I'm back! First of all, I want to apologize to all my followers for my lengthy absence from the blog. I'm sorry! Life just gets so hectic, doesn't it? I've been having a good time, tho-- babysitting granddaughter Anna while her parents visited potential job opportunities, spending a couple of days at our primitive wilderness cabin near the Buffalo River, and (ok, ok) watching the Winter Olympics........ Those Black Beans you cooked 11 days ago probably are long gone, huh? Well, if you stuck your leftovers in the freezer instead, I'll tell you what to do with them. This is a favorite dinner at my house. Bob loves to eat it, and I love to make it; it's simple and quick, and I can use whatever I've got available in the kitchen or pantry-- substitutions are welcome! The only thing I insist on is the Mission Brand Carb Balance Tortillas. They taste delicious, fry up beautifully, and have 7 grams fiber (regular) or 8 grams (whole wheat). For us, the secret to weight control is to reduce our consumption of refined carbohydrates. I look for a minimum of 3 grams of fiber in all of my breads, crackers, cookies, tortillas, chips, etc. This allows us to eat most of the types of foods we like without that carbohydrate rebound-- hunger two hours after eating. We feel full and satisfied, and isn't that what we all want out of our "diet"?

Black Bean Nachos

8 Mission Brand Carb Balance Tortillas (whole wheat or regular), small/fajita size
Vegetable oil for frying
2 cups leftover black beans, warmed in microwave
1/2 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (good idea to wear rubber gloves) or 1 small can diced chilis
1 large tomato, chopped
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheese, any kind
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup salsa

Pour enough oil in the bottom of a 10-inch skillet to cover the bottom, heat on medium high. When oil is hot, place one tortilla at a time in the skillet and fry on each side until crispy and golden, adding oil if necessary. Drain tortillas well on paper towel, sprinkle with a little salt if you're not opposed to it. Place 1-2 tortillas on each plate. Using a pizza cutter, cut into 8ths. For each tortilla on the plate, place 1/4 cup hot black beans over the cut tortillas. Evenly divide and spread over the tortillas the shredded cheese, onion, jalapeno pepper, tomato, avocado, and salsa. Serve right away; makes 4-8 servings, depending on the appetite! Feel free to make substitutions, change proportions, etc. You can also add chopped olives, leftover kernel corn, bell pepper-- whatever you have in your kitchen that sounds good! 


So, there's the recipe I promised you. Again, I'm sorry it's so late! Thanks to all of your encouraging messages, I'll try to get back more often. I'm still here, and I've got lots more recipes and tips to share. In the meantime, Eat good, my friend!