What About a Garden to Eat Healthy On A Tight Budget?

 

As I think about spring and summer and gardening, I get a bit hysterical because it means less attention to the goings on in my house.  How will I play cook, chief bottle washer, cleaning lady, mom, gardener and all of those things in between?  The key is to keep it simple!  Mainstream your life a bit.  My first action step is to get the family on board.  1.  Pick up after yourself. 2. Enlist help with planting, weeding the garden and with harvest.3. Prioritize, oh this is the toughie!  My mind wonders to a bible verse and a song written for it, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

Spring and summer for me is a time to clean out the old and bring in the new!  The new being that of my garden.  The thought of fresh salad and fruit from my garden coming to my kitchen and finding its way to the plate is so very exciting!  With a bit of planning, you can have a small garden in just about any circumstance.

 

Your local nursery will have varieties that do well in pots.  This is a great way if you have a lot of time constraints and perhaps issues with space.  In the beginning, it is good to start small and then each year, add to it. 

 

One of my favorite things is my salad garden area.  I plant it in close proximity to my kitchen.  You will find spinach, lettuce, arugula, radishes and onion.  I find that the closer it is to my kitchen, the more I fit it in to my meal plan.  There is nothing more nutritional and easy than a chef's salad on the table in the summer.  A mix of greens, meat if desired, cheese and I even love to add berries to the salad.  Let your creative juices flow when it comes to the salad.  I also can't stress enough how wonderful it is to have herbs as a part of your garden.  I have a new favorite recipe for my oil and vinegar dressing and the best part is that I use my fresh oregano!  It has the best flavor.

Ranae's Favorite Vinaigrette Dressing

 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar (white works too!)

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil (canola oil works too!)

1tbs. sugar

1 tsp. fresh oregano, basil,rosemary or thyme ( my favorite is oregano and thyme)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Mix all ingredients.  Just lovely!  If you use olive oil, keep it at room temperature or you will find it hard to mix and pour.

 

 

my lovely oregano



We are working on establishing more perennial fruits and vegetables in our garden.  Rhubarb is a wonderful plant to establish!  I love to make desserts with Rhubarb and strawberries.  The latest Cook it Quick Newsletter from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a great recipe for a Strawberry Rhubarb dessert.  http://food.unl.edu/web/fnh/cook-it-quick-newsletter-may-2013 You will find this website to be of a lot of help when cooking in your kitchen.  Other perennials we are establishing are asparagus, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, cherries, and pears.  A lot of the perennials I speak of will take a few years to establish, so don't delay!  This is a great way to have produce for generations to come without replanting every year.

 

Looking ahead to harvesting your garden, there is a lot of help with food preservation at this link http://food.unl.edu/web/preservation/home. 

 

When I began to be extremely interested in gardening, everything from establishing our fruit orchard to old fashioned sustainable living, a neighbor recommended the book, "Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener."  I found it very reasonably priced at Amazon and it has been used for selecting crops, where to plant them, things to be mindful of etc.  It is just an amazing resource.  I also found a website that is interesting and by Rodale http://www.rodale.com/topic/organic-gardening  I also through the years have learned a lot from the publication, Mother Earth News, you can find them at http://www.motherearthnews.com/ 

 

Gardening in recent years is becoming the cool thing to do, especially if you are a foodie!  Such creativity with the emergence of roof top gardens in the cities, to growing yore items in pots on your patio to full fledged gardening operations.  If I have not convinced you to grow your own, visit your local farmer's market!  Buying local food is such a great way to eat healthy and help your local farmer all at the same time!  So what will it be?  A small container garden, old fashioned garden or seeking out your local farmer's market?  I love this time of year.  The food is being planted and there is nothing sweeter than watching your food grow and preparing it into lovely pieces of healthy art for your family to enjoy! I leave you with this fun video of a remix of Julia Child.  She always said that fresh is better and there is nothing more fresh than food from the garden.  Food is a lot like our favorite things in life, it gives us sustainability and feelings of satisfaction.  For me, gardening just adds more of a happy element to the food that I grow, prepare and consume.  Until next time, how does your garden grow, or does it?  That is your assignment, to grow or not to grow.  If the answer is yes, welcome to a whole new world of learning how to eat healthy on a tight budget, it can be done and it can be fun!

 



Breakfast, Still The Most Important Meal of the Day!

I know what you are thinking, I don't have time in the morning for this!  I am the world's worst morning person.  As a teen, I rebelled and refused breakfast.  As I have gotten older, I find that if I do not eat breakfast, I have issues with concentrating, low-blood sugar symptoms and to top it all off, I get really crabby.  So, breakfast is now one of those must haves for me and I am working hard on instilling this value for everyone in our family.  Breakfast does not need to be difficult, make it as simple as you can.  

For many years, I grabbed various cereal boxes off the shelf and brought them home.  Today, you will find those boxes but I add a few other things in-between.  I found that when reading the labels on cereal, I found all kinds of added ingredients that I did not want in my diet.  For instance, I found Raisin Bran to have 360 mg. of sodium in one bowl!  I have to keep my sodium below 1500mg. on a daily basis due to health issues.  So, in my estimation, this is not a good choice.  A good rule of thumb if you dislike reading labels, choose those that have the WIC seal of approval.  You will find those on the unit shelf display.  One example is frosted mini wheats, one of my favorite choices.

One of the keys to a balanced breakfast and a way to be sure you get all the necessary foods into your diet is to include 3 different foods from 3 different food groups.  Now, I know what you are thinking at this point ( I know I did!), seriously?  I do not have time for this!  It is as simple as cereal, milk and a banana!  It just takes a bit of re-framing one's attitude toward this first meal of the day.  A couple of really economical choices for breakfast are oatmeal and cream of wheat.  The quick oats are still considered a whole grain and they do cook up a bit faster than the old fashioned oats.  We find we like the old fashioned ones the best.  I will cook up enough for two days and this is a great way to be ready and you can just warm up the oatmeal in the microwave and presto, breakfast is served.  There are other things you can do in the microwave as well.  Spray lightly a microwave proof bowl, scramble one egg and place in microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Be sure to beat the egg well and do not ever try to do an over easy egg, the yolk will blow up in the microwave and you will have a lovely mess!  While the egg is cooking, toast bread, a bagel or an english muffin.  Lightly spread butter on the toast, when egg is done, place on one side of the toast, add a slice of cheese (your choice), place slice of toast egg and cheese back in microwave for about 20 seconds, place the other toast on top and you have a breakfast sandwich.  Add a banana or a glass of juice, and you have breakfast!  If you need to, a lot of options can be taken on the run.  I find this does not work real well with my kids.  I do what I have to do to stay away from drive throughs that usually have options that are loaded in fat and calories.  I would rather save my money for other things such as a fine dining experience  not on a soggy breakfast burrito or smashed breakfast sandwich with a side of fried potatoes.

Lately, I have seen a lot of recipes for slow cooking.  I found this one for the slow cooker and I plan to try it soon.  It is a lot like a breakfast casserole that I bake in the oven.  

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/recipe/stephanie-odeas-slow-cooker-hashbrown-breakfast-casserole-15007561

There are so many things in the media today that really make us think about the problems created by obesity.  Believe it or not, breakfast helps us to maintain healthy weight.  Our metabolism is like a car, energy in and energy out.  You need to keep meals on time, exercise (30 minutes most days of the week for adults and 60 minutes for kids), and include foods from all of the food groups.  An article in Today's Dietician will give you even more reasons for why Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day! http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/090111p44.shtml

Morning I have decided is really not too bad, especially if I begin it with a wonderful breakfast and a window with a great view!  Give breakfast a try and you will feel like a million bucks and will be ready to have a fabulous day!

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite books to read to children is "I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato" by Lauren Child.  Lola is a typical little girl who is picky and through imagination, brother Charlie turns this around and by the end of the story, Lola is eating all kinds of healthy things!  So, the question is,Do You Have Picky Eaters at Your House?  Let's Turn That Around!

 

     Getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables can sometimes be quite a challenge.  The first task is for parents to be good role models themselves in order to achieve healthy eating for our children.  Also, it is helpful to cook items that everyone will enjoy and avoid being a short order cook in your kitchen.  By following a few simple ideas, meal time can be a fun-time instead of a battle field.

     The first order of business is to be a healthy role model for your children.  Rather than do as I say not as I do, eat your fruits and vegetables too!  Many times, it may be an adult in the household who is not a fruit and vegetable eater.  Make this an adventure.  Take a trip to your local farmers market or supermarket and try something new.  Vegetables can take on new meaning if you try them in a different form.   Spinach is a great example.  If you have only had spinach from a can, you are missing out on a wonderful treat.  Raw spinach added to a tossed salad has no resemblance to the spinach from the can.  Also, if you lightly steam spinach and serve it promptly, it also has a flavor that is very different from the can.  When you steam vegetables, steam until just fork tender, this also lends to a more flavorful product.  Experiment with different herbs and spices, try to avoid adding salt.  Fruits are also different when purchased fresh as opposed to canned.  Also, if the fruit is not in season, a great option is frozen.  This holds true for vegetables as well. 

     The family that cooks together enjoys eating their food together and they are a healthier family!  This suggestion is best attempted when your family has the time.  Our family has been doing this on Friday nights.  It is a great way to unwind from the long week and when we cook together, we stay away from fast food alley.  More money to purchase healthy foods and we are controlling the amount of fat, sugar and salt put into our food.  Decide on a menu and divide the tasks up, of course keep the tasks age appropriate.  For an example, if Pizza is on the menu, put someone in charge of the dough, someone in charge of the toppings and then you can put the pizza together as a family.  I can’t think of a better way to encourage healthy eating than cooking together.

     When in doubt, puree up fruits and vegetables and add them to dishes, your family will never know!  Steaming cauliflower and blending it in your mashed potatoes or even adding steamed pureed broccoli to spaghetti sauce can enhance the amount of vegetables your family consumes.  Top oatmeal or dried cereal with a banana to add fruit, or try adding fruit to your tossed salad, the key is to just be creative in adding more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet.

     Finally, make dinner time a special time.  Turn off the TV, the cell phones and other electronic gadgets and eat together and converse together.  Make meal time family time and add those healthy foods and you will create a life -long good positive habit that will be carried on to the next generation.  Don’t forget a plan for physical activity.  The family that is active together and eats healthy together will be a healthy and happy family!

Menu Idea For Cooking Together

Main Entrée:  Chicken Salad Roll-Ups

Salad:            Tossed Salad: Fruits and Vegetables!

Beverage:      Fruit Smoothie 

Snack for Later:     Not Your Average Chips and Dip

 Chicken Salad Roll-Ups

3 (10 ounce)cans Chicken shredded and drained (you could also start with chicken breasts and cook them in place of using a can)

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

6 lettuce leaves

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, combine canned chicken and salad dressing.

2.  Place tortilla on plate.

3. Place 1/3 cup of chicken mixture on each tortilla

4.  Add 1 lettuce leaf, bell pepper, and celery to tortilla.  Roll like an enchilada.

5.  Cut in half and serve immediately.

*Try adding any other vegetables that you like.

 

Choose MyPlate Salad

1/2 bunch dark green leafy lettuce

1 tomato chopped

1 carrot, chopped or shredded

1/2 cucumber chopped

1/4 c. raisins or dried cranberries

1 apple, cored and chopped

1/2 cup cheese, shredded

1/2 c. cooked ham or turkey, cubed

low-fat salad dressing (optional)

1. Wash lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces.  Place in a large bowl.


2.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix.

3. Gently mix with your favorite dressing, if desired.

4. Serve with whole grain bread and you have all 5 food groups!

 

Banana-Strawberry Fruit Smoothie

2 small bananas broke into chunks

1 c. frozen strawberries

1 c. low-fat yogurt ( vanilla flavor is good to use if you do not like the taste of regular yogurt)

3/4 c. low-fat milk                              

1/2 c. ice cubes                                         

Directions:

In a blender combine all ingredients, blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

 

*The great thing about fruit smoothies, you can add a variety of different fruits.  Be creative and change things up!

 

Not Your Average Chips and Dip

 When you cook in your kitchen, you are in charge of how much fat, sugar and salt is used!  Chips are a good example.  Have you ever made chips on your own?  So very simple!  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Take 2 large flour tortillas (Corn works as well, may need to increase baking time by a few minutes).  Cut the tortilla shells into 8 pieces.  Spray top of tortillas if you would like them to be brown.  At this point, you may choose to salt if you would like to.  I utilize these chips for a fruit dip as well and will share the recipe, if you use it for something sweet, void the salt.  Bake in preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 8 to 10 minutes.  Watch carefully, you do not want to over cook them.  For toppings, try a can of chili beans, drain half of the juice and place in a self-sealing bag, then, take turns smooshing up the beans for a bean dip.  Put beans in a bowl and then you can top with beans, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, salsa and black olives.  Choose items your family will eat.  This is a very healthy snack and is very filling too.  

 

Fruit Salsa:  10 Servings

Ingredients:

2	kiwi, peeled and diced	3	Tbsp. raspberry preserves
2	golden delicious apples,	10	(10 inch) flour tortillas
	peeled, cored, and diced		butter flavored cooking spray
1	pound strawberries	2	cups cinnamon sugar

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwi, apples, strawberries, and raspberry preserves.  Cover and chill in the    refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

1. Preheat oven to 350^○ F.
2. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray.  Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar.  Spray again with cooking spray.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges.  Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes.  Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had fun taking a look at some videos about eating healthy for adults.  This one is interesting, it is a BBC TV Series.  Check it out if you have a minute!  Truly, the issues are not unlike what we have here in America.

 

The mom in the video talks about food being high in fat and low in self-esteem.  Nutrition is important in two ways, you need to first know how to eat healthy and you then need to have a mental can-do attitude to go along with it.  Do yourself a favor and your family to, eat healthy, exercise and hey, try cooking together!  Make it a family mission to be healthy.

Delicious
We all enjoy delicious food,
Makes us happy, fixes our mood.
It's all about the juicy taste,
Doesn't matter, where the food is placed.
We should consider, nutritional support,
We shall need it, if we engage in a sport.
Energy; food provides - plenty
Need a bit more, if we're over twenty.
A great dish, we should all savor,
Eat slowly, as we taste the flavor.
Choose our very favorite cuisine,
Is it red? Or is it green?
by AnitaPoems.com

 

Here is to healthier eating in your home!   



 

 

 





What's For Dinner?  TACO PIZZA!

When I am talking to kids about eating healthy, I always hear them say Pizza is junk food.  My next question is, why is it not healthy?  Well....hm.... does it depend on what you put on the pizza?  Just think about this, if you make your own crust and add some whole wheat flour, choose healthy toppings, vegetables, low fat cheese, is it really junk food?  Have you ever had a Hawaiian Pizza?  If the answer is no, you have been missing out!  Ham and pineapple, what a lovely tasty combination!  Now, I give you that the ham is high in sodium, but you could go heavy on the pineapple and reduce the amount of ham and cheese you use.  When you are the cook, you are in control!  

Have you ever wondered about the origin of pizza?  Pizza is Italian and the pizza we have here has been Americanized.  According to http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/pizza-history.asp ,  "Pizza in its most basic form as a seasoned flatbread has a long history in the Mediterranean. Several cultures including the Greeks and Phoenicians ate a flatbread made from flour and water. The dough would be cooked by placing on a hot stone and then seasoned with herbs. The Greeks called this early pizza plankuntos and it was basically used as an edible plate when eating stews or thick broth. It was not yet what we would call pizza today but it was very much like modern focaccia. These early pizzas were eaten from Rome to Egypt to Babylon and were praised by the ancient historians Herodotus and Cato the Elder."  I have had pizza prepared by a lovely lady who grew up in Rome Italy, the Pizza crust was very thin, almost like cracker bread and the sauce was spread evenly and lightly on the crust with ingredients that were not poured on but gracefully spread on the crust.  when you further examine Pizza here in America, you find New York style Pizza, which is most like what my friend prepared and Chicago which is more of a thick crust with a lot of sauce and loaded with all of your favorites!  

Grilling season is fast approaching and that truly is my favorite new way to fix Pizza!  So easy and gives a lovely new twist to an old favorite dish.   Simply recipes gives you step by step instructions for making pizza on your grill:   http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_grill_pizza/  Find your favorite way to prepare your own pizza in your own kitchen and get cooking!

My motivation for pizza has been a Taco recipe that has infiltrated my Pinterest and Facebook page.  The recipe that has been most shared is one that you begin by making a crust out of refrigerator crescent rolls.  Pizza crust is a very simple item to make, once you make it, you will find it is delicious and so easy, you will make it a habit!  I plan to try freezing pizza dough into individual balls that I can take out in the morning and have the crust thawed and ready for when I arrive home.  This will be an easy summer time change from traditional barbecue items such has hamburgers and hot dogs.  Rachel Ray has a great recipe for freezing pizza dough, you will find it at this link, http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/bean-bacon-coleslaw/  Honestly though, if it is simpler for you to use a refrigerator pre-made dough, go for it!

So, let's get to the kitchen and put together Taco Pizza.  The first order of business was to make the pizza crust.  When I got to the point of the dough resting, I set about assembling the rest of the ingredients.  I browned hamburger, our family likes to add onion to the hamburger, after the meat was browned, I drained and rinsed the hamburger, I then added my favorite taco seasoning and prepared it according to the directions.  I then took a can of chili beans and drained half of the juice off and put them in my food processor (A blender or a hand mixer would also work for this).  At this point, it was time to work with the dough.  I divided the dough in half and rolled each dough into a rectangular shape and placed into a 9X13 pan, my method to this was to have two pizzas, one for tonight and one for tomorrow night as I will be coming home very late and will have a short time for dinner before running to a family event.  So, the recipe was in fact doubled for this project.  I used my homemade salsa for the sauce (you may use your favorite brand of salsa).  I lightly spread the salsa as I did not want the crust to be too soggy.  I then spread the refried beans over the salsa, spread the taco meat over top and sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese over the top.  Wahla!  Ready for the oven!   While the pizza is baking, you can prepare taco ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, onion, sour cream and olives.  If you are using tomatoes this time of year, you can always find Roma Tomatoes to be in your budget.  I use low- fat or no-fat sour cream and cheddar cheese to keep it healthy.  An easy way to insure that low-fat or no-fat cheese melts and is bubbly is to put it under the broiler in your oven at the very end for just a few minutes, watch carefully as broiling is an intense heat and can burn easily. 

 Below is the recipe and pictures to walk you through.  The first time you make pizza may seem like it is a process, but do it a few times and it becomes easy and fun!  

Pizza Crust

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2 quart bow..  Stir in remaining ingredients, beat vigorously.  Kneed in rest of flour till ball nice and elastic, about 12 to 15 times.   Cover and let rest 10 minutes (or...however long it takes to assemble your ingredients.)  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

Taco Pizza

1 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa (reserve 1/2 cup for garnishment)

1 can chili beans or refried beans

1 cup cheddar cheese

shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions, black olives and sour cream to your liking for garnishment.

Prepare your pizza crust.  Spread the dough in a greased 9X13 pan. Spread 1 cup of salsa over the crust evenly.  Spread refried beans over the salsa.  Cover with shredded cheddar cheese.  Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, at very end, put under broiler for 3 to 4 minutes.  Slice and add the garnishments.  By adding the garnishments to each serving, if you have leftovers, the garnishments will stay nice and crisp.    

Dissolving yeast in water

Dried Ingredients

Ready to Kneed

Resting

Salsa on the crust, ready for beans!

Beans and taco meat

Ready for garnishes

Let's Eat!

                       

How many of you remember the School House Rock series?  One of my favorite shorts was the Time For Timer:  Hanker for a Hunk of Cheese.

To snack or not to snack, that is the question when looking at healthy eating.  The key to this dilemma is to look at what you are snacking on.  Your body is a machine, and so if you are active during your day, a snack is appropriate.  Children definitely need planned snacks and healthy choices.  There are some guidelines you can utilize and you can be creative in what you are serving for snacks.

     When looking at food consumption, it is important to look to the food groups for guidance.  A healthy snack has a food from at least 2 food groups.  The Kindergarten favorite of a graham cracker and milk is a great choice!  There is a bit of sugar to be found in a graham cracker but looking at other food choices, it is not such a bad choice.  The goal of your daily food intake should be to insure you have had enough food in each food group.  Get creative and turn the word snack into a positive.

     A family favorite for us is to make our own chips and serve them with bean dip and other items.  It is very easy to make your own tortilla chips, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit,  spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, take a large flour tortilla and cut it into eight slices (a pizza cutter works wonderfully.), spread them on the cookie sheet.  If you like your chips to brown, spray a light spry on the chips, bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes, watch them closely.  For the bean dip, take a can of chili beans (if you do not like things too spicy, you can use pinto beans), drain half of the juice off of the beans, you can run them through your food processor or blender to puree them or, you can use an old fashioned potato masher.  If you would like, you can warm the beans up or you can serve them at room temperature.  You can spread the beans on a plate and garnish with lettuce, salsa, tomatoes cheese and whatever ingredients you would like.  Serve with the chips.  This could easily be a main entree if you would like it to be.  Another great idea is to take a small flour tortilla and spread a tablespoon of either nutella or Peanut Butter on the shell.  Then, wrap a banana in it.  This is not only a great snack, but a good grab and go breakfast, so many things you can wrap in a tortilla when you are in a hurry.

     It is ok to give yourself permission to have a treat once in a while!  Another great idea is a 3, 2, 1 cake.  You simply take a one step Angel Food Cake Mix, a regular cake mix of your choice and mix together thoroughly in a gallon self-sealing bag, place 3 tablespoons of this mix in a microwavable coffee cup, add 2 tablespoons of water, blend well and microwave on high for 1 minute.  This is a wonderful way to be sure you have only the portion size you need. We got creative over the weekend and made mini black forest cakes.  We took the Angel food Cake Mix and a Devils food cake mix for the cake part, when it was finished, we put a spoon full of cherry pie filling and a spoon of whipped cream on top.  Healthy?  Not so much, but we kept it to the proper portion size.  You sometimes do need to give yourself permission to have a treat.  This is a wonderful way to control the portion size.

     Snacking is not a bad thing; it is what you are choosing.  Be creative and make the snack include at least 2 foods from different food groups.  When you do have a treat, make sure it is just that a treat!  For more information visit our University website at www.foods.unl.edu

 

    Today more than ever, we are hearing the message that we need to eat healthy and stay active.  So, what is the answer? To Snack or not to Snack?  If you are active and choose wisely, the answer is a resounding yes!  Don't forget that physical activity.  It is 30 minutes most days of the week for adults and 60 minutes for our kids, so what are you waiting for?  Get out and get moving!

What's on Your Friday Night, Yippee the Weekend is here, menu?  Tonight, we are having Enchiladas.  This is a great meal, takes a little time to prepare, but oh so good!  This is a meal that you can get the whole family involved in.  I have made this dish for a long time and the recipe is truly in my head but just for you, I am writing it down!  The first thing you must do is be ok that this will take a bit of time, so it is not for the faint of heart on a week night when you need something quick.  It is a family affair and the results are wonderful food enjoyed by all.
“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”~Julia Childs~

This is a practiced attempt at being creative with a recipe, learning from mistakes.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Ranae's Enchiladas
1 lb. ground hamburger
1/2 c. chopped onions
2 tbs. chile powder
1 tsp. cumin
2 cans pinto beans, drained and pureed
1/2 c. of your favorite salsa
2 c.shredded mild cheddar cheese or cheddar Monterrey jack cheese
low fat sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt
10 large flour tortillas
Homemade sauce:
2 to 3 Tbs. Canola Oil
1/4 c. flour
1 small can tomato paste
2 to 3 Tbs. chile powder
1 tsp. cumin
4c. water
Directions for Enchiladas:
Brown hamburger and onions, drain.  Add 2 Tbs. chile powder and 1 tsp. cumin. Salt and pepper to your liking. Puree pinto beans and add salsa and mix together, warm this in your microwave on reheat setting for 2 to 3 minutes, just so it is warm. Spread approximately 2 Tbs. of bean and salsa mixture on bottom of tortilla, then, add 1 to 2 Tbs. of the hamburger mixture.  Sprinkle 1 tbs. cheese and roll up.  Place in 13x9 pan (spray pan with non-stick spray oil).  Continue this until they are all rolled.
Directions for Enchilada Sauce:
Put 2 Tbs. canola oil in large fry pan, heat slightly, sprinkle 1/4 cup flour into oil, add chile powder and cumin, salt and pepper to your liking.  Cook this mixture slightly.  Add water to this and prepare just like you would a sauce or gravy.  Add tomato paste.  Pour mixture over enchiladas.  Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over top.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until cheese slightly brown.  If you like it to be really brown, at end of cooking, place under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watch closely.  Garnish with lettuce, tomato, salsa, black olives and sour cream or low fat yogurt.  Enjoy!!!

So, next time you think you do not have time, YES You do!  Cooking is a breeze especially if you make it fun!        
Note:  I used pinto beans and salsa:  1.  I can control the fat and salt content. 2. Typically this is cheaper than purchasing a can of refried beans.  I like to cook beans from dried beans on a day off, I then cool them off a bit, mash them up and freeze them in quart size bags.  This is the most economical way and again, you can control the salt and fat.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Ready to roll up

                                                                                                         

Pinto Beans& Salsa 

oil, flour, chile powder and cumin

Refried beans first

Ready for sauce

Finished!

Let's Eat!

               

 When you are thinking:  I don't have time for that, yes you do!  I leave you with a fun reminder that if you put your mind to it, yes, you can make your cooking experience healthy and fun.  Find Joy in your kitchen!