Kale is an interesting vegetable. One that I should probably be eating more of since it is high in a lot of vitamins and has naturally occurring calcium and iron, which is hard to get when you limit your animal product intake. Anyway, who would have guessed that the dense, earthy green would transform so perfectly into a light, airy, crispy, and above all else addicting chip?! I made these for the first time and they were gone in a matter of minutes. They smelled awful, so bad that I was hesitant to try them, but they tasted like roasted broccoli and had a nice texture.
Recipe:
3-4 large leaves of kale, stems removed and cut into pieces
olive oil
salt
Place the kale pieces on a baking sheet lined with foil and spray them lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or until they are browned and crispy.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Lower-Fat Macaroni and Cheese
I love macaroni and cheese. It is second only to mashed potatoes for my favorite food. Although I love the full fat, creamy, rich, gooey kind of macaroni and cheese I am in a bathing suit every day and don't always want to splurge like that. Also, I hate milk. I think it tastes so foul, which means I never have it in the house. I came up with this version that does not have milk and is a little healthier than the regular one.
Recipe:
1.5 cups cooked pasta (macaroni, shells, bow ties, or other small shape)
1.5 T butter
2.5 T flour
1 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
garlic powder
smoky paprika
black pepper
1 small handful of pretzels, crushed up
A little more cheese, just a little
In a small sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes until it is a blond color. Add the stock a little at a time and whisk constantly while you pour. Bring this mixture to a slow boil. Add the cheese and stir to melt it all. Season with garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Let it simmer/low boil for a few minutes. The sauce will thicken a little bit as it cools. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and pour into a small baking dish. Top with pretzel crumbs and a little bit of cheese. Place this under the broiler until the top is slightly browned and a little crunchy.
Recipe:
1.5 cups cooked pasta (macaroni, shells, bow ties, or other small shape)
1.5 T butter
2.5 T flour
1 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
garlic powder
smoky paprika
black pepper
1 small handful of pretzels, crushed up
A little more cheese, just a little
In a small sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes until it is a blond color. Add the stock a little at a time and whisk constantly while you pour. Bring this mixture to a slow boil. Add the cheese and stir to melt it all. Season with garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Let it simmer/low boil for a few minutes. The sauce will thicken a little bit as it cools. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and pour into a small baking dish. Top with pretzel crumbs and a little bit of cheese. Place this under the broiler until the top is slightly browned and a little crunchy.
Vegetable Barley Soup
Even though it is summer right now I still enjoy a nice big bowl of soup. There is just something so comforting about it and it is a lot healthier than some of my other go to comfort foods like macaroni and cheese.
Recipe:
1 T olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
1/2 a tomato, diced
1/3 cup chick peas
3-4 cups veggie stock
1/3 cup dry barley
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
salt
pepper
In a stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook until veggies soften. Add cabbage and continue to cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomato and chick peas and cook for 1 minute so that the tomato releases its juices. Add veggie stock and bring to a simmer. Add the barley and the red pepper and simmer for 30 minutes or until the barley is fully cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
This is a really flexible recipe. I have thrown salsa into it before instead of the tomato. I have also put fresh corn in it when I add the chick peas. I have added diced bell peppers in with the onions, carrots, and celery. Basically this will help you use up whatever you have on hand. Add more stock if the barley soaks up too much of it.
Recipe:
1 T olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cabbage, shredded
1/2 a tomato, diced
1/3 cup chick peas
3-4 cups veggie stock
1/3 cup dry barley
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
salt
pepper
In a stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic. Cook until veggies soften. Add cabbage and continue to cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomato and chick peas and cook for 1 minute so that the tomato releases its juices. Add veggie stock and bring to a simmer. Add the barley and the red pepper and simmer for 30 minutes or until the barley is fully cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
This is a really flexible recipe. I have thrown salsa into it before instead of the tomato. I have also put fresh corn in it when I add the chick peas. I have added diced bell peppers in with the onions, carrots, and celery. Basically this will help you use up whatever you have on hand. Add more stock if the barley soaks up too much of it.
Waffled Falafel
Now that's just fun to say! And fun to eat, as it turns out. The waffle iron again proves to be one of the best tools in the kitchen to create crispy outsides and fluffy, moist insides.
Recipe:
Falafel mix, prepared as packaged
Pickles, chopped
Hummus
Tomatoes, chopped
Onion, diced
Lettuce
Cilantro
Cucumber yogurt sauce
Pita
Mix up the boxed falafel mix as directed and place in a very hot waffle iron that has been well greased. Cook 3-4 minutes or until it is brown and crispy on the outside.
You can eat it just like this or you can place it on top of a salad dressed with honey mustard vinaigrette. Or put it in a pita with hummus, pickles, tomato, onion, cilantro, lettuce, and cucumber yogurt sauce.
Recipe:
Falafel mix, prepared as packaged
Pickles, chopped
Hummus
Tomatoes, chopped
Onion, diced
Lettuce
Cilantro
Cucumber yogurt sauce
Pita
Mix up the boxed falafel mix as directed and place in a very hot waffle iron that has been well greased. Cook 3-4 minutes or until it is brown and crispy on the outside.
You can eat it just like this or you can place it on top of a salad dressed with honey mustard vinaigrette. Or put it in a pita with hummus, pickles, tomato, onion, cilantro, lettuce, and cucumber yogurt sauce.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
I love dips and sauces. I think everything needs a sauce. This one is good on so many different things. I love it on falafel, or with pitas, or on tortilla chips, or as a dip for veggies. It is really versitile.
Recipe:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup minced cucumber
1 garlic clove, smashed, minced, and made into a paste*
juice of one thick slice of lemon (like half and inch thick)
1 tsp dill
salt
pepper
Stir everything together in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper. This gets better if you put it in the fridge for a bit first so the flavors can come together.
*Garlic paste: since raw garlic is very harsh you don't want to get chunks of it in the dip. In order to avoid this mince the garlic clove as finely as possible. Then sprinkle quite a bit of salt on the cutting board and put the garlic on top of it. Take a nice big knife and use the whole blade to scrape the garlic against the salted board. Do this until the garlic is sticky and made into a paste and you can't see individual pieces.
Recipe:
1 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup minced cucumber
1 garlic clove, smashed, minced, and made into a paste*
juice of one thick slice of lemon (like half and inch thick)
1 tsp dill
salt
pepper
Stir everything together in a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper. This gets better if you put it in the fridge for a bit first so the flavors can come together.
*Garlic paste: since raw garlic is very harsh you don't want to get chunks of it in the dip. In order to avoid this mince the garlic clove as finely as possible. Then sprinkle quite a bit of salt on the cutting board and put the garlic on top of it. Take a nice big knife and use the whole blade to scrape the garlic against the salted board. Do this until the garlic is sticky and made into a paste and you can't see individual pieces.
Curried Carrot Soup
My roommate and I cleaned out our freezer the other day (long overdue) and we found bags of frozen carrots that neither of us had bought (um gross, I've been here for a year now). I didn't want to throw them away but carrots do not retain their structural integrity once frozen. The only solution was to make soup. I'm glad I found them because it was really good!
Recipe:
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag frozen sliced carrots
1.5 T curry powder
1 t crushed red pepper
Black pepper
Veggie stock, enough to cover veggies (4-6 cups?)
In a large stock pot cook oil, butter, onion, and garlic together over medium heat until soft and fragrant. Add carrots and allow them to thaw a bit in the pan. Add curry powder, red pepper, and black pepper (adjust the amounts to your taste). Stir in enough stock to cover the veggies. Let everything simmer together until the carrots are very soft (soft enough that you can easily mash them with a fork). Puree the soup
with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Continue to simmer the soup for 5 more minutes or so to develop the flavors. Add more veggie stock if needed to reach your desired consistency (it can be very thick and hearty or can be fairly thin and light depending on your mood).
Top the soup with plain yogurt, chick peas, cilantro, or parsley (or just leave it plain and get some crusty bread to dip in it).
Recipe:
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag frozen sliced carrots
1.5 T curry powder
1 t crushed red pepper
Black pepper
Veggie stock, enough to cover veggies (4-6 cups?)
In a large stock pot cook oil, butter, onion, and garlic together over medium heat until soft and fragrant. Add carrots and allow them to thaw a bit in the pan. Add curry powder, red pepper, and black pepper (adjust the amounts to your taste). Stir in enough stock to cover the veggies. Let everything simmer together until the carrots are very soft (soft enough that you can easily mash them with a fork). Puree the soup
with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Continue to simmer the soup for 5 more minutes or so to develop the flavors. Add more veggie stock if needed to reach your desired consistency (it can be very thick and hearty or can be fairly thin and light depending on your mood).
Top the soup with plain yogurt, chick peas, cilantro, or parsley (or just leave it plain and get some crusty bread to dip in it).
Green Chili Cheese Grits
After a night of drinking (you know, those times when you wake up around 1 PM and hate everything you chose to do the night before) who doesn't want something creamy, cheesy, and comforting? I suppose these would be good for dinner too...
Recipe:
1/4 cup grits
1 cup veggie stock
1 tsp canned, diced green chilis
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese (or more depending on your taste)
garlic powder
black pepper
Cook grits according to package. Mine says to boil stock, add grits, reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chilis, cheese, a bit of garlic powder, and a lot of black pepper. Stir to get cheese melting. Pour into a bowl.
Top with any/all of the following:
More green chilis
Black beans
Tomatoes
Raw onions
More cheese
Cilantro
Recipe:
1/4 cup grits
1 cup veggie stock
1 tsp canned, diced green chilis
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese (or more depending on your taste)
garlic powder
black pepper
Cook grits according to package. Mine says to boil stock, add grits, reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chilis, cheese, a bit of garlic powder, and a lot of black pepper. Stir to get cheese melting. Pour into a bowl.
Top with any/all of the following:
More green chilis
Black beans
Tomatoes
Raw onions
More cheese
Cilantro
Cheesy Cornbread Waffles
Oh the joys of cooking things in a waffle iron. The possibilities are endless and delicious. Cornbread is great in the waffle iron since it makes it crisp on the outside and nice and fluffy on the inside. What more could you want?
Recipe:
1 box of jiffy cornbread mix (yeah, I cheated again, prepare it as directed)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 a jalepeno pepper, minced (optional)
1 tsp smoky paprika
Black pepper
In a bowl combine jiffy mix and the things it calls for (I hate milk so I use beer instead) then gently mix in the rest of the ingredients. Feel free to adjust the amounts of things or add other seasonings like garlic powder or chili powder. Pour batter into a liberally greased waffle iron and cook for between 3-4 minutes.
Serve with any of the following:
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Onions
Cilantro
Vegetarian chili
Black beans
Recipe:
1 box of jiffy cornbread mix (yeah, I cheated again, prepare it as directed)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 a jalepeno pepper, minced (optional)
1 tsp smoky paprika
Black pepper
In a bowl combine jiffy mix and the things it calls for (I hate milk so I use beer instead) then gently mix in the rest of the ingredients. Feel free to adjust the amounts of things or add other seasonings like garlic powder or chili powder. Pour batter into a liberally greased waffle iron and cook for between 3-4 minutes.
Serve with any of the following:
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Onions
Cilantro
Vegetarian chili
Black beans
Caprese Salad
I love the flavors of this simple cold salad. It is easy to make and can be dressed up enough to serve to others or just bring to work for lunch.
Recipe:
1 small container of grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts (not marinated)
1 T capers (totally optional)
1 small container of fresh mozzarella cheese (maybe about a cup?)
6-7 leaves of fresh basil, cut in ribbons
1 swirl of olive oil
2 swirls of balsamic vinegar
black pepper
salt
Place the tomatoes, artichokes, capers, and cheese in a bowl. Toss to combine. Put the basil on top and then drizzle the oil and vinegar over everything. Season to your tastes with salt and pepper and then gently stir together.
The cheese comes in a lot of different sizes. I usually look for a container of really small mozzarella balls that are about the size of the tomatoes. If you can't find that just cut up larger ones to that size.
Fresh mozzarella does not have animal enzymes in it since it is typically just milk, salt, and lemon juice so most brands are able to be enjoyed even by the strictest vegetarians.
Recipe:
1 small container of grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts (not marinated)
1 T capers (totally optional)
1 small container of fresh mozzarella cheese (maybe about a cup?)
6-7 leaves of fresh basil, cut in ribbons
1 swirl of olive oil
2 swirls of balsamic vinegar
black pepper
salt
Place the tomatoes, artichokes, capers, and cheese in a bowl. Toss to combine. Put the basil on top and then drizzle the oil and vinegar over everything. Season to your tastes with salt and pepper and then gently stir together.
The cheese comes in a lot of different sizes. I usually look for a container of really small mozzarella balls that are about the size of the tomatoes. If you can't find that just cut up larger ones to that size.
Fresh mozzarella does not have animal enzymes in it since it is typically just milk, salt, and lemon juice so most brands are able to be enjoyed even by the strictest vegetarians.
Pasta Salad (a basic and easy version)
Pasta Salad is a great way to use up extra veggies you have in the fridge and is the perfect quick meal. This version can be taken to work even on days when you are busy with home visits since it stays good at room temperature (or, you know, car temperature). Feel free to use/change up the veggies and the amounts - it will still be good.
Recipe:
2 cups cooked pasta (shells and bow ties work well for this)
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 handful black olives, sliced
1/3 cup chick peas
Italian dressing, enough to coat everything well
Throw everything in a bowl and stir to combine. It gets better if it sits for a bit but is good right away as well. I use "Free Italian" dressing to cut back on the fat and calories, but use whichever one you like. Or make your own. I've done that too with amazing results but that takes more work.
Recipe:
2 cups cooked pasta (shells and bow ties work well for this)
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 handful black olives, sliced
1/3 cup chick peas
Italian dressing, enough to coat everything well
Throw everything in a bowl and stir to combine. It gets better if it sits for a bit but is good right away as well. I use "Free Italian" dressing to cut back on the fat and calories, but use whichever one you like. Or make your own. I've done that too with amazing results but that takes more work.
Waffles with Caramelized Peach Sauce
This may actually replace homemade hash browns as my go to impressive breakfast... it was so good and really only took 15 minutes from start to finish.
Recipe:
Waffles:
I kind of cheated on this one and just used a store bought waffle mix. Prepare it and cook it in the waffle iron as directed. I would definitely recommend Krusteaze brand.
Caramelized Peach Sauce:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T butter
1 T corn syrup
dash of salt
1.5 cups frozen peaches
1 tsp vanilla
Cook the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat until all of the sugar turns to a liquid and begins to bubble. Add the frozen peaches and stir to combine. Continue to let it cook until the peaches soften and release their juice. Bring this to a slow boil and let it cook for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and let it thicken a bit. Add the vanilla and stir.
The cooking time really depends on how thick you want the sauce to be. The longer you let it boil the stickier and thicker it will be.
Since I only have one waffle maker (if anyone has more than that in their kitchen they are doing something right) I have to make only one waffle at a time, so when the first one is done I keep it warm in the oven on like 185 or 200 degrees.
This would be really good with some chopped and toasted pecans too.
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