Black Bean Burgers w/Mango Coleslaw

I normally don't cook vegetarian meals just because I enjoy my meats but this looked WAY too good to pass up! I made a few changes...mainly because I thought the salsa was a little boring and I wanted to add some cabbage. The original recipe also called for some avocado to be added but since I make meals a couple of days in advance, I didn't add that in. I'm thinking a small dollop of sour cream on top of this would be killer!

Side Note: These have a bit of a kick to them but not too much. If you like it SPICY, I would add the entire jalapeno

Side Note Part Deux: I didn't include a picture because honestly, it looks like mashed beans in a patty form. Not that appetizing.

Black Bean Burgers w/Mango Coleslaw
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 2 medium)
3 tbsp chopped shallots
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 bag of cabbage coleslaw
1 garlic clove, minced
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns or sandwich thins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and the next 6 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, carefully turning once. And seriously, be careful! They fall apart pretty easily!

Combine remaining mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Greek Goddess Wrap

I saw this recipe in Sunset magazine (what, my mom gets it!) and was immediately drawn to it. There was a couple of issues...the most importantly that it wasn't that healthy. But with a few changes and a MAJOR reduction in the amount of sauce used, this becomes a very tasty lunch.

Side note: This makes A LOT of dressing. If you won't use it for something else, I would reduce by 1/3-1/2. (However it rocks so I would probably find a reason to use it)

Side note part deux: I'm thinking feta would also be awesome in this!

Greek Goddess Wrap
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups shredded skinned rotisserie chicken
4oz baby spinach
4 whole-wheat tortillas
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
4 thin slices muenster cheese

For dressing:
1 garlic glove
2 tbsp each roughly chopped parsley, chives and fresh tarragon
5-7 kalamata olives, depitted (is that a word?)
1tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup mayo (light or otherwise)
1/2 cup low fat sour cream (if you hate sour cream, you could use plain yogurt)
salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients for dressing in food processor and pulse until well blended.

Make wraps: In a medium bowl, toss chicken with about 1/2 cup dressing until evenly coated. Lay tortillas flat on a work surface. Arrange equal portions of chicken down the center of each. Evenly top chicken with bell pepper, mushroom, cheese and spinach. (if you wanted to, you could add another drizzle of dressing. But honestly, you don't need it). Fold tortilla over short sides of filling, then roll up, starting from long side of filling.

Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup

(I know this a lot of cheese in it but the calorie count for a hearty 1 cup serving is 223 calories with 8 grams of fat. )

Baked Potato-and-Broccoli Soup
Serves 7

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided

3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)

2 cups broccoli florets, chopped

1 small onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1 (8oz) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

7 tsp shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

7 tsp fully cooked bacon pieces (about 4 strips)

7 tsp chopped green onions

Directions:
Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.

Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.

Mushroom Lasagna

10-12 Servings

Ingredients:

¾ lb uncooked lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat)
1 bag fresh spinach

For the Mushroom Tomato Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
¾ lb mushrooms
½ tsp salt
Cracked pepper
2 cups tomato sauce (any kind would work here)
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ to ½ cup roughly chopped basil leaves

For the Herbed Ricotta Cheese:
1lb ricotta (I used the low fat/skim one)
Mixed herbs (you can use whatever, I did parsley and oregano)
Salt and pepper to taste

½ lb part-skim fresh mozzarella, grated

Directions:

Preheat over to 350

Cook noodles until al dente and then drain well

Meanwhile prepare mushroom tomato sauce: place olive oil and mushrooms in large pan over high heat. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often for 5-7 minutes. Add tomato sauce and red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes; add basil and simmer 5 minutes more.

Prepare herbed ricotta cheese:

Place cheese in small mixing bowl and add herbs, salt and pepper to taste.

In a 9x13 baking dish, pour just enough sauce to cover bottom. Add uncooked spinach. Begin layering noodles, then herbed ricotta, then mozzarella and finally, sauce. I did about two layers and that came out really well! Bake for an hour or until lasagna is brown and bubbly.