Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 package dried beans (You will need 3 cups for the Winter Black Bean Soup recipe.)

Directions:

1. Spread dried beans on a baking sheet. Remove any small stones, dirt pieces, or withered beans. Rinse.

2. Place rinsed beans in a large cooking pan. Cover with 3 cups of water per 1 cup of beans. Use 10 cups for a 1 lb bag. Do either a short soak or a long soak.

• Short Soak – Bring beans to a boil, boil for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat, and let stand covered for 1-4 hours. Rinse beans.
• Long Soak – Cover beans with cold water and soak overnight in an uncovered pot. Rinse beans.

3. Cover beans with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Cooking time varies with bean varieties and soaking times. Long soaks can shorten cooking times. Read package directions. In general:

• Cook 2 hours: black, great northern, kidney, navy, small white, and pinto beans
• Cook 3 hours: garbanzo (chickpeas) and red beans

Money saving tip:

• Cook a large pot of beans at one time and freeze in 1½ cup portions, which is about 1 can (15-ounce) can. Thaw using the defrost cycle of microwave, in the refrigerator overnight, or by setting them in a pan of water for 1 hour.

Give this a try:

• Add beans to a vegetable or pasta salad to make it a protein‐rich main dish.
• Mash cooked beans, spread on a soft tortilla, heat, and eat! Include other ingredients such as cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa.
• Also try our Winter Black Bean Soup, Vegetarian Chili, Cheesy Enchilda Bake, Quick Black Bean Salad, Cowboy Caviar, Santa Fe Stuff Potatoes, Make-ahead Mexican Rollups, Jicama & Black Bean Dip.     

Serves: 4

Serving Size: 1¼ cup

Per Serving: $.90

Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked black beans
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• ½ cup onion, chopped (about ½ medium onion)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• 1 can (14.5-ounce) Mexican-style diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice (optional)
• Nonfat yogurt or lowfat sour cream and cilantro
• for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare beans as directed on inside back cover.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook. Stir until onion begins to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder. Add cumin, if you like. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes, beans, and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes covered.
4. Remove from heat and stir in lime or lemon juice, if you like.
5. Garnish before serving.

Cooking Tips:

• Thin the soup by adding water. Thicken soup by cooking longer without the cover.
• Soup can be cooked in a slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours.
• You can use 2 (15-ounce) cans reduced sodium black beans, rinsed, in place of the cooked black beans.
• Learn how to prepare the bean dry bean.

Serves: 24

Serving Size: 1/2 cup each
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1 whole head of garlic
•  1 teaspoon olive oil
•  5 pounds potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cubed
•  ¾ cup skim or low-fat milk
•  2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
•  Salt and black pepper
•  Thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut the top off garlic head exposing tops of the cloves. Place garlic head on a piece of aluminum foil. Pour olive oil on cut edge and sprinkle with thyme. Bunch aluminum foil around head and bake about 45 minutes.
2.  Allow garlic to cool slightly, then break into cloves and squeeze each clove to remove soft garlic. Mash on a plate until creamy. Set aside.
3. Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil and add potatoes. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving some of the water in a separate bowl.
4. Return potatoes to pan and add butter. Warm milk in the microwave for about 1 minute, or warm in a saucepan on top of the stove. Milk may curdle slightly, this is natural.
5. Mash with a potato masher, mixer or grind through a food mill. Add milk and garlic to potatoes. Add some of the hot potato water if potatoes are too stiff. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve

Serves:  8 

Serving Size:  ½ cup servings

Spanish Translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

 Ingredients

• 1 can (15-ounce) pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
• 1 package (3.5-ounce) instant sugar free vanilla pudding

 Instructions

1. Wash hands.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix pumpkin and cinnamon together with a wooden spoon.
3. Slowly stir in milk and mix well.
4. Add instant pudding mix and stir slowly for about one minute until it thickens.
5. Refrigerate until serving time.

Ensalada de brocoli y champinones
(Spanish Translation -pdf)

English (pdf)

Serves: 6
Serving Size: 1 /2 cup

Ingredients

• 1/2  head broccoli
• 1/2  pound mushrooms
• 1 small onion
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash and cut vegetables. Cut broccoli flowers into small pieces. Slice broccoli stems crosswise. Slice mushrooms.
2. Mix together the sugar, oil, vinegar, and seasonings.
3. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir so vegetables are well-coated.
4. Refrigerate several hours before serving.

Serves: 8
Serving Size: 1/4  cup

Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1-15 ounce can sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
   

Instructions

1. Drain the liquid off the sweet potatoes.
2. Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.
3. Cook in microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through.
4. Stir until smooth.

Tips

• Serve as a spread or dip for fresh fruit or graham crackers.
• Can be served hot or cold.
• Learn how to make your own homemade pita chips, to serve with your dip.
   

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 cup each
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1-16 ounce can kidney beans
• 1-16 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder

Instructions

1. Cook ground beef and onion together in a saucepan and rinse in warm water and drain to remove excess fat.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients with the beef and onion in the saucepan.
3. Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 10 minutes.
4. Refrigerate leftovers.

Tips

• Have pre-cooked, rinsed, and drained ground beef on hand in the freezer for quick meal preparation.
• Make a double batch and freeze the extra in single serving size containers for an extra quick meal.

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 ear

Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 4 ears sweet corn

Instructions

1. Husk and clean corn.
2. Place the corn in a microwave safe baking or casserole dish.
3. Add enough water to the dish to cover the bottom (about 1/3 cup).
4. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, venting one corner.
5. Place corn in the microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes.  Do not cook more than 4 ears at one time.  Each ear takes 3 minutes, so 4 ears would take 12 minutes.

 Serves: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1 cup cantaloupe, cut-up
• 1 cup cut-up pineapple (fresh or canned in 100% juice)
• 2 peeled and cut-up oranges
• 2 peeled and cut-up bananas
• 1 cup halved cherries or cut up strawberries
• 1 cup watermelon, cut up

Instructions

1. Wash and cut up all of the fruit.
2. Combine all the cut fruit in a bowl. 
3. Can be served immediately or stored in the refrigerator.
    

Tips

• Additional fruits that can be used are berries, peaches, and grapes.
• For a cool treat, place 3 Tablespoons of fruit in 4 to 6 ounce paper or plastic cups, pour 100% juice over the top and freeze.

Serves: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1-11 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1-20 ounce can pineapple chunks in 100% juice, drained
• 2 Apples, cored and cubed
• 2 Bananas, sliced
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1-6 ounce carton vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
   

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients and stir to mix well.
2. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours

Serves: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups seeded, peeled, coarsely chopped cantaloupe or watermelon
• 1 2/3 cups peeled, coarsely chopped kiwi
• 2-3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1-2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 2 cups water
• Ice
   

Instructions

1. In a blender, puree fruit with sugar and lime juice
2. Combine mixture and water in a large pitcher.  Strain, if desired.
3. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week. 
4. Pour into glasses over ice.

Tips

• If desired, add or substitute other fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or peaches.
• Serve with crushed ice instead of ice cubes for a different texture.
   

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 cup
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable) or try Homemade Chicken Broth
• 1 cup green beans
• 1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 zucchini, chopped

Instructions

1. Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Cook the carrot, onion, and garlic in the saucepan over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add broth, green beans, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
4. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until beans are tender.
5. Stir in zucchini and heat an additional 3-4 minutes.
6. Serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers.

Tips

• If fresh or frozen green beans are not available, use 1-15 ounce can. 

Serves: 4

Serving Size: 1 cracker sandwich
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1-2 pieces of fruit, sliced thinly (bananas, peaches, pears, or other soft fruit)
• 4 graham crackers, broken into 8 squares
• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
   

Instructions

1. Wash fruit.  Cut into thin slices.
2. Spread peanut butter in a thin layer on each graham cracker square.
3. Top four of the squares with slices of fruit.  Put another graham cracker square on top, with peanut butter facing inside.
    

Tips

• This is a fun recipe for children to help make.  They can break the graham crackers and spread the peanut butter.

Serves: 12
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Spanish translation (pdf)

English (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1-20 ounce can pineapple chunks in 100% juice
• 2 cups seedless grapes
• 2 bananas
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat or non-fat milk
• 1-3 1/2 ounce package instant lemon or vanilla pudding mix
   

Instructions

1. Drain juice from pineapple and discard or save for another recipe.
2. Rinse grapes, drain, and remove grapes from the stem.
3. Peel bananas and cut into bite-sized pieces.
4. Pour milk into a bowl.  While stirring, sprinkle in the pudding mix.
5. Add all of the fruit to the pudding.
6. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes and serve.
7. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Tips

• Experiment with different fruits and pudding flavors to see what your family likes.
• This salad can be portioned out into small cups and used as a quick snack to grab out of the refrigerator or as a dessert.
   

Serves: 1

Serving Size:  3/4 cup
Spanish translation (pdf)

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound lean ground beef (85% lean or leaner)
• 2 Tablespoons oatmeal
• 1 Tablespoon catsup
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 teaspoon dry onion mix

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients and stir to mix.
2. Spray microwave-safe mug with cooking spray. 
3. Pat beef mixture into mug.  Make a small hole in center, all the way to the bottom.
4. Microwave on High (100%) for 3 minutes or until done.
    

Tips

• Cooking time will increase if more than one meat loaf is placed in the microwave at a time.
• Leftover dry onion mix can be used as a seasoning for baked or microwaved vegetables.