Showing posts with label Light cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Light cooking. Show all posts

Monday, September 21, 2009

Classic Butternut Squash Soup

An easy and tasty soup recipe from Whole Foods. Serve with a salad and crusty bread. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup diced carrot (about 1 (8-inch) large carrot)
1/2 cup diced celery (about 1 (11-inch) large stalk)
2/3 cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
4 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1 medium squash)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add butternut squash and thyme. Stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully puree in batches in a traditional blender.

Variations:

Apple, Gorgonzola and Almond
Follow recipe above and stir a cup of applesauce into pureed soup. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon crumbled Rogue Creamery Gorgonzola, a tablespoon of toasted whole almonds, a few slices of thinly sliced apple and a small sprig of fresh thyme.

Thai Flavors
Stir a tablespoon red curry paste and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger into carrot, celery and onion mixture. Cook until vegetables are tender and ginger is aromatic. Add squash, cook until tender, then add broth and 1/2-cup light or regular coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Puree soup and garnish each serving with 1 or 2 pappadums, a tablespoon toasted coconut flakes and a tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. NOTE: Pappadums are available on the snack food aisle.

Southwestern Spin
Add a tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo to carrot, celery and onion mixture. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add squash, cook until tender, then add broth. Season with salt and pepper. Puree soup and garnish each serving with 2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco, a tablespoon cumin-toasted pumpkin seeds and a tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. NOTE: Canned chipotles in adobo sauce are available on the Mexican food aisle.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Waldorf Chicken Salad

Dinner just doesn't get any easier than this...
INGREDIENTS:
Grilled chicken breasts
Mixed salad greens
Sliced granny smith apples
Grapes
Celery
Gorgonzola cheese
Candied walnuts
Balsamic Vinaigrette or Blue Cheese dressing

DIRECTIONS:
Salt and pepper chicken breasts and grill until juices run clear. Assemble greens, sliced apples, grapes, celery and walnuts on plate. Top with grilled chicken and cheese. Serve with a balsamic vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Healthy Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole.

This passed weekend we had some friends come into town. I love make ahead anything, especially with a Moses to care for and a husband who is out building us a house before the sun comes up! This casserole was good, everyone went back for seconds!

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces ciabatta bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1 pound turkey breakfast sausage
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 8 ounce carton egg substitute
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until toasted.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Combine sausage, bread, and onions in a large bowl. Combine milk, cheese, eggs and egg substitute in a medium bowl, stirring with whisk. Add milk mixture to bread mixture, tossing to coat bread. Spoon mixture into a 2 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Uncover casserole. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately. Yield: 6 - 1 cup servings
Calories: 344 Fat 10.8 grams Protein: 28.7 Fiber: 1 gram

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ice Cream Treasures

I wish there was a way for you to TASTE this and not just look at the pictures I took. Doesn't this look boring? Kinda like I was eating my cereal in a baking dish:

This is what happens when I try to get a cool close up to show you just how delicious this really was:

Sigh, I guess you'll just have to take my word for it AND try it yourself!! C'mon, if I can pull myself away from the brownies.. so can you!! Oh.. and did I mention I found this in a "light" magazine. Tis' true, my friends, tis' true. I split the recipe in half, and it worked out fabulously!
ICE CREAM TREASURES:
1.5c (6oz) Heath bars
8c. vanilla reduced-fat ice cream, softened
4c. Chex cereal, crushed
2c. Cheerios
2/3c. dark brown sugar
1/3c. slivered almonds, toasted
1/3c. sweetened coconut, toasted
2T butter, melted
1. Stir crushed candy into ice cream. Cover and freeze until ready to use.
2. Combine cereals, brown sugar, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Press half of cereal mixture in bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. Let ice cream stand at room temperature 20 minutes or until softened. Spread softened ice cream mixture over cereal mixture; top evenly with remaining cereal mixture. Cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: about 3/4c.)
And if you really want to know:
Calories:265 Fat: 8.4 Protein: 5.2 Fiber:1 gram

Monday, June 15, 2009

Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken Salad

One of my favorite summer recipes is this Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken Salad. Oddly, I came across it in a Weight Watchers cookbook a few years ago and it has stuck in our dinner line-up ever since! Although it is a bit on the "light" side, I've found that once paired with corn on the cob or fresh french bread, it can tide over even the heartiest of appetites. Well, except for my father-in-law, who had to make a run to Wendy's a couple hours after I had made it for him. You can't win em' all though!
INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2/3 cup raspberry preserves
4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. black pepper
Fresh baby spinach or spring mix
Slivered almonds, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Combine thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sprinkle over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper, stirring constantly until preserves melt. Place chicken breasts atop bed of greens. Spoon raspberry sauce over chicken, sprinkle with almonds and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.