Thursday Recipes

Enjoy!

GRILLED HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH CREAMY AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING

This, as well as the next recipe (Chipotle-Molasses Barbecued Tempeh, came from the July 2015 issue of Better Nutrition, which I picked up at my favorite store, Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. It begins, “Romaine leaves take on a complex, smoky flavor when grilled. Smother them with fresh-tasting vegan ‘ranch’ for a scrumptious salad that stands up to any steakhouse Caesar.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

4 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise

4 medium tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing

3/4 cup cashew butter

1 small avocado, pitted and peeled

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. honey

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. dried dill weed

Lightly oil grill racks and preheat grill to medium high. Brush all surfaces of romaine and tomatoes with olive oil.

Arrange, cut side down, on grill (use a grill grate for tomatoes). Grill tomatoes 4 minutes, romaine 5–6 minutes.

While lettuce and tomatoes are grilling, combine remaining ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange lettuce halves and tomatoes on 8 individual plates. Pour dressing over all, and serve immediately.

per serving: 280 cal; 5g pro; 25g total fat (4g sat fat); 13g carb; 0mg chol; 105mg sod; 3g fiber; 4g sugars

CHIPOTLE-MOLASSES BARBECUED TEMPEH

This begins, “This recipe contains honey, which may or may not be part of your vegan diet. You can easily swap out traditional honey with a vegan alternative like Bee Free Honee (beefreehonee.com).” Serves 8.

1 1/2 cups tomato purée

1/2 cup tomato paste

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1 medium canned chipotle pepper, seeds removed

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 Tbs. molasses

2 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. tamari

2 blocks tempeh

2 Tbs. olive oil

Ciabatta bread or whole-grain hamburger buns, optional

In medium saucepan, combine tomato purée, tomato paste, onion, garlic, chipotle chili, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, uncovered. Transfer to blender, add molasses, honey, and tamari, and purée until smooth.

Cut each tempeh block in half crosswise, then split lengthwise to make thinner slabs. Arrange in baking dish and brush with oil. Pour barbecue sauce over tempeh, and bake 10 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and tempeh is cooked through.

Remove from oven and let cool. Cover baking dish to transport to barbecue; warm tempeh slabs on grill and serve on buns, if desired.

per serving (without buns): 200 cal; 12g pro; 10g total fat (2g sat fat); 20g carb; 0mg chol; 450mg sod; 2g fiber; 11g sugars

SIMPLE VEGGIE SKEWERS

Yield: 12 appetizers

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/60.shtml

Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/779.shtml

Ingredients

1 medium-small zucchini squash

12 cubes (3/4-inches each) reduced-fat white cheddar, provolone, or Swiss cheese (about 3 ounces)

12 small whole fresh mushrooms

12 pitted jumbo black olives

12 cherry or grape tomatoes

12 wooden skewers (6-inches each)

1/2 cup light ranch salad dressing (optional)

Directions

Trim the ends off the zucchini, quarter it lengthwise, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces.

Thread 1 of the zucchini pieces, 1 cube of cheese, 1 mushroom, 1 olive, 1 tomato, and another zucchini piece onto each skewer.

Serve immediately (accompanied by the dressing if desired) or cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 58; Protein: 5 g; Sodium: 138 mg; Cholesterol: 7 mg; Fat: 2.8 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 2 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Vegetable, 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat

SOUTHWESTERN QUINOA SALAD

This comes from Fiona Haynes, About.com’s Low Fat Cooking expert. Fiona wrote, “This colorful southwestern-style quinoa salad is great for those looking for an alternative to rice- or pasta-based salads. For those needing to eat gluten free, quinoa is a great option.” Prep time: 0 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups fat-free, low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn

1 15 ounce can low-sodium black beans

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 large lime or 2 small ones (about 1/4 cup)

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

Preparation

Rinse quinoa thoroughly to rid it of its bitter coating.

Place in a 2 quart saucepan with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Allow to cool.

Place cooled cooked quinoa in a salad bowl with the corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno pepper and cilantro.

Whisk lime juice, oil, and cumin in a small bowl.

Drizzle over quinoa salad, then toss.

Per Serving: Calories 181, Calories from Fat 34, Total Fat 3.8g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 94mg, Carbohydrate 29.8g, Fiber 4.4g, Protein 7g

PINK LADY PUNCH

This recipe was one that my mom had kicking around for years, though I’m really not sure where she got it from. This recipe and the next one for Spice Tea can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

4 C cranberry juice

4 C pineapple juice

1 1/2 C sugar

2 qts. chilled ginger ale

Add sugar to cranberry juice. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add pineapple juice. Chill. Pour into punch bowl & add ginger ale.

SPICE TEA

I used to make this every year to hand out as Christmas presents, though it makes a nice gift at any time.

8 oz loose tea

1 1/2-2 sticks cinnamon

3 orange peels

2 T chopped cloves

Cut orange peels into small pieces. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occaionally. Let cool, add to loose tea, along with broken cinnamon sticks & cloves. Store in tight containers.

Tuesday Recipes

I know I'm running a little late today, but at least I made it! Here are today's six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB

This comes from Ina Garten from The Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 45 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 20 min; Yield: 1 serving; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/grilled-corn-on-the-cob.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 ear fresh corn on the cob, with the husk

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

Kosher salt

Directions

Prepare a charcoal grill with a single layer of hot coals.

Peel back the husk from the corn and remove the silk. Brush the kernels with the melted butter and replace the husk to cover the ear of corn.

Grill the corn for a total of 20 minutes, turning it every 5 minutes. Remove the ear from the grill and carefully peel back the husk. Sprinkle the kernels with salt and serve.

SOUR-CREAM COFFEE CAKE

This comes from Robert Farrar Capon in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Robert wrote, “Here is a classic coffee cake with a tender crumb and a crunchy streusel topping that comes together in about an hour. It's quite rich, so your serving sizes don't need to be large.” Yield: about 12 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “Good Health; Have A Nice Breakfast”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with sour cream and vanilla until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.

Make the topping: Combine sugar, cinnamon, flour and nuts in a small bowl and mix well.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool, cut into pieces and serve.

GRILLED HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH CREAMY AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING

This, as well as the next recipe (Chipotle-Molasses Barbecued Tempeh, came from the July 2015 issue of Better Nutrition, which I picked up at my favorite store, Rollin’ Oats in St. Petersburg, Florida. It begins, “Romaine leaves take on a complex, smoky flavor when grilled. Smother them with fresh-tasting vegan ‘ranch’ for a scrumptious salad that stands up to any steakhouse Caesar.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

4 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise

4 medium tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup olive oil, plus additional for brushing

3/4 cup cashew butter

1 small avocado, pitted and peeled

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. honey

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. dried dill weed

Lightly oil grill racks and preheat grill to medium high. Brush all surfaces of romaine and tomatoes with olive oil.

Arrange, cut side down, on grill (use a grill grate for tomatoes). Grill tomatoes 4 minutes, romaine 5–6 minutes.

While lettuce and tomatoes are grilling, combine remaining ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange lettuce halves and tomatoes on 8 individual plates. Pour dressing over all, and serve immediately.

per serving: 280 cal; 5g pro; 25g total fat (4g sat fat); 13g carb; 0mg chol; 105mg sod; 3g fiber; 4g sugars

CHIPOTLE-MOLASSES BARBECUED TEMPEH

This begins, “This recipe contains honey, which may or may not be part of your vegan diet. You can easily swap out traditional honey with a vegan alternative like Bee Free Honee (beefreehonee.com).” Serves 8.

1 1/2 cups tomato purée

1/2 cup tomato paste

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1 medium canned chipotle pepper, seeds removed

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 Tbs. molasses

2 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. tamari

2 blocks tempeh

2 Tbs. olive oil

Ciabatta bread or whole-grain hamburger buns, optional

In medium saucepan, combine tomato purée, tomato paste, onion, garlic, chipotle chili, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, uncovered. Transfer to blender, add molasses, honey, and tamari, and purée until smooth.

Cut each tempeh block in half crosswise, then split lengthwise to make thinner slabs. Arrange in baking dish and brush with oil. Pour barbecue sauce over tempeh, and bake 10 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and tempeh is cooked through.

Remove from oven and let cool. Cover baking dish to transport to barbecue; warm tempeh slabs on grill and serve on buns, if desired.

per serving (without buns): 200 cal; 12g pro; 10g total fat (2g sat fat); 20g carb; 0mg chol; 450mg sod; 2g fiber; 11g sugars

FROZEN BLUEBERRY LEMONADE PIE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “Blueberries give this frozen lemonade pie extra color and flavor, and it is a fabulous pie for a hot summer day. The pie takes just a few minutes to mix - just freeze and eat!” Prep Time: 6 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Total Time: 6 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade

1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, regular or "lite," thawed in the refrigerator

1 deep dish graham cracker pie crust, homemade or purchased

Preparation

Put the blueberries, sweetened condensed milk, and frozen lemonade in a blender container. Blend until well mixed.

Pour into a bowl and fold in the whipped topping until well blended.

Spoon into the prepared crust.

Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours.

If frozen solid, take it out of the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Note: I used a "2 extra servings" deep dish ready crust for the pie. A smaller pie shell will leave you with extra filling.

Just freeze any excess in small ramekins or 4-ounce canning jars and serve as a frozen pudding.

TERIYAKI TOFU KABOBS

Yield 4 servings

Serving Size: 2 skewers

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

Author: Hope Warshaw and Robyn Webb

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/330.shtml

Ingredients

8 bamboo skewers

3/4 pound extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 32 cubes

1 red pepper, cut into 16 squares

1 cup canned pineapple chunks, reserve 1/2 cup juice

1 tablespoon lite soy sauce

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons minced ginger

Directions

Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes to keep them from burning as you cook the skewers.

Meanwhile, put the tofu, red pepper, and pineapple chunks in a plastic bag or container with a lid. Add reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Drain, reserving marinade to baste. Thread the tofu, red pepper, and pineapple on the skewers.

Prepare an outdoor grill or oven broiler with the rack set 6 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the kabobs about 5 minutes per side, basting with the marinade. Serve with brown rice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 107; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 147 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 1 Very Lean Meat