The Blogher Black Bean Diet

As we all know, I'm going to Blogher to deliver my patented Awkward Hugs™.

As we all also know, money is the bane of my existence. Since I am going to Blogher even though my family can barely make it through each month, I'm attempting to save our food budget this month so that I can enjoy myself in California.

The food budget is helped quite a bit by Logan's ever extending trip to California. The children barely eat anything but fresh fruit and Trader Joe's fruit leathers. I've been eating black beans. A lot of black beans. Which is our unfortunate approach to budget crisis. March of this year involved a LOT of black beans.

You're asking yourself, "How does one prepare a plethora of meals out of black beans?"

I'm answering, "Well, I'm desperate for content. Here you go!"   

Black Bean Tortilla Pockets
*this is great for summer because there's no oven!

1 (15 oz) can of black beans
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 medium tomato chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. lime juice
tortillas
2 cups shredded lettuce (we use spinach because Logan is a lunatic! Ha!)

This is the hard part:
Mix all ingredients except lettuce and tortillas, in a medium bowl. Mix well. Spoon bean mixture into each tortilla, top with lettuce. Fold up tortilla and serve.

Black Bean Soup

1 (~15 oz) can of black beans
1 (~15 oz) can chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 (~15 oz) can refried beans
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
Add salsa (start with 1 cup) to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder

Mix everything together and heat. The first four ingredients are "required" play around with the rest. I've added corn, taco sauce, green onions as available.

To serve place crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of soup bowl and ladle soup over top.

[Thanks to an old friend who it turns out doesn't think you can be an American and not support the war in Iraq. Awesome!]

Vegetarian Mexican Casserole

5-6 flour tortillas
1 (~15 oz) can of black beans, drained
1 (~15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. minced garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup cottage or ricotta cheese
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup salsa
1 egg (optional)
2 cups mild or sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix beans and tomatoes. Stir in onion and garlic. In separate bowl, mix cottage or ricotta cheese, egg, sour cream and salsa. Rip 2-3 tortillas into bite-sized pieces and place on bottom of greased shallow casserole dish. Layer half of bean mixture, half of cottage cheese mixture, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with the cheddar cheese. Bake 25
minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

This recipe is from Seat Of The Pants Suppers which is out of print and now selling on Amazon.com for, as you can see in the link, HOLY FUCKING CRAP! They're going for around $60. I bought mine for $15 after visiting my sister in law's sister in New York City (you'll want to look at those because I took them over two years ago before anyone read this website) when she cooked for us from it. It changed my life and may have saved my marriage because Logan was fairly annoyed at my inability to cook anything. Ever.

I'm sad to tell you I have at least two more black bean related recipes. Pasta and black beans that's what the Summers are all about! Too bad we're not vegetarians.

Comments

[E]

On the plus side, you're probably assured of meeting your daily fiber recommendation. Around here, when funds get low, we make homemade pizza. Flour. Yeast. Leftover Trader Joe's sauces. A meager scattering of cheese and veggies about to go bad. Also, mixing and kneading the dough keeps small children occupied for as long as you need.

[Angel]

Thanks for the recipes! We loooove black beans.

[angel]

you have black beans... me & damien have pasta... or rice. it's cheap and it fills you up. probably why i look like i do too...

[Meghan]

There is nothing wrong with a diet of Trader Joe's fruit leather. That stuff is amazing. I made it through several all-nighters on nothing but fruit leather and Diet Pepsi with lime. Yum.

Not that salmon is on the low-cost shopping list, but I know of another great TJ's black bean recipe. Mix one can of TJ Black beans with a jar of their Mango Salsa. Put salmon steak in a shallow glass dish, spoon half of the black bean/salsa mix on top and bake/broil for 20 minutes at 350. After plating the salmon, spoon the remaining salsa/bean mix on top, or serve on the side. The one can/one jar ration should be enough for 4 salmon steaks, but you can stretch it or pile it on depending on your own preference. I haven't tried it, but you could experiment with other salsa flavors, and chicken would likely work just as well.

[Flippy]

I had a black bean burrito tonight, in solidarity.

[KB]

If you are really lazy like me, you can make black bean soup with two cans of black beans, two cans of chicken broth and a container of fresh salsa. Just saute the salsa for 10 minutes, add the four cans and simmer for 10 minutes.
My extremely carniverous husband actually requests it.
God bless the black bean.

[Heather]

I've never been one for black beans....

Our cheap, "oh shit, we are REALLY broke this month and somehow gotta get fed" meals are hamburger helper, spegetti (sauce, ham meat, noodles) and on occasion......... Cereal.

Yes, i have been known to tell the family to make them some cereal and toast for dinner.

I have a family of 6 so our cheap meals consist of a BOX of cereal, 2 BOXES of Ham helper and a boatload of spegetti......... all the while trying to explain to them that we are poor. They still dont believe me, but you would think the 2 million cases of Ramon noodles soup in the pantry would tip them off??????

[Sara]

Ohhh - the first one looks really good. On the dinner menu - perhaps tonight!

[Karen]

I'd be happy if any of my kids would eat a single black bean. Sigh.

[melissaS]

Dear God, my kids won't touch a black bean! They get pasta. Lotsa pasta.

[Feelin Groovy]

I am in California right now for work, and let me tell you, it's worth every damn bean you have to eat!

[emily]

Delurking to salute your TJ's cheapo dinner solutions, Melissa -- rock on with your black bean self. When I was in grad school, TJ's pasta, brown rice, and (gulp) frozen hash browns got me (and my pancreas) through. These days, I've clicked it up one tiny notch -- their mojito and masala sauces are on the table at least once a week, flavoring their excellent & cheap frozen chicken thighs. And before I come off even more like a TJ's PR person, let me also recommend The Barefoot Contessa's "Pasta, Pesto & Peas," the most filling non-bean veggie dinner ever: rotini + small jar of pesto (like the $2.99 shelf stable kind in the "Italian" section of the market, not fresh) + thawed frozen spinach + frozen peas + ricotta/feta + a few tbs. of mayo (Logan will never suspect!) + S&P + pine nuts/walnuts if you have some (ha!). Mmmm mmm good. Enjoy your beany summer lifestyle...

[tessa]

I once lived an entire month on sliced tomatoes and mayonnaise! It gives you a great feeling of accomplishment when you're saving for a cause, so the food isn't the focus, the cause is. All my best wishes to you and your trip to Blogher. I hope it's everything (and more) you're hoping it will be. And I plan to try some of these recipes! They look amazing!

[Melizzard]

Wow your cheapo means sure a lot fancier than mine. Around here it's Kraft Mac & Cheese when the dollars are tight!

[styro]

You forgot black beans and rice, Black bean and corn salad, black bean pasta salad, black bean dip, black bean enchiladas...

Yeah, my poverty has given me a deep love of the frijole negro. ARRIBA!!

[suburban misfit]

When Heather said "Ham meat" with spaghetti, I felt a little ill. Then I realized she meant "Hamburger meat" and it was OK.

I was scared for a minute.

[Heather]

Sorry, didnt mean to scare anyone. Just a lazy typer........

Kraft mac and cheese---ya, baby........thats a fave at our house too.

Treading lightly when i say i dont have a clue what or who TJ is? I'm ssumming a name brand....must be a northern thing? (I'm from the south...)

[abby]

My personal fave is black bean and corn salad fancied up with cilantro, avocado and lime juice. You can serve it on top of corn pancakes made from the recipe on the back of the Jiffy box (33 cents, can't beat that). Yum and easy and probably under $5 for a huge meal.

[Suze]

Mmmm, love me some black beans. Thanks for the recipes. A black bean diet might help our budget issues as well.

[Lil' Sis]

Remind me to bring you some corn tortillas. I have a package of about 4,000 in my fridge. Fry them up & they make anything taste better. Or at least that's what I tell my po' self. I think my cats eat better than me. But they have to because Holly will rebel & throw up on my bed if I feed her the wrong stuff.

-miao.

[Chump]

I love awkward hugs too!

[suburban misfit]

TJ = Trader Joe's, the best grocery store EVER.

[Jack's Raging Mommy]

I have a friend who constantly talks about all the wonderful things he get's at Trader Joe's, and now you are too. I am so jealous!

[joaaanna]

Good Lord - me too with the 'ham meat' thing. I gagged a bit and then pondered what that would even BE!

We add black beans to our quesadillas. Mmm good!

Have a fantabulous time at Blogher!

[Melting Mama]

::uploading the BEANO::

[clickmom]

If I ate all those beans I could self-propel myself to California and save on the air fare.

I guess it is a good thing Logan is out of town.

[Phil]

Oh man -- Trader Joe's envy... I went for this first time while in SFO last week. Shoot, if you were in SFO, you could drive to Blogher. Must. Stop. Rambling.

hugs to you.

[Strizzle]

Black beans and rice.....SOOOO good. i always add some tomatoes to the recipe on the bag. MMMMM

[...chocolate!!!]

I just couldn't let you go through the rest of the summer without this black bean delicacy! :)

--------------------------

Black Bean Brownies

By Cathe Olson Author (Simply Natural Baby Food)

I cannot take credit for the idea of using black beans in brownies. The original recipe was from "The Brilliant Bean" by Sally and Martin Stone. However, I have modified it to use half the amount of butter, maple syrup for sugar, and grain coffee substitute instead of real coffee. Even with these changes, this is a rich, moist, fudgy brownie that is sure to satisfy your chocolate craving. Best of all, you can feel good that you are getting lots of calcium and protein from the beans and eggs. There is no flour in this recipe either for those on a low-carb or gluten-free diet.

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
4 eggs
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, pureed
2 1/2 tablespoons instant grain coffee substitute (like Cafix or Inka)
1 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or other nut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter an 8-inch baking pan. Melt chocolate and butter or oil together in small saucepan. In mixing bowl, beat eggs and maple syrup together. Add melted chocolate mixture
and beat well. Beat in bean puree and coffee substitute. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. If you press your finger in the middle, it should make a little dent. Don't overbake. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Yield: 16

Note: Puree beans in food processor or blender. If using food processor, chop nuts first and set them aside. Then puree beans. That way, you only have to wash the food processor once.

http://www.mothering.com/recipes/black-bean-brownies.shtml

[Crouching Hamster]

Thank you all so much for the recipes! I love black beans. And so does my cat, Mir.

I just landed a sweet summer job (I'm a late bloomer) and will be making one of these casseroles tomorrow for my nightly/weekly dinner.

This is my college chili recipe (which I still use):

Two cans of tomato soup with rice ( I guess Campbell's low sodium would be best, but it's expensive!), one can of black beans, diced firm tofu (optional - but my nephews love it) chili powder to taste, and Texas Pete sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste. When you eat it, add some grated medium aged cheddar cheese on top. If you are a child, you will, of course, actually be eating a bowl of cheese, with chili as the condiment. Supplement with sliced cantaloupe for dessert.

Being a former finicky eater, I think I may have made a good mom - in the food department, that is. I'll leave the rest up to you gals.

P.S. - Watch out for chili trousers.

[Lil' Sis]

OOH! A GLUTEN-FREE BROWNIE RECIPE!!!

Thank you so much, ...Chocolate!

-miao.

[BeckaJo]

I am going out this evening to buy black beans, becuase it honestly had not occured to me you could create something southwestern, Mexican-y without the oven and stove, and it's supposed to hit a high of 100 today, and I must eat something.

Thanks for the recipe.

[BeckaJo]

Oh, and I just wanted to say, I read 'ham meat' as HAM or pork of some kind, which is actually really good in spaghetti sauce. My parents used to make pork chops one night, then chop them up small and toss in the spaghetti the next night instead of meat balls. (Also meant they could use cheaper cuts of meat and do the same thing with the fat and tough bits.) Ham works too, as long as it's not flavor-cured.

Seven bio kids plus a dozen fosters makes you creative.