Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Cori’s Coupon Corner partnered in support of this campaign. Mom It Forward compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dinnertime during a busy week can sometimes be the most stressful time of the day.  I try to cook for my family as often as possible but sometimes I get home and realize that I forgot to plan something for dinner.  That’s why I love cooking with canned fruits and vegetables, too.  Canned fruits and vegetables sometimes get a bad rap but canned is one of the best ways to get food from the farm to my family’s table.  Canning locks in the foods’ freshness, flavor, and nutrients at the peak of ripeness.  This way I can serve canned foods no matter what the season and know that they will be fresh.   Canned foods also help me stretch my budget because they last a long time, I can usually find coupons and sales for them, and most importantly, we waste a lot less when we use canned foods.  Did you know that 73% of Americans throw away spoiled fruits and vegetables on average of two times per week?   I hate throwing away spoiled fruits and veggies so canned is a great option.  I try to serve the fresh fruits and vegetables the first few days after my grocery shopping and then use canned foods towards the end of the week so we have less waste.

The “Cans Get You Cooking” program spreads the message that the amazing technology of modern canning seals in freshness, flavor, nutrition, and goodness.  It is very similar to the way our grandparents and great grandparents used to naturally preserve food.   If you are worried about excess sodium in your foods, just make sure to drain and rinse you canned vegetables before you cook them.  
Having a well stocked “cantry” makes busy nights much easier and I feel good knowing that I am serving my family healthy, nutritious meals.  My normal stocked “cantry” has Del Monte corn and green beans, Goya  beans of all types (black, pinto, kidney, etc.), Progresso soups and stocks, Hormel chili, and lots of Old El Paso products.  I like to grab these items when they are on sale and stock up so I always have them on hand.  I also make sure to always have canned tuna and canned salmon on hand as well for tuna salad and salmon croquettes (I will have to post that recipe in a future post).

Here’s a fast, easy, and hearty taco soup that I like to make for my family.  You could add cooked ground beef or even canned chili if you want but with so many types of beans, there is already plenty of protein in it already.  What I like about this recipe is that I can omit or add items if I don’t have everything on hand and it is still yummy!  Plus it is so easy because can size really doesn’t matter so anyone can make this.

Ingredients-
1 can Goya Black Beans
1 can Goya Dark Kidney Beans
1 can Goya Pinto Beans
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can Del Monte creamed corn
1 can mild Rotel (or spicy if your family likes spicier foods, I prefer the mild with tomatoes and green chilis)
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 carton of Progresso chicken stock (or two if you plan on draining all your beans)
1 package of Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
fresh cilantro (optional)
sour cream (optional)
tortilla chips (optional)

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in stockpot.  I don’t usually drain any of the cans.  If you choose to drain the cans first then you might need to add a second container of chicken stock.
2. Stir and cook on medium until warm throughout (about 10 minutes).
3. Stir in packet of taco mix and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. (optional)
5. Serve (with tortilla chips as garnish- optional).
(I like to add a dollop of sour cream to the bowl right before serving.  Once stirred it makes the soup creamy.  The sour cream cools the heat of the taco mix and the Rotel nicely.)

See, I told you it was EASY!

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Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Cori’s Coupon Corner partnered in support of this campaign. Mom It Forward compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.