Black Bean Soup (With all the Fixin's)

First off, I want to apologize for the lack of posts lately. My computer has been practically unusable and I've been trying to figure out what the issue is. Unfortunately, my technical issues are happening just as my prenatal and chiropractic appointments are moving to every week and Z appears to be dropping his one nap.

Now.

When I'm 9 months pregnant.

:Facepalm:

Silver lining though - as a result of my "I'm too pregnant to feel like doing anything but not pregnant enough to be nesting yet" state, I've been trying to think of super easy but healthy meals. This week I whipped up a simple but delicious black bean soup with all the fixin's. You seriously won't believe how easy this is to put together. It would make the perfect side dish to a Mexican or Southwestern meal, or you can add some rice to make it entree material.  I'll get a proper photo up once my technical issues are resolved!

Caprese Orzo Salad

**Mini-update**

Whew! I still have 6 weeks go and this baby feels like he's ready to arrive any day! I'm getting everything washed and packed into our hospital bags, finalizing the nursery and getting the car seat bases installed. We also have our Spanish mama in town and a tropical storm hitting as we speak - so it's been exciting!

But now onto the good stuff ... 

A caprese salad is probably the most refreshing, simple, and elegant vegetarian dish I know of.  Hubs and I often enjoy it along with pasta, and we frequently have leftover bits that are difficult to transfer to lunch bags... it just becomes too sloppy! I thought it would make a great healthy lunch option otherwise, so I created this Caprese Orzo Salad. Try it for your next summer cookout or family gathering!

Meal Plan Monday: Spanish Gazpacho

This week's meal plan features Spanish Gazpacho!

After "Crazy Week" (Mother's Day, both our birthdays, and our anniversary) and all the celebrating, we are in desperate need of a detox.  Look out veggies, here we come!

Our meal plan for the week includes:

Now that summer weather has arrived, it's the perfect time for gazpacho, the quintessential cold Spanish soup!  I LOVE cold soups when the weather starts to get hot - especially now that I am very pregnant and in the Florida heat. :)  This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who lived in Spain for a few years. 

Gazpacho only takes about 10 min to make with a good blender and it's a great make-ahead option, as it's best after it chills for a few hours. It's a perfect quick, no heat lunch option - plus, all the ingredients are fresh, raw veggies so you get lots of good nutrients.  By making it yourself instead of buying it canned or getting it at a restaurant, you can control the sodium content.  I usually make this recipe two batches at a time. 

Monday Meal Plan: Pineapple Enchiladas

Well, I'm happy to report that Z has made a full recovery and I am finally in my 3rd trimester! The nursery is starting to come together and we're working on our before-baby-arrives to do lists. We've also FINALLY settled on a name, but we are keeping it to ourselves until he's here. (Less uninvited input that way). 

We ended up adding this 20-Minute Minestrone to the menu last week and I'm so glad I remembered it. It's a good, simple pantry meal that comes together quickly!

This week we'll be having:

Lemon Orzo Soup & Greek Salad

Pineapple Enchiladas (recipe below) with Tomato & Avocado Salad

Turkish Manti & Roasted Brussels Sprouts 

Pineapple Enchiladas 

(photo coming soon) 

Ingredients

• 1 (20 ounce) can Pineapple Tidbits, drained 
• 1/4 cup sour cream 
• 2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I use a Mexican blend)
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce, divided
• 6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

Meal Plan Monday: Simple Tortellini Soup

Meal Plan Monday: Week of November 27th

Ground Turkey Stoganoff and Roasted Broccoli

Taco Salad

Tapas! (Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Garlic Tomatoes, Crusty Bread, Mushrooms, etc)

Simple Tortellini Soup

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This super simple tortellini soup is one of my favorite "pantry meals", and especially comforting when you aren't feeling well.  It's a simplified adaptation of a soup that my mother-in-law made for us while I was recovering from my C-section with  Z.  I love that I can dump all the ingredients in a pot, take Z through his bedtime routine, and dinner is ready by the time he's down!

Slow-cooker Spaghetti Squash with Arugula and Goat Cheese

Whether you are looking for a unique side to bring for Thanksgiving dinner next week, or just a healthy meal to add to the usual suspects, you've got to try this crockpot spaghetti squash! 

This is an adaptation of a recipe that my mom came up with and got me hooked on (Thanks, Mom!) She makes hers in the oven and sometimes serves it as a side salad. I make mine in the slow-cooker, which works really well for me because I can pop it in while my son naps and it's ready by dinner time! Make it an entree by topping it with toasted nuts and serving with crusty bread. 

Shared at fulltimemama.com

Gallo Pinto - Costa Rican Black Beans and Rice

Gallo Pinto, or "spotted rooster" is the national dish of Costa Rica and my personal favorite variation on black beans and rice, which is common to many cultures. If you want an authentic Tico meal - this is it! I've actually based this recipe on the one used by an older Tica woman who cooks for our mission teams when we visit Costa Rica.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Lizano Salsa and Chayote
What sets the Costa Rican version apart from the others is the chayote (chai-O-te) salsa it's often served with and a Costa Rican condiment called Lizano.

Lizano is a vegan vegetable-based condiment that's a staple the Costa Rican diet. You can order it from several places online, but snoop around your city first! I found some at a local Latin food store for about $5 a bottle! If you're not familiar with chayote, it's an apple-sized, light green squash with a wrinkled seam along the bottom. It kindof looks like it lost it's dentures... or like someone tried to make a Grandpa Pear muppet. :)