Tuesday Treat: Baked beans with no meat

This image was released by the National Cancer Institute, an agency part of the National Institutes of Health. Renee Comet, Photographer

I've been crazy busy lately, running around like my hair is on fire, so this week I'm cooking dinners that are quick and easy. Today I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes, California Baked Beans. I got it from a book called Food for Life and I don't recall the author, so if anyone knows and can tell me, I would be most grateful. The recipe is fairly easy to make, is healthy and tastes great. I can prepare it in the morning, put it in the refrigerator, then take it out to bake it in the evening when I come home late. It doesn't have meat and I urge you try it this way first. You can always embellish later. Happy eating!

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper  (I use celery, I don't like green peppers)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6 ounces grated mozzarella cheese, part skim

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup dry white wine or broth

3 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained

(I use about half these ingredients since my casserole dish is small)

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, mustard, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar and stir the mixture top combine the ingredients well. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese, tomato, and wine; stir in the beans. (I don't add the cheese until it's in the dish; it makes a gooey mess in the pan.)

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