Slow-Cooker Refried Beans

Oh, I'm so obsessed with beans. This recipe is so good and VERY easy, two things I absolutely love. I consider this one of my favorite lazy day meals because its just a few ingredients thrown in a crock-pot and cooked for eight hours. We eat our refried beans on {open-faced} tortillas with cheese, green onions, sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, my mouth is watering right now just thinking about how delicious this simple meal is. They would also make a great side dish for any mexican feast.

These beans are not technically "refried" (in fact there is no added fat in this recipe), but you'll never be able to tell. I almost forgot: you don't have to pre-soak the dry beans!

Slow-Cooker Refried Beans

Recipe Source: adapted by The Taste Tester from 100 Days of Real Food

2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed

1 large onion, peeled and halved

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

2 bay leaves

6 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a crock-pot. Cook on high for 8 hours, stirring every couple of hours, until beans are very soft. Drain excess liquid off of beans into a bowl. Set aside. Remove onion halves and bay leaves from crock-pot and discard. Mash beans with a potato masher, returning some reserved liquid to the beans in order to reach desired consistency. Serve hot. Leftover beans freeze well.

Shared here: Totally Tasty Tuesdays @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Pin Me Fridays @ Diana Rambles, On the Menu Monday @ Stone Gable

Quick and Easy Stir-Fry

Oh, hey. How's it going? My hubby heads back to school today which means two things for me: boredom and a night time gym routine. 

I absolutely hate going to the gym at night for two reasons: 1) Working out wakes me up, which is why I normally go in the morning; 2) The gym gets really crowded at night, especially at this time of the year #thosedangnewyearsresolutions. I have a feeling that I'm going to be a lot less motivated to go to the gym in the coming weeks.

This is precisely why I am going to be joining the 8 Week "Get Healthy" Challenge over at Six Sisters' Stuff. You should too! It'll motivate me to go to the gym at night, which is really the only reason why I am doing it. Eight weeks isn't that long, right? 

If you do decide to do it with me, or even if you don't, here's a little healthy recipe for you today. This stir fry (like most) is super quick to make and will be on your table in 30 minutes or less, not including meat marinating time. The sauce is fairly customizable, so you can make it to please your taste buds. It also has no obscure ingredients that you'll buy to use once and never use again.

Quick and Easy Stir Fry

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

OPTIONAL SAUCE ADD-INS: 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey, a small amount of sriracha sauce or red pepper flakes, 1/2-1 teaspoon sesame oil, minced fresh ginger to taste

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak (or boneless skinless chicken breast), cut into 1/8 inch strips

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2-3 cups fresh stir fry veggies such as broccoli, snow peas, carrots, and/or shredded cabbage

4 teaspoons canola oil, divided

Combine first three ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in any desired add-ins: I like the first three ingredients alone if that is all we have on hand, but we also enjoy adding some of the other ingredients listed above on occasion. Reserve 1/4 cup of this sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the meat in a ziploc bag. Seal and mix. Allow meat to marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour (the longer the better). 

When it is time to cook the meat, stir the cornstarch into the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade. In a large non-stick skillet saute fresh veggies in 2 teaspoons of hot oil until the veggies are crisp tender. If you like your veggies more tender cook them for longer. I find that adding 1 tablespoon of cold water to the hot skillet while the veggies are cooking creates a bit of steam that helps make them slightly softer (especially veggies like broccoli which take more time to cook).

Once veggies reach desired tenderness, remove from pan and keep warm. Drain and discard marinade from meat. Saute beef or chicken in remaining 2 teaspoons of oil for two minutes. Stir in reserved 1/4 cup of sauce and bring to a boil. Cook for one or two minutes or until sauce thickens ever so slightly. Return veggies to pan and stir to combine. Serve hot over rice with potstickers or egg rolls.

Recipe Source: The Taste Tester, adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

Shared here: On the Menu Mondays @ StoneGable, Totally Tasty Tuesdays @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Pin Me Fridays @ Diana Rambles

The Best Ever Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I first found this recipe four years ago and actually was not thoroughly impressed the first time I made it. Eventually I gave up on the original recipe entirely.

But don't stop reading there, because after a couple of years of trying to find the perfect whole wheat bread recipe, I realized that this recipe (even though flawed) was a great recipe to start with and build off of. I've made my adaptations and the recipe I am sharing today is my perfect version of 100% whole wheat bread.

It's light and fluffy, not dense. In my opinion it produces the perfect sized slices. I get kind of annoyed by bread that rises and bakes SO high that the bread slice ends up being the size of two normal slices of bread. It's a stupid pet peeve, I know, but the thing is you inevitably have to cut these tall breads twice as thick to prevent them from flopping over and breaking while you are cutting them. There are other reasons for my distaste for bread slices that are too large, but I will get off my soapbox now.

This bread is also perfect for sandwiches. Basically I love this bread. It's beautiful and perfect. I will be making it all year this year instead of buying bread. Oh and did I mention it tastes good too?

DISCLOSURE: For best results make bread exactly as directed below. Successful bread making definitely takes practice. I think you'll find that this recipe is fairly forgiving if you put forth your best effort and know-how.

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

1 heaping tablespoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon honey, divided

2 1/3 cup warm water, divided

5-6 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten*

2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Activate yeast by lightly stirring it with 1/3 cup of the warm water (120 degrees) and the 1 tablespoon of honey. Set aside for five minutes. After five minutes it should be expanded and bubbly (this is how you will know that you have successfully prepared and not killed your yeast).

Combine 3 cups of the whole wheat flour and the vital wheat gluten in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add remaining 2 cups of warm water and prepared yeast. Mix on low speed for one minute. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. This step is important, as it will help make the bread lighter.

Add oil, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup of honey. Mix until combined. Remove whisk attachment and replace it with the dough hook attachment. Slowly add remaining flour one cup at a time until dough is still very soft (and even slightly sticky) but forms a ball and cleans the sides of the mixing bowl. When dough has reached this point, turn your mixer on high, cover it, and let the dough knead for 7 minutes (yes, 7 whole minutes). If you are kneading by hand, this will take 12-15 minutes. When the dough is done kneading, it should look smooth, elastic, and even a little bit shiny. 

Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Spray two 8x4 inch or 9x5 inch bread pans with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly oil hands. Divide dough into two equal portions. Shape into loaves and and place one loaf into each of the prepared bread pans.

Place pans in preheated oven and let dough rise until it is doubled (20-25 minutes). When dough has risen, turn oven up to 350 degrees. Cook for 20-25 more minutes or until the tops of the loaves sound hollow when tapped (they will also be a dark golden brown). Immediately turn out of pans onto a cooling rack.

Makes 2 (1 lb) loaves.

This recipe can easily be doubled to make four loaves and it stores well in the freezer.

*Wheat flour has a smaller percentage of gluten than other flours. Adding vital wheat gluten helps give it a lighter, fluffier texture.

EXTRA BONUS: This bread takes 1 1/2 hours from start to finish.

Recipe Source: The Taste Tester, adapted from Dana Thornock

Shared here: Pin Me Friday @ Diana Rambles, One Creative Weekend @ Buns in My Oven, Strut Your Stuff Saturdays @ Six Sisters' Stuff, On the Menu Mondays @ StoneGable, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef In Training

White Bean and Roasted Garlic Dip

Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat the more you... well actually... let's not go there. But in all seriousness I am obsessed with beans lately. I may or may not have a few bean posts lined up for this month.

Then again, I am not sure if anyone in the world loves beans as much as I do so I can't promise that those other bean posts will actually show up.

In the meantime, indulge yourself with this hummus-like dip. It makes a great healthy appetizer for any super-bowl party, and it is also great for a healthy snack when paired with veggies.

White Bean and Roasted Garlic Dip

1/2 pound (1 cup) dry white beans*
1/2 large yellow onion 

1 large or 2 medium heads of garlic, roasted (cloves removed from peels)

1 lemon, juiced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Rinse and sort through beans. Soak overnight according to package directions. Cook beans according to package directions, adding the 1/2 onion to the boiling water with the beans. After beans have simmered until they are soft, remove the onion from the water and drain the beans.

Add cooked beans, roasted garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until pureed, adding more olive oil if a thinner consistency is desired. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with pita chips and fresh veggies.

Recipe Source: The Taste Tester, adapted from The Food Network

*For a faster cook time, replace soaking and cooking the dry beans with 2 drained and rinsed (14.5 ounce) cans of white beans.

Shared here: Totally Tasty Tuesdays @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz, Show & Share Wednesdays @ Semi Homemade Mom, Showcase Your Talent Thursday @ What's Cooking Love?, Pin Me Friday @ Diana Rambles

Frozen Hot Chocolate

I have been eating really healthy lately, but every once and a while I just need a treat.

For example, I need a treat after a day of taking care of a baby who is teething and utterly miserable. I also like watching chick flicks after days like this.

Speaking of girly movies, have you ever seen Serendipity?

I have not seen it for years, and the other night when I discovered that it's not on Netflix, I knew that somehow I had to experience the movie without actually watching it. 

In the movie there is a little restaurant called Serendipity 3. It's actually a real restaurant too, located in New York City. They are famous for their frrrrozen hot chocolate which has been described as outrageously divine.

I would much rather have watched Serendipity, but making my own frozen hot chocolate turned out to be just what I needed at the end of a really stressful day.

It is made healthier because--- it is a smaller portion size, it does not contain butter (because yes, the original Serendipity frozen hot chocolate does), and it contains cottage cheese which is an excellent source of protein.

It also has some stevia in it (a zero calorie sweetener). I am usually reaaaaaaaaaaaaaally hesitant when it comes to zero calorie sweeteners. They give me really bad migraines. But I hardly ever ever ever use stevia, and I have not had any problems with it yet.

If you want you could replace the stevia with real sugar, honey, agave-- whatever you prefer for sweetening things. FYI, I don't think this recipe needs a lot of added sweetness in the first place.

I realize that cottage cheese might sound like a strange ingredient, but I promise it is not. You can't even taste it. It just makes the frozen hot chocolate creamy and protein packed. It's made in a blender so there won't be any cottage cheese curds in this when all is said and done.

If you have never had frozen hot chocolate before, it is basically like a chocolate slushie. We like to top ours with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 packet Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate (you can use diet, but I used regular)
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 3-4 packets stevia powder
• 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ice
• water
• whipping cream (optional)
• shaved chocolate (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Fill your blender 1/3 full with ice. Add 1/2-3/4 cup cold water.
2. Add in remaining ingredients.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Spoon into glasses and top with whipping cream and shaved chocolate. Eat with a straw or a spoon.

Recipe by Dashing Dish

5 out of 5 stars

Yield: 2 servings

I am linking up here and here.

Garlic Cream Sauce for Pasta

I don't know about you, but the older I get the more it seems I can't eat food in the same way that I used to (and I'm not even that old). Fettucine alfredo is one of those foods... it tends to go straight to my hips. So when I found a recipe for "Guilt-Free" alfredo sauce I knew I had to give it a try.

Now I am going to be honest with you, this is a very good sauce but don't expect it to be like the alfredo sauce in a dish at a five star restaurant. I think it should be viewed as a replacement for fattier cream sauces, and judged merely as a sauce all on its own. We'll call it Garlic Cream Sauce from now on instead of alfredo sauce (the blog that I got the recipe from briefly called it that in their post at the very end).

This garlic cream sauce is delicious replacement and a much healthier option in recipes you would use a traditional alfredo sauce in. I highly recommend giving it a try, especially if you are trying to live a healthier lifestyle and you hate giving up the foods you love.

Guilt-Free Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 3 oz low-fat cream cheese
• 2-3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions

1. Place milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don't want to burn it.
2. Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more.
3. When it's nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Season with additional salt if needed.
4. Serve over cooked pasta, or use as a pizza sauce, breadstick dipping sauce, etc.

Notes:

If you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

Recipe by Our Best Bites

4 out of 5 stars

*I am giving this recipe a four out of five rating just because it did not completely live up to my expectations when compared with a traditional alfredo.*

100 Calorie Soft Pretzels

Two words: one pound. You can guess in which direction based on the happy facts listed below.

My accomplishments this week:

• I was able to zip up a windbreaker jacket that I could not zip up even before I got prego. And it was loose!
• I did the circuit at the gym twice last Saturday morning. Usually I only do it once.
• I went to a clothing exchange and picked out a pair of pants that were a size smaller than I thought I could fit into, but they fit! 
• I did eat more vegetables.

Things I still need to work on:

• Drinking more water.
• Drinking more water.
• Drinking more water.
• Loving myself for who I am now.
• Drinking more water.
• Enjoying exercise.
• Drinking more water.

In the meantime I just thought I would share with you a really easy recipe for homemade soft pretzels. Plus they are only one hundred calories each (approximately). That being said do not expect and Auntie Ann's sized pretzel. They are small. However with some yellow mustard and some fresh veggies you will have a very satisfying snack.

100 Calorie Soft Pretzels

Ingredients

• 10 Rhodes frozen white dinner rolls, thawed according to package directions
• water
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten with one teaspoon of water
• coarse sea salt
• flour

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Flour hands and make ten very thin dough snakes with by rubbing each roll them between floured hands.
3. Fold ends into center of dough snake so that they look like a pretzel (these are too small to make a twist).
4. Fill a 5-quart pot two thirds full with water and add the baking soda. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
5. Drop each pretzel into the boiling water for thirty seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon.
6. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
7. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with desired amount of sea salt (I like mine really salty!).
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the dough is a deep dark golden color.

Recipe by Amanda Jenks

4 out of 5 stars

Yield: 10 servings

Calories per serving: approximately 100

Make Your Own Apple Chips

Guess what? Guess what?!? I lost two pounds this week which means I have found my rhythm. I've found the balance between eating too much and eating too little/exercising too much and not exercising enough. It was not easy, and just because I succeeded this week doesn't guarantee that it will be that way for the many weeks to come. But I am proud of myself.

Guess what else?

It is fall. Blessed, beautiful fall. My favorite season ever.

Now I realize that the first day of fall is not actually until this Saturday. But while the calendar says one thing, my body says differently. When I walk out the door I feel a chill. I can smell that the leaves on the trees are about to turn. This can only mean one thing. It's time. Time for sweaters, pumpkin, and apples; soups, cinnamon, and hot drinks.

Oh how I heart you, fall.

In celebration of the (almost) beginning of my favorite season, I thought you would appreciate this delicious and healthy snack. Apple chips. They are super easy. You start with very thinly sliced apples. Any kind will do.

Then, you place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. No overlapping please.

Sprinkle them with some yummo spices.

And bake! These are cheaper than the apple chips they sell at the store and better tasting. Not to mention that they are fresh.

Homemade Apple Chips

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 large apples (I recommend granny smith, but any variety will do)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine spices, salt, and sugar.
3. Cut apples in half. Slice very thinly. Do not core, but make sure that there are no slices with seeds on them.
4. Place slices on prepared baking sheets. Do not let apples overlap.
5. Sprinkle evenly with spices.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Flip apple slices over.
7. Bake for 30-60 more minutes or until brown and crispy.

Recipe by Half Squeezed Lemon (I added cloves)

Yield: 4 servings

Calories per serving: 102
Fat per serving: 0 grams

Happy Fall!

7-Layer Greek Dip

Once again it is time for my weekly-weigh in. I have been working out in the mornings and in the evenings, and it is really wearing me out so I have not decided if I am going to continue that or not. Though I did lose 2.4 pounds this week, so it definitely helped.

Since I posted last week on "Weigh-In Wednesdays", I decided that these posts would give me the perfect opportunity to share some of the healthy snacks/meals that I have been eating lately. I am sorry if this post seems to be cut a little bit short but Joseph (our four month old) got his second round of immunizations this morning and he is being a little crank ball, bless his heart.

One of my go-to healthy snacks is hummus. I love to eat it with veggies and pita chips (most often I eat it with vegetables though, they're cheaper). When I came across this recipe for a greek dip I knew I had to try it, and I have to say that I love it. It is really simple to throw together and can sit in our fridge for several days. It is the perfect thing to bring to pot-lucks or small get togethers especially since it is a healthier option. From the squeeze of the fresh lemon juice, to the mint in the greek seasoning and the parsley on top, this recipe is a winner. I highly recommend eating this with fresh vegetables and Stacey's Whole Grain Pita Chips (I was not paid to say that).

7-Layer Greek Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz) package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
• 1 (7 oz) container hummus
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, diced small
• 10 grape tomatoes, diced
• 6 jumbo black (or kalamata) olives, sliced
• 1/4 red onion, minced
• 1/3 cup Greek style feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Cooking Directions

1. With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, seasoning, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Spread in the bottom of a small baking dish.
2. Spread hummus over cream cheese mixture. In order, create layers by sprinkling the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and parsley. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
3. Serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables, and/or flatbread.

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites and The Wicked Noodle

5 out of 5 stars

Yield: Approx. 2.5 Cups

This is seriously delicious. Enjoy!

Spicy Black Bean Dip

I feel the urge to write in spanglish (part spanish-part english) while writing this post because... well this dip is muy bueno (very good). If there is one thing I have learned in the kitchen, it is that although I enjoy a culinary challenge ever so often, I also appreciate when a recipe is easy and stress free. This recipe takes hardly any time, makes very little mess, and has few ingredients. As a huge plus, it is packed full of flavor, not to mention all the protein and fiber if you are looking for a healthy recipe!

The cumin and cilantro add especially vibrant flavors to the mix. If you need a quick, crowd pleasing dip, this here is the recipe for you.

Did I mention that this recipe come from my new favorite cookbook? If you are interested in buying Perfect One Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson you can find it in my amazon store. Just click the "Shop" tab above and the select "Cookbooks I Recommend" on the lefthand menu on that page. I think it is the first one listed!

Spicy Black Bean Dip

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup store bought salsa

1 tsp cumin
1/4 red onion, diced
Salt*
hot sauce to taste

Pulse cilantro in food processor until coarsely chopped. Add black beans, salsa, and cumin. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Do not process into a paste. Stir in chopped onion. Add salt to taste and hot sauce if desired. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.

Recipe Source: Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson

get printable recipe here.

*A note about when a recipe says to "salt to taste". As human beings I think we can sometimes be afraid of salt. Now I realize that there are medical conditions in which too much salt (or any at all) is bad, and I definitely think we should all try to eat healthier. However, there is a truth about salt that, if understood, could make all of the food we cook ten times tastier.

Namely that: salt is a flavor enhancer. That's right, an enhancer. If you put too little salt in something you may find that the flavors are muted or bland. If you put too much salt in something it tastes... well, salty. But if you find the perfect amount of salt for a recipe (in other words "salted to taste") it heightens all of  the flavors in the dish and creates the perfect symphony of taste.

So don't over do it, and don't under estimate how much you need either. Just recognize that salt has an important role in cooking. It is not just about sodium.