Saucy Black Bean Recipe

I came up with this recipe one night, while trying to figure out what to make for dinner for my girlfriend and I.  It is quite healthy, containing healthy monounsaturated fats, high in fiber, and also containing low glycemic index carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein, and black beans are a decent source of iron.  It is also vegan - if that is your thing.

Ingredients:
2 cans black beans
1 large tomato (diced)
1 avacado (diced)
2 cooked ears of corn (off the cob)
1 cup of salsa
2 tbs vegetable oil (optional)
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs garlic powder
.5 tbs onion powder
.25-1 tsp cayenne (depends how hot you like it!)
1 tsp cumin

The other nice thing about this recipe is that is fairly cheap to make, if you are a poor grad student like myself.

Because canned beans always contain so much salt, I like to wash mine after I open them.  Usually just in a normal colander.  Rinse 2-3 times with cold water, shifting the beans around to get most of the salt off of them.  Add 2 cans of rinsed and drained beans into a medium-large skillet with a coating of oil or cooking spray and heat over medium

I like to buy Michigan sweet corn and use fresh corn for this recipe, but I suppose canned corn would also work, as long as it is drained.

As beans are heating up, add the corn to the mix.

Next, add your diced tomatoes and garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne.  I generally prefer the tomatoes to be cubed about 1/2-1 inch in size.  Mix gently and let the tomatoes stew.  This usually takes approximately 10-15 minutes.

Everything is stewing

Once the tomatoes are softened up, you're ready to add the salsa and avocado.  Add these into your mixture, stir gently so not to smash the avocados, and let stew another 5-10 minutes.

Salsa to help sauce it up

Avocado is full of healthy fat

Once everything is nice and stewed, you have a delicious dish ready to serve.  I'll eat this on its own, often garnished with some sour cream.  Another option is to serve this over rice.  It would probably even be pretty good eaten as a wet burrito. 

Budweiser really brings out the flavor of this dish

Healthier Pumpkin Muffins

Being a carbohydrate monster, I like to supplement my diet with muffins.  One of my favorite fall recipes (although I make these year-round) is my pumpkin muffins.  The below recipe will make between 18-24 muffins.  I like to use Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chips.  The walnuts are definitely optional.  I add the soy flour to give them a little extra protein and a slightly nutty taste.  Spray your muffin pan lightly with Pam or baking spray and bake on 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

1.75 cups white flour 1.75 cups 100% whole wheat flour 1 cup sugar 0.5 cups chopped walnuts 2 tablespoon canola oil 0.5 cups soy flour 2 eggs 30 oz pumpkin puree 3/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon baking soda 120 grams chocolate chips 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cloves A dash of cayenne pepper
Calories                        242
Total Fat                       7.0g
Saturated Fat                2.2g
Trans Fat                     0.0g
Cholesterol                   23mg
Sodium                         91mg
Total Carbohydrates     39.8g
Dietary Fiber                3.0g
Sugars                          17.3g
Protein                          6.2g
Vitamin A 148% • Vitamin C 4% Calcium 5% • Iron 13%
Nutrition Grade B
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet