Recipe Day: Parmesan Spinach Cakes

It took me a while to actually make them because I thought processing the spinach would be a pain. And it was -- it went fast, but little spinach bits get everywhere during the transfer and the cleanup. Still, these are very tasty little buggers. They remind me of Dr. Praegers spinach cakes only they are better (and more filling)!



12 ounces fresh spinach, processed in 3 batches so its finely chopped

1/2 C part skim ricotta

1/2 C finely shredded parm, plus some for garnish

2 eggs, beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste (don't really need the salt if the parm is salty)



process spinach, add beaten eggs, ricotta, parm, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. Place in 8 small muffin cups, well-coated with cooking spray (I used 6 large muffin cups). Bake in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with resereved parm and serve warm.



Serving, 2 muffins (using 8 muffin cups): 140 cals, 8 g fat, 13 g protein, 2 g fiber.

Recipe of the Day: Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta

Makes 4 servings, about 1 3/4 cups each

Ingredients
8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups shredded, peeled sweet potato (about 1 medium)
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
½ cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (I used cilantro)
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar or lemon juice (I used 1/4 C white wine and a splash of apple cider vinegar)
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes or according to package directions.2. Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Add sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bell pepper is tender-crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm.3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the vegetable mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, tarragon, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and cheese; toss to combine.

Per serving: 402 calories; 12 g fat (3 g sat, 6 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 62 g carbohydrate; 12 g protein; 9 g fiber; 546 mg sodium; 738 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (140% daily value), Vitamin A (120% dv), Potassium (21% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Borrowing some yummy ideas!

Sonoma-style Tapenade
(borrowed from my local farmer's market)
4 oz. dried mission figs
4 oz pitted kalamata olives
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp country mustard (dijon w/ seeds)
EVOO as needed (about 1/4 cup)
Throw together and process. Spread over crackers, bread, veggies, or however.

Gorgonzola Burgers
(borrowed from Whole Foods - instead of a huge $5.99 uncooked burger, I made my own, in an appropriate portion size, for less than half the price)
1/2 pound 93% leabn beef
1 TSP crumbled gorgonzola
1 tsp lite soy sauce
2 cloves chopped garlic
fresh ground pepper to taste
Mix it all up and form into two burgers. Grill until done to preference. Serve with fresh tomato slices and grilled corn on the cob.

Tropical Fruit Salsa

Slightly modified from SMCHESLOCK's recipe:

1/4 vidalia onion
1/2 mango
1 kiwi
1/2 orange
juice of 1/2 fresh lime
handful chopped cilantro
sprinkle of cumin
pinch of ginger
pinch of salt

I served it over a grilled chicken breast that I sliced into strips. YUM!

Oh, sister challenge week four was terrific--I got ALL SIX points and lost another pound. I worked out every day for nine days in a row, and I have to say I crashed the next weekend. But I'm back on track and having a pretty good week five.

Recipe of the Week: Salmon Chowder

2 turnips, peeled and cubed
1 onion
1 stalk celery
1tsp dill
1 bay leaf
1C veggie broth
12 oz salmon (canned or cooked fresh) - my sister who I got the recipe from uses fresh. I used 2 Whole Foods lemon dill salmon burgers and didn't add any more salt, pepper, or dill.
1C buttermilk
1C fat free plain yogurt
2t tabasco
1/4t salt
1/2t pepper

Cook the vegetables in the broth until tender, add seasonings. Turn down to low, add salmon, buttermilk and yogurt. Heat through until hot.

Makes 4 generous servings.

210 calories, 8 g. fat, 2 g fiber (4 WW points each)

Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much.

from Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food:

1. Eat Food.

• Avoid food products containing ingredients that are unfamilar, unpronounceable, more than five in number, and include high-fructose corn syrup or transfats.
• Avoid food products that make health claims.
• Shop the periphery of the supermarket - stay out of the middle.
• Get out of the supermarket where ever possible. (buy from farmers markets, CSA, local stands)

2. Mostly Plants.

• Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.
• You are what you eat eats too.
• If you have the space buy a freezer.
• Eat well-grown food from healthy soils.
• Eat like an omnivore.
• Eat wild foods when you can.
• Be the kind of person who takes supplements.
• Eat more like the french, or the italians or the japanese, or the indians or the greek. (i.e., eat traditional, non western, diets).
• Regard nontraditional foods with skepticism. (Soy isoflavones are a good example).
• Don't look for the magic bullet in traditional diets. (its not one thing, its the whole way of approaching eating)
• Have a glass of wine with dinner.

3. Not Too Much.

• Pay more, eat less. (quality is better than quantity)
• Eat meals.
• Eat at a table. (A desk or a couch is not a table).
• Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does.
• Try not to eat alone.
• Consult your gut.
• Eat slowly.
• Cook, and plant a garden if you can.

Recipe of the Week - Chickpea Hot Pot

(as modified from 101cookbooks.com)

1 large yellow onion, chopped
a splash of olive oil
a couple pinches of salt
2/3 cup uncooked bulgur
1 14-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cup cauliflower, trimmed into small trees
2 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 1/2 cup fresh chopped asparagus
zest of one orange
salt and pepper to taste
1T bouquet garni
1 cup water (if necessary to thin)

In a large pot over medium-high heat saute the onion in the olive oil along with the salt - for a minute or until the onion begins to soften a bit. Stir in the bulgur. Stir in the chickpeas and the stock. Bring the ingredients to a simmer. Cook for another few minutes, it should start to thicken. Taste to see if the bulgur is cooked through, if so add the orange juice. If not, simmer for a couple more minutes before adding the juice. Stir in the cauliflower and the kale as well - simmer another few minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender. If the stew is on the thick side, thin with a bit more water or stock. Taste, and add salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and red onions.
Serves 4 - 6.

(Serving 6 = 3 points/serving)

Just enjoying a bowl now, after shoveling 8 inches of snow. I need to pack and then I'm off to Hyannis for my 10K. I'll be back tomorrow with a report!

Recipe of the Week: Chana Masala with Spinach

1TB curry paste (Indian)
1 TB chopped garlic
1 sliced onion
2T tomato paste or 3T sauce
1 15oz can chickpeas with some of the liquid reserved (1/4C)
1T lemon juice
1t red pepper flakes
4C fresh baby spinach

Heat the curry paste with a little oil in a hot pan. Add the garlic and onion. Cook until onion is clear. Add tomato paste/sauce and stir. Add chickpeas, lemon, pepper and cook until heated through. Add spinach and slowly stir through the chickpeas until wilted and cooked.

Serve over rice, bulgar or plain.

Recipe of the Week: Middle Eastern Lamb Stew

Middle Eastern Lamb Stew
Makes 8 servings, about 1 cup each
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless lamb stew meat (shoulder cut)
1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used veggie)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15- or 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach
Optional (my additions):
3/4C chopped, pitted, cured black (moroccan) olives
3/4C golden raisins

Place lamb in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Mix oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat the lamb with the spice paste and toss to coat well. Top with onion. Pour tomatoes, broth and garlic over the lamb and onion. Cover and cook until the lamb is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high or 5 1/2 to 6 hours on low. Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Mash 1/2 cup chickpeas with a fork in a small bowl. Stir the mashed and whole chickpeas into the stew, along with spinach.

Per serving: 319 calories; 15 g fat (5 g sat, 6 g mono); 92 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 5 g fiber; 494 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Iron (20% dv).

Had this for dinner tonight over a cup of cooked bulgar and it was fabulous, warm, hearty and filling. I coooked it in the slow cooker overnight, and then stashed it in the fridge until dinner time. The flavors are delicious, and it was really quite simple to make.

Oh, and I finally made a morning swim today, and was rewarded with total KLN eye candy in the next lane. A hot male swimmer I've never seen before. Wow, see what you miss when you sleep through pool time. I *will* be back. Is tomorrow too soon?

Working on balance.

It is never easy, but I keep on trying, and hopefully, learning. Today was a pretty good, very full day. I got up early and hit the office (yes, work is mostly insane again). After I finished what I needed to do, I went to the gym for my first swim of the year, and the first in ages. I am soooo out of swimming shape, but I had a good, productive workout, and noticed some things about my stroke I hadn't figured out before. After the swim a short sauna, linner at my favorite Indian place, and then home to watch the Pats (18-0, baby!) in between more house chores and some cooking.

New recipe of the week:
Curried Squash & Chicken Soup
Makes 2 servings, 1 3/4 cups each
Ingredients
1 10-ounce package frozen pureed winter squash
½ cup "lite" coconut milk
½ cup water
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced (I used 4 oz of sliced thai-spiced tofu instead)
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½-1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
¼ teaspoon salt

Heat squash, coconut milk and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash defrosts, about 10 minutes. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in spinach, lime juice, sugar, curry paste to taste and salt and continue cooking until the chicken/tofu is cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.

From Eatingwell.com

NOTE: Toast the curry paste in the bottom of the pot first, it improves the flavor. I also used the juice of one whole lime.

Looks and smells fabulous, how nice to have it tucked away in the fridge for later in the week. Tomorrow is another ambitious day. I'm considering hitting a 6AM yoga class, which means leaving by 5:20 AM. After that, more work, but hopefully out by lunch-time (It is MLK day, after all), and then maybe some x-country skiing before I head home to chill out a bit. I'm off to pack my yoga bag, and load my skiis, and then curl up in bed with a good book.

Creamy Turkey Mushroom Soup

(easy, filling, and delish, if I do say so myself)

1 1/2 cup cooked skinless light meat turkey
1 cup cooked skinless dark meat turkey
64 oz Fat Free Vegetable Broth
20 oz fat-free evaporated milk
3 cup cooked brown rice
1 large onion(s)
1 cup carrot(s)
1 cup celery
4 cup mushroom(s) (mix of baby bella and shitake)
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper to taste
2T fresh thyme
2T fresh sage

Sautee onions, celery and carrots (chopped medium to fine) in cooking spray until soft. Chop mushrooms and add to vooked vegetables. Add salt and pepper. When mushrooms are soft, ad herbs, vegetable broth, and chopped turkey. Heat to just below boiling. Add evaporated skim milk and cooked brown rice. Heat through.

Makes 10 1.5 C servings, 4WW points per serving.

Serve with cornbread and a tossed green salad for a wonderful meal!

Week One of Project Blue Jeans

And despite it being the week from heck at work, I'm down 3.0 pounds! It's amazing what can happen when you exercise a little self-restrain (and I was far from perfect), track and count what you eat, and roll in some physical work.

On to week two, and Thanksgiving. I'm cooking this year, and still trying to figure out a menu that allows for a delicious holiday dinner as well as a healthy one. My biggest challenge -- what to do about dessert. It's only Mom and I this year, and do we really need an entire cake or pie for the two of us. We'll just end up eating it all. I'm trying to find some individual serving sized desserts, and leave it at that. One less thing to worry about making, too!

The best easy simple dinner evah!

Last night: broiled salmon steak rubbed in curry paste, doused in lemon; fresh spinach sauteed with garlic; yokon gold tater w/ a few sprays of ICBINB, sea salt and fresh pepper. I ate the spinach over the tater, too. YUM. A big handfull of sweet, juicy, delicious Ranier cherries (the glorious gold ones) for dessert.

Now, 364 more dinners like that, and I should get some more weight off.

I had a nice sleep too (11-5, then some tossing until 6ish), and made the pool this morning (1300 yards, felt good).

More yummy veg cooking!

Sweet Potato Curry

Ingredients:

1 can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 small or 1 big sweet potato cubed (I pre-baked mine a bit for sweeter flavor)
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
any other root vegetables, chopped (I added a carrot and part of a turnip)
soy or fish sauce (to taste)
cooking oil

Warm up some cooking oil in a pot, cook onion until softened. Add garlic and curry and stir for 2 minutes. Throw in the rest of the vegetables and stir until coated. Add the coconut milk and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked to your liking. Season with soy/fish sauce. Serve over rice (I like brown basmati).


NB: This is even better on subsequent days. Yum, yum, yum, like comfort soul food, with an Asian splash. Who needs those awful marchmellows and loads of butter and sugar in their sweets, this is FABU!