A simple home favorite - Classic Meat Loaf

I've tried different meat loaf recipes, but never found one that I fell in love with. Meat is more of a condiment for me most of the time (following the Chinese type of meal); veggies are usually the main element.

I decided to make a turkey meatloaf. I got Purdue ground turkey this time, even though the recipe calls for a mix of turkey and beef. I also got to use up some of my wheat germ, which is good. It also makes me think I might make it again, because I have it to use up.

I like this recipe, but I might like it better if I actually made it right. I accidentally left out the chopped onions. Onions make a meatloaf, so it really speaks well to this recipe that I like it even without the onions. It's especially nice that it comes out a lovely brown color.

This is the meat loaf I like the best so far. It's not perfect, though. Aside from the missing onion, I feel like there was too much pasta sauce on top. The meat loaf also released a lot of fat, so it may be that I use half turkey breast and half turkey next time.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Classic Meat Loaf

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Main Meals

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
15 ounces muir Glen Chunky Tomato & Herb Pasta Sauce -- garlic & herb, divided
1 1/4 pounds purdue Ground Turkey
2/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg -- lightly beaten

Combine 1 cup tomato sauce, turkey, and next 8 ingredients (turkey through egg) in a large bowl, and stir until well-blended. Place turkey mixture in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Brush remaining tomato sauce over top. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove meat loaf from pan. Cut into 12 slices.


Source:
"CL 10/98"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 235 Calories; 9g Fat (34.0% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 119mg Cholesterol; 473mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fat.

NOTES : 5 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Not a total success...Baked Eggplant Sandwiches

Still had some provolone to use up (after the "Philly Cheese Steaks"). So, I decided to try something a little different. I love paging through Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. Everything seems so different, and it really makes me want to try new things. The recipe that caught my eye this time, though, isn't truly exotic. Its advantage is that it uses up some cupboard ingredients, and has eggplant, which I love. So, I thought I'd give the Baked Eggplant Sandwiches a try.

The recipe is definitely in the Italian style, which I love. It's conceptually an eggplant parm, but without the sauce. They suggest using it as an appetizer or light lunch (which is what I did, just substitute the word "dinner" for "lunch").

What I like - it's lighter than the nutritional information given below. Honestly, even though I halved the recipe, I probably used a 1/4 of the toppings listed below. I also liked how the sandwich looked when it was cut. Something about the shape of the little eggplant bites really appealed. Also, there was a saltiness that brought out the provolone. I'm pretty sure that was because I salted liberally with kosher salt instead of regular salt.

What didn't work as well - the topping didn't melt and brown as much as the bottom did. I think if I moved the rack further up in the oven it might be better. It also might be the fact that I lined the baking sheet with foil instead of buttering it like the recipe called for. Laziness (not wanting to scrub down the sheet) probably was my undoing.

Would I make it again? Probably, if I had the provolone. I like the lightness of it, for those days when I've had a heavy lunch. But I won't deliberately buy the cheese for it.

And maybe as a sign, the pictures didn't turn out fantastically. Ah well - practice makes perfect!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Baked Eggplant Sandwich

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 small eggplants
salt
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
fresh ground black pepper
6 slices sargento Deli Style Provolone -- thinly sliced
1 cup unbleached flour
3 eggs -- beaten

Lightly salt the eggplant slices and set them aside for at least 20 minutes.

Mix together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, parsley, and black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a baking sheet.

For each sandwich, place a slice of cheese between two slices of eggplant. Hold the sandwich firmly and coat both sides with flour. Dip the sandwiches first into the eggs and then into the bread crumbs to coat both sides. Place the finished sandwich on the baking sheet.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.

Source:
"Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 302 Calories; 9g Fat (27.8% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 109mg Cholesterol; 767mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I don't want to let summer go...Fresh Ginger-Peach Soup

This past weekend was a nice weekend, for the most part. And to me, it seemed, fairly unseasonably warm. Call me crazy, but shorts at the end of September doesn't seem normal, unless you are substantially south of the Mason-Dixon.

I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth, though, and try to grab one last dish with summer fruit before the prices skyrocket, and I would be overpaying for not the best quality.

One of my favorite sources of inspiration is the CLBB (Cooking Light Bulletin Board). I have tons of recipes in my MasterCook that I either got from threads on the board, or were brought to my attention because of reviews on the board. I trust the cooks on the board (after all, one of our members won the Pillsbury Bake-off this year!),and I was thrilled to find an original recipe for a fruit soup on the board. I am all about the fruit soups - they go so nicely with my other cooking obsession (muffins!).

The recipe - as found here - says that the recipe can be served cold or hot. Personally, I loved it when I served it at room temperature. The texture is perfect for a fruit soup. I do have to warn, though; the overwhelming flavor is of the curry. On the first day it had a nice bite, which mellowed overnight, but definitely was delicious as a leftover. The color was gorgeous, it was simple, and I want to make it again as soon as I can! Darn me for being stupid, and only doing a half batch.

It's not my number one favorite soup, but it's definitely a better curried soup than the curried apple soup I've tried before. I can see it as part of my summer rotation.

Changing a recipe to my own tastes - Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwiches

I've never had a cheese steak. It's strange to believe, given that I lived fairly close to Pennsylvania, but I guess I never did much visiting to Philadelphia. So, for those who have had a cheese steak, you might not want to take my endorsement of this recipe as saying it's a pretty good vegetarian mimic. All I say is that I like this recipe.

I had made this recipe before, and liked it well enough. I actually made the rolls that I put the recipe on, which was cool. This time, however, I decided to use La Tortilla Factory Rosemary wraps (leftover from when I used them with Roasted Veggie Spread). I think using the wrap made everything that much better - basically because it was much, much neater to eat.

As for the actual recipe, I like the flavor very much. The filling cooks down to a great texture. I especially like how the mushrooms cook down - I've lost a taste for raw mushrooms, but still like them when they are cooked. The flavor of the filling is salty, and resembles soy sauce somewhat, but not so much so. If you gave this to someone without telling them what was in it, I don't think you'd be able to identify the soy sauce, but you would have a sense that it's a familiar flavor. The provolone adds the final flavor, and it definitely adds the perfect final touch.

I like this recipe. Making it a wrap turns it into a recipe I definitely want to repeat (and freeze?). I can't promise it's a perfect imitation of the real thing, but I think it stands up well enough on its own.

Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich

Arrr - back to ARF we be! Chilled Cherry-Plum Soup

Avast! 'Tis Talk Like a Pirate Day. Avast ye scurvy dogs! Wait, hold on. We can't be scurvy dogs - we're celebrating ARF!

I'm so glad to be back regularly posting, and especially joining in Sweetnick's ARF roundup (so nice, we'll share it twice). I am also glad I get to share my ultimate favorite soup.

It's very strange to call this recipe my ultimate favorite soup. I only discovered it a couple months ago! But, I fell in love on first taste, and I can't help but want to make it over and over again. The recipe is simple, sweet, rich, colorful, and most of all, filling and healthy! I love this soup, and I wish the weather would be warm year round, and the plums cheap, so I could make it every week.

One more addition to my posts - a picture! Yay! Gotta practice to get better, but at least it's a start!



* Exported from MasterCook *

Chilled Cherry-Plum Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 pounds plums
3 cups frozen unsweetened cherres -- (1 pound fresh)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey -- 1 to 2 tablespoons, to taste
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 cups nonfat yogurt -- or buttermilk

Pit and coarsely chop the plums. Place them in a medium-sized saucepan with the cherries, salt, and orange juice. Heat to boiling, turn heat down, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in ginger and mustard. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in honey and orange rind. Cool to room temperature, then puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and chill until very cold.

Whisk in the yogurt or buttermilk just before serving. Top each bowlful with a swirl of buttermilk, a scattering of fresh mint, and a few kiwi slices.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 179 Calories; 1g Fat (6.0% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 169mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Crushin' on Alton - Roasted Veggie Spread

I love Alton Brown. I know - shocking. Everyone on the 'net loves Alton. It's the geek thing. He's a geek, and he's not afraid to admit it. Plus, he's fun. He's definite a celeb crush for me.

I finally got around to trying one of his recipes, and if they are all as good as this one, I can't wait to try them all. This recipe is simple, fun, and looks exactly like the veggie cream cheese that my mom buys for bagels when I come to visit. The advantage is, this recipe tastes better. Plus, I was able to use yogurt cheese, instead of the cream cheese that the original calls for. Using yogurt cheese cut the calories significantly, which I love. I ate this spread on a rosemary tortilla from La Tortilla Factory (first time for that as well). It's definitely better than the turkey wrap I usually get at work, especially the tortilla, which is made with no hydrogenated fats (yay!) AND uses olive oil for the fat that is there (double yay!)

I definitely will repeat this; I might even cut the olive oil to 2 tsps. Definitely want to try it on bagels, or in whole wheat pitas. And, of course, trying it as a dip.

The original:
Roasted Vegetable Spread (yum)

And the nutrition info for it using yogurt cheese:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Roasted Vegetable Spread

Recipe By :Alton Brown
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dips/Spreads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 red bell pepper -- sliced into rings
1 medium onion -- sliced into rings
4 garlic cloves -- crushed
1 small zucchini -- sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces yogurt cheese
Kosher salt -- to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the bell pepper, onion, garlic, zucchini, and olive oil in a medium mixing bowl and toss until the vegetables are coated. Spread the vegetables evenly on sheet pan lined with foil and place into the oven. Roast, tossing occasionally, until they are soft and are beginning to turn brown around the edges, approximately 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Place the vegetables in the bowl of a food processor along with the cream cheese and process until well combined and spreadable; do not process until completely smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spread on soft bread, such as challah, foccacia, or pita bread. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This recipe yields 1 3/4 cups spread.

Source:
"GOOD EATS with Alton Brown - (Show # EA-1H11) - from the TV FOOD NETWORK"
S(Formatted for MC8):
"02-04-2005 by Joe Comiskey - Mad's Recipe Emporium"
Yield:
"1 3/4 cups"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 123 Calories; 4g Fat (27.5% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 89mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Clearing out the fridge II- Cranberry Brown Muffins

Well, this might accidentally turn into a series! I started to type in the title for this entry, and up popped the fact that I had used it before (for whole wheat beer bread). Nice synergy.

I always feel so good when I finish a jar/bottle of something. Not quite sure why - it's just a nice little thrill. So, when I noticed that the cranberries I bought last Christmas were still languishing in the freezer, I knew I had to use them in the next couple months - so I could replace them with new bags of cranberries! I know, it's weird - I love cranberries, but then I never cook with the ones I freeze! And I usually do so well with working from my freezer... Anyway, I was paging through my new favorite cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and found Cranberry Brown Bread. Perfect! It used a combination of wheat and white flour, which is what I like to use, it used minced walnuts, which I had the tiniest bit to use, it used molasses, which I had just a little bit clinging to the bottom of the bottle, and it used orange juice, which I could squeeze from an orange leftover from a previous recipe. Perfect! And, as it turned out, I actually used up more of the little drips and drabs than I thought I would. I didn't have enough molasses, so I filled in the gaps with the drabs of my maple syrup. And, of course, I converted the recipe from bread to muffins. I can just never slice bread evenly, so I prefer to do muffins, and use my handy dandy ice cream scoop (that never gets used for ice cream) to make them even.

And? Well, these muffins are okay, I guess. Don't think I'd repeat them. Just the fact that they use a whole stick of butter bothers me. Darn me for getting so fussy! Hehehe. Anyway, the muffins are more buttery than I am used to, but others may like them more. I dug on the fun part of cooking the cranberries and walnuts in the butter. I just love new ways to cook ingredients, even though they don't seem as effective as they could be (which was the case here). Visually the muffins are gorgeous. I think I have the texture down, but I always struggle with the moist bottom problem. I think there has to be a balance between letting the muffins sit in the tin to cool a bit, and letting them sit so long they steam themselves a bit. I let them sit for 5 minutes this time; might cut it in my next recipe down to 2.

So, I damn these muffins with faint praise; they are good, but just not my style.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cranberry Brown Bread (Muffins)

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cranberries -- coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped walnuts -- minced
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a medium-sized loaf pan.

Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add cinnamon, cranberries, and walnuts, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sift together flours, powder, soda, and salt into a medium-large bowl.

Combine eggs, orange juice, vanilla, molasses, and brown sugar in a separate bowl and beat well. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the cranberries (be sure to scrape in all the butter). Stir until completely combined.

Spread into the prepared pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted all the way comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then rap the pan sharply to remove. Cool at least 30 minutes on a rack before slicing.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 219 Calories; 11g Fat (42.5% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 56mg Cholesterol; 241mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I baked the muffins for around 20 minutes, I think. I'll keep better notes next time.

It's funny, how some cookbooks surprise you

I fall in love with cookbooks so easily. They are so pretty, in so many different ways. The pictures are always nice, of course, but there are also other elements. The typing, how many recipes there are, how everything is laid out - they all add up to something special that says - "Yes, you have so many cookbooks that you'll never get through all of them in this lifetime - but look, I'm so special, you must take me home!". And I have no shame in admitting, I listen.

And then I take them home. They are still exceedingly pretty; I love to read them in bed at night (especially ones that tell stories about the recipes - how fun are they!). But when it comes to actually cooking from them...well, I'm actually pretty good about trying new things, so I think I will use at least one recipe from all of them. I hope.

I never had a true favorite cookbook. But now, I find myself going back to one over and over. And it surprises me to say which one it is - The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. This is a cookbook I first found out about several years ago. I first heard of it when my sister gave it to my brother for Christmas. I kept seeing it when I went cookbook shopping, but for some reason, I resisted buying it. Misplaced sibling issues? Goodness only knows. I only gave in and bought it after I had the recipe for marinated potato salad from it at a barbecue at my brother's. It's definitely a fun cookbook to page through - the illustrations around the pages are cute, and the pictures are definitely appetizing. It has good descriptive sections, such as on ingredients, as well as non-recipe recipes, for simple things like stuffed cucumbers. So, it fit my criteria of a good cookbook.

What brings it up to great is that I have found recipes in there that I fell in love with. My number one favorite recipe in the world is from there - Chilled Cherry-Plum Soup. I've made it three times in the past two months, and believe me, for me, that is amazing! And yes, I have not posted about it before (shame on me), but I will - probably on Tuesday, in time for ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday. This recipe has simple ingredients, but when they come together, it's like heaven.

Another recipe that I go back to is Cream of Tomato Soup. The cookbook gives three variations of Cream of Tomato soup; I don't know how the other two are, I never got to trying them because I love this variation so much! It's a funny recipe; I always feel like I am screwing up, but then it turns out so perfectly.

So, two recipes - and this makes a great cookbook? Well, yes, because of how truly great I consider these recipes. These are recipes that I can see myself happily making for the rest of my life. And that's something, in my mind.

Inspired again

So, summer is over. I'll definitely miss the warmth. Boy, did those temps change fast! But enough of that; discussions of weather can be very, very boring and repititious. What I am happy to say today is that I was inspired by cooking again.

I had been somewhat depressed this summer. A combination of great vacations and great food made me gain some weight. I am very obsessive about my weight (in a healthy way!), so I felt a lot of pressure on myself to eat light, which can be tough sometimes when you love to cook. I lived on some very light foods, and did not cook as much.

I still have to lose the weight, but I am back on the cooking wagon. Tonight was a recipe that made me happy to be a cook. Truly not an incredible, ohmigod, this is perfect recipe, but a recipe that had enough appeal in different ways to bring me back to cooking, and back to this blog.

The recipe is Coconut Curried Chicken, from Cooking Light. The result was a beautiful dish to view. The mushrooms, green peas, and onions cooked up very aromatically. The chicken came out beautifully - very tender. And happily, there was definitely enough sauce! The down side was that I wasn't sure that the flavor was there. It felt like it was just an echo in the dish. I was glad to have a curry that was not overheated, though; I had made a curry from another source that was so hot I couldn't eat it!

So, even though it was not a perfect recipe, it was enough to make me happy again in the kitchen. And happy to be back to myself.

Fruity and light

So, this week is prep for vacation, which means trying to take off a pound or so, in order to get ready for any weight that might be put on. So, this week is mostly CL. First recipe is from June '06. Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho. CL says it serves 7, but I decided to serve 5.

The recipe is light & summer-y which is nice. The mix of fruits is good, and it's interesting that tomatoes and cucumbers mix in. Unfortunately, the orange juice that serves as the liquid doesn't offer much flavor. I served it 5 days in a row; the first night the mint came out nicely. After the first day, the mint disappeared.

I think with some experimentation the idea of a fruit gazpacho is a great concept. This one just doesn't work for me.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 pound tomatoes -- finely chopped
3/4 pound honeydew melon -- finely diced
3/4 pound cantaloupe -- finely diced
1 medium mango -- finely diced
1 medium cucumber -- finely diced
3 nectarines -- finely diced
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup chopped onion -- vidalia, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil
3 tablespoons fresh mint -- chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Source:
"CL 06/06"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 148 Calories; 1g Fat (5.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 229mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Starchy joy!

I did a couple recipes from CL 03/06. More starch together than I usually do in one meal, but they were great recipes.

First was Black Pepper Corn Bread. Although the recipe I post calls for 3 tablespoons butter, and 3/4 tsp of salt, I left out the butter and salt that they suggest putting on top. I do like how this came out. The bread is thin, but nicely tender and lightly sweet. Could definitely see repeating. I do have to say, though, that the recipe name is definitely not appropriate. The black pepper is definitely not a prevalent flavor.

Secondly I did Cuban-Style Red Beans and Rice. I used applewood bacon which gave a light flavor. I also split the recipe,used a combo of veggie & chicken broths and medium-grain rice. I love the colors, and the kidney beans I used were beautifully flavored. Just an all-around nice recipe.

Susan


* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Pepper Corn Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 cup unbleached flour
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt -- divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels -- thawed
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted and divided
2 tablespoons honey
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Place corn and milk in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons butter, honey, and eggs; process until combined. Add milk mixture to cornmeal mixture; stir just until combined.

Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack. Lightly brush corn bread with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve warm, or cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Source:
"CL 03/06"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 143 Calories; 5g Fat (29.1% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 244mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cuban-Style Red Beans and RIce

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 slices bacon slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
4 garlic cloves -- minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups water
3 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium defatted chicken broth -- divided
3 (16-ounce) cans canned red beans -- rinsed and drained

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; crumble bacon, and set aside. Add oil to pan. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or just until garlic begins to brown. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rice, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Place reserved bacon and bay leaf in pan; stir in water and 2 cans broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining can of broth and beans. Cook 5 minutes over low heat or until heated through, stirring frequently. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Source:
"CL 03/06"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 328 Calories; 4g Fat (10.9% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 1067mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A great return

I haven't been feeding my muffin addiction as much recently. Maybe I was feeling that muffins weren't keeping me full until lunch; maybe I just needed a change. But I only have two kinds of muffins in the freezer. Something is wrong! I had raspberries; I had finally bought cacao nibs. Time to make a recipe from another blog. And although I can't pronounce it, I can link to it. Muffins à la Framboise, Eclats de Fève de Cacao

I do have to say, these are one of the best muffins I've ever made. They are sweet, but not too sweet. I definitely won't feel guilty having one for breakfast. They also have the interesting texture and slight crisp from the brown sugar/cacao nib topping. I do have to say, however, that I would halve or 2/3 the topping next time. Other than that, the muffin is absolutely perfect.

I'm back on the muffin train!

A Pair of Simple and Good Recipes

Two new recipes today. Both simple - measure, mix, and let sit. Both recipes that I wouldn't immediately think of making, but thankfully I did, because both were fabulous.

The first was a breakfast recipe from the May 06 CL. It's a little higher in calories (and therefore points) than I usually do for breakfast, but this called to me because I love couscous. It's definitely a breakfast recipe, though. The creaminess of the milk & the sweetness of the fruit blend beautifully with the cinnamon. I think this is a nice option, because it is like oatmeal, but still different enough to be intriguing in a way. The original called for regular raisins, dried cranberries, and walnuts, but I used golden raisins, dried apricots (chopped), and toasted almonds, because I had them on hand.

The second was totally opposite of intriguing. It's simple - I've never had a great egg salad recipe. I also have tortillas in my freezer to use up, so when I saw the egg salad wrap recipe in Moosewood New Classics, I knew it was time to try it. I am not a big egg person by nature. However, I definitely like this egg salad recipe. The original called for asparagus spears as a part of the wrap, but in thinking about it, I decided I preferred the asparagus on the side. I also ended up using half the tarragon and no lemon, because I'm just too lazy to chop all the herbs, and I didn't have the lemon juice.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Tony's Breakfast Couscous

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup couscous
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts -- toasted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan; stir in milk and remaining ingredients. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 10 minutes. (Mixture will thicken as it cools.)


Source:
"CL 05/06"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 304 Calories; 6g Fat (18.2% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 206mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0




* Exported from MasterCook *

Egg Salad Wrap

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 eggs
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper -- to taste
4 la Tortilla Factory WW tortillas
4 lettuce leaves -- red, green, or bibb

Place the eggs in a saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and cover with cold water.

In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, tarragon, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. As soon as the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel and coarsely chop them. Stir the eggs into the dressing. Set aside.

Heat tortillas individually in the microwave for 40 seconds. Lay each warm tortilla flat on a work surface. Center a lettuce leaf on each and top with 1/4 of egg salad. Fold in both sides over the filling and then roll from the bottom up to form a wrap.

Serve immediately.

Source:
"Moosewood Restaurant New Classics"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 235 Calories; 15g Fat (45.9% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 14g Dietary Fiber; 323mg Cholesterol; 641mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Another bit of muffin-y goodness - direct from my favorite BB!

A few months ago a member came on the Cooking Light BB in search of some help. She was trying to mimic a breakfast cookie, and had found a recipe that looked like it could do the job - but it didn't quite work as written. The members on that BB are incredibly helpful, and in a short time were able to come up with some great recipes that the requestor could try. I did my usual thing, which was to copy the recipes to MasterCook, and hope to someday get around to tying them.

Flash forward to last week. I had bananas ripening on the counter, and a plan to repeat the Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread from CL. But something pushed me (as it often does). I needed to try something new. I did a MasterCook search - and there was the recipe! I decided to try 5 Grain Rolled Cereal Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, as posted by newcook. I've never worked with 5 grain cereal before. I was a little nervous about buying an entire bag of it for using in just one recipe, but I'm definitely glad I did. The texture of the different grains in the cereal came through very subtly in the muffins. Sneaky whole grains! I also loved the chocolate chips in the muffin - yum. Plus, some healthy fat from natural PB, and I've got a muffin that I don't feel quite as guilty about using to start the day!

Recipe? Here
Thread? Here
Love it? Oh, yeah.

ARF - Pom Passion Smoothie

So, spring is here. Of course, if the weather would co-operate...Anyway, I welcomed spring this past weekend with lamb, and tonight I ask it to settle in, with a quick smoothie. I decided on this to try and use up some of the pomegranate juice I had left over from the lamb pilaf. Now, I've never tried pomegranate juice on its own, but I've always been fascinated by the Pom wonderful bottles. Goodness knows why - I just am. This smoothie came from their website, and as it is a smoothie, it was easy to put together. Combine ingredients in blender - blend. I can do that.

The smoothie was definitely tangy. Whether that comes from the pom juice or from the plain yogurt, I am not sure. It's a tangy that is right on the border of too much. It might be nice to tame it somehow - maybe do it with vanilla instead of plain yogurt? I like it, but something slightly sweeter might turn it to love.

Oh, and ARF is hosted by Sweetnicks

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pom Passion Smoothie

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 ounces pomegranate juice
6 ounces Stonyfield Plain Yogurt
8 ounces strawberries

Blend all ingredients together until the desired consistency is reached.

Source:
"http://www.pomwonderful.com/recipes/recipe.php?Recipe=POM%20Passion%20Smoothie"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 171 Calories; 1g Fat (3.6% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 121mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Fruit.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0

It's purple

Honestly. Purple. What is it? Mediterrranean Lamb Pilaf, from the 04-05/06 issue of Eating Well. My result doesn't look as good as the picture in the magazine. I think that's because I chopped the figs & olives smaller than they seem to have. Everything kind of mixes together, and it's hard to see what you're eating.

It's not hard to get beyond the purple, though. I've made (and eaten) things that look worse. The flavor of this pilaf is good too. I used lamb leg, and it was very tender. The saltiness of the olives meld together nicely with the sweetness of the figs, and is balanced out beautifully with the bulk of the bulgur.

Although I do give this recipe a thumbs up, I doubt I will repeat it. I just don't think I love it enough to pay top price for great lamb.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Mediterranean Lamb Pilaf

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup low-sodium defatted chicken broth
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bulgur
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound eggplant -- japanese, diced
1 pound lamb leg -- boneless, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch cube
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
12 dried figs -- coarsely chopped
10 kalamata olives -- pitted and chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds -- lightly toasted
1 tablespoon fresh mint -- chopped, optional

Combine broth, pomegranate juice and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, stir in bulgur, cover and let stand until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add lamb to the pan and cook, stirring often, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and garam masala, and cook, stirring often, until the lamb is cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium. Add figs, olives, the bulgur, and eggplant to the pan; cook, stirring often, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and garnish with almonds and mint, if desired.

Source:
"EW 04-05/06"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 424 Calories; 18g Fat (36.9% calories from fat); 17g Protein; 53g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 41mg Cholesterol; 428mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I'm here, I swear!

So, haven't done much cooking lately. Mostly because I have been going out to lunches a lot, so by the time I get home, I don't want to face another meal. Fruit, veggies, and light frozen dinners are my friend.

But to tell you the truth, I miss cooking a lot. I already limited my baking for weight concerns, but now it's turning in to limiting cooking altogether, which is not something that makes me happy. I have to change what I eat when I go out to lunches, so that I can cook good dinners.

Anyway, I'm back to cooking, and Saturday night I cooked up a quick tofu dish from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. I honestly love this cookbook. It's not that I've made that much from it, it's just that the book design is gorgeous.

The recipe was quick and easy, and allowed me to take advantage of some fresh squeezed orange juice. I really like how nicely this recipe came together. The flavor was perfect. I served it with plain couscous. Next time, I might go with a flavored couscous, maybe cook in veggie broth, because it would add a nice flavor element.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Pan-Glazed Tofu with Orange Juice and Warm Spices

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable broth, ready-to-serve
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
cayenne
salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound firm tofu -- cut into 8 slices and blotted dry
1 tablespoon minced parsley -- or cilantro

Combine the orange juice, broth, sugar, spices, and cayenne and salt to taste in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the tofu and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 5 minutes.

Add the orange juice mixture to the pan and simmer, turning the tofu once, until the liquid reduces to a thick syrup and the tofu is glazed, about 2 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a serving platter and scrape the glaze left in the pan over the tofu. Garnish with herbs and serve.

Source:
"A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 133 Calories; 9g Fat (54.4% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 94mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : Book says to serve with couscous and a fennel, arugula, and black olive salad.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fake!

I decided to try a recipe from EW that had been reviewed by others on the CL board. It's a recipe that is meant to be like a Philly Cheese Steak, but uses portobello mushrooms instead of the steak part. I've never had a cheese steak, so my review may be suspect, but I like this recipe. The portobello mushroom cooks down nicely to give a good texture. The flavor of the filling also reminds me of a sandwich that I used to get from the lunch hall at college - which is a good thing, because I used to love that sandwich. It's a slightly soy sauce, slightly salty flavor, with neither flavor overwhelming the other. The only issue I had with the recipe is that the servings are so large, that it's hard to keep it all on the bun. Keep a fork with you when eating this, to pick up the wonderful stuff that falls out of the bun!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwiches

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion -- sliced
4 large Portobello mushroom caps -- stems and gills removed, sliced
1 large red bell pepper -- thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano -- or 2 tablespoons fresh
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon unbleached flour
1/4 cup vegetable broth -- or chicken broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 ounces provolone cheese
1/2 Whole Wheat Burger Buns

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.

Source:
"EW 12-01/05-06"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 386 Calories; 12g Fat (26.9% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 56g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 43mg Cholesterol; 737mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Whole Wheat Burger Buns

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup water -- lukewarm
1 package active dry yeast
1 large egg -- at room temperature, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
cornmeal -- for sprinkling

Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the surface shimmers. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool to body temperature, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour water into a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the water, stir, then let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to dissolve.

Add egg to the milk; whisk well. Whisk in sugar, salt, oil and the yeast. Stir in whole-wheat flour. Using a heavy wooden spoon, beat vigorously by hand for 100 strokes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Start adding white flour to the dough, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough is somewhat firm and no longer too sticky to handle, turn it out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, knead the dough for 7 to 8 minutes, using additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Add the dough and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Using a dough cutter or chef’s knife, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 5 minutes.

Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray and dust it with cornmeal. Shape the dough into tight balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Coat a large sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it over the buns, sprayed side down.

Set the buns in a warm, draft-free spot until they have risen by about half, 25 to 30 minutes. Gently press down on the buns, pressing right on the plastic, to flatten them a little. Let them rise for another 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake the buns on the center rack until golden and crusty, about 25 minutes. The bottoms should sound hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Source:
"http://www.eatingwell.com/articles_recipes/recipes/web_bonus_jj05.htm"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 220 Calories; 3g Fat (12.6% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 293mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

More muffin-y goodness - and a new favorite pork dish!

I've been swapping around my breakfasts recently; been moving towards high fiber cereals. I love the cereals made by Nature's Path. Anyway, since I've been eating them for breakfast, I haven't been eating muffins. Doesn't stop me from wanting to bake them, though - so I just have to find main dish recipes that work well with muffins. I've been mostly sticking with soups, but this time, I decided to go with a ragout.

I've had limited success working with pork tenderloin. I tried roasting it a few times, but it ended up dry - most likely because I was doing it before I had an accurate oven thermometer, and didn't know my oven was underheating for the temperature it said it was hitting. Anyway, the last recipe I tried with pork (Sweet & Sour), turned out nicely, so I decided to give a CL recipe a try. Advantages - made in the microwave, and it includes sweet potatoes, which is a vegetable I love but rarely make. This recipe came together simply, but I do warn - keep an eye on the microwave. My microwave tends to heat high, so it was done (and over-flowing slightly) earlier than the recipe said. I definitely like this recipe. It was soupy the first night, but not as much in leftovers. The spice mix was good, vegetables were tender, and the pork was beautifully cooked.

As for the muffin, it was a recipe from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe, which is one of those cookbooks that I just love to look at. I had to make a last minute sub - the buttermilk that I defrosted in the freezer sprung a leak, and I only caught 3/4 of a cup of it. Luckily, I had some non-fat vanilla yogurt to fill in the rest. The candied ginger was easier to cut up than the recipe seems to infer. I also used bosc pear for the first time, and they held up well. The result was a moist, tender muffin with a more cake-like crumb, although it definitely wasn't sugar-y sweet enough to be a muffin. The name does not really reflect the flavor of the muffin, however; the dominant flavor was definitely lemon. Not a disadvantage, certainly, and definitely not disappointing, but a surprise given it wasn't in the muffin name.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Ragout of Pork with Sweet Potatoes

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:10
Categories : Dec '96 Main Dish
Pork

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
1 pound lean, boned pork loin -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup frozen green peas

Place onion in a 2-quart casserole. Cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Add potato and next 7 ingredients (potato through broth), and stir well. Cover and microwave at HIGH 10 minutes. Add pork; cover and microwave at HIGH 10 minutes or until potato is tender. Add peas; cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes.

Serving Size: 1 cup.

Source:
"Cooking Light, December 1996, p.155"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
T(Cooking Time):
"0:24"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 264 Calories; 9g Fat (29.7% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 32mg Cholesterol; 1009mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 5212 0 0 0 0 0 620 327 887 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Ginger-Pear Muffins

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 11 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Muffins

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
vegetable oil spray
1 cup pear -- peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup crystallized ginger -- finely minced
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 large egg
3 teaspoons grated ginger root
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray 8 standard (2 1/2-inch-diameter) muffin cups with nonstick spray.

Place the chopped pear in a shallow dish, drizzle with the lemon juice, and set aside.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and lemon zest in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the minced crystallized ginger, then comb through the mixture with your fingers to seek out any larger pieces. Cut them into even smaller pieces with scissors. (This is far easier to do when they are coated in flour. Ideally, each bit of ginger should end up about the size of a rolled oat flake).

Measure the 1 cup buttermilk into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add the egg, fresh ginger, and vanilla, and beat gently with a fork or a small whisk until smooth.

Slowly pour this mixture, along with the melted butter, into the dry ingredients. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, stir from the bottom of the bowl until the dry ingredients are all moistened. Don't overmix; a few lumps are okay.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. For smaller muffins, fill the cups about 4/5 full. For larger muffins, fill them up to the top. If you have extra batter, spray one or two additional muffin cups with nonstick spray and fill with the remaining batter.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, then remove the muffins from the pan and place them on a rack to cool. Wait at least 30 minutes before serving.

Source:
"Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe, p. 82"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 189 Calories; 5g Fat (22.9% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 197mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A different approach to Grannys

I've never been one to cook with Granny Smith apples. Maybe because I've always associated them with apple pies; I think they are supposed to be good for that because they hold up well. I saw that they were one of the top 20 ARF from the list on Sweetnick's, so I decided to do a little more investigating. I knew I didn't want to make a pie. I did find a couple recipes that used them in main dish cooking. Unusually, both combined the Granny Smith with sauerkraut - an interesting combination, but might be better than it sounds if at least two recipes use it. I bought the apples to make the recipe I found from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, but didn't end up buying the sauerkraut, so they got ate out of hand. Not my favorite apple, but okay.

I did give Grannys another shot. In The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, there is also a recipe for Curried Apple Soup. So - Curried Apple Soup, and to go with it, Blueberry-Lemon Muffins from CL. Two, two, two ARF in one meal! Anyway, the soup turned out okay - but a little too strong on the spices. That can be an advantage, though. It forces me to eat slowly, which is better for you because it helps your body realize that you are full faster. The blueberry muffins are okay. They have an unusual texture to them - the cornmeal is not exactly grainy, but there is definitely an unusual feeling to it. So, two new recipes - not bad, but not a repeat.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Curried Apple Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 large garlic clove -- minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
5 cups chopped apples -- tart,peeled and chopped
4 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and salt, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.

Add the spices, and saute another 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add apples, water, cinnamon sticks, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, mostly cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are very tender. Remove from heat.

Take out the cinnamon sticks, and puree in a blender or food processor - bit by bit, so as not to splash yourself. Return the puree to the pot.

Taste to adjust salt. Serve hot or cold.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 144 Calories; 5g Fat (30.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 542mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 1 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Blueberry-Lemon Muffins

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen blueberries -- patted to remove ice crystals
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 large egg -- lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. Stir in blueberries; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, butter, rind, and egg; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist.



Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.


Source:
"CL Recipe Search"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 154 Calories; 4g Fat (20.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 26mg Cholesterol; 175mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I guess it's a good change

It's something I've realized recently. I've lost my taste for very rich foods. Or maybe I'm just more sensitive to butter. I don't eat it on my bread anymore, at least not usually. I like the taste of a good bread or biscuit, and I think that butter hides it.

The reason I bring this up is that I made chocolate chip cookies tonight. And for the second time, I've made chocolate chip cookies and felt that they were too greasy/buttery. I hope that it's more the recipe than my taste, though. I like chocolate chip cookies.

Maybe I should go back to basics. Try the original Toll House recipe the next time.

One of those just do it nights

I didn't do much cooking last week. For some reason, I just wasn't in the mood. Probably stuck in overplanning mode. Anyway, last night I was trying to plan this week's meals. I already had found a recipe for ARF, and was planning on making it tonight. Oh - it's Sunday, just to give a sense of what I mean by tonight. Anyway, I was resisting making the ARF meal tonight, because it's fairly easy to put together, and since I had an entire day to play, I figured I might as well do something slightly more involved. I had had a frozen pizza Saturday night, so that put it into my mind - homemade pizza time!

This recipe is a new one to me, both crust and topping. The recipe is from Weight Watcher's Simply the Best Italian. The cookbook is one that I got for free from someone on one of the boards I used to post to. She had bought it, and didn't think she would cook from it. It is a little more "Italian" than the casual eater might think - more in depth than spaghetti with meatballs, I can tell you that. I've actually made another pizza from this cookbook that turned out well. Tonight's pizza turned out so nicely.

First of all, I am thrilled to say I had the patience to let the dough rise without rushing it. I let it go for longer than the recipe said, and by the time I got back to it, it was perfectly risen. Secondly, it was incredibly easy to work with. I've made pizza before, and have never been able to stretch the dough out to the 12-inch size. This dough went to 12 inches beautifully!

The toppings on this pizza were great. It's a white pizza, no sauce. The book says that the cheese doesn't melt like mozzarella, but it melted well enough for me. The way the book talked, it sounded like it would stay in the crumbles, but it didn't.

I really like the gorgonzola on this. It's a great pizza, all around! And I can count it for ARF too - artichoke hearts.

And I did end up counting it for ARF. Round up is here


* Exported from MasterCook *

Artichoke and Red Pepper Whole-Wheat Pizza

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup warm water -- plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups artichoke hearts -- chopped
1 red bell pepper -- julienned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese -- crumbled
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

To make the dough, combine the water and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Combine both flours and half the salt in a food processor. With the machine running, scrape the yeast mixture through the feed tube. After the dough forms a ball, continue to run about 30 seconds to knead.

Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray; put the dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Work the dough into a 12-inch circle on a nonstick baking sheet or pizza pan. Cover loosely and return to the warm spot 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 500.

Combine the artichokes, bell pepper, oil, and the remaining salt. Spoon over the dough; sprinkle with the cheese and pepper. Bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Source:
"Simply the Best Italian"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 312 Calories; 9g Fat (24.8% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 414mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Black bean soup (ARF!) and cheddar biscuits

I'm trying to work from cookbooks that I own but are not one's that I immediately reach for. It's a matter of culling my collection, painful though it might be. I decided to work from Crazy Plates and Looneyspoons, two cookbooks written by the same authors. The books themselves kind of get on my nerves - a little too cutesy for me. The recipe names are bad puns. But I didn't want to close my mind, so I decided to try a pair that I had looked at and thought I might like.

The first is Bean Me Up, Scotty. It's a basic black bean soup. It includes carrots, red peppers, garlic, onions, and jalapenos, and of course black beans. The ingredients are cooked together, and then blended to what should be a somewhat thick soup, I would think. Unfortunately, it's not one that I think I will repeat. I wasn't too excited by it the first night. I decided to try it the next day, hoping that it would improve, as they mostly do the next day. Unfortunately, this didn't. It's a little too sweet for me. I didn't include the cilantro that it called for, but even with it, I can't see it being a favorite.

The second recipe is called Takin' Care of Biscuits. They are biscuits, made with reduced-fat cheddar cheese. I like the texture of these, but I don't actually taste any cheese in them. I did like the fact that the recipe has whole wheat flour.

So, nothing so far to make me keep this cookbook.

And, to see the roundup for ARF #3, go to Sweetnick's


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bean Me Up, Scotty

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups/Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 jalapeno chile pepper -- seeded and minced
2 cups beef broth, ready to eat
1 cup vegetable broth, ready-to-serve
8 ounces tomato sauce
25 ounces canned black beans -- drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, red pepper, carrots, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Top each bowl with a tablespoon of sour cream.

Source:
"Crazy Plates"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 173 Calories; 3g Fat (16.3% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1042mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 4 points - 12 grams of fiber!

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Takin' Care of Biscuits

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ounces reduced fat cheddar cheese -- sharp, shredded
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 425.

In a medium bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir in cheese. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Combine buttermilk and honey. Add to dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir to form a soft dough. Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface. Form into a ball. Roll out dough to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2-1/2-inch rounds using a biscuit or cookie cutter. Place biscuits on a cookie sheet coated that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 12 minutes, until biscuits have puffed up and are golden brown. Serve warm.

Source:
"Crazy Plates"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 133 Calories; 4g Fat (27.9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 338mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A beautiful muffin

I still had cranberries frozen from last year, and thought I would try out another recipe for cranberry muffins. I decided to pull from a cookbook that is very helpful as a recipe resource, as well as for learning about ingredients and techniques. The cookbook is How to Cook Everything.

The recipe I used was one that is meant to be all-purpose, and work with a variety of additions. I did the Cranberry-Walnut variation.

This recipe came out beautifully. The texture was perfect - tender, with tiny crannies. The flavor of the muffin was perfectly sweet, to balance out the tangy-ness of the cranberries.

I think this recipe could be repeated, with the different variations.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cranberry Muffins

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 11 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat together the egg, milk, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, combine the ingredients swiftly, stirring and folding rather than beating, and stopping as soon as all of the ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of them comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before taking them out of the tin. Serve warm.

Source:
"How to Cook Everything"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 197 Calories; 8g Fat (34.4% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 20mg Cholesterol; 248mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Cold weather comfort food...even though it doesn't feel like winter

It's been a weird winter so far. One snowfall. And then today - temps in the 60's. I'm not looking for blizzards; I'm not a snow fan. It's just very weird.

Anyway, the recipe I made tonight is definitely a traditional comfort food. Of course, since most comfort food is a little heavier than I like to make for myself, I went with a revised version of the recipe, from Cooking Light. The recipe? Tuna Noodle Casserole.

I know a lot of people have emotional associations with this casserole. It's also stereotypical of bland food. Maybe because my mom didn't cook it when I was a kid, but I am very open to finding a good recipe. Unfortunately, this one wasn't it. Maybe it's because the recipe called for a specific brand of cream of mushroom soup that I couldn't find. I used a regular low-fat mushroom soup, while the one they called for had cracked peppers and herbs.

I do have half portions of some of the ingredients left, so I may repeat this sooner rather than later, if I can find the specific soup the recipe calls for.

Since I didn't love this recipe, I'll hold off posting, until I can see if it's the recipe or if it's my ingredients.

A possible new repeater - Chicken Basquaise

I can get particularly lazy sometimes. I buy ingredients for one recipe, and because of the delay in making it, I end up making something totally different. I have the ingredients for a tuna-noodle casserole that I am planning on making tomorrow night; I think I have had the ingredients for over a month (no, nothing perishable). Anyway, I had the chicken breasts for this recipe sitting in the fridge. The date on the package was January 11. I knew I had to buckle down and just do it. Problem is, I don't cook with meat that often, because I always feel like I overcook it. But I had bought the chicken; no turning back.

This recipe came out wonderfully. It had enough oil to cook the chicken (which is always an issue for me). The chicken cooked up to gorgeous golden color, with some specks of the paprika spice mix for contrast. I did use a orange pepper instead of the green pepper that the recipe originally called for, so the end result was a mixture of yellows, oranges, and red (from tomato & pepper). Sometimes that can be a little boring, but there were enough shades of color that it was just gorgeous. And not only did it look good, but it tasted wonderful as well. The chicken was tender, the veggies were perfect, and the rice really became a part of the dish, instead of being a separate component. Absolutely marvelous.

Of course, I then had to ruin my one day streak of great cooking by burning evaporated milk TWICE when trying to make brownies...


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Basquaise

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut into 1" pieces
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion -- chopped
1 medium red bell pepper -- seeded and chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper -- seeded and chopped
2 plum tomatoes -- chopped
1 garlic clove -- minced
2 cups cooked white rice

Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, basil, salt, cayenne, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken; toss to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the chicken. Cook until nicely browned and cooked through, 7-8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.

Add the onion and the red and green bell peppers to the skillet; cook until the peppers are tender. Add the chopped tomatoes, the garlic, and the remaining seasoning mix. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the chicken is heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Source:
"Best of Weight Watcher Magazine"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 305 Calories; 4g Fat (12.8% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 316mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : 6 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ARF Monday - Better early than never

So, I decided to try early the recipe I had made for ARF. It's a recipe I've had on my list since I saw it posted on another blog. Orangette posted a recipe for stewed prunes. I have a weakness for prunes - but a little bit of disdain for stewed foods. I just associate stewing with tomatoes. I love tomatoes - stewed ones make me shiver.

I made this recipe Sunday night. It was easy to make - just mix, put on the heat, and simmer until ready. When I tasted it Sunday night, I thought I tasted it slightly burned. I cooled it, and put it in the fridge to sit as suggested. When I tried it again Monday evening, I thought I tasted the burnt part a bit in the sauce. I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. The prunes had softened and plumped beautifully. What made the recipe for me however was the orange slices. They softened beautifully, and I ate them, peel and all. It was all delicious.

The cinnamon flavor that should have come from the stick was not there. It may be that I was expecting too much. Either way, I enjoyed this recipe. And it was healthy, which is always an added benefit.

ARF Tuesday - Waldorf Salad

Sweetnicks is one of my favorite blogs - I can't believe she manages to cook just about every night, spend time with an adorable child, and still manage to write some wonderful entries every day to her blog. She's inspirational - so when I saw she was going to do a new weekly challenge, I decided to join in with abandon.

I'm late on this entry - but hopefully will do better next week.

Anyway, last night's entry included pecans. I decided to do a simple recipe - because I came back from NJ on Monday, and didn't have much time to shop & cook. The waldorf salad came from 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes. I've actually done another challenge with this book. I cooked 5 recipes from it, and they were pretty good. Although of all the recipes I've made from it, I think I like this salad the best. It was easy to make, held well overnight, and was very tasty. I can definitely see repeating this.

I did make a simple sub in this recipe - I used nonfat plain yogurt instead of sour cream. I also halved the recipe, and just used 1 golden delicious apple.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Waldorf Salad

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups chopped apple -- unpeeled, cored, and cubed, red and green
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans -- toasted
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
lettuce leaves -- as garnish

Combine apples, celery, raisins, and walnuts in medium bowl. Mix remaining ingredients, except lettuce leaves, and stir into apple mixture. Serve on lettuce-lined plates.

Source:
"1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 193 Calories; 10g Fat (44.3% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 115mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

From meat to lovely beans

Ah beans. I love them so. Just don't get too near to me after I eat them sometimes. Not the nicest scent.

In a nice change from the hunks of meat, I made a new hummus recipe that I pulled from a WW magazine. It was a really simple recipe to make on a work night. I mixed it up and chilled for a couple hours. It was perfect with some mini wheat pitas. It definitely has a lemon edge to it, but if you didn't know it was lemon in it, you wouldn't be able to define what the edge was. The flavor lasted nicely for a few days in the refrigerator without overwhelming. I do have one serving left which I will freeze and will be interested to see how it defrosts. Pretty much a repeater.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Hummus

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Spreads/Dips

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
15 1/2 ounces chickpeas, canned
4 teaspoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt

Drain and rinse chickpeas, reserving 1/3 cup of the canned chickpea liquid; set aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, peanut butter, lemon juice, lemon rind, garlic, cumin, and salt. With the processor running, gradually add the reserved chickpea liquid through the feed tube and process until smooth.

Source:
"WW magazine - July/August 2003"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 224 Calories; 5g Fat (21.0% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 554mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : 4 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hey - I brought meat!

So, after Thanksgiving excess and a visit from Mom, I finally got back in to cooking. The first holiday weight will be taken off - just in time to fight the Christmas weight! I know the extra would help insulate, but I prefer to wear warm sweaters that fit for that.

Anyway, I finally found a pair of recipes for meatloafs that I actually like and are somewhat healthy. Both recipes are from CL. The first is Mini Meat Loaves from the Jan/Feb 03 issue. This recipe serves 4 as originally written, but I split it in half when I made it, because I wasn't sure how much I would like them. The calorie count I got back from MasterCook is higher than is printed in CL, but it was still reasonable for the size of the servings. This meatloaf baked up easily, and had a nice topping. I definitely could see repeating this recipe. The individual loaves are cool because they look large, and trick the mind in to thinking the serving is larger than it is.

The second is a more unique recipe. It's the Skinny Turkey-Spinach Meat Loaf from CL March 03. This recipe is a mix of meats. I had 1/2 a pound of the beef left from the last meat loaf recipe, and decided to try this instead of the Wedding Soup recipe I thought of. This recipe is interesting because not only does it include meat, but it mixes in spinach as a binder. It gets in vegetables as well as meat. The flavor is very good. It is unusually colored inside, but not unappetizingly. And of course it had the nice topping that I like.

A couple months ago I said I would not be making more meat loaves because I thought I was not a person who enjoyed big hunks of meat. Turns out I like specific hunks of meat. (And keep your minds out of the gutter on that comment, if you can)


* Exported from MasterCook *

Mini Meat Loaves

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 pound 10% lean ground beef
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400

Combine ketchup and mustard, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 2 1/2 tablespoons ketchup mixture. Combine remaining ketchup mixture, beef, and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine.

Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion in to a 4x2 1/2-inch loaf; place loaves on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.

Spread about 2 teaspoons reserved ketchup mixture evenly over each loaf. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until done.

Source:
"CL Jan/Feb 2003"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 293 Calories; 13g Fat (40.8% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 126mg Cholesterol; 985mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Skinny Turkey-Spinach Meat Loaf

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic clove -- minced
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 pounds turkey breast, boneless and skinless -- ground
1/2 pound 10% lean ground beef
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach -- thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, and the next 8 ingredients (breadcrumbs through spinach), stirring well.


Shape meat mixture into a 12 x 5 inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush ketchup over the top of the loaf. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.


Source:
"CL 03/04"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 256 Calories; 5g Fat (16.2% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 72mg Cholesterol; 728mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 6 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0