Pinto Bean Salad - June, 2011

– Amy B.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. We went on a picnic at the river. I love it when it warms up enough out side to enjoy eating outside under the trees. We go to State Parks and walk the trails, swim, and camp. We get out and get exercise. This requires alot of extra energy. I always make sure we eat good food while we are out running around.

I love salads on picnics. This recipe was one I made up a long time ago. I make it when I want something cool and refreshing. My 6 year old son was the one to add the pickled peppers to it. I think it gives it the extra zing it needed.

I make my own mayo for this salad but you can easily use store bought. This is easily made vegan with this recipe from a friend.

Vegan Mayo

3/4 cup soy milk
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Pop it all into the food processor/blender and let it go for a minute or so ... until it gets nice and creamy! The lemon juice is the key to this recipe.

Pinto Bean Salad

2 cans Allens' Pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 medium onion
handful of pickled peppered rings
2 medium chopped tomatoes (optional)
Homemade Mayo- enough to coat
salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons pickled pepper juice

Mix together and chill for at least 2 hours for the flavors to meld together.

You can add ham or bacon, or use white beans for this salad.

This is a super easy salad to make when you use canned Allens' Pinto Beans. And it is chocked full of protein and the energy we need to make it up that next hill on the trails at the park or to swim that extra lap.

Hello from Tennessee - May, 2011

– Amy B.

Hello from Tennessee. I hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather. We are having warm days and cool nights. If it weren't for all the rain we would be camping right now. We love to go camping and spend all day at the creek, swimming, fishing and just relaxing. We also like to cook down at the creek. Besides the normal hot dogs, burgers, and fish fry, we include vegetables in our meals. Even on vacation. It is simple to do and I think they taste better when they are cooked on the camp fire. Here is one of our favorite recipes. The meat is up to you. We normally do hamburger or chicken. Since I am on a low-salt diet, we left out the canned soup and really haven't missed it.

HoBo Packages

1 can Allens Corn
1 can Allens Green Beans
1 Onion, sliced thinly
2 Potatoes, sliced thinly
1 can of Soup (optional)
Meat - enough for 4 servings (optional)
Heavy aluminum foil
Oil

Directions:

Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil big enough to make 4 pouches with. Coat the bottom with a little oil to prevent sticking. Place potatoes, meat, onion , green beans, and corn in layers. Add a spoonful of your favorite soup or salt and pepper to taste. Fold over the top of the foil and crimp. Then fold over the sides to seal. Place in the oven, on the grill, or the coals of a fire. Cook until the meat is cooked thru and the potatoes are fork tender. Be careful when opening for the steam. I normally let the packages sit for 10 to 15 minuets before opening.

Other options for foil pouch cooking are green bean casserole, potatoes with onion and cheese, corn with a can of drained canned tomatoes, pinto beans with bacon, green beans with red potatoes and pearl onions, tofu and vegetables. The list is endless. We use what canned goods we have on hand and have come up with some really good meals. This is even fun to do at the house and the clean up is easy.

My health is finally getting better. With the limiting of salt and caffeine, vegetables have gotten my blood pressure down. I am thrilled with my results. I use Allens brand vegetables to help me accomplish this. They are a main part of my diet. I have cut out a lot of meat and heavy starches. I eat vegetables for all three meals. I put them in my eggs for breakfast, I put them in stirfrys, on the grill, and in casseroles for lunch and dinner. They are good for you and great to eat.

I hope this inspires you to get out there and start playing with your vegetables and eating them more. I love coming up with new recipes, and when I do, I always reach for Allens to start off the recipe right.

Spring is finally here! I am happy. - April, 2011

– Amy B.

Spring is finally here! I am so happy. That means we get busy with work on our homestead, getting things ready to plant our garden, redo fencing, and general work that needs to be done. We always get busy this time of year and do not always eat the best in the world. We normally just run in the house for a sandwich or a bag of chips and go right back to work.

My son helped me come up with a handheld vegetable filled lunch that I can make in advance and freeze. He likes frozen burritos. He had some that had spinach, black beans, and corn in them. So we sat down and decided what we wanted in our first attempt. We came up with a winner with the help of Allens.

Chicken and Veggie Burrito

6 Boneless chicken breast
1 Can Allens Corn, drained
1 Can Allens Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Can Popeye's Spinach, drained and squeezed
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Can Cheese soup with half can of milk or water
1 Tbsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Sambal or hot sauce
Shredded cheese
Small or large tortillas

Directions:

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Put a little olive oil into a skillet. Add the chicken and onion and cook until the chicken is no longer pink and cooked through. Place chicken and onion in a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients except shredded cheese. Mix together and taste for salt and pepper. I did not add any salt as the soup had enough. Let filling cool.

To put these together I used the large tortilla shells and put a little shredded cheese down the middle. Put the filling in the middle and wrapped them up like an egg roll. I sealed the edges with water on my finger to hold the tortilla together. I placed them on a sheet pan and froze them individually.

The cheese is optional. I used Colby-Jack. The meat can be changed around or left out. I am going to try tofu in them next time. They also make a great casserole. I place them in a casserole pan and top them with tomato sauce and cheese. I bake them until they are warm all the way through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family has. They are a great portable way to get your vegetables on the go.

The next step is to change my families diet to fit into my diet. - March, 2011

– Amy B.

Hello everyone. I have a lot to talk about since last month. I have had a few health set backs that have totally changed my diet again.

I got pneumonia that ended me up in the hospital. By the time I got out I was 18 lbs lighter from the fluid my body retained and on a special diet. I am supposed to watch my sodium and fat intake along with sugar and caffeine. This is hard for me because while I eat decent foods at meal time, I love my snack foods at night while watching TV. I have adapted and changed for the better again. I have to read labels and ask for special food when I go out to eat. Most places will be nice and not put salt on my food if I ask but others just look at you funny. So I have cut out eating out for the most part and started cooking even more at home.

I love the Allens frozen vegetables. I can roast them with olive oil, flax seed and a little Parmesan cheese and have a great meal. They are easy and I can stock up on them and have them when I need them. I pair them with baked fish or chicken.

I have started walking and being out side more when the weather allows. I have been trying my hardest to be a better person with the exercise and foods. It is in no way easy just to give up everything they wanted me to. I do add a little salt to a few things as they taste flat with out it. I have also invested in salt free seasonings of different kinds. I have weened my self off caffeinated tea which was probably my hardest part.

The next step is to change my families diet to fit into my diet. It is so much easier if everyone around you is eating like you. I don't want to feel left out when my family is eating stuff I can not have but I don't want them to do with out just because of me. I am going to have to find the right balance in all of it. I figure it will be a long process of learning what effects me personally and what I can eat with out effects. Everyone is different in this respect and it is just going to take a little effort and time on my part. Above all else it will take patience.

They have told me that I need to continue to lose weight and eat more vegetables. The eating more vegetable part is not going to be a problem. The weight part is a little different. I lost 20 pounds before I went into the hospital, and 18 pounds while in there four days. That is a grand total of 38 pounds. I was already having to use a belt on my pants but when I walked out of the hospital I had to hold my pants on. I had no idea that I lost that much weight until I went for the follow up with the doctor the next week. The weight loss is going to take time and effort on my part as well.

It felt over whelming at first that they threw so much at me all at once but little by little I am changing. It is so much easier that Allens vegetables are such a great product and I can depend on them for all of my vegetable needs.

This month has been cold and snowy in Tennessee. - February, 2011

– Amy B.

This month has been cold and snowy in Tennessee. We have been eating alot of soups,stews, and chili. I love to use Allens Vegetables in all my soups and stews. It saves alot of time and I know they are always of great quality. Here is one of my all time favorites. It is not full of fat and has lots of vegetables in it. It is another one of my dishes that looks like a rainbow.

Black Eyed Pea Soup
1 lbs. Sausage, optional
1/2 Yellow onion, chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
15 oz. Canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
1 Can green chilies
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Ground allspice
2 Cans (14.5 o.z) Allens Whole Kernal Corn
3 15-ounce cans of Allens Black Eyed Peas
4 Cups Chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cups Cheese, shredded (8 ounces)
Tortilla chips
Sriracha sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown the sausage, onion and garlic until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Add tomatoes, chilies, cumin, oregano, allspice, corn (drained), black eyed peas, and chicken or vegetable broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about an hour stirring occasionally. (This can be put in the crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours) Serve with cheese, tortilla chips and Sriracha sauce. (optional)

I use kielbasa sausage when I make this but you can use chirzo, breakfast sausage, or any other kind of sausage of your choosing. If you wish you can leave out the sausage and use vegetable broth and make it vegetarian.

By eating more vegetables I have lost another 20 pounds and lowered my blood pressure in the last 3 months. It feels good to know that I am doing what is good for me and enjoying it while doing it. It is even better to know that my kids are benefiting from it too. I think we all have more energy and feel so much better. I hope you try it and that you feel the difference.

Diabetic Breakfast - January, 2011

– Amy B.

Hello everyone. This month I am going to talk about Breakfast. It is a very important meal of the day. It is even more important to a diabetic. It helps maintain blood sugar levels and gives you energy to get thru the day.

You do not have to have the normal breakfast every morning. I have found this out thru my children. They love Allens Southern Seasoned Butter Beans for breakfast some mornings. They are healthy for them and full of vitamins so I just go with it. But if you are not into opening that can of butter beans for breakfast there are several other ways to use vegetables in breakfast. Omelets, fritattas, and scrambled eggs are just a few that come to mind right now.

I always save my Allens Seasoned Turnip Greens for scrambled eggs. I squeeze the extra liquid out of them and put them in the eggs as I scramble. In the omelets and fritattas I use broccoli, squash, turnip greens, and corn. Just about any Allens vegetable can be used this way. I don't know if I would put butter beans into my eggs but I bet my kids would and eat them happily.

The recipe for this month is a two egg omelets. Some times I use just egg whites. I beat two eggs and salt and pepper to taste. I use a small frying pan with a little butter melted in it. I pour the eggs into the pan and move it around to coat the bottom. I use a spoon and move the eggs towards the center and keep letting the runny egg run out to cover the bottom of the pan. Right before they are all set I put my filling on half of the eggs.. The omelets here has Popeye's Spinach rung out, cheese and mushrooms. I let it set for a minute or two until the cheese starts to melt and then I flip the top over. There is a piece of fried bacon on top. This is a great way to get in an extra vegetable for the day.

 

Holiday Health - December, 2010

– Amy B.

This month I wanted to share with you my husband's newest hobby. Besides being a hobby bee keeper he has started to cook outdoors. He started off slow with Chili, Pinto beans and such. This weekend he fixed Allens Green Beans in his cast iron pot on the open fire. This is a great way to cook food. It brings a whole new flavor to your food. Not that the green beans needed any help.

He has started to cook outside on the weekends when it is not raining. It does not take that much wood to cook with. He has been getting old dry wood from the fallen trees around the house. He is planning on building an outdoor kitchen this spring. But for now he made a fire pit out of concrete blocks and an old cheap grill grate.

He used filtered water, bacon and 4 cans of Allens green beans (drained). Then he slow cooked them over his little fire pit for about 4 hours. We both find it relaxing to cook outside and sit watching the fire and talking. It is a great way to relax. This is also healthy too. It lowers my blood pressure greatly and I enjoy the time talking to him.

There are many recipes for cooking outside. One of our favorites is Chili. We use Allen's pinto beans, two cans diced tomatoes, a chopped onion, hamburger meat and chili powder. Cooking it on the fire pit outside gives it a nice smoky flavor. We leave the lid on while cooking but the smoke gets in there just enough to flavor your food.

When he fried potatoes outside, they too had a smoky flavor that you do not get in the kitchen. He did not cover them. He just fried them in a cast iron skillet.

We are planning on making a vegetable stew, biscuits and gravy, and to test out a lot more on the fire pit until it gets to cold to sit outside.

If you do not have a fire pit, fire up the grill and get to cooking. Just add a few pieces of hickory or other smoking wood to the heat to give your food that same smoky flavor. It is well worth it and you will be glad you did. Stay Warm!

 

Thanksgiving Sides - November, 2010

– Amy B.

Hello again from Tennessee. First thing I want to do is wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Remember that Allens has Several varieties of Seasoned Vegetables great for easy serving on Thanksgiving. I know they will be on our table.

This month's recipe is a favorite of mine. I use it instead of hamburgers sometimes. It cuts down on the fat and I do not miss the protein as the beans give it. Since all diabetics have to worry about heart disease and high blood pressure it is a good idea to every once in a while to skip the meat. We eat just vegetable dinners twice a week. This has helped me lose weight and to keep my blood sugar better balanced.

Bean Burgers
2 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for brushing
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoon cumin
8 ounces button mushrooms, diced finely
2 cans Allens Pinto Beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
all purpose flour for dusting

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook 5 minuets or until soft. Add the garlic, coriander, and cumin and cook stirring for an additional minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid has evaporated. About 4 to 5 minuets. Transfer to a bowl. Put the beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Stir the beans into the mushroom mixture. Salt and pepper the mix to taste. Preheat the broiler to medium high. Divide the bean mixture into 8 portions and shape into patties. Dust lightly with flour. Brush with oil. Place under the broiler for 4 minuets a side. Serve in a bun with your favorite hamburger toppings.

I have fried these in a little oil to finish them. If you do this please only flip them once as they will break if flipped to many times. If your broiler does not have heat control put the rack in the middle of the oven.

 

Well Rounded Meals with Smaller Portions - October, 2010

– Amy B.

Hello everyone. I am Amy B. from Tennessee. I have been a diabetic for 16 plus years. My mission here is to help every one eat better and include vegetables in your meals. Allens makes this easy to do with all their great choices. It is important for diabetics to eat properly. Since I have added more vegetables and a wider variety of vegetables I have had to use less insulin. I have lost weight and just in general feel better. I am hoping to carry on doing this and not to need near as much insulin as I have had to use in the past.

As a diabetic you are supposed to have well rounded meals with smaller portions. To include beans and lentils in your meals for protein and the right kind of carbohydrates. You are supposed to eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables every day. I like to see how many different colors of vegetables I can put on a plate. This recipe reflects my love of color and variety of vegetables on one plate.

This plate includes pan fried cornmeal chicken, mashed potatoes, turnip greens and pintos, corn bread and tomato gravy. I pan fry my chicken. I dip my chicken in low fat milk and then into the cornmeal. This can easily be baked in the oven.

I love turnip greens and my husband loves pinto beans. So I came up with a mix of both. I use one can of Allens Seasoned Turnip Greens and one can of Allens Pinto Beans. I drained the turnip greens and placed them in a pan along with one can of pinto beans, undrained. I heat this thru right before serving. I love this because I do not have to add any thing else to it. It is seasoned perfectly every time.

I made the tomato gravy out of a can of Allens corn, two cans of diced tomatoes and an onion. I drain all but one tablespoon of oil from the frying pan I fried the chicken in. I saute the onions until they are tender. I then add a can of drained corn and the tomatoes. I let this reduce until it thickens a little. If you bake your chicken just use a little olive oil to saute the onions in this works great.

In this plate we have red, white, brown, yellow and green. That is alot of color on one plate. That is also alot of vitamins and minerals we all need, not just diabetics. I hope this has inspired you to add more color to your plate and explore more of what Allens has to offer.