Barbecue White Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This past weekend the hubs and I ate our way through Savannah, Georgia...and what an scrumptious frenzy it was.  The abundance of assorted cornbreads, freshly caught seafood, buttery grits and local liquors was enough to make a gal think about calling off another week of work and just keep eating.  Needless to say, this is not that rich Southern food.  After an overabundance of bacon, butter and other animal bi-products, the hubs and I needed reprieve from their richness.  So this week we're enjoying some of our healthy basics - delicious, nutritious and in this instance meatless.

Lamb & Barley Stew w/ White Beans & Feta

Last week, we had our first snow of the year.  Sure, it was a measly dusting that only lasted two days, but the hubs and I still made the most of it.  Flames danced in the fireplace, the pups built snuggly dens in blankets on the couch and the scent of hot apple cider filled our entire apartment.  When the weather gets cold, it's time to get cozy.  And nothing says "cozy" like a hearty stew.  Particularly if your stew is a rich, decadent concoction of lamb, goat cheese and rosemary.  I mean, come on now.

Roasted Mexican Soup

It seems that every year, some crop is absolutely gorgeous.  Right now, I'm totally stuck on the glorious ears of  corn that are cropping up left and right (pun intended!).  These gorgeous ears can't make it to my mouth fast enough.  We've been grilling them up left and right, using our special family recipe and other fabulous creations.  But what I've been making more than anything is Roasted Mexican Soup.  I absolutely love this stuff in the summer.

Brussels Sprout, Black Bean & Brie Quesadilla

I never thought for a moment that I would ever live to see the day that my husband would actually ask me to make brussels sprouts.  He had never even eaten one until I began my sprout-kick early last year.  Ladies and gents, it is with sheer delight that I inform you this day did indeed come.  It was last Thursday, March 14th, 2013.  He simply slipped into the conversation his desire for me to make brussels sprouts again.  Well, perhaps not exactly brussels sprouts...but he did request that I make this exact quesadilla again.  And any time that I get to eat black beans, sprouts and black truffle brie grilled to melty perfection, I am happy to oblige.  Score one for the vegetarians!

Grilled Shrimp with Pomegranate Sauce & Black Bean Cilantro Rice

I absolutely adore beans and rice.  Delicious and hearty, when these two champions of the pantry come together, a winning combination is born.  We are particularly fond of black beans with whole grain rice.  Usually we pairing them with avocados and lots of spicy salsa.  But I've been on a crazy pomegranate kick as of late, and thought I'd give a pomegranate sauce a try.  Sweet rather than spicy, this delicious dinner is a new take on our traditional beans and rice.

Baked Sweet Potato Nachos

Goodbye 2012...hello 2013!  I hope you all had a very lovely New Year's celebration, filled with plenty of festivities and food.  Ours consisted of pomosas, Hot & Skinny Spinach Dip, pizza rolls, enough dip feed an army and (of course) nachos.  Nothing rings in a new year like a few extra calories, right?  But now it is time to start shedding all the holiday weight packed on by buttery carbohydrates. It's difficult to get back into healthy eating habits, but this unique nacho-hybrid helps to ease the transition from decadent indulgence to balanced cooking.  And it's one of my personal favorites.

White & Green Chicken Chili

Chili is one of my all time favorite bowl-meals.  Sure, you can serve it up with a side if you really want, but no need.  Vegetables, protein, fiber and carbs are all just a few ladles away.

This is a recipe that the hubs has been waiting months for me to make.  As wonderful as chili is, it is simply not appetizing in the summer heat.  But the weather has turned, the seasons have changed and the beans have come out to play.

Turkey Kielbasa & White Bean Rice Bowl

On an unexpectedly chilly day in early fall, our refrigerator was unprepared to satisfy my craving for a cozy, warm dinner.  Thankfully, I have a shamefully overstocked pantry that was ripe for the plucking.  We always have canned beans, onions and rice in plentiful supply.  After a bit of digging, chopping and stirring, out came this Turkey Kielbasa & White Bean Rice Bowl.  Totally hit the cozy spot.  While the hubs and I both thought the dish was very tasty, we weren't sure it was good enough to be considered blog-able.   It was only after we ran out of leftovers two days later that the realization hit us...we loved this dish!  Though gone from our refrigerator, we were haunted my food memories for weeks.  Any recipe that is that unforgettable is one that must not only be kept, but also shared.  Truly, a case of leftovers at their finest.

Mexi-Stuffed Peppers with Cilantro Sour Cream

Peppers are on sale...hooray!  I love munching on these sweet little veggies.  They're great raw or cooked, and amazing stuffed.  Typically we go Italian with our stuffed peppers...marinara, beef and lots of garlic.  Yum.  However, we were feeling more spicy this evening, so we went south of the border for dinner inspiration.