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Shepherd's Salad

2008-05-13T14:41:00.005-04:00

I love Mediterranean food, this salad is one of my favorites!

Ingredients

1/2 cup cucumber, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cubanelle pepper

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/4 cup fresh mint (I didn't add this)

2 tsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

50 ml feta cheese, crumbled

Salt

Pepper

Place all the vegetables in a medium size salad bowl. Add salt and pepper to liking. Add the feta, lemon juice and olive oil. Don't add any other dressings.

For orginial link click here.

Iced Vanilla Coffee

2008-05-13T14:23:00.004-04:00

(phot by flickr user Kris Cohen)

Ingredients
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
sugar or splenda (optional)
1 1/4 cups milk (low fat or other)

Directions
Add ingredients to blender. Blend until the ingredients are smooth and frothy. Pour over ice or put ice in the blender to make it more like a milk shake.

To make it chocolatey try adding chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, or oreos.

Spiced Chai Mix

2008-05-05T21:15:00.004-04:00

(photo by flickr user waffler)

Ingredients
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
1 cup french vanilla-flavored non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Spice this up even further by adding 1 teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. You may choose to omit the French vanilla creamer, and use 2 teaspoons vanilla extract instead. To do so, mix the vanilla into the sugar, let it dry, then break the sugar into small lumps. Follow the same procedure as above.

Directions
1:In a large bowl, combine milk powder, non-dairy creamer, vanilla flavored creamer, sugar and instant tea. Stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup at a time, until mixture is the consistency of fine powder.

2:To serve: Stir 2 heaping tablespoons tea mixture into a mug of hot water.

3:Store dry mixture in an airtight container.

Click here for orginal recipe link and nutrition facts.

I forgot to buy the powdered milk but I made the mix without it and just added it to regular milk and it still tasted fantastic. I also added the nutmeg and allspice. It is great hot or made as a chai milkshake. You can also lessen the sugar or substitute splenda.

Low Fat Double Chocolate Brownies

2008-05-05T20:38:00.006-04:00

(Picture from flickr user p3nnylan3)

After trying these all I can say is "wow!" They definitely do not taste low fat or 88 calories!

Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I used instant coffee granules b/c I couldn't find this)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Butter-flavored cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch non-stick cake pan with spray. In a medium mixing bowl, using a sturdy whisk or spatula, mix the applesauce, vanilla, egg whites and sugar until they are well combined.Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir the mixture until it is just combined and no lumps remain. Pour it into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chips evenly over the top. Bake the brownies for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay).Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow them to cool 5 minutes. Cut into 12 equal brownies.

Makes 12 (1 brownie) servings.
Each brownie has: 88 calories, 2 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat, less than 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 133 mg sodiumTraditional Double Chocolate Brownies have: 260 calories, 3 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 165 mg sodium

Click here for original recipe link.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2008-04-26T13:31:00.003-04:00

Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets

2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 203(28% from fat); FAT 6.3g (sat 4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 15.6g; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 385mg; SODIUM 897mg; FIBER 2.9g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Recipe from here.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

2008-04-23T14:52:00.003-04:00

Thanks Rachel for this delicious recipe...Our family really enjoyed it:)...

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I substituted applesauce)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached white whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon zest

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
In a bowl, beat together the zucchini, sugar, egg, and oil. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; stir in the cinnamon and lemon zest. Stir the flour mixture into the zucchini mixture just until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from heat, and cool about 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Click here for original recipe.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pecans

2008-04-20T20:02:00.003-04:00

I had this salad at a brunch recently and I liked it so much I made it twice in a week!

8 ounces fresh torn spinach or baby spinach
1 1/2 to 2 cups cleaned and sliced strawberries
1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces, lightly toasted
2 to 3 ounces goat cheese or blue cheese, crumbled
.
Dressing
1/4 cup Canola oil or other salad oil (I used olive oil)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon each onion and garlic powder
dash dry mustard

Toss spinach with sliced strawberries, pecans, and cheese, if using.

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar; shake until well blended. When ready to serve, drizzle dressing over the salad and toss lightly.

Recipe from http://southernfood.about.com/od/spinachsaladrecipes/r/bl60522d.htm

Make-Ahead Ground Beef Recipes

2008-04-20T19:52:00.004-04:00

A Pampered Chef consultant that spoke at one of our MOPS meetings gave a hand out with these recipes on it. They are very yummy and easy and don't require a lot of ingredients.....

3 lbs 90% or 93% lean ground beef (you can also substitute with ground turkey)
3 medium onions
3 cloves of garlic pressed

Chop onions. Place ground beef, onions, and garlic into large skillet. Cook over medium heat for 15-18 minutes or until beef is no longer pink being sure to crumble beef as it cooks. Divide into 3 equal portions.

Use 1 portion for you dinner the night you prepare it and place the other portions in a freezer safe Ziplock bag to be used at a later time. It is freezer safe for 3 months.

2008-04-20T19:48:00.003-04:00

Chili

To 1 portion of Make-Ahead Beef as already prepared, add:

1 can 16oz chili beans in sauce

1 can 14oz petite diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups of water

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 packet of chili seasoning mix

Combine ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Spoon chili onto bowls and top with desired toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, or serve over baked potatoes. Cornbread is a great side for this meal.

2008-04-20T19:46:00.003-04:00

Sloppy Joes

(I haven't tried this one yet)

To 1 portion of Make-Ahead Beef as already prepared, add:

1 cup of ketchup

1 tbsp prepared yellow mustard

Hamburger buns

Combine ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Divide mixture over 6 hamburger buns.

2008-04-20T19:43:00.003-04:00

Italian Beef Hoagies

To 1 portion of Make-Ahead Beef as already prepared, add:

1 green and red pepper, diced

1/4 cup of water

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 packet of onion soup mix

1 tbsp Italian Seasoning

Shredded or sliced provolone cheese

Hoagie or hamburger buns

Combine ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded provolone cheese or lay thin slices of provolone over beef mixture. Cover with lid and simmer 1-2 minutes or until cheese melts. Spoon over 6 warm hoagie rolls.

2008-04-20T19:36:00.006-04:00

Easy Beef Stronganoff

To 1 portion of Make-Ahead Beef as already prepared, add:

80z sliced mushrooms

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup water

1 tsp ground paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

80z sour cream

Combine all ingredients in skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir 8 oz sour cream into beef mixture. Cook 1lb egg noodles; drain. Toss with 1/4 cup snipped parsley and 2 tbsp melted butter. Spoon stroganoff over noodles and sprinkle with additional paprika if desired.

New Favorite Banana Bread, "Flour's Famous Banana Bread"

2008-03-01T10:15:00.006-05:00

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (I substituted for wheat flour and my husband still loved it)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil (tastes just as good with applesauce)

3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed

2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (if desired)

Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Recipe and Picture found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_89136,00.html

Homemade Pizza Dough

2008-03-01T09:50:00.003-05:00

This Recipe is from my sis-in-law Bruna, it is very delicious and has been a hit every time I have made it. This is also the first thing I've used yeast in. I use to stay away from recipes that called for yeast because of my unfamiliarity with it. Bruna showed me that's it's pretty simple to use and makes for very tasty pizza dough. Here is her family recipe:

The pizza dough recipe is:

1 package of yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon of sugar

Mix them together and set it aside until yeast foams up. Then mix in

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt
2 cups of all purpose flour

Mix well with a spoon and then slowly add flour and knead until dough is no longer sticky (don't do more than 1 cup; usually it only takes 1/2 cup of flour). Put olive oil in the bottom of a bowl, set dough inside and cover with cling wrap and let it rise for about an hour. You can make the dough at night and let it rise in the fridge over night. About an hour before you are to bake the pizza, take it out of fridge and let it sit.

Put desired ingredients on pizza and bake at 450F degrees for 20-25 minutes. Check the middle to make sure it is not "doughy." Makes one thick pizza or two thin crust pizzas. You can also make calzones with it.

Recipe for Honey Wheat Pizza Dough-from http://www.spinachandhoney.com/ (courtesy of Ina Garten)

1/4 cups warm (100 to 110 degrees F) water
2 packages dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil in the mixer or food processor fitted with a dough hook or blade (I mixed mine with a wooden spoon and kneaded by hand because I don't have the proper equipment, it still turned out great). Add 3 cups flour and then the salt, and mix. While mixing, add 1 more cup flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes until smooth, sprinkling it with flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking to the bowl.When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead by hand a dozen times (I left mine in the bowl and kneaded it in there adding extra flour when needed). It should be smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and turn it several times to cover it lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel (I use cling wrap). Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.

Use same cooking directions as above. This recipe makes alot more dough than the first recipe listed. If you don't like super thick pizzas I reccommend making 2 out of it or making a super extra large one out of this. My husband is not a huge fan of wheaty tasting stuff, he prefers the dough made from the first recipe. I really love this one as well, it has a wonderful, fresh taste.

Yummy Baked Apples

2008-03-01T07:52:00.008-05:00

My son Isaiah loves apples. My daughter Autumn will eat them sometimes. I tried this recipe from http://www.spinachandhoney.com/ they loved them and so did I. They made them as a healthy dessert, but I made them as a snack. Here is the recipe from the site I made my own comments in parenthesis.

4 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples (I used golden delicious)

2 tablespoons lemon juice, or 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon of honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 275 degrees (I did 350 degrees b/c I'm impatient but they turned out fine and cooked faster). Cut apples into slivers and put in a mixing bowl. Squeeze in the juice from half of a lemon. Pour in honey and almost all the cinnamon, save a little for the top. Mix everything together well. Put the apple mixture into a pie dish. Cut the butter into small cubes and scatter on top. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon over the butter and apples. Cover and put in the oven for 50 minutes or until apples are soft. Serve warm or at room temperature. These are sweet enough alone, but a small bit of warm maple syrup for dipping is good too!

Low Fat Brownies

2008-03-01T07:16:00.005-05:00

Greg and I have been trying to watch what we eat and maintain our weight. Our upcoming job requires us to. I love chocolate, especially brownies. Sometimes when I make a whole pan of brownies it's very hard to eat just one. Yesterday I bought some No Pudge Original Fudge Brownie Mix. All you add is vanilla yogurt. It is more pricey than other brownie mixes running around $3.50-$4.50 depending on where you buy it. It does have 12 servings and great instructions on how to do a single serve brownie in the microwave. I was hesitant to bake a brownie in the microwave but surprisingly it was very yummy and provided a good size portion without the extra temptation that a whole pan of brownies presents. The directions on the box were to mix 2 Tablespoons of brownie mix with 1 Tablespoon of vanilla yogurt and to microwave for 1 minute (I did 50 seconds b/c I like my brownie a tad bit gooey). One of these servings is only 120 calories and 0 grams of fat. It was very tasty. I'm wondering if there is a homemade mix that I could make and use the same way. I'll have to do some researching and welcome any suggestions.

Low Carb Pumpkin Cheese Cake

2008-02-23T15:57:00.007-05:00

INGREDIENTS

Crust

1 ½ cups almond meal (ground almonds)

½ teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon

4 Tablespoons melted butter

4 Tablespoons sugar substitute (I use Splenda for baking)

Filling

3 8 oz packages cream cheese at room temperature

2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

¾ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sugar substitute, or to taste (I use Splenda for baking)

1 can (about 15 oz) pumpkin

1 Tablespoon vanilla

5 eggs, preferably room temperature

½ cup heavy cream

Preparation 1) Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.

2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters. This step will be repeated several times and is important. The mixture will gradually become lighter, and the denser stuff has a tendency to cling to the bowl. You won't be able to incorporate it as well later, so keep scraping.

3) Add spices and sweetener. Beat again, scrape again.

4) Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat well, scrape.

5) Add 3 eggs. Beat well (about a minute), scrape.

6) Add the other 2 eggs and cream and beat another minute. Pour mixture into pan over crust.

7) Place pan in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides, about halfway up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. and bake for for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 150 to 155 F, remove from oven. (I baked mine at 350 F for 1 hour and it turned out great)

8) Remove sides from pan. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, or up to 3 hours. Cover and chill, ideally for another 3 to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information for full fat cream cheese, at 16 servings: Each serving has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber, 5 grams protein, and 285 calories.

Recipe from:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbthanksgiving/r/pumpkncheescake.htm

Picture from: Diana Rattray posted at:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/dessertrecipe1/ig/Fabulous-Desserts/Pumpkin-Swirl-Cheesecake.htm

Cocoa Fudge Cookies

2008-02-23T15:44:00.007-05:00

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I've also used low-fat vanilla)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars (mixture will resemble coarse sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Yield
2 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 78(31% from fat); FAT 2.7g (sat 1.6g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 1g; CHOLESTEROL 7mg; CALCIUM 12mg; SODIUM 54mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.4g

Alice Medrich , Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Photo by, Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Italian Wedding Soup

2008-02-15T13:44:00.009-05:00

Soups are one of my favorite things to eat for dinner. When I'm in the mood for something light I like to make this soup. I took this recipe and tweaked it to my liking:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28928,00.html

Here is my tweaked version:

Meatballs:

1 small onion, grated
2 tablespoons any dried parsley or 1/3 cup fresh chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh bread torn into small pieces or use a food processor
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1lb ground lean ground beef
black pepper

Soup:

1 cup dried Acini di pepe pasta (tiny bead-shaped pasta, can be found at Lowes Foods or SuperTarget)
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound frozen chopped spinach
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper

To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.

To make the soup: Boil pasta according to package directions. Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and spinach and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin strands of egg, about 1 minute. Add cooked pasta and boil for and additional minute.

Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

Brazilian Cheese Bread

2008-02-15T12:41:00.000-05:00

My sis-in-law, Bruna, is Brazilian and introduced me to these yummy rolls. They are soooo good! I love the flavor and texture.

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil (I usually use olive oil)

1 teaspoon salt

1 pack of tapioca flour/starch (450g) (the only place I have found this is at Lowes Foods in the organic flour section it runs about $2.50 per pack, other natural food stores may have it)

2-3 eggs

200g of shredded or grated parmesan cheese

Bring to water in a large pot water, milk, oil, and salt.

Remove from heat and add the tapioca flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let cool.

Put the mixture in a bowl, add eggs, and knead well.

Add cheese and keep kneading until the mixture is smooth.

Roll by tablespoon into small balls. Tip: Grease your hands with oil before making the balls. Wash your hands once in a while if necessary.

Place the balls on a baking tray greased with oil or lined with baking paper.

Bake the cheese rolls in hot oven (350 degrees) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Put the cheese rolls in a basket and serve them warm.

These rolls are seriously addictive. The recipe makes about 70 small cheese rolls. They may appear to be gooey in the middle. They don't taste gooey. Since they are made with tapioca flour the texture is different.

recipe from www.sonia-portuguese.com/recipes/pqueijo.htm

Sloppy Joe Pasta Bake

2008-02-15T12:25:00.003-05:00

1 box of rotini noodles (I use the Barilla plus brand in the yellow box, its made out of bean flour and have lower carbs)

1lb ground beef or turkey

2-3 cans Del Monte sloppy joe sauce (store brand tastes funny to me) use 3 cans if you like pasta more saucey

2 or more cups of shredded chedder cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Brown meat. Add sauce. Combine pasta and meat sauce in a baking dish. Top with desired amount of shredded cheese. Bake at 375F until cheese is melted about 15-20min. Can't get any easier than that! My kids love this!