Crockpot Refried Beans

Honestly, refried beans aren't the prettiest to photograph on their own, so I'm including a photo of how we usually eat our beans (bean & cheese crisps).  Obviously making homemade refried beans takes more effort than opening a can, but they are SO GOOD and much healthier for you too.  It's worth it to try and make it once in awhile at least!

3 cups pinto beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste (I usually add 1-2 tsp)

In a large colander (strainer), measure out 3 cups of beans, picking out any bad ones as you go.  Rinse beans.  Put beans into a large crock pot (mine is a 5qt) and add approximately 5-6 inches of water to cover the beans.  Place lid on and let soak overnight (no heat).

After soaking, drain beans into a colander again.  Put beans back into crock pot and fill with water with at least 4 inches covering the beans.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

When the beans are done, saute the onion and garlic with 1-2 tsp oil in a large frying pan until translucent.  Drain the beans, reserving 2 cups of the liquid for later use.

With the pan on med high heat, add 2 tsp more oil and beans to the pan.  Mash bean with a potato masher.  Stir in reserved bean liquid for desired thickness.  Stir in remaining seasonings and you're done!

Refrigerate any leftovers.  They freeze well too!

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

The girls and I love this oatmeal so much, I've made it twice in the last week!

I even had it for dessert!  It's a delicious clean eating breakfast!  

I love to serve it with vanilla flavored coconut milk.

1 can 14.5oz pumpkin

2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp each pumpkin pie spice, ginger, ground cloves, vanilla

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 eggs

2 cups milk

1 ¼ cups water

Toppings: raisins (golden ones are great), slivered almonds, agave nectar or honey to taste.

Stir pumpkin and oats together in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla and all spices together. Stir egg mixture into the oats.  Stir in milk and water.  Pour into 9x13 baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375.  While oven is preheating, the oats will be expanding slightly.

Bake for 40 minutes.  Serve hot with milk and toppings of choice.  Sweeten with agave nectar or honey, if needed.


Or bake it the night before, refrigerate overnight and heat up in the microwave the next morning for a quick breakfast!

Gingerbread Waffles

I found this recipe in recent Family Circle magazine and did a clean eating makeover version of them.  I usually double the recipe too, so that I can feed my family for 2 mornings with it!   

They were good, especially with the apple butter on top.  
Oh my!

2 cups whole wheat flour

3 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

3 eggs (or use 5 egg whites and 1 whole egg)

1 ¾ cup milk mixed with  2 tsp lemon juice (which will make it into buttermilk)

¼ cup oil
¼ cup honey

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup molasses

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a medium size bowl, beat eggs.  Pour milk, applesauce, oil and honey into eggs; beat until well blended.

Heat waffle iron.  Make a well in flour mixture and stir in egg mixture and molasses; stir until well blended.

Cook in waffle iron until done.  Keep warm in on a baking sheet in oven or serve right away!  Top with apple butter or maple syrup and fruit!  YUM!

Apple Butter

Apple butter is something new to me.  I had never even tried it until a few months ago!  This is a clean eating recipe that is great to use as a topping for so many things or even a mix-in.  We usually use it to top pancakes and waffles, and mix it in oatmeal instead of using syrups and sugar.  I usually freeze the extra in small containers and thaw in the fridge whenever we run out!  It tastes and smells so good.

8 apples (that's what fits in my 4 Qt slow cooker, but you can use more if you have a bigger one)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tbsp vanilla
agave nectar to taste (I use 1/4 cup or less)

You can either peel the apples first and then quarter them, or pick out the skins later when it's cooked.  (I've picked out the skins the last two times I've made it and I think that I'll peel them from now on.)

Place your quartered apples (cores removed) in the crock pot and add the vanilla.  Cover and cook on low overnight (8 hours).

Smash apples with a fork (it will be really soft and easy to do)  Pick out the skins if you didn't previously peel the apples.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and cook for another 4-6 hours on low and it's done!

If you want even smoother looking butter, then blend the mixture in a food processor/blender (I don't).

Butternut Squash Soup

Picture by me

Recipe by Alton Brown here

This is so good.  I made it for my birthday dinner because I love it so much!

• 6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks butternut squash
• Melted butter, for brushing
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (I like it better with black pepper)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger (I used powdered ginger once and it was just fine too)
• 4 ounces milk
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. On a sheet pan lay the squash flesh side up. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and puree using a stick blender. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Hummus

This recipe is from the show Zoom.  About 3 years ago, Brynlee used to watch this show on PBS.  She saw the children making this recipe wanted to make it too.  I printed it out, put it in my folder and didn't make it until last month.  Why did I wait so long?!!  It's a weekly staple in my house now as a great and healthy dip for vegetables or pita chips!

Here's what you will need to make it:

• 1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini (a.k.a. sesame seed butter/paste)
• pita bread, cut veggies, or chips
• blender
• garlic press
• spatula
• bowl

Here's what you have to do:

1. People in Middle Eastern countries, like Lebanon, have been making hummus for thousands of years. There are lots of ways to make hummus, but chickpeas are always the main ingredient. (Hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea.)

2. Ask a grown-up for help before you begin. You will be using a blender for this recipe.

3. Wash your hands.

4. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then dump them into the blender.

5. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

6. Peel 1 clove of garlic and crush it in a garlic press. (If you don't have a garlic press, chop it finely with a knife.)

7. Add the crushed garlic to the blender.

8. Add 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of tahini. Tahini is ground sesame seeds (kind of like peanut butter) and can be found near the peanut butter in some grocery stores. Other stores may have it in the international section.

9. Put the lid on the blender and puree at low speed for 5-10 seconds until smooth.

10. Wait for the blender to stop completely. Then mix the hummus with a rubber spatula so that all the ingredients get blended.

11. Put the lid back on and puree for another 10 seconds.

12. Wait for the blender to stop completely. Then pour the hummus into a bowl.

13. You can serve hummus with vegetables, pita bread, tortilla chips or whatever tastes good.

14. Sahtayn! In Arabic it means "Two healths" - your health and my health.