Spinach White Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

I've been eating this salad at lot lately, and I'm thoroughly enjoying the season's first grape tomatoes. Tomatoes paired with spinach, white beans and feta makes this salad an easy weeknight winner. I used one of the last Meyer lemons I could find on a friend's tree - regular lemons are an easy substitute. For a vegan dish, simply substitute a vegan cheese or omit it altogether. If you are concerned about the fat, leave off the avocado - that will save you 7.5g fat per serving. However, I don't recommend it because the avocado compliments the creamy texture of the beans so nicely.

Tweet





Spinach White Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
Adapted from Cooking Light, June 2010 recipe
Servings: 4
Time: Less than 30 minutes active and total
Price: About $13.00 total; $3.25 per serving
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 334.4
Protein: 12.3g
Fat: 20.9g
Saturated fat: 6.4g
Carbohydrates: 28.8g
Fiber: 5.2g
Sodium: 554.2mg
Cholesterol: 24.9mg

Salad
8 oz bunch fresh spinach, ends trimmed, washed well, and chopped
1 cup red onion, sliced very thin
1 pint (about 3/4lb) grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup cannellini/white beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz feta, crumbled

Dressing
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp good quality EVOO
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt

1. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients until well combined. Spoon over top and toss salad or serve on the side.

Refried Black Bean Taquitos with Roasted Cherry Salsa

Cherries are majorly in season right now in California. Apparently when cherry trees were brought to North America they grew best in Michigan and the Northwest. I admit roasting and making salsa out of them sounds weird, but this salsa has a great balance of savory and spicy, and still keeps that hint of cherry flavor. The taquitos are filled with my Refried Beans. I sub'd black for pinto beans and a chipotle for fresh jalapeño pepper. Taquitos are traditionally fried, but I grilled mine to save fat and calories.

Tweet





Refried Black Bean Taquitos with Roasted Cherry Salsa
Servings: 12 (1 taquito with 1 1/2 Tbsp salsa)
Price: About $15.30 total; $1.30 per serving
Time: About 30 minutes active; 1 1/2 hours total (plus refrigerating beans overnight)
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 158.4
Protein: 4.9g
Fat: 3.5
Saturated fat: 0.47g
Carbohydrates: 29.1g
Fiber: 4.2g
Sodium: 312.9mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

Refried Black Beans
25 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped and divided2 Tbsp EVOO, divided1 chipotle pepper, chopped finely1/2 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped finely

Roasted Cherry Salsa

1/2 medium onion

1 hot red pepper, halved

1 medium sweet red pepper, halved

1 ear of corn, shucked

1 lb cherries, pitted

1 Tbsp EVOO

1 tsp salt, divided

1/2 cup cilantro

1 lime, juiced

12 6" corn tortillas

1. Make the refried black beans according to my Refried Bean recipe substituting the beans and hot pepper.

2. While the beans are cooking on the second day, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Lay vegetables and cherries on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and 1/2 tsp salt. Roast 20 minutes. Remove and let cool.

4. In a food processor, add the roasted cherries and vegetables along with remaining 1/2 tsp salt, cilantro and lime juice. Pulse about 8-10 times until incorporated, but still chunky. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

5. To make the taquitos, heat a grill or grill pan, coated with cooking spray, over medium high heat. 

6. Soften the tortillas by alternating two tortillas with a damp paper towel, stacking them. Microwave 30-45 seconds until warm and pliable.

7. Spread each tortilla with 1-2 Tbsp refried beans, then roll up tightly. Place on grill/grill pan and cook 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Remove and serve with salsa.

Greek Yogurt 'Nanna Pudding

Did you know that Greek yogurt is just strained regular yogurt? Save more than 55% per ounce when you buy the regular stuff, and spend literally seconds straining it yourself (I show you how below). In this Southern dessert, I use the strained low fat vanilla yogurt as a healthier (and easier!) pudding alternative. Salted almonds are a savory, crunchy addition, but of course, optional.

Tweet





Greek Yogurt 'Nanna Pudding
Servings: 6
Time: About 25 minutes active; 2 hours total
Price: About $12.80 total; $2.15 per serving
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 312.8
Protein: 7.7g
Fat: 11.8g
Saturated fat: 4.2g
Carbohydrates: 44.8
Fiber: 2.2g
Sodium: 282.1mg
Cholesterol: 25.7mg

24 oz low fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance Whipped Spread)
1 cup sugar
2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped out
1 egg
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp milk
3 medium bananas, sliced
1/4 cup salted almonds, chopped

1. Line a colander with double paper towel and set over a bowl. Spoon yogurt onto paper towel and let drain 90 minutes. In case you are wondering, the liquid in the bowl is whey.

2. Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar with a mixer set on medium high speed for 4 minutes. Add vanilla bean seeds, and mix one minute more. Add the egg, and do the same.

3. Turn the speed to low and add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and then add milk.
4. Turn dough out into a shallow bowl or plastic container. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

5. When the hour is up, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Remove half the dough, roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut into 12 rounds. Place cookies on a foil lined-cooking sprayed cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges start to brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Use remaining half of dough for another use.

7. After 90 minutes, pick up yogurt in the paper towel and scrap off back into the yogurt container. The yogurt should mostly just roll off.
8. To assemble the puddings, layer banana slices, chopped almonds, cookie pieces, and strained yogurt. Each serving should have about half a banana, a few tsp almonds, two cookies and 1/4 cup yogurt.

Empty Plate

Empty Plate...next Sunday I’ll be in San Francisco. A new recipe will next appear on Sunday, June 2nd. Until then, follow me on all the coolest social media...Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.