky Vegetable Chili

*Picture Courtesty of http://www.simplyrecipes.com/

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½ -inch pieces (1 ½ cups)
• 1 medium green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped onion                                
• ½ cup coarsely chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• ½  teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 14 ½ -ounce cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes                                                           
• 1 17-ounce can whole kernel corn
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 8-ounce jar salsa                                                      
• Dairy sour cream

Instructions

In a 3 ½ or 4 quart crockery cooker combine zucchini, green sweet pepper, onion, celery, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir in un-drained tomatoes, un-drained corn, drained beans, and salsa.Cover, cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. To serve, ladle the chili into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

NOTE – For meat chili just add 1 pound browned and drained ground beef.

To reduce hotness, use regular stewed tomatoes and a mild salsa.

Optional: Serve with warm cornmeal biscuits.

Alterations to the Recipe: I use more onion and combine red, yellow and green bell peppers.  I also use additional chili powder.  I have used different hotness of salsa and added ground beef or ground turkey.  There are many ways to make this your own.

One thing I would suggest is that you do not add the zucchini right away.  If you use a crock pot you can add zucchini about the last 1 1/2 hours. 

~ Maureen