Recipes!

24

Replies

  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Mini Egg Muffins

    Ingredients

    Spring onion as required
    Chopped tomatoes as required
    Onion as required
    Cheese as required
    Green Capsicum (or your favorite herb)
    Fresh coriander (or your favorite herb)
    You can add chicken or other lean meats, spinach, ricotta cheese, bacon, and lots more as per your taste.
    Eggs x 6 - beaten with 2 tbsp milk, black pepper to taste (substitute egg beaters 1.5 cups)

    Instructions

    -Preheat oven at 200 C (approx 390 F)
    -Grease your mini muffin tin (I'm using muffin liners)
    -Add vegetables of your choice along with cheese (if you choose), pour beaten egg mixture on it.
    -Place muffin pan on the center rack of a preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are light brown, puffy, and the eggs are set.
    -Let muffins cool for a few minutes before removing from the muffin pan or cups. Loosen gently with knife if they seem to be sticking. Eat immediately or let cool completely and store in plastic bag in refrigerator or freezer. The Egg Muffins can be reheated in the microwave.

    This is from a facebook friend who lives in Wales
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Yum! These are good cold, too! I wouldn't use liners though. I like that "crusty" sides. Don't know if you would get that with paper. I spray with Pam. I've never added meat, well bacon a couple of times. Thanks for reminding me of this, Gayle.
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    I think you are right about not using the liners. Looking forward to making these soon.
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    If anyone is trying to limit carbs, I used to make mock potato salad, but used cooked cauliflower in large chunks instead of potatoes. Make sure you use mayonnaise instead of miracle whip (because of the sugar). I would make it just like I would otherwise. Mayo, mustard, celery, onion, eggs. It was delicious and no discernable difference.

    Like Gayle's favorite spaghetti squash, cauliflower is a great "carrier" of flavor. I haven't tried the cauliflower crust pizza, but I will vouch for the "potato" salad.
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    I thought this was interesting about "blanching" spring and winter vegetables in boiling salted water to improve color and flavor. https://www.yahoo.com/food/how-boiling-water-makes-vegetables-taste-better-121815549429.html
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    I went to a meeting last night on Food Waste Diversion. A local new hit restaurant provided food as the meeting went from 5:30 to 7:30. They are into limited food waste, organically grown, locally sourced, etc.

    They served a soup that was the best thing I have ever eaten! Made from kitchen scraps mostly. The woman I spoke to who had not made it, but brought it, said the chef made a veggie stock from all veggie scraps: onions, corn husks, corn cobs, carrot ends and scrapings, red and yellow peppers, and tomatoes, etc. (He had complained there was no celery). I asked if he added parmesan and she said she didn't know (but I tasted it in there) and said he may have put in the rind and then removed it before blending. She said it was tomato based, so I imagine some tomato was cooked more in the broth. Then blended it until smooth with some cream (She said she knew he used cream). It was vegetarian but rich, velvety and luscious.

    The process is to save your trimmings and freeze until you have enough to make a stock as they do in their restaurant. (Do not use cruciferous veggies though as they turn the stock bitter). You can find lots of instructions on-line. Just google: Veggie stock from kitchen scraps.

    The chef also made then had a vegan spinach salad with a vinigrette (not from scraps of course). I have been hearing about this restaurant but it always has long lines. I might hit if for lunch on my day off soon, though!
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Sounds great Charlie! My first husband's mom used to freeze all the scraps and make soup too. I had to smile because he called it her "rotten gravy soup". Here is my favorite blended soup:

    1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed, seeds removed
    2 tsps sea salt or to taste
    2 or 3 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped

    Cover with filtered water to cover. Bring to boil then simmer until squash is soft

    Serve as is or cool and puree (my preference) in a blender
    Return to serving temperature, serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Some interesting smoothies for anyone else that likes to start their day this way.
    http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/low-calorie-smoothies
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Gayle, anything with any kind of squash is a favorite of mine. I love butternut squash soup, especially.

    I created the following at work today in the microwave for about 300 calories. Here is what I did:

    animated-percussion-instrument-image-0012.gif Southwestern Egg Beaters Omelette Sandwich

    1/2 cup Egg Beaters Southwestern Style.
    Pam Cooking Spray
    1 slice Sargento's Ultra Thin Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese
    1 Wholly Guacamole Mini 100 calorie Snack Cup (Spicy)
    1 Tbl. Chi Chi's Thick & Chunky Medium Salsa
    1 Tbl. Kroger's Sour Cream
    2 slices Aunt Millie's 35 Calorie Whole Grain Bread, toasted.

    Sprayed square container with shot of Pam and poured in the Egg Beaters. Microwaved for 1 1/2 minutes. Toasted 2 slices of bread at the same time. When eggs were set and still hot, placed slice of cheese on eggs to melt. Placed egg with cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream on the toast as a sandwich. Very filling. Pretty spicy. Very yummy.


  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Charlie, that sounds so good! Yum! I've been craving guacamole and did not realize it came in a 100 calorie snack cup. Wow! Think I'm going to make this super easy guacamole this week: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=332306
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Charlie, that sounds so good! Yum! I've been craving guacamole and did not realize it came in a 100 calorie snack cup. Wow! Think I'm going to make this super easy guacamole this week: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=332306

    I didn't really like the spark guac too much tomato.
  • drags59
    drags59 Posts: 85 Member
    Mango Smoothie

    Ingredients
    1/2 cup DOLE Canned Pineapple Juice
    2 cups frozen chopped peeled mangoes
    1/2 medium ripe banana
    1/2 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
    1 tablespoon honey


    Directions
    1. In a blender, combine all ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.


    Nutritional Facts

    1 cup equals 237 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 48 mg sodium, 56 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein.
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    edited July 2015
    All those smoothies sound delicious! I won't make them as I don't want to clean blender ;) . I do buy the Bolthouse Farms smoothies. They have a good protein Mango and I like their protein Coffee flavored. Love some of their other smoothies, too. Seems like someone always has a sale on them, so not too expensive per serving.
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    I cut back some on the TexMex egg recipe and was still delicious. Used only 1/2 the guac, 1/2 the sour cream, and 1/2 the salsa, but added sugar-free raspberry preserves to the toast so didn't make a sandwich. 259 calories.
  • drags59
    drags59 Posts: 85 Member
    Baked Hummus-Crusted Chicken

    Ingredients
    •4 (6 ounces or 170 grams each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    •1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
    •1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
    •3 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, roughly chopped (588 grams total)
    •1 medium (110 grams) onion, roughly chopped
    •1 cup hummus (246 grams), homemade or store-bought (certified gluten-free if necessary)
    •1 tablespoon olive oil
    •1 teaspoon paprika, divided
    •1 lemon, quartered

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray two glass baking dishes with cooking spray.

    While oven is preheating, pat the chicken dry. Season chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

    In a glass baking pan, toss the zucchini and onion with olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until coated. Pat vegetables down until it makes an even layer in the baking pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Bake for 15 minutes.

    In the second glass baking dish, add the chicken breast. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon paprika.

    Place both baking dishes into the oven at 450 degrees F. Bake the vegetables for about 15 minutes, and bake the chicken for about 20 minutes. Serve each chicken breast with about 3/4 cup of vegetables and 1 lemon wedge.

    Nutrition Information

    Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 (6 ounce chicken breast) + 3/4 cups veggies + 1 lemon wedge

    Per serving: Calories: 358; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 90mg; Sodium: 785mg; Carbohydrate: 22g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 39g

    Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 869mg; Iron: 15%; Vitamin A: 12%; Vitamin C: 66%; Calcium: 11%

    Energizing Tips (optional)
    •Serve with 1 small baked sweet potato for more calories, fiber, carbs and sweetness. (Per serving: Calories: 412; Total Fat: 11g; Carbohydrate: 34g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 40g)
    •Serve with 1 whole grain pita for more calories, fiber and carbs. (Per serving: Calories: 528; Total Fat: 13g; Carbohydrate: 57g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 45g)
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Cheryl: I think I'm missing something. What do you do with the hummus? Spread it on the chicken? Whatever, it sounds delicious!
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    It does look really good. Do you guys have a favorite store brand of hummus that you like? I think I found a more detailed version of the recipe: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/hummus-crusted-chicken/
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Mock ice cream sandwiches (my title, but from Maryschwartzroby)

    Try putting fat free cool whip between two chocolate graham crackers,place in freezer bag and freeze.Good when you want ice cream.you can make a bunch at one time .
  • drags59
    drags59 Posts: 85 Member
    Carrot Cake Pancakes


    Ingredients

    5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
    1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
    Dash of ground cloves
    Dash of ground ginger
    1/4 cup brown sugar
    3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
    1 tablespoon canola oil
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)
    Cooking spray
    3 tablespoons butter, softened
    2 tablespoons honey


    Preparation

    1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot.

    2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon 4 (1/4 cup) batter mounds onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat procedure twice with remaining batter. Combine butter and honey in a small bowl; serve with pancakes.

    Amount per serving

    Calories 315, Fat 13.3 g, Protein 7.8 g, Carbohydrate 41.6 g, Fiber 2.2 g, Cholesterol 78 mg, Sodium 381 mg
    Calcium 177 mg

    Now what I like about this is that you can substitute all kinds of things and make it your own. Wheat flour, Splenda brown sugar, plain yogurt for buttermilk, you can add in raisins, use half the carrots and on and on. Had some of these at my nieces house and being me (I've never liked frosting/icing) I was perfectly fine with no syrup.
  • MapDancer
    MapDancer Posts: 246 Member
    Ginger Syrup
    Weigh 8 oz. of peeled ginger, and slice thin
    Add to pan with 2 C. of water and 2 C. organic sugar
    (note: organic sugar is important - it really tastes much better especially in high sugar uses, much smoother)
    Bring to a boil and simmer with lid on for 30-45 min.
    Strain and cool (or some say cool and strain). Put in a glass jar, keeps in fridge for a month.

    I don't like sodas, but in the summer it's nice to have something cold. This is adjustable, made with real sugar and not HFC syrup.
    I like to add 2-3T to tall glass with ice and top with club soda. Yesterday I added some to Vanilla Polar Seltzer. It's also good just in cold water.

    As a bonus you can spread the ginger slices on a tray with parchment paper and put in a 200-degree oven for 2-2.5 hours till dry but still pliable. Candied ginger. I put into a small container in the freezer.

    Ginger is the best remedy for carsickness. A couple slices of candied ginger even worked on my golden retriever.
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Oh!!!!!! two of my favorite things: carrot cake and anything ginger!
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    Hungry Girl published a lower calorie Carrot Cake recipe today. Yippie! http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/printable-recipe/1511
  • gaylebodine
    gaylebodine Posts: 1,689 Member
    I think I will use just the regular vanilla protein powder, lol, but this recipe sounds interesting: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14914/a-spiced-coffee-to-get-you-through-an-entire-week.html
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Sounds great! I'm not a sweets lover and therefore don't like all those vanilla and chocolate meal drinks. When I do have something sweet, I have to have it with black coffee. I sometimes buy the Bolthouse Farms Protein Smoothies as they have a coffee flavored one.
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Okay, so I love Mexican food, but don't get it too often. I do that Mexican omelette or omelette sandwich to suffice that I posted above, but I love refried beans and crunchy corn tortillas. I had never noticed until last night that you can buy a stack of crispy corn tortillas for tostadas prepackaged (We 5'1" shorties miss a lot of stuff when displayed on top shelves). I see other possibilities, but here is what I did in my microwave at work for lunch today:

    Tostada -- 242 Calories

    1 Olé Corn Tostada -- 54 calories
    1/4 C. Old El Paso - Refried Beans - 55 calories
    1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese - 40 calories
    Dole Shredded Lettuce (1 oz. or probably less) - 3 calories
    2 Tbl. Chi-Chi's Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa - 10 calories
    1/2 Mini Cup Wholly Guacamole - 50 calories
    1 Tbl. Kroger All Natural Sour Cream -- 30 calories

    Put the tostada on a plate. Spread it with the refried beans and top with the pepper jack slice. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Cover with lettuce, salsa, guac and sour cream. A yummy, satisfying 242 calorie tostada!
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    Okay, so I love Mexican food, but don't get it too often. I do that Mexican omelette or omelette sandwich to suffice that I posted above, but I love refried beans and crunchy corn tortillas. I had never noticed until last night that you can buy a stack of crispy corn tortillas for tostadas prepackaged (We 5'1" shorties miss a lot of stuff when displayed on top shelves). I see other possibilities, but here is what I did in my microwave at work for lunch today:

    Tostada -- 242 Calories

    1 Olé Corn Tostada -- 54 calories
    1/4 C. Old El Paso - Refried Beans - 55 calories
    1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese - 40 calories
    Dole Shredded Lettuce (1 oz. or probably less) - 3 calories
    2 Tbl. Chi-Chi's Medium Thick & Chunky Salsa - 10 calories
    1/2 Mini Cup Wholly Guacamole - 50 calories
    1 Tbl. Kroger All Natural Sour Cream -- 30 calories

    Put the tostada on a plate. Spread it with the refried beans and top with the pepper jack slice. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Cover with lettuce, salsa, guac and sour cream. A yummy, satisfying 242 calorie tostada!