Thursday Recipes

It's almost Friday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the rest of the week, including Taco Chili and Easy Brownies. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE LOVER'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

This recipe is from FamilyTime, and begins, “Chocolate crust with a milk chocolate coating, fluffy chocolate filling, whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle: this pie is not for the faint of heart!”

Serves: 12; Prep. time: 25 minutes; Cooking time: 11 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Baking Cocoa

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 3/4 cups (16 ounces) NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

2 teaspoons Powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, cocoa and granulated sugar in 9-inch pie plate. Stir in butter until all ingredients are moistened; press onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup morsels over bottom of hot crust; let stand for 10 minutes or until all morsels are shiny. Spread chocolate over bottom and up sides of crust. Cool to room temperature.

Microwave 2 cups morsels and 3/4 cup cream in large, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Beat remaining cream, sugar and vanilla extract in chilled small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crust; swirl top. Garnish with remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until firm.

Microwave remaining 1/4 cup morsels in heavy-duty plastic bag on HIGH (100%) power for about 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle chocolate over pie; let stand a few minutes before serving.

EASY BROWNIES

This comes from MyDailyMoment.com, and begins, “Brownies are a deliciously simple dessert creation that are completely packed with flavor on their own, or you can add chocolate chips, raisins, chopped maraschino cherries or nuts for a unique finish.”

Servings: for 6 people; Time: Ready in 35 min

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted

8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cups to 2 cups chocolate chips semisweet, white, butterscotch, peanut butter or raisins or chopped maraschino cherries or nuts

Directions

Grease an 8-inch square pan or line with foil.

In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa and stir until cocoa is dissolved.

Add sugar and mix well; add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.

Stir in vanilla, flour and salt until you no longer see any flour (do not over mix).

Spread in pan and bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven for approximately 25 minutes.

Do not over-bake and adjust time/temp accordingly for your oven. If you do the knife/toothpick test, it should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.

Cool completely before cutting into squares.

For vegetarian omit the marshmallows.

HEALTHY POTATO, LEEK, AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

This comes from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, on VeryWellFit. Kaleigh wrote, “If you have high blood pressure, it is usually best to avoid canned soup or soup bought at restaurants. They contain lots of sodium, and if they are creamy they'll have extra saturated fat. Potato soup, in particular, is commonly made with heavy cream, bacon, cheese, and sour cream, but just because you are trying to eat healthier doesn’t mean you have to miss out on it.

“This potato, leek, and white bean soup is loaded with flavor thanks to sauteed leeks and potatoes cooked in low sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Then white beans are blended in, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture with tons of flavor and nutrition.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 8 (1 cup each).

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic (smashed)

1 leek (rinsed and cut in half lengthwise

4 cups potatoes (peeled and cubed)

3 cups low sodium chicken (or vegetable broth)

1 15-ounce can no added salt white beans

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)

Bacon (cooked and crumbled)

Chives (chopped)

Nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Directions

Heat oil over low heat in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot.

Chop leeks and save greens for another use. Add the white part of leeks and garlic to the stock pot and cook, stirring, until softened. Add potatoes and broth and simmer, covered, until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer all contents to a blender. Add white beans and pepper and blend until smooth.

Pour into bowl and garnish each with a dollop of yogurt, a teaspoon of chives, and a teaspoon of crumbled bacon (optional).

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

This healthier version of potato soup provides plenty of fiber and plant-based protein and can be made vegan by using vegetable broth. If you aren’t vegetarian, feel free to top your soup with a dollop of plain greek yogurt, a tiny bit of crumbled bacon, and chives for even more flavor.

For dairy-free, leave off yogurt.

Cooking and Serving Tips

If you like your soup more chunky, leave half of the beans and half of the potatoes when blending, and stir them back in at the end.

This soup makes a delicious and filling lunch along with a side salad or on its own. The recipe makes a big batch, so you can portion it out to eat all week long.

POTATIES AU GRATIN

This recipe begins, “You say potatoes, we say we've got a great au gratin dish on our hands. Even the most novice cook can throw together this gourmet-tasting grub on the fly. It's got plenty of 'appeal'!”

Servings: for 12 people.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

32 ounces frozen hash browns

1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup

1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup

1 1/2 cups can condensed cream of potato soup

8 ounces container sour cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 small finely chopped onion

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. Spread frozen hash browns into the bottom of the prepared pan. Mix together potato soup, celery soup, onion, green bell pepper and sour cream; pour mixture over the potatoes. Bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cheese, and bake another 30 minutes or until the cheese melts.

TACO CHILI

This was posted on the Vegetarian Times website on January 6, 2001. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups soy crumbles

1/2 cup canned soybeans

15-oz. can corn, drained

2 (28-oz.) cans diced tomatoes

30-oz. can chili beans

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

2 pkgs. taco seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

Preparation

In large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve with low-fat shredded cheese and tortilla chips.

SIMPLE VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA

This comes from Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN at VeryWellFit. Vicki wrote, “There's nothing like lasagna to soothe a craving for a creamy, dreamy meal. With a foundation of vitamin C-rich tomato sauce, which is loaded with the carotenoid lycopene, this Italian classic takes on a healthy bend with a good dose veggies nestled in its layers.

“Chock full of leafy green spinach, this dish is good for your brain health, as eating a serving of veggies each day has shown to fend off cognitive decline. Spinach is also loaded with iron and calcium for a total body wellness boost.“

Total Time: 65 min; Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 45 min; Servings 9 (1 cup each)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated

3 cups raw baby spinach leaves

Preparation

Preheat the oven the 350F.

On the stovetop over medium heat, pour the tomato sauce into a saucepan. Add salt, oregano, and garlic. Bring to a light boil, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.

On the bottom of a 9x13 pan put a layer of tomato sauce. Place a layer of noodles on top, covering the bottom of the pan. Spread ricotta cheese on top of the noodles, top with spinach, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and coat with a small ladle full of sauce. Repeat the layers until you get to the top of the pan. Sprinkle the final layer with mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is golden brown on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes before serving.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

Make this dish higher in fiber with whole wheat noodles, although they may only be available in the boil variety. Add other vegetables such a sliced carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. For an alternative green, use baby kale or arugula. Spread pesto between the layers or incorporate it into the tomato sauce for a rich, nutty flavor.

If you want to add meat, add cooked, diced chicken breast or ground turkey to the sauce. For a non-dairy twist, use vegan cheese in lieu of ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

Cooking and Serving Tips

To save time use no-boil lasagna noodles—they're quick and easy to assemble. Plus, the part-skim ricotta cheese and mozzarella reduce the fat but still offer good-quality protein.

This dish can be assembled and placed, uncooked and covered, in the refrigerator overnight. Simply heat and serve the next day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.