Hot Weather:
Equal quantities of:
Prepared or canned beans (I love black.)
Cooked & cooled or canned corn.
Steamed & cooled or canned green beans.

I toss them all with homemade oil/vinegar/herbs dressing & eat room temp or chilled. If I have some sliced black olives I love to include those too. With some nice bread like Marilyn’s this is filling and decently nutritious. If I have some cheese I make it a half grilled cheese sandwich.

Cold Weather:
Don’t forget the traditional Boston Beans and Brown Bread supper. We sometimrs had “dogs” with it. It’s a pot of your favorite baked beans (cooked with a little bacon, molassess & brown sugar) served with a slice of dark brown bread. Brown Bread has molasses (can add raisins) and is steamed in a can in a water bath on the stove or in the oven, or in a buttered widemouth canning jar in a crockpot. It’s a soft “quick bread” and you eat a slice of it more with a fork than trying to hold it. To add the non traditional nutritional boost of a veggie if you have it: steamed zuccini slices in the beans are nice, or a green salad with a tangy dressing is great (everything else is a bit sweet.)

“Nonni’s Greens and Beans”
1-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 med onion, chopped finely
2 oz chopped pancetta or any flavorful fatty leftover meat for flavor (i.e., bacon, sausage) **THIS PART OPTIONAL TO MAKE VEGETARIAN**
Olive Oil for sauteing
4-6 roma tomatoes, or 1/2 large can whole peeled tomatoes (I like “Muir Glen” brand best) chopped
1-1 1/2 cups legume beans, prepared or canned (I like cannelini, great northern and black–you can mix these up or do just one kind)
1-2 bunches of washed, chopped greens of choice (remember they cook down a LOT!)
A little bit of chicken stock or water
a pinch of cayenne pepper (opt.)
S&P to taste
Freshly grated cheese for serving

Heat the oil (med-high heat) and saute pancetta to render the fat, then add onion to soften then garlic to soften. Add tomatoes and let cook down for about 5 minutes, stirring to move everything around. Add the greens and put the cover on the pan for a few minutes to let everything wilt down. Now add some liquid; if you have stock leftover, you can add this; if not, water is fine. The amount of liquid is determined by how loose or soupy you would like the greens and beans–my friend’s Nonni would do them pretty soupy, I like them a tiny bit drier so I only put about a scant cup of liquid in. Put the prepared beans in next and season with S,P and cayenne to taste. Cover and let everything simmer together for a good 30-45 minutes depending upon the green. Collards and Kale for example, will require more time as they are tougher.
To serve, top with freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese…Fantastico!!!

Escarole is wonderful this way:

olive oil
1 large chopped onion
1-2 cloves minced fresh garlic
Enough chicken stock or water to cover greens
1 (or 2 if small) bunches escarole, washed and chopped

in dutch oven saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add prepare greens and cover with stock or water and cover. Simmer for an hour covered. These greens come out so tasty and tender and don’t throw away that broth!! You can drink this (LOTS of vitamins here) or use it in another recipe.

1C dried split peas (soaked for about 4 hours in 2 1/2 C Water)
Bring to a boil and add:
1t Tumeric
1/2t Red Chili Powder
1t Salt
Simmer partly covered for about 20 minutes or until soft. Add extra water as needed – should be kind of thick.

While the peas are simmering saute in a small frying pan:
3T margarine or butter
1 large onion thinly sliced
1t whole cumin
10 whole cloves
5 whole black peppercorns.
Fry until onions are well browned then add to the cooked peas.

I usually serve this over rice. I start a pot of rice when I start cooking the beans and everything is done in about 30 minutes. Often we have boiled eggs with this for extra protein and we like to put peanuts and raisens on top to make it pretty and taste even better. This is a really easy recipe that is really cheap and very tasty. Oh… one note… I usually pick out the whole cloves and peppercorns before serving this to my family because if my kids bite in to a clove they won’t eat this again for weeks! Enjoy!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

1 pound of soaked white beans (your choice)

Cook 3 cups of chopped onions in olive oil until soft.
Add 2 garlic cloves and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Add the beans
Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 bay leaf.
Add 2 quarts of stock (your choice)

Raise to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes until beans are tender.
Using an emulsifier, blender, or food processer, puree soup and serve.

1 pound beans (I use pintos)
Filter water
Bag of baby carrots (or 7-8 carrots peeled and sliced)
Olive oil
Salt

Into the crockpot the night before I want to use my beans, I put about one pound of pinto beans (black, white or other beans would be great too), enough filtered water to generously cover them and 2 Tbsp whey. In the morning I pour the soaked beans into a collander and give them a rinse. Then back into the crockpot, cover with filtered water again, and switch the pot to low to simmer for the day. I always add either one bag of baby carrots, or 7-8 peeled and sliced carrots to simmer with the beans (they add nutritional value as well as a very nice texture when the beans are smashed later). Remember to check the water level once or twice during the day and adjust accordingly (they need be just covered with water).

When the beans are soft, switch off the crockpot (I usually let them go at least six hours) and get out the masher. I like to add a generous drizzle of olive oil and some good quality salt to taste at this point. When the beans and carrots are nicely smashed, I usually scoop out some and mix it with browned turkey or beef to fill burritos. The rest I portion into freezer bags to make tacos, taco salad, Mexican taco soup, rice and beans topped with taco fixings, Mexican layered casserole, nachos, etc… I love having the basis for a variety of healthy, delicious and very economical meals at the tip of my fingers.

Crockpot White Chili
Serves 6 to 8.
1 pound Great Northern or navy beans, soaked (2 ½ cups dry beans)
2 large carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or ½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 quart homemade chicken broth with bits of meat removed from bone

Put beans in medium pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and allow to simmer 20 minutes. Discard water. Put all ingredients in crock-pot. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover. Cook on low 10-12 hours or high 5-6 hours.

After cooked:
· Add up to ½ tsp sea salt if desired to the crockpot or sprinkle individual bowls with paprika or cayenne pepper for no salt diets and other family members add salt to bowls as desired.
· Sprinkle bowls with Monterey Jack cheese or whatever you have on hand
· Want soup instead? Add up to 2 cups hot water.
· Serve with fresh bread, salad, and fruit for dessert.

Enjoy~ Corrine

Lentil Soup
To this basic recipe can be added sausage, hot dogs, garlic, diced tomatoes, carrots…
Wash 2 cups lentils
Add 8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, chopped
Simmer 1-2 hours or until tender.
Salt and pepper to taste. Puree if desired. Add water if too thick.

Split Pea Soup
2 cups split peas (We prefer yellow peas.)
Ham hock or bone
8 cups water
1 onion, chopped
Simmer 2-3 hours.
Remove ham meat from bone, chop and return to the soup.
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Judra
This is not a soup; it is thick, fork food. It can be eaten as a side dish. Sometimes we cook sausages separately, and eat it with apples for a simple supper.
Sauté 2 large onions, chopped, in oil.
Add 1 cup lentils
½ cup whole-grain rice (If you use white rice, add it after half-an-hour.)
4-1/2 cups water
and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Add 1-1/2 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Peas Pudding
Another side dish, which we make also with yellow split peas.
In a large pan, cook ½ cup minced onion and 1 cup diced ham in butter until onions are limp but not brown. Add 2 cups washed dry peas and stir until slightly brown. Add 1 quart chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered about 45 minutes or until peas are tender but not mushy. Watch and stir often after about ½ hour so it doesn’t burn. Season with salt.

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup
3 c. chicken broth, or more
1/2 c chopped onion
1 c. or so diced red potatoes, or equal to a can or so of black, pinto, or chili-style beans
2 c. frozen corn, optional
1 c. cooked brown rice, optional
1/2 large green pepper, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up,
1 can (14 oz) Mexican style stewed tomatoes
1 tsp chopped jalapeno peppers
1/2 tsp gr. cumin
organic corn chips, as garnish
1 Tbs. lime juice (I’ll usually use 1/2 squeezed lemon)
1/4 c chopped cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot over med-high heat, bring 1/2 c broth to a boil. Add onions, potatoes, gr. pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 min. Add chicken, cook and stir for 1 min. Add stewed tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin and remaining broth. Bring to a boil, lower temperature and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add lime juice and cilantro just before serving to not overcook. Serve with the chips.
I’m never precise when cooking this. The ingredients list is the foundation of this recipe. Your amounts or soup construction is your choice. It does seem to matter on not cooking your lime/lemon cilantro that you add at the end.

Another tip, we live in a grocery store challenged area. There are times when cilantro can’t be found. I try to keep a pre-chopped frozen baggie of it in my freezer from when I do find a nice supply.

I hope you will enjoy this soup as much as we do.
Melody