For those of you who come across this blog or know me, I am on a journey to loose the weight and get healthier. So I am always on the search for new healthy recipes. Searching the internet cooking sites, FB, Twitter, cookbooks, magazines, you name it.
I came across a great salad dressing recipe recently while reading Rocco DiSpirito's "Now Eat This!" cookbook on page 55. He has a series of them and is coming out with an Now Eat This Italian this coming fall. Since I am currently on a #FindYourFit challenge to shed the weight in twelve weeks, I asked if Rocco (via Twitter) if I could share this recipe and he replied "please do"!
This recipe is low calorie, low fat, low sugars and yet high on flavor. The recipe indicates it is for four servings. Since I don't use as much, I estimate I would get eight servings of two to three tablespoons per serving. When I crunched the numbers for the calories, fat etc this is what I got for per serving with eight servings. It's better then any commercial dressing out there.
Serving size - about two and a half tablespoons
Calories: 32
Fat calories: .5
Total fat: .06g
Transfat: 0
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 157mg
Carbs: 4.5g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: less then 1g
Protien: 2g
Ingredients:
1 small fennel bulb, cored and roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves
1/4 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh tarragon, whole leaves
1. To prepare the dressing, combine the fennel, garlic and water in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the vegetables are completely tender, about 8 minutes.
2. In a blender, combine the cooked fennel and garlic, any remaining juices, and the lemon juice. Puree the mixture until it is smooth. Let the puree cool slightly, still in the blender. Then add the mustard, yogurt, and tarragon, and puree until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste; chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Rocco's description of the recipe on the page is as follows:
"A great green salad has always been a staple on my restaurant menus and on my table at home. The combination of Dijon mustard, good-quality vinegar, and olive oil gives tender green leaves their raison d'etre. There is no olive oil in this dressing and it still tastes great.
I kept the Dijon mustard in the mix because it's very low in fat - and because few ingredients can pack a punch like Dijon mustard. Yogurt, lemon juice, and aromatics like tarragon and fennel round out the dressing. You'll never again eat a green dressed with artificial-tasting, gloppy, low-fat dressing."
In his book, Rocco also has recipes for ranch, blue cheese, russian dressings as well as mayo!
You can find his book here: Now Eat This!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
More veg in that tuna salad sandwich
Earlier this month I watched a show on Food Network called "The Big Waste" which went on in some detail about the wasted food in the food industry. How even a blemish on an apple would be enough for a store to toss that into the garbage bin. It really made me a bit more concious about wasted food - especially vegetables. If you haven't seen the show its worth looking up.
So in an effort to loose weight, get healthier and also reduce wasted food, I have been juicing fruits and vegetables more. If a piece of fruit or veg is starting to look past its prime that I have on hand, I put it through for that day's juice now. Used to end up wholly in the compost bin otherwise. By this same logic, I realized that the pulp remains from my juicing was mainly going into the compost. Now in a state for easier composting at that. But some of it could still be usable. Like carrot, celery, onion, garlic, pepper, or some fruit pulp.
We started using the carrot and celery pulp for use in meatloaf, soups and tomatoe pasta sauce. As such, I have small containers in the fridge for the pulp from juicing. And today, came up with an additional use.
Usually, when I make tuna salad for sandwiches I will chop onion, celery and a little carrot. The carrot is usually still a bit hard unless really finely chopped. So this afternoon, wanting to make a quick lunch before heading to town, I opted for a tuna sandwich. I then realized that the carrot and celery pulp from my juicing would work nicely in the salad.
I took two three oz packs of tuna, two green onions chopped, at least an equal portion of carrot and celry pulp to the tuna, mesquite seasoning, granulated garlic, some seasoned salt and what remaining olive oil mayo was in the fridge - maybe two or three tablespoons. The resulting tuna salad was excellent flavor and texture. And I have at least enough tuna salad for two or more meals.
So in an effort to loose weight, get healthier and also reduce wasted food, I have been juicing fruits and vegetables more. If a piece of fruit or veg is starting to look past its prime that I have on hand, I put it through for that day's juice now. Used to end up wholly in the compost bin otherwise. By this same logic, I realized that the pulp remains from my juicing was mainly going into the compost. Now in a state for easier composting at that. But some of it could still be usable. Like carrot, celery, onion, garlic, pepper, or some fruit pulp.
We started using the carrot and celery pulp for use in meatloaf, soups and tomatoe pasta sauce. As such, I have small containers in the fridge for the pulp from juicing. And today, came up with an additional use.
Usually, when I make tuna salad for sandwiches I will chop onion, celery and a little carrot. The carrot is usually still a bit hard unless really finely chopped. So this afternoon, wanting to make a quick lunch before heading to town, I opted for a tuna sandwich. I then realized that the carrot and celery pulp from my juicing would work nicely in the salad.
I took two three oz packs of tuna, two green onions chopped, at least an equal portion of carrot and celry pulp to the tuna, mesquite seasoning, granulated garlic, some seasoned salt and what remaining olive oil mayo was in the fridge - maybe two or three tablespoons. The resulting tuna salad was excellent flavor and texture. And I have at least enough tuna salad for two or more meals.
An added note: After setting in the fridge overnight, the tuna salad did not become watery.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Sweet & Smokey hot pepper sauce
I like to add seasonings and herbs and what have you to give meals an extra kick of flavor. One of my favorite things to add is pepper sauce. For the longest time I have been using a curry papaya pepper sauce that I really like. However, of late, the local stores have stopped carrying it unless I want to special order it by the case.
So after making some other pepper sauces and doing other canning we still had an abundance of hot banana peppers, apples, plums etc. I decided to try my hand at building my own version of a curry pepper sauce. This was the first batch and it came out with a slightly sweet, smokey and peppery (as in the seasoning and not heat) flavor with a mild heat level. Very nice flavor and a little kick, just what I was looking for.
Another time I might try other peppers and fruit, but I wanted to try this with what I had on hand. The other factor is I am trying to reduce my gluten intake and refined white sugars/flours. So for this recipe I used quinoa flour and agave syrup. The nice thing about agave is that its sweet but a slower digesting sugar so it doesn't spike the blood sugar as much as table sugar will. When substituting agave for sugar, take the amount of sugar and multiply it time .8 (point eight) and use that amount.
Here is the recipe for the sweet smokey pepper sauce!
So after making some other pepper sauces and doing other canning we still had an abundance of hot banana peppers, apples, plums etc. I decided to try my hand at building my own version of a curry pepper sauce. This was the first batch and it came out with a slightly sweet, smokey and peppery (as in the seasoning and not heat) flavor with a mild heat level. Very nice flavor and a little kick, just what I was looking for.
Another time I might try other peppers and fruit, but I wanted to try this with what I had on hand. The other factor is I am trying to reduce my gluten intake and refined white sugars/flours. So for this recipe I used quinoa flour and agave syrup. The nice thing about agave is that its sweet but a slower digesting sugar so it doesn't spike the blood sugar as much as table sugar will. When substituting agave for sugar, take the amount of sugar and multiply it time .8 (point eight) and use that amount.
Here is the recipe for the sweet smokey pepper sauce!
Ingredients:
4 cups plums – pitted and rough chopped
2 cups apples - peeled and cored large dice
6 large hot banana peppers – stemmed, seeds left in, rough chopped
1 large white onion – peeled and quartered
6 – 8 cloves of garlic - peeled
1 ½ cups cider vinegar
2 cups agave nectar (syrup)
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp Black pepper – ground
1 tsp cilantro – fresh
½ tsp oregano – fresh
¼ cup quinoa flour
In a food processor puree the plums, apples, peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro and oregano. Depending on the size of your food processor you may need to do this in batches.
Pour mixture into a large, non-reactive (stainless steel) saucepan and add in the agave, vinegar and spices. Bring mixture to a boil over med - high heat stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low – medium low and let simmer for a half hour.
Mix the quinoa flour in a small bowl or measuring cup, adding in a little water at a time and stirring until you achieve a medium viscosity smooth paste.
After the sauce has simmered for a half hour raise the heat until it just begins to bubble once more. Gradually pour in the quinoa paste, stirring constantly. Once fully incorporated, reduce heat and let simmer another fifteen to twenty minutes.
If storing in the refrigerator let cool and pour into suitable container.
If canning, ladle the sauce into hot jars, leaving a ½ inch headroom. Remove bubbles and adjust headroom if necessary. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tightness.
Place the jars in a canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for fifteen minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait five minutes, then remove jars, cool, label and store.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Zucchini fritters
Ingredients:
4 cups of seeded then grated zucchini
4 Tbsp quinoa flour
1/4 tsp ground sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 large egg (beaten)
Step 1. Remove the stem and flower end and plit the zucchini (or yellow squash) lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Discard the seeds to your compost. Grate the remaining zucchini flesh.
Step 2. Place grated zucchini on a clean kitchen cloth towel. Wrap up into a bundle and over a sink or bowl, squeeze with all your effort to remove as much water as possible.
Step 3. Preheat a griddle, skillet or flattop to medium high and lightly coat with extra virgin olive oil.
Step 4. In a medium mixing bowl whip the egg until frothy, add the pepper, salt, and garlic. Stir to combine. Add in the zucchini and mix then add the quinoa flour and stir until everything is well combined and coated evenly. It produces a sticky mixture at this point.
4 cups of seeded then grated zucchini
4 Tbsp quinoa flour
1/4 tsp ground sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 large egg (beaten)
Step 1. Remove the stem and flower end and plit the zucchini (or yellow squash) lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Discard the seeds to your compost. Grate the remaining zucchini flesh.
Step 2. Place grated zucchini on a clean kitchen cloth towel. Wrap up into a bundle and over a sink or bowl, squeeze with all your effort to remove as much water as possible.
Step 3. Preheat a griddle, skillet or flattop to medium high and lightly coat with extra virgin olive oil.
Step 4. In a medium mixing bowl whip the egg until frothy, add the pepper, salt, and garlic. Stir to combine. Add in the zucchini and mix then add the quinoa flour and stir until everything is well combined and coated evenly. It produces a sticky mixture at this point.
Step 5. Form into a ball slightly larger then a golf ball, and gently flatten in your hand and place on the preheated griddle. Cook until golden brown and then flip and repeat until GB&D on both sides. That's Golden Brown and Delicious in Alton Brown Speak! They are ready to serve!
Tonights were served with ham steak, garlicy sauteed spinach and atop the zucchini fritters I used a little Tico papaya curry hot sauce!
Monday, September 19, 2011
cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger
Ok, yesterday, September 18, 2011 was National Cheeseburger day! So in honor of that, and the fact I love a good cheeseburger I diverged slightly from my healthier eating plan. Still, I kept it as healthy as possible within the parameters that a good ol american cheeseburger goes.
A lean beef patty
one whole grain hamburger bun
slice of reduced fat cheddar
slice of tomato
sauteed peppers & onion
spinach - instead of iceberg lettuce
and tbsp of roasted garlic & tomato mayo I made.
For the mayo, I took
4 tbsp of a healthier olive oil mayo (there are many on the market now)
1/2 cup of diced cherry tomatoes
a heaping tbsp of minced garlic
tsp of cilantro puree
a light drizzle of garlic olive oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
a pinch of seasoned salt
a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
In a small pan (using a light spray of olive oil non-stick spray) sautee the garlic and tomato until the tomato begins to break down and the garlic carmelizes lightly without burning. Add that to the rest of the ingredients and puree in a blender or small food processer. I used one of those magic bullets for this step - just the right size.
A lean beef patty
one whole grain hamburger bun
slice of reduced fat cheddar
slice of tomato
sauteed peppers & onion
spinach - instead of iceberg lettuce
and tbsp of roasted garlic & tomato mayo I made.
For the mayo, I took
4 tbsp of a healthier olive oil mayo (there are many on the market now)
1/2 cup of diced cherry tomatoes
a heaping tbsp of minced garlic
tsp of cilantro puree
a light drizzle of garlic olive oil
1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
a pinch of seasoned salt
a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
In a small pan (using a light spray of olive oil non-stick spray) sautee the garlic and tomato until the tomato begins to break down and the garlic carmelizes lightly without burning. Add that to the rest of the ingredients and puree in a blender or small food processer. I used one of those magic bullets for this step - just the right size.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
a healthier pseudo cuban
Earlier today, while I was about to get lunch, Food Networks Great Food Truck Race was playing on tv. So that got me thinking of street food sandwiches of all sorts. Especially grilled sandwiches. The downside is they are usually heavy in the fats from the butter and or oils and cheeses. Still, it kicked off a craving for such. This is what I came up with.
1 low carb/calorie burrito wrap - Ole Xtreme wellness Tomato Basil 68 calories (16 from fat), 17 grams carbs, 12 grams of fiber for 5 net impact carbs. 0 sugars and 8g protien. I find them at Price Rite.
1 low carb/calorie burrito wrap - Ole Xtreme wellness Tomato Basil 68 calories (16 from fat), 17 grams carbs, 12 grams of fiber for 5 net impact carbs. 0 sugars and 8g protien. I find them at Price Rite.
a couple thin deli slices of ham
half a medium tomato sliced
1 tsp of your favorite mustard
1/2 a dill pickle sliced
a serving of your favorite cheese or blend of grated cheeses (preferably reduced fat if you can)
Now a true cuban includes roast pork. I have some in the freezer, but 1. I didn't want to wait for it to thaw. 2. I am trying to cut calories and make my meals healthier. I already had plenty of fat and protien going into this sandwich.
An authentic cuban also uses a cuban bread that is soft, medium crust and from my experience, maybe a tad sweet. Placed in a sandwich press or on a flattop with a weight atop it, the bread compresses and gets a crusty crunchy texture to it. Again, I am watching what I eat, so I opted for the wrap which as shown has pretty impressive nutrtional data for a soft bread like wrap. It's already thin yet soft to begin with, but when grilled will get that crunchy texture as well.
Heat up a skillet or flatop grill or sandwich press if you have one (can even use a George Foreman grill). I used a light spray of non-stick cooking spray on the surface of our flattop. Place your ingredients onto the wrap and fold (this is where I have trouble) and place on your pre-heated cooking surface. Place a weight atop the sandwich to be and grill until lightly golden brown on one side then flip and repeat.
Here was my result - again, I need to learn to wrap them better.
Doesn't look like much, but it tasted great!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Turkey Taco bean soup
This made for a healthy quick dinner with a side of sauteed garlicy spinach.
Couple good dashes of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion (white or yellow)
1 cup diced bell pepper (red and green)
1 rounded Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 rounded Tbsp taco seasoning
1 20 oz package of Jennie-O Taco seasoned lean ground turkey
15 oz can of seasoned black beans (the one we used had lime juice and jalapeno peppers)
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
1 rounded Tbsp fresh minced cilantro
Salt to taste
Over medium to medium high heat the olive oil and sautee the peppers, onion and garlic for about five minutes. Add in the zucchini and taco seasoning, stir to combine. Add the turkey, and using a potatoe masher, break up the ground turkey into the pan. Keep cooking until turkey is cooked and lightly browning, stirring occasionally. Add the black beans, tomato, broth and cilantro and stir. Cover, reduce heat to medium/medium low and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and flavors have melded. Season with salt if desired to taste. As some canned beans have salt and some don't, the salt is left to taste.
Couple good dashes of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion (white or yellow)
1 cup diced bell pepper (red and green)
1 rounded Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 rounded Tbsp taco seasoning
1 20 oz package of Jennie-O Taco seasoned lean ground turkey
15 oz can of seasoned black beans (the one we used had lime juice and jalapeno peppers)
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
1 rounded Tbsp fresh minced cilantro
Salt to taste
Over medium to medium high heat the olive oil and sautee the peppers, onion and garlic for about five minutes. Add in the zucchini and taco seasoning, stir to combine. Add the turkey, and using a potatoe masher, break up the ground turkey into the pan. Keep cooking until turkey is cooked and lightly browning, stirring occasionally. Add the black beans, tomato, broth and cilantro and stir. Cover, reduce heat to medium/medium low and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and flavors have melded. Season with salt if desired to taste. As some canned beans have salt and some don't, the salt is left to taste.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
pasta from vegetables
As I am on my journey of cutting calories and getting healthier I find I am cutting more of the starchy, refined or processed foods. I will always love bread, rice, potatoes, pasta etc. I just have to make the best of the decisions I can in choosing them or finding ways to improve the situation. So in this post I am addressing pasta!
There are some good quality pastas out there, and some even are gluten free, or find ways of reducing the impact net carbs. Yet, what to do with all the pasta already in the house. Let's face it, when its on sale, pasta is an inexpensive addition to a meal. And like most household we have a supply in our pantry. Would seem a waste to throw it all out. Yet, I don't want all those carbs to go to my waist. That is the quandry. So this summer, while growing veggies in our garden I made a dish using wide ribbons cut from yellow squash and zucchini. Sauteed them in some garlic and olive oil and added them to some tortellini. It worked great.
So last night after making a healthy chicken cacciatore and having some leftovers but not quite enough to feed two for tonight I had to figure out how to extend the leftovers. My mind immediatly went to pasta. Now, mind you, I can eat some pasta so long as I don't over induldge. I have to watch the amount of gluten, glycemic load and such. The key is getting sated without over eating. The answer - add more vegetables. So for tonight, I decided to make zucchini ribbons once more, but took it a step further and cut them lengthwise into a close noodle shape and length.
Step 1. Clean and stem the yellow squash and zucchini.
Step 2. Split lengthwise
Step 3. Using a vegetable peeler, take ribbons off of each half until you reach the softer center and stop.
Step 4. Cut lengths of fettuccine or so wide noodles.
Step 5. Sautee in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and garlic until tender (or even healthier - steam them in a vegetable steamer)
Step 6. Add the resulting vegetable noodles to a scant single serving of pasta noodles. I found that one large (large but not ultra large like some can get) squash will yield about a single serving of pasta when cooked. So by doing both a zucchini and yellow squash, we made enough for three servings. By adding that to last nights leftovers, we had enough for dinner and one single serving for lunch tomorrow.
Picture 1 - the yellow squash cut into noodles
Picture 2 - the zucchini cut into ribbons
Picture 3 - the zuchinni cut ribbons cut into noodles
Picture 4. The cooked yellow squash and zucchini noodles added to a small single serving of pasta in a large family pasta bowl.
Picture 5. A serving of the veggie pasta with chicken cacciatore and grated parmesan over the top. The end result is I had one serving, with only a third of the normal pasta and was satisfied and full and didn't feel cheated or that I was missing out.
There are some good quality pastas out there, and some even are gluten free, or find ways of reducing the impact net carbs. Yet, what to do with all the pasta already in the house. Let's face it, when its on sale, pasta is an inexpensive addition to a meal. And like most household we have a supply in our pantry. Would seem a waste to throw it all out. Yet, I don't want all those carbs to go to my waist. That is the quandry. So this summer, while growing veggies in our garden I made a dish using wide ribbons cut from yellow squash and zucchini. Sauteed them in some garlic and olive oil and added them to some tortellini. It worked great.
So last night after making a healthy chicken cacciatore and having some leftovers but not quite enough to feed two for tonight I had to figure out how to extend the leftovers. My mind immediatly went to pasta. Now, mind you, I can eat some pasta so long as I don't over induldge. I have to watch the amount of gluten, glycemic load and such. The key is getting sated without over eating. The answer - add more vegetables. So for tonight, I decided to make zucchini ribbons once more, but took it a step further and cut them lengthwise into a close noodle shape and length.
Step 1. Clean and stem the yellow squash and zucchini.
Step 2. Split lengthwise
Step 3. Using a vegetable peeler, take ribbons off of each half until you reach the softer center and stop.
Step 4. Cut lengths of fettuccine or so wide noodles.
Step 5. Sautee in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and garlic until tender (or even healthier - steam them in a vegetable steamer)
Step 6. Add the resulting vegetable noodles to a scant single serving of pasta noodles. I found that one large (large but not ultra large like some can get) squash will yield about a single serving of pasta when cooked. So by doing both a zucchini and yellow squash, we made enough for three servings. By adding that to last nights leftovers, we had enough for dinner and one single serving for lunch tomorrow.
Picture 1 - the yellow squash cut into noodles
Picture 2 - the zucchini cut into ribbons
Picture 3 - the zuchinni cut ribbons cut into noodles
Picture 4. The cooked yellow squash and zucchini noodles added to a small single serving of pasta in a large family pasta bowl.
Picture 5. A serving of the veggie pasta with chicken cacciatore and grated parmesan over the top. The end result is I had one serving, with only a third of the normal pasta and was satisfied and full and didn't feel cheated or that I was missing out.
Fish soup recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (yellow or white)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup red, yellow or orange bell pepper
1 cup diced fire roasted tomatoes or fresh diced
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound of haddock (or other fish/shellfish would work), cut into 3/4" chunks
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp grated lime zest
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro without stems
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
In a three quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and sautee until tender but not brown. Around five minutes. Add the tomato and cook for three more minutes. Stir in the coriander and cumin and simmer for a minute.
Add in the broth, bringing to a boil and then add the fish. Bring to a boil once more and reduce to low heat. Let simmer for about three minutes before adding in the spinach. Stir in the tahini, lime zest and cilantro and serve. Makes around 1 1/2 quarts or four servings.
Other possible additions would be celery or sweet potato and if you want it spicy you might want to add a little of your favorite hot sauce. The original recipe called this spicy seafood chowder. To me it was very mild - it only has a 1/2 tsp of cumin for heat. It's tasty, but not spicy by any means.
To skin or not to skin? The original recipe called for skinnless fish fillets. I am not sure if they were concerned about a bit more calories from fat or in consideration of mercury or other toxins in the fish skin. If you are pregnant, eating fish more then twice a week or are serving this to children, then go with the skinless. If none of the above, then I would opt for the skin - it adds flavor as well as being a source of omega III's which are good for you.
Depending on the fish used, and skin or skinless will determine calories, protien, fat etc. However, that said, one serving will average between 240 calories to no more then 300 (unless you use something like crab or lobster or a really fatty fish). At any rate, I would consider this a healthy nutritious and flavorful part of my meal.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (yellow or white)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup red, yellow or orange bell pepper
1 cup diced fire roasted tomatoes or fresh diced
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound of haddock (or other fish/shellfish would work), cut into 3/4" chunks
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp grated lime zest
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro without stems
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
In a three quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and sautee until tender but not brown. Around five minutes. Add the tomato and cook for three more minutes. Stir in the coriander and cumin and simmer for a minute.
Add in the broth, bringing to a boil and then add the fish. Bring to a boil once more and reduce to low heat. Let simmer for about three minutes before adding in the spinach. Stir in the tahini, lime zest and cilantro and serve. Makes around 1 1/2 quarts or four servings.
Other possible additions would be celery or sweet potato and if you want it spicy you might want to add a little of your favorite hot sauce. The original recipe called this spicy seafood chowder. To me it was very mild - it only has a 1/2 tsp of cumin for heat. It's tasty, but not spicy by any means.
To skin or not to skin? The original recipe called for skinnless fish fillets. I am not sure if they were concerned about a bit more calories from fat or in consideration of mercury or other toxins in the fish skin. If you are pregnant, eating fish more then twice a week or are serving this to children, then go with the skinless. If none of the above, then I would opt for the skin - it adds flavor as well as being a source of omega III's which are good for you.
Depending on the fish used, and skin or skinless will determine calories, protien, fat etc. However, that said, one serving will average between 240 calories to no more then 300 (unless you use something like crab or lobster or a really fatty fish). At any rate, I would consider this a healthy nutritious and flavorful part of my meal.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
a healthier crockpot style moussaka
This recipe was originally in the book "The Biggest Loser: 6 weeks to a healthier you" on page 218. I diverged at a couple points from the original after making it the first time. Also, since we were taking it to a picnic, this one was made in mind of using in a crockpot where the original was meant to be baked in an oven.
Ingredients:
1 very large eggplant (two pound) or 2 medium eggplants (about a pound to pound 1/4 each)
extra virgin olive oil or olive oil spray
salt
Meat mixture:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of lean ground turkey
1 1/4 cups yellow or white onion chopped
3/4 cup chicken broth (fat free preferrably)
1 cup tomato puree
3/4 cup diced tomato
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey or raw agave syrup
Bechamel sauce:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup 100% whole wheat flour (next time I am going to try quinoa flour or something similar)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups 1% milk ( I am considering trying unsweetened almond milk in this, did not this time in case anyone at the gathering this was made for had a nut allergy)
3/4 cup chicken broth (fat free)
1/2 cup green onions / scallions chopped (both green and white parts)
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine
Final ingredient:
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated fine
Preperation of eggplant:
Remove stem and remove a thin slice from the round bottom (to expose the inside flesh) and slice into 3/8" thick rounds. Arrange on a wire rack and sprinkle with course salt on both sides. Let set for 15 - 20 minutes. Using paper towels, blot dry the surface of the eggplant slices. Spray lightly (very lightly) the slices on both sides with olive oil. There are three ways to prepare, grilling on a bbq grill, roasting in an oven or cooking them on a flattop. The best method would be to roast in the oven one the wire rack at 425 degrees for about fifteen to twenty minutes until lightly golden and tender. Alternatively, cook them at the same temp on your grill or flattop until lightly golden brown and delicious.
Reasoning for this step in the preperation. The salting is to help remove excess moisture and the prior cooking again helps precook them and remove a bit more moisture. The first time I made the original recipe I did not do this (as it was not in the directions) and the dish, while tasting great was very soupy, almost watery. Eggplant is like a sponge, it will give and absorb moisture. This removing the water now, allows for it to absorb the flavors of the meat and bechamel while it is cooking in the crockpot. Also because of the salting to remove moisture now, I did not add any into the bechamel as it was originally written.
Remove eggplant to a safe container until ready to assemble. I cooked the eggplant and meat the night before, cooking the sauce and assembling and final cooking of the moussaka the day of the party.
Cooking the meat mixture:
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey and onion. Cook for five or so minutes until the meat is no longer pink, stirring to break up the turkey. Using a potatoe masher works great to break up the meat during this step. Add the chicken broth, tomato puree, diced tomato, tomato paste, oregano, nutmeg, cinnamon and honey. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about thirty minutes to an hour or so until the mixture is thick and seemingly almost dry. Think of a thick bolognese sauce. The picture below was about a third of the way through cooking and still had plenty of cooking down to do yet. I did a triple batch so it took considerably longer.
Bechamel Sauce:
In a two quart sauce pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Whisk in the flour and pepper, while constantly stirring with a whisk for one to two minutes. Add in the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is soft and tender. Think of making a rue for cajun cooking to thicken a sauce. You want a light golden color for maximum thickening power. Pour in the milk and broth and continue cooking over low to medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching of the milk. Cook until thick and bubbly. If you are stirring and stirring and the mixture after three to five minutes has not begun to thicken, gradually increase the heat while stirring.
Remove from heat and stir in the green onions and sun dried tomatoes and set aside.
Assembly: A single recipe will be good for a three quart crockpot, a double will fill a larger crockpot for a party. Lightly spray or brush the inside of the crockpot with a little olive oil. Line the bottom of the crockpot with the eggplant slices, scoop on a layer of the meat and then lightly cover with the sauce and a sprinkling of the cheese. Place another layer of eggplant on top and press down (a potatoe masher works great for pressing this together) and add another layer of meat, sauce and cheese repeating until either the crockpot is full or out of ingredients. Try and have just enough bechamel sauce to cover the last layer of eggplant and sprinkle with cheese. Cover the crockpot and cook on high for a couple of hours.
This was the end results after less then a half hour at yesterday's picnic party. Which was a double recipe of the above.
Ingredients:
1 very large eggplant (two pound) or 2 medium eggplants (about a pound to pound 1/4 each)
extra virgin olive oil or olive oil spray
salt
Meat mixture:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of lean ground turkey
1 1/4 cups yellow or white onion chopped
3/4 cup chicken broth (fat free preferrably)
1 cup tomato puree
3/4 cup diced tomato
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey or raw agave syrup
Bechamel sauce:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup 100% whole wheat flour (next time I am going to try quinoa flour or something similar)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups 1% milk ( I am considering trying unsweetened almond milk in this, did not this time in case anyone at the gathering this was made for had a nut allergy)
3/4 cup chicken broth (fat free)
1/2 cup green onions / scallions chopped (both green and white parts)
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine
Final ingredient:
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated fine
Preperation of eggplant:
Remove stem and remove a thin slice from the round bottom (to expose the inside flesh) and slice into 3/8" thick rounds. Arrange on a wire rack and sprinkle with course salt on both sides. Let set for 15 - 20 minutes. Using paper towels, blot dry the surface of the eggplant slices. Spray lightly (very lightly) the slices on both sides with olive oil. There are three ways to prepare, grilling on a bbq grill, roasting in an oven or cooking them on a flattop. The best method would be to roast in the oven one the wire rack at 425 degrees for about fifteen to twenty minutes until lightly golden and tender. Alternatively, cook them at the same temp on your grill or flattop until lightly golden brown and delicious.
Reasoning for this step in the preperation. The salting is to help remove excess moisture and the prior cooking again helps precook them and remove a bit more moisture. The first time I made the original recipe I did not do this (as it was not in the directions) and the dish, while tasting great was very soupy, almost watery. Eggplant is like a sponge, it will give and absorb moisture. This removing the water now, allows for it to absorb the flavors of the meat and bechamel while it is cooking in the crockpot. Also because of the salting to remove moisture now, I did not add any into the bechamel as it was originally written.
Remove eggplant to a safe container until ready to assemble. I cooked the eggplant and meat the night before, cooking the sauce and assembling and final cooking of the moussaka the day of the party.
Cooking the meat mixture:
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey and onion. Cook for five or so minutes until the meat is no longer pink, stirring to break up the turkey. Using a potatoe masher works great to break up the meat during this step. Add the chicken broth, tomato puree, diced tomato, tomato paste, oregano, nutmeg, cinnamon and honey. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about thirty minutes to an hour or so until the mixture is thick and seemingly almost dry. Think of a thick bolognese sauce. The picture below was about a third of the way through cooking and still had plenty of cooking down to do yet. I did a triple batch so it took considerably longer.
Bechamel Sauce:
In a two quart sauce pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Whisk in the flour and pepper, while constantly stirring with a whisk for one to two minutes. Add in the garlic and continue cooking until the garlic is soft and tender. Think of making a rue for cajun cooking to thicken a sauce. You want a light golden color for maximum thickening power. Pour in the milk and broth and continue cooking over low to medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching of the milk. Cook until thick and bubbly. If you are stirring and stirring and the mixture after three to five minutes has not begun to thicken, gradually increase the heat while stirring.
Remove from heat and stir in the green onions and sun dried tomatoes and set aside.
Assembly: A single recipe will be good for a three quart crockpot, a double will fill a larger crockpot for a party. Lightly spray or brush the inside of the crockpot with a little olive oil. Line the bottom of the crockpot with the eggplant slices, scoop on a layer of the meat and then lightly cover with the sauce and a sprinkling of the cheese. Place another layer of eggplant on top and press down (a potatoe masher works great for pressing this together) and add another layer of meat, sauce and cheese repeating until either the crockpot is full or out of ingredients. Try and have just enough bechamel sauce to cover the last layer of eggplant and sprinkle with cheese. Cover the crockpot and cook on high for a couple of hours.
This was the end results after less then a half hour at yesterday's picnic party. Which was a double recipe of the above.
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