Confessions of a Foodie

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Weekday Recipes

Another day, another batch of recipes. Enjoy!

PASTA ALLA NORMA

This comes from Danette St. Onge, About.com's Italian Food expert. She writes, "Pasta alla Norma is a classic dish originating in the Sicilian city of Catania. Allegedly it was created by a Catanese chef in tribute to the opera Norma by 19th-century composer Vincenzo Bellini, also from Catania. Ricotta salata, a firm, tangy sheep's-milk cheese, is an essential ingredient in this dish. It is quite different from soft and creamy fresh ricotta, though if you can't locate ricotta salata, a mild feta cheese such as French-style feta can be substituted." Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; total time: 50 minutes; yield: 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Coarse sea salt (Maldon salt works well)

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes

One 28-ounce can (or 3 cups) passata di pomodoro (tomato puree)

Fine sea salt, to taste

1 pound penne, rigatoni, or any other short, tube-shaped pasta

8-12 fresh basil leaves, for garnish

3 ounces ricotta salata, coarsely grated

Preparation

Place the eggplant slices on a paper towel-lined tray or baking sheet and lightly sprinkle them with coarse sea salt, to draw out excess water. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes, then thoroughly pat the slices dry with more paper towels.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the eggplant slices (do not overcrowd) and fry them, turning occasionally, until well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer fried eggplant to a paper towel-lined platter or tray and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until garlic is just golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chile pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, another 30 seconds. Add the tomato puree, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat until sauce is just simmering. Cover and let simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with fine sea salt.

Meanwhile, bring salted water for the pasta to boil in a large pot. When boiling, add the pasta and cook until just al dente, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water when draining the pasta.

Return the pasta to the pot, add the tomato sauce and a little of the cooking water (just one spoonful at a time, as necessary) to thin the sauce slightly and help it adhere to the pasta. Toss to coat the pasta and then divide between serving plates. Lay a few slices of fried eggplant on top of each serving of pasta, then top with a generous grating of ricotta salata and a few fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.

FUSILLI WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND CORN

Yield: 8 servings

Source: 1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/22.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups chopped plum tomatoes

1 cup fresh whole-kernel corn, cooked

1/2 cup sliced green onions and tops

2-2/3 cups (6 oz.) fusilli OR corkscrews, cooked, room temperature

Fresh Basil Dressing (recipe follows)

Directions

Combine tomatoes, corn, onions, and pasta in salad bowl; pour Fresh Basil Dressing over and toss.

FRESH BASIL DRESSING

Ingredients

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried, basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients; refrigerate until serving time. Mix again before using. Makes about 1/4 cup

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 135, Protein: 4.1 g, Carbohydrate: 21.8 g, Fat: 4 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 141 mg; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Fat

SKILLET CHICKEN POT PIE WITH CHEDDAR BISCUITS

This comes from The Baker Chick, who writes, "Though I made this with chicken this could be an easy vegetarian option by skipping the meat and just adding extra veggies!" I love that kind of flexibility! Yield: 6-8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed

4 cups chopped veggies, (potatoes, green beans, carrots, broccoli etc.)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Other spices to taste (garlic, celery seed etc.)

2 cups of chicken broth

1 to 1 1/2 cups milk

For the Biscuits:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6 oz Cheddar, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Instructions

Place the chopped veggies* and chicken in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and cover with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies have softened. Drain the veggies reserving the broth. Set both aside.

Wipe out the skillet and melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and translucent. Add the flour, salt, pepper, and spices. Stir constantly until golden.

Slowly add 1 cup of milk and 1 1/2 cups of broth. Whisk liquids in until sauce is smooth. Stir frequently until thick and bubbly.

Add the chicken & veggies into the sauce mixture, tossing to combine. If mixture doesn't seem saucy enough, add more milk or broth and needed to thoroughly coat the chicken & veggies.

Preheat oven to 425F

For the Biscuits:

Stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Add the butter chunks and use your hands to work them in, breaking them apart until coarse crumbs are formed with no bigger than pea sized chunks.

Stir in the grated cheese and then the buttermilk, stirring together until just combined.

Scoop the dough on top of the chicken/veggie mixture, spreading evenly with your hands.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden.

Notes

*Some veggies need more cooking time than others. I always add carrots, potatoes & green beans to boil in the broth mixture, but if I use broccoli I like it less cooked so I just add that in with the cream sauce at the end.

EASY CROCKPOT LASAGNA

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and starts off, "This lasagna tastes like you spent all day making it without all of the work." Prep Time: 15 min; Total Time 4 hr 15 min; Servings: 10

*Works best with a 4 to 6 quart size slow cooker.

1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup water

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 whole egg

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

Directions

In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain.

Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.

Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high.

EASY VEGETARIAN COUSCOUS SALAD

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide, writes, “Like couscous salads? This one is just about perfect. It's an easy vegetarian and vegan couscous salad recipe with chickpeas and cucumbers in a light lemon Dijon dressing with chopped fresh parsley. Couscous salad is always a good choice to bring to a vegetarian potluck or picnic.”

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked couscous

6 green onions, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) pre-cooked or canned

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

dash pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine the couscous, onions, tomatoes, cucumber chickpeas and parsley in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk or blend together the remaining ingredients and pour over the couscous, tossing gently to coat.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Meatless Monday

I know, I'm running late today. Sometimes, that happens. So, here's today's Meatless Monday. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN BREAKFAST BURRITO WITH PLANTAINS AND MANGO SALSA

This comes from the March 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36. It begin, "Ripe plantains have a starchy consistency like potatoes, but with more fiber." Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 cups sliced ripe plantains (2 medium)

1 lime, juiced and zest grated (2 Tbs. juice and 1 tsp. zest)

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup prepared mango salsa, plus more for serving, optional

4 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed

Combine plantains, lime juice, and 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover pan, and simmer 20 minutes, or until plantains are very soft. Mash with fork or potato masher, and stir in lime zest. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Combine beans and salsa in small saucepan; warm over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spread heaping 1/4 cup plantains on bottom half of each tortilla, leaving 2-inch border. Top with 1/2 cup bean mixture. Fold sides of tortilla over filling, then roll from bottom up. Serve with additional salsa, if using.

nutritional information Per Burrito: Calories: 349; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 72 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 779 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 18 g; Vegan

CARROT-ORANGE SMOOTHIE

This is from the March 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 32. It starts off, "A touch of allspice adds exotic flavor to this sunny blend of carrot juice and orange. Ground flaxseed adds EFAs." Serves 2 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups carrot juice

1 orange, peeled and quartered

2 Tbs. ground flaxseed

1 Tbs. raw honey or agave nectar

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Place all ingredients in blender in order listed, along with 4 ice cubes. Blend 45 seconds, or until smooth.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 165; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 116 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 14 g; Gluten-Free

CAFE DE OLLA

The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

4 cinnamon sticks

4 star anise

4 allspice berries

4 whole cloves

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)

2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans

2 cups low-fat milk

1 cup coffee liqueur, such as KahlĂșa, optional

Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.

Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free

BANANA PUDDING

This comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It starts off, "Coconut milk beverage adds a hint of sweet flavor to this classic dessert." Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

1/3 cup raw cane sugar

4 Tbs. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

3 cups coconut milk beverage, such as Silk, divided

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 very ripe bananas, sliced

48 vegan vanilla wafer cookies

Nondairy whipped topping for garnish, optional

Place sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan, and gradually whisk in coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla, then banana slices.

Line bottom of 11- x 7-inch baking dish with 24 cookies. Spread hot pudding over top, making sure bananas are submerged to prevent browning. Top with remaining 24 cookies, cover with plastic wrap, and cool. Refrigerate until cold. Top with whipped topping (if using).

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 216; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 4 mg; Sodium: 113 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 23 g; Vegan

CHAI RICE PUDDING

This comes from the February 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 86. It starts off, “If you like chai tea, you'll love this creamy, comforting dessert studded with apples and raisins. For the best flavor, choose a strong, spicy chai tea; we used, Tazo's chai tea bags.”

3 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk or low-fat milk

4 black chai tea bags

1 cup short- or medium-grain white rice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 medium-sized apple, peeled, cored and diced

1/4 cup dark raisins

whipped cream for garnish, optional

cinnamon for garnish, optional

Bring 2 cups water and 1 cup soymilk to a boil in large saucepan. Remove from heat, and add teabags. Cover, and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing out any liquid.

Stir rice, sugar and salt into tea mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add remaining 2 ½ cups soymilk, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until rice is soft. Stir in apple and raisins; remove from heat. Cover pot, and let sit 10 minutes.

Spoon pudding into 2-quart heatproof dish. Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream and cinnamon, if desired.

Per serving: 208 cal; 5 g prot; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 43 g carb; o mg chol; 75 mg sod; 1 g fiber; 20 g sugars

CREAMY RICE PUDDING

Maybe ten years ago, this recipe was in several issues of Vegetarian Times in ads for Mahatma Rice. I'd lost track of the recipe, which I'd made several times for a certain someone who loved homemade rice pudding. I had to admit, it was definitely worth the time it took to fix it.

1 1/2 quarts 2% milk

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup Mahatma rice (see note)

1/2 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: The recipe called for Mahatma, Water Maid, Carolina, or River rice.

Combine milk, sugar and rice in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (The milk should just barely simmer, with bubble breaking only at the outside edge of the surface. After an hour, the rice should be soft.)

Add raisins, increase heat to medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until rice has absorbed most of the rest of the milkl, but not all, and the pudding is creamy (about 30 minutes longer).

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. When cool, pudding will thicken, but will still be very creamy. Serve warm or well chilled. Serves 8.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Friday Recipes

Finally, it's Friday. Enjoy!

HOTCAKES WITH DELICIOUS BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

This is from Curtis Stone, on The Food Network's show The Best Thing I Ever Made. Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep: 15 minutes; Cook: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: easy

Recipe courtesy Curtis Stone. Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/hotcakes-with-delicious-blueberry-compote-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Blueberry Compote:

18 ounces fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves, optional

Hotcakes:

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

4 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup buttermilk, shaken

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch salt

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

About 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving

Directions

For the blueberry compote: Combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. (Don't let the berries cook too long or they will become mushy and lose their beautiful shape.) Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the chopped mint if using. Keep warm.

For the hotcakes: Whisk the ricotta and the egg yolks together in a large bowl to combine, then whisk in the buttermilk. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the ricotta mixture. Stir with a whisk until just combined.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites through the batter in 2 batches. Gently fold the fresh blueberries into the batter.

Melt some butter on a hot griddle pan over medium-low heat. Ladle the batter onto the griddle (you should be able to fit 3 hotcakes at a time) and cook until the hotcakes puff, become golden brown and are just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the hotcakes to plates. Spoon the warm blueberry compote over the hotcakes, and then top with a dollop of butter. Serve immediately.

PEFRECT VANILLA CUPCAKES

I found this in an email from The Baker Chick; the cupcake recipe is originally from Georgetown Cupcakes. I've posted several recipes from The Baker Chick in the past; seriously, if you haven't signed up for her emails, you should. Yield: 20-24 cupcakes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick of butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups whole milk, at room temperature

For the Frosting:

2 sticks of unsalted butter, soft

4 oz of cream cheese

3-5 cups of powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. Mix in the eggs, one at a time.

Stir the vanilla into the milk.

With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Fill liners about 2/3 of the way. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick interred into one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool on a wire rack. Always cool 100% before frosting.

To make the frosting:

Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Start with 3 cups and add more depending on how stiff you want it to be. Add food coloring if desired and frost cooled cupcakes.

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE WITH SPINACH & RED PEPPERS

This recipe, which serves 8, comes from The Kitchn, one of my favorite sites and emailing lists. If you haven't checked it out (as well as Apartment Therapy), you really should. Yes, now. I'll wait. Ooooh, all right, you can check on them later. But please do. You won't regret it.

To view this recipe online, click here.

12 ounces macaroni (2 1/2 cups dry macaroni)

12 to 16 ounces baby spinach (7 to 8 large handfuls)

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese

3/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

2 (12-ounce) jars roasted red peppers, drained and diced

Fresh pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with nonstick coating.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water generously and add the macaroni. Cook until the pasta until it's just barely al dente — a little bit of chew is fine here. Drain and immediately transfer the hot pasta to a large mixing bowl.

Add the spinach and toss to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dinner plate and let the spinach wilt in the heat of the pasta for about 10 minutes. Shake the bowl occasionally to mix up the pasta and spinach — some of the spinach may not completely wilt; this is fine.

Whisk the eggs until well-combined, then whisk in 2 cups of the cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta and wilted spinach. Add the diced red peppers and gently stir until combined and all the ingredients are evenly coated with sauce.

Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. At this point, the casserole can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and you can hear the casserole bubbling. (If baking straight from the fridge, extend the covered baking time to 45 minutes.)

Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving. Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week.

Recipe Notes:

Substitute low-fat (1% or 2%) cottage cheese and sour cream if desired. Non-fat substitutes can also be used, but the casserole will be looser.

To freeze: The entire casserole can be frozen, baked or unbaked, but cook the pasta very al dente so it doesn't get mushy. Warm baked casseroles in the microwave or a low oven until warmed through. Cook unbaked casseroles straight from the freezer for an hour, then uncover, top with cheese, and continue baking until bubbly.

EASY LEMON MERINGUE PIE

This comes from Brett Moore, About.com's Gourmet Food guide. He writes, “Love lemon meringue pie? Try this recipe with a delicious, tangy lemon curd and loads of billowing meringue piled high.” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: Serves 6 to 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Lemon Filling:

4 egg yolks (save the whites for meringue)

1/3 cup cornstarch 3 tablespoons

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons

1/2 cup lemon juice 2 lemons, juiced and zested

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell

Meringue Topping:

4 egg whites

1 pinch cream of tartar

2 tablespoons sugar 6 tablespoons

Preparation

Make the Lemon Filling:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Stir frequently and bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and, while whisking briskly, add 1/2 cup of the hot mixture at a time to egg yolks until you have added at least half of the mixture.

Return egg mixture back to the saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined.

Pour mixture into pre-baked pie shell. Spoon meringue (see below) over the top while filling is still hot. Meringue should completely cover the lemon mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

Make the Meringue Topping:

Whisk egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

APPLE AND PEAR CRISP

This comes from the Food Network's Ina Garten, of the Barefoot Contessa. This yummy recipe yields 8 servings and can be viewed online at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/apple-and-pear-crisp-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback. Total Time: 1 hr 25 min; Prep: 30 min; Cook: 55 min; Level: Easy

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)

2 pounds firm Macoun apples (6 apples)

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zests, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.

SWEET CORNMEAL MUFFINS

Years ago, I got hooked on Breaking Bread with Father Dominic on (if I remember correctly) the Food Network. Unfortunately, the show has since left the air, at least where I live, although the episodes can still be found here. Check out his website, The Bread Monk, at http://www.breadmonk.com/. Recipe yields 12 muffins.

1 cup milk, at room temperature

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, melted

1 cup yellow corn meal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine milk, egg & melted shortening in medium bowl; stir to mix. Place cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder & salt in a sifter; sift into the milk mixture. Stir until just blended.

Using a 1/4-cup measure, drop batter into lightly greased muffin tins. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops of muffins are lightly browned. Let cool slightly. Serve warm.

Note: Fr. Dominic writes, “This is one of the few recipes where I would insist on shortening instead of vegetable oil. There is a noticeable decline in taste with oil, more so than with other breads.”

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Diabetic Thursday - Cookies

We all love having something snack. What's easier than cookies? Enjoy!

CINNAMON GINGER COOKIES

Makes: 30 Cookies

Source: "The Best Diabetes Cookbook"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/25.shtml

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoon margarine, melted

2 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoon 2% yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

1-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick vegetable spray.

In bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, margarine, molasses, yogurt and vanilla until well mixed.

Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into bowl just until combined.

Using teaspoon, form dough into small balls and baking on baking sheet. Press flat with fork; sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (2 Cookies): Calories: 76, Carbohydrate: 12 g, Fiber: 0 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 68 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg; Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1/3 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Fat

PUMPKIN POLKA DOT COOKIES

Chocolate chips enhance the flavor of the pumpkin and spices in these easy to make drop cookies. The hearty blend is perfect for the end of the year holidays.

Makes about 4 dozen. Serving size: 1 cookie

Ingredients

1/2 cup stick butter, softened

1-1/4 cups Equal Spoonful*

3 tablespoons light molasses

1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

* May substitute 30 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Beat butter, Equal and molasses until well combined. Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until blended. Gradually stir in combined flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto sprayed baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350F oven 11 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool completely on wire rack.

Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 57; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 51 mg; Cholesterol: 9 mg; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

CITRUS ANGEL BITE COOKIES

Servings Per Recipe: 5

Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1151.shtml

Ingredients

Angel Bites:

5 egg whites

1/3 cup SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

Citrus Filling:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated

1 egg yolk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 13x11 inch baking sheet. Set aside.

Make Angel Bites: Place egg whites in a medium mixing bowl. Whip on high speed using an electric mixer or wire whisk until frothy.

Add Splenda Granulated Sweetener, vanilla and salt. Mix on high speed until medium-stiff peaks form (approx. 20-30 seconds with an electric mixer).

Spoon rounded tablespoons of egg white mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan. Cool.

Make filling: Blend together Splenda Granulated Sweetener and egg yolk in a small mixing bowl. Stir well. Add juice to egg yolk mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add cornstarch. Stir well. Pour into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened (approx. 2 minutes). Chill until ready to use.

Assemble Angel Bites: Just before serving, sandwich Angel Bites with filling. Place filling on the bottom of one Angel Bite and top with another so that the bottoms of the Angel Bites are facing each other and the filling is sandwiched between them. Repeat with remaining Angel Bites.

Garnish Angel Bites with a dollop of whipped cream, some orange zest and a sprig of mint.

Note: If egg whites start to separate, whisk them back together using a wire whisk. Serving size is 3 assembled angel bites.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 60; Calories from Fat: 10; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 135 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Yield: Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Serving size: 1 cookie

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1083.shtml

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-ounce package) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar blend, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 110; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 85 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Carbohydrates: 13 g

ALMOND BISCOTTI

Servings: 32

Find this recipe at:
http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/39.shtml

Ingredients

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons margarine

4 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Place almonds in a small baking pan. Bake 7 to 8 minutes until golden brown (watch carefully to avoid burning). Set aside.

Beat sugar and margarine in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Add egg whites and almond extract; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl; mix well. Stir egg white mixture and almonds into flour mixture until well blended.

Spray two 9x5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly divide dough between prepared pans. Spread dough evenly over bottoms of pans with wet fingertips. Bake 15 minutes or until knife inserted into centers comes out clean.

Remove from oven and turn onto cutting board. As soon as loaves are cool enough to handle, cut each into 16 (1/2-inch thick) slices. Place slices on baking sheets covered with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 5 minutes; turn over. Bake 5 minutes more or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight container.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 56; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Starch/Bread; 1/2 Fat

CHOCOLATE CHIP FUDGIE CUPS

This cookie has something for everyone. The crust is chocolate chip cookie dough; the filling is a rich brownie. They are a little more involved to make, but well worth the effort.

Yield: makes 2 dozen

Photo and Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/881.shtml

Ingredients

Chocolate Chip Dough:

1/3 cup stick butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup Equal Spoonful*

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Fudge Nut Filling:

1 cup Equal Spoonful**

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/3 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

6 tablespoons stick butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

* May substitute 8 packets Equal sweetener

** May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Chocolate Chip Dough, beat 1/3 cup butter with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Mix in 1/3 cup Equal* and brown sugar until combined. Combine 1 cup flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix into butter mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into circle about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze while preparing Fudge Nut Filling.

For Fudge Nut Filling, combine 1 cup Equal**, 3/4 cup flour, cocoa, nuts, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Beat applesauce, 6 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Stir in combined flour mixture until well blended.

Remove Chocolate Chip Dough from freezer. Spread approximately 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough in each of 24 mini-muffin pans. Fill each with Fudge Nut Filling to top of cup.

Bake in preheated 350F oven 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in muffin pans about 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 138; Protein: 2 g ; Fat: 8 g; Sodium: 106 mg; Cholesterol: 41 mg ; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Exchanges: 1 starch, 1-1/2 fat

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Wednesday Recipes

I know I'm running a little late, but better late than never, right? Enjoy!

EASY BAKED BEANS

This comes from the October 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Baked beans were meant to be doctored up to suit a cook’s taste, so feel free to make these with more or less sugar, a spicier salsa or mustard, and add-ins such as soy sausage or soy hot dogs.” Serves 8.

1 1/2 cups dried red kidney beans

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (3 cups)

1 8-oz. jar medium salsa

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

3 Tbs. yellow mustard

Soak beans in 6 cups water overnight. Drain; reserve soaking liquid.

Coat Dutch oven with cooking spray, and heat over low heat. Add onions, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until browned. Stir in 1 cup soaking liquid. Simmer 5 minutes, scraping up onion bits stuck to pot.

Stir in remaining ingredients and 5 cups water. Cover, and cook 1 1/2 hours. Uncover; simmer 1 hour more, or until sauce has thickened.

nutritional information per serving: Calories: 166; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 0.5 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Sodium: 566 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 12 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

Prep Time: 25 Minutes - Cost: $
Servings: 10 - Difficulty Level: 3

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/130.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 T sugar

1 T brown sugar

1 T cold light butter or light margarine, suitable for baking

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, and sugars. WIth pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in yogurt, extract and chips until mixture holds together and forms a ball.

Place dough ball on prepared baking sheet. Pat into a 9-inch circle. Using a sharp knife, mark dough into 12 wedges, cutting into, but not through, dough.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Or, cool and store covered and/or freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, bake uncovered at 350 degrees F. for 5 to 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 136; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 181 mg; Cholesterol: 4 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Exchanges: 1 starch; 1/2 fruit and 1/2 fat (2 carb choices)

SWEET POTATO MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from The Baker Chick. I've subscribed to her email newsletter for a few months now, and so far, the food is always yummy. While I haven't tried this recipe yet (it came in this morning's emails), I have no doubt that it's as good as everything else she's sent out. This yields 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons of flour

2 cups of milk

3 cups of grated cheese*

2 sweet potatoes, cooked**

6 cups of pasta, cooked to al dente

1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk constantly until golden brown. Gradually add the milk and stir until smooth and thickened (about 5 minutes.) Add all but a small handful of the grated cheese, and then sat & pepper to taste. Stir until smooth and creamy.

Scoop the sweet potato out of the skin, and pureé until smooth. Or, put the sweet potato chunks directly into the cheese sauce and use an immersion blender to pureé the sauce. Stir in the cooked pasta, tossing until evenly coated.

Turn the sauce/pasta into an 8x8 baking dish and top with panko and remaining grated cheese. Top with a bit more freshly ground pepper if you have, and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Broil for an addition 5 minutes to really crisp up the top if desired.

Notes

* I mostly used sharp cheddar but I also used a few slices of Organic American Cheese that I had in my fridge- this always gives an amazing texture.

** To easily cook your potatoes, place directly on the oven rack with a sheet underneath for catching drips. Start with a cold oven and preheat to 450F. Cook for 45 minutes or until soft.

SHAMROCK SHAKES

This comes from Tablespoon.com. Prep time: 10 minutes; total time: 10 minutes; Servings: 2

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 cups vanilla ice cream

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon mint extract (gel green food coloring or paste food coloring recommended)

2 cups whipped cream

sprinkles

Directions

Combine the ice cream, milk, mint extract and food coloring in a blender and pulse until combined. Add more green food coloring as desired. Transfer the shakes to serving glasses, then top with whipped cream and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

LASAGNA PRIMAVERA

This recipe is from FamilyTime's newsletter. It starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Prep. time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Serves: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each); Source: Campbell's Recipes To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, sliced (about 3 3/4 cups)

1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)

3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce

12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, (no boil)

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

EASY VEGETARIAN COUSCOUS SALAD

Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide, writes, “Like couscous salads? This one is just about perfect. It's an easy vegetarian and vegan couscous salad recipe with chickpeas and cucumbers in a light lemon Dijon dressing with chopped fresh parsley. Couscous salad is always a good choice to bring to a vegetarian potluck or picnic.”

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked couscous

6 green onions, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup chickpeas (garbanzo beans) pre-cooked or canned

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

dash pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine the couscous, onions, tomatoes, cucumber chickpeas and parsley in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk or blend together the remaining ingredients and pour over the couscous, tossing gently to coat.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Weekday Recipes

It's warming up a little (at least here in Florida). If you're living in a snowy area, here's hoping it warms up for you soon. In the meantime, here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

BANANA SPLIT CAKE

I know, I know, we've all been told not to start off a meal with dessert. But this one is nice and easy, and can really be made any time. It came from someone on an emailing list that I was on years ago, so I'm really not sure of its origins. But it's sure to be a winner. Serves 9.

2 1/3 cups Bisquick® Original baking mix

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

1 pint vanilla or chocolate ice cream

1 package (10 ounce) frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed

2 medium bananas, sliced

1 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping

1/3 cup chocolate fudge topping, heated

Instructions

Heat oven to 425°.

Stir baking mix, milk, sugar and margarine until soft dough forms. Drop by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

Split warm shortcakes. Fill and top with ice cream, strawberries, bananas, whipped topping and fudge topping.

VEGGIE PANINI

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, "Served warm and oozing with melted cheese, this restaurant-style panini features Mediterranean vegetables like zucchini, peppers and plum tomatoes on whole grain bread. It's easy to make, comforting and delicious." Serves 2; Prep Time: 20 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 slices Pepperidge Farm® Very Thin Sliced Whole Grain White Bread

2/3 cup shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese

2 plum tomato, sliced

2/3 cup sliced mushrooms

2 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into slices

4 teaspoons fat free Italian salad dressing

2 roasted red pepper, cut into strips

Vegetable cooking spray

Directions

Top 2 bread slices with the cheese, tomato, mushrooms and zucchini. Drizzle with the dressing. Top with the pepper and remaining bread slices.

Heat the panini maker. Add the sandwiches and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted.

Tip: If you don't have a panini maker you can use a grill pan or a 10-inch skillet. Assemble the sandwich as directed above. Heat the grill pan over medium heat. Add the sandwich and cook until it's lightly browned on both sides and the cheese is melted.

Tip: This recipe can be halved to make 1 serving.

JALAPENO CORN MUFFINS

This comes from Diabetic Gourmet. (I know...today's Tuesday, and I usually post diabetic recipes on Thursdays, but this sounds yummy.) Yield: 12 muffins

Online with Photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1260.shtml

Ingredients

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup skim milk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped

2 Tbsp fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp canola oil

paprika (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425F.

In medium bowl, combine cornmeal and milk and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Add flour, red pepper, jalapeno pepper, baking powder, garlic powder and salt to cornmeal and milk, and stir well. Add egg and canola oil, stirring until just moistened.

Spoon into non-stick muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 60; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 1.5 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

BENECOL MACARONI AND CHEESE

While I've posted this once before, one of my sons and I love this enough to warrant a repost.

For several years, there was a magazine dedicated to walking, titled Walking Magazine.It had many good articles, tips and recipes for those of us who feel a little more comfortable race-walking, rather than running. Unfortunately, the magazine folded several years ago. This recipe was in it during its final year. Serves 4.

1/2 lb. small shell style macaroni

4 Tbs. Benecol

3 Tbs. all purpose flour

3 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1 1/2 C 2% milk, warmed

few drops Tabasco Sauce

1-pint nonfat cottage (or ricotta) cheese

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C flavored bread crumbs

1 Tbs. olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-by-9 inch pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Cook shells according to package directions, strain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

To prepare sauce, melt Benecol in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in flour, add onions, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Add Tabasco Sauce and cook an additional minute. Whisk in cheese and salt, and blend in shells; transfer mixture to prepared pan.

In small bowl, mix oil and bread crumbs together; spoon over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Per Serving: 510 calories; 27.2% calories from fat; 3G saturated fat; 65G carbohydrates; 12MG cholesterol; 612MG sodium; 2G fiber

J’s B-B-Q GLUTEN

This is from my oldest son. For the most part, the recipe is included exactly as he wrote it out for me, though I have changed a word or two. (This stuff is definitely good.)

Ingredients:

5 lb. whole wheat flour

2 onions

1/2 C creamy peanut butter

2 bottles of B-B-Q sauce

1 stick butter

2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons paprika

Huge bowl

Take whole wheat flour, empty into Big Bowl. Add enough water to knead into dough ball. Knead really well. I repeat, knead really well. For at least 10 minutes.

Fill huge bowl with water, put dough ball under water for 2 hours. Pour off water. Knead doughball under cold running water for 10 minutes or more. Water should be clear. You are washing out the starch and bran. You know it’s ready when stringy and it sticks together and is bouncy.

Melt 1 stick butter and fry 2 chopped onions until clear. Dump onto Gluten. Add salt, paprika, and peanut butter. Mix with hands completely.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cooking pan with non-stick spray. Pinch off pieces bigger than a golf ball. Take piece and fold it and twist it and lay it down in pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake for 10 more. Pour B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes, then flip and pour more B-B-Q sauce and bake 10 more minutes. It’s done—enjoy.

(Xtra note—be careful when you first mix wheat and water. Don’t add too much water. Make a hard dough ball. It might take 20 minutes to knead it.)

CINNAMON EGG BREAD

I first found the recipe that this morphed from in an old, long-since-lost cookbook. Since losing the cookbook, the recipe has changed to this version. I've had numerous friends and relatives rave over this. One lady I knew said that it was one of the few bread recipes that could almost double as dessert.

1 cup milk (or soy milk)

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine

1/2 tsp. salt

2-3 eggs

1 cup warm (not hot) water

2 Tablespoons honey

2 packages yeast

6 – 7 cups flour

3/4 – 1 cup margarine, melted

2 – 3 cups cinnamon sugar

Heat milk to almost scalding, stirring fairly constantly so that it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Add ½ cup margarine, and stir until melted. Let milk and margarine cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place very warm water, add honey and yeast, then stir to dissolve. Let stand for 5 – 10 minutes.

Add salt to milk, then add yeast and water to milk. Add flour, 2 cups at a time, for a stiff, non-sticky dough. Knead for about 8 – 10 minutes.

Wash and dry bowl, then place dough in bowl. Place cooking oil (I recommend canola or olive oil) in hands, then rub over dough. Place clean towel over the top of bowl and allow dough to rise until almost double, about an hour.

Take 3 loaf pans and spray with cooking spray. Take dough out and divide into thirds.

Melt ¾ – 1 cup margarine. Set aside.

With a floured rolling pin, roll out first third of dough. Pour some of the margarine over the bread and spread 1/3 of the cinnamon sugar over the dough. Roll dough, then place in loaf pan with the bread-seam down. Repeat with other two thirds. Place towel over all three loaves and allow to rise again, approximately one hour.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Then, removing towel, bake loaves for 45 – 50 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes on cooling rack.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Meatless Monday

Another Meatless Monday. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN CHILI WITH FIRE-ROASTED CORN

This comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 34, and starts off, “Corn kernels and a tomatillo-based salsa verde keep this chili fresh-flavored. The recipe also makes a great filling for enchiladas or burritos.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided

1 16-oz. jar salsa verde

2 15-oz. cans low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen fire-roasted corn kernels

4 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Spray large saucepan with olive oil cooking spray, and heat over medium heat.

Add 3/4 cup green onions, and sauté 3 minutes, or until softened.

Add salsa, beans, corn, and 1/2 cup water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Garnish each serving with 1 Tbs. green onions and 1 Tbs. cilantro.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 293; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 573 mg; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 8 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

PASSION FRUIT TROPICAL SKEWERS

This is from the January/February 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 68. It starts off, “This juicy accompaniment is so simple and so delicious. If you can find fresh passion fruit, try adding a bit of the pulp to the glaze after it cools.” Makes 4 skewers.

To view this online, click here.

1/2 cup passion fruit juice

1 tsp. agave nectar

1/4 small pineapple, cut into 8

1-inch chunks

1/2 small mango, peeled and cut into 8 1-inch chunks

1 small banana, peeled and cut into 8 chunks

1 kiwifruit, peeled, quartered, and each quarter cut in half

Bring passion fruit juice and agave to a boil in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 Tbs. Cool.

Thread 1 piece each of pineapple, mango, banana, and kiwifruit onto each of four skewers, then repeat so each skewer has 2 pieces of each fruit.

Drizzle glaze over fruit, gently turning skewers to coat all sides.

nutritional information Per Skewer: Calories: 85; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 3 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 16 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

EMERALD VEGGIES WITH HONEY-SESAME DRESSING

This is from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61, and starts, “A bamboo steamer is used to lightly cook an assortment of vegetables that are then tossed in a dressing with ground, toasted sesame seeds.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

A bamboo steamer is used to lightly cook an assortment of vegetables that are then tossed in a dressing with ground, toasted sesame seeds.

1 medium bok choy, separated into leaves (3/4 lb.)

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed

1 cup small broccoli florets

1/3 cup hulled sesame seeds

2 Tbs. low-sodium tamari

1 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. rice vinegar

Set bamboo steamer over 1 inch simmering water in large skillet. Fill medium bowl with ice water.

Arrange bok choy leaves in steamer. Cover, and steam 5 to 6 minutes, or until leaves turn bright green. Plunge bok choy into ice water. Drain, and pat dry. Slice, and transfer to serving bowl.

Arrange green beans in steamer. Cover, and steam 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove with slotted spoon, plunge into ice water, then drain, and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces, and add to bok choy.

Arrange broccoli florets in steamer. Cover, and steam 3 minutes, or until tender. Plunge into ice water, then drain and pat dry. Add to bok choy mixture.

Toast sesame seeds in small skillet over very low heat 5 minutes, or until golden, gently shaking pan often. (Watch closely—seeds can scorch quickly.) Grind toasted seeds with mortar and pestle or in food processor until just flaky, about 12 seconds. Transfer ground seeds to small bowl. Stir in tamari, honey, vinegar, and 1 Tbs. water. Toss vegetables with sesame seed dressing.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 127; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 417 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 7 g

LENTIL-POTATO PIZ'AANS WITH BROCCOLI SLAW

From the January/February 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 28. It starts off, “A can of Indian-spiced lentil soup is the “sauce” on this potato-topped naan pizza.”Makes 4 pizzas in 30 minutes or less

To view this online, click here.

3 tsp. vegetable oil or olive oil, divided

1 tsp. mango chutney

1 tsp. cider vinegar

2 cups broccoli slaw or grated broccoli stems and carrots

6 new or baby red-skinned potatoes, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1 tsp. curry powder

1 15-oz. can Indian-spiced lentil soup, such as Amy’s Indian Golden Lentil Soup

1 cup frozen peas

4 garlic or tandoori naan

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk 2 tsp. oil, chutney, and vinegar in medium bowl. Add broccoli slaw, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside to marinate.

Toss potatoes with remaining 1 tsp. oil and curry powder in bowl; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread in single layer on baking sheet, and bake 5 to 6 minutes, or until beginning to brown on edges. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Empty soup into strainer to strain off excess liquid. Transfer to bowl, and stir in peas.

Spread each naan with one-quarter of soup mixture, and top with potato slices. Place on baking sheet, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until naans are hot and crisp and potatoes on top are browned and tender.

Top hot pizzas with slaw mixture.

nutritional information Per Pizza: Calories: 429; Protein: 17 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 70 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 752 mg; Fiber: 12 g; Sugar: 7 g

CAFE DE OLLA

The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

4 cinnamon sticks

4 star anise

4 allspice berries

4 whole cloves

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)

2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans

2 cups low-fat milk

1 cup coffee liqueur, such as KahlĂșa, optional

Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.

Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free

BANANA PUDDING

This comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It starts off, "Coconut milk beverage adds a hint of sweet flavor to this classic dessert." Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

1/3 cup raw cane sugar

4 Tbs. cornstarch

1/8 tsp. salt

3 cups coconut milk beverage, such as Silk, divided

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 very ripe bananas, sliced

48 vegan vanilla wafer cookies

Nondairy whipped topping for garnish, optional

Place sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan, and gradually whisk in coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Stir in vanilla, then banana slices.

Line bottom of 11- x 7-inch baking dish with 24 cookies. Spread hot pudding over top, making sure bananas are submerged to prevent browning. Top with remaining 24 cookies, cover with plastic wrap, and cool. Refrigerate until cold. Top with whipped topping (if using).

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 216; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 4 mg; Sodium: 113 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 23 g; Vegan