11 Feb 2010

My Favorite Things Salad

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Man, it was definitely a good eats at home time while snowed in! Love those little treasures God brings to us!
I’ve seen many recipes for eggs and asparagus – with the whole fried egg on top of steamed asparagus with the runny yolk. While this is great, it has more calories than I want to spend on it, so here is my version!

serves 1

Green leaf lettuce, chopped
1/2 bunch of asparagus, roasted (trimmed, zest of lemon, drizzle of evoo, s/p, 450 for about 20 minutes)
caramelized red onions
2 t ground flax seed
1 egg white cooked in microwave (in bowl, grease with pam, one egg white, cook for 45 seconds)
1 T crumbled feta
balsamic vinegar.

SO GOOD! I think roasted asparagus has to be some of the world’s BEST GOOD EATS!
25 Jan 2010

Red Wine Beef Stew

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I made some yummy and healthy beef stew this weekend. Its good when you are sick, having company over, need something to last you all week, and to use up some yummy Sweet Red wine that is in the fridge. I picked up some good stuff at Trader Joes last weekend and this was a good use for it.

1.5 lbs lean beef chopped for stew
evoo
8 cups broth and wine combined (I used 7 cups chicken stock and 1 cup red wine)
1 onion, chopped
3 lbs red potatoes, chopped left skin on
2 carrots, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped, plus leaves
2 T dried italian herbs
2 T worcestershire sauce
s/p to taste
Sear meat on both sides. Simmer in 4 cups of stock for 1 hour. Add all veggies, herbs, and rest of stock and wine. Let simmer for another 1 hr to 90 minutes. Eat with some bread.
We had 5 grain bread from Plehns (nearby bakery), a strawberry, walnut, feta, salad, and oreo cheesecake (bday celebration) for dessert. Then I went out and walked 2.5 miles!
25 Jan 2010

Curried Vegetables

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I found a similar recipe in food blog land, and tweaked it to fit my kitchen today! This will be a very healthy bowl of yummy goodness all week for lunch or dinner.

1 large baking potato – chopped (I left skin on)
2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 carrot, diced into pennies
1 zucchini – cut into half moons
1 squash – cut into half moons
1 onion, chopped
1 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup blush wine
2 T curry powder
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp evoo

Add all to a big skillet and let go for about an hour, stirring every so often, on a high simmer – till all veggies are done.
Serve as is – or over spaghetti squash, couscous, anything you want.

25 Jan 2010

Sauteed Beet Greens

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I love it when you get two side dishes out of one ingredient! And I love the colors that God brings us in his own creation!
These were delicious. A tad bit bitter, but so good and healthy!

1 bunch of beet greens, chopped – stems and all
1/2 onion, slices
1/2 cup blush wine
2 tsp evoo
1 garlic clove

Heat evoo and onions. Add in garlic (finely chopped or use a zester). Add in wine and let simmer. Add in beet greens and cook on medium for about 7-10 minutes.
Enjoy!

19 Jan 2010

Pinto Bean Soup

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I got inspired for more soup – and a cooked bag of pinto beans that I needed to use.
So, I threw this together last night when I got home from Chicago and look forward to eating it this week – and I froze a tub of it too.

5 cups cooked pinto beans (or however many you like)
2 cups chicken broth (a cool whip container of homemade broth)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can of stewed tomatoes
cumin
red pepper flakes
pepper
sea salt
1 cup medium picante sauce

Mix all and heat through till boiling. I took a potato masher to it to make it a little thicker. Pretty good. You can add some hot sauce or some sausage would be a good way to change this soup up. Cheap, healthy, good.

14 Jan 2010

Chickpea Burgers

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These really should have a different name. I considered Hummus Pancakes or something fun like that, but ok – I’ll leave it at that.
Always skeptical, but I shouldn’t be. I love chickpeas. What I really love about these is their nutrition benefit and healthiness, the green onions, and their simplicity.
I got inspired by the recipe on Heather’s blog – thanks for the recipe!

Makes 8 patties – 8 servings

2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
4 scallions, chopped
1 egg
3/4 cup water
2 T flour
scant 3/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
spray olive oil (instead of regular – saves fat and calories)

I start with dry beans. Last week I took the time to cook (and mostly peel) a bag of dry garbanzo beans. Takes over night soak (no hands on time) and about 80 minutes to cook them. I really like that I can choose how done I want them. With cans, you worry about doneness and sodium.
Put all ingredients into a food processor. Let it go till combined. Spray flat griddle with olive and using a ice cream scoop – scoop these out and shape into “burgers”.
Flip them after a few minutes – you’ll know when they are ready – and then keep checking doneness.
These are really good and I’m going to have my first one (not just sampling) tonight for dinner.
235 calores, 4 fat, 11 protein – so filling!
14 Jan 2010

Day 3 of Green (Blue) Smoothies

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This morning my smoothie ended up being blue – blueberries are potent! Mine was thick and sweet. The blender seemed extra loud to me this morning, so I didn’t mix it as much. Still so good – and I cranked it all into a calculator – 145c, .5 f, 6 fiber! I also had a pb thin which was good and so I’ll be full for a good bit!

1/4 red delicious apple
1/2 banana
1/2 naval orange (I used the juice of it last night for some scones, recipe coming later)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cup spinach
2 small stalks kale
1 1/4 cup water

Mix all. Enjoy.

Since I forgot the ground flax seed – I sprinkled some on my pb thin this morning – added a little texture!
Happy Breakfasting no matter what color your smoothies!

13 Jan 2010

Day 2 of Green Smoothies

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I am trying Green smoothies for 5 days in a row this week. So far, yesterday, I was fuller all day (which basically means I needed less to fill me up once I got hungry again – if that makes any sense at all).
Here was my smoothie this morning
1/4 red delicious apple
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 small banana
2 small branches kale
1 1/2 cups spinach
2 tsp ground flax
1 1/2 cups water

Not as sweet as yesterdays, but good – and healthy for me.

1 Jan 2010

2010 New Year's Meal: Greens and Cornbread

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Happy New Year. This is my food post for the new year, the food blog goals for this year will be coming later today. But…had to post my lunch (sans pictures because I am away from my own kitchen).
I am definitely Southern. Most people would argue whether Florida is a southern state. I guess it all depends on your perspective and how you were raised. I was raised by a Dad who was born in AL and a Mom who is from (her family) S. GA. I was born and raised in the middle of the state in Polk County. I moved from there to St. Augustine for about 5 years, then moved to North Carolina. I do not consider my current place of residence (louisville, KY) a southern city. But, today, for my new years lunch – I cooked Southern.

Greens and Cornbread

2 bunches fresh mustard greens
6 slices ham or bacon
1 onion
evoo

Saute onion and pork product in olive oil. Tear greens away from inner light colored stem. Rinse very well. Cook in a big pot, cover greens with water, boil for about 25 minutes. Put the onions and bacon in there too. You can even drink the liquid.

Southern Cornbread (not sweet)

1 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
3 1/2 T unsalted butter, melted
1 T unsalted butter
8 in cast iron skillet (better to use 9, but I didn’t have it, so not all of batter would fit)

Mix dry. Combine wet, stir together. Take 1 T butter, heat skillet over medium heat – until butter is melted. Make sure all of bottom is covered.
Bake in 375 degree oven for about 28-30 minutes (if 8 inch).
Serves 8.

Take a bowl. Place cornbread in bottom. Take big scoop of greens and place on top. Eat. Yum!
Happy New Year!