Super Easy Black Bean Chili

Super Easy Black Bean Chili

by Erin Taylor

This chili is super fast, super easy, and super good! Make some on a cold night and serve with your favorite cornbread and honeybutter! (I use Marie Callendar's brand!)
Easy Mexican Salad recipe follows using same chili! It's delicious!!!


1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (red beans would work, too, but black has more flavor!)
2 C. water
2 tsp. chopped garlic (or garlic powder)
1 Tbsp. ground Cumin
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
Salt and pepper

Brown the meat in a pot. (making this all in one pot saves dishes!)Drain any excess fat. Add contents of cans, garic, and seasonings. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese.

*hint- this chili is PERFECT as an Easy Mexican Salad! Crumble corn tortilla chips onto a plate. Top with shredded lettuce. Pour chili over the top. Add shredded cheese, sour cream,sliced olives, and salsa. Enjoy!!!

Healthier Taco Salad

So, in line with my post about trying to eat healthier and cook more often, tonight I went to the grocery store.  There's nothing more refreshing for me than to clean out my fridge, clean out my cupboards, clean the kitchen, then go to the store and fill up my fridge and cupboards with healthy, fresh foods.  I'm also making an effort to make better choices at the store when I can--watching sales, using coupons, and buying organic and local as much as possible.  Since my fridge was practically bare, I can't believe I was able to buy about 10 days' worth of meals (3 a day plus snacks), all organic produce, for under $200.

Anyhow, I had some ground turkey breast in my freezer that I wanted to use up, so I came up with this recipe (it made enough for 2 very generously portioned salads--probably too generous--and enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow too):

1 pound ground turkey breast
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained*
1 packet of organic, low sodium taco seasoning mix
 1 medium red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced and tossed in 1 tsp. lime juice
blue corn tortilla chips**
romaine lettuce
green onions
shredded cheese
fat free sour cream
fresh salsa
sliced olives

1. In a nonstick skillet, saute onions in 1 tsp olive oil.  Add ground turkey breast and taco seasoning, letting it brown while breaking up with a wooden spoon.  Add black beans when turkey is nearly cooked through.

2.  Layer turkey-bean mixture with a few chips, cheese, romaine lettuce, olives, green onions, diced avocado, sour cream, and salsa.

*I used to really hate beans.  But since my husband grew up eating tons of Mexican food in southern California, he made me try them again...and now I love them!  They are such a quick way to get protein and complex carbohydrates, plus they're super cheap.  I think black beans have the most health benefits, but feel free to substitute whatever you have.

**I had blue corn tortilla chips from Whole Foods in my pantry.  I read that as far as tortilla chips go, blue corn chips have at least some antioxidants in them despite the fact that they're chips and therefore a splurge.  They're really tasty too, but again, substitute what you have.

Roasted Winter Vegetables: Updated

With the beginning of a new year, I always try to make one of my resolutions an effort to cook healthier and more frequently (as opposed to going out).  Do you ever find that when you make the effort to buy great produce, plan meals, and eat at home, you eat healthier and save money?  I sure do.  So I'm trying my best to eat better, which means a variety of colorful, healthy foods while saving money (and getting my husband to eat something besides bean burritos!).

For Christmas Eve with my family, I knew I wanted to make these roasted veggies.  My hands-down favorite way to eat veggies is after they've been roasted in the oven, and even my super picky husband always gets seconds when I make them.  But since we were having a lot of people over for Christmas Eve dinner, I wanted to change them up a bit, especially since we were already having mashed potatoes.  So here's what I did (and they were oh so delicious):

1 sweet potato
1 yam
6-8 carrots
4 parsnips
1 red bell pepper
1/2 bag frozen pearl onions, defrosted
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 packet McCormick toasted onion & garlic potato seasoning (I'm sure you could replicate this with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion flakes)

Peel and cut veggies into 1 inch pieces.  Toss with olive oil and seasoning, then spread onto a rimmed cookie sheet.  Roast at 425 for 20-25 minutes, or until just tender.  Then broil an additional few minutes until everything is browned and crispy.

If you have leftovers (since this makes a ton), and you like veggie soup, just puree all the veggies in a blender with chicken broth, then reheat.