Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce

Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
Servings 6

Sauce:
    1 can Pumpkin puree
    1 cup Tomato Sauce
    1 cup Low Fat Sour Cream
    2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
    2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
    Salt And Pepper
Filling:
    4 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken (Rotisserie Chicken)
    1 teaspoon Olive Oil
    Small Onion, Diced
    2 cloves Garlic, Minced
    2 cans Black Beans, Drained
    1  Jalapeno, Deseeded And Minced
    2 cups Tomato Sauce
    2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
    2 teaspoons Cumin
    1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    Salt and pepper
    >16  Corn Tortillas
    7oz Reduced-fat Shredded Colby-jack Cheese
    Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, Diced Avocado, Or Chopped Fresh Cilantro


Begin by making the pumpkin sour cream sauce: In your food processor or blender combine pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, sour cream, chili powder and garlic cloves and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Place 3 cups of shredded chicken in a large bowl and add a little less than half of the pumpkin sour cream sauce to it, toss chicken to coat; set aside remaining pumpkin sauce.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread a thin layer of the remaining pumpkin cream sauce on the bottom of pan.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once it’s hot add onion and minced garlic and cook until onions begin to soften. Add black beans, jalapeno, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat to medium low, stir consistently and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes while sauce thickens. Then remove it from the heat.

Next warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds so they are easier to roll. Lay out the tortillas on your work surface, next to your prepared baking dish.

Make layered style enchiladas: Put down a thin layer of sauce, then tortillas, then filling, then cheese, and sauce, and repeat until done and topped with cheese/sauce.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortillas begin to turn golden brown.

Top with sour cream, Greek yogurt, diced avocado, or chopped fresh cilantro.

Black Bean & Pumpkin Soup

Black Bean & Pumpkin Soup
Serves 4-6

olive oil
8oz chorizo, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
hot peppers, if desired
1.5 lbs cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoon light yellow miso
1 Tbs peanut butter

Brown the chorizo and reserve. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent. Add the pumpkin, half of the black beans, 3 cups stock cand smoked paprika and cumin. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until pumpkin is very soft. Remove from heat and blend until smooth with an immersion blender, or in batches with a countertop blender.

Place pot over medium-high heat. Add reserved beans, chorizo, chopped cilantro and additional water, if needed, until soup is desired consistency. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, miso paste and a ladleful of soup until very smooth. Add miso mixture and lime juice to the soup. Stir and taste, adding salt or additional lime juice as needed. Serve garnished with cilantro and chopped peanuts, with extra lime wedges on the side.

Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce

Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
Servings 6

Sauce:
    1 can Pumpkin puree
    1 cup Tomato Sauce
    1 cup Low Fat Sour Cream
    2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
    2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
    Salt And Pepper
Filling:
    4 cups Shredded Cooked Chicken (Rotisserie Chicken)
    1 teaspoon Olive Oil
    Small Onion, Diced
    2 cloves Garlic, Minced
    2 cans Black Beans, Drained
    1  Jalapeno, Deseeded And Minced
    2 cups Tomato Sauce
    2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
    2 teaspoons Cumin
    1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    Salt and pepper
    >16  Corn Tortillas
    7oz Reduced-fat Shredded Colby-jack Cheese
    Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, Diced Avocado, Or Chopped Fresh Cilantro


Begin by making the pumpkin sour cream sauce: In your food processor or blender combine pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, sour cream, chili powder and garlic cloves and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Place 3 cups of shredded chicken in a large bowl and add a little less than half of the pumpkin sour cream sauce to it, toss chicken to coat; set aside remaining pumpkin sauce.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread a thin layer of the remaining pumpkin cream sauce on the bottom of pan.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once it’s hot add onion and minced garlic and cook until onions begin to soften. Add black beans, jalapeno, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat to medium low, stir consistently and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes while sauce thickens. Then remove it from the heat.

Next warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds so they are easier to roll. Lay out the tortillas on your work surface, next to your prepared baking dish.

Make layered style enchiladas: Put down a thin layer of sauce, then tortillas, then filling, then cheese, and sauce, and repeat until done and topped with cheese/sauce.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortillas begin to turn golden brown.

Top with sour cream, Greek yogurt, diced avocado, or chopped fresh cilantro.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Burgers

Black Bean Sweet Potato Burgers
12-14 burgers

2 cans of black beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, cooked, skin removed
1/4 cup of red or white onions
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of cumin
dash of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or ginger powder

In a large bowl, mash the black beans and sweet potato together with a whisk or fork. Then add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined using a large spoon.

Pan-cook or grill on foil until done. Or, bake at 400 for 30min. Serve on buns with toppings.

Chicken Mole Soup

Chicken Mole Soup
Serves 6

2 lbs boneless-skinless chicken thighs, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle peppers + adobo, minced
1 little box mole sauce (not paste)
4 cups chicken stock
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
3 cups cubed potato or yucca
3 cups cubed zucchini
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup corn
1 large avocado, diced
juice of 1 lime
1 small red onion, raw, chopped fine
big handful cilantro, chopped

Start by cooking garlic and peppers until fragrant. Add chicken. season, and cook until no longer raw on the outside. Add mole and boil for a minute.

Add stock and tomatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer 45 minutes (1 hour if using potatoes). Add yucca and simmer 30 minutes (20 minutes for potatoes). Add beans and zucchini and cook 5 minutes.

Add corn, bring to a boil, and add remaining ingredients.

Black Bean and Beef Chili with Lime and Avocado

Black Bean and Beef Chili with Lime and Avocado
Serves 6

3 cans black beans, drained
8oz tomatillos, boiled
1 Chipotle chili pepper + 1tsp adobo
2 habanero peppers, if desired
olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
8oz can tomato sauce
1 large red onion, finely diced
2 roasted poblano peppers, diced
1.5 T regular chile powder
1.5 T Ancho chile pepper
1 T ground cumin or more
1 can beef broth
1-2 T tomato paste
Juice of 3 limes
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, diced

Drain 2 cans black beans into colander and rinse well. Puree the remaining can
beans, tomatillos, and the chile peppers. Process the beans and tomatoes about
2 minutes, until they are fairly smooth.

In bottom of heavy soup pot, heat 1-2 tsp. olive oil and brown beef, using the
back of the turner to break it into small pieces. Remove beef to bowl, then add
a bit more olive oil and 2/3rd the onions. Lower heat a little and cook onions
until they are softened but not starting to brown. Add all the chile powders
and cumin and saute about 30 seconds.

Add beef stock, browned ground beef, pureed bean mixture, drained beans and
tomato paste and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or a few hours.

Just before serving Chili, stir in the cilantro, lime juice, raw onion, and
avocado. Bring to heat and serve.

Brazilian Chili

Brazilian Style Black-Bean Stew
Serves 6

Canola Oil
1/2 pound chorizo, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
1 Tbs cumin
2 tsp Paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds sweet potato, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
28oz crushed tomatoes
1 habanero pepper, minced
1.5 cups water or chicken stock
2 cans black beans, drained
2 mangoes, diced
salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Render chorizo in oil, for about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and spices.
After a few minutes, add sweet potato, bell pepper, tomato, chile, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer 15 minutes, or until potatoes are done.
Add beans to the pot, and heat through. Add mango and cilantro and serve.

Salsa for Tomato Haters

I don't like tomatoes! Raw, big pieces, etc. Tomato based salsas never get better than "good" for me.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa (or Salad)

1 can Corn
1 can Kuner's Black Beans with Jalpeno/Lime (important, no plain beans allowed)
1 Red Pepper, small dice
1/2 red onion, thing half-moons
1 Jalapeno, minced
1 handful cilantro, chooped
2t Cumin
Salt/Pepper
Juice of a Lime
Olive Oil (Until it feels right - maybe 2-3 tablespoons.)

Mix everything. Let sit and chill for a while before eating. Make sure you season.

The Bean Soup

I brought this into work for a potluck, and now it's legendary at work. One co-worker confused. One chipotle for 1 can chipotles...oops!

Black Bean Soup with Sausage
Serves 4? Makes ~1 gallon
Takes about 30min

1 med onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced (Use less or just smoke if you're a weenie)
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cans low sodium black beans, drained
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 pound sausage - chorizo, linguica, etc. Thin half-moons.
Juice of 1/2 Lime
3 tablespoons cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons Sour cream

1. I do this in a 3-QT saucepan. Cook onion over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes Add the garlic along with the chipotle, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the black beans and chicken stock and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Using a potato masher, coarsely crush some of the beans
2. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a skillet. Add everything except the Cilantro Sour Cream and simmer for a bit.Add the cilantro and sour cream and you're done.