Pinto Bean Salad with Oregano Vinaigrette

Colorful, Pinto Bean Salad is full of flavor and texture.  Simple ingredients combined together make a perfect light lunch or side dish for poultry, fish or beef.  Add to a wrap sandwich and you have a satisfying meal full of healthy carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Pinto Bean Salad
Makes 3 ½ cups

PRINTABLE RECIPE 

1⅔ cups (276 grams) cooked Pinto Beans, if using canned no salt added rinsed and drained

½ cup (72 grams) Sweet Red Bell Pepper, diced

¼ cup (20 grams) green onion, sliced fine, include green tops

½ cup (70 grams) English or Persian Cucumber, unpeeled, diced

½ cup (140 grams) Red and Yellow Tomato Cherry Tomatoes cut in quarters

Combine all ingredients together in medium size bowl.  Add Oregano Vinaigrette (see recipe below) mix until combined,  serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.   (serving size 1/2 cup).

Fresh Mexican Oregano from the garden

Oregano Vinaigrette

⅛ Teaspoon Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon minced Garlic (1 clove)

¼ Teaspoon ground Cumin

1 Tablespoon fresh **Mexican Oregano, minced

¼ Teaspoon fresh Jalapeño Pepper, minced fine

2  Tablespoon Lime Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Zest from Lime

Fresh ground Black Pepper, to taste.

In a small bowl combine above ingredients. Mix until well blended and pour over the Pinto Bean mixture.

**Mexican Oregano (Lippia graveikebs) has an earthier, citrus flavor, but you may use whatever Oregano you have on hand. If you don't have fresh, use 1 teaspoon dried.

Serving size 1/2 cup

Nutritional information provided by NutriMirror

Albondigas Soup, New Mexico Meatball Soup

In this soup from New Mexico, jalapeño-spiked meatballs (Albóndigas) are cooked in a rich beef broth.  My version is very flavorful, but for a heartier soup, add some cubed potatoes and cook them with the meatballs.

Albóndigas Soup

(New Mexico Meatball Soup)
PRINTABLE RECIPE 

2 medium Eggs

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 ½ cups, chopped Onions

3 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried Oregano

1½ teaspoons ground Coriander

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon dried Red Pepper flakes

½ cup Sweet Red Pepper, diced

½ cup Sweet Yellow Pepper, diced

8¼ cups fat free Beef Broth, no salt added

2 cups whole Plum Tomatoes with juice, no salt added

1 to 2 teaspoons seeded, minced, fresh Jalapeño Pepper

½ teaspoon Black Pepper

¼ teaspoon Sea Salt

½ pound ground Beef, 95% lean

½ pound ground Pork

¼ cup raw Basmati Rice, white

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Garnish with:

½ cup chopped Scallion, plus tops

½ cup Cilantro leaves, fresh

Avocado slices (optional)

1.       In an 8-quart soup or saucepan, add the ¼ cup beef broth, the onion, garlic, red and yellow peppers, ground cumin, and sauté stirring frequently, until the onion is golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. (By using the beef broth you have omitted the fat and calories you would have added by using a vegetable oil.  I use this method often when sautéing.)

2.       Add the remaining beef broth, tomatoes with their juice, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of the coriander, ½ to 1 teaspoon of the jalapeño pepper, dried red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper.  Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

3.       Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, egg, sea salt, garlic powder, the remaining ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ to 1 teaspoon jalapeño pepper, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.  Knead the ingredients together with your hands and then beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is well mixed.  Shape the meatballs by scooping up a tablespoon of the mixture and rolling them into balls.

4.       Drop the meatballs into the simmering soup and stir gently to separate them.  Partially cover and simmer the soup for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  There will be a lot of meatballs!  Makes 8 Servings, with approximately 5 meatballs per serving.

5.       Serve soup hot with a garnish of scallions, cilantro leaves and avocado slices, if desired.

This information has the optional sea salt in the sodium percentages, but not the Avocado.

Nutritional information provided by NutriMirror