I made these baked beans, but used vegetable stock and omitted the ham, as I had none on hand. I have to say they didn't meet my expectation, so after we ate them for a meal, I sorted the rest into 1-cup/freezer bag meal starters. Now I've been spending the rest of my month coming up with new ways to use the leftovers.

The first photo above is a meatless burrito, the second a curried bean pot with red peppers and spinach. Both were #testkitchen projects, and both passed the taste test with flying colours by one of my local sample tasters.

1 c. leftover baked beans, mashed
1 package veggie ground round
2/3 c. salsa (I used medium, but use your favorite)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/3-2/3 c. water (to personal preference)


Toppings:
Whole Grain Whole Wheat Wraps
Romaine Lettuce
Cilantro
Grated Cheddar

Heat all ingredients together, mix well, and serve each with a large, whole grain whole wheat tortilla, a leaf of romaine lettuce, 2-3 sprigs of cilantro, and a sprinkling of cheddar.

My first son and I found them a little spicy, but my husband added a lot of hot sauce to bring the heat up to his preference. The cilantro made the flavours really "pop".

Let me know what you think!

Spice Blend:
2 tsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp savoury
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp cornstarch

1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas
1 c. leftover baked beans
1 c. canned diced tomatoes
1 c. diced mushrooms
1 c. diced or julienned sweet peppers (I used red)
2.5 c. baby spinach
1 onion, sliced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 portion spice blend (see above)
3/4 c. water
2 tbsp fresh cilantro/serving

Heat the olive oil in skillet, and add onion. Cook until softened, then add garlic, mushrooms, peppers, and spinach. When softened, add the spice blend, and mix well.  Add the tomatoes, and mix well. Add the water, 1/4 c. at a time, until you reach the consistency you like, then stir in the chickpeas and baked beans. Serve topped with chopped cilantro, or a sprig if you prefer.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we did! Let me know what you think!

We don't eat out much, but yesterday at lunch time my husband and I decided to check out Wok Box. Because I was in a hurry to get somewhere, I wanted something to eat that didn't require 2 hands and a table, and the idea of typical fast food (such as the golden arches) never appeals to me.

May I say right now, the samosas at Wok Box were very enjoyable. They inspired me to try something similar for tonight's dinner. I don't think I'm actually capable of deep-frying anything, so traditional samosas were out of the question, as was making and baking my own dough on a school night.

I bought whole grain whole wheat wraps by Dempsters (Bakery Thins). Those, combined with the peas, make a complete protein, which makes this a fantastic vegetarian meal for my protein hungry boys.

4-5 medium russet potatoes, cut into large chunks
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 c. julienned or matchstick cut carrots
1 c. julienned or matchstick cut zucchini
1/2 c. frozen peas
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yellow curry powder
finely grated fresh ginger, to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp milk
Thai chili-ginger sauce, optional, for dipping.

Wash and slice the russet potatoes into large chunks, and layer in a steaming basket or in a double boiler. Steam while preparing the rest of your meal. Steam your peas at the same time- I use the microwave for this, as they don't take very long, and no one in my house likes overcooked peas. They are done when they are a nice bright green rather than going asparagus-coloured. Set them aside.

Heat a non-stick pan with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Add the onion and carrots, and stir fry until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and zucchini, and continue to stir fry, until the zucchini is softened, about another 5 minutes. Turn heat down to very low, and check on potatoes. If you can stick a fork easily into them, they're done. Pull out about half the potatoes and place into a bowl. Mash with a fork, mixing in 1 tbsp of milk, 1 tbsp of butter, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of curry powder. 

The potatoes should be somewhat chunky and textured, so don't overmash.

When combined, mix into the onion and vegetable mixture. Turn off the heat. Pull out the remaining potatoes and repeat the process, using the remaining olive oil, curry powder, salt, and milk. Fold the peas into the potatoes, and mix that with the rest of the meal. Your mixture will be quite thick. 

Spoon it into a wrap, fold over, and serve with a variety of fresh vegetables, including snap peas. As an option you can try out a dipping sauce for your wrap. My husband really enjoyed his with the dipping sauce, but I preferred it without any sauce.


Enjoy!

This is my hands-down favorite way to eat green beans.

2 c. washed and snapped fresh green beans
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1 tbsp dried onions
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Heat olive oil in skillet on stove, then add green beans. Mix well to cover evenly with oil. Add spices and dried onions. Continue cooking until they are bright green, tender-crisp, and tasty. Serve hot or cold.

Someone I know was heading to Legoland in Carlsbad, CA, for the last few days. I was jealous for about 5 minutes- and then I left the house. It was the most beautiful day here, and actually felt like summer. That being said, I didn't want a heavy, hot meal to heat up the house, so a vegetable stir fry with leftover (from the freezer) roasted chicken seemed like the perfect dinner. The secret to a great stir fry is to pre-cut everything, because once you turn on the pan it takes almost no time to cook.

1 yellow onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced into sticks
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup snap peas
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 c. grape tomatoes
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Cattle Boyz original bbq sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp water

Heat a non-stick pan with the sesame oil. Add the sliced onions, and cook until softened. Add the carrots and garlic, and cook just a few minutes, until the garlic is softened. Add 1 tbsp of soy sauce, then the rest of the veges except for the tomatoes. Stir in the ginger, and mix well. Add the bbq sauce first, then the water. Mix well. Add the last tbsp of soy sauce and the tomatoes, and mix well. Add the sesame seeds, stir in, and remove from heat.

We're eating lower-carb this week, so I'm preparing a lot of vegetables with our meals. I love stir fried peppers, and adding mushrooms and onions ups the flavour component beautifully.

1/2 green pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced
1 c. sliced white mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped 
1/2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Add olive oil and heat in a large frying pan. I have a favorite skillet that's deep and non-stick. When the oil is hot, add the yellow onions. Cook, stirring ocassionally, until they are softening. Add the mushrooms, and do the same. Add the peppers and garlic. Stir until peppers are tender-crisp and brightly coloured, then immediately remove from heat.
Garnish with green onions.

Pictured with Parmesan Crusted Tilapia.
Edited on 9/20/14:  
I made this for dinner tonight, but just used a red pepper, and omitted the green onions. The only thing I did a little differently for seasoning was add the garlic in with the onions and use a whole package of fresh mushrooms.The flavours were much more bright.. Here's a picture of it cooking:

Over the weekend I ate roasted vegetables. I never remember to roast anything except potatoes, so I wanted to give this a try.

3 c. loosely chopped fresh broccoli
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tbsp canola oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 lemon's worth of zest
lemon wedges

In a large bowl, mix broccoli and oil. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bake at 375* for about 25 minutes. 15 minutes in, flip over the pieces to ensure even browning.

Just before serving, toss in the lemon zest. Serve with lemon wedges- tastes great with fresh lemon juice squeezed over.

Verdict: First and second son said "I don't like it" Husband said "I'm not a big fan of cooked vegetables".
I thought it was pretty good. The lemon zest really added to it. Next time I'll use a second clove of garlic.

Pictured with Parmesan Crusted Tilapia.

We're having a great dinner tonight. Homemade pizza pockets and a wonderful, slightly-spicy salad that I've been playing with to get "just right". The last time I made it I received a less-than-stellar response to it. I liked it, but no one else in our family did. Crossing my fingers that this is the one! Although if not, I still like it, and that means leftovers for me! This recipe is a Meals Maven exclusive.

Salad Ingredients:
1 c. frozen corn
1 c. black beans
1/2 each yellow, red, and green bell peppers (diced)
1 carrot, ribboned
5 green onions, sliced thinly
10 grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 avocado, diced

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chili powder 

Mix all the ingredients except avocado together, and toss in the dressing. Allow to rest for 1-2 hrs. Add the avocado right before serving to keep it fresh and green.

Pictured with Pizza Pockets.

Verdict: First son said "It's awful!" Second son didn't try it. Husband said "So much better this time. I like it".
So there you go. We'll be making this again, even if it's just for the hubs and I.

We love potatoes. I especially enjoy the little ones we buy from Costco each month. They are ready to use, so perfectly sized for so many things, and you get lots of colours so you can't get bored. This recipe was developed many years ago when my boys didn't like potatoes and is a Meals Maven exclusive.

Potatoes (3-4 large, depending on your hunger!), cut into evenly-sized chunks- smaller cooks faster.
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt.

Mix in the oil, add the seasonings, and cook at 375* for 30-45 minutes. I line my baking sheet with parchment paper; foil will work in a pinch but they will tend to stick.
Halfway through, flip the chunks over. They will brown on the bottom side. They are done when a fork easily pierces and they are golden and "light".

Pictured with Maple and Brown Sugar Salmon.