Confessions of a Foodie

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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Tuesday Recipes

The 4th of July is this weekend (Saturday), so I'm reposting a blog post from last year. While it was originally posted on July 3, it's full of recipes for the 4th. Enjoy!

To view the original blog, click here.

The 4th of July is one of America’s most iconic holidays. Fireworks, food, summer…what’s not to love? While many of us will be eating burgers and hot dogs – whether the meat version or veggie version of either – there’s plenty of other foods to add to the holiday spread. I’ve got only a few offerings here, but it’s a start. Enjoy!

GRILLED APPLE PIE

Jolinda Hackett, About.com’s Vegetarian guide, writes, “There's nothing more American than apple pie, and grilling out for the fourth of July. Combine the two with the most American thing I can possibly thing of - grilled apple pie! If you want to really wow your meatless friends at an all-American barbecue, try this recipe. Yes, you can cook a homemade apple pie right on your barbecue! Need this grilled pie recipe to be vegan? Use a non-animal based shortening and just use vegan margarine in place of the butter. Happy birthday, America!” Jolinda adds that the recipe is by Bush's® Beans. Serves 4 to 8.

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp flour, divided

pinch salt

1/2 cup shortening, chilled

5 tbsp ice water, or more if needed

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

8 cups slices apples (about 6 large apples)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cold

vanilla ice cream (optional)

cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation:

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and salt. Add shortening and cut into flour and salt with pastry blender until coarse and crumbly.

Stir in ice water, a little at a time until dough forms in a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Roll out dough into a circle and fit into a pie plate.

Preheat charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking at 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

In a separate large bowl, toss apple slices with lemon juice (to prevent the apples from turning brown). Then add the sugar/flour/spice mixture to the apples and toss to coat the apple slices with the spice mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup flour with the brown sugar. Add the pieces of butter, and cut in with a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.

Place the pie on a cookie sheet, and bake over indirect heat until the apples are tender and bubbly, about 50–60 minutes. Remove the pie and let sit for at least 10 minutes to cool before serving.

Serve with generous scoops of ice cream and slices of extra sharp Cheddar cheese.

EGG POTATO SALAD

This is my version of potato salad. While there are undoubtedly fancier versions of potato salad, this is the one that my family loves and asks for. While I’d love to say that the leftovers refrigerate well overnight, I wouldn’t know; it never lasts long enough!

5 pounds potatoes (I use regular white potatoes)

6 – 8 eggs

1 – 2 onions, diced

3 – 4 cups mayo (if you usually use a vegetarian version, go for it)

1/2 cup mustard

Peel potatoes and cube into bite-sized pieces. Place in large pot, cover with cold water, then boil. Once water reaches a boil, turn heat to medium and cook for 20 – 30 minutes. Potatoes should be cooked through, but not mushy.

While potatoes are cooking, place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water and turn stove on high. Once water begins to boil, let boil for 10 minutes. Turn off stove, place pan in sink and run cold water over the eggs to cool off.

Drain potatoes and rinse in cold water. Place in large bowl. Peel and cut up eggs and add to potatoes, along with diced onions. Add mayo and mustard and mix well. Can be served either slightly warmed (now) or, if served later, cooled in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

This recipe is from the August 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “You’d never guess that this rich, dence fudgy ice cream contains considerably less fat that the classic version.” Makes 5 cups.

1 lb. soft tofu, drained

1 cup sugar

1 cup plain soy milk

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

In blender, puree all ingredients in 2 equal batches until very smooth.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve right away or transfer to airtight container and freeze up to 3 days.

COCA-COLA SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM

This comes from one of my favorite emailing lists, the kitchn. I can't say enough about it or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. To find this recipe online, click here. Makes approximately 1 quart

Coca-Cola Soft Serve with Peanut Brittle Crunch

For the ice cream:


3 cups Coca-Cola Classic (two 12-ounce cans)


1 (0.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin


2 tablespoons cold water


1 tablespoon corn starch

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup evaporated milk

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

For the peanut brittle:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Kosher salt, to taste

For the ice cream, pour the Coca-Cola into a large, flat-sided skillet and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Continue boiling until the soda is reduced to approximately 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and set aside. In another small bowl, combine the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of milk and whisk until smooth.

Combine remaining milk, cream, evaporated milk, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in the corn starch slurry and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Add the Coca-Cola reduction and moistened gelatin, and whisk until the gelatin is completely combined.

Transfer the ice cream base to a gallon-sized plastic zipper bag. Press out the air and place in a large bowl filled with ice water until cold, about 30 minutes. (The mixture can also be transferred to an airtight container and held in the refrigerator for up to two days.) Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream maker and churn according to instructions. It can be served immediately or transferred to a freezer-safe container and chilled until firm.

When ready to make the peanut brittle, line a baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment and set near the stove. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Do not stir. Continue cooking until the sugar begins to turn a golden amber shade, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the peanuts. Pour the nuts out to the baking sheet. Let the peanuts cool completely before breaking into pieces.

To serve ice cream so that it resembles swirled soft serve, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Freeze the bag in 15 to 30 minute increments until the ice cream is firm, as needed. Squeeze and pipe the ice cream in a circular motion into a bowl or cone.

Top the ice cream with a piece of peanut brittle before serving. For extra Coca-Cola flavor, pour soda over the top for a "double Coke float."

RED, RED SALAD

From the June 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe, which serves 8 and is ready in 30 minutes or less, begins, “Reminiscent of the '50s favorite chopped salad, this dish indulges your whim for something red and colorful for spring and summer eating. You can dress this with an oil-and-balsamic vinegar mixture or any other preferred dressing. Because this is a focal point for lunch or supper, accompany the salad with grilled cheese squares and wrap the meal up with a tempting sweet, such as a wedge of berry pie. Toast the meal with icy lemonade. This makes about 8 1- to 1 1/2-cup servings.”

1 bunch radishes, greens removed, trimmed and quartered

1/2 head red cabbage, cored and chopped

1 cup grape tomatoes

2 1/2 cups red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 large red onion, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad dressing to taste

Put all vegetables and beans in a large salad bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Dress with salad dressing, toss and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 100; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 20 g; Sodium: 200 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

FRESH BERRY TART WITH TOASTED NUT CRUST

This recipe is from the July 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe, which serves 8, begins, “A crumbly homemade nut crust sets this tart apart from other berry pies. It can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.”

Crust

1/4 cup each almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

6 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 large egg yolk

Filling

1/2 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbs. light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. grated orange zest

1 cup blueberries

1 cup raspberries

1 Tbs. orange juice

To make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray. Spread nuts on baking sheet, and toast in oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until browned.

Pulse nuts, flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until nuts are ground to powder. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk, and pulse until moist clumps form. Press dough into bottom and sides of prepared pan, about 1/4-inch thick, and pierce with fork. Freeze 30 minutes.

Adjust oven temperature to 400°F. Bake Crust 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden. Cool.

To make Filling: whisk together sour cream, yogurt, brown sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in small bowl. Toss berries with orange juice in separate bowl. 
5. Spread sour cream mixture in Crust with spatula. Spoon berries over top a little at a time, until sour cream mixture is evenly covered. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 288; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g; Cholesterol: 58 mg; Sodium: 87 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 13 g

BERRY REFRESHING GREEN TEA GRANITA

This comes from the Ocean Spray website. Lots of great recipes! This one seems perfect for the 4th!

Ingredients

Granita:

32 ounces Ocean Spray® Light Cranberry & Raspberry flavored Juice Drink
Raspberry Cranberry Juice Drink, reserving 1 cup


4 bags green tea

Sauce:

16 ounces Ocean Spray® Light Cran-Raspberry® Raspberry Cranberry Juice Drink

1/4 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

8 Mint sprigs, for garnish, optional

Directions

Granita: 
Pour juice for granita, except reserved 1 cup, into a non-metal 8x8-inch baking pan.



Heat reserved 1 cup juice in a microwave safe container on HIGH for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and add tea bags. Let steep for 5-minutes. Remove tea bags and squeeze. Add tea and juice mixture to pan. Stir gently. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.

Remove from freezer and let sit for 10 minutes. Break up into pieces. Place 2 cups of granita mixture in a food processor. Process until mixture is smooth. Pour into a clean non-metal 8x8-inch pan. Repeat processor steps with remaining granita mixture.


Return granita to freezer. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours.

Remove from freezer just prior to serving. Scoop 1/2 cup into serving bowls. Makes 8 1/2 cup servings.

Sauce: 
Pour juice into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has been reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in raspberries. Drizzle one tablespoon of sauce over granita. Sauce may be used hot or cold. Makes 8 1-tablespoon servings.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, which means another round of vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

CARDAMOM COOKIES WITH ALMONDS

This comes from the June 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 77, and starts off, “More nutty and savory than sweet, these cookies make a lovely pairing with a cup of tea. For dessert, serve them with vanilla ice cream or a fruity sorbet.” Makes 4 dozen cookies

To view this online, click here.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

1 cup organic cane sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. grated orange zest

1 large egg white, for brushing

1/4 cup slivered almonds, coarsely chopped

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in bowl with electric mixer 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and orange zest. Add flour mixture in two batches, beating on low speed just until combined.

Shape dough into disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour, or until firm.

Preheat oven to 375°F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll out half of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on floured work surface. Cut out cookies with 2-inch cookie cutter, and arrange about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush cookies with egg white, then sprinkle with sugar. Place 1 large pinch of nuts in center of each cookie, and press lightly to adhere.

Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

nutritional information Per Cookie: Calories: 73; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Cholesterol: 14 mg; Sodium: 43 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 5 g

GRILLED TOMATO AND OLIVE PIZZA

This comes from page 20 of the June 2015 issue of Taste For Life, a magazine I picked up from Rollin' Oats Market & Cafe in St. Pete, Florida. Prep Time: 35 minutes; Serves 4. Originally from Summer Cooking by the Chicago Tribune staff.

1/2 pt cocktail or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

3 Tbsp each: pitted, drained kalamata olives; chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 package unbaked pizz dough, stretched into 12-inch round, or prepared (12-inch) pizza crust; see Note

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese

2 Tbsp each: torn basil leaves; shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat grill to high.

Combine tomatoes, onion, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste ina bowl, tossing with your hands to coat. Brush remaining 1 tablesppon of oil over both sides of crust.

Place dough over direct heat on grill. Cook until puffy, about 2 minutes. Turn over. Cook 2 minutes. Move crust to a cooler part of the grill. Top with tomato-olive mixture. Sprinkle parsley, dontina, and basil over top.

Cover grill. Cook until cheese melts, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover. Cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Remove from grill; cut into wedges.

Note: If you are using a prepared crust, follow directions on the package for cooking instructions.

Per serving: Calories: 227; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Fiber: 1 g; Total fat: 19 g (sat. fat: 4 g; mono: 12 g; poly: 2 g); sodium: 270 mg; Vitamin K; calcium

GRILLED VEGETABLES WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

This is from page 21 of the June 2015 issue of Taste For Life. Prep Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 4

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 zucchini, cut into large dice

1 yellow squash, cut into large dice

1 sweet or yellow onion, cut into 1-inch slices

2 bell peppers, seeded, ribs removed, and cut into 1-inch slices

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/ 2 tsp salt

1/ 2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

To make balsamic glaze, bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer until balsamic is reduced by about half, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool, and reserve. (You can do this up to a week ahead of time; store in a covered container at room temperature.)

To grill vegetables, preheat grill to high heat (500 degrees F). Place asparagus, zucchini, squash, onion, and bell peppers in a large bowl and drizzle in half of the oil. Toss or mix vegetables with your hands until they are well coated and place in a grill basket.

Place basket on grill and close lid. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking basket occasionally. Vegetables are done when peppers and onions are charred on edges and tender enough to eat.

Place vegetables in a serving bowl. Drizzle evening with 1/4 cup of glaze and remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kitchen Note: You can also slice the vegetables and grill them right on the grill slats. It's a little more work, but this method will impart those pretty char marks on your vegetables.

Per serving: Calories: 243; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g; fiber: 6 g; total fat: 14 g (sat. fat: 2 g; mono: 10 g; poly: 2g); sodium: 323 mg

BLUEBERRY-CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

This comes from the September 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 72. It begins, “Blended cucumbers thicken a lightly sweet smoothie for a low-cal breakfast or a refreshing afternoon snack.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 large garden cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (2 cups)

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup frozen blueberries

1–2 Tbs. honey or agave nectar

1 Tbs. lemon juice

Place all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth.

nutritional information Per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 102; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 42 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 19 g; Gluten-Free

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.

I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.

Tomato sauce:

2 – 3 onions, chopped

3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. can tomatoes

2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste

2 T oil

1 T oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.

Cheese layer:

2 C sour cream

2 C cottage cheese

2 eggs

4 C mozzarella, grated

2 C cheddar cheese, grated

1 C Parmesan cheese

Mix ingredients together in large bowl.

Assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.

ROASTED SQUASH AND APPLE CHOWDER WITH COLORFUL POTATOES

This is from the October 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 76. It starts off, “Puréed roasted butternut squash provides the creamy base for a hearty chowder. If making the chowder ahead, prepare the recipe through step 3, then assemble and reheat just before serving.” Serves 8.

2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks (6 cups), divided

3 medium apples, peeled and diced (3 cups), divided

2 large leeks, white parts cut into 1-inch chunks (1 cup), plus 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek greens, divided

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1 lb. multicolored potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1/2 cup apple juice

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine 5 cups butternut squash chunks, 2 cups diced apple, leek whites, oil, and maple syrup in large bowl, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread squash mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet, and roast 30 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Cook potato chunks and remaining 1 cup butternut squash in boiling, salted water 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Purée roasted vegetables in blender until smooth. Add purée and apple juice to large soup pot with 4 cups water. Whisk in vinegar, and heat over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add boiled potatoes and squash, remaining 1 cup diced apple, and leek greens, and simmer 5 minutes, or until hot.

nutritional information Per 1 1/4-cup serving: Calories: 162; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 12 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

Friday, June 26, 2015

Weekend Recipes

Finally, it's Friday! Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH PITA CHIPS

This comes from Diada De Laurentiis, The Food Network's Everyday Italian. Total Time: 27 min; Prep: 15 min; Cook: 12 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-dip-with-pita-chips-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 pitas

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, and parsley in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl.

Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color.

Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree.

PICNIC CELERY & POTATO SALAD

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and begins, “A frew surprises in the dressing, like cream of celery soup, carry this potato salad to new and delicious heights.” Serves: 12 servings (about 1 cup each); Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

10 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish

4 stalks celery, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

ground black pepper

Directions

Place the potatoes into a 6-quart saucepot and add water to cover. Heat over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes well in a colander.

Stir the soup, mustard, lemon juce, vinegar and horseradish in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, celery and onion and toss to coat. Season with the black pepper. Cover and refrigerated for 2 hours.

PEANUT BUTTER BREAKFAST PUDDING

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/166.shtml

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Servings: 8 - Difficulty Level: 2

Ingredients

6 slices raisin bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

1-3/4 cup nonfat skim milk

3 whole eggs + 2 egg whites

1/2 cup fat-reduced peanut butter

3 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp grated orange peel OR 1/4 tsp dried orange peel

Directions

Spray a 9-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick vegetable spray.

Add bread cubes to dish and set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients in blender container and process until smooth.

Pour mixture evenly over bread cubes in baking dish, saturating bread cubes.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Remove cover and bake about 35 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 217; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 9 g; Sodium: 262 mg; Cholesterol: 91 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread/Starch; 1 Lean Meat; 1-1/2 Fats

SAUSAGE, PEPPER AND GRAIN SKILLET

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts, “Try this easier-than-ever skillet meal made with whole grains. Suddenly Grains Salad mix makes it happen in less than 30 minutes!” Prep Time: 25 min; Total Time: 25 min; Servings: 4

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Grain Salad™ Tuscan grains

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cold water

12 oz fully cooked Italian style smoked chicken sausage, cut into 1-inch slices

2 medium red, yellow or green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Fill 3-quart saucepan half full with water; heat to boiling. Carefully place unopened bag of grains (from salad box) in water. Gently boil uncovered 17 minutes, turning bag once halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix dressing mix (from salad box), 2 tablespoons of the oil and the cold water. Set aside.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and bell peppers; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until sausage is browned.

Place unopened bag of cooked grains into colander; drain.

Open bag of grains. Add grains, packet of almonds (from salad box) and dressing to sausage mixture in skillet; toss to coat. Cook and stir over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI GRATIN

This comes from Ina Garten, of The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 1 hr. 5 min; Prep: 10 min; Cook: 55 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/zucchini-gratin-recipe2.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping

1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)

2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup hot milk

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

GRILLED ONION BURGER

Here's a healthier version of a classic burger topped with grilled onions and all the fixings.

Makes 4 servings

Photo & Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1223.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds 95% lean ground beef

1 large sweet onion, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices

Vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

4 hamburger buns, split, toasted

Lettuce leaves

Tomato slices

Directions

Lightly shape Ground Beef into four 3/4-inch thick patties. Brush onion slices with oil.

Place patties and onion slices on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 15 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 13 to 14 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160F, turning occasionally. Grill onions, 10 to 12 minutes or until tender, brushing with oil and turning occasionally.

Season burgers and onions with salt and pepper as desired.

Line bottom of each bun with lettuce. Place burgers on top of lettuce. Top with tomatoes and grilled onions. Close bun.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 368; Protein: 39 g; Fat: 10 g; Sodium: 324 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g ; Dietary Fiber: 2 g ; Carbohydrates: 27 g

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Diabetic Thursday

If it's Thursday (and it is), then it's time for diabetic recipes. Enjoy!

GINGER SPICE BISCOTTI

Makes 40 biscotti

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/433.shtml

Ingredients

Canola oil spray

1-1/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

4 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened apple butter or applesauce

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries or other chopped dried fruit

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a large cookie sheet with oil spray. Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Use a food processor or hand mix eggs with oil and apple butter until blended. Blend in the sugar. Add half of the dry mixture and blend until smooth. Add remaining dry (The dough will be soft and sticky but easy to handle.) Transfer dough to a large bowl. Fold in the dried fruit.

Place one-half of the dough at each end of the cookie sheet. With damp hands, form each piece of dough into a log 3 inches wide and about 3/4-inch high. Place logs about 4 inches apart. (Logs will spread during baking.) Bake 25-30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. (Leave heat on.)

With a serrated knife, cut each log into 1/2-inch cookies cut on the diagonal. Bake 10 minutes. Turn each cookie over and bake 10 more minutes. Turn off heat and leave biscotti in the oven 10 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 63; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 38 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch. 1/2 Fat

PEACH MELBA

Yield: 4 servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/24.shtml

Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/575.shtml

Ingredients

4 large ripe peaches

2 cup plus 2 tablespoons raspberries

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons non-fat dry milk powder plus water to make 1/4 cup

1 tablespoon unsweetened grape juice

Directions

Blanch peaches by dropping them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove, run under cold water and peel off skins.

Cut in half, discard pits and place 2 peach halves on each of 4 individual dessert dishes.

Puree raspberries with remaining ingredients, reserving 2 tablespoons of berries for garnish. Spoon puree over peaches, top with berries and serve cold.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 112, Cholesterol: 10 mg, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Protein: 5 g, Sodium: 50 mg, Fat: 2.7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Fruit, 1 Milk

STUFFED PEPPERS

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/238.shtml

Servings: 8

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers, any color or combination

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 medium crookneck squash, diced (about 2 cups)

1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup diced onion (1 medium)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp bottled minced garlic

2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 to 2/3 cup uncooked)

1/2 cup grated fat-free or low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts (2 ounces)

1 cup no-salt-added tomato juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing stems, ribs, and seeds. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat bottom. Saute tomatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until zucchini is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't overcook.

In a medium bowl, combine rice, cheese, and water chestnuts. Gently stir into skillet. Stuff pepper halves with vegetable mixture. Place in 9-inch round or square casserole dish, then carefully pour tomato juice around peppers. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 119; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 68 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Low-Fat Milk, 2 Vegetable

SPINACH AND CITRUS SALAD

This starts off, “Spinach is a good source of beta carotene, vitamin C and folic acid. If you buy loose spinach leaves, rinse the leaves well to remove grit and sand, then dry well with layers of toweling or a salad spinner. Along with some citrus fruit, add a little crunchy texture with diced jicama, canned water chestnuts, a handful of nuts, or some diced apple.” Makes 8 servings.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/233.shtml

Ingredients

6-7 leaves leafy green lettuce, like Romaine, Boston, Bibb

1 6-oz. package baby spinach, stems removed

2 cups peeled and diced jicama or canned water chestnuts

1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size wedges

1/2 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size wedges

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 oranges, peel and white pith removed, quartered

1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

4 tsp. Sherry or white wine vinegar

1-1/2 tsp. (1/2 Tbsp.) honey

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp. chili powder, or to taste

12 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces. Place in large bowl. Mix in spinach, jicama, bell peppers, onion and cilantro.

Cut quartered oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. With grapefruit knife, remove individual segments of fruit from halved grapefruit. Add fruit to bowl and toss to combine ingredients.

In separate bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, honey, lime juice and chili powder. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat lightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 81; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 30 mg; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Fat

TUNA SALAD WRAP

This starts off, “Use vegetables in wraps, which hold better than sandwiches if you keep the wrapper flexible and don't overstuff them. The following recipe uses cream cheese and a lettuce leaf to prevent the moist filling from turning the wrapper soggy. Cold wraps usually improve in flavor by sitting in the refrigerator overnight.” Makes 4 wraps.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/231.shtml

Ingredients

1 can (6.5 oz.) water-packed white tuna, drained

1 small carrot, shredded

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/2 Tbsp. dried chives or chervil

2-4 Tbsp. nonfat mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 8-inch flour tortillas

4 Tbsp. nonfat cream cheese

4 well-dried leaves of leafy green lettuce slightly smaller than a tortilla

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

4 sprigs fresh mint, cilantro, or flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In small bowl, combine tuna, carrot, celery, green pepper, chives and enough mayonnaise to make a moist (but not wet) salad. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

On each tortilla, spread a thin layer of cream cheese (about 1 tablespoon) across the center two-thirds of tortilla's surface, leaving a 2-inch margin along edges. Center 1 lettuce leaf on top of each tortilla. Press leaf into cream cheese. Spread one-fourth of the tuna salad firmly over each lettuce leaf, leaving a 2-inch margin at top and bottom of each tortilla. Sprinkle one-fourth of cheese over each tortilla and top with sprig of fresh mint or other fresh herb.

Fold the bottom of the tortilla up to cover the top of the filling. Fold in the two sides a quarter-inch. Roll tortilla up, holding side folds in. Roll wraps tightly and as firmly as possible to ensure packets stays closed. Tightly seal each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve or pack. Wraps made without wet ingredients can keep for 24 hours or more without getting soggy.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 238; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 534 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Exchanges: 2 Low-Fat Meat; 1 Bread/Starch; 1-1/2 Vegetable

BAKED CHICKEN PARMESAN

Servings: 6

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/228.shtml

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray

4 slices whole-wheat bread

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1-1/2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk

Vegetable oil spray

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 4 ounces each, all visible fat removed

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly spray a rectangular baking sheet and slightly smaller cooling rack with vegetable oil spray. Put rack on baking sheet. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, process bread into fine crumbs. Pour into a shallow bowl. Stir Parmesan, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme into crumbs.

Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl.

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Dip chicken into buttermilk, shake off excess liquid, dredge in crumbs, and shake off excess crumbs. Put chicken on cooling rack. Spray each breast with vegetable oil spray.

Bake for 15 minutes, turn chicken, and bake for 10 minutes, or until done.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 209; Protein: 38 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 303 mg; Cholesterol: 68 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 3/4 Bread/Starch; 4 Low-Fat Meat

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Week Day Recipes

It's Wednesday - half-way through the week. (Yay!) Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

ANADAMA BATTER BREAD

This comes from Elizabeth Yetter, About.com's Bread Baking expert. She writes, “If you like dark breads with good flavor, you will want to try out this version of anadama bread. Made with molasses and a touch of brown sugar, this loaf makes a great snacking bread and tastes delicious when toasted and smothered in butter.” Prep Time: 120 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 170 minutes; Yield: 1 loaf

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup water, room temperature

2-1/4 tsp (1/4 oz or 1 package) active dry yeast

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup molasses

1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

4 Tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp sea salt

2-3/4 cups bread or all-purpose flour, about

Directions

In a large bowl, add water and yeast. Stir until the yeast is dissolved and then let stand for about 2 minutes. Next, add the cornmeal, molasses, brown sugar, coconut oil, and sea salt. Stir until the brown sugar and salt is dissolved. The salt does not kill the yeast. It “retards” or slows down the growth of yeast and brings out the flavor in the bread. Mix in 2 cups of the flour. Slowly add in the remaining flour.

Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and set to rise in a warm, draft free area for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

After the dough is finished with its first rise, stir down the dough inside the bowl. Grease a 9x5-inch bread pan with shortening. Lightly coat the bread pan with cornmeal. This is to help the bread release from the pan after being baked. If you don’t have cornmeal on hand, simply grease the bread pan and skip the cornmeal. Scrape the batter into the bread pan, cover with the clean kitchen cloth, and let rise a second time in a warm, draft free area for 45 minutes or until doubled. Bake the loaf at 375 degrees F for 50 minutes or until the top is dark brown and the bread sounds hollow when you tap on the top. Remove from oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before storing or freezing.

You can easily freeze bread for toast or sandwiches. First allow the bread to cool completely. Slice the loaf as you would for sandwiches. Place all the slices in the bag, close it, and set it in the freezer.

To use, take out the slices you need to make sandwiches and allow them to thaw on the kitchen counter or lightly toast the slices. Make your sandwiches as you normally would.

Bread Baking Tips

Store brown sugar into an airtight container to keep it from becoming hard.

When measuring out brown sugar, always pack it down into the measuring cup or spoon unless the recipe tells you to do otherwise.

Use bottled water instead of tap water to make your breads. Water softeners and chlorinated public water can sometimes kill the yeast needed to make your bread dough rise.

An opened jar of molasses lasts up to one year.

To prevent the molasses from sticking to your measuring spoon, coat the spoon in a tiny amount of cooking oil.

Keep yeast stored in an airtight container and in the refrigerator. Heat, moisture, and air kills the yeast and prevents bread dough from rising.

ASPARAGUS CHEF SALAD

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/227.shtml

Source: Cooking Healthy and Fast

Yield: 4-1/2 (1 cup) servings

Ingredients

2-1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

2 oz. part-skim julienne Swiss cheese

2 oz. lean julienne ham

1 Tbsp.finely chopped onion

1 orange, peeled and cubed

Dressing:

1 pkg. lemon and herb salad dressing mix

2 Tbsp. water

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Chop asparagus into bite-sized pieces and place in a microwavve-proof casserole dish. Add 2 Tbsp. water, cover, and Microwave for 2 minutes. Drain. Measure remaining ingredients into a salad bowl. Add asparagus when completely cool.

Prepare dressing in a shaker container and add approximately 1/3 of it to the salad. Save remaining dressing for greens and fresh vegetables.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 151; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 347 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable; 1 Lean Meat; 1 Fat

PUMPKIN-MAPLE CRUSTLESS CHEESECAKE

This recipe begins, “Enjoy the warm flavors of pumpkin, maple, and ginger with this crustless cheesecake.”

Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cheesecake).

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1279.shtml

Ingredients

3 (8 ounce) packages fat-free cream cheese, warmed in a microwave for 15 seconds

1/3 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

3 large eggs

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup low-fat maple or vanilla yogurt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon imitation maple or rum flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup thinly sliced crystallized ginger (garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in pumpkin, yogurt, flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, maple flavoring, and vanilla.

Pour filling into prepared pan. Bake until outer rim is puffy and center is slightly wobbly, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven and run a butter knife around the inner edge but do not remove the pan side.

Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Refrigerate warm cake, uncovered, until cold. Then cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days). Remove 1 hour before serving.

When ready to serve, carefully remove side of pan. Cut into 12 wedges with wet knife wiped clean between cuts. Garnish with crystallized ginger, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 130; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 2.5 g; Sodium: 420 mg; Cholesterol: 60 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g

POTATO AND ONION SOUP

This is from Roadfood.com. The send out emails periodically which are almost always interesting. This recipe, from Harry Caray's, starts off, “Cooking potatoes in beef stock gives the starchy vegetable a savor that all carnivores will appreciate. A sprinkle of Parmesan on each serving adds just the right zip.”

Preparation Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups peeled and sliced Spanish onions

3-1/2 cups homemade beef stock or equivalent amount of canned, low salt beef broth

3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and add the olive oil.

Add the onions and sauté until they become clear and turn a light brown. Set aside.

In a large stock pot, bring the beef stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the diced potatoes. Simmer over medium heat until the potatoes are soft.

Add the onions to the stock pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Salt and pepper the soup to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

CROCKPOT VEGETABLE MINESTRONE

Linda Larsen, About.com's Busy Cooks guide, writes, “This hearty recipe has a very complex flavor. One of the more surprising parts of the recipe is that pasta cooks right in the crockpot.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 8 hours; Total Time: 8 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups vegetable broth or stock

4 cups tomato juice

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta

Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese in a 4-5 quart crockpot. Cover crockpot and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours until vegetables are tender. Stir in pasta. Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 15-25 minutes until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 12 servings

CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP: TART, TANGY, TINGLY

This comes from Kevin D. Weeks, About.com's former Cooking for 2 guide. He wrote, “I know people who say "Ech!" when I mention chilled soups. The idea of eating cold soup simply offends their sense of "rightness" - soup should be hot and savory, something for a cold January day. But a chilled soup, enjoyed on the patio on a hot summer day while the grill is roasting a few steaks is almost the apotheosis of good times in the summer time. Slightly spicy with a nice lilt of curry and a refreshing tartness from the buttermilk, yogurt, and lime, this soup is wonderfully cool and refreshing soup served with grilled fish. Serves 2.

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 10-inch cucumbers; peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 sm. shallot; finely chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh mint; finely chopped

1/2 tsp. curry powder

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

Preparation:

Place cucumbers, scallions, mint, and lime juice in a food processor.

Pulse four or five times, scraping down sides once, then and process until finely chopped - about one minute longer.

Scrape down sides and add remaining ingredients and process another minute. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Chill for at least 4 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings again before serving.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Cookies

Most of us love an occasional snack. Homemade cookies definitely fit the bill. And so...six cookie recipes. Two are my Grandmother's recipes, and have been posted here before, but are yummy enough to warrant seeing again. Enjoy!

EASY LEMON HERB SHORTBREAD COOKIES

This comes from the Tablespoon.com newsletter. It begins, “These flavorful, fragrant, lemon herb shortbread cookies welcome Spring beautifully.” Prep Time: 30 min; Total Time: 3 hr 0 min; Servings: 32

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

6 to 9 sprigs assorted fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and sage

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

Directions

In a medium-size bowl, briefly mix the flour and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a standing mixer, blend the butter and confectioner’s sugar well. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon zest and juice and mix well. Gradually blend in the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Scoop the dough from the bowl and wrap in a zip-top bag or in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375º F. Prepare your herbs by either finely chopping the leaves or snipping more decorative, larger pieces. You can choose to keep the herbs separate and use only one kind of herb per cookie, or you can blend them into a mixture. Set aside.

On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the chilled cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2 1/2-inch circle, oval or square cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. Transfer cookies to a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Mix the egg white and water. Lightly brush the top surface of the cookies with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle or place the herbs on each cookie. Gently press the herbs to flatten against the cookies. If desired, sprinkle a pinch of sugar on each cookie.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES





This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.

1/2 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1 1/4 C flour

3/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES



Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar

3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)

1 C butter or margarine

1/4 C boiling water

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking



Then cut down the center, like so:



Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling



DOUBLE CHOCOLATE VEGAN COOKIES

Jolinda Hackett, from About.com's vegetarian blog, writes, "If you can't find vegan chocolate chunks, use regular chocolate chips."

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup sugar

egg replacer for 1 egg, prepared

1/2 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar and vegetable oil until well mixed, then add the prepared egg replacer, soy milk and vanilla.

Add flour mixture to sugar and oil mixture, mixing just until well combined, then stir in vegan chocolate chunks.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet, then gently flatten. Baked for 8-10 minutes, until done, being careful not to over-bake.

Enjoy your vegan chocolate chunk cookies!

PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH COOKIES

This yummy recipe is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 55), and can be found at http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-sandwich-cookies/ and makes 24 sandwiches. The recipe states, "These sandwich cookies are held together by a rich (and ridiculously easy) chocolate filling."

Cookies

2 cups smooth natural-style peanut butter

4 oz. Earth Balance margarine (1 stick)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup evaporated cane sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain soymilk or almond milk

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

Filling

1/2 cup coconut creamer or soy creamer

8 oz. vegan chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups)

To make Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray.

Cream peanut butter, margarine, brown sugar, cane sugar, and vanilla 2 to 3 minutes with electric mixer, or until smooth. Beat in soymilk and 1/4 cup water.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and peanuts in separate bowl. Add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, and beat just until dough forms.

Scoop 1 Tbs. dough onto prepared baking sheets 2 to 3 inches apart. Make crisscross pattern on top of each Cookie by pressing down with fork. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges of Cookies begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet.

To make Filling: Heat creamer in top half of double boiler over medium heat until steaming. Pour hot creamer over chocolate chips in bowl, and let stand 30 seconds. Mix creamer and chocolate with wooden spoon until chocolate is melted, then whisk until smooth.

Spread 2 tsp. Filling on flat sides of 24 Cookies. Top with remaining Cookies.

nutritional information Per Cookie sandwich: Calories: 344; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 38 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 304 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan

CHOCOLATE MAPLE COOKIES

Prep Time: 15 Minutes; Cook Time: 10 Minutes; Ready In: 25 Minutes; Yields: 24 servings

Sheree Gilpin, who submitted this to allrecipes.com, wrote"My aunt made these one year for Christmas, and my husband ate about a dozen. Since he liked them so much, I asked for the recipe and have made them often."

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups shortening

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

2 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon butter (no substitutes)

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and maple flavoring. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

For frosting, melt chocolate and butter in a microwave or heavy saucepan. Add sugar and milk; mix well. Frost cooled cookies.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Meatless Monday

It's the first full day of summer...Hope the weather is great where you are. Here are today's vegetarian recipes. Enjoy!

ZUCCHINI WITH SPICY ROMESCO AND WILTED CHARD

This comes from the April/May 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 28. It begins, “This recipe calls for a spiral slicer, which cuts the zucchini into thin, pasta-like strands for a delicious take on the 'classic' zucchini pasta with marinara. No spiral slicer in your kitchen? Try a julienne vegetable peeler or mandoline.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

Wilted Chard

4 oz. Swiss chard leaves, stems removed (4 cups)

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. grated lemon zest

1 Tbs. lemon juice

Zucchini with Spicy Romesco

4 large red bell peppers, chopped (6 cups)

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped (3 cups)

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 cup raw almonds

1/4 cup raw hazelnuts

4 large zucchini, peeled

To make Wilted Chard: Toss together all ingredients in large bowl, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside to marinate.

To make Zucchini with Spicy Romesco: Blend bell peppers, tomatoes, oil, lemon juice, garlic, chili powder, and red pepper flakes in food processor until smooth. Add almonds and hazelnuts, and process until well combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Slice zucchini into noodles with spiral slicer, and add to sauce.

Divide Wilted Chard among individual serving plates. Top each serving with 2 cups Zucchini with Spicy Romesco.

nutritional information Per 2 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 342; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 125 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 19 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

WARM CARROT AND ADZUKI BEAN SALAD

This comes from the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 69, and starts off, “The combination of sweet and spicy roasted carrots, earthy adzuki beans, and tangy dressing is a taste sensation.” Serves 6.

To view online, click here.

Salad

7 large carrots, sliced diagonally into 3/8-inch-thick ovals

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked adzuki beans

1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

5 cups baby spinach leaves

1 large avocado, sliced

1 Tbs. thinly sliced red jalapeño chile

1 cup cilantro leaves

Dressing

1 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup mint, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

To make Salad: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss carrots with oil, paprika, cumin, and cayenne in large bowl. Spread on prepared baking sheet, and roast 40 to 45 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Cool.

Toss adzuki beans with vinegar in bowl.

To make Dressing: whisk together all ingredients, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Place spinach on large platter. Top with carrots, beans, and avocado. Drizzle with Dressing, and sprinkle with sliced chile and cilantro leaves.

nutritional information Per 1 cup: Calories: 317; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 104 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

DOUBLE CORN CAKES WITH BLACK BEANS

This is from the April/May 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 77. It begins, “Dressed up with corn kernels, pre-cooked polenta is a cinch to transform into savory fritters. Serve with your favorite salsa.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 1/2 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 jalapeño chile, seeded and diced (1/4 cup)

1 Tbs. ground cumin

2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, divided

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 18-oz. tube pre-cooked polenta

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, 1 cup corn, and lime juice; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook 5 minutes, or until heated through. Transfer mixture to covered container, and keep warm. Wipe out skillet.

Meanwhile, crumble polenta into microwave-safe bowl, and mash with fork until nearly smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup corn kernels. Microwave 1 minute to soften polenta. Stir, then add beaten egg, and fold into polenta mixture until smooth.

Coat skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Shape polenta into 8 1/3-cup cakes, gently flattening with palm. Cook corn cakes in two batches in skillet 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Serve corn cakes over black bean mixture.

nutritional information Per Serving (2 corn cakes and 1 1/4 cups beans): Calories: 395; Protein: 19 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 74 g; Cholesterol: 47 mg; Sodium: 656 mg; Fiber: 16 g; Sugar: 12 g; Gluten-Free

TOFU CUBAN SANDWICHES WITH JICAMA STICKS

Total Time: 40 min

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 20 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/tofu-cuban-sandwiches-with-jicama-sticks-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 14 -ounce package extra-firm tofu

1 small onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 2 oranges

1 medium jicama (about 3/4 pound)

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

4 small whole-wheat hoagie rolls, split

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1 1/4 cups shredded low-fat low-sodium Swiss cheese (5 ounces)

2/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed

1/2 kosher dill pickle, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

Directions

Lay the tofu on a cutting board and cut horizontally into 8 equal slices. Put in a shallow dish with the onion, garlic, olive oil and half of the orange juice and turn to coat; marinate 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the jicama using a sharp knife and cut into sticks. Toss in a bowl with the remaining orange juice and the chili powder.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Turn the tofu to coat, add to the pan and cook until golden, 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the marinade to the pan and cook, stirring, 4 minutes.

Spread the cut sides of the rolls with the mustard and sprinkle with the cheese. Sandwich with the peppers, pickle, onion mixture and tofu.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the sandwiches and top with another heavy skillet to flatten; cook until golden brown and the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with the jicama sticks.

HERBED ZUCCHINI PIE

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, “Use up summer's favorite vegetable in this crowd-pleasing, savory veggie pie.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 2 hr. 0 min; Servings: 12

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 zucchini

2 onions

1 Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Pie Crust (from box), softened as directed on box

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

With sharp knife or mandolin, slice zucchini and onions; place on large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt over vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll pie crust in bottom of 11-inch quiche dish; press in bottom and up side of dish. Set aside.

Remove vegetables from refrigerator; squeeze out excess liquid. (Squeeze with hands or press with back of spoon with vegetables in strainer.) Arrange vegetable slices in quiche dish.

In separate medium bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, cheese and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini slices.

Bake 45 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool slightly before serving. Store in refrigerator.

BEST-OF-SUMMER-FRUIT SALAD

This comes from the July 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts, “Tossing fruit in a lemon-infused syrup lightly sweetens it and keeps it from browning once it's cut and stirred into a salad. Feel free to substitute whatever fruit you may have on hand for the choices here. If you plan to use bananas, though, do not add them until just before you're ready to serve the dish.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

1/3 cup sugar or 1/4 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup fresh mint or lemon verbena leaves

2 Tbs. lemon or lime juice

2 cups seedless grapes, halved

2 peaches or nectarines, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup sliced strawberries or whole raspberries

1 cup blueberries

Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in saucepan. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in mint and lemon juice. Steep 15 minutes. Strain out mint.

Combine grapes, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries in large bowl. Stir in sugar syrup. Cover, and chill 2 hours, or overnight.

Per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 91; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 1 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 20 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

Friday, June 19, 2015

Friday Food

Enjoy

HERBED ZUCCHINI PIE

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, “Use up summer's favorite vegetable in this crowd-pleasing, savory veggie pie.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 2 hr. 0 min; Servings: 12

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 zucchini

2 onions

1 Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Pie Crust (from box), softened as directed on box

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

With sharp knife or mandolin, slice zucchini and onions; place on large bowl. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon salt over vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll pie crust in bottom of 11-inch quiche dish; press in bottom and up side of dish. Set aside.

Remove vegetables from refrigerator; squeeze out excess liquid. (Squeeze with hands or press with back of spoon with vegetables in strainer.) Arrange vegetable slices in quiche dish.

In separate medium bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, cheese and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini slices.

Bake 45 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Cool slightly before serving. Store in refrigerator.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY BANANA CUSTARD PIE

Also from Tablespoon.com, this starts off, “Peel open a new version of homemade banana pie. Warm caramel topping adds a special touch.” Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time: 4 hr. 0 min; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, if desired

Caramel topping, warmed, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix bananas and lemon juice; set aside.

In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except whipped topping, walnuts and caramel topping until blended. Add banana mixture; stir until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

Spread pie with whipped topping; sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with caramel topping before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

This comes from The Baker Chick. Yield: 8 – 12 pancakes, depending on size.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

3 eggs separated

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup milk

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Blueberry Sauce:

1 cup blueberries

1/4 cup water

juice of a lemon

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

zest of 1 lemon

instructions

First make the sauce:

In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently until boiling.

Add the cornstarch/water mixture and without breaking the berries- carefully stir it in. Cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat, stirring until sauce is thick. Fold in lemon zest.

For the pancakes:

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ricotta, milk, lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and flour over the ricotta mixture and gently fold in.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter and then add the rest, gently folding until smooth and airy.

Spoon a little less than 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto a hot skillet or griddle (either use nonstick or add spray or butter before each batch.) Flip pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

Serve pancakes with butter and blueberry sauce.

GRILLED TOMATO AND OLIVE PIZZA

This comes from page 20 of the June 2015 issue of Taste For Life, a magazine I picked up from Rollin' Oats Market & Cafe in St. Pete, Florida. Prep Time: 35 minutes; Serves 4. Originally from Summer Cooking by the Chicago Tribune staff.

1/2 pt cocktail or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

3 Tbsp each: pitted, drained kalamata olives; chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 package unbaked pizz dough, stretched into 12-inch round, or prepared (12-inch) pizza crust; see Note

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese

2 Tbsp each: torn basil leaves; shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat grill to high.

Combine tomatoes, onion, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste ina bowl, tossing with your hands to coat. Brush remaining 1 tablesppon of oil over both sides of crust.

Place dough over direct heat on grill. Cook until puffy, about 2 minutes. Turn over. Cook 2 minutes. Move crust to a cooler part of the grill. Top with tomato-olive mixture. Sprinkle parsley, dontina, and basil over top.

Cover grill. Cook until cheese melts, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover. Cook until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Remove from grill; cut into wedges.

Note: If you are using a prepared crust, follow directions on the package for cooking instructions.

Per serving: Calories: 227; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Fiber: 1 g; Total fat: 19 g (sat. fat: 4 g; mono: 12 g; poly: 2 g); sodium: 270 mg; Vitamin K; calcium

MEATLESS-BALL SUBS

1 package Meatless Balls (see note)

1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce

4 hoagie rolls

cheese slices

Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.





Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.



Makes 4 meatless ball subs.

Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

This recipe, as well as the Vegetarian Lasagna are from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

28 oz. can tomatoes (note)

2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste

3 onions, chopped

3 – 5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 T oil

1 T oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

2 T honey

1 T vinegar

1 T soy sauce

1/4 – 1/2 lb. grated cheese

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything except cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!

Note: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Diabetic Thursday

Enjoy!

ANGEL PECAN CUPCAKES

Yield: 12 servings

Source: "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrific Diabetic Meals"

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/76.shtml

Ingredients

2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup hot tap water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup fructose

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cake flour

3/4 teaspoon low-salt baking powder

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg yolks, hot water, and vanilla together until very thick and pale. Slowly beat in 1/2 cup fructose and set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt, and continue beating until whites hold soft peaks.

Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup fructose to egg whites, beating until stiff but not dry. Stir 1/3 of whites into yolks, and sift flour and baking powder over egg mixture. Add pecans and remaining whites, and gently fold until blended.

Place 12 paper liners in a 12-cup muffin pan. Spoon batter evenly into cups, and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cupcake): Glycemic Index: 30, Glycemic Load: 6, Calories: 112, Protein: 3 g, Carbohydrate: 20 g, Dietary Fiber: Less than 1/2 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: Less than 1 g, Cholesterol: 35 mg, Sodium: 27 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch

OLD-FASHIONED SPICED BANANA BREAD

Yield: 9 servings

Source: "The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/11.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

2 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/3 cup fat-free milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, bananas, oil, and milk. Add the banana mixture slowly to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat.

Spray a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Dust the pan lightly with flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the banana bread for 45-50 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a rack and cool completely.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 slice): Calories: 214, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 47 mg, Sodium: 165 mg, Carbohydrate: 33 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 16 g, Protein: 4 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate, 1-1/2 Fat

VEGETABLE BEEF BARLEY SOUP

Yield: 4 Servings

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/376.shtml

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

3-1/2 cups beef stock

1/3 cup barley

2 small potatoes, peeled and diced

4 oz. stewing beef, diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In large non-stick saucepan, heat oil; saute garlic, onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms until tender, approximately 10 minutes.

Add stock, barley, potatoes and beef; cover, reduce heat and simmer approximately 50 minutes or until barley and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 1009 mg; Cholesterol: 13 mg; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Medium Fat Meat, 1/2 Fat

CHICKEN JAMBALAYA

Makes 6 servings.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/232.shtml

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in 3/4-inch pieces

1 can (14.5 oz.) whole plum tomatoes in juice

1 rib celery, cut in 1/2-inch slices

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1 pinch ground cloves

1 cup hot long-grain brown rice, cooked according to package directions

Directions

In 3-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until onion is tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until pieces are white on all sides.

Add tomatoes with liquid, breaking up with spoon. Mix in celery, bell pepper, scallion and tomato paste. Stir in bay leaf, thyme, pepper flakes and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Stir rice into chicken mixture until well combined.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 235; Protein: 17 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 203 mg; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Exchanges: 2 Low-Fat Meat, 2 Bread/Starch, 1 Vegetable

CHOCOLATE COFFEE TIRAMISU

Makes: 16 Servings

Source: The Best Diabetes Cookbook

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/520.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups 5% ricotta cheese

1/2 cup light cream cheese

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg whites

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 strong, prepared coffee

3 tablespoon chocolate or coffee-flavored liqueur

16 lady finger cookies

Directions

Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with vegetable spray.

In a food processor, combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth; transfer to a bowl.

In bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the ricotta mixture.

Combine coffee and liqueur in a small bowl.

Put half of lady fingers in bottom of dish. Sprinkle with half of coffee-liqueur mixture. Spread half of ricotta mixture on top. Repeat layers. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 150; Protein: 6 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 102 mg; Cholesterol: 66 mg; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat

FIESTA SLAW

Makes 10 servings.

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/504.shtml

Ingredients

5 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tsp. canned chipotle chilies, rinsed, drained and chopped

1 Tbsp. honey

1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin

1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

12 oz. jicama, peeled, cut into thin strips

1/3 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Puree first 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor until dressing is smooth.

Place peppers, jicama and cilantro in a large bowl.

Add dressing and toss to mix and coat well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate until the vegetables soften a little but remain crunchy (about 4 hours.)

Serve at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 42; Protein: 1 g; Fat: under 1 g; Sodium: 42 mg; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable