Curried Black Bean & Coconut Soup

1 can black beans (drained)

1 can coconut milk

1 carton veggie stock (or water with vegetable bouillion)

1 teaspoon good curry powder (start with half this amount and add more if you like a stronger curry flavor)

1 teaspoon ground ginger root

1 teaspoon cumin (optional)

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic (minced)

extra virgin olive oil

a good handful of chopped cilantro (save some for garnish)

1 large sweet potato (cooked and peeled)

salt to taste

In a soup or stock pot, on medium heat, cook down onions and garlic with a bit of olive oil. Add in the spices and stir to cook for a minute or two. Add beans, sweet potato and spices and cook for a few more minutes.

Next, add the veggie stock, coconut milk, and salt.

Add cilantro and blend it all together with an immersion blender or pulse for a second in a regular blender. The soup will become light and creamy in a matter of mere seconds!

Spectacular Spinach Smoothie

Fill blender pitcher with the following (amounts may vary depending on size of blender):

1 banana (riper=sweeter)
1/2 pitcher fresh spinach (about 2 handfuls)
1/4 pitcher frozen blueberries (1-2 cups)
1/4 pitcher frozen strawberries (1-2 cups)
Orange juice poured almost to the top of the pitcher (leave about an inch at the top)

Blend on high for 3-5 minutes... the longer, the better! Serve especially on those nights when you're not sure how many vegetables your children actually ate. :)

Mango Quinoa Salad

Mango Quinoa Salad

(adapted from Our Best Bites)

2 c. cold, cooked quinoa*

1 14 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium mango, peeled and diced (or mandarin oranges if your mango is rottenL )

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 c. corn

6 green onion, thinly sliced

1/2c. chopped cilantro

4 T. red wine vinegar

3 Tb. Olive oil

2 T. lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

*To cook quinoa, rinse and soak about 2/3 c. of dry quinoa for 5 minutes. Drain. Bring 1 1/3 c. water to boil. Add rinsed quinoa and 2 t. chicken boullion. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool.

-Combine cooked quinoa, mango, red bell pepper, green onion, black beans, corn, and cilantro.

-In a small bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth and pour over salad.

-Toss to combine and salt and pepper to taste.

-Chill at least 1 hour.

-Can eat with chips or taste great over grilled chicken.

Cherry Strudel Bars

1/2 C. Butter, softened

1/2 C. shortening

1 3/4 C. Sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 C. flour

1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling (or any other kind of pie filling)

1 recipe powdered sugar icing (below)

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl beat butter & shortening with an electric mixer on med. speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs & vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Reserve 1 1/2 C. dough. Spread remaining dough in the bottom of an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 - inch baking pan.

2. Bake for 12 min. Spread pie filling over crust in pan. Spoon reserved dough into small mounds on top of pie filling.

3. Bake about 30 min. more or until top is light brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 min. Drizzle top with powdered sugar icing. (Recipe Below) Let it cool a little more, then cut into bars to serve.

POWDERED SUGAR ICING:

In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 C. powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. vanilla or almond extract, and enough milk (3-4 tsp.) to make a smooth drizzling consistency.

Enjoy dessert! (Feeling frisky? Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side!)

Carmel Bars

1 Cup of Quick Oatmeal
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 Cup of Flour
3/4 Cup of Melted Butter
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon of Salt
Mix Together and put 1 cup of the mixture on the bottom of the 9x13 inch pan. Don't Press. Bake for 10 mins at 350.
Next sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips over the baked mixture.
Next melt 14oz. of carmel with 1/3 cup milk (I do this while the bottom layer is baking).
Next pour the melted carmel over the chocolate chips.
Last spread the remaining of the mixture over the top and bake for 10 more minutes at 350
Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)
1 can chicken broth
2 c. water
1 can corn
1 can French style green beans
1 can chopped green chilis (4 oz.)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 chicken breasts, shredded
1 can Mexican style tomatoes
½ chopped onion (or 1 tsp. Minced dried onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Garlic salt
Sprinkle of chili powder
Pepper, to taste

If using a crock pot, put 2 frozen (or fresh) chicken breasts in with all the other ingredients. Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Shred chicken when done. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, avocado, cheese, and/or fried corn tortilla strips (I like to cut corn tortillas into strips and fry on the stovetop with a little oil). !Delicioso!

If cooking the soup on the stove, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

This is a very flexible recipe. If you don’t have the spices, you can substitute a taco seasoning packet. You can also substitute tomato soup for tomato sauce if you don’t have it on hand. For those of you who knew and loved Sheralie Broadbent, this recipe came from her and is now one of our family favorites!

Serves 8-10

Lime Chicken Tacos

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 T. Lime Juice
1 T. Chili Powder
1 c. frozen corn
1 c. chunky Salsa
12 tortillas
Sour cream, cheese, etc. 

Place the chicken in the 3 qt shlow cooker.  Combine lime juice and chili poder; pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours or until chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken; cool slightly.  Shred and return to the slow cooker.  Stir in corn and salsa.  Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Serve in tortillas with sour cream, cheese, lettuce etc.

Enjoy!!!!