Cowboy Caviar by Lynn Yamamoto

This is fresh, healthy and delicious. People love it, even kids. You can make it ahead, so it's great for a summer party. Serve it with scoop-shaped tortilla chips, or have it on the side as a relish. I add extra cilantro, because there can never be too much cilantro!

Yellow Split Peas with Vegetables (Dal Takari) by John Spottiswood

Wow, this is such a wonderful dish and so easy to cook! The keys to this dish are the yellow lentils, fried potatoes, and cumin seed. You can change out the other vegetables (spinach is a nice addition as it adds to the creaminess of the dish). Make sure you fry the cumin seed and potatoes over sufficiently high heat that the cumin…

Make Olive Garden’s Delicious Pasta Fagioli at Home by Skinny Kitchen with Nancy Fox

You’ll love, love, love this rich and hearty soup! It tastes very similar to the pasta e fagioli at Olive Garden. It’s one of the lowest-fat items on the Olive Garden menu, with 2.5 of fat per serving. Our recipe actually contains more calories than theirs does because we’ve added more beans and veggies. The skinny on 1 cup of…

NUTELLA AND BANANA CREPES by Linda Tay Esposito

Making a crepe is not as intimating as one would think. You can make these crepes for breakfast or as a snack. You can stuff the crepes with sweet or savory filling, or for the classic french crepe, some lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar. Remember not to overmix the batter and letting the batter rest and you will be assured of a…

Homemade Refried Beans by John Spottiswood

I'm ashamed to say that though I LOVE refried beans, this is the first time I've ever made them myself. It's just so easy to buy them in a can, or at a mexican restaurant, that I haven't bothered. But this recipe is simple and it is definitely worth the effort in my mind. I figure my kids are the true test, since they aren't that…

FELAFEL SANDWICH (Middle Eastern Fritters) by MARIA LOURDES V. LIPARDO-AYUB

This is one of my favorite "street foods" in the Middle East. It is originated in Egypt as a snack. Here is my version of felafel recipe...

Pork and Hominy Chili by Nancy Miyasaki

Burrito Pie by Carolinaheartstrings

This month we are trying out our favorite “international” recipes. The Husband and I love Mexican food. I used to make a variation of this recipe all the time when we were first married. I used refried beans then and we now prefer black beans and just like my enchilada casserole recipe (check it out if you want a great enchilada…

Carrot and red lentils soup by Easy Cook - Laka kuharica

A delicious, spicy blend, packed full of iron and low fat, ready in under half an hour.

Easy Tex-Mex Refried Bean Dip by myra byanka

Inexpensive, easy prep recipe that guests will love. I sometimes use this recipe to make quesadillas, too.

Mexican Black Bean and Corn Salad by Denise Sherin

This is a great side dish for picnics and outdoor parties since there is no mayo in it. The cilantro, fresh garlic and lime juice really bring a crisp freshness to this salad/ salsa. It's great on it's own but its also wonderful with fish tacos or as a salsa with corn chips... great over eggs or in an omelet. Cook time refers to…

Ellie's Black Bean & Chipotle Dip by Amos Miller

Thanks to Ellie Kreiger for this healthy and zippy dip - just the thing on a day when you're cooped up, watching movies or a sporting event. It comes together quickly and is ready to enjoy with your favorite chips. I like it as a side with Chicken Enchiladas Suizas.

Crock pot lentil soup by Carolinaheartstrings

I love lentil soup and I must not be alone in that love because when I used to buy canned soup I loved a particular brand’s lentil soup and it was always missing from the shelf. I cannot believe it took me so long to make this because it was so easy and so delicious. Even The Husband liked it and I never thought I would get him to…

Cannellini bean, spinach and tomato soup by Easy Cook - Laka kuharica

It’s delicious, comforting, simple and super easy to make.