St. Patrick's Day Food

It's that time of year again when everyone seems to be just a little Irish, even those who aren't. Yes, seems like just last week, we celebrated the new year, and now it's time for St. Patrick's Day. Believe it or not, there are those who don't celebrate it as a day remember a necessarily great person, but I'm not going to discuss politics here. (Maybe I should start a political blog, but being decidedly....well, wait, didn't I just say I wouldn't discuss politics? lol Sorry!)

Well, back to the food. Whether you celebrated March 17 as St. Patrick's Day or anti-St. Patrick's Day, my motto when it comes to good food is this: Let's eat!

SWEET IRISH POTATO ROLLS

From about.com's bread baking guru, Elizabeth Yetter, who wrote, "Sweet Irish potato rolls are made with mashed potatoes and the water you use to boil the potatoes. These rolls are soft, moist, and slightly sweet. They taste great with salty dinners, such as ham, and with most stews. The rolls can be made ahead of time, cooled, and frozen. This recipe for sweet Irish potato rolls makes 18 medium sized rolls."

Prep Time: 2 hours; Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 cup potato water

1 tbsp (2 pkg) active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

5 cups bread flour, about

Preparation:

Melt stick of butter in small saucepan.

In large bowl, add mashed potatoes, potato water, and melted butter. Mix and let set until lukewarm.

Add yeast, sugar, salt and eggs to mixture. Stir well.

Stir in 2 cups bread flour. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes in warm place.

Stir down sponge and add enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead until soft and smooth. Put dough in greased bowl. Turn dough over in bowl so that the top is also lightly greased. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until double in bulk.

Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead out air bubbles. Divide and shape dough into 18 rolls. Put rolls on 2 greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled.

Bake rolls at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or cold.

COLCANNON

Possibly from one of about.com's channels. Not sure, though. Whoever came up with this recipes wrote, "Leeks and bacon flavor this traditional Irish side dish recipe of mashed potatoes with cabbage."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds russet potatoes

4 slices bacon

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 leek, rinsed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups shredded green cabbage

1/3 cup butter

1 cup hot milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

Preparation:

Peel potatoes and cube. Place in saucepan and cover with cold water. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large saucepan until crisp and browned, turning often while cooking. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain; crumble. To drippings remaining in saucepan, add olive oil. Cook onion, garlic, and leeks until crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes. Then add cabbage, cover, and cook for 6-10 minutes until cabbage is tender.

When potatoes are cooked, drain and return potatoes to hot pot; shake over low heat for a few minutes to dry. Add butter and mash. Add milk and salt and pepper; beat until combined. Stir in bacon and cabbage mixture. Serve immediately, or place in serving dish and keep warm in 200 degrees F oven for 1 hour. Serves 6-8.

VEGETARIAN "BEEF" AND GUINNESS STEW

Jolinda Hackett is about.com's vegetarian cuisine guide. She wrote, "Beef and Guinness stew, an Irish pub favorite, gets a vegetarian makeover in this recipe, using seitan instead of beef to absorb all that rich stout flavor. Yum! The flavor of the beer is very strong in this recipe, so I've suggest using half the amount of Guinness and adding an equal amount of vegetable broth if you aren't a Guinness fan."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Approx 14 oz seitan, cut into thin strips

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp steak sauce

3 tbsp butter or margarine

1 onion, diced

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 medium potatoes chopped into 1 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 12 oz bottles Guinness Stout OR 1 bottle plus 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sautee seitan in olive oil and soy sauce until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, add steak sauce and stir until seitan is lightly coated. Remove from heat and aside. In a large pot, sautee onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and garlic in butter or margarine for 3-5 minutes, or until onions are slightly soft. Reduce heat and slowly add Guinness, gently stirring to combine. Add flour, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper and stir well. Add seitan and allow stew to simmer until Guinness reduces and stew thickens, about 40-50 minutes.

Add more salt and pepper if desired and enjoy!

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE TARTS

Linda Larsen runs about.com's Busy Cooks channel. Linda wrote, "I love this recipe for these individual little Corned Beef and Cabbage Tarts. The creamy cheese, crisp-tender cabbage and sweet red onion blend so well with the corned beef and the flaky pastry. You can omit the corned beef entirely for a nice vegetarian entree."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 crust pastry recipe

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1/4 large head red cabbage, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. honey

1/3 cup water

1 cup cooked cubed corned beef or ham

1 cup cubed Swiss or Havarti cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Prepare pie crust and divide dough into four pieces. Roll out each between waxed paper into 7" rounds. Fit each into a 4" tart ring, or simply put the crusts on two cookie sheets. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Saute onion in olive oil in a large skillet until soft. Then add cabbage, vinegar, honey, and water. Cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes, until cabbage is soft, stirring frequently. Then uncover pan and cook for 5-8 minutes longer on medium high heat, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed.

Divide half of the cabbage mixture evenly among the pastry circles, using about 1/2 cup for each. If you aren't using the tart rings, just mound the mixture in the center of the circles of pastry. Divide the corned beef evenly onto the cabbage mixture. Sprinkle with Gruyere cheese cubes and grated Parmesan cheese, and top with remaining cabbage mixture. Fold crust edges over the top of the cabbage mixture, pleating to form a ruffled edge. Bake tarts at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Remove tart rings and serve.

CROCKPOT CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

Linda Larsen wrote, "For St. Patrick's Day or any cold winter day, this recipe for classic Corned Beef and Cabbage is delicious and super easy too."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 10 hours

Ingredients:

6 carrots, cut into chunks

2 onions, chopped

2-3 lb. corned beef brisket with seasoning packet

12 oz. can beer (non alcoholic is fine)

2 Tbsp. yellow mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup water

8 wedges cabbage

Preparation:

In 4-6 quart crockpot, combine carrots and onions. Rinse corned beef under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in crockpot and sprinkle with contents of seasoning mix. Pour beer over brisket and spread mustard on brisket. In small bowl mix brown sugar with water and pour over brisket. Cover crockpot and cook on low setting for 11-12 hours. Remove corned beef from crockpot and cover with foil to keep warm. Add cabbage wedges to vegetables and liquid in crockpot. Cover crockpot and cook on high for additional 30-40 minutes or until cabbage is crisp tender. To serve, cut corned beef across grain into thin slices. Remove vegetables from slow cooker with slotted spoon and serve with corned beef. Serve cooking juices over the food, if desired. Offer additional mustard on the side. 8 servings.

IRISH MINT BROWNIES

Linda Larsen wrote, "These fabulous brownies with a rich mint topping are perfect for St. Patrick's Day or anytime. I like to bake these brownies in a 9" round cake pan and cut it into wedges for a slightly fancier presentation." All I know is that they're yummy!

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. water

1/4 cup fudge ice cream topping

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tub vanilla ready to spread frosting

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

Few drops green food coloring

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. cocoa

1-1/2 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In heavy saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and blend in fudge topping with wire whisk. Add sugar, beating well. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa and mix well. Stir in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Spray bottom of 9x9" square cake pan with baking spray containing flour. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until just set. Cool completely. In small bowl combine frosting, green food coloring, and mint extract and beat well until frosting is evenly colored. Spread over brownies in pan.

In medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and cocoa and mix with wire whisk. In microwave safe bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. butter and 1-1/2 Tbsp. water and microwave for 30-45 seconds until butter melts. Add to powdered sugar mixture and beat with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla. You may need to add more water to reach a pouring consistency. Then carefully pour this frosting over the green frosting and gently spread to cover. Don't worry if some of the chocolate frosting mixes with the green frosting; that just looks pretty! Yields 16 brownies.

A Salad, A Pie, A Cheesecake, and a S'more Sundae Walked Into A Kitchen...

A Salad, A Pie, A Cheesecake, and a S'more Sundae Walked Into A Kitchen... Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. But today's yumminess (that's the official word of the day!) is anything but bad. The recipes came from emails received from the Diabetic Gourmet and from the Food Network. Enjoy!

CRANBERRY-APPLE SPINACH SALAD

Yield: 4 servings

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Ingredients

6 cups moderately packed fresh spinach leaves

1/4 cup light balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing or Citrus Vinaigrette

1 cup matchstick-sized pieces apple

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or toasted pecans

1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta or blue cheese

Directions

Place the spinach leaves and salad dressing in a large bowl and toss to mix well. Divide the mixture between 4 salad plates.

Top the spinach on each plate with a quarter of the apples, cranberries, nuts, and cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 141 ; Protein: 4.7 g ; Fat: 8.3 g ; Sodium: 272 mg; Cholesterol: 2 mg ; Carbohydrates: 13 g

Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fruit, 1-1/2 Fat

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE

According to the Diabetic Gourmet site, "A baked custard pie with less calories because it's sweetened with Equal and made with 2% milk. For added coconut flavor use the optional coconut extract."

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Pastry for single-crust 9 inch pie

4 eggs

2 cups 2% milk

1 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut

1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Roll pastry on floured surface into circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into plate; trim and flute edge. Set aside.

Beat eggs in large bowl about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Whisk in milk and remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into pastry shell.

Bake pie in preheated 375F oven 30 to 35 minutes or until sharp knife inserted halfway between center and edge of pie comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 194 ; Protein: 6 g ; Fat: 11 g ; Sodium: 301 mg; Cholesterol: 115 mg ; Carbohydrates: 19 g

Exchanges: 1/2 milk, 1/2 starch, 2 fat

Source: Equal

INDOOR S'MORE SUNDAE

from Melissa d'Arabian of Ten Dollar Dinners on The Food Network.

Total Time: 1 hr 11 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 1 hr; Cook: 1 min; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole graham crackers)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Quick Chocolate Sauce:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions

For the graham cracker crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and a sprinkle of salt together in a bowl. Firmly press the crust into muffin tins to make individual crusts. Top each crust with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Press the mini marshmallows into the ice cream, covering the scoop completely. You will have 4 s'more "domes". Freeze at least 1 hour.

For the quick chocolate sauce: Immediately before serving, heat the broiler to low. Toss the chocolate chips with the milk in a ramekin or small bowl and microwave 30 seconds, stir until smooth and set aside. Place the s'more domes under the broiler until marshmallows brown, about 30 seconds. Watch them constantly as they burn easily. Place each s'more on a plate and drizzle with the chocolate sauce.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE

Total Time: 2 hr; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 1 hr 40 min; Level: Easy; Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 28 cookies)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

For the filling:

4 8 -ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions

Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Make the filling: Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Transfer 2 cups batter to a bowl; stir in the cocoa powder and food coloring. Pour the red batter into the crust, then pour the white batter on top. Using a spoon, pull some of the red batter up from the bottom of the cake and swirl. Bake until the edges are set but the center is still wobbly, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Turn off the oven but keep the cake inside to cool, 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan (don't remove the springform side), then transfer to a rack to cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.

Foods To (Mostly) Warm You Up

Going through several older emails, I ran across some more foods that'll warm you up, no matter how cold the outdoor thermometer reads. Several of the emails listed where the recipes came from; these have been attributed here.

BROCCOLI CHOWDER

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 or reduced-sodium chicken 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

POTATO SOUP

This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal.

Prep Time 45 minutes; Cooking Time 25 minutes; Serves 6

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 large yellow onions

6 leeks, well washed, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream - or 2 tablespoons butter (you could use vegetarian "butter")

Directions

Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

VEGGIE-STUFFED BAKERS

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

3 large Idaho potatoes (8-10 ounces each)

Vegetable cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup fresh, or frozen, whole-kernel corn

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup fat-free sour cream or plain fat-free yogurt

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup broccoli florets, cooked until crisp-tender

Directions

Grease potatoes lightly and bake at 400 degrees until tender, 45 to 60 minutes; let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes lengthwise into halves; scoop out potato, leaving shells intact.

Spray medium skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion, corn, bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mash potatoes, adding sour cream and half the Cheddar cheese. Mix in sauteed vegetables; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into potato shells; arrange broccoli on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Arrange potatoes in baking pan; bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until hot through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe):

Calories: 160, Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 119 mg, Protein: 9 g, Carbohydrate: 32.4 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1-1/2 Fruit, 1/2 Meat

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Yield: 10 servings

Source: "Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook"

Ingredients

1 package (10 ounces) fresh baby spinach, washed, dried and trimmed

1 pint fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness

1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

Directions

Place the spinach in a large salad bowl; add the strawberries.

In a small bowl, combine the onion, sugar, water, vinegar, mustard, and oil. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 79, Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 23 mg, Carbohydrate: 6 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 1 g Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

HOLIDAY CRANBERRY APPLE COBBLER

Cranberries are usually only available from late October or early November through January or February. If your local grocery store still has a few bags of cranberries, pick them up and, if you're not planning to use them in the next day or so, place the bags in the freezer. Almost every winter, I tend to buy a bag or two every shopping trip and put them in the freezer for use year 'round. They're great in smoothies, pie, main meals...they're not only for cranberry sauce or juice.

6 apples, peeled, cored & cut in slices

2 c. cranberries, rinsed & drained

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. water

3 tbsp. butter

2 c. flour, sifted

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, well beaten

3/4 c. milk

Combine apples, cranberries, sugar, spices, water and butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture bubbles. Lower heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until apples are tender but still firm. Pour mixture into shallow 2 quart casserole. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; add egg and milk and stir only until all dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by spoonsful on top of cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CUPS

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 4 to 6 servings (6 cups)

I'd watched Giada's show regularly when we first got cable. While I haven't watched her show lately, I still love some of her recipes.Ingredients5 cups whole milk

1/2 cup espresso

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Heat the milk in a medium pot over high heat until hot, but not boiling. Reduce the heat to very low and add the espresso, chocolate, sugar, and vanilla. Using a whisk, stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted. Continue to whisk the chocolate mixture until frothy every few minutes for about 8 minutes, until the chocolate has completely dissolved into the milk. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.

Vegetarian desserts

I was talking with a friend of mine who was surprised to learn that I lean toward vegetarianism. About the only time I have trouble being a vegetarian is at the holidays. Those turkey dinners with all the left-overs start calling me. As I told a friend who knew I was struggling with this and who'd asked how I'd handle holiday means, "I guess I'll have to wing it."

But back to the friend who'd asked about going veg...this particular friend mentioned that his downfall was dessert. He loved puddings, cakes, cookies, stuff ladened with eggs and milk...the works. "There's only so many times you can have a banana and call it dessert!" he informed me, like he'd try explaining to a five-year-old.

Fortunately, I found an email this afternoon from Vegetarian Times. The first three recipes are vegan, while the last one does for an egg and milk. If you're a vegan - a move I'm slowly inching towards - you could always use soy milk and egg replacer.

Enjoy!

PLUM CRUMBLE (vegan)

Serves 8

The Vegetarian Times email stated, "This dessert can be prepared with whatever fruits are in season. We used plums, but you could also choose apples, pears, or frozen berries." Recipe by Carolyn Trompeter.

Plum Filling

1/3 cup apple juice

1 Tbs. arrowroot powder

6 cups thinly sliced plums (3 lb.)

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup whole rolled oats

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup corn oil

1/4 cup rice syrup

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with oil and flour, and set aside.

To make Plum Filling: Place apple juice in mixing bowl. Add arrowroot, and stir to dissolve. Add plums, and toss gently. Transfer to prepared pan, sprinkle with nutmeg, and set aside.

To make Crumble: Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Rub oil into mixture with your fingers, then drizzle in rice syrup while mixing with fork. Distribute evenly over Plum Filling.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until topping is golden and fruit is bubbling. Serve warm.

from the October 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times

nutritional information

Per serving:

Calories: 257, Protein: 4 g, Total Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Carbohydrates: 44 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 163 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 19 g

PEAR CRISP WITH DRIED CHERRIES (vegan)

Serves 8

"Dried fruit adds tang, texture, and color to crisps, crumbles, and pies."

2 Tbs. blanched almonds

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 Tbs. light brown sugar

1 tsp. grated orange zest

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tbs. soy margarine

4 large pears (2¼ lb.), peeled and quartered

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 10-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray.

Place almonds in separate skillet, and toast over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Cool.

Grind almonds to coarse crumbs in food processor. Add flour, brown sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Pulse to combine. Add margarine, and pulse until mixture is combined.

Spread pears over bottom of prepared skillet. Scatter cherries over pears. Top with crumb mixture. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until top has browned.

from the March 2011 issue, p.73

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving:

Calories: 194, Protein: 2 g, Total Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 48 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 20 g

GINGERED APPLE-BERRY COBBLER (vegan)

SERVES 12

"Crowned with a hazelnut-gingerbread topping, this scrumptious cobbler is heavenly when served with a dollop of vegan whipped cream."

Filling

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

4 large or 6 medium-sized Granny Smith apples (24 oz.), peeled and sliced

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 16-oz. pkg. frozen unsweetened strawberries

1 cup frozen white grape juice concentrate

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup light brown muscovado sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. cold water

Gingerbread Topping

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

1/3 cup prune purée

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. powdered egg replacer

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup plain soymilk

Preheat oven to 275F.

To make Filling: Place hazelnuts on baking sheet in single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted, taking care not to burn. Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400F.

Wrap nuts in clean kitchen towel, and set aside for 5 minutes until cool enough to handle. Rub gently to remove excess skin—some skin will remain. Set aside.

Cut apples into pieces 1-inch wide and 1/4-inch thick, and place in large bowl. Toss with lemon juice, and set aside. Combine strawberries and juice concentrate in 3-quart heat-proof casserole. Cover, and cook over medium heat, 5 minutes, or until berries are thawed. Add apples and cranberries. Reduce heat to low, and add brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl, and add to fruit. Cook 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat, and set aside.

To make Gingerbread Topping: Combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in bowl, and set aside.

Beat prune purée, cane juice and fresh ginger with fork.

Combine egg replacer and water in small bowl. Add egg mixture and soymilk to prune mixture.

Fold flour mixture into prune mixture, and stir in hazelnuts. Spoon batter over fruit filling.

Bake uncovered on center rack 25 minutes, or until topping springs back and filling is bubbly. Remove from oven, and serve.

from the October 2003 issue

nutritional information

Per Serving:

Calories: 318, Protein: 3 g, Total Fat: 4 g, Carbohydrates: 56 g, Sodium: 181 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 57 g

RASPBERRY BUCKLE

Serves 10

"As this old-school American dessert cools, the top “buckles,” which is how the treat got its name. Frozen or fresh, raspberries are an excellent source of heart-healthful, cancer-fighting poly-phenols and anthocyanins."

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1 stick) nonhydrogenated margarine or butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 cup nonfat milk

2 cups frozen raspberries

1 tsp. confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F, and coat 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

Beat sugar and margarine in bowl with electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, then egg. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in separate bowl. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to batter. Fold in raspberries. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold, and cool. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

from the April 2010 issue, p.53

nutritional information Per Slice:

Calories: 217, Protein: 4 g, Total Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Carbohydrates: 39 g, Cholesterol: 22 mg, Sodium: 202 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 17 g

It's a Wrap...and Chili, Soup, and Cheesecake

Today's yummy offerings are healthy meals from several different emailing lists that I currently receive: Diabetic Gourmet, My Daily Moment, and Macrina Bakery.

TURKEY, SPINACH AND APPLE WRAP

Makes two wraps, or 2 servings

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/438.shtml

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tsp. honey mustard

2 whole-wheat lavash wraps or flour tortillas

2 cups (washed and dried) baby spinach leaves, loosely

packed, or two large leave sof a soft leafy green lettuce

4 thin slices turkey breast (4 ounces)

1/4 Granny Smith apple, sliced paper-thin

Directions

Combine mayonnaise and mustard. Lay out both wraps. Spread the edges of each with the mayonnaise mixture.

Leaving a margin free on the side closest to you, arrange a layer of greens on top of wraps. Top each layer with half the turkey. Evenly divide apple slices and lay lengthwise across turkey.

Fold over the end of the wrap closest to you, then the two sides. Roll the wrap as tightly as possible toward the opposite side. Cover each wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate, seam side down, up to 4 hours before serving.

When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap and cut each wrap in half, at an angle.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 234 ; Protein: 20 g ; Fat: 7 g ; Sodium: 294 mg; Carbohydrates: 27 g

Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Fruit, 1-1/2 Fat

CRANBERRY ORANGE CHEESECAKE

view online at http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/982.shtml

Chopped fresh cranberries, grated orange peel and the tang of gingersnaps make this a festive looking and delicious cheesecake variation.

Serves: 16

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients:

1-1/3 cups gingersnap crumbs

3 tablespoons Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

3 tablespoons stick butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake Ingredients:

3 packages (8 ounces each) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated**

2 eggs

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel

Additional grated orange peel (optional)

* May substitute 4-1/2 packets Equal sweetener

** May Substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Crust, combine gingersnap crumbs, 3 tablespoons Equal and melted butter. Reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated 325 degrees F oven 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing cheesecake.

For Cheesecake, beat cream cheese and 1 cup Equal in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth and well combined. Mix in eggs, egg whites, cornstarch and salt. Fold in sour cream and vanilla until combined. Gently stir in cranberries and orange peel. Pour batter over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake in preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. Cool on wire rack. Gently run metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake. Let cheesecake cool completely. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

To serve, remove side of pan. Garnish top of cheesecake with grated orange peel, if desired. Cut cake into wedges.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories: 196 ; Protein: 7 g ; Fat: 13 g ; Sodium: 268 mg; Cholesterol: 62 mg ; Carbohydrates: 13 g

Exchanges: 1 milk, 2-1/2 fat

SLOW-COOK VEGGIE CHILI

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

4 onions, chopped

2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) package firm tofu, drained and cubed

4 (15.5 oz.) cans black beans, drained

2 (15 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. ground cumin

6 tbsp. chili powder

2 tbsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1 tbsp. liquid hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic and tofu; cook and stir until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, the whole process should take about 10 minutes.

Pour the black beans into the slow cooker and set to Low. Stir in the sauted vegetables and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce; Stir gently and cover. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Additional Tips

Ready in 6 hours 10 min

Makes 8 servings

CREAMY LENTIL & HAM SOUP

The email from Macrina Bakery read, "Soup season has arrived! Hearty and comforting, this soup is perfect for warming up crisp fall days. It also makes a quick weeknight meal. We like to serve it with our toasted Macrina Casera bread or an Organic Greens Salad. if you can't find green lentils at your market, regular lentils are a suitable substitute." Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup onions, diced small

1 cup carrots, diced small

1 cup celery, diced small

1/4 cup leeks, diced small

1/2 cup fennel, diced small

2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

1/2 cup ham, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 cup white wine

2/3 cup French green lentils

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4

Place olive oil and butter into a medium-sized, heavy-bottom soup pot. Over medium heat, warm the oil and melt the butter.

Add onions, carrots, celery, leeks and fennel to the pot. Cover and cook, sweating the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the cover from the pot, and add the garlic, ham, thyme and tarragon. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, reducing the liquid by half. Then add the lentils and stock. Bring everything to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream, cooking for 8 to 10 more minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Soup and Texas Moppin' Rolls

There are some foods that just go perfectly with certain types of weather. A hot August afternoon screams for a dinner requiring little or not cooking (think hoagies, potato salad, or burgers grilled to perfection) with a large glass of iced tea, iced coffee, or other cold drink. And cold winter days require something hot to warm you from the inside out.

While Florida doesn't get as cold as, say, New England, New York, Minnesota, or Canada, we still get our occasional cold days. Today, it is merely rainy as a cold front makes its way across the state.

Right now, I've got the beginnings of bean soup cooking on the stove while the dough for Texas Moppin' Rolls rises in the oven. While the beans come in a nice, neat little package with instructions on how to cook up a nice pot of soup, I have a habit of glancing at the recipe, then going my own way.

The Texas Moppin' Rolls are another story. Years ago, right after getting hooked up to cable, I was channel surfing and discovered a show on the Food Network titled Breaking Bread With Father Dominic. The show is no longer on the Food Network (hey, Food Network people: how about bringing Father Dominic's show back!), but Fr. Dominic still has a website.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

YIELD: 12 rolls

Ingredients:

2 packages FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: Fr. Dominic wrote, "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper. I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well.

BEAN SOUP

1 package 15-bean soup mix

3 quarts water (see first note, below)

2 onions, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small can stewed tomatoes

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Any small bag of frozen veggies

1 T oregano (see second note, below)

salt & pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp. chili powder

Clean through package of beans to make sure there are not bits of small pebbles or dirt, then rinse. Place in large pot with 3 quarts water, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat. Simmer for one hour.

Add remaining ingredients and cook for one more hour.

First Note: You'll probably need to add water as the soup cooks. This is normal. Just don't overdo it.

Second Note:Most 15-bean packages come with small packets of spices for whatever flavor the bag is labled as: chicken flavored, ham flavored, etc. I picked up the Cajun flavored packages. The beans themselves don't carry the flavors; while I haven't checked, I'm sure that if you take the time to read the ingredient lists, the beans on each flavor are the same. It's the spice packets inside that you're supposed to add near the end that add the flavor. I usually discard this spice packet, since I never know how much salt and/or preservatives are in the packets. I prefer to add whatever spices I feel like adding. So...if you want to add the packet, please feel free to. Just forgo the spices I've added...or, at least, forgo the salt.

Serve with Texas Moppin' Rolls.

ENJOY!!!

Desserts - Cookies, Two Pies, and Indoor S'more Sundae

Today's offerings are from different email lists that I've subscribed to. Each list consistently has wonderful recipes...

REDUCED-FAT VEGAN SWEET POTATO PIE

Jolinda Hackett, from about.com's vegetarian list, writes, "It's classic. It's old-fashioned. It's vegan (if you use vegan margarine instead of butter and use a vegan pastry crust), and it's a reduced-fat and dairy-free dessert. What's not to love about this sweet potato pie recipe?"

Recipe and photo courtesy of North Carolina Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

Pastry crust for a 9-inch double crust pie (make sure it's vegan, if necessary)

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2-1/4 pounds), peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon butter or cold vegan soy butter or margarine, cut into pieces

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare a pie plate. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one layer of the pastry, then set aside.

Combine one cup of water and the salt in a large saucepan. Add sweet potatoes; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are just barely tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes.

Drain sweet potato slices and rinse with cold water until cool to touch. Drain the sweet potatoes well then transfer them to a large mixing bowl.

Add white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour and pumpkin pie spice to the sweet potatoes and toss gently with a spatula until slices are evenly coated. Spoon sweet potatoes into prepared pastry-lined pie plate. Dot the top of the sweet potatoes with butter or vegan margarine.

Place the top pastry over the filling and crimp top and bottom pastries together to make a sealed decorative edge, then cut three or four small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake the pie in oven until crust is browned and sweet potatoes are tender when pierced, about 50 minutes. If edges of crust start to brown too quickly, drape lightly with strips of foil.

Cool pie on wire rack at least 1 hour. Sweet potato pie can be served warm or cool.

Try it with a whole wheat pastry crust.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY PIE

Another one from Jolinda Hackett, who writes, "Chocolate cherry pie - Vegan tofu cherry "cream" pie recipe - delicious! I'd love to try this same method with strawberries or perhaps even Elvis-style, with bananas."

Recipe courtesy of the Soy foods Council

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) box firm silken tofu

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 prepared vegan graham cracker pie crust

1 (12 oz.) package frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed and drained

1 cup non-dairy whipped topping

Preparation:

First, prepare the cherries. Slice them in half and remove the pics, if needed. Set a handful of cherries aside to use as a garnish on top of the pie.

Next, prepare the chocolate "cream" filling. Process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cocoa powder, sugar, melted chocolate chips, and almond extract. Process again until mixture is smooth.

To prepare the pie, place about 1/3 of the chocolate tofu mix in a single layer in the prepared pie crust. Next, place the cherries in a single layer on top of the chocolate tofu mixture and spread the remaining chocolate tofu on top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish each slice with whipped topping and reserved cherries.

This recipe makes one pie of 8 servings.

Nutritional information, per serving:

Calories: 270, Total Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 2g. Sugar: 24g, Protein: 6g

INDOOR S'MORE SUNDAE

From the Food Network

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/indoor-smore-sundae-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Recipe courtesy of Melissa d'Arabian

SHOW: Ten Dollar Dinners; EPISODE: Big Buffalo, Ten Bills

Total Time: 1 hr 11 min; Prep: 10 min; Inactive: 1 hr; Cook: 1 min; Level: Easy; Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole graham crackers)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Quick Chocolate Sauce:

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions

For the graham cracker crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, cinnamon and a sprinkle of salt together in a bowl. Firmly press the crust into muffin tins to make individual crusts. Top each crust with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Press the mini marshmallows into the ice cream, covering the scoop completely. You will have 4 s'more "domes". Freeze at least 1 hour.

For the quick chocolate sauce: Immediately before serving, heat the broiler to low. Toss the chocolate chips with the milk in a ramekin or small bowl and microwave 30 seconds, stir until smooth and set aside. Place the s'more domes under the broiler until marshmallows brown, about 30 seconds. Watch them constantly as they burn easily. Place each s'more on a plate and drizzle with the chocolate sauce.

RASPBERRY-ALMOND BAR COOKIES

from Diabetic Gourmet

Yield: Makes 24 servings

Source: Equal

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/944.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold stick butter or margarine, cut into pieces

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 jar (10 ounces) seedless raspberry spreadable fruit

3 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

* May substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Combine flour, Equal and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in egg, water and lemon peel. Mixture will be crumbly.

Press mixture evenly onto bottom of well-sprayed 8 x 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges of crust are lightly browned.

Remove pan from oven and spread raspberry fruit over top. Sprinkle with almonds. Return to oven, and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until raspberry fruit is bubbly. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

Calories: 86; Protein: 2 g; Sodium: 16 mg; Cholesterol: 19 mg; Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fat