Quick Breakfast Enchilada

Quick is the key word here, every meal over the past month has been quick! When our schedules get busy, Ryan and I try very hard not to succumb to the dreaded takeout or fast food. I like to keep things homemade as much as possible, but sometimes it is difficult in the mornings. I am one of those that presses snooze about 10 times before I actually get out of bed. I know this is horrible and both Ryan and I hate it, but that is the way my morning goes. I sleep in until the absolute, possible last minute!

So breakfast is usually out of the question for me. On weekdays, I typically have a green drink in the morning and then a hearty snack mid-morning to keep me going until lunch. However, there are some days when I know I won't get that snack and I need breakfast to tide me over. This little gem of a recipe got me through a particularly long day last week!

Last week was crazy - holiday parties, demanding work days, unpacking from New York, laundry and re-packing for Kiawah...Not to mention squeezing in a few final training runs before the half marathon. I needed a protein-packed breakfast that would last me longer than 2 hours. I didn't need a greasy fast food breakfast, so I pulled out the eggs and a few other ingredients. This breakfast literally took me less than 10 minutes to make and it was delicious! 15 minutes later, I was out the door.

Substitutions are easy here. Flour tortillas instead of corn, any type of bean instead of black beans, chilies for salsa, etc. Onions or other vegetables could be added or fresh tomatoes on top.

No more Dunkin' Donut runs for me in the morning!! I am starting my days off right!

Quick Breakfast Enchilada

Yields: 1 serving
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

1 teaspoon oil or butter
2 small corn tortillas

2 eggs

2 tablespoon canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon  salsa

2 tablespoon  favorite grated cheese

sour cream

avocado

hot sauce

Heat a saute pan over medium heat and melt the oil. Crack two eggs into the pan and start to scramble. Right before the eggs are finished to the consistency desired, add in the beans and salsa (or other vegetables being used). Stir to combine well and heat the beans and salsa.

On a large plate, lay the corn tortillas between two damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. This makes the tortillas more pliable and easy to roll. Fill each tortilla with the egg mixture and roll up. Sprinkle cheese on top and heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Top with sour cream, salsa, avocado or favorite toppings.

Enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or tea!

7-Layer Bean Dip

Football Season - a time for excitement, disappointment, camaraderie and a lot of yelling. Unfortunately, it is also a time for very unhealthy foods! Since my Crohn's doesn't usually let me indulge in anything cheesy, fried or creamy, I usually always volunteer to bring something myself. And one of my favorite crowd pleasers, that happens to also be a waistline pleaser, is my 7-Layer Bean Dip. 

All you need to do is dedicate a little bit of time and make a few substitutions, and you can make your own easy layer dip that doesn't include all of the calories. 

I thought this would be a perfect addition to the Live Draft Party for my all-girls-fantasy football league. Why should the guys have all the fun???

All the gals brought something over to our friends house, where we setup our computers for draft time. There was a lot of yelling, cursing, a few drinks here and there, and some very good food. Katie decided to make these yummy bits (Oreo Cheesecake Pretzel bites....remember the Chocolate Peanut Butter ones)??

And the table was filled with delicious food from everyone's kitchens.

We put on our jersey's (paused for a very girly picture) and got down to business with the draft. 

The great thing about this dip, is that you can make several layers ahead of time and assemble right before the party or get together. The best way to keep this healthy is to make your own bean layer instead of the mystery refried beans that come from a can.

Here is the layer breakdown:

Layer 1 - "refried" black beans - by starting with whole black beans and adding healthy coconut oil and spices, it cuts back on a lot of the fat
Layer 2 - guacamole made with just avocado and salsa
Layer 3 - light sour cream
Layer 4 - salsa (fresh or your favorite brand)
Layer 5 - sharp cheddar cheese - since there is no melting in this dip, use a sharp cheese and less of it
Layer 6 - fresh chopped lettuce - for a little health benefit
Layer 7 - fresh chopped tomatoes - for a little extra health benefit

7-Layer Bean Dip

Yields: 8x8 dish of dip
Prep Time: 30-45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 Tablespoon oil (coconut or olive)
1 (15.5 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed well

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/3 cup vegetable broth

1 avocado, mashed

Salsa

Light sour cream

Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Romaine lettuce, finely chopped

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

Fresh chives, chopped
Tortilla chips

Start with the bean layer. In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the oil and saute the chopped onion for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, chili powder and pinch of salt until well combined. Add the black beans and stir to warm up. Stir in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. With a potato masher or back of a large spoon, start to mash the beans in the pan. Continue to cook on medium-low heat, stirring and mashing along the way, until the mixture has thickened. Another method to "mashing" the beans is to place them into a food processor. Set the beans aside to cool.

Make the guacamole to your preference. We like to simply mash the avocado and mix in a little of our favorite salsa. Set this aside. 

Once the bean layer has cooled, get ready to assemble the dip. Spread the bean mixture in the bottom of an 8x8 glass dish (or dish being used for the dip). Then spread the guacamole on top of the beans, being careful not to blend them. Next, spread a layer of sour cream, then salsa and shredded cheddar cheese. Place this in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Layer the shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes on top of the dip right before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh chives.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!!

Stewed Butter Beans

Beans usually are not the most desired vegetable among the younger generation, but butter beans are called butter beans for a reason. When they are cooked, they taste like butter!

Also known as lima beans, these are another one of my favorite summer vegetables that are abundant at our local Farmer's Market. I hate to be picky again, but the only way I will eat them is if I can find them fresh. Dried beans are too much effort and canned beans are for salsas!

About a year ago, I had the opportunity to do a cooking class at one of the best restaurants in Durham - Nana's. The recipe that I enjoyed learning most was one that highlighted butter beans. I couldn't wait to get home and try my own version. Unfortunately, butter beans were not in season when I got around to trying the recipe, so I had to wait until this summer to try it again. The biggest challenge was to document amounts, as the chef at Nana's did not have any sort of measuring utensil in his kitchen.

There are several elements that make this recipe delicious - bouquet garni, broth and mirepoix. Ok, I promise I am still speaking English...well sort of!

Bouquet Garni

Bouquet garni is a french term for "garnished bouquet," in other terms a bouquet of herbs. This is used to flavor sauces, soups and stews and is very easy to put together. Take string and tie it around a bunch of fresh herbs - any kinds available.

Mirepoix

We all know what broth is, but you might be asking what mirepoix is. Another term I learned at the cooking class, that is also referred to the "Holy Trinity" or "Soffritto." Mirepoix is a combination of equal parts celery, onion and carrot. This is the base of most soups, sauces and broths. These three boring vegetables come together to create a fantastic flavor base for many recipes. For all the soups and sauces that I make, I always start with mirepoix now.

Mirepoix - equal parts chopped carrots, celery and onion.

Butter Beans

Yields: 4 cups

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bouquet garni (I used basil, thyme, oregano and bay leaves)
   mixture of fresh herbs (can use a combination of basil, chives, oregano, parsley, bay  
   leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage)
   butcher's string
4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian version)
1 quart fresh shelled butter beans
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large sauce pot, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the chopped onion, celery and carrot and stir to coat with the butter/oil mixture. Cook this for about 5-7 minutes just until the vegetables start to become soft.

Prepare your bouquet garni while the vegetables are cooking. Tie the butcher's string around a bunch of fresh herbs.

Add the garlic to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the broth, bouquet garni and butter beans to the pot. Gently stir to combine and add salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook on low, covered for 45 minutes. Check the beans, stir and continue to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes if they are not done. Be careful not to overcook the beans as they will lose flavor and become too mushy. Once you are able to easily mash the beans with a fork, they are done.

I like to serve my beans on top of a baked sweet potato or fresh spinach. You can leave the beans in the broth for more of a soup or drain some of the broth out. I like to reserve the broth to drink or use for other uses like cooking rice, couscous or noodles.