4 simple vegetarian bean dinners
I'm trying to eat more vegetarian meals, so I'm obsessed with beans. And the bean recipes I've been making have made it incredibly easy. I thought I would feel less satisfied without having meat as part of my dinner, but beans fill me right up. Since they're packed with fiber I never feel hungry after a meal. And my wallet isn't suffering either-a can of beans is much cheaper than a pound of chicken or beef (and a pound of dried beans is even less expensive!). Now that's what I call satisfaction.
Here are a few of my favorite vegetarian recipes with beans:
Southwestern Corn & Black Bean Salad (recipe below) - Here's a great make-ahead dinner-and leftovers are welcome for lunch the next day. If you make it ahead, don't add the salt and pepper until just before serving. That way, the salt won't render the vegetables soggy and the pepper won't lose its bite. Make it a meal: Scoop up this salad with warm corn tortillas.
Bean Bolognese - Fiber-rich beans stand in for the beef and pork in this surprisingly rich-tasting vegetarian take on pasta Bolognese. Without the meat, the dish has only a third of the fat and 80 percent less saturated fat. To make the perfect meal, serve with a peppery arugula salad and warm, crusty Italian bread.
Catalan Sauteed Polenta & Butter Beans - This dish is a satisfying vegetarian meal complete with spinach, beans and polenta, inspired by classic Spanish flavors.
Middle Eastern Chickpea Platter - This recipe combines the flavors of two Middle Eastern favorites-hummus and baba ganouj-in one easy dish. Serve it family-style, letting diners take their own favorite combination of ingredients. Serve with tabbouleh or a green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette.
Southwestern Corn & Black Bean Salad
3 large ears of corn, husked
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded red cabbage (see Tip, below)
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add corn, cover and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife.
2. Meanwhile, place pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Whisk lime juice, oil, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the corn, pine nuts, beans, cabbage, tomato and onion; toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 4 servings, 2 cups each.
Per serving: 410 calories; 16 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 57 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 13 g fiber; 482 mg sodium; 537 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (80% daily value), Iron (25% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv), Potassium (15% dv).
Tip: Convenient preshredded cabbage can be purchased, in bags, in the produce section of most supermarkets.
By Hilary Meyer
EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
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