"Life is like a camera
                                                  You focus on what's important
                                              Capture the good times
                                            Develop fro the negative
                                                   And if things don't work out
                                     Take another shot."

What Is A Legume?

Legumes are mature forms of a plant which have pods with rows of seeds inside. Beans and peas included in this group are Black Beans, Black-eyed Peas, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Great Northern Beans, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans(mature), Navy (Pea) Beans, Pinto Beans, Red Beans, Split Peas, Edamame, and Soy nuts. You will not see green peas, green beans, or baby green lima beans on this list because they are considered fresh legumes, not dried. Baked beans may be considered a dried legume. Legumes are a versatile and inexpensive food that can boost the nutritional content of childcare meals. Keep in mind that some dried beans can be purchased pre-cooked and canned—this can be a big time saver!

To improve meals/snacks CACFP is recommending serving dried legumes as a meat/meat alternative twice a month.

Legumes make quick additions to soups and casseroles.  There are a few recipes in this newsletter incorporating legumes.

Beef and Bean Chili

½ pound lean ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

2 cans (15 ounces each) chopped tomatoes

2 cups cooked pinto or red beans

1 cup beef broth

1 cup uncooked macaroni

1 teaspoon chili powder

Step 1  Cook ground beef and onions in a skillet until meat is browned. Drain off any extra fat.

Step 2  Add tomatoes (with liquid), beans, water, macaroni and chili powder to beef.

Step 3  Simmer for about 30 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Stir occasionally. Add a little more water while cooking if needed.

Spice Up Your Chili

Add any of the following:

·         Red peppers

·         Cayenne pepper

·         Black pepper

·         More chili powder

·         Chili tomatoes

·         Brooks chili beans

Beans, Chicken & Sausage Soup

1 ½ pounds bulk Italian sausage

2 cups chopped onion

6 bacon strips, diced

4 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cans (15 ½ ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon (each) dried thyme, savory and salt

½ teaspoon (each) dried basil, oregano and pepper

2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 bay leaves

2 quarts chicken broth

In a heavy 8 quart Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook sausage, onion and bacon over medium-high heat until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Add water, tomatoes and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the chicken and beans. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Smoked sausage could replace the Italian sausage and added at the same time as the chicken and beans.

Pepperoni Pizza Chili

1 pound ground beef

1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce

1 can (14 ½ ounces) Italian stewed tomatoes

1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce

1 ½ cups water

1 package (3 ½ ounces) sliced pepperoni

½ cup chopped green pepper

1 teaspoon pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

Shredded mozzarella cheese, optional

In a large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until pink; drain. Stir in the beans, pizza sauce, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, pepperoni, green pepper, pizza sauce and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until chili reaches desired thickness. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Some ideas to incorporate legumes in your meal plan:

Bean burritos

Vegetable chili

Hummus with veggies or pita wedges

Ham and beans

Split pea soup

Minestrone soup

Taco soup

Snack Suggestion:

Squash Bread

3 cups flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup vegetable oil

2 ¼ cups sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups grated squash

 Mix eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour to the mixture, blend well. Add squash. Grease loaf pans, bake at 350 for approximately 50 minutes.

Lunch Suggestion:

Chicken Roll-Ups

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

½ cup grated Cheddar cheese

¾ cup milk

1 can Crescent dinner rolls

3 chicken breast, cooked and shredded or 1 large can of chicken

Mix together soup, cheese and milk. Pour half of mixture into a 9x13 inch baking pan, set aside. Separate rolls, place small amounts of chicken at large end and roll up. Place filled rolls into mixture, pour remaining mixture over rolls. Sprinkle with extra cheese, bake @ 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

Cabbage Fruit Salad

2 cups cabbage, shredded

2 oranges, sectioned and seeded

½ cup crushed pineapple

2 medium apples, chopped

4 tablespoons plain low fat yogurt

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

 and/or raisins (optional)

Wash and prepare cabbage, oranges, and apples as directed. Mix all ingredients. Top with peanuts and/or raisin. (optional)