ONLINE EXTRA — BEAN RECIPES: Beef with Beans and Tomatillos . . . Pork Cutlets with Warm Florentine Bean Salad . . . Pasta with Fava Beans and Spring Vegetables, etc.

Beef with Beans and Tomatillos

1 to 1½ pounds lean beef eye of round, cut into 1 to 1½-inch cubes

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 to 4 drops hot pepper sauce

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped, plus additional for garnish, optional, divided

9 to10 tomatillos, husks removed, washed and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon dry minced garlic

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro plus additional for garnish, divided

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 16-ounce cans reduced sodium pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 whole wheat pita breads, warmed and sliced into wedges (optional)

Chopped onion or green onion, optional, for garnish

Place beef cubes in zip-top plastic food bag; add Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce, seal and toss to coat.

Place 2 chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, jalapeno peppers, 3 tablespoons cilantro and pepper into a medium-sized slow cooker. Pour beef, with any collected Worcestershire sauce mixture, over tomato mixture. Cover and cook on low setting 7 to 9 hours, or until beef is done and tender.

Lift beef out of slow cooker, place in bowl, cover and keep warm. If any fat collects over vegetables and liquid, skim fat to remove. Carefully ladle vegetables and liquid into a blender or food processor. (Any time you blend a hot liquid, remove the center from the cover of the blender to vent and allow hot steam to safely escape.) Process or blend until smooth. Pour puree back into slow cooker. Stir in beef and beans. Cover and cook on high setting 30 minutes.

To serve, ladle into bowls and accompany each with wedges of pita bread, if desired. Gar-nish each serving with a sprinkling of fresh minced cilantro, chopped tomato and chopped onion, if desired.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving, with pita bread: 540 calories, 30 percent of calories from fat, 18 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 69 milligrams cholesterol, 58 grams car-bohydrates, 38 grams protein, 453 milligrams sodium, 12 grams dietary fiber.

Pork Cutlets with Warm Florentine Bean Salad

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 pound boneless pork cutlets

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and thinly sliced

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

6 ounces fresh spinach leaves (about 6 cups), washed and tough stems trimmed

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil

2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork cutlets and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove pork from skillet and set aside.

Add remaining oil to skillet. Add garlic, onion and fennel and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat, 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are just crisp-tender.

Arrange pork over vegetables. Season with crushed red pepper, pepper and salt. Add broth and beans. Cover and cook over medium heat, 2 minutes or until beans are hot and liquid is boiling. Add spinach and basil; cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes or just until spinach is wilted and pork is cooked to medium doneness and is slightly pink inside. (Do not overcook.)

Spoon vegetables and pork into a deep platter. Blend lemon juice into remaining liquid in skillet then pour juices over pork and vegetables.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (about 3 ounces cooked pork, 1¼ cups vege-tables and ¼ cup liquid): 302 calories, 29 percent of calories from fat, 10 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 67 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams protein, 315 milli-grams sodium, 8 grams dietary fiber.

Pasta with Fava Beans and Spring Vegetables

1/3 cup dry, blanched, skinless fava beans

1½ cups uncooked whole wheat penne, farfalle or other pasta

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup trimmed, fresh asparagus (about 1-inch pieces)

1 cup broccoli florets or sugar snap peas, trimmed

½ cup sodium-reduced chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook fava beans in 1 cup water according to package directions, 40 to 45 minutes or until just tender; drain and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt; drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stir-ring frequently, 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring 2 minutes. Add asparagus, broc-coli, broth, salt and pepper. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.

Stir in sage, lemon juice, fava beans and cooked pasta; cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes or un-til heated through. Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Yield: Serves 4 as main dish.

Approximate nutritional analysis per 1½-cup serving: 238 calories, 13 percent of calories from fat, 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 4 milligrams cholesterol, 42 grams carbohy-drates, 14 grams protein, 168 milligrams sodium, 8 grams dietary fiber.

Bean and Vegetable Cassoulet with Brown Rice

½ cup dry Great Northern beans

½ cup dry baby lima beans

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

½ onion, chopped

¾ cup chopped unpeeled zucchini

2 teaspoons dry minced garlic

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 14.5-ounce can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth (or 1 3/4 cups vegetable stock)

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup uncooked long-grain brown rice

1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added whole tomatoes

2 tablespoons fresh minced tarragon

Fresh ground black pepper

Rinse beans; sort beans to remove any tiny pebbles or shriveled beans. Place both dry beans in a deep bowl and cover with 3 cups cold water. Allow to stand over night.

Drain beans and place in a medium to large (4- to 5-quart) slow cooker. Add red pepper, onion, zucchini, garlic, pepper, broth and wine. Cover and cook on the low setting 6 to 8 hours or until beans are tender.

Stir in uncooked brown rice, tomatoes and tarragon. Cover and cook on the high setting 1 to 2 hours or until rice is tender. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 204 calories, 4 percent of calories from fat, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 39 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein, 156 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.

Mashed Corn and Beans

2 cups dried beans or peas

4 large potatoes, peeled, quartered

2 semiripe plantains, peeled, each cut into 6 pieces

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1½ cups lentils

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ stick (¼ cup) butter, room temperature

Chopped parsley

Soak the beans or peas in enough cold water to cover in a large bowl 2 to 8 hours. Drain; rinse well under cold water. Place in a Dutch oven; add water just to cover. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes.

Add potatoes, plantains, corn, lentils, salt, pepper and more water, if necessary. Heat to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are soft, 35 minutes. Drain off excess water, if necessary. Combine the vegetables and butter in a large bowl; mash until smooth. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: Serves 15.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 259 calories, 19 percent of calories from fat, 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 44 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein, 167 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.

Italian Sausage Soup

½ pound sweet Italian sausage, ground

2/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

6 cups beef broth (low sodium if desired)

1 15-ounce can navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and drained and squeezed dry

Cook ground sausage over medium heat in a soup pot until the meat is browned and crum-bly. Add rice, beef broth, beans, tomatoes and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in chopped spinach and let simmer for a few min-utes.

Yield: Serves 8 (1-cup servings).

Approximate nutritional analysis per cup: 143 calories, 2.5 grams fat grams, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 23 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams protein grams, 736 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

Pork and Black Bean Chili Mole

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 pound boneless pork loin, trimmed of fat, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

Spray a 4-quart saucepan with nonstick spray coating. Place onion, garlic, jalapeno and pork in pan and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are ten-der and meat is lightly browned. Add tomato paste, chicken broth, chili powder and cumin. Cover, heat to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in chocolate, beans and cilan-tro and simmer 10 minutes.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 293 calories, 28 percent of calories from fat, 9 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 74 milligrams cholesterol, 22 grams carbohydrates, 31 grams protein, 272 milligrams sodium, 9 grams dietary fiber.

White Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 4-ounce cans of diced green chilies

2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium, if desired)

2 16-ounce cans of navy beans, rinsed and drained

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

4 cups cooked and chopped chicken breast

½ teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon oregano

½ teaspoon white pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

½ cup light sour cream

½ cup half and half

½ cup Mexican-blend cheese made with 2 percent milk, finely shredded

In a heavy stockpot, cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until the onion is softened.

Add the green chilies, chicken broth, beans, garlic, chicken, hot sauce, cumin, oregano, ci-lantro, white pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil and gently simmer for about 20 minutes to combine flavors.

Remove the stockpot from the heat and stir in the light sour cream and half and half until mixture is smooth and well-blended.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese over each bowl just before serving.

Yield: Serves 8 (1-cup servings).

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 273 calories, 9.8 grams fat, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 644 milligrams sodium, 28 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 6.8 grams fiber.

Hummingbird Bean Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

1½ teaspoons chili powder

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 14½-ounce cans beef broth

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained

¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook ground beef, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Drain fat, if you like. Add chili powder, allspice and black pepper; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add broth and half of the kidney beans to the saucepan; heat to a boil over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, puree the remaining beans in a blender or food processor; stir into the soup. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese.

Yield: Serves 3.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 489 calories, 51 percent of calories from fat, 27 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 98 milligrams cholesterol, 23 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein, 1,537 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.

Tuscan Tuna Salad with White Beans

1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons sliced sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1 4-ounce container tuna in olive oil, drained and broken into chunks (see note)

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

2 tablespoons white balsamic or balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Ground black pepper

¼ cup julienned fresh basil (cut into thin strips)

Fresh chives, for optional garnish

In a large bowl, gently mix beans, tomatoes, olives, tuna and green onions. Stir together vinegar and oil; add to bowl and mix gently but well. Add pepper to taste; stir in basil. Gar-nish with chives.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per servings: 479 calories, 25 grams fat (3.5 grams satu-rated), 47 percent of calories from fat, 10 milligrams cholesterol, 25.5 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 1,050 milligrams sodium.

Note: Tuna packed in olive oil is often imported from Italy or Spain. Look for it in ethnic markets or gourmet shops. You can substitute domestic tuna in oil, but the flavor and texture of this salad won’t be as good.

Ribollita (Tuscan Bean Soup)

2½ cups dry white beans, soaked in water to cover overnight

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

2 leeks, white part only, washed and finely chopped

1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced

1 small dried hot chili pepper

1 ham bone

Salt, pepper

¾ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Pinch of thyme

8 slices sturdy bread, toasted

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 onion, thinly sliced

Drain the beans. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a soup kettle and gently saute the minced garlic, minced onion, carrot, celery, leeks, rosemary and chili until the vegetables begin to brown. Add beans and ham bone. Cover with water, season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for about 2 hours, or until the beans are tender.

Remove the ham bone and rub half the beans through a sieve or puree in a blender until smooth. Return to soup.

Heat ¾ cup olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the crushed garlic and thyme until the garlic is golden. Strain half the oil into the soup and discard the garlic. Stir soup well.

Arrange the slices of toast in the bottom of an oven-proof tureen or deep casserole. Pour soup over toast. Cover with onion slices and drizzle with remaining oil and the grated cheese. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

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