Confessions of a Foodie

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Showing posts with label Cherry Tomato Focaccia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cherry Tomato Focaccia. Show all posts

Monday, April 3, 2017

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, the beginning of the work week, and time for another round of Meatless Monday recipes. Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Sloppy Joes and Ginger-Peach Sorbet. Enjoy!

Note: This was originally posted on my vegetarian blog, Vegetarian Delights, on October 6, 2015.

VEGAN BLACK BEAN AND AVOCADO SANDWICH WRAP

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarinan Food guide. Jolinda wrote, “Like vegetarian wrap sandwiches? Like black beans and avocado? Try this healthy vegan black bean and avocado wrapped sandwich, or call it a burrito if you prefer. Either way, this is a simple, quick and easy lunch idea. Just combine black beans, salsa, chopped avocado and some seasoning, wrapped it up and enjoy! It couldn't be simpler. I like my food a touch on the salty side, so I might add some sea salt to the mix, and maybe a touch of hot sauce just to give it a boost. Enjoy!”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin

4 tablespoons salsa

4 whole-grain tortillas

1/2 avocado, chopped

Preparation:

Mix black beans, cumin and salsa. Fill tortillas with bean mixture and chopped avocado. Wrap, and serve.

GINGER-PEACH SORBET

This is from page 46 of the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe begins, “Fresh peaches, lightly cooked with a bit of sugar and fresh, spicy ginger, play double duty. Pulse the frozen cubes in the food processor with a splash of Prosecco and you have a light, flaky sorbet. Thaw the cubes, omit the prosecco, and use the mixture as a topper for ice cream or angel food cake.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

6 very ripe medium peaches (3 lb.)

1/4 cup sugar

4 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

6 Tbs. Prosecco or white wine

Score X on bottom of each peach. Place in bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Remove skins and pits, and chop.

Bring peaches, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until peaches are soft.

Remove ginger, transfer peach mixture to food processor, and blend until smooth. Cool.

Pour cooled sauce into 6 1/2-cup silicone molds or muffin pan cups. Press plastic wrap over surface of molds to seal out air. Freeze 4 hours, or until completely solid, then transfer to freezer bag to store.

To make sorbet: Pulse frozen cubes and Prosecco in food processor until smooth. Transfer to freezer-safe container, and freeze until ready to serve.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 121; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: less than 1 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 25 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

VEGETARIAN SPANISH PAELLA

Another one of Jolinda Hackett's offerings. She wrote, "A vegetarian and vegan Spanish paella so full of flavor, you won't miss the meat - I promise! This meatless rice paella dish is prepared from lots of healthy veggies and artichoke hearts, and generously spiced with paprika and turmeric. Several users have given this paella recipe five out of five stars, so you can be sure that you'll love it.” From The Compassionate Cook Cookbook. To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

2 cups boiling water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 tomato, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 cup peas

1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Preparation:

Mix the rice and boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes, then pour off the water.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sautee the onion and garlic until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and tomato and continue to sautee over medium heat for three minutes.

Add the rice and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the salt, paprika and turmeric. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.cAdd the peas and artichoke hearts and cook about one minute longer.

CHICKPEA, BEET, AND APPLE PANINI

From the July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. The recipe starts off, "Never had raw beet in a sandwich? This panini will have you hooked.” Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon

8 slices sesame semolina bread (8 oz.)

1 medium golden beet, peeled and sliced

1 Granny smith apple, thinly sliced

1/4 cup broccoli or radish sprouts

4 Tbs. prepared black olive tapenade

Pulse chickpeas, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and tarragon in food processor until chunky.

Spread chickpea mixture on 4 bread slices. Top with beet and apple slices, and sprouts. Spread remaining 4 bread slices with tapenade; close sandwiches.

Spray panini with cooking spray. Coat skillet or grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place panini in pan; weight with smaller-diameter saucepan weighted with 2 cans. Cook 3 minutes. Flip, replace weight, and cook 2 minutes. (Or cook 4 minutes in panini maker.)

nutritional information Per Sandwich: Calories: 388; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 57 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 749 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

SLOPPY JOES

This comes from the Healing Heart Foundation, found online at http://heart.kumu.org/. They have good information and some great recipes. This one starts out, “You'd never know it's meatless.”

1 large onion, choppe

1 to 2 C celery, chopped

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (other vinegar can be used)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed
(or 2 tsp dried minced garlic or garlic powder)

1 T chili powder (will not make it too hot)

2 T cumin

2 1/2 C tomato sauce (or a 6 oz can tomato paste + 1 C tomato juice + 1 C water)

1 T prepared yellow mustard

1 T ground dry mustard

1 T brown sugar

1 tsp black strap molasses

1 1/2 cups dry TVP granules

1 1/2 C boiling water

optional spicy version: 1 to 3 tsp hot sauce or roasted chilies

Saute onion and celery in balsamic vinegar and a little water on medium heat. Add more water if needed. Add garlic, peppers and spices and saute for a few more minutes. Add everything else and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over whole wheat buns, rice or pasta.

Adding a can of chili beans makes a very filling dish, changing it slightly to Sloppy Josés.

6 servings, each: Calories 152, Fat 1.85 g. (10% cff), Carbohydrate 19.86 g., Protein 17.44 g.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, which, of course, means vegetarian recipes. Here are six yummy ones. Enjoy!

VEGAN BLACK BEAN AND AVOCADO SANDWICH WRAP

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarinan Food guide. She writes, “Like vegetarian wrap sandwiches? Like black beans and avocado? Try this healthy vegan black bean and avocado wrapped sandwich, or call it a burrito if you prefer. Either way, this is a simple, quick and easy lunch idea. Just combine black beans, salsa, chopped avocado and some seasoning, wrapped it up and enjoy! It couldn't be simpler. I like my food a touch on the salty side, so I might add some sea salt to the mix, and maybe a touch of hot sauce just to give it a boost. Enjoy!”

Ingredients:

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin

4 tablespoons salsa

4 whole-grain tortillas

1/2 avocado, chopped

Preparation:

Mix black beans, cumin and salsa. Fill tortillas with bean mixture and chopped avocado. Wrap, and serve.

VEGETARIAN SPANISH PAELLA

Another one of Jolinda Hackett's offerings. She writes, "A vegetarian and vegan Spanish paella so full of flavor, you won't miss the meat - I promise! This meatless rice paella dish is prepared from lots of healthy veggies and artichoke hearts, and generously spiced with paprika and turmeric. Several users have given this paella recipe five out of five stars, so you can be sure that you'll love it.” From The Compassionate Cook Cookbook. To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

2 cups boiling water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 tomato, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 cup peas

1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Preparation:

Mix the rice and boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes, then pour off the water.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sautee the onion and garlic until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and tomato and continue to sautee over medium heat for three minutes.

Add the rice and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the salt, paprika and turmeric. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.cAdd the peas and artichoke hearts and cook about one minute longer.

CHICKPEA, BEET, AND APPLE PANINI

From the July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. The recipe starts off, "Never had raw beet in a sandwich? This panini will have you hooked.” Serves 4.

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon

8 slices sesame semolina bread (8 oz.)

1 medium golden beet, peeled and sliced

1 Granny smith apple, thinly sliced

1/4 cup broccoli or radish sprouts

4 Tbs. prepared black olive tapenade

Pulse chickpeas, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and tarragon in food processor until chunky.

Spread chickpea mixture on 4 bread slices. Top with beet and apple slices, and sprouts. Spread remaining 4 bread slices with tapenade; close sandwiches.

Spray panini with cooking spray. Coat skillet or grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place panini in pan; weight with smaller-diameter saucepan weighted with 2 cans. Cook 3 minutes. Flip, replace weight, and cook 2 minutes. (Or cook 4 minutes in panini maker.)

nutritional information Per Sandwich: Calories: 388; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 57 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 749 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

GINGER-PEACH SORBET

This is from page 46 of the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe states, “Fresh peaches, lightly cooked with a bit of sugar and fresh, spicy ginger, play double duty. Pulse the frozen cubes in the food processor with a splash of Prosecco and you have a light, flaky sorbet. Thaw the cubes, omit the prosecco, and use the mixture as a topper for ice cream or angel food cake.” Serves 6.

6 very ripe medium peaches (3 lb.)

1/4 cup sugar

4 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

6 Tbs. Prosecco or white wine

Score X on bottom of each peach. Place in bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Remove skins and pits, and chop.

Bring peaches, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until peaches are soft.

Remove ginger, transfer peach mixture to food processor, and blend until smooth. Cool.

Pour cooled sauce into 6 1/2-cup silicone molds or muffin pan cups. Press plastic wrap over surface of molds to seal out air. Freeze 4 hours, or until completely solid, then transfer to freezer bag to store.

To make sorbet: Pulse frozen cubes and Prosecco in food processor until smooth. Transfer to freezer-safe container, and freeze until ready to serve.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 121; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: less than 1 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 25 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

SLOPPY JOES

This comes from the Healing Heart Foundation, found online at http://heart.kumu.org/. They have good information and some great recipes. This one starts out, “You'd never know it's meatless.”

1 large onion, choppe

1 to 2 C celery, chopped

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (other vinegar can be used)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed
(or 2 tsp dried minced garlic or garlic powder)

1 T chili powder (will not make it too hot)

2 T cumin

2 1/2 C tomato sauce (or a 6 oz can tomato paste + 1 C tomato juice + 1 C water)

1 T prepared yellow mustard

1 T ground dry mustard

1 T brown sugar

1 tsp black strap molasses

1 1/2 cups dry TVP granules

1 1/2 C boiling water

optional spicy version: 1 to 3 tsp hot sauce or roasted chilies

Saute onion and celery in balsamic vinegar and a little water on medium heat. Add more water if needed. Add garlic, peppers and spices and saute for a few more minutes. Add everything else and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over whole wheat buns, rice or pasta.

Adding a can of chili beans makes a very filling dish, changing it slightly to Sloppy Josés.

6 servings, each: Calories 152, Fat 1.85 g. (10% cff), Carbohydrate 19.86 g., Protein 17.44 g

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tuesday Recipes

Enjoy!

MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from Ina Garten, The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 55 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 35 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mac-cheese-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (see Note)

1 quart milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)

8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)

1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Note: To make ahead, put the macaroni and cheese in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Put the tomatoes and bread crumbs on top and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes.

PERFECT PEACH PIE

This is from Sam Sifton, founding editor of NYT Cooking. He wrote, “Eat a perfect peach under the summer sun and you'll experience the fruit at its messy, dripping, sugar-bright best. Rinse your chin and understand that no melon, apricot or blackberry can compete. But how often does this happen? For most of us, a great and truly perfect peach is a rare event. We can expect but one or two a season, for all our trying. Enter the pie. A peach pie can elevate good peaches to excellence and great ones to the sublime. Even a peach pie made with frozen fruit is a terrific thing. The addition of sugar helps; so, too, do a dash of lemon juice and a light sprinkle of nutmeg, which offers a slight bitterness to offset the sweet. Add a crown of vanilla ice cream for a perfect diner-style à la mode effect.” Serves 6 to 8 in 2 hours.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For The Pie Dough:

2 1/2 cups or 300 grams all-purpose flour

12 tablespoons or 169 grams unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Yolk of 1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup water, from 3/4 cup ice water

White of 1 egg, beaten

Pinch granulated sugar

For The Filling:

6 or 7 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced, approximately 5 cups

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup or 30 grams all-purpose flour

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Preparation

Make the pie dough. Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, butter and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.

Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water, and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough, and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golf-ball-size bit of dough, and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid, and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather together into a rough ball. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create 8 portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.

Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425. Make the pie filling: Combine sliced peaches, lemon juice, sugar and flour in a large bowl, and gently mix to combine. Set aside.

Take the larger of the pastry discs out of the refrigerator, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the peaches. Sprinkle them with the ground nutmeg.

Roll out second disc of pastry. Place on top of filling. Wet edges of the bottom pastry disc with some cold water. Trim pastry, pinch bottom and top edges together and cut a few slits to allow steam to escape from the pie. Brush the egg white on the top, particularly around the edges, and sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375. Cook until peaches bubble and pastry is golden, approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

BONELESS BUFFALO WINGS

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 2 oz. chicken per serving

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/658.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Pinch cayenne

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 pound chicken tenders

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup reduced-fat blue cheese dressing

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Celery Sticks

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a shallow bowl, combine the hot sauce, cayenne, and paprika. Roll the chicken tenders in the mixture.

Place the chicken tenders on a small nonstick baking sheet.

Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes until chicken is tender.

Combine the dressing ingredients.

Serve the dressing with the chicken and celery sticks.

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

CLASSIC BLUEBERRY PIE

This recipe comes from Seattle's Macrina Bakery. The recipe starts out, “Few things in life are as wonderful as homemade blueberry pie. It is heaven on earth! I recommend using slightly tart organic blueberries whenever possible.”

Makes one 9-inch double-crusted pie

7 cups (3-1/2 pints) organic blueberries

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

One top and bottom pie crust, chilled

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Egg wash made with 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water

Coarse raw sugar


Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Sort through the blueberries, removing any stems and leaves. Gently rinse the berries and lay them out on paper towels to air dry.

Combine 3-1/2 cups of the blueberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla extract and flour in a medium saucepan. Mix with a spoon. Cook over medium heat until the fruit juices have been released and the mixture has thickened, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the mixture from burning. Pour the cooked fruit into a large stainless steel bowl and add the remaining blueberries. Stir with a spoon and set aside until the fruit has cooled to room temperature.

Divide the chilled pie dough into 2 pieces, making one piece slightly larger than the other. Coat your hands with flour and shape the larger piece of dough into a ball. Working on a floured surface, flatten the ball slightly, then roll it into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Fit the rolled dough into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges of the dough to leave a 1-inch overhang around the pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough 1/8-inch thick and trim it into a 10-inch circle. Set aside. This will be the top crust.

Pour the cooled fruit into the pie shell and dot with butter. Brush the top side of the overhanging dough with a little egg wash. Lift the top crust onto the pie, folding it in half to make it easier to accurately position. Lift the overhanging dough onto the top crust and crimp with your fingers. Mark the crimped edges with a fork, then brush all of the crust with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse raw sugar and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the pie on the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut 4 slits in the center of the crust. Bake pie for 50 to 55 minutes. The crust will be golden brown and the fruit will be bubbling in the center of the pie. Let cool for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

BROCCOLI CHOWDER

From Diabetic Gourmet. Yield: 6 servings, 1 cup each

Source: "The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook"

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

1 large carrot, diced (1/2 cup)

2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 large potato, peeled and diced (1-1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-1/2 cups vegetable broth (two 14-ounce cans)

8 ounces broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated (3 cups)

1 cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more.

Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with salt.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup each): Calories: 180, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 15 mg, Carbohydrate: 23 g, Protein: 6 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sodium: 354 mg Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 High-Fat Meat

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Week day recipes

A few more end-of-summer recipes. Enjoy!

WATERMELON-RASPBERRY GRANITA

From the Food Network Kitchens. Total Time: 4 hr 25 min; Prep: 15 min; Inactive: 4 hr; Cook: 10 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy; Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/watermelon-raspberry-granita.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 pint raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon

Juice of 1 lime

Directions

Combine the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries have completely broken down, about 6 minutes.

Press the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a blender; let cool completely. Add the watermelon and lime juice and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch-square stainless-steel or glass baking dish.

Freeze until ice crystals begin forming around the edges, about 45 minutes. Use a fork to scrape the crystals toward the center of the pan, then continue freezing, scraping every 30 minutes, until frozen, about 4 hours.

KOOL-AID FIZZY FLOAT

Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 1 (8 oz.) drink

Found online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1110.shtmlIngredients

1 quart cold water

2 cups light white grape juice, chilled

1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 package your favorite flavor Kool-Aid Unsweetened Soft Drink Mix

2 cups seltzer water, chilled

2 cups no-sugar-added light vanilla ice cream

Directions

Combine water, grape juice, Splenda Granulated Sweetener, and Kool-Aid Soft Drink Mix in a pitcher, stirring until Splenda Granulated Sweetener dissolves.

Pour 3/4 cup of the mixture into each of 8 tall glasses; add 1/4 cup of the seltzer to each glass.

Top each serving with 1/4 cup of the ice cream. Serve immediately.

Store leftover prepared drink in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 70; Calories from Fat: 20; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 85 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Fat: 2.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g

FIESTA SLAW

Makes 10 servings. Find online here.

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; Sodium: 42 mg; Fat: under 1 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable

TOMATO AND MINT TABBOULEH

Yield: 12 side-dish servings

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/695.shtml

Source: The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/48.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups bulgur wheat

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1 pound ripe tomatoes (3 medium), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium cucumber (8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 green onions, chopped

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

In medium bowl, combine bulgur, lemon juice, and boiling water, stirring to mix. Let stand until liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.

To bulgur mixture, add tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, parsley, mint, oil, salt, and pepper, stirring to mix. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors or up to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 157 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

SPINACH AND ONION SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html.672.shtml

Source: Great Healthy Food - Diabetes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

3-3/4 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

2/3 cup white wine

6 cups leaf spinach

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for about 5-8 minutes over low heat, until they have softened.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and the seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour in the wine and add the spinach. Continue to cook, but only until the spinach has wilted slightly.

Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 141; Protein: 6 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 1011 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Week Day Recipes

I bumped into a friend at the store recently and we both mentioned how much money we could spend if we didn't have to eat (or wash laundry, as well as other things we pick up at the store). But since we do have to eat, it might as well be enjoyable and be somewhat nutritious. With that in mind, here are today's offerings. Enjoy!

BLACKBERRY GELATO

Carroll Pellegrinelli, About.com's Desserts and Baking guide, writes, “Although, this is not a traditional Gelato recipe, I promise you'll love it all the same. This recipe for Blackberry Gelato is extremely creamy and very tasty too.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Refrigerate: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes; Yield: 1 Quart plus

Ingredients:

2 cups blackberries, washed and dried

1/2 cup sugar

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

In a blender or food processor, crush berries. Push the puree into a large bowl through a sieve to remove any seeds. Stir sugar into berry puree. Add rest of ingredients and mix with hand mixer. Place in the refrigerator for an hour. Place mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturers' directions.

GLUTEN-FREE TERIYAKI SAUCE

This comes from the July/August 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 38. The recipe starts off, “Use this all-purpose sauce to marinate tofu, top vegetables, season rice, and flavor stir-fries.” Makes 1 1/2 cups in 30 minutes or less. To view online, click here.

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or gluten-free tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

1 Tbs. finely grated onion

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. mirin or rice wine

3 Tbs. brown rice syrup

1 Tbs. sesame seeds, optional

Place cornstarch in small saucepan, and slowly whisk in Liquid Aminos until no lumps remain. Whisk in 3/4 cup water, then sesame oil, onion, garlic, ginger, and mirin. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, and boil 1 minute, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in brown rice syrup and sesame seeds (if using).

nutritional information Per 1-Tbs. Serving: Calories: 16; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 114 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

SPINACH AND ONION SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html.672.shtml

Source: Great Healthy Food - Diabetes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

3-3/4 cups vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

2/3 cup white wine

6 cups leaf spinach

Directions

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for about 5-8 minutes over low heat, until they have softened.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and the seasonings. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour in the wine and add the spinach. Continue to cook, but only until the spinach has wilted slightly.

Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 141; Protein: 6 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 1011 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat

BLACKBERRY PEACH CRISP

This comes from Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food guide. She writes, “This version of a truly American dessert consists of ripe, juicy fruit and a crunchy sweet topping. The dessert takes it name for the crumbly mixture that bakes over the fruit into a crisp topping. To my mind, few things are as wonderful to eat than this blueberry peach crisp warm and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I think you'll agree.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 8 Servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked over

2 pounds ripe fresh peaches (about 6 medium), peeled, pitted and sliced (see note below)

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 


Topping

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup uncooked old-fashioned or instant rolled oats

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Put the blueberries, peaches, sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon in an 1 and 1/2 quart baking dish. Toss to mix and then spread the fruit mixture evenly in the dish.

To make the topping, put the brown sugar and flour into a medium bowl and stir to mix well.

Using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats with a fork.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit, then press down gently.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and lightly browned.

Remove the crisp from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Note: To easily peel peaches, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Immerse the peaches in the boiling water for about a minute, then remove them with a slotted spoon and cool under cold running water. Use a paring knife to slip off the skins.

Kathy adds, “What could be more wonderful than a bowl of unadorned and perfectly fresh blueberries? Well that is hard to beat, but here are some ideas for a few ways to enjoy them at their best:

Combine blueberries and fresh melon chunks and top with chopped fresh mint.

Slice bananas and blueberries with a dash of orange juice and sprinkled with some cinnamon.

Fresh pineapple chunks and blueberries tossed with finely chopped crystallized ginger.

Spoon fresh blueberries over rice pudding.

Fill a ready to serve cookie pie crust with ice cream and top with a mixture of fresh blueberries and raspberries.

Mash some fresh blueberries over vanilla stir into slightly softened ice cream.

Mix blueberries into a bowl of vanilla yogurt and top with crunchy granola.” The only thing I can add is, “Yum!”

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

This is from The Kitchn, one of my favorite emailing lists. To read everything that Faith Durand, The Kitchn's Executive Editor, has to say about the recipe, as well as photos of this yummy quick bread, click here.Makes one large (8 x 5 inch) loaf

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2/3 cup (1 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups coarsely grated zucchini

1 1/3 cups (6 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Butter and flour an 8x5-inch loaf tin then preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time until completely combined. Stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt and baking powder. Fold in the grated zucchini, then add the flour and chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the loaf tin and spread out using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the cake has risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out without batter on it (the toothpick might just have some melted chocolate on it from the chocolate chips).

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Recipe Notes

Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder for a simple finish.

For a decadent twist, frost the cooled bread with chocolate frosting.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Meatless Monday!

The weekend's over and it's back to the work-week. Since many people are trying to go meatless on Mondays (unless, of course, you're a vegetarian, in which case, it's all week), I have some more meatless recipes for you to try. Enjoy!

VEGAN BLACK BEAN AND AVOCADO SANDWICH WRAP

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarinan Food guide. She writes, “Like vegetarian wrap sandwiches? Like black beans and avocado? Try this healthy vegan black bean and avocado wrapped sandwich, or call it a burrito if you prefer. Either way, this is a simple, quick and easy lunch idea. Just combine black beans, salsa, chopped avocado and some seasoning, wrapped it up and enjoy! It couldn't be simpler. I like my food a touch on the salty side, so I might add some sea salt to the mix, and maybe a touch of hot sauce just to give it a boost. Enjoy!”

Ingredients:

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 teaspoon cumin

4 tablespoons salsa

4 whole-grain tortillas

1/2 avocado, chopped

Preparation:

Mix black beans, cumin and salsa. Fill tortillas with bean mixture and chopped avocado. Wrap, and serve.

GINGER-PEACH SORBET

This is from page 46 of the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. The recipe states, “Fresh peaches, lightly cooked with a bit of sugar and fresh, spicy ginger, play double duty. Pulse the frozen cubes in the food processor with a splash of Prosecco and you have a light, flaky sorbet. Thaw the cubes, omit the prosecco, and use the mixture as a topper for ice cream or angel food cake.” Serves 6.

6 very ripe medium peaches (3 lb.)

1/4 cup sugar

4 1/4-inch-thick coins fresh ginger

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

6 Tbs. Prosecco or white wine

Score X on bottom of each peach. Place in bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Remove skins and pits, and chop.

Bring peaches, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until peaches are soft.

Remove ginger, transfer peach mixture to food processor, and blend until smooth. Cool.

Pour cooled sauce into 6 1/2-cup silicone molds or muffin pan cups. Press plastic wrap over surface of molds to seal out air. Freeze 4 hours, or until completely solid, then transfer to freezer bag to store.

To make sorbet: Pulse frozen cubes and Prosecco in food processor until smooth. Transfer to freezer-safe container, and freeze until ready to serve.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 121; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: less than 1 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 25 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

VEGETARIAN SPANISH PAELLA

Another one of Jolinda Hackett's offerings. She writes, A vegetarian and vegan Spanish paella so full of flavor, you won't miss the meat - I promise! This meatless rice paella dish is prepared from lots of healthy veggies and artichoke hearts, and generously spiced with paprika and turmeric. Several users have given this paella recipe five out of five stars, so you can be sure that you'll love it.” From The Compassionate Cook Cookbook. To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

2 cups boiling water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 tomato, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 cup peas

1 cup artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Preparation:

Mix the rice and boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes, then pour off the water.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sautee the onion and garlic until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and tomato and continue to sautee over medium heat for three minutes.

Add the rice and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the salt, paprika and turmeric. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.cAdd the peas and artichoke hearts and cook about one minute longer.

CHICKPEA, BEET, AND APPLE PANINIFrom the July/August 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. The recipe starts off, "Never had raw beet in a sandwich? This panini will have you hooked.” Serves 4.

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon

8 slices sesame semolina bread (8 oz.)

1 medium golden beet, peeled and sliced

1 Granny smith apple, thinly sliced

1/4 cup broccoli or radish sprouts

4 Tbs. prepared black olive tapenade

Pulse chickpeas, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and tarragon in food processor until chunky.

Spread chickpea mixture on 4 bread slices. Top with beet and apple slices, and sprouts. Spread remaining 4 bread slices with tapenade; close sandwiches.

Spray panini with cooking spray. Coat skillet or grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place panini in pan; weight with smaller-diameter saucepan weighted with 2 cans. Cook 3 minutes. Flip, replace weight, and cook 2 minutes. (Or cook 4 minutes in panini maker.)

nutritional information Per Sandwich: Calories: 388; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 57 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 749 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 10 g; Vegan

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

SLOPPY JOES

This comes from the Healing Heart Foundation, found online at http://heart.kumu.org/. They have good information and some great recipes. This one starts out, “You'd never know it's meatless.”

1 large onion, choppe

1 to 2 C celery, chopped

1 tsp balsamic vinegar (other vinegar can be used)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed
(or 2 tsp dried minced garlic or garlic powder)

1 T chili powder (will not make it too hot)

2 T cumin

2 1/2 C tomato sauce (or a 6 oz can tomato paste + 1 C tomato juice + 1 C water)

1 T prepared yellow mustard

1 T ground dry mustard

1 T brown sugar

1 tsp black strap molasses

1 1/2 cups dry TVP granules

1 1/2 C boiling water

optional spicy version: 1 to 3 tsp hot sauce or roasted chilies

Saute onion and celery in balsamic vinegar and a little water on medium heat. Add more water if needed. Add garlic, peppers and spices and saute for a few more minutes. Add everything else and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over whole wheat buns, rice or pasta.

Adding a can of chili beans makes a very filling dish, changing it slightly to Sloppy Josés.

6 servings, each: Calories 152, Fat 1.85 g. (10% cff), Carbohydrate 19.86 g., Protein 17.44 g

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Weekday Meals

Sometimes, our weeks can really get pretty hectic to the point that it's difficult to fix a nutritious meal that's both delicious and doesn't take forever to make. But meals that satisfy all three can be had. That said, Enjoy!

YOGURT PARFAIT BREAFAST POPSICLES

This one comes from one of my favorite emailing sites, thekitchn. If you haven't already signed up for the great emails from thekitchn or it's brother site, Apartment Therapy, you're missing some really cool stuff.

TheKitchn's Faith Durand starts off, “Your eyes do not deceive you. This is breakfast that you can eat one-handed while walking to the bus stop, and it's got just as much going for it a bowl of yogurt with granola and fruit. In fact, it is a bowl of yogurt — just in frozen, easily-grabbable popsicle form. Time to dig out those popsicle molds!” The writer uses Greek yogurt for these, but writes that regular non-Greek yogurt can be used, too. Just don't thin out the regular yogurt.

She also writes, “If you're short on time or short on berries, you can also substitute a fruit jam or preserves. You'll need about a cup of preserves for these popsicles.” As for the granola, “Use any granola you like here. These popsicles are especially handy for using up a handful of leftover granola that's gone a bit stale. Once layered into the popsicles and frozen, the granola softens to the consistency of soft oatmeal cookies —and yes, that's just as delicious as you're hoping it will be.” Makes 6 popsicles.

You can view this recipe online here, along with photos of these incredible breakfast popsicles.

1 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped (around 3 cups chopped)

1/4 cup sugar (or honey)

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

2 to 3 tablespoons honey

3/4 cups granola

Combine the strawberries and sugar (or honey) in a small saucepan and stir gently to combine. Let the berries macerate on the counter for at least 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and syrupy.

Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a r. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the strawberries are thick and jammy. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. You should have about 1 cup of jammy fruit. (At this point, the strawberries can be refrigerated for up to a week.)

When ready to assemble the popsicles, whisk together the yogurt, 1/4 cup of the milk, and 2 tablespoons of honey. The yogurt should be thick, but pourable (roughly the consistency of regular yogurt). If needed, whisk in a little more milk. Taste and add more honey if desired.

Scoop out 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture and stir it into the granola. This will help the granola freeze into the popsicles.

Arrange 6 popsicle molds (1/2 cup capacity) on your work surface. Pour a generous spoonful of yogurt into the bottom of each mold. Add a scoop of granola and then a spoonful or two of strawberries. Continue layering yogurt, granola, and strawberries until the molds are filled. Tap the molds lightly agains the counter or use a popsicle stick to work out any air bubbles between the layers.

Insert popsicle sticks into each mold and place the popsicles in the freezer. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.

To unmold, run the popsicle molds under hot running water for a few seconds and gently easy the popsicles out of the molds. Popsicles will keep in the freezer for several weeks.

Recipe Notes

You can substitute 1 1/4 cups of regular yogurt for the Greek yogurt. As long as it's pourable, there's no need to thin the yogurt any further.

The strawberries can be replaced with an equal amount of any other fruit.

You can also substitute 1 cup any flavor of jam or fruit preserves for the berries. Skip the jam-making step and proceed with assembling the popsicles.

AVOCADO, BEAN AND CORN SALSA

This is from Fiona Haynes, About.com's Low Fat Cooking's guide. She writes, “This is a colorful, nutritious and delicious fresh salsa which makes a great accompaniment to baked tortilla chips, chicken and fish dishes or as topping for tacos.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado, diced

1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed

1 cup kidney beans, black beans or pinto beans

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro

Preparation:

Combine avocado, corn, beans, onion, tomato, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Per Serving: Calories 110, Calories from Fat 32, Total Fat 3.5g (sat 0.5g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 78mg, Carbohydrate 15.9g, Fiber 3.8g, Protein 3.7g

CHERRY TOMATO FOCACCIA

This is from the July/August 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. The recipe starts out with, “This bread is hearty enough to be served with a salad for a light lunch or supper.” Serves 8.

Topping

1/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

Focaccia

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 Tbs. sugar

2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

Olive oil, for greasing baking sheet

To make Topping: Pulse pistachios in food processor until ground, but with some larger pieces. Transfer to bowl, and stir in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

To make Focaccia: Stir together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 1/4 cups water in bowl. Knead dough in bowl 5 minutes. Cover bowl with towel, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Generously grease rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Stretch dough into 12- x 11-inch rectangle in sheet pan. Let dough rise 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Dimple dough with fingers. Whisk 2 Tbs. water into pistachio mixture, and brush onto dough. Press tomato halves cut-side up into dough. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 329; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 48 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 589 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

ROASTED POTATOES WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

This is from Diabetic Gourmet. Yield: 8 to 12 wedges (4 servings)

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/804.shtml

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes or 3 medium potatoes (1-1/4 pounds total), each cut in 4 wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a shallow dish or pan with nonstick pan spray.

Arrange potato wedges in the prepared pan. Combine the oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt in a small bowl. Brush the potatoes lightly with the oil mixture.

Bake until tender and golden brown, about 1 hour, basting with oil from the pan every 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 136; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 155 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1/2 Fat

LIGHT LEMON CAKE

Also from Diabetic Gourmet. Yields 20 servings. See online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/840.shtml

Ingredients

1 box (1 pound, 2.25 ounces) white or lemon cake mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup nonfat or light sour cream

1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute

2 packages (4-serving size each) sugar-free lemon gelatin mix

1 cup boiling water

1 cup cold tap water

Frosting:

2 cups nonfat or light whipped topping

3/4 cup light lemon yogurt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the cake mix, water, sour cream, and egg substitute in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.

Coat a 9-by-13 inch pan with cooking spray and spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or just until the top springs back when lightly touched and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool to room temperature. Then, using a fork, poke holes in the cake at 1/2-inch intervals. Place the gelatin mix in a medium bowl and add the boiling water. Whisk for 2 minutes or until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in the cold water. Slowly pour the gelatin mixture over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

To make the frosting, place the whipped topping in a small bowl and fold in the yogurt. Spread the frosting over the cake and chill for an additional hour before serving.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving); Calories: 138; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 218 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates; 26g; Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate, 1/2 Fat

VEGAN PUMPKIN RISOTTO

I think this came from About.com, but I'm not completely sure, since it's been kicking around my email account for more than five years with not note. The person who sent this wrote, “A vegetarian and vegan twist on classic Italian risotto - pumpkin! Why not? Pumpkin adds a sweet and unique flavor perfect for fall, as a vegetarian Thanksgiving entree, or anytime. This Italian risotto recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.”

Ingredients:

1 onion. diced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup white wine

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp margarine

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat for three to five minutes, or until soft. Add the rice. Allow to cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Slowly add the wine. Start to add the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Allow the moisture to cook off before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir frequently. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well, and cook for just a few minutes, until heated through.