Friday Features - Black Bean Salad and Chicken Wrap recipes

I eat salads several times a week as a meal and I especially like to include beans and corn. I also try to limit breads. Wraps are a good substitute. I prefer wrapping ingredients in corn tortillas because I believe wheat is the cause of some of my health issues. Nutrition Hint: as I've mentioned before, corn tortillas score 91 out of 100 on the NuVal scale and flour tortillas are down at the bottom around 5 to 15. That makes corn tortillas much more nutrient rich. I spritz them with some cooking spray and heat them in a toaster oven. They're not very good raw out of the package. I keep a variety of canned beans in my pantry to add to salads. 

Here are two recipes I'm adding to my menus this week... 

Find Nature’s Bounty in Your Pantry

(Family Features) Nature’s bounty has arrived with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available everywhere, including the canned food aisle at your local grocery store. Most canned fruits and vegetables are picked at the peak of ripeness and canned just hours after being harvested. So, all of that goodness is always on hand in your pantry, making it simple to get nutritious meals on the table that your family will love.

Many canned fruits and vegetables have the same nutrients as their fresh or frozen counterparts, according to a University of California Davis study. Our grandparents and great grandparents knew this. The canning process they used is the same process still used today, which locks in the freshness and nutrients of foods, naturally.

“When it comes to canned fruits and vegetables, I know I’m serving the natural goodness of the food,” said Jeanne Benedict, entertaining expert and cookbook author. “Canned foods not only help guarantee a homemade and delicious meal on the dinner table, they’re quick and easy – which means more quality time spent with the family.”

With a pantry stocked with canned foods, you have an amazing number of quick and delicious meal solutions right at your fingertips. These no-cook dishes will have you in and out of the kitchen without breaking a sweat, and earn cool points from the family.

For more recipes and to learn how you can get cooking with cans, visit www.Facebook.com/CansGetYouCooking and www.Pinterest.com/CansGetUCooking.

Best Black Bean Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6

1          red bell pepper, diced

1          green bell pepper, diced

1          yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2       cup diced red onion

1          (15.25 ounce) can Del Monte Whole Kernel Corn, drained

1          clove garlic, minced

1          teaspoon cilantro

1/4       cup olive oil

4          tablespoons red wine vinegar

1          teaspoon lime juice

1          (15 ounce) can Bush’s Black Beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Tortilla chips

In a small bowl, combine peppers, onion, corn, garlic and cilantro. Add olive oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add Bush’s Black Beans and toss well. Serve with tortilla chips.Cool 

Chicken Wraps

Prep time: 10 minutes

Servings: 8

4          (12 inch) flour tortillas

1/2       cup mayonnaise

1/2       teaspoon dill weed

4          cups shredded lettuce, or shredded cabbage

1          (14.5 ounce) can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes, drained and rinsed

2          (5 ounce) cans Hormel Premium Chicken Breast in Water, drained and flaked

1/4       cup chopped green onions

1          cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Spread the tortillas with mayonnaise and sprinkle with dill. Top center of each tortilla with lettuce, Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes, chicken, onions and cheese. Fold bottoms of tortilla up 2 inches and then roll up.

Variation: For hot sandwiches, substitute 2 cups red and green pepper strips for lettuce. Spread salsa in place of mayonnaise on tortilla. Prepare as directed. Microwave on high until cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.