Easy Black Bean Taco Recipe

Tacos anyone? If you’re looking for a heart healthy and quick meal, look no further than these black bean tacos. In addition to the black beans, these tasty wraps are also made with low fat cheese, romaine lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, and salsa. 

And if you have diabetes or prediabetes and trying to eat a diabetes diet, the protein and fiber in these black bean tacos help reduce the blood glucose spike from the flour tortillas. 

Black beans are packed with fiber and also contain protein, folate, magnesium and iron. By using reduced fat cheese, you’ll eat less saturated fat, so it’s more heart heathy than if you ate regular (full fat) cheese. Cheese also provides you with protein and calcium.

The veggie toppings add fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as Vitamin C, lycopene, and potassium which are in tomatoes.

Ingredients

• One 15 ounce can of organic black beans

• 4- 6 small flour tortillas 

• Shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (one half cup)

• Romaine Lettuce: 4 to 6 rinsed and dried large leaves (cut up or whole – your choice)

• Tomatoes (one half cup chopped)

• Green onions (scallions): 2 to 4, chopped in small pieces.

• Salsa of your choice and to taste.

• Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste.

Directions:

• Warm the tortillas (as per the package directions). Place on a serving platter once cooked.

• Warm the black beans as per the can’s directions (place in a serving bowl once warmed).

• Chop all vegies, place each vegetable in a small bowl on the table.

• Have salt, pepper, and garlic powder on the table for each person to use to taste.

• Place salsa on the table for each to use as desired.

If you want to reduce your exposure to pesticides and food additives and preservatives, consider buying organic. 

Why wait only for Taco Tuesday? These are great for meatless Monday too, or any day of the week. Stay healthy and enjoy!

The Benefits of Exercise

I practice what I preach as a diabetes nurse educator and health writer. Exercise is one of the best medicines at our disposal. I was hiking and birdwatching in these recent photos below but any exercise will do. 

Daily exercise and spending time enjoying the outdoors does wonders not only for our bodies, but also helps to maintain a sense of well being. 

Did you know that exercise helps your body respond better to the hormone insulin? Because of this, daily exercise is one of several ways you can help control your blood glucose.

Make it fun and you're more likely to do it. What exercise do you like to do?

Point Dume, Malibu, California by Carole Jakucs. (Image subject to copyright).

Carole Jakucs, 2022. (Image subject to copyright).

Baked Ziti – A Great Italian and Vegetarian Dish

A Great Italian and Vegetarian Meal 

If you’re trying to reduce your intake of meat or looking for a great Meatless Monday dish, try my family recipe for homemade Baked Ziti. Baked Ziti makes a healthy, delicious meal. Just add a fresh, organic salad to get your daily dose of greens and… you’re all set with a nutritious dinner.

You can use traditional ziti pasta or if you want more fiber, a whole wheat ziti pasta could work too; however, it will change the flavor somewhat.

High in Nutrition

This recipe uses tomato sauce. Tomato sauce, when cooked in a healthy way with olive oil, garlic, and herbs (to taste) will provide you nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C and lycopene.

Ziti Pasta by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image Subject to copyright. 

And you’ll get protein and calcium from the cheese in this dish. Baked Ziti makes for a healthy and filling meal that’s packed with nutrients and is also easy to serve if you’re having guests. 

Marinara Tomato Sauce by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image subject to copyright.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of Ziti style Pasta

• 2 pounds of Ricotta Cheese (use part-skim if you want less saturated fat)

• 2 eggs (organic, free-range is the healthiest choice)

• ½ pound of Grated Mozzarella Cheese (use reduced fat for less saturated fat)

• ½ cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Salt, Pepper, and Parsley to taste

• Tomato Sauce of your choice (if using canned tomatoes, you’ll want to prepare 2-large cans (28      ounces each) of crushed tomatoes in puree, use organic for less exposure to pesticides)

Ricotta, Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheeses and Herbs by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image subject to copyright. 

Instructions:

Cook or heat the Italian Tomato sauce of your choice and season to taste. Once cooked, you’ll need to make and heat enough sauce to use at the bottom of the baking dish, and for spreading across the pan the middle layers. You’ll need to have some extra sauce on the side when serving and eating the baked Ziti, so each person can add sauce to their plate as they wish (some like more sauce, and some prefer less sauce).

Cook the Ziti pasta according to the package label for al dente, drain, place on the side, and let it slightly cool. Don’t overcook the pasta, as it will cook more when it bakes then become too soft.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, grated mozzarella, and grated parmesan – add salt, pepper, and parsley to taste. Keep on the side.

Grease (with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil) the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Place on the side.

Now – you’re ready to start layering…

Spread a thin layer of Tomato Sauce on the entire bottom of the baking dish.

Use one half of the cooked Ziti, to spread evenly over the sauce. (Save the other half of the Ziti for one more layer).

Next, spread a thin layer of Tomato Sauce over the first layer of Ziti pasta.

Then, spread the entire Ricotta Cheese mixture as your next layer, over the sauce.

Add a little more sauce now along the entire length of the pan, over the Ricotta mixture.

Use the rest of the Ziti pasta as the next layer of the pan.

Last, spread a little more sauce (to your liking) over the last layer of Ziti.

Baked Ziti - Ready for the Oven by Carole Jakucs, 2022. Image subject to copyright. 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 – 55 minutes (depending on your oven). You’ll want to place the baking dish on a large, heavy baking tray or cookie tray for support and for greater ease in moving the heavy pan into and out of the oven.

If you want a slightly crispiness to the top, you can remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.

Buon appetito! Enjoy!

Italian Vegetable Bean Soup by Carole Jakucs, RN

Fall is here and with it our craving for warm, healthy soups. I created this recipe to have a hearty yet healthy soup for my family and I to eat when the cold weather hits.

This soup is dense with a variety of vegetables so packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Two examples are zucchini and spinach: They both contain Vitamin A and carotenoids which help maintain eye health.

The beans provide fiber and protein too. If you want more protein, you can use chicken "bone" broth. 

If you’re a vegan, just replace the bone broth or chicken broth with vegetable broth for your liquid. It will still taste great.

Italian Vegetable Bean Soup by Carole Jakucs, RN. 
October, 202. Image subject to copyright. 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (16-oz) bag of frozen spinach
• 5 large celery stalks, rinsed and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped 
• 1 medium to large sized green Italian zucchini
• 1 small to medium yellow squash (summer)
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken bone broth, chicken broth or 
         vegetable broth
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well. 
        (You can substitute with great northern beans)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (or 2, 15-ounce cans)
• 3 - 4 tablespoons Italian seasoning to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste

Italian Vegetable Bean Soup by Carole Jakucs, RN. 
October, 2021. Image subject to copyright.

Instructions

• Heat olive oil for one minute over low heat in a 5 or 6-quart pot. 

• Add onions, celery, zucchini, and squash. Cook for 4 - 6 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add spinach and cook for an additional 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add broth, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and  garlic powder to taste.

• Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and cover keeping at a gentle simmer. Cook  with the lid on for 20 – 25 minutes. 

Enjoy and stay healthy!