Favorite Recipes

1happydogg

I thought we could all share some favorite low calorie recipes. Here's one of mine that I love. Just made it again tonight. Hope you enjoy it too!

Smashed Cauliflower and Cheese

Author: Blendtec
Recipe type: Side Dish
Serves: 5
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets and steamed
2 tablespoons milk, lowfat OR milk substitute
1/4 cup sour cream (lowfat/light)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (reduced fat to lower calories)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Add ingredients to jar in order listed and secure lid.
Blendtec: Press the SAUCES button
Vitamix: Start on speed 1, turn the machine on and slowly increase to speed 7. Blend until desired consistency is reached, approx. 1 min
Recipe by Blender Babes, Live Healthier, Get a Blender at http://www.blenderbabes.com/all-the-rest-recipes/appetizers-snacks/smashed-cauliflower-and-cheese/

jvie29

I just got a similar recipe today I want to try. It is cauliflower with cream cheese and smoked gouda. It doesn't have VM instructions but I am sure you an adapt it just the same. I will have to try to post it later.

sandiegotennispro

My favorite vanilla ice cream recipe.

Healthy “Haagen Dazs” Ice Cream Recipe
• 1 cup raw cashew or macadamia halves (120g)
• 1 1/3 cups milk of choice (320g)
• 3 tbsp xylitol or sugar of choice (30g)
• 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
• 1/16 tsp pure stevia, or 2 extra tbsp sugar of choice
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
In a cereal bowl, cover the nuts with water and let sit 4-8 hours. Drain, and pat dry very well with a paper towel. Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until all cashew bits have disappeared and mixture is completely smooth. If you have a Vita-Mix: Pour blended mixture into two ice-cube trays, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, pop out the ice cubes into your Vita-Mix by pushing a knife down one side of each section. Blend on high, using the tamper, until completely smooth with a soft-serve texture. Scoop out into individual bowls, using an ice-cream scoop for authentic presentation. Eat immediately, or freeze each bowl up to an hour for the perfect ice-cream consistency and texture. The best texture is achieved with a Vita-Mix, but if you don’t have one you can still get a pretty good result with an ice cream maker. (If you don’t have an ice cream maker either, just turn the blended mixture into really delicious popsicles! Also, a reader had success with a food processor by thawing the ice cubes a little extra, and it turned out like soft-serve.) Ice-cream-maker method: Pour the blended mixture into a large container, and freeze 30 minutes or refrigerate at least 4 hours. Pour chilled mixture into your ice cream maker, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Once a smooth texture has been reached, scoop out into individual bowls, using an ice-cream scoop for authentic presentation. Eat immediately, or freeze each bowl up to an hour for a firmer texture.
Any of the following milks works in the ice cream recipe: Silk Almondmilk, canned full-fat coconut milk, homemade cashew cream (the milk version), Earth Balance soy milk, Alpro soy cream… many others will surely work; I just haven’t tried them all. (It’s probably best to use a milk with some fat in it.) Due to the lack of preservatives and stabilizers in this all-natural ice cream, it tastes best the day you make it. However, you definitely can freeze for up to a month. It is best to portion out the ice cream into individual bowls before freezing. Then remove a bowl from the freezer 15-20 minutes before eating. It will thaw back into a smooth ice cream.

Caramel Ice Cream Recipe: Add 1/4 tsp caramel extract (JR Watkins brand is vegan.)

Peppermint Patty Ice Cream Recipe: Add 1/2 tsp pure peppermint extract and Cosmic Peppermint Patties.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe: Do add the 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. Also add 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe: Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips before blending the first time.

sandiegotennispro

Italian Marinara Sauce

1 can whole tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
I like San Marzano tomatoes from Italy
5 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1/2 cup chiffonade basil

Put everything in the vitamix and blend until the carrots are fully blended.

Put in a sauce pan and cook until it boils and then lower the heat.

Cook for another 30 minutes to two hours.

Taste as it cooks to determine how long you need to keep cooking it.

Enjoy.

1happydogg

I just got a similar recipe today I want to try. It is cauliflower with cream cheese and smoked gouda. It doesn't have VM instructions but I am sure you an adapt it just the same. I will have to try to post it later.

Sounds like good favors. Would love to try.

1happydogg

Italian Marinara Sauce

1 can whole tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
I like San Marzano tomatoes from Italy
5 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1/2 cup chiffonade basil

Put everything in the vitamix and blend until the carrots are fully blended.

Put in a sauce pan and cook until it boils and then lower the heat.

Cook for another 30 minutes to two hours.

Taste as it cooks to determine how long you need to keep cooking it.

Enjoy.

This sounds great! I replaced all pasta with broccoli slaw which I microwave in a vented container with about 2 tablespoons of water for about 6 minutes. Makes a great "mock" spaghetti. Think would be great with this sauce.

jvie29

Here is the variation of cauliflower I mentioned. I copied this from http://buttoni.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/smoked-gouda-cauliflower-2/

This is one of my older recipes that has proven to be a real winner in my collection. I thought I’d feature it again today as I’m making it for dinner tonight. It’s one of my favorite cauliflower creations. Smoked Gouda doesn’t melt easily, but if shredded, it usually melts a little easier. In this dish, it takes an ordinary cauliflower casserole and transforms it into the sublime. It is the smoked Gouda that truly sets this dish apart from all the other cauliflower casseroles I have ever eaten. I served it to my brother, who was once an executive chef at Top of the Mark in San Francisco and he RAVED about it! It’s Atkins Induction friendly, too! I buy my smoked Gouda at Sam’s Club and have discovered, not all stores carry quality smoked Gouda. The brand I bought in San Antonio at my mother’s grocery store was just awful….totally tasteless.

This recipe appears in Volume 1 of Low Carbing Among Friends (click for more info) by best-selling author Jennifer Eloff and other talented chefs. There are 5 volumes already released and two more due out soon! More info on their Facebook page linked above. You can order Vol. 1 or the entire set here or at Amazon.com. These cookbooks are filled with easy, gluten-free, tasty low-carb creations by a group of very creative cooks. You’re going to WANT these fast-selling cookbooks, folks. GET YOURS TODAY!

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium-large head cauliflower

6 oz. cream cheese, softened

4 oz. smoked Gouda cheese, grated or shredded

¼ tsp. coarse black pepper

Dash salt (optional)

Optional: chopped chives or green onion to top

DIRECTIONS:

Cut up cauliflower into manageable pieces and boil or steam until tender. Drain off any water and mash the chunks up slightly with a fork (do not puree, however). Stir in softened cream cheese until it is melted and blended well. Grease glass casserole dish and spoon half the cauliflower mixture in. Sprinkle with half the grated smoked Gouda (I do not recommend using slices for this. Grate it to facilitate melting). Spoon remaining cauliflower into dish and top with rest of Gouda cheese. Sprinkle with just a dash of salt and pepper if desired, but cheese has a lot of sodium. If you are sodium sensitive, I wouldn’t add ANY salt. Sometimes I add some chopped chives or green onion to the top, but this is not in the nutritional info below. Bake at 350º for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Serves 6, each serving contains: (you may get up to 8 servings and that will lower the net carbs even more)

190.3 calories

15.22 g fat

6.17 g carbs

2.4 g fiber

3.77 g NET CARBS

8.77 g protein

312 mg sodium

sandiegotennispro

Here is a smoothie I have been making lately and for some strange but good reason it tastes like chocolate!

I don't have the proportions that I used so you have to play around with it and adjust for taste.

Amazing but true!

jomclucas10

I have been making this soup on the weekend to eat during the week. , I leave it in chunks then pour my serving into the VM to blend to a creamy consistency and get hot enough to eat. Super healthy!




Miso Mushroom Soup
4 portions
30 minutes
myvega.com
Ingredients

- (3 to 4 servings):
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp dulse seaweed.
- 4 cup water
- 1/3 cup miso paste

On top when serving
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

• In a pot, heat coconut oil and sauté onions for 3 to 4 minutes. (timer: 4 minutes )
• Add in mushrooms, carrots, ginger and garlic. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes. (timer: 5 minutes )
• Or until mushrooms are starting to brown.
Add water and dulse ( I leave this out if I don't have any on hand). and bring to a boil. Simmer for five minutes.
In a bowl, whisk miso paste and about ½ cup of water together until smooth.Turn soup down to low and add miso mixture to the soup. Let warm for 1 minute. *Do not boil the miso, as it will harm the probiotics and other nutrients.

I then put most of it in the frig to blend smooth later and just blend one serving smooth in the VM.







Joanna

jvie29

I have made the cauliflower and cheese a few times now and I love it!

ann2767

I can't wait to try it

MyDynamicJourney

My favorite soup in the VitaMix is the Tortilla Soup. You can pretty much put anything in it and it tastes good. I like to sprinkle corn on top and add some ground beef or shredded chicken once it is done. For those that like dairy a dollop of sour cream or yogurt swirled and topped with orange cheese. I am making some today for lunch/dinner.