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Don’t you just love it when you cook up a healthy recipe that makes everyone at your dinner table happy? Tacos are one of those tried-and-true favorites that elicit nothing but compliments from our kids. So last week, we took the ingredients from our Have-It-Your-Way Tacos - lean ground beef, black beans, cheese, and salsa - and used them in a new recipe for Black Bean & Beef Tortilla Pie. The inspiration for the recipe came from Everyday Food, so we can’t take all the credit for the idea!

So here’s the back story: Initially, when we tested the recipe, we decided to make it vegetarian by using meat-free grounds (they’re made from soy). But after making the pie not once but twice, we decided we weren’t crazy about the flavor of the grounds in this dish. Maybe it was one too many bites that put us over the edge, so we decided to use lean ground beef instead. If you’re a vegetarian, by all means, substitute the beef with the soy grounds (don’t let our little “issue” dissuade you).

Black Bean & Beef Tortilla Pie

Makes 6 Servings

• Four 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup salsa (we like mild)
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (canned, frozen or fresh)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim the tortillas with kitchen scissors or a paring knife to fit a 9-inch springform pan (use the removable bottom of the pan as a guide). Assemble pan with the bottom upside down. Lightly coat the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray and set aside
2. Cook the beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the large pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
3. Add the beans, salsa, corn, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder and stir to combine.
4. Place one tortilla in the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread with a third of the beef mixture, then 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat with two more layers. Top with the last tortilla, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and the olives as desired.
5. Bake until the top is lightly browned and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan and remove sides. Cut into wedges using a serrated knife (we like to serve with reduced-fat sour cream and/or guacamole).

Nutrition Information per Serving 360 calories, 12g fat (6g saturated), 770mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 32g protein, 10% vitamin A, 35% calcium, 20% iron

If you like to use beans in your recipes (which, by the way, are technically a vegetable), you may like some of these:

Black Bean Vegetarian Burgers from Super Healthy Kids.

Gnocchi with White Beans and Pesto from The Toddler Cafe

Polenta Bean Pies from What’s Cooking

If you try our fun Tortilla Pie for dinner, let us know what you and your kids think of it.

We wanted to let you know about a promotional event that Beans. The Vegetable with More® campaign has just launched. It’s a contest to encourage America to reinvent the classic schoolyard chant, “Beans, beans the musical fruit.”

For years, children and parents have recited variations of this memorable chant, but what they don’t realize is that something in the lyrics is wrong - beans are a vegetable, not a fruit! While 3 out of 4 adults know the bean chant, only 1 in 4 know that beans are actually a vegetable. It’s time to set the record straight!

We heard this afternoon from Charity, who posted and shared a recipe that she makes with the green beans she gets from her CSA. Well, it just so happens that Janice’s parents were coming for dinner and were bringing green beans from their friend Mo’s garden. Since the recipe looked so yummy Janice made it tonight. The adults all loved it and the kids, while a bit less enthusiastic (there is a lot going on in this dish), also gave the recipe a ‘thumbs up.’ So you don’t have to search our blog for it, here is what Charity sent along. There are no ingredient amounts so just wing it. Janice cooked hers in a nonstick skillet and used extra virgin olive oil and lots of almonds, and garlic from her CSA. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Here’s my “recipe” for green beans:
1. Cut green beans into 1-2 inch lengths. Add a bit of water and cook in microwave for about 5 minutes.
2. In a small sauce pan, saute plenty of garlic in a little canola or olive oil. After the garlic is tender, add slivered almonds. Stir constantly until almonds are toasted.
3. Add cooked green beans and just a bit of chopped dried apricots. Mix well.
4. Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.

Last week, Liz traveled to Chicago for a nutrition conference on the benefits of beans (yes, we know, as dietitians we get all the perks). Before heading back to the airport, she took a walk over to Millenium Park where she was greeted by what looked like the world’s largest bean! Turns out the 110-ton sculpture is not a bean at all but rather an abstract structure called Cloud Gate designed to reflect the city’s famous skyline and the clouds above.

Beans were clearly the theme of Liz’s trip to Chicago. Here are a few things she learned:

* Beans wear two hats: They’re rich in protein — like beef, chicken, and eggs — so are listed on the government’s MyPyramid in the meat & beans category. They’re also categorized as a vegetable. In fact, beans have more protein and fiber than any other vegetable out there!

* Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, canellini beans and the hundreds of other bean varieties are incredibly versatile and are found in almost every cuisine from around the world.

* If you visit VegetableWithMore.com, you’ll find over 1,000 bean recipes as well as info on the Moms And Kids Panel where families can test and rate bean recipes.

Speaking of vegetables, be sure to tune in to our Cooking with the Moms podcast this week as we chat about vegetable recipes kids love. And while you’re at it, check out the May/June issue of Kiwi magazine and read our Veggie Love article!

Many people are surprised to learn that beans are actually a vegetable. Whether it’s black, pinto, cannellini, or garbanzo beans, they’re a good source of fiber, protein, iron, potassium and folate. Beans are versatile and can be added to soups, salads, pasta dishes, salsas, dips … even desserts! Here’s a recipe featuring beans that we created just this week.

Farfalle Salad with Chick Peas & Broccoli
Makes 5 to 6 Servings

8 ounces dried farfalle pasta
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
One 7 3/4-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Two to three minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli. Bring back to a boil and cook until the pasta is done. Drain and place in a large bowl.

2. While the pasta is still warm, add the tomatoes, chickpeas, feta cheese, salad dressing, and basil and stir to combine. Serve warm or refrigerate for a cold salad. Garnish with basil leaves as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 280 calories, 5g fat (2.5g saturated, 0.3g omega-3), 350g sodium, 42g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 11g protein, 20% vitamin A, 45% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 10% iron

* Click here for printer-friendly version

Share your favorite bean recipe by posting it to our blog.

We recently received a question from Michelle, a mother of two young children, ages 1 and 4, who asked us for some quick and easy lunch ideas. Since her children are not in school yet, we whipped up five weekdays’ worth of hot and cold lunch ideas to be enjoyed at home.

Day 1: Cowboy Breakfast Wraps – You can find this recipe on page 150 of our cookbook, The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers. When Liz’s son, Simon, was in kindergarten and was asked to write down his favorite food in the world, he proclaimed Cowboy Breakfast Wraps as his number-one fave. Basically, it’s a flour tortilla filled with a mixture of scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and lowfat shredded cheese. The salsa is optional.

Day 2: Cheesy Broccoli English Muffin Pizzas – This is our new & improved twist on English muffin pizzas. We take whole wheat English muffins and top them with pasta sauce, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, steamed broccoli florets (cut them up into tiny pieces so the kids say, “oooh”) and grated Parmesan cheese. Toast in the oven or toaster oven until the cheese melts.

Day 3: Salmon Salad in Pita – We featured this recipe in Nick Jr. Family Magazine and it was a big hit. Made with canned salmon, mayo, and diced apple, it’s a fun and flavorful twist on the usual tuna salad sandwich (though we do have a great recipe for Scoop-It-Up Tuna Salad on our website as well!

Day 4: Mixed Up Mac & Cheese – For this fast weekday dish, take a box of all-natural, whole wheat mac & cheese and prepare with lowfat milk and 2 tablespoons canola oil (versus the 4 tablespoons butter often called for). From there, you can serve as is or mix in a host of kid-friendly ingredients such as tiny steamed broccoli florets and leftover chicken, frozen thawed peas and flaked canned tuna (or boneless, skinless salmon), or black beans, frozen thawed corn kernels, and salsa.

Day 5: Bean & Cheese Wraps – Flour tortillas are versatile to say the least. Janice’s go-to lunch for 8-year old Leah is made by spreading refried beans over a whole wheat flour tortilla and then topping with shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, frozen/thawed corn kernels, and salsa. Heat in the microwave, roll up, serve with sour cream and guacamole, and you’re good to go. Another filling idea we recently tried is cooked chicken cut into strips, honey BBQ sauce, shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, and finely diced red bell pepper. Fold in half, cook in a skillet with canola oil, and serve with a salad or fresh fruit on the side.

If you have other yummy lunch ideas you’d like to share, post them here!

As we gear up for Superbowl Sunday our thoughts inevitably turn to what foods to eat and serve. So far this (perfect) season, Janice has made our Halftime Taco Chili for every Patriots game. The chili is a huge favorite with her family and any guests who come over to watch (which, if you know Janice, is usually about a dozen neighbors and friends). With healthy tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole on the side, this warm winter dish is guaranteed to please fans across the nation (even Giants fans!). If you or your guests are vegetarian, use meat-free grounds in place of the ground beef. Double (or triple!) the recipe if you are having a crowd or if you want leftovers. GO PATRIOTS!

Halftime Taco Chili
Makes 6 Servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 15 1/2-ounce can blackeye peas or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can hominy or corn kernels, drained and rinsed
One 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, optional
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup pre-shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and beef and cook, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat.

Zucchini is one of those veggies that gets little attention. It’s not as nutrient packed as say sweet potatoes or as sexy as asparagus, but it does, in fact, contain a healthy helping of good nutrition. Zucchini is a good source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium and fiber (both good for the heart). Interestingly, zucchini contains two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, both important for good vision. We use zucchini, plus a few other convenient ingredients — onion, canned beans, salsa, cheese and tortillas — for this fast weeknight meal. When Liz recently made it for her family, both her boys, Josh and Simon, happily ate every last bite.