Thursday, December 30, 2010

Enchilada Soup


Tonight I thought I would make a soup since it's so windy and cold outside.
I've never made this recipe and thought I would give it a try.
It's very simple and that's just the way I like it.

2 large cans of enchilada sauce
4 boxes of veggie or chicken broth, which ever you prefer
1 large can hominy
1 large onion chopped
4 carrots chopped
1 bunch of cilantro
2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 diced chicken breast, feel free to leave this out
1/4 cup lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

This came out so great.

I just tossed everything into the pot and let it simmer till the veggies were tender and the chicken was cooked through.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

I love the website for The Eat Clean Diet. The featured recipe today was this soup that I must try. Thanks to one of my staff, I have a new soup pot to make tons of soup. Now if only I could find the containers to put them all in and freeze them. I'm guessing I'll have to run out and buy more LOL



YIELD: 10 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 70 minutes

Details

This soup, full of roasted seasonal vegetables and savory herbs, will really warm you up on a cold day! Perfect for sharing with family and friends, Roasted Root Vegetable Soup from The Eat-Clean Diet® Cookbook is an excellent complement to any meal.

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp / 60 ml best quality olive oil
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 large, sweet carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 small turnip, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large cooking onion, peeled and cut into rings
• 1 head of garlic, loose skins removed and tops cut off
• 1 medium swede or rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 cups / 2 L low-sodium stock, either chicken or vegetable
• Several fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup / 240 ml fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp / 5 ml crumbled, dried thyme
• 1 tsp / 5 ml rosemary, fresh if possible

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°F / 163°C. Pour half of the olive oil into the bottom of a roasting pan. Place all vegetables in the roasting pan and coat with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss bay leaves on top.

2. Cover vegetables with a layer of parchment and place in the over for 30 minutes. Then, remove parchment paper from the vegetables and let roast for another 30 minutes. You will have to mix the veggies occasionally to roast them all properly.

3. Remove vegetables from oven. Remove any black bits and bay leaves, squeeze garlic out of its skin, and purée roasted vegetables in batches in a food processor or blender. Use the stock to help the process along; adding a cup of stock will make the blending easier.

4. Place all puréed vegetables in a large soup pan or Dutch oven and set over low heat on the stove. Add remaining stock, basil, cilantro, thyme and rosemary.

5. Bring soup to gentle simmer and adjust seasonings. If you find the soup too thick, simply stir in more stock and reheat. Serve in heated bowls with a sprig of rosemary or chives on each bowl for garnish.

Day 2

Day 2 to a healthy new you!! I'm sure you all have been there. You get very excited to start exercising and losing weight. Then by day two you don't want to get out of bed because it's so darn cold out and comfy in your bed.

Thank goodness for my kitten, Tig. She kept crawling all over me while I wanted to lay in bed. Finally I had enough and got up and got ready to head to the gym. As soon as I got there, I was happy I was there.

I'm on the treadmill watching CNN and all that is going on back East with the wacky weather.

I look over and see two fitness trainers helping out members. It put a smile on my face because I work for a distance college that certify personal fitness trainers, like the two I was looking at. I could see the determination the members had on their face to get fit and healthy. That made me want to have that as well.

I sped up on the mill and did my 30 minute fast walk. I'm not going to be some exercise maniac or anything like that. I'll finish the week doing the same walk I do and start something new next week. I might focus on my arms next week.

I heard from Dr. Oz on one of his talk shows a few weeks ago that if you just get up and move, that will be a good thing.

From the past my good friend and I would walk to the beach and back which was 2 miles and we lost weight.

I just need to keep focused and I shall soon be like I was in this picture. I will find that before picture I have hidden somewhere and post that as well. I'm not ashamed of it, it will give me the drive to lose the weight and get healthy.

Stay tuned for many more healthy but tasty recipes that I have stacked here on my desk. It just takes time to log them all in... Ohhh sounds like my fingers will be getting some exercise as well LOL

Hugs

Monday, December 27, 2010

Pioneer Woman Cooks Spicy Garlic Shrimp





I love this website Pioneer Woman Cooks. I read it pretty much every day.

They had this recipe on their site today that I want to try but realized they are using 2 sticks of butter. I'm thinking I can replace that butter with 1/2 or a cup of white wine. Hmmmm... Will have to try this out.

Here is the recipe I'm talking about. Make it either way you like.

Ingredients

* 2 pounds Raw Shrimp, Deveined, Shells On
* 2 sticks Cold Unsalted Butter Cut Into Pieces (or 1/2 to 1 cup white wine)


* 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
* 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled
* ¼ cups Fresh Parsley
* ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper
* 1 whole Lemon, Juiced

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and red pepper. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly.

Serve with hot crusty bread. Peel and eat the shrimp, then dip the bread into the butter in the bottom of the pan.


Original post came from:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/12/spicy-lemon-garlic-shrimp/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pwcooks+%28The+Pioneer+Woman+Cooks!%29

Chicken Marinade Recipe

I adore making fun dishes my children will like to prepare and eat. I found this wonderful recipe this morning on my blog list I read and thought my son would love to help. I'll prepare some brown rice and broccali to go along with it.

Marinade:
1 Cup of Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
10 – 12 Large, Fresh Basil Leaves ripped into small dime size pieces
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

Directions
• Cover the pre-cut chicken with the ripped basil leaves
• Add the garlic, salt and pepper to the chicken and basil leaves
• Pour the lemon juice and olive oil over the seasoning and chicken
• Cover the container and shake well to mix and dissolve the seasoning
• Allow to marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 1 hour before assembly


Chicken Kebab Recipe
Makes 8 Kebabs


Ingredients

1lb Chicken Breast Tenders Cut into Bite Sized Pieces

Marinade (listed above)

1 Orange Pepper
2 Small Yellow Squash
Package of Baby Bella Mushrooms
Package of Grape Tomatoes
1 Zucchini

8 Shish Kebab Skewers

Directions
• Soak wooden kebab skewers in a container of water for 15 minutes
• Chop the zucchini, summer squash and pepper into pieces the size of a silver dollar
• Assemble the shish kebabs by alternating one piece of chicken with a vegetable, mixing up the vegetables so that each skewer has at least one of each; larger skewers can contain more
• Place the finished kebabs on a broiler tray in the oven and broil on high for 10 minutes
• Turn the kebabs and continue broiling on high for an additional 5 – 10 minutes, checking at 5 minutes for readiness
• Serve the kebabs with hot brown rice or over some sauteed spinach

Recipe adapted from Marlon Mata

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Chocolate Cookies



I've been on the hunt for a great chocolate cookie recipe. I remember back in the day of making cookies out of brownie mix and cake mix. I was surfing through the channels and found Paula Dean making these amazing easy cookies.

Try them, they are easy, taste delish and are fast to make.

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 stick soften butter
1 8oz square of cream cheese, I use the low fat kind and at room temp
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
enough powder sugar to cover cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.

Beat in the egg.

Then beat in the vanilla extract.

Beat in the cake mix.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls.

Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake 12 minutes.

The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Cowboy Caviar


This is one of my favorite sides or you can even use this as a dip.

I found the recipe from one of my favorite sites, Little Birdie Secrets Blog.

It's so refreshing and delish!!! It's a must try.


1 can corn
1 can black beans, drained
3 large tomatoes, chopped
3 large avocados, chopped
2 Tbs chopped green onions
1 package dry Italian dressing
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 Tbs water

In a large bowl mix corn, peas, tomatoes, avocados and onions. In another bowl mix the dry Italian dressing, olive oil, vinegar and water. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss until evenly coated. Serve with tortilla chips.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Quinoa salad



I found this recipe from Eat Better America. I had to try it since I have everything in my kitchen. I was shocked, it was very good and full of flavor. I had two servings for lunch and it kept me full till dinner. You can also make this as a side dish for some fish or chicken.

This lemony bean-and-grain side dish is packed with fiber—6 grams per serving!


Start to Finish:40 min
makes:6 servings

1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked quinoa*
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped yellow sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 cups torn Bibb lettuce

1. Place basil in a food processor. Add Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down side as needed. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together cooked quinoa, the beans, sweet pepper, tomato, and green onions. Add basil mixture; stir to coat.

3. Serve quinoa mixture over torn lettuce.

4. * To make 2 cups cooked quinoa: In a fine strainer, rinse 1/2 cup quinoa under cold running water; drain. In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Let stand to cool slightly. Drain off any remaining liquid.

Nutritional Information
3/4 cup quinoa mixture plus 2/3 cup lettuce: Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 50);

Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 340mg; Total Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 1g); Protein 9g

Monday, June 28, 2010

Desserts under 300 Calories from Buddy the Cake Boss


Creamy Baked Maple Custard

This smooth, silken custard contains fewer than 200 calories per serving by using fat-free milk instead of whole. Maple syrup adds natural sweetness. The following recipe makes three servings.

Divide four teaspoons of natural maple syrup between three custard cups. In a medium bowl, gently combine:

* One egg
* One egg white
* 1 cup of fat-free milk
* 2 tablespoons of sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Divide the mixture among the three cups.

Place the cups into a baking pan with low sides, and add one inch of boiling water to that pan. Bake the whole thing for 35 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) -- it's done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cups on a wire rack. Serve warm or let cool completely, then chill in the fridge.

For added flavor without many added calories, try topping the custards with a dried or baked apple slice. It's a perfect autumn treat.

Found recipe from The Cake Boss




Banana Ice Cream
Nobody will ever guess that this rich and creamy banana ice cream contains only one ingredient. No dairy, no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners. All you need are bananas, a freezer and a blender. A medium-sized banana contains only about 110 calories, so you can use more than one and still come in under 300 calories. As an added bonus, bananas provide you with vitamins and fiber.

Peel your ripe bananas and freeze until you're ready to use them. Then, simply throw the solid bananas into a blender or food processor. The bananas will turn into a creamy frozen dessert with the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. If you prefer more traditional "hard" ice cream, simply put the blended banana mixture into the freezer for a few hours. You'll be able to use your ice cream scoop for serving.

If you want to boost the flavor a little bit, try adding some honey or even a very small amount of peanut butter. Just keep your calorie count in mind when adding ingredients.

BBQ'd Sea Bass and Peel & Eat Shrimp


My dear friends husband went fishing here in the Pacific Ocean and caught tons of Sea Bass. I bought two lbs off of them and fired up my bbq. I had some shrimp left over and decided to toss them in some vinaigrette and grill along side. OMG SO GOOD..

We just seasoned the fish with lemon pepper and drizzled the remaining vinaigrette from the shrimp over the fish while on the grill.

Cooked up in minutes, I'm not kidding. Very fast meal.

Grilled Artichokes



A friend of mine asked for my grilled artichoke recipe I once had on my old blog. I couldn't find it first thing this morning so I did it off the top of my head. After waking up a tad, I did find it and thought I would post again for her and you all to share.

Ingredients

* 2 large artichokes
* 1 lemon, quartered
* 3/4 cup olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge into the water. Trim the tops from the artichokes, then cut in half lengthwise, and place halves into the bowl of lemon water to prevent them from turning brown.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.

3. Add artichokes to boiling water, and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain. Squeeze the remaining lemon wedges into a medium bowl. Stir in the olive oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Brush the artichokes with a coating of the garlic mixture, and place them on the preheated grill. Grill the artichokes for 5 to 10 minutes, basting with the garlic mixture and turning frequently, until the tips are a little charred. Serve immediately with the remaining dip.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 402 | Total Fat: 40.7g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Fudgy Banana Pudding Pops Gluten Free


I love this website called www.liveglutenfreely.com

I'm on a healthy eating habit now and this is a great dessert for someone who is getting a sweet tooth.

This is what you will need:


1 box (4-serving size) chocolate fudge sugar-free fat-free instant pudding and pie filling mix

2 cups fat-free (skim) milk

1 medium ripe banana

1 container (6-oz) Yoplait® Light very vanilla yogurt

8 waxed paper cups (5-oz size)

8 craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends)

1. In medium bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with wire whisk about 2 minutes or until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes or until thickened.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mash banana with fork. Stir in yogurt.

3. Place paper cups in 8-inch pan for easier handling. Spoon 2 tablespoons pudding into each cup. Divide yogurt mixture evenly among cups. Top with remaining pudding mixture. Tap cups on work surface to level top. Insert wooden stick into center of each pop.

4. Freeze pops about 2 hours or until solid. Store frozen pops in plastic freezer bag in freezer. Peel off paper cups before serving.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Almond Butter


Finely grind

1 cup roasted almonds in a food processor,
then add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and blend into a smooth paste.

Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Flank Steak Pinwheels


I don't eat much red meat now but when I do have a craving, this is the perfect steak to make with a wonderful veggie filled salad and a nice green veggie.

Laughing Cow Lite cheese will work great or they offer other lite low fat cheese smears now that will work.


Ingredients

* 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not packed in oil)
* 2 cups boiling water
* 1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 3 tablespoons light herbed cheese spread, such as Laughing Cow or any other
* 1 cup baby spinach
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper



Preparation

1. Preheat grill to high.

2. Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; pour boiling water over them and let steep until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and chop.

3. Meanwhile, place steak between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound each side of the steak thoroughly with the pointed side of a meat mallet until the steak is an even 1/4-inch thickness.

4. Rub garlic all over one side of the steak. Spread cheese lengthwise in a 3-inch-wide strip down the middle of the steak. Top with the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Starting at one edge of a long side, roll the steak up tightly, tucking in the filling as you go.

5. Carefully rub salt and pepper all over the outside of the steak roll. Turn the roll so the overlapping edge is on top. Push 8 skewers, evenly spaced, through the roll, close to the overlapping edge to hold the roll together. Slice the roll into 8 equal portions, roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, with a skewer in each. Lay the slices on their sides and push the skewer through so it sticks out about 1 inch.

6. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the pinwheels 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Use a spatula when turning them to prevent too much filling from falling out. (Don't worry if the ends of the skewers burn. They will still hold the pinwheels together.) Remove the skewers; let the pinwheels rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Found recipe on the Eating Well website


4 servings

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Friday, June 18, 2010

Grilled Herb Shrimp


(courtesy of Ina Garten)
Ingredients

* 2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
* 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
* 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup good olive oil
* 1 lemon, juiced



Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Skewer the shrimp. I use 3 or 4 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill with coals and brush the grill with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for only 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

Lay It On Me! Lemon Tahini Dressing

I like to watch The Biggest Loser and found this recipe on their site today.
I can admit, I'm getting tired of the same ol dressing on my greens.
This had a bite to it and was a nice change on my salad.

½ cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced (note: use less garlic for mild flavor)
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or low sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon basil, dried
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Water

1. In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth.

2. Add water to desired consistency.

3. Store refrigerated in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Note: Dressing thickens as it sits and with refrigeration.

Serves Ten
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

Nutrition Analysis per Serving: 80 calories, 6.5 grams fat, 2.5 grams protein, 3.5 grams carbohydrates, 170 milligrams sodium.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

10 Mistakes Dieters Make

“Eat healthy foods and exercise.”

I ran across this article online and thought I would share.

Did you know, for example, that drinking diet soda can make you fat? And so can eating low-carb protein bars and eliminating fruit! Here, for a refreshing change of pace, are the top 10 things you shouldn’t do if you want to lose weight and keep it off long term:

1. Eat too little or infrequently. Keep moods and energy up, hunger satisfied, and metabolism in high gear by eating three meals and two to three snacks a day. Don’t skip breakfast!

2. Eliminate all fruits. Extremely low-carb diets that forbid fruit are punishing and invite cheating. Stay on track with moderate portions of fiber- and nutrient-rich strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, grapefruit, or peaches.

3. Eliminate fats. Several studies at Harvard and elsewhere prove that low-fat diets result in weight gain. To lose weight, you need to increase your consumption of good fats (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats).

4. Get snacks out of your kitchen. Snacking helps with weight loss. Make sure you replace commercial baked goods, candy, chips, crackers, cookies, and pretzels with healthy snacks such as hard-boiled eggs, cheese, celery, nuts, sugar-free gum, homemade “slow-carb” bars and muffins, protein shakes, cucumbers, yogurt, and sugar-free JELL-O.

5. Splurge away from home. Your healthy eating program is a way of life. Try to stick to your new behaviors and habits everywhere you eat–at restaurants, friends’ homes, and while traveling.

6. Consume lots of artificially sweetened foods and beverages. Artificial sweeteners trigger cravings for additional sweets in some people. Others gain “false fat” or bloating caused by the body’s inability to digest sugar substitutes.

7. Count calories. Hormone (insulin) levels, not calories, are what determine your metabolism — the rate at which you burn fat. Eat balanced meals to keep your insulin levels steady and your metabolism working efficiently.

8. Eat lots of commercial low-carb products. Many companies have jumped on the “low-carb” bandwagon with high-calorie, low-nutrition snack foods that will not help you change your eating habits or lose weight.

9. Adopt a rigorous exercise routine. Exercise is important, but daily activity that you enjoy and can sustain over a lifetime is more important than killer workouts that are hard to stick with. The name of the weight-loss game is adopting habits that become second nature.

10. Load up on protein, eliminate carbs. Protein-loading has serious health risks, and few people can stay on radical high protein, low-carb diets long term. Switch to a balanced diet that features healthy amounts of protein balanced with lots of high-quality “slow carbs” — carbohydrates that convert slowly into blood sugar.

Brought to you by Ediets.com

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Brown rice pasta with sauted garlic and veggies



A dear friend of mine brought me a bag of brown rice pasta for me to try. It was $5 at my local grocery store but he found it for $2.50 at a store called Fresh & Easy.

A few friends suggested some things I could add to it for a healthy meal.

I took out my Biggest Loser food scale and measured out 2oz of pasta.

I cooked the pasta for about 10 min. It smells like your cooking rice. I drained well and rinsed the cook pasta because it did have a film on it.

While the pasta was cooking I put the following in a pan and sauted till tender:

1 T Olive Oil
2 T Minced Garlic
1 T Low Salt Soy Sauce
Frozen Broccoli and Cauliflower (as much as you want)
I added about 2 T of water so it wouldn't burn.

Simmer until veggies are tender and mix in with the pasta.

It was a delish meal.

Dairy Free Buttermilk Pancakes


My amazing niece, Martha, gave me this recipe that she loves to make. I had to ask, "Do they taste good?" LOL and she responded with a huge YES... So please give them a try some weekend.

These loveable little hotcakes will put a smile on your child's face, and with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat, honey and walnuts, they'll put a smile on yours as well.

Serves 6 kids
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1½ cups soymilk
* 1 ½ T. apple cider vinegar
* 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cups wheat flour
* 1/4 cups oat flour
* 2 T. ground walnuts (or other nut meal of choice)
* 1 ½ t. baking powder
* ½ t . baking soda
* ¼ t. salt
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1 egg

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl or pitcher, combine the soymilk and the vinegar, mixing well. Set aside for about 10 minutes, or until mixture has thickened.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. In another small bowl, whisk together the honey and egg until combined. Add the egg mixture to the thickened soymilk mixture, mixing well. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until batter is just combined and slightly lumpy.
3. Make the teddybear cakes. Heat a small amount of oil in a heavy bottomed skillet or griddle over medium heat. 1/4 cup at a time, add the batter to the heated skillet, dropping in three circles, one larger one with two smaller ones in the place where teddybear ears would be (try to imagine a clock, and drop the smaller circles at 10 and 2). Flip carefully with a heatproof spatula when bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Serve with honey, powdered sugar, walnuts or fruit.

Courtesy of dairyfreecooking.about.com

Caribbean Turkey Burgers with Tropical Salsa

Here I am once again asking my self, "What's for dinner tonight that "I" can eat as well?"

Well, the answer to that my friends would be a burger. My kids love bbq'ing so I thought of a turkey burger would be nice to try on the bbq instead of that fatty ground beef burgers we use to get.

I love looking through the Shape magazine not just for my works ad in there, which is www.issaonline.edu (sorry had to plug it in there) but for the awesome recipes they have.

I found this one for a great turkey burger.


Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

per serving: 363 calories, 12 g fat, 40 g carbs, 24 g protein, 0 g fiber, 90 mg cholesterol, 490 mg sodium

Ingredients:

Tropical Salsa:

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well drained or chopped mango

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Parsley Flakes

Burgers:
1 pound ground turkey

1/3 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion

1 tablespoon McCormick® Parsley Flakes

2 teaspoons McCormick® Caribbean Jerk Seasoning or 2 teaspoons McCormick® Perfect Pinch® Caribbean Jerk Seasoning

4 hamburger rolls

Lettuce
Directions:

1. For the Tropical Salsa, mix all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

2. Mix ground turkey, pineapple, green onion, parsley and Seasoning in large bowl. Shape into 4 patties.

3. Grill burgers over medium heat or cook in nonstick skillet 4 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Serve on rolls topped with lettuce and Tropical Salsa.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Garlic Lovers Rub


Love my rubs.

Courtesy of eatingwell.com

Ingredients

* 8 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Preparation

1. Combine garlic, oil, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon zest in a small bowl. Using your hands, spread the rub evenly onto 1 1/2 pounds (6 servings) of your chosen protein just before grilling.

Tips & Notes

* Follow the marinating times, cooking times and temperatures below for juicy results.

* EXTRA-FIRM TOFU
* 30 minutes to overnight
* 2-3 minutes per side
* SALMON FILLET
* 30 minutes
* 3-5 minutes per side
* CHICKEN BREAST boneless, skinless
* 2 hours to overnight
* 6-8 minutes per side; 165°F
* 4-8 minutes per side; 150°F
* PORK CHOPS bone-in, 3/4" thick
* 2 hours to overnight
* 3-4 minutes per side; 145°F
* PORK TENDERLOIN
* 2 hours to overnight
* 14-16 minutes, turning occasionally; 145°F
* FLANK STEAK
* 2 hours to overnight
* 6-8 minutes per side; 140°F for medium
* STRIP STEAK bone-in, 3/4"-1" thick
* 2 hours to overnight
* 4-5 minutes per side; 140°F for medium


Nutrition

Per 2 teaspoons: 28 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 302 mg sodium; 16 mg potassium.

Blueberry Bourbon Barbecue Sauce


I'm sitting here going through my emails of recipes and website and ran across something that caught my eye. Rubs and Sauces.. Hmmm... Let's see if it is something I can have? Yep, looks good. Will try it out on a bbq'd porkloin

Courtesy of eatingwell.com


Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
* 1/2 cup bourbon
* 2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries
* 1/2 cup ketchup (sugar free or low salt)
* 1/3 cup cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar (there is a new brown sugar out. I must find it)
* 1 tablespoon molasses
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bourbon, increase heat to high and bring to a boil; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in blueberries, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses and allspice; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Notes

* Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Per tablespoon: 28 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 42 mg sodium; 38 mg potassium.

Pinto Bean Salad with Avocado, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Cilantro



I love my blog reading and I find such wonderful recipes. I found this one at kalynskitchen.blogspot.com and I just have to try it out.


(Makes 4 side-dish servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

1 can pinto beans, rinse and drain very well
4-5 tsp. white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 avocado, diced into pieces 1/2 inch square
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 cup chopped tomatoes (cherry tomatoes cut in half would be great too, but I had medium tomatoes which I cut in eighths)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1-2 T olive oil, or a bit more
fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Pour beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well until no more foam appears. Let beans drain well for at least 15 minutes. Then blot beans dry with paper towel, place in plastic bowl, and toss with white balsamic vinegar. Let beans marinate in the vinegar while you prep other ingredients.

Cut avocado into 1/2 inch pieces and place in small bowl. Toss with lime juice. Chop tomatoes, or if using cherry tomatoes, cut in half.

Chop red onion and cilantro. (I like to chop with a chef's knife, but you could use a mini-chopper or food processor for this.) Mix onions and cilantro into marinating beans. Then use a large spoon to gently fold in avocado and tomato. Drizzle olive oil over salad and season to taste with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt, and gently toss again. Serve immediately, at room temperature.

Variations: I think other varieties of beans would also be tasty in this combination. Tonight I'm making the salad for my dad and stepmother, and I'm using black beans because my dad loves them.

Chipotle Orange Glazed Pork Chops

I am addicted to the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. I love Ellie's recipes and have revamped my blog and this will be the first recipe I cook for the whole family, Healthified!! LOL Is that even a word? :)

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
* 1 teaspoon finely chopped seeded chipotle with 1/2 teaspoon adobo
* 4 (3/4-inch thick) center cut pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each)
* 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, orange juice concentrate and chipotle.

Preheat grill pan. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with salt. Brush 1 side of chops generously with glaze. Place on grill pan glaze side down. Brush other side with glaze. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat


I will serve Maple Squash Puree as the side veggie on this dish.

* 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen cooked butternut squash or winter squash
* 1/3 cup water
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* Salt

Directions

Put the frozen squash and water into a large saucepan. Cook over a high heat until the Cover and cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until squash is thawed, about 10 minutes.

Whisk in the butter and maple syrup and season with salt, to taste.