Tasty Chipotle Beans

1 – 1.25 lbs pinto beans
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
7oz can of chipotle peppers
16oz container of beef broth
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

Sort through the beans to remove dirt, rocks, etc. Rinse beans. Soak overnight, beans will double in size. Drain and rinse beans. Place in a large pot and cover with water. I use a large pot with a drainer insert, which prevents the beans from contacting the bottom of the pan, which prevents burning and sticking.

Heat on high until the beans begin boiling and reduce to low and let simmer several hours. You will know the beans are done by their texture. They should be soft a mushy, but don’t cook them too long or you’ll end up with paste.

Drain but keep 1-2 cups of the bean liquid. Add those back into the beans in the pot along with the container of beef broth. Beans should be covered in liquid. Dice the peppers up finely (or puree them) and add them back, along with the tomatoes. Add the half onion. Cook till sauce reduces to desired consistency. If it gets too thick, add beef broth.

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Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

This is a simple, fast way to make strawberry smoothies.  First you start with frozen strawberries.  You can get these in Texas year round, unlike fresh strawberries which you can’t get in the dead of winter (or they’re expensive).

You will need a decent blender.  I use a $25 Oster blender from Walmart.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.  But you do want a crush ice pulse setting.

You will need:

1     handful / 1.5 cup fulls of frozen strawberries
10-12 ounces of juice
1     banana

Put the strawberries in first and pulse with ice crush till you’ve chopped them up.  You will want to break these down.  You must start with the strawberries first.  If you do not, then it’s harder to break them up I found.  Especially if the juice you’re putting in is cold to slushie.

Next add the juice and banana.  Then put it on the puree selection until it all mixes up.  This will be icey / slushie consistency.  If you want it more liquid, use more juice or let the strawberries thaw a bit.  Thicker, use less juice.

I’m trying to get somewhat natural foods into myself and since I can’t chew hard things, this helps.  I think though that I’d wait awhile after the surgery till things heal up.  I wouldn’t want to get a strawberry seed stuck in my wounds.

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Things to Eat: Stew

Last night at the store, on a whim I bought Dinty Moore stew. While I can’t chew due to doctors orders, I thought maybe this wouldn’t be too bad pureed. And it’s not. A little different, but not too bad. I pureed it cold, then microwaved it for 3 minutes or so. It is better if you mix in cheese and grits.

So now I’m sitting here eating this with a glass of pomegranate-apple-orange juice I made in my juicer.

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