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Follow that Recipe (or don’t)

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squash soupOur good friends, Maggie and Mike, spent the weekend with us recently. We had a great time, catching up on our lives and travels and enjoying conversation over good meals.

As I cooked, Maggie was quite intent on taking notes on the whole process. I caught myself on occasion saying, “This part is not rocket science. Just add SOME of this (or that).” As I reflected on that later, it occurred to me that cooking may not be rocket science, but for those who do not cook often or want to learn some new techniques, directions help.

Now, Maggie is a concert violinist. I am a musician, but violinists are a highly respected breed in my book, and Maggie has never said to me, “You could play the violin. After all, it’s not rocket science!” Thanks, Maggie. So…for all those people who have wanted to slap me for saying “this is not rocket science,” I now get it. On that note, for those who do not feel totally confident in the kitchen, follow the recipe. Follow lots of recipes. Get the feel for what spices go with what dishes. Pull out those cookbooks that look so impressive on the shelf. Try something new. You don’t have to be a gourmet chef, but eating healthy involves eating REAL food. Go for it. You can do it!

Spring is on the way, and I got an inspiration from Maggie and Mike. They moved to the country about 4 years ago and have an astounding garden. Mike said they still have an abundance of well-stored butternut squash and should turn it into something before the next crop arrives. Soup time! I promised them a recipe for squash soup, but as long as I’m at it, you might have some squash that needs to be used up, too. Soup is one of those wonderful creations that goes together rather quickly, simmers slowly and makes the house smell wonderful. You can make a little, just for a meal, but hey, as long as you are cutting up vegetables, you might as well make lots of soup and freeze some. This one’s for you, Maggie. Make that soup!

Roasted Squash Soup

Roasting vegetables brings out all their natural sugars and leads to intense flavors. By simmering all the ingredients together, you’ll get the best-tasting soup! This recipe makes LOTS of soup, but hey, if you’re going to the effort to make soup, make a big batch. Serve a crowd or freeze some in 2-serving sized containers to bring out as needed.

Equipment you will need
An oven
A large roaster pan with a lid (or aluminum foil to cover pan)
a good chef’s knife; 8-10 inch blade
a cutting board
a peeler
an immersion blender (stick blender) or a blender, or a food processor
a large soup pot (8 quarts or more)

4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small chunks (about 3 medium squash)
6 stalks celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 large onions, cut into chunks
3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 Tablespoons margarine or butter, divided
3-4 quarts chicken or vegetable broth, (low sodium if available) more if needed (I use Swanson’s broth, plus some Watkins Creamy Soup Base)
Salt and white pepper to taste

As you cut up the squash, celery, carrots and onions, toss them into the roaster pan. Peel and seed the squash. Cut into chunks (about 2-3 inches). Cut celery, carrots and onion. Into the roaster they go. Mix them all up.
Peel and chop the ginger. Sprinkle over the veggies. Drizzle olive oil over the top and mix everything up (use a spatula or your hands).
Pour about 1 quart broth over veggies. Dot with 3 Tablespoons butter. Place in oven at 325º for about 2 hours, until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown slightly. If not to that point, let them roast longer but watch them every 30 minutes or so. You do not want burned vegetables.

When vegetables are done, remove from oven. Scoop entire contents of roaster pan into a large soup pot. Add 2 additional cups of broth and blend with immersion blender until smooth. NOTE: If you are using a regular blender or food processor, do not overload the blending container. These veggies are hot. Splattered hot veggies on your hands can burn you!

When blended, add more broth until the soup is the consistency you desire. Some people like really thick soup, others like it thinner. It will thicken as it cooks in the pot, too. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you are using regular broth, go easy on the salt. Stir in remaining butter and simmer soup for about 30 minutes. All done, get a bowl and enjoy !

Cookin’ Those Veggies!

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grill pan veggies long viewYup, folks. I really do use that grill pan! Last night I was cooking for one, and YES, I really did eat  all those vegetables.

But, no, I did not eat all that chicken. When you go to the effort to cook chicken pieces, cook some extra so you have some on hand for sandwiches, casseroles, stir-fry, etc. Last night’s chicken was a package of skinless, boneless chicken thighs. The seasonings of choice were smoked paprika and Tuscan Seasoning from Victoria Gourmet (available online at www.vgourmet.com), but you could always brush on some BBQ sauce (wait until the chicken is almost done as BBQ sauce will turn your grill pan to a burnt sticky mess in a short period of time.)

The veggies cooking are those great little sweet peppers found in bags at most grocery stores, chunks of zucchini squash and whole mushrooms, brushed with a balsamic vinegar glaze. The glaze was created by microwaving some balsamic vinegar in a little glass custard cup until reduced by aboutGrilled chicken and Vegetables 1/2. When reduced, add a pinch of salt, a crank of pepper and about 1/2 teaspoon of honey. Brush on the veggies when they are almost done cooking. The whole meal goes together in less than 30 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prep your veggies and toss together a salad. Even if it’s just for you, or two, make your plate look pretty and fancy up that salad! Enjoy every bite!

 

 

 

Feeding My Sweetie

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Shrimp carbonaraValentine’s Day…one of those days when we like to go a little above and beyond for those we love. BUT, why wait for February 14 to cook up something elegant and scrumptious. Fill your kitchen with love. Take a recipe that could be loaded with saturated fats and turn it into a beautifully healthy plate of goodness.

Many pasta dishes with white sauces are full of butter and cream, but with a little creativity you can create a dish that is every bit as tasty while cutting fat and calories. This dish boasts a ton of flavor from vegetables and shrimp and is sure to wow your dinner companions. For the sake of Valentine’s day I found a whole grain pasta (shaped like little hearts. Aw!) that was heavier in protein and fiber than the usual “cute” pastas. The white sauce is made from cooking down white wine and then adding 1/2 cup skim milk mixed with 2 Tablespoons flour. Add good spices to the mix and you’ll never miss the heavy cream and butter. Enjoy!

P.S. You can make this recipe your own. Add more vegetables, include zucchini or leeks. Try crab meat or chicken. Go WILD!

Shrimp Fettuccine Carbonara
Serves 2

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces uncooked fettuccine, or desired pasta, preferably whole grain
boiling, salted water for pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, thinly sliced
½ green pepper, thinly sliced
½ roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves of garlic, minced and divided
1 cup white wine
½ cup skim milk
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper or 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Get all ingredients ready before you start. This dish can be prepared in 30-45 minutes.

Thaw shrimp (if frozen), rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
Bring salted water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. ONLY COOK the number of servings you need. When done, drain and place back in pan with a small amount of olive oil to keep pasta from sticking together.
Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté onions, green pepper and mushrooms with some kosher salt and ground pepper until soft. Add roasted red pepper and half the minced garlic. Continue to cook another 30 seconds, or until garlic is fragrant. Do not burn the garlic. Remove vegetables from pan and place them in a bowl.
Return sauté pan to heat. Add one teaspoon olive oil and remaining garlic. Sauté garlic in oil for about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp is pink throughout and beginning to brown. Remove shrimp to a bowl.
Return pan to heat. Add white wine. Heat to bubbling and until wine is reduced by about half. Mix flour and milk together. Add to wine reduction while stirring. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Add dill, nutmeg, cayenne and white pepper. Using a micro plane or a cheese grater, zest some of the lemon rind into the sauce. Thinly slice some of the lemon and add about 4 slices into the sauce. Squeeze a few drops of juice from the remaining lemon into the sauce. Stir. Add all the vegetables (plus any juice from the bowl) plus the shrimp to the sauce. Toss to coat and allow to heat for about two minutes.
Divide the pasta evenly onto dinner plates. Equally divide the shrimp mixture on top of the pasta. If desired, grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top. Serve.

Sweet Treats

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sugarValentine’s Day is coming up, so…Hey, Sweetie! Let’s talk sugar.

Remember those little heart-shaped candies with the delightful words stamped on them that we used to give our friends on V-Day? And oh, how we (the girls) hoped that special fella would present us with a heart-shaped box of chocolates! Today, we bake chocolate desserts for our families, make heart cookies for the grandchildren and follow-up that special dinner with a decadent dessert.

Hey, if it’s one of those rare treats, enjoy. Savor every bite. Tomorrow’s a new day. But if you are like me, that one fabulous treat, tomorrow may find you hunting for more sweets for days to come. The biggest fact is that we, as humans are drawn to sweet stuff.

Now, now, don’t get defensive or self-righteous. We can have a rational discussion, and just about everyone is on a different page when it comes to sugar. In fact, some people are in their own book! (It won’t hurt to read some of those books, either. A real eye-opener is “The Blood Sugar Solution” by Mark Hyman, M.D.)

There is sugar, corn sweetener, high fructose corn syrup (did you know it has 8% less fructose than cane sugar?), glucose, beet sugar, dehydrated cane syrup (isn’t that sugar?) and so many more it would make your head spin. In fact, google “names for sugar.” Holy Cow! One site listed 56 names for sugar, many that we don’t even think of as sugar.

So how do we cut out sugar. Baby steps. First, if  you eat processed foods, packaged cereals, etc., start reading the ingredients list. Get savvy. Look up the ingredients you can’t pronounce. Some are good, some are not. Start substituting unsweetened applesauce for the sugar-loaded varieties. Eat more fresh fruit to satisfy those cravings for sweets. After all, fruit is sweet! Look at your favorite recipes. Try cutting the sugar in half. Try replacing sugar with honey (although too much honey is too much of a good thing, too). Put fruit on top of that waffle.

Speaking of waffles…I took a serious look at one of my favorite recipes and have revamped it. Hope you enjoy this one, and Happy Valentine’s Day.

The Ultimate Waffle

Waffle Mix

3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oat bran
3 Tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix above ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl and transfer to an airtight container for storage.

To make one waffle:
Preheat a 7” waffle iron
Mix together in a small bowl (use that little wire egg whip you got for Christmas in your stocking)
1/3 cup waffle mix
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
up to 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon canola or olive oil
Some cinnamon (optional)

Spray preheated waffle iron with no-stick spray

Pour waffle batter onto waffle iron, using a rubber spatula to get all the mix.
Cook about 3 minutes, or until steam stops rising from iron and the waffle feels “crispy” when you lift the lid and tap it with a fork.

Remove cooked waffle from iron and place on a dinner plate. Top waffle with 1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free cottage.

Top with your choice of fruit (fresh or frozen, unsweetened)

Now, the fancy stuff! Squirt some Fat Free whipped topping on the top. Take a picture! You’ve got yourself one super healthy, filling breakfast. At 10:30 a. m. when the others in your office are munching on doughnuts and leftovers of Mary’s birthday cake, you can just smile and say “No thanks. I’m still full from breakfast!”

Enjoy!

The Healthy Holiday Buffet

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Elegant and Easy

Elegant and Easy

My house is still decorated for the Holidays. In my mind, Christmas starts somewhere around December 24 and carries on until about the 2nd week in January. I love Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at our house, when all the lights are newly lit and quiet Christmas music plays. A tradition started a few years ago includes inviting some close friends and family to our home on Christmas night, where we enjoy each others’ company, enjoy a glass of wine and a simple buffet while visiting.

Even though we are generally healthy eaters, I have to be honest in saying that by the time Christmas night rolls around, several interesting high fat, sugary items have fallen into my mouth, and I DID enjoy every bite, thank you very much. BUT, the Holiday Buffet can be an excellent time to be elegant while starting to get it all back under control.

One good point is that most of these foods can be prepared ahead of time, so you can kick off your shoes in the afternoon and relax for a few hours.

Our buffet this year was so simple and included: assorted raw vegetables with a dill dip (lightened up by using fat-free Greek  yogurt and light mayonnaise), a delightful cranberry salsa (recipe below), a hummus platter (idea stolen from “Zeppelin’s Bar and Grill in Cedar Rapids), low-sodium pita chips, jalapenos, stuffed with low-fat turkey sausage, low-fat cream cheese and Parmesan then baked, meatballs made with half ground turkey breast and half 90% lean ground beef, accompanied by sugar-free marinara sauce and BBQ sauce, and last, but not least, some holiday cookies and those yummy little chocolate kisses, both strategically placed at the far end of the table in the corner. We also had some fresh fruit, but it never made it to the table. Guests wandered through the kitchen and nibbled before photo time.

Make sure your beverages include good water, diet sodas, fruit juice or some lower-calorie punch. Now, put out some small plates, point everyone in the right direction, take your own plate, relax and move away from the table. Your eating is now happily back under control. Happy Holidays!

Cranberry Salsa This recipe was adapted from one given to me by my niece, Tina. It is served on a dinner-sized plate and actually makes enough to make two plates (have one tucked in the fridge for refills). Both the bottom layer and top layer can be made ahead. Assemble before guests arrive.

Bottom layer:

12 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened                                                                                                                                                              1/3 cup diced green onions

Mix softened cream cheese and diced green onions together.

Top Layer:

One 12-ounce package FRESH whole cranberries                                                                                                                                         1/3 cup sugar (you can use Splenda, Truvia, or any other sugar substitute. It makes a lot, so getting a little sugar may not be  such a bad thing. Your choice.)                                                                                                                                                                               1 large jalapeno, seeded                                                                                                                                                                           2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice                                                                                                                                                                               1/2 teaspoon ground ginger                                                                                                                                                                                      1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Place cranberries, sugar, jalapeno, lime juice and ginger in food processor. Pulse until cranberries are finely chopped. Do not over process. Remove from food processor and stir in chopped cilantro.

Spread 1/2 the cream cheese/onion mixture on a pretty dinner-sized plate. Top with 1/2 the cranberry mixture. OR use a 9 x 13 pan and use all of the recipe. You can make both the bottom and top layers several hours ahead. Just do not assemble until ready to serve. Serve with pita chips.

NOTE: Be a label reader. Many pita chips are made with whole grain, low in fat and sodium. Read the nutritional labeling to find the healthiest ones. Know how many chips equal one serving.