Crockpot Pinto Beans

Southerners love pinto beans! This is a different way to make them than how I was taught. It’s a little more frou-frou, but I think Mama and Daddy would approve.

1 pound dried pinto beans
10 each pearl onions (I use frozen onions)
4 cloves garlic, whole
4 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
1 each bay leaf
1 tablespoon sea salt
pepper, to taste

1. Soak beans in enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches for 6 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, use the quick-soak method: Place beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.)

2. When ready to cook, put beans and rest of ingredients except salt in crockpot. Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

3. Add salt and stir. Turn crock pot off. Wait 30 minutes to serve. Pull bay leaf out before serving.

Servings: 6

Notes: If you want, you can fish the garlic and onions out.

You can also put beans in a large Dutch oven and boil vigorously to reduce liquid and then use stick mixer to mash beans with onions and garlic coarsely.

You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it vegetarian.

Make sure to do the soak and boil in step one! This will help make them less gassy!

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 305 Calories; 1g Fat (3.7% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 21g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1413mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable.

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Smoked Corn Stuffed Pepper

4 large green peppers

5/8 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/2 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 11-ounce can Mexican-style corn, drained

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 4-ounce can chopped green chiles

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 ounce jalapeño peppers (optional)

Jalapeño pepper slices, for garnish

 

Cut a thin slice from stem end of each pepper; remove seeds and membranes; rinse. Cook peppers 5 minutes in enough boiling water to cover; drain. Season inside of peppers with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper; set aside. Combine rice, beans, corn, onion, walnuts, chiles, liquid smoke, cumin and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon 1 cup rice mixture into each pepper; stand upright in 13 × 9-inch baking pan. Cover pan with foil; bake at 350 degrees 20 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle peppers with cheese. Cook an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with jalapeño pepper slices.

4 servings.

263 calories per serving.

2 ½ starches/breads, 1 ½ vegetables, ½ lean meat, ½ fat

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Japanese Zucchini and Onions

Zucchini strips (Photo credit: fritish)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 medium zucchini, cut into strips

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

salt and pepper, to taste

Spray nonstick pan with vegetable spray and add vegetable oil. Heat to medium heat. Stir in onions and cook 5 minutes.

Add zucchini and cook 1 minute.

Stir in terriyaki sauce and soy sauce and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add sesame seeds at the last minute.

4 servings.

77 calories per serving.

1 1/2  vegetable, 1 fat.

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Japanese Style Carrots

1/2 cup baby carrots

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ounce orange juice

1 tablespoon light margarine

Boil carrots in water until tender. Drain.

In a skillet add all ingredients and coat carrots well. Cook until sauce has thickened.

2 servings. 126 calories per serving.

1 ½ other Carb, 1 Vegetable, ½ Fat

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Asian Zucchini

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 zucchini, sliced diagonally

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Heat the sesame oil in a heavy skillet — such as a cast-iron pan — on medium to high heat.

Add the butter and soy sauce, then stir for 30 seconds until the butter is melted.

Add the zucchini and onions to the hot skillet. 

Sprinkle the zucchini and onions with sesame seeds, salt and pepper.

Grill each side of the zucchini for approximately 3 minutes, for a total of 6 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned. Turn the vegetables with a spatula.

4 servings. 122 calories per serving.

1 Vegetable, 2 Fats

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