Taco Seasoning-Healthy Week

This homemade taco seasoning contains less sodium and more flavor than the stuff you buy in the store. I usually double the recipe and keep it in an jar.

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle powder

Mix to together and store in an airtight container.

Broccoli and Tofu in a Spicy Peanut Sauce-Healthy Week

This recipe is a classic in our house.  It is filled with protein, vitamins and pure awesomeness (ie:peanut butter).  For a dash of color add some red bell peppers.  For more spice, increase the garlic with chile sauce.  For more awesome, just eat the peanut butter directly from the jar.  

Ingredients

1 pound extra firm tofu

1 pound broccoli florets

1/2 onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup natural peanut butter

3/4 cup hot water

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons black strap molasses

1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic in chile suace

The Tools

medium sized sauce pan

large sauce pan

bowl filled with cold water and ice

large skillet or wok

small bowl

The Cooking

Place the tofu in a medium sized sauce pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and allow the tofu to sit until you are ready to add it to the rest of the dish.  This quick cooking will keep the tofu together as you saute it later.  

 Bring a large sauce pan filled with about four cups of water to a boil

Have a bowl filled with cold water and ice at the ready

Add the broccoli to the boiling water, allow it to boil for no more than 3 minutes.

And then plunge it into the waiting ice water

 Allow the broccoli to completely cool, then drain it, and sit is aside for later

Combine the peanut butter and the hot water together in a small bowl

 Add the rice vinegar to the peanut butter mixture, 

  

Add the soy sauce

 Then add the molasses

 And the garlic in chile paste

And whisk them all together

Warm the oil over medium heat, add the onion and saute until the onion is softened.  

To the onion, add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant

Add the blanched broccoli and saute until the broccoli is well coated in the oil, onions, garlic and ginger

Add the tofu

And then the sauce

Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.  Allow the mixture to cook until everything is warmed through.

Serve over rice

Recipe Serves 6 and the calorie calculation DOES NOT include the rice

Calories: 357

Fat Grams: 22

Protein: 19 

Fiber: 4

Sodium: 785

Recipe Source: The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Slow Cooker Ranch Beans

Growing up in Georgia I never even heard for Ranch Beans, most likely because of the absence of ranches. Sure we ate beans, a whole mess of beans.  But mostly beans flavored with pork and served with a big hot piece of cornbread.  I first encountered these beans at a local steak house and to say that I was underwhelmed by the lack of flavor in these beans is an understatement.  I swear they just cracked open a can of pinto beans, tossed them into a pot and warmed them up.  Okay, they served them in a large dutch oven for effect, but the taste was still lousy.  After some research I learned that this recipe should be much more flavorful and rich. Of course, I still served mine with a big hot piece of corn bread. 

2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight

2 cups vegetable broth

1-14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 cup rotel tomatoes

2 cups water

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1. Combine the above ingredients in a large sauce pan or soup pot.  Bring to a hard boil, lower to a simmer and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the liquid has started to thicken up a bit. 
2. Transfer the beans and liquid to the slow cooker, add some additional water if needed and cook on low of 8 hours or until the beans are tender. 
3. Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash

This is a marvelous way to add some vegetables to your diet. This squash cooks up relatively easily and yields a spaghetti like flesh which can be eaten with your favorite marinara sauce. A traditional serving of pasta is around 300 to 400 calories, where as a serving of spaghetti squash is only around 4o calories! I must say opening this bad boy was not easy feat. I found a suggestion on-line which stated that you should use a mallet to hammer a chef knife threw the squash to cut it in half. I had not mallet so I used a heavy water bottle as my mallet. The resulting cut was anything but even. In the end if did not seem to matter.

1 spaghetti squash

marinara sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and cut the spaghetti squash in half as best and as safely as you can. Remove the seeds without removing the stringy parts. Place it cut side down on a cookie sheet and poke it repeated with a fork. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender.
2. Allow to cool a bit and using a pot holder to protect your hand fork out the stingy flesh into a serving bowl. Top with marinara sauce and serve warm.

Red Cabbage with Apples

I served this for Labor Day along with a potato salad, some Tofurky Kielbasa Sausage, and come corn on the cob. As an official good-bye to summer we ate outside. This recipe is adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. As always I made some changes, so if you want the original you are going to have to buy the book.

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 pounds red cabbage, trimmed and shredded

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 pounds granny smith apples, peeled and cored

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cabbage and cloves, cook stirring often until the cabbage becomes softened, about 20 minutes. Add the apples, salt, pepper and cook stirring occasionally, for a minute or two.
2. Add the vegetable broth and vinegar, turn the heat down, cover and cook stirring occasionally until the cabbage is very tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Serve warm. Enjoy

Serves 6, 1 cup servings. Calories 105, Fat 3 grams

A word about the calories, I am using myfitnesspal.com to calculate the calories. Please keep in mind the my calculations are based on the exact ingredients that I have on hand. Myfitnesspal.com does show the fiber content, so a big sorry to anyone on weightwatchers.

Grilled Bread and Tomato Salad

This recipe is from weightwatchers.com. I have to admit that I have not had the greatest of luck with the recipes in their cookbooks, but the ones featured on their member site are usually home runs and this recipe is no exception. This is perfect for a hot summer night. Originally when I planned to prepare this meal I thought I would be using home grown tomatoes, but as of yet mine have not come in. The plants are in pots, which is often how I grow them, but this year they are taking their sweet time of it.

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut into wedges, and then cut once again in half
3 1/2 ounces Italian bread, cut into four 3/4 inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into strips or coarsely chopped

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano. Add the tomatoes and toss. Let stand for at least 15 minutes for flavors to blend.
2. Heat your grill. Coat the bread with cooking spray. Grill the bread until toasted, about 2 minutes per side. Keep an eye on the bread so that it does not burn. Remove from the grill when done and rub each piece of bread with the garlic. Cut the bread or break it into bite size chunks.
3. Just before serving, add the bread to the tomato mixture, sprinkle with basil, and toss to mix and coat.

Yields 6, 3/4 cup servings which are 2 points each

Taco Seasoning

This homemade taco seasoning contains less sodium and more flavor than the stuff you buy in the store. I usually double the recipe and keep it in an jar.

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake
1/8 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Mix to together and store in an airtight container.

Fire Roasted Artichokes

Well, we had planned on having broiled asparagus for Easter dinner, but the asparagus at the store was not looking so good to me. So I went with artichokes instead. Here a special way to serve artichokes that is above and beyond the norm.

2-4 artichokes pre-cooked ( steam mine in an electric steamer, but I will include cooking directions below just in case you do not a steamer)
One for each artichoke of the following:
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 minced glove of garlic
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of dried basil leaves

1. Rinse the artichokes well. Cut off the stems at the base (try to get them as level as possible)
2. Cut off the top 1/4 of the artichoke and trim the petals tips with scissors
3. (omit the this step if you have already cooked your artichokes by another method). Stand the artichokes in 3 inches of water in a deep pan. Cover and boil gently until the petals near the center come out easily, 25-40 minutes, depending on size. Turn upside down to drain well.
4. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees, if using the oven or get your grill started, if grilling
5. Place each cooked artichoke into the center of a large square heavy duty aluminum foil. Top with the above ingredients. Seal the foil squares.
6. At this point you can roast your artichokes directly on your hot coals for 5 to 8 minutes or in the 500 deg oven for 5-8 minutes. For roasting in the oven, you will want to place your foil wrapped artichokes in a baking pan with deep sides. I usually line my roasting pan with foil (to protect as it's finish only oven save to 450) and use it.
7. Serve with vinaigrette which was pooled in the bottom of your foil packets.

Enjoy!

Broiled Asparagus

1 lb asparagus, with the bottom rough part removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Balsamic Vinegar to taste

1. Turn oven to boil setting
2. Blanch or lightly steam your asparagus
3. Toss asparagus with oil and garlic
4. Put asparagus on cookie sheet.
5. Broil until begins to brown ever so lightly at the edges. Be sure to keep a very close eye on your asparagus during this stage. You do not want it to burn
6. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired, before serving.

Vegetable Stock

Vegetable Stock
This recipe is originally from The Joy of Cooking: All About Vegetarian Cooking by Rombauer, Becker and Becker. The original recipe calls for a bay leaf in the bouquet garni, but I substitued this for the celery leaves for a milder flavor.
1 Medium onion, sliced
1 leek, white part only, cleaned thoroughly and sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small turnip, peeled and sliced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
6 cups cold water
1 bouquet garni containing:
small bunch of parsley
8 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 or 3 celery leaves

1. Create your bouquet garni: bundle together the above herbs/leaves and wrap in a 4x4 square of cheesecloth. Tie the cheesecloth secruly with a piece of kitchen string. Refrigerate in a tighly converd container until ready to use.
2. Combine the above ingredients in a large stockpot
3. Simmer gently, partially covered, until the vegetables are completely softened about 45 to 60 minutes
4. Strain into a clean pot or heatproof plastic containter, pressing down on the vegetables to extract the juices.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Let cool uncovered, then refrigerate until ready to use.