Hearty Black Bean Soup

2 cups salsa
4 cups water (or use chicken broth, but omit the bouillon)
4 tsp chicken bouillon
4 1/2 c black beans (or equivilant in cans ~4 cans)
1 tsp lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat salsa in a large pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add in water, bouillon (or chicken broth) and black beans.  Reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Either place about half of the mixture into a blender and blend until desired consistency or using an immersion blender, blend until desired consistency. Stir in lime juice and fresh cilantro. Top with a dab of sour cream.

Source: Adapted from Sarali's recipe in Allen family cookbook #2

Southwestern Chicken Burgers

This was one of the meals we really liked from the Zumba diet. There were some winners and some non-winners.  This was definitely a keeper.

1 chopped onion
1 chopped pepper (I used red, but green would work fine too)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (or the equivilant if you cook your own beans)
2 heaping tsp cumin
2 Tbsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce*
2 lbs ground chicken breast

Saute the onion in a tiny bit of olive oil (or just spray the pan) for a couple of minutes. Add the pepper and saute a few more minutes. Add the beans, cumin and chipotle pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Set mixture to the side and let cool. Once cool, combine the veggies and the chicken breast and form into patties. (I made 12 4-oz patties). Spray your pan again and cook burgers tunitl cooked through (about 4 minutes per side).

Serve on a whole wheat bun with a few slices of avocado, a piece of lettuce, tomato and a tiny bit of mayo. We found that sandwich thins worked great for this meal.

*I take the can of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and run it through my food processor so that it is kind of a paste. Then I separate it out by tablespoonfuls and freeze them. Then I can easily grab a tablespoon from the freezer when I need it without wasting a whole can. (Trick learned from Our Best Bites.)

Source: Zumba fitness program guide

Weekly Menu (January 20-26)

Sunday: Chicken Tikka Masala, Indian Rice, Naan, Cauliflower with Potatoes, 5 stars
Monday: Southwestern Eggrolls (Camille's choice), 4 stars
Tuesday: Ground Chicken and Macaroni Scramble, 3 stars
Wednesday: Hearty Black Bean Soup, 4.5 stars
Thursday: Frozen Ravioli and pesto (Pack meeting and t-ball meeting)
Friday: Pizza
Saturday:

Nainamo Bars

Crust
1/2 c butter
1/4 c sugar
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs (1 pkg smashed)
1/2 c finely chopped almonds
1 c coconut

Melt butter, sugar and cocoa in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly add egg and stir to cook and thicken, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, almonds and coconut. Firmly press into a 7"x11" greased pan. Refrigerate while making the filling.


Filling
3/4 c butter
1/4 c cream
3 c powdered sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp powdered vanilla
(Can replace the cornstarch and vanilla with vanilla custard powder or dry instant vanilla pudding)

Cream everything together in a mixer until light. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Ganache
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c butter

Heat chocolate and butter in microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. If the chocolate is still not all the way melted, heat for 15 seconds at a time, stirring vigorously after each heating, until smooth. Cool for 2 minutes. pour over filling and chill in refrigerator.

When chilled, cut into bars. We got 30 bars, but depends on how small you cut them.
Source: Adapted from Norita Cassou's recipe in the Moorpark First Ward cookbook

Macaroni Grill's Pasta Gamberetti e Pinoli

2 Tbsp butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, and cut in thirds
1/2 c water + 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon (or 1/2 c chicken broth)
3/4 c cream
1/3 c lemon juice
6 Tbsp butter
1/8 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/8 tsp white pepper (or to taste)
3 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 bunch spinach, washed and dried
1 lb cooked angel hair pasta
1/4 c toasted pine nuts

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, add mushrooms and saute for a minute. Add shrimp and saute another 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth. Cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and mushrooms and set aside.

In the same skillet, add the hcream and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add in the 6 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp at a time while continuing to stir. Add in the salt and pepper. Stir in the bread crumbs. Return the skillet to the heat and stir in the spinch.  Cook until the spinach has wilted.  Return the shrimp and mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat. Stir in the angel hair pasta and pine nuts and mix to combine.

Serve with French bread and green salad.

Source: Adapted from "America's Most Wanted Recipes" by Ron Douglas