A few recipes!

mrscates · June 2011

Gazpacho (Soup)

1 clove garlic
½ small onion sliced
½ green pepper sliced
3 ripe tomatoes; quartered
1 cucumber; sliced and pealed
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ cup ice cubes
½ teaspoon Cilantro (optional)

Place ingredients in blender, cover, blend on high.

Quinoa Pilaf (Side Dish)

½ cup chopped green onions
½ cup sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups water or chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup quinoa
¼ shredded parmesan
2 cups spinach leaves

Sautee green onions and mushrooms in olive oil in sauce pan.
Add water or broth and salt. Bring to boil.
Add quinoa and bring to boil again.
Cover and reduce heat. Simmer undisturbed for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove lid and add parmesan and spinach.
Cook 5 more minutes with lid on.

Serves 4.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes (Breakfast Entree)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 egg
1 cup lowfat buttermilk

Preheat skillet to 320°. Combine ingredients in mixing bowl. Beat mixture just until blended. Pour batter on skillet. Cook to desired brownness and flip.

Southwest White Chili (Entree)

Makes 4-6 cups. Quantity variations of ingredients (broth and beans) will make chili more chunky or soupy.

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ lb. skinless chicken breast
1-3 cups chicken broth
1-2 cans (19 oz.) white beans (cannellini), undrained
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
¼ cup chopped onion
2 green onions, sliced
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. cilantro
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

Cut chicken breast into small chunks.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add chicken and chopped onions; cook until chicken is white.
Add chicken broth, green chilies, and spices; simmer 15 minutes.
Add beans; simmer 5 minutes.
Top with sliced Green onions

Optional

Garnish with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

White Bean Artichoke Hummus (Dip)

Submitted by Rebecca Bowman

1 can (14 oz) northern white beans
1 can (14 oz) chick peas
1 can (14 oz) artichock hearts in water
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup of parmasan cheese (freshly grated)
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Drain beans and artichock cans. Combine beans, artichock, and olive oil in food processor. Process until blended. Place 4 garlic gloves in microwavable container with a teaspoon of olive oil. Seal container and microwave on high until garlic is soft (approximately 2 minutes). Add cooked garlic cloves and remaining raw garlic cloves to bean mixuture. Juice lemon and add. Add ramaining ingredients (cumin, cheese, salt). Process until smooth. Put in bowl and chill for about 30 minutes.

Serve with olive oil and lemon if desired.

Mediterranean Salad

Submitted by Debby Dvoretz

280 gm (10 oz) lettuce (Roman / European style)
¾ cup corn
¼ cup black olives
3 tablespoons feta cheese (reduced fat)
1 medium cucumber (sliced)
½ cup grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon basil
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

Add ingredients to large bowl. Toss and serve.

Vegetable Dip / Sandwich Spread

Submitted Melody Quinn

Cottage cheese (low fat): 2 cups, 16 oz (450g)
Onion powder: 1 teaspoons
Seasoned salt: 1 teaspoon (optional)
Dill: 1 Tablespoon

Place ingredients in blender. Pulse and stir repeatedly until smooth. Chill and serve.

Blended cottage cheese (optional orange peel and vanilla extract for flavor) can also be used as a high protein, low fat fruit dip.

Better-than-Ceasar's Salad Dresssing

4 garlic cloves
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
juice of 1-2 lemons
pinch of salt

In a food processor, process garlic, Parmesan cheese, and salt. Add lemon juice and process again. Keeping processor running, add oil in a slow steady stream. Keep refrigerated.

Yam! What I Yam (Starchy Vegetable)

by anonymous author

Ever try swallowing a quarter pound vitamin pill? Sweet potatoes, sometimes called yams are so packed with vitamins you might consider one similar to a vitamin pill, except this is one dose that is pure great taste. One medium sized (114 g.) sweet potato is packed with 500 percent of the RDA of vitamin A, half the RDA of vitamin C, and 243 milligrams of potassium. All of this and for only 118 delicious calories and low in sodium to boot!

Fall is harvest time for sweet potato growers, so look for these varieties at fruit stands and farmer's markets:

Jewel: moist, sweet, orange flesh with orange / brown skin.
Red Mar: pink skin, but same orange color inside and same excellent eating qualities as Jewel!
Yellow Jersey: light brown on the outside, whitish on the inside. Distinctly different taste and texture than the orange flesh varieties. Somewhat dry and much less sweet, but a favorite in some parts of the country.

Sweet potatoes are easy to prepare by oven baking whole at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or microwaving: Peel 3 medium sweet potatoes and cut in quarters. Place in microwaveable dish with 1/4 cup water, cover, full power for 7 minutes, turning the potatoes over in the dish halfway through the cooking time. Enjoy those vitamins!

Black Bean Salad / Dip

1 red bell pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
¼ cup red onion
1 cup corn (canned or frozen)
1 cup black beans (canned or frozen)
1 garlic clove
½ tablespoon cilantro
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Drain or thaw corn and beans
Dice peppers
Mince garlic
Combine ingredients in bowl and toss well

Serving suggestion: serve chilled with tortilla chips or baked corn tortillas.

jackiemarie · June 2011

bump

hummzz · June 2011

Very nice...Think I'll try the hummus. Can't seem to find one in the stores that I like enough. I like it really creamy and its usually quite grainy. Maybe I can make mine creamy like I like it. Thanks for posting!!!!!