Wordless Wednesday

Simple Breakfast Hash

Simple and barely needs a recipe. But it is so simple & yummy that I had to share.

Servings: 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 medium potato
1 medium bell pepper - color is your choice (I used 1/2 of a red and green)
1 small onion
1/2 cup vegetable broth (organic low sodium is always preferred)...I do not always measure, use enough to cover the bottom of the skillet...it is essentially used to replace oils or butter, plus it adds some flavor
seasonings: options: basil, tarragon, savory, black pepper

Directions:
Pre-cook the potato slightly in microwave: wash & poke some holes in the skin with a fork (unless you like explodey potatoes in your microwave), place on paper towel and cook for roughly 6 minutes.
Cube the potatoes once cool enough to touch.
Chop peppers and onion.
Saute onions in large skillet. Add peppers, potato, seasoning and stock. Cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until heated through, stock has absorbed and peppers are slightly softened.
Eat :)

Nutrition (per serving):
Calories 148, Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 35g, Carbs 35g, Sugar 4g, Fiber 4g, Protein 3g

Friday Food: Mushroom Stroganoff

Now my Wordless Wednesday makes sense :)

...and don't mind the shadow...or the glare.
It was dinnertime & the lighting was poor...
and I was eager to get to it :)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2

Yield 2 large bowls

Ingredients:

4 oz Extra Wide Egg Noodles

1/2 medium Onion, Sweet

16 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms

1/2 cup Organic Vegetable Broth

1 tbsp All-purpose Flour

1/2 cup Light Sour Cream

1/2 tsp Nutmeg, Ground

1/4 of a lemon, fresh squeezed juice

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic (minced)

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions

Chop onions & slice or quarter mushrooms

Saute onions & garlic in oil in large skillet

Add mushrooms and broth (white wine works well too) - cover & simmer for about 5 minutes

Gradually add flour to liquid in center of skillet & whisk until thickened

Add sour cream, nutmeg & pepper & stir until heated through

Pour mushroom mix on top of pasta in a large bowl & enjoy :)

Nutrition Facts:

Serving Size: 1 large bowls

Calories 422; Fat 10.54g; Saturated Fat 5.48g; Cholesterol 85mg; Sodium 270.08mg; Carbohydrate 58.96g; Dietary Fiber 5.67g; Sugars 9.33g; Protein 16.66g

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Food: Orzo with Olives

First of all, yes, this is similar to the Olive Pesto Pasta recipe. But is does have a different flavor. A little parmesan can make a big difference in taste.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 3

Yield 3 bowls

Ingredients:

6 oz Orzo Pasta

1 can Pitted Black Olives

Juice & zest from 1/2 of a lemon

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp Parmesan Grated Cheese

1/4 cup Arugula, Raw

Directions:

note: use tarragon or basil if no arugula available

Cook orzo (one half the package) according to package directions and drain.

Chop the olives with the brine - add lemon juice, arugula & zest. I find this easiest to do in my "whizzer", aka mini food processor.

Mix everything then add Parmesan & arugula

Nutrition: per serving:

Calories 394,Total Fat 21.13g, Saturated Fat 2.17g, Cholesterol 3.33mg, Sodium 508.48mg, Total Carbohydrate 46.51g, Fiber 2.03g, Sugars 1.2g, Protein 8.38g

This is higher in fat than I usually prefer...but note the low saturated fat, that kind of makes up for it.

Friday Food: Quinoa Pilaf

Simple and very good for you. Makes a great side dish or small meal.

Servings: 4 bowls

Ingredients:

1 cup Ancient Harvest Quinoa

2 cups Organic Vegetable Broth, Low Sodium

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Red Bell Pepper, Raw

1/3 cup Scallions (or just a few stalks)

Directions:

Dice bell peppers and chop scallions.

Boil broth in pot (will need a lid later) while saute scallions & bell peppers in pan

Once boiled, add veggies & quinoa to broth, cover & reduce heat - simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed.

The quinoa will look translucent with a ring around the grains...like little spaceships.

Serve & eat!

Nutrition: per serving:

Calories 194,Total Fat 2.87g,Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 73.25mg, Total Carbohydrate 36.03g, Dietary Fiber 4.62g, Sugars 4.92g, Protein 6.6g

note:

No idea what Quinoa (KEEN-wa) is? Neither did I the fist time I made some. I found this online:

It is a light and fluffy grain with a slightly nutty flavor. A great alternative to white rice or couscous since it is lighter and not sticky.

Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2%, compared with 7.5% for rice, 9.9% for millet, and 14% for wheat. And it is gluten free for those that need to restrict gluten from their diets.

Quinoa's protein is a complete protein. It also provides starch, sugars, oil (high in essential linoleic acid), fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

And it cooks quickly!

Friday Food: Soup Storage

I love soup in the winter. The only problem I tend to have is the size of each batch. I want enough to last for a few days. But the problem is....it lasts for a few days. A few too many once life gets in the way and dinners change. I tried freezing them in individual ziploc bags. Filling them up and lying them out on a baking sheet to freeze flat. This was okay, but often messy. Leakage from unlocked tops. Small tears in the bags. Even the frozen wrinkles were a pain when thawing.

The solution...use the bowls I eat the soup in originally. Well, the ziploc bags are still there, but better. Finding the right size bowl was easy for me since I have such a mish mash of kitchen goodies.

Simply put a serving of soup into the bowl and place inside a freezer zip bag. Then, well, freeze. note: it's easiest to label your bag before the initial freeze.

Removing them from the bowls was tricky at first. But if you treat it like an ice cube...slight twist & pop, then it's easy peasy.

I am usually able to pop the frozen soup out right inside the bag. Much cleaner than popping them out and having to get them back into the bag without getting your fingers all ooky.

You are left with frozen bowl shaped popsicles of soup. When it's time to eat, just heat and serve.

If you want to save on bags, just freeze (carefully) with bowls sitting on a baking sheet...they shouldn't be in there long enough for freezer burn. Then pop the 'sicles into one large bag.

Now I am off to figure out what soup I will cook up this weekend :)

Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad

I love this dish as a side or small meal...I do tend to add one more celery & use whatever juice I have on hand.

Ingredients:
1 cup Organic Wheat Berries
3 tbsp Safflower Oil
1/4 cup Apple Juice
2 tbsp Natural Rice Vinegar
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper, Black
2 medium stalks Celery
1 medium Apples
1/4 cup Red Onion
1/2 cup Unsweetened Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup Pecans, broken up
1/2 cup fresh Italian Parsley
2 tbsp Agave Nectar

Directions:
Soak wheat berries overnight with just enough water to cover - in fridge
Drain & cook berries in 3c water for 1 hour - simmer covered
Whisk oil, juice, vinegar, salt, pepper & agave
Drain excess water (if any) from wheat berries
Stir in half of the dressing & let sit to get to room temp
Add the remaining ingredients & dressing

Nutrition (per cup, roughly):
Calories 283, Total Fat 17.39g, Saturated Fat 0.74g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 321.15mg, Carbohydrate 29.04g, Fiber 5.01g, Sugars 10.67g, Protein 3.72g

Monday Menu: Wild Rice and Pecan Mix

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Wild Rice (cooked)
1 cup Brown Rice (cooked)
1 cup Onions
1/4 cup Pecans
1 tbsp Parsley
3 cups Organic Vegetable Stock

Directions:
Cook rices (preferably in vegetable stock) according to package directions
Chop onion, pecans & parsley
Saute onion (with garlic too) until translucent & tender
Add all & eat :)

Nutrition: Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories 196; Total Fat 6.12g; Saturated Fat 0.52g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 431.91mg; Total Carbohydrate 31.7g; Dietary Fiber 3.54g; Sugars 4.7g; Protein 4.84g

Monday Menu: Cucumber and Tomatoes

Serves 5..or 6 depending on the size of your bowls

Ingredients:
2 cups Cucumber...or simply 2 good sized cucumbers, English or regular
2 good sized tomatoes
1/4 cup Crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (or oil of your choice)
1/2 cup Scallions
1/4 tsp dried Basil (or thyme or tarragon)

Directions:
chop the veggies
add the rest and chill

Nutrition: (per serving)
Calories 70, Fat 4.5g, Saturated fat 1.2g, Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 85g, Carbohydrates 6.4g, Fiber 1.2g, Sugars 2.8g, Protein 2.5g

Monday menu: Green Beans and Tomatoes

This is another quick & easy side dish or small meal. This batch makes about 4-5 bowls.

1 large Onion
1 tsp minced Garlic
Tomato...I tend to use 6 large ones
~ #1 Green Beans
1/2 to 1 cup Vegetable Stock
a few shakes of dried or a branch of fresh Tarragon
1T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or oil of your choice)...can skip if you have a good nonstick skillet

I find it best to use my large, tall sided skillet.

Chop onions. Halve the tomatoes horizontally & squeeze out the bulk of the seeds & juice, then chop. Trim off the ends of the green beans and cut into bite'ish sized lengths.

Heat oil in skillet & saute onions & garlic until tender. Add green beans & stir for a couple minutes. Add stock, tomatoes & tarragon. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. This dish is essentially done before the tomatoes are added...cook for more or less than the 15 minutes to tastes - depending on how crispy you like your green beans :)

Nutrition:

Calories 93, Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0.4g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 115mg, Carbohydrates 7.7g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 3g, Protein 2g

Monday Menu - Olive Pesto Pasta

I found this recipe in my old pile from my early vegetarian days. I am not sure what book it came from though. I think the title had something to do with beginner vegetarians. Anyway, I never tried it before since I am not a big fan of olives. But I decided to give it a go, after all, I always tell my kids that you can't know if you like something until you try it. And guess what? I liked it :)

It does not have a strong flavor. And if you are a smoker or heavy salt user, your taste buds may find it bland. It does have a neat "arrangement" of flavors as you eat it. It's like one flavor after another show themselves instead of all at once. Anyway...it makes a great side dish or a small meal.

This recipe gave us 5 servings...our bowls are cereal bowl sized...so just over 1 cup or so per bowl.

Whole Grain Pasta (I used penne) - 4 servings worth...2 1/2 cups dry was what mine measured
1 can pitted black olives (whole is fine)...my can was 6 oz (you will be using some of the brine, so do not drain)
4 stalks Scallions (aka green onions)
1/2 cup Onion (I use sweet or yellow)
1 whole Jalapeno Pepper (2 if you like things spicy)
2 clove Garlic (I prefer organic minced in a jar...it's just easier)
2 Tbsp Italian Parsley (fresh)...or 2 tsp dried
1 tsp Thyme (dried)...or 1Tbsp fresh
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp Lemon Peel - grated

Directions:
Boil water for pasta & cook according to package directions

Using a whizzer (aka chopper/Cuisinart) - mince garlic, onion & jalapeno
Add olives plus 3T of the brine, parsley, thyme, oil, vinegar & chop to mix
Slice scallions & zest the lemon

Drain pasta once done & add pesto from chopper
Top with the scallions & zest

Nutrition (per serving): according to my recipe program:
246 Calories, 9.7g Fat, 0.4g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 116mg Sodium, 36g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Fiber, 1.5g Sugar, 7.5g Protein

Friday Food: Turkey and Lean Beef Meatloaf

Okay - not super original, but I can never find the one I like, so I came up with this one. And now that I blogged it, I can always find it :)

Serves: 8...at 6oz each...a 9x12 pan cut into 8ths

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

* 16 oz Extra Lean Ground Breast of Turkey (Jennie O makes a good one, Honeysuckle too)
* 16 oz 96% Lean Ground Round (I prefer Laura's)
* 1/2 serving Onions
* 1/2 medium raw Green-bell Pepper
* 2 Eggs
* 2 tbsp Wheat Germ
* 1 serving Quick Oats
* 1/4 cup Reduced Fat Ritz Cracker
* 3 tsp Sauce, Worcestershire
* 1/4 cup Ketchup

Directions

Heat oven to 400* (375* is okay, it will just add about 15 minutes)
Spray 13x9x2 baking pan with nonstick spray

Beat eggs in small bowl
Dice onions & bell pepper
Mix all ingredients in large bowl
Spread out down the center of the pan & "shape" into a loaf
I like to squirt on some extra ketchup to the to in a squiggle
***There will be some space on either side of the loaf...good for drainage of excess fat****
Cook for 45 minutes
Check internal temp - it is done at about 170-180*....I often add another squiggle of ketchup for these last 15 minutes
Cook another 15 minutes...let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing

Nutrition Facts
per serving: Calories 220; Total Fat 5.28g; Saturated Fat 1.57g; Cholesterol 118.75mg; Sodium 270.7mg; Total Carbohydrate 12.95g; Dietary Fiber 1.04g; Sugars 3.29g; Protein 29.42g

Friday Food: Easy Rice and Bell Peppers

Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 serving Instant Whole Grain Brown Rice
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper
• 1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper
• 1/4 serving Parsley, fresh
  
• 2 1/2 serving Organic Vegetable Broth
• 1 serving Onions

Directions:

Dice bell peppers and onion

Cook rice according to package using vegetable broth in place of water

While broth is boiling, saute veggies in a separate pan

Add veggies and parsley when rice is added to broth

note: veggies can be added during the 1st 5 minute simmer as well, but you may need some additional broth
note 2: regular rice can be used as well, again, just replace the water with the broth & add veggies during the simmer

Nutrition: per serving:

Calories 176, Fat 1.64g, Sat fat 0.02g, Carbohydrate 40.01g, Fiber 3.12g, Sugar 1.97g, Protein 3.81g

Saturday Snack - Granola Bars

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: 24 "bars"

Ingredients

2 cup Classic Granola
1 cup Quick Oats
1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
2 tbsp Milled Flax Seed
1 cup Dried Fruit
1 Egg
1/3 cup Honey
1/3 cup Natural Peanut Butter
1/3 cup Applesauce-unsweetened
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325*F
need: 9x12 baking sheet - use cooking spray so it will not stick

Beat egg before mixing

Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl

tip: heat honey & peanut butter in microwave briefly (about 30 seconds) so it will mix easier

Spread mixture out onto baking sheet evenly

Bake for 30-35 minutes
Let cool & break off pieces

Serves 24 (this is how many pieces I break it into anyway - each piece is palm sized and roughly 2 oz)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 bar: Calories 168, Fat 6.28g, Sat fat 0.71g, Cholesterol 8.83mg, Carbohydrate 24.5g, Fiber 3.72g, Sugar 11.33g, protein 4.15g

Friday Food - Quick Guacamole

It has been quite some time since I posted food. I have been cooking, just nothing new or at least not with a camera at the ready. I will try to get back to weekly posts though. But with the little guy still making dinner time a not-so-fun time, I have been making the same old same old every week.

This guacamole has sentimental value for me. Before my best friend abandoned me for the greater goodness of Colorado, we spent Thursday nights together just hanging, watching TV and eating. This was a fave. Quick, easy, yummy & good for you. When pinched for time, we just tossed everything into "the whizzer"...otherwise known as a Cuisinart. And measuring, well, we tend to just throw stuff in until it tastes good, but I did measure once.

Serves: 4 ...although we wiped out the whole thing easy :P

Ingredients:
3 avocados - scooped out & squooshed
3-4 green scallions - chopped
3 roma tomatoes (aka plum tomato) - diced small
lime juice - splash
cilantro, fresh is best, but dried works just fine ...to taste - about 1T dry
cumin, powdered not seed - 2 tsp (more or less to taste)
chili powder - a shake or two
sometimes I will add in some store bought salsa for a little extra kick...here we always use Garden Fresh Gourmet - YUM!
Tortilla Chips for dipping

Prep: chop it all up, mix together in bowl, eat & enjoy :)

If you have never dealt with an avocado, this is the easiest way to do the slice & dice: Cutdown to the pit circling around from tip to tip (length wise) - take in both hands & twist until separates, leaving the pit on one side. I use the knife to poke the pit & pull it out. Then scoop out the green goodness and toss the shell.

tip: I find that using a fork works well to mix everything while squooshing the avocado

Nutrition: (excluding chips)
213 calories, 17g fat (o.21g saturated), 16g carbohydrates, 4.87g fiber, 4.5g protein

Okay, so it's a little high in the calories, at least the fat is all the "good" kind....and oh so yummy!!!

Etsybloggers Carnival: Favorite Summer Recipe

This carnival's theme is our favorite summer recipe or top 5 things of summer. I can't think of 5 things I like about summer...I am not good with heat. Loved summer back when I was in school, of course. Not so much now. So, I am going for the food.

I almost wrote my Orzo Salad, since that is the dish I always bring to get togethers....but I already posted that before (click her if you are interested). So I am going with my fave food to cool off...Watermelon Ice. I ran across this recipe a couple years ago - back when my BFF & I got together every Thursday (we always made a yummies for the evening). It is a great alternative to the higher fat ice cream...but if you are diabetic, either look away or break out the Splenda.


Makes 8 servings, 1/2 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour (using an ice cream maker)...I tend to make mine the night before or earlier in the day

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate...but can get sticky

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups diced seedless watermelon (about 3 pounds with the rind)
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a glass measuring cup and let cool slightly.

2. Puree watermelon in a food processor or blender, in batches, pulsing until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

3.Whisk in the cooled sugar syrup, yogurt and lime juice until combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another large bowl, whisking to release all juice....I tend to not only whisk, but squoosh the watermelon down into the mesh with the bottom of a spoon. Discard pulp.

4.Pour the extracted juices into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

...Alternatively, pour into a shallow metal pan and freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight.Remove from freezer to defrost slightly, 5 minutes. Break into small chunks and process in a food processor, in batches, until smooth and creamy.
note: when I make beforehand, I do not process this second time...it's just fine in chunks

Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and freeze for up to 2 hours.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 74 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 2 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 0 g fiber; 21 mg sodium; 155 mg potassium.
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 fruit

MAKE AHEAD TIP: If frozen longer than 2 hours, break into chunks and puree in a food processor until smooth before serving.

recipe from Eating well

My Favorite Salad

So this is not exactly a traditional recipe. But I just love this simple salad & have been eating it so much lately that I thought I'd share. And to be honest, the biggest reason for eating it so much lately is, well, laziness. I just have not felt like cooking this past week or so. The youngest is done with preschool and already bored. The constant rain has not helped. Time to sew has not been easy to find...I guess even cooking is getting the short straw to make time for me...me me me. Yup - that whole 2 hours spread through out the day of just me...ahhh, kids - gotta love 'em.

Anyway - the salad:

• Lettuce - anything but Iceburg
• Dried cranberries (or apples - green/Granny Smith)
• Crumbled blue cheese
• Walnuts - no sugary or salty crud added
  
• Dressing - just a teeny bit - I found a great Blue Cheese by Walden Farms...calorie free, sugar free, carb free, gluten free, cholesterol free & no preservatives - and yes, it actually tastes great!
  ...note: I have used a mild vinagrette sometimes too.

What is your fave salad? I am always on the lookout for more combos :)

Pork Medallions in Peppery Mushroom Gravy

Serves: 3

Ingredients:
2 cups egg noodles, yolk-free, medium-wide, dry
1 pound pork tenderloin
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, sprinkles
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, coarsely ground

Directions:
1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt & oil. Drain.

2. Trim fat from pork & cut cross-wise into 8 pieces. Place each piece between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap & flatten to 1/4-inch thick using rolling pin or meat mallet.

3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over med-hi heat. Add pork & saute 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan & keep warm.

4. Add mushrooms & garlic - saute 1 minute.

5. Add broth & remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. Return pork to skillet, reduce heat & simmer 2 minutes.

7. Serve over noodles.

Nutrition:
Per Serving : 377 Calories; 8g Fat (19.1% calories from fat); 44g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 98mg Cholesterol; 908mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Weight Watchers Points: 8

Very tasty...I do not have my own photos, this one is from the source: Health magazine,April 1999

Easter Cakes

I wanted to share a couple cakes with you today instead of on my usual Friday food post. I found
both of these recipes on the Eating Well website.

They turned out great...well, I did not have any of the carrot cake (not my taste) but I was told it was yummy...and the second helpings showed it.

click on pics to go to recipe

There were a few changes I made to the recipes:
Cheesecake - for the crust I used 1.5 times what was called for.
And the carrot cake - the store did not have pre-shredded carrots, so I bought whole sized and it took about 4 carrots to make the 4 cups called for.