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Category Archives: apples

Cooking With Winter Fruits

January 28, 2013

Winter is a great time to experiment with fruits like the kumquat, which can be added to a salad for a low-calorie, high-vitamin option. You can also try star fruits, which are great for heart health, or the flu-fighting quince. Certain varieties of tropical and citrus fruits, which are grown in places like Florida and Hawaii, have the highest levels of heart-healthy antioxidants of any fruit, so you can still make your heart happy without having to purchase fruit flown in from another hemisphere.

Some Not So Common Winter Fruits

Kumquats

The tiny little olive-sized citrus fruits are full of disease-fighting antioxidants, which are contained in their sweet, edible skin. A serving of five (which is about five calories) also contains one-fifth of your daily fiber needs, along with a healthy dose of potassium and vitamins A and C. The most commonly found variety is the Nagami, and California and Florida are home to most of our domestic crop, which peaks between November and March.

Slice kumquats and add to a salad or use in place of oranges in your recipes. Diced kumquats and avocado make a great salsa when mixed with red onion, cilantro and lime. At the market, look for firm fruits that are bright orange in color (green ones aren’t ripe), and store kumquats them at room temperature for two or three days or for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Carambolas or Star Fruit

Exotic fruits are generally higher in vitamin C, higher in potassium and lower in calories than domestic fruits. Carambolas, or star fruits, are no exception. High in inflammation-lowering polyphenols, they’re also great for your heart and full of fiber. Most of the star fruits you’ll see in stores now come from Hawaii or South Florida. Look for firm, shiny, evenly-colored yellow fruit. Handle with care, as star fruit bruise easily. Ripen them at room temperature for a few days until light brown ribs form and a full, fruity aroma develops, then refrigerate them for up to a week. The carambola’s taste has been described as a cross between citrus, apple and pear, and you can eat them as is, or slice them into fruit salads.

Rambutans

In Hawaii, the decline of the sugarcane plantations has led to a growing specialty fruit industry and antioxidant powerhouses rambutans, lychees and longans are now grown there. The rambutan, also known as hairy lychee or hula berry, is a tropical treat and their season runs from September through March. They might even be better for you than green tea. Rambutans have higher levels of the antioxidants: flavonoids and anthocyanins, both of which are believed to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and cardiovascular problems. They also contain iron and calcium. Look for rambutans in Asian and other specialty markets and handle them with care — they’re fragile and keep only a day or two at room temperature. If you’re not eating them right away, place them in a perforated plastic bag and refrigerate. To enjoy them, simply peel and pop into your mouth or add them to a fruit platter.

Longans

A relative of the lychee, longans are native to China but now are grown in Hawaii and in Puerto Rico. Stock up on them this time of year because they are traditionally used to settle upset stomachs and reduce fevers, making them great natural flu remedies. Also known as “dragon’s eye,” it’s easy to see why—the fruits have a black seed centered in translucent white flesh—and they taste similar to a chewy grape. You can find Hawaii-grown longans in Asian markets nearly year-round. Store them in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag for a week or two. You can simply rinse, peel and seed longans to eat as snacks or add them to fruit salads and desserts.

Persimmons

A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that a persimmon a day could be better for your heart than an apple, because they contain significantly higher concentrations of dietary fiber, minerals and phenolic compounds that prevent atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. An added bonus: the antioxidants in persimmons can help control diabetes and the cell damage it causes. Their flavor and texture has been compared to plums or apricots, with spicy undertones, and you can use just the pulp or the entire fruit in puddings, pureed in ice creams, breads or cakes. Try them in savory dishes, too, like salsas, stir-fries and salads.

Asian Pears

Though their softer Bosc relatives are long gone by now, hard-when-ripe Asian pears are perfect for cold storage and easy to find in farmer’s markets and grocery stores this time of year. Asian pears have significantly more fiber than other pear varieties and are good for your heart. Select the most fragrant, unblemished Asian pears when shopping; a sweet scent is the best indication that the pears are ripe. They can be kept for up to a week at room temperature or up to three months in the refrigerator. Their sweet pear flavor and crunchy texture make Asian pears perfect additions to salads and are delicious grated into slaws. They work well in place of apples in recipes from holiday stuffings to baked dishes. Try sauteing them to serve alongside meat entrees.

Some Common Winter Fruits

Oranges

In general, look for plump oranges that are free of blemishes or bruises. As the season goes on, you may find different varieties of oranges popping up, such as Cara Cara and blood oranges. Both of these varieties are very sweet and have a darker flesh, ranging from pink in the Cara Cara to dark red in the blood orange.

Oranges are filled with vitamin C (a large orange has more than the daily recommended value), which may help smooth your skin. If you chose a blood orange, you’ll also be getting anthocyanins, a compound that turns the orange’s flesh red and is associated with helping to keep the heart healthy and the brain sharp.

Buy them in bulk (they may be cheaper in a bag than when sold individually) and store them in the refrigerator to extend their life by a couple of weeks.

Bananas

Though there are hundreds of varieties of bananas, the Cavendish is the variety most familiar to North Americans. Bananas are in season year-round and are different from other fruits because they can be picked while they are still green. If you do buy green bananas, wait until the skin ripens to a yellow and the starches convert to sugars.

Bananas are one of the best sources of potassium, which is associated with healthy blood pressure. Also, a medium banana is an excellent source of cell-building vitamin B6 and is a good source of vitamin C and fiber.

Though bananas are relatively economical–ripening bananas cost about 90¢ per pound–overripe bananas are often on sale for less. Even if banana peels have started to brown, the insides often remain sweet and ripe. Buy a bunch or two and peel the extras before placing them in the freezer. They will keep for several months and are excellent in banana bread and smoothies.

Pineapple

Avoid green pineapples–they are not ripe. A ripe pineapple should smell like a pineapple. There should be a golden color present–starting at the base–and the more yellow a pineapple is, the better it will taste throughout. Some people claim that pulling leaves easily from the top of a pineapple is an indication of ripeness, but this has not been proven. Your best bet is to go with color.

Pineapple is full of vitamin C, delivers a healthy dose of fiber and is an excellent source of manganese, a nutrient involved in bone formation. Though convenient, prepared pineapple chunks in the produce section may cost more per pound than a whole pineapple. Many markets though sell pineapple peeled for the same price as an unpeeled one.

Pomegranates

Color is not a good indicator of a ripe pomegranate. Instead, choose a fruit that feels heavy in your hand.

Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants, natural compounds found in plants that help protect the body from harmful free radicals. (Free radicals are compounds in the body that damage tissues and may contribute to a variety of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer). Although you don’t get as many antioxidants eating the seeds as drinking the juice, you will get fiber and abundant punicic acid, a polyunsaturated heart-healthy oil.

Pomegranates aren’t the cheapest fruit in the produce bin (about $2.50 each), but the good news is that one fruit goes a long way. Your best bet is to compare prices at competing stores and buy the cheapest you can find.

Grapefruit

Like oranges, select fruits that are free of blemishes and bruises. Buying grapefruit can be tricky–the skin color of the fruit is not always a reliable way to tell if the fruit is sweet inside. If the fruit is heavy in your hand, that may be a good indication of its juiciness. Grapefruits are high in vitamin C and are a good source of fiber. Studies have shown that the soluble fiber in grapefruit may even be beneficial in lowering cholesterol. Half a medium grapefruit has only 60 calories.

If you regularly buy organic, you may make an exception for grapefruit. According to the Environmental Working Group (a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization) it is a fruit that is less likely to be contaminated with pesticides.

Recipes Using Winter Fruits

 

Appetizer

Pears with Blue Cheese and Prosciutto

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 pears, each cored and sliced into 8 wedges
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 ounces blue cheese cut into slices
  • 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 cup arugula

Directions:

Roll up an arugula leaf, a piece of pear (lay on its side)and a piece of cheese in a slice of prosciutto.  Repeat with the remaining pear slices.

First Course

 

Sicilian Fennel Salad with Oranges, Arugula, and Black Olives

Serves 4

In Sicily , this salad is traditionally prepared with chicory , a slightly peppery , tender-leafed green. Substitute with arugula if you can’t find chicory .

  • 3 navel oranges
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 bunches trimmed arugula or chicory
  • 2 cored, halved, trimmed medium fennel bulbs
  • 1/4 cup oil-cured black olives

Directions:

Trim off and discard peel and all of the white pith from oranges, then slice crosswise into thin rounds and set aside. Mix together the extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar in a large salad bowl, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tear arugula into large pieces and arrange in the salad bowl. Slice fennel bulbs into long strips. Toss salad just before serving, adjust seasonings, then arrange orange slices and black olives on top.

Second Course

 

Braised Chicken with Kumquats and Green Olives

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs. chicken legs or thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into ¼ inch half-rounds
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup kumquats
  • 1 cup green olives
  • Salt and pepper
  • Couscous, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Rinse and pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pan with a cover over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally , for about 15 minutes, or until evenly browned. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Add onion and garlic to pan and saute over medium heat until transparent. Add wine and bay leaves and reduce over high heat until syrupy . Return the chicken to the saucepan, skin side up and add enough chicken broth to cover 2/3 of the chicken. Tuck the kumquats and olives into the broth, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 40 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over couscous and serve.

Side Dish

Baked Applesauce

Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs. (about 10 medium) assorted apples, such as McCoun, MacIntosh, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold or HoneyCrisp, peeled, cored and quartered
  • 1/3 cup fresh apple cider
  • 4 lemon slices, paper-thin, or 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 (3-inch) piece stick cinnamon, or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
  • 2 tablespoons sugar, agave syrup, or honey, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place apples, cider and lemon slices or juice in large Dutch oven or heavy casserole with a cover. Toss apples to coat them with lemon. If using, add cinnamon stick or sprinkle on cinnamon and sweetener and toss again.

Bake apples, covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, until very soft and moist. Stir to combine soft apples and liquid into applesauce. If mixture is too thin, bake the applesauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature before serving. Applesauce thickens as it cools. The applesauce keeps, covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Dessert

 

Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake

Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 2 oranges
  • 2 1/3 cups sugar or 1 cup plus 2 ½ tablespoons sugar alternative, such as Truvia or Domino Light
  • Cooking Spray
  • 2 1 ⁄2 cups flour, plus more for dusting baking pan
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ⁄4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 ⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • Sugar crystals for garnish, optional

Directions:

Trim about 1/2″ from the tops and bottoms of the oranges; quarter oranges lengthwise.

Put oranges, 1 cup of the sugar or 1/2 cup of the sugar alternative and 4 cups water into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and orange rind can be easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10″ round cake pan with cooking spray and dust with flour; line pan bottom with parchment paper cut to fit. Set pan aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Remove orange quarters from syrup, remove and discard any seeds, and put oranges into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until oranges form a chunky purée, 10–12 pulses. Add remaining sugar, reserved flour mixture, vanilla, and eggs and process until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add olive oil; process until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk orange juice and confectioners’ sugar to make a thin glaze. Remove cake from the pan and transfer to a cake stand or plate. Using a pastry brush, brush orange glaze over top and sides of cake; let cool completely . Garnish cake with sugar crystals, if desired..

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Everyday Dinner Menus For Two

January 22, 2013

Hit the market and it sure seems like everyone is cooking for a crowd. Everything seems to be in such large packages.

In reality, there are a lot more folks cooking for one or two than you might think. There are, of course, those seniors and empty nesters but there are also the newlyweds, the college kids, the single parent and child and other young professionals.

It does take a bit of organization to make cooking for two a pleasurable experience. With some organization, you won’t find yourself eating goulash leftovers for an entire week.

Here are some organizing ideas for cooking for just two.

  1. Purchase a supply of freezer bags, plastic wrap, foil, freezer dishes, freezer labels and a permanent marker. This way you can be prepared for those too-large-for-you portions.
  2. Sure you think you’ll remember but, once frozen, it is often hard to tell which dish is which. Use your marker to write on the foil or bag or use stick on labels. Adding the cooking temperature and time will save you from looking it up later.
  3. Perhaps your recipe needs only half of a can. Place the remaining half of the can in a small freezer bag or container, label and freeze for another day or use.
  4. Most recipes seem to serve four, six or eight. However, you don’t need to divide the recipe in two. This often results in less than satisfactory results. Instead, prepare the dish but divide it in two. Have half for dinner and place half in the freezer.
  5. Individual casserole dishes are a great gift for you. Dishes, such as lasagna, chicken tetrazzini and tuna casserole, can be prepared and divided among small casseroles. Freeze the extras and pull out one or two, as needed, on a busy night.
  6. Shop in smaller quantities. When cooking for two, the big box discount stores are probably not your friend. You’ll surely tire of the five pounds of anything before it is consumed. You might think you are saving money but, if you end up wasting some of what you bought, then you haven’t saved anything.
  7. Continue to buy the meat you enjoy but divide the package into smaller portions and place some in the freezer. When buying something larger, like a roast, you can ask at the meat counter for them to split into two pieces for you.
  8. Purchase frozen vegetables in plastic bags. This allows you to pour out just the right serving for two and reseal the bag to preserve the rest.
  9. For dry goods, such as pastas, beans and rice, use what you need and then reseal the container. Sometimes, you can just place the entire box in a quart or gallon plastic bag and zip it shut to keep it fresh.
  10. Desserts for two pose a special challenge. While you can make a whole cake or pie, you might not want to be tempted by having the entire cake on that kitchen counter.  Turn that cake recipe into cupcakes, freezing some of them. Turn the pie recipe into tarts. Look for dessert mixes that make an 8 x 8-inch size pan rather than a 9 x 13-inch pan. When making desserts, such as brownies or cookies, divide them into individual portions and wrap them separately. 
  11. When making a casserole that calls for half-cup of green pepper or a few ribs of celery, head to the salad bar. Instead of an entire head of celery going bad in the refrigerator drawer, you can scoop up just the portion you need.
  12. If you have trouble using fresh produce before it can go bad, try some of the fresh produce bags, sometimes marketed as “green” bags. These extend the life of produce.

Here are some menus to get you started and these recipes are designed for two.

Menu One

 

Seared Scallops with Mint Pesto

2 Servings

Serving Size: 3 scallops, 1/4 cup pesto, 1/2 cup spinach

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons almonds, toasted and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 6 sea scallops (8 to 10 ounces total)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh spinach

Directions:

For pesto::

In a food processor, combine mint, parsley, almonds, Parmesan cheese, the water, lemon juice, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Cover and process until nearly smooth. Set aside.

Rinse scallops and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle scallops with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add scallops; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until scallops are opaque, turning once halfway through cooking.

Serve scallops and pesto over spinach.

Roasted Beets and Shallots

2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces trimmed red and/or yellow small beets, quartered
  • 2 small shallots, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Dash ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon snipped fresh sage or tarragon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange beets and shallots in a single layer in a 2-quart square baking dish. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 to 15 minutes more or until beets are tender. Cool completely. Peel the beets. Drizzle beets and shallots with lemon juice; sprinkle with sage.

Apple-Cranberry Cobbler

2 servings

Ingredients:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 small apples (such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp), cored, quartered, and thinly sliced (1-1/2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons low-fat granola without raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat two 6-ounce custard cups or other 6-ounce oven-safe dishes with nonstick spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together apple slices, cranberries, honey, the water, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Divide mixture between prepared custard cups. Cover cups with foil.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove foil and top with granola. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until granola is lightly browned.

Menu Two

Grilled Fish with Pepper Salsa

2 Servings

Serving Size: 1 fish steak and 2/3 cup salsa each

Ingredients:

  • 2-5 ounce fresh or frozen fish steaks, cut 3/4- to 1-inch thick
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup chopped, seeded tomato
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow or orange bell pepper
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons snipped fresh mint
  • Lemon wedges

Directions

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish.

In a small bowl, combine crushed fennel seeds, the lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, 1/8 teaspoon of the crushed red pepper and the salt. Pour over fish in bag; turn to coat fish. Seal bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

Meanwhile, for salsa:

In a small bowl, combine tomato, bell pepper, green onion, mint, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Set aside.

Drain fish, discarding marinade. For a charcoal grill, grill fish on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 6 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, gently turning once halfway through grilling.

For a gas grill, preheat grill . Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.

You can also use a preheated stove top grill or grill pan; follow directions above.

Serve fish topped with salsa mixture and lemon wedges.

Quinoa

2 Servings

Serving Size 2/3 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup chopped seeded cucumber
  • 1 large green onion, thinly sliced, or 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
  • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil

Directions:

In a small nonstick saucepan, cook quinoa and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cucumber, green onion, and snipped basil.

 

Berry Cheesecake Dessert

2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup skim ricotta cheese
  • 4 ½ teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel 
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • 1 ½ cups sliced strawberries, raspberries, and/or blueberries
  • 2 gingersnaps or chocolate wafers, broken

Directions:

In a blender container or food processor bowl combine cream cheese, ricotta cheese, sugar, orange peel and orange juice. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.

To serve, spoon the fruit into two dessert dishes. Top with the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with the broken cookies

Menu Three

 

Wine-Glazed Steak

2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (8 to 10 ounces total)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Directions:

Trim fat from steak; cut steak into two equal portions. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add steaks. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 10 to 13 minutes or until desired temperature (145 degrees F for medium-rare or 160 degrees F. for medium), turning steaks occasionally. If steaks brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low. Transfer steaks two dinner plates; keep warm.

Add mushrooms, garlic, and crushed red pepper to skillet; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Carefully add wine. Return to heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and honey; return to simmering. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spoon over steaks.

Roasted Carrots

2 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 slender carrots, trimmed, scrubbed
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoons honey
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange carrots in single layer in a small baking pan. Add olive oil and orange peel; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss. Pour orange juice over; cover tightly with foil. Roast until crisp-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove foil. Increase oven to 450°F. Drizzle honey over carrots. Roast uncovered until carrots are tender and browned in spots, about 10 minutes longer. Divide carrots and transfer them and any juices to the dinner plates with the steak.

 

Cucumber Radish Slaw

2 Servings

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar or sugar substitute equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • Dash salt
  • Dash ground black pepper
  • 1/4 of a medium English cucumber, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 of a medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Add cucumber, radishes, sweet pepper, and green onion. Toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 2 hours.

Roasted Mangoes with Brown Sugar Topping

2 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium ripe mango, halved lengthwise and pitted
  • 1 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoons flaked coconut
  • 1 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
  • 1 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

Directions:

Place mango halves in a small baking dish. Combine brown sugar, coconut, orange peel, and crystallized ginger in a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle over mango halves.

Bake in a 425 degree F. oven about 10 minutes or until mangoes are hot, and topping just begins to brown.

Vegetarian Entree Option

Substitute this entree for any of the entrees above.

 black bean burger - saveur.com

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

2 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated carrot
  • 2 tablespoons plus extra salsa, recipe below
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
  • 2 whole wheat hamburger buns, optional

Directions:

Using a fork, mash half of the beans in medium bowl. Mix the remaining beans, onion, carrot, bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons salsa, oregano and hot pepper sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Using moistened hands, shape bean mixture into two 3- to 4-inch-diameter patties.

Preheat broiler. Brush broiler rack or pan with oil. Broil burgers until heated through, about 3 minutes per side.. Spoon 1/4 cup salsa over each. Serve in a hamburger bun, if desired.

Homemade Tomato Salsa

Makes 3 cups

 Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sized fresh tomatoes (from 1 lb to 1 1/4 lb), stems removed, finely diced
  • 1/2 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced
  • 1 serano chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions:

Chop 2 medium sized fresh tomatoes. Prepare the chilies. Be very careful while handling these hot peppers. If you can, avoid touching them with your hands. Use surgical gloves or a paper towel to protect your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling and avoid touching your eyes for several hours. Set aside some of the seeds from the peppers. If the salsa isn’t hot enough, you can add a few for heat.

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Taste. If the chilies make the salsa too hot, add some more chopped tomato. If not hot enough, carefully add a few of the seeds from the chilies and the oregano

Let sit for an hour for the flavors to combine.

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Hearty, Healthy Winter Soups

January 10, 2013

Nothing beats the winter chill like a steaming bowl of soup. Soup can be filling and also budget-friendly, since it can last for weeks or months in the freezer. Let the soup recipes below warm your cold bones. Soup doesn’t have to be rich and creamy to be satisfying, though. The soup recipes here include recipes for a vegetable soup, a chicken soup and several other easy soup recipes that are healthier versions of their more traditional counterparts. I have also added recipes for homemade broth, if you are so inclined.

Here are a few tips to help you add flavor to your soup recipes. These tips will help take bland tasting soups and turn them into delicious, full flavored soups.

Use fresh ingredients at their peak of flavor. Many make the mistake of using old or leftover ingredients, especially vegetables, to make soup. The basic soup vegetables needed for starting soups are, onions, carrots, leeks, celery, sometimes green and/or red bell pepper, parsnips and garlic. Of course you can add other vegetables depending upon your soup recipe.

Homemade broth can really make a difference in how your soup tastes. Soups need bones. Unless you are a vegetarian, this is important to develop a flavor base. You need a flavorful broth or stock and soup bones are key to making a flavorful broth. I save bones from steak, chicken or roasts, etc., in my freezer for this purpose. If not, you can buy soup bones or meat parts that have bone attached. You can buy a whole chicken and keep the non-meaty parts like the neck or back for soups. Chicken wings or a turkey carcass also make a delicious soup stock. Beef shanks make excellent beef stock.

Roasting the bones in a hot oven first also adds more flavor and you do not need to add fat to brown them in the soup pot. Delicious vegetable broth can be made by roasting the vegetables first.

Fish bones are needed for a good fish stock, even shrimp shells will work for this type of stock.

Remove Fat From Chilled Broth

An advantage to making the broth ahead of time, is that the broth can be chilled overnight and, the fat that accumulates on the top of the broth, can be removed before making the soup.

Use herbs and seasonings. Find good fresh, flavorful salt free seasonings. Experiment with different herbs and spices. Try different chilies (they range from mild to hot) and, they are especially good to add to bean soups. Adding freshly ground black pepper can also make a difference and increase flavor in a soup recipe.

Take your time and let good flavorful soups simmer for a few hours or use a crock pot. Make plenty and enjoy delicious, healthy soups even more the next day. Also, put some in the freezer for a quick lunch or dinner.

Stock Vegetables

Easy Method for Making Homemade Broth for Soup

Vegetables do not need to be peeled – just wash – peel and all. Use these broths in the recipes below. Of course, you can use canned broth, if you do not have time to make the broth.

CHICKEN STOCK

Roast 2 lbs. of chicken bones in the oven at 425 degrees F. for 30 minutes with 3 carrots, 2 onions halved, 2 leeks and 2 stalks of celery in a roasting pan. Transfer to a soup pot and add 2 gallons of water, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black whole peppercorns and simmer until reduced to half. Strain the broth and refrigerate overnight. Remove the fat and continue with your soup recipe or freeze in pint bags. This makes 1 gallon of chicken stock that will last over 1 year if frozen

SHELLFISH STOCK

Roast 2 lbs of shrimp or lobster shells or fish bones in the oven at 325 degrees F. for 40 minutes with 3 carrots, 2 onions halved, 2 leeks and 2 stalks of celery in a roasting pan. Transfer to a soup pot and add 2 gallons of water, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black whole peppercorns and simmer until reduced to half. Strain the broth and continue with your soup recipe or freeze in pint bags. This makes 1 gallon of fish stock that will last over 1 year if frozen

VEGETABLE STOCK

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a roasting pan add 4 carrots, 3 onions halved, 2 leeks, 3 stalks of celery, 2 shallots and 4 tomatoes cut in half. Roast for 45 minutes. Transfer to a soup pot and add 2 gallons of water, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black whole peppercorns and simmer until reduced to half. Strain the broth and continue with your soup recipe or freeze in pint bags. This makes 1 gallon of vegetable stock that will last over 1 year if frozen

BEEF STOCK

Roast 2 lbs of beef bones in the oven at 425 degrees F. for 30 minutes with 3 carrots, 2 onions halved, 2 leeks and 2 stalks of celery in a roasting pan. Transfer to a soup pot and add 2 gallons of water, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black whole peppercorns and simmer until reduced to half. Strain the broth and refrigerate overnight. Remove the fat and continue with your soup recipe or freeze in pint bags. This makes 1 gallon of beef stock that will last over 1 year if frozen

Winter Soups

Potato and Kale Soup

Collard or mustard greens can be substituted for the kale.

Servings 8

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces bacon or turkey bacon, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 8 cups homemade chicken stock or low sodium canned
  • 8 potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled, root ends trimmed
  • 1 bunch kale, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
  • salt, to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

2. In a heavy stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, potatoes and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and garlic to a bowl; lightly mash with a fork (or use an immersion blender). Return mashed vegetables to the soup pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in kale, a handful at a time. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Stir in the reserved bacon and season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Root Vegetable and Apple Soup

Servings 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes, large, peeled and diced
  • 8 parsnips, peeled and diced
  • 2 small onions, peeled and diced
  • 2 apples, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup walnut oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 4 cups homemade vegetable broth or low sodium canned
  • 1/2 cup Marsala (optional)
  • 2 ounces dried apples
  • 3/4 cup creme fraiche or Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place the diced vegetables and fresh apples on a baking sheet and toss with the walnut oil, honey, rosemary, five spice powder, salt and pepper. Roast, turning often, until vegetables are softened and lightly caramelized, 30 to 35 minutes.

3. Combine the vegetable broth, Marsala, and dried apples in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; simmer for 20 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables.

Immersion Blender

4. Working in small batches, puree the ingredients in a blender; (or use a hand immersion blender in the soup pot) and transfer to a saucepan. If the soup is too thick, thin with hot water or vegetable broth.

5. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a little creme fraiche or yogurt over the top of each serving and swirl with a skewer or a knife. 

Easy Minestrone

Servings 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 3 leeks, medium-sized, washed and thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups homemade vegetable or chicken broth or low sodium canned
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 red potato, large-sized, scrubbed and diced
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves or Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup orzo pasta (whole wheat, if possible)
  • 15 ounces white beans, canned, drained and rinsed
  • 2 zucchini, trimmed, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 1 pound fresh spinach, washed, stems removed or a bag of baby spinach
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add leeks, garlic and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Pour in broth and water. Add potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

2. Add orzo and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, for 5 minutes. Add beans and zucchini and continue to cook, partially covered, until the vegetables and pasta are tender, about 8 minutes.

3. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season the soup with vinegar. Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan.

Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

Serves 8

To make a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and substitute quartered button mushrooms and/or cubed firm tofu for the chicken.

Ingredients

  • 8 cups homemade chicken broth or low sodium canned, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice
  • 1 small chicken breast (about 6 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves thinly sliced or other greens of choice

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring 1/2 cup broth to a simmer. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook about 8 minutes or until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally.

2. Add remaining 7 1/2 cups of broth, water, rice, chicken and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 35 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through.

3. Remove bay leaf and stir in kale. Continue cooking just until kale is wilted and tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

Bean and Cabbage Soup

A thick, simple soup for a chilly afternoon, this dish is easy to make and tastes even better a day later.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red or white beans (1/2 pound), rinsed and picked over (or use low sodium canned beans)
  • 2 quarts water or homemade chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1/2 head cabbage (about 1 1/4 pounds), cored and shredded
  • 1 – 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • A bouquet garni made with a few sprigs each parsley, thyme, a bay leaf and a Parmesan rind
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Directions:

If using canned beans skip step 1.

1. Combine the beans and broth or water in a large saucepan or pot. Discard any of the beans that float. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer one hour. Season to taste with salt. Do not discard bean cooking water.

2. In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onions, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant, and add the cabbage and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes until the cabbage has wilted.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, salt to taste and the red pepper flakes or cayenne, and continue to cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture smells fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and their liquid. If the vegetables aren’t covered with liquid, add more so that they’re just covered. Add the bouquet garni, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour. The beans should be soft. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve, passing grated Parmesan, if desired, to sprinkle on.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: The cooked beans will keep for four days in the refrigerator. The soup also will keep for that long and can be frozen.

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Salmon For Dinner

November 19, 2012

There are so many wonderful things about salmon that it’s hard to know where to start.

It’s firm enough to grill, can be cooked in many different ways, and doesn’t dry out. It comes fresh, frozen, smoked, and canned. Wild salmon can be eaten without fear of excess contaminants or mercury and it has a very high nutrient profile, including the highly regarded omega-3 fatty acids.

The American Heart Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, among other health organizations, recommend you consume two servings of fatty fish per week. Salmon makes a good choice for these meals as it is high in healthy fats, protein and other vitamins and minerals. Regardless of the type of salmon you choose, it makes a positive impact on your diet.

Should You Buy Wild or Farmed?

The first choice you should make is whether to buy wild salmon (and all Alaskan salmon is wild-caught) or farmed Atlantic salmon. In most instances,opt for wild salmon because environmental groups, such as Seafood Watch and the Environmental Defense Fund, have put nearly all farmed salmon on their “red” or “avoid” list. The reason is because many farms use crowded pens where salmon are easily infected with lice, may be treated with antibiotics and can spread disease to wild fish (one reason Alaska has banned salmon farms). In addition, it can take as much as three pounds of wild fish food to raise one pound of salmon.

There’s some good news. Salmon farmers are currently in talks with environmental groups about improving their practices and there is a proposal before Congress to set standards for aquaculture. Some farms, such as Sweet Spring in British Columbia, are raising coho in closed pens and that reduces the impact on wild fish. Others, such as Verlasso in Patagonia, are using feeds fortified with the omega-3 EPA, which helps cut back on the amount of fish needed to feed the farmed salmon. (Source: Eating Well Magazine)

What to Serve With Salmon?

Grilled salmon can be the focal point of many meals depending on what you serve it with. Not only can it be served hot on a plate with a few strategic sides and sauces, it can be made into a sandwich like tuna, used in a salad and tossed in a dish of pasta. Whether you are cooking American, Asian, Italian, or Latin cuisine, you can make your meal feature grilled salmon. To give it the right ethnic flavor, change the glaze or the sauce you serve it with.

Plain grilled salmon goes well with homemade bread and a green salad. Steamed asparagus and a tangy potato salad are another meal. Serve homemade low calorie tartar sauce along with sliced lemons and  fresh dill.

Chilled pieces of grilled salmon make a gourmet salad. Add it to a bowl of mixed greens, sliced tomatoes, olives, onions and blueberries. Pour a citrus-based vinaigrette dressing over the top and add fresh croutons.

Slice grilled salmon into bite-size pieces. Toss them into a bowl of cooked pasta with capers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, green peas and sliced fresh tomatoes. Fold in a low calorie white sauce with a generous portion of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve with white wine and Italian bread.

Serve grilled salmon with a special sauce to give it an ethnic flavor. Make it Mediterranean by brushing on olive oil and sprinkling on minced garlic, thyme, mint and oregano. Make it Italian by adding basil and chopped fresh tomatoes in place of the mint. Give your grilled salmon an Asian flavor with a maple soy glaze spiced with garlic and ginger. You can even make it spicy Mexican by creating a lime-butter sauce flavored with cilantro and jalapeno peppers. To give grilled salmon a traditional American flavor, cover it with a honey-mustard sauce, and add a few whole mustard seeds.

Dinner For The Family

 

Salmon with Peppers

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 (5 ounces each) skinless center-cut salmon fillets
  • 2 limes, 1 cut into wedges
  • 3 small peppers (red, orange, and yellow)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1 large bag baby spinach
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for spinach
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Prepare rice as label directs.  Slice peppers and onion very thinly. 

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in skillet on medium 1 minute. Add peppers, onion, 3 tablespoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Uncover; cook 3 to 5 minutes longer or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in basil and cook until wilted.  Squeeze 1 tablespoon lime juice into mixture. Pour into a bowl and keep warm.

In same skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil on medium 1 minute. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on salmon. Add salmon to the skillet; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through, turning once. Transfer to serving plates. Grate peel of whole lime over fish.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine spinach and pinch salt. Cover with vented plastic wrap; microwave on High 3 minutes or until wilted. Spoon next to salmon, along with rice and pepper mixture. Serve with lime wedges.

 

On The Lighter Side

Italian Baked Salmon

Serve with a green mixed salad.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 dash cayenne pepper
  • 4 salmon steaks or fillets, about 6 oz. each

Directions:

Put all ingredients except salmon in the food processor.

Blend ingredients together until well combined and basil is finely chopped.

Put some of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Place salmon in dish and mound rest of sauce over salmon.

Bake in a 400 degree F.  oven for 20-25 minutes or until done to your preference. Grate Parmesan cheese over the top of the cooked salmon.

When You Want Something Different For Dinner

Warm Italian Salmon Salad

Serve with sliced tomatoes and a whole wheat roll.

4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
  • 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 cups torn spinach
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 4 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, or cheese of choice

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Sprinkle salmon evenly with salt, oregano, and black pepper. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes; break into bite-sized pieces with 2 forks.

Combine pasta, salmon, spinach, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; toss well.

For Entertaining

 

Pomegranate Glazed Salmon with Horseradish Sauce & Potatoes

Here’s a recipe for a special occasion meal that will impress your guests, but doesn’t take very long at all to prepare.

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see Notes)
  • Coarse salt
  • Coarsely ground black pepper

For the sauce:

  • 1 apple
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh horseradish (see Notes)
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the potatoes:

  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound tiny potatoes (see Notes)
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion (green parts only)
  • Pomegranate seeds and chives for garnish

Directions:

Sprinkle the salmon fillets on all sides with a little coarse salt. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then dry the fillets thoroughly with paper towels.

Mix together the balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses. Brush the fillets on all sides with the glaze and place them on a plate. Sprinkle with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and place uncovered in the refrigerator while preparing the sauce.

Peel, core, and chop the apple, and toss with the lemon juice. Set aside.

Pulse the horseradish in a food processor or blender to get it as fine as possible. Add the apple and pulse until very finely minced. Add the cottage cheese and salt, and process until completely smooth.

Heat oil in a skillet and add the potatoes, tossing to coat. Cook the potatoes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to color (about 7 minutes.) Stir in the shallots and cook until potatoes are softened and shallots are caramelized. Keep warm.

Place the salmon on a broiling pan and broil on Low (or in the lower position) for 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness.

To serve, sprinkle potatoes with coarse salt and pepper and toss with the scallions. Divide the potatoes between four plates. Set the salmon on top and spoon the sauce on top. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chives.

Ingredient Notes

Pomegranate molasses is available at Indian and Middle Eastern groceries. You can make your own by cooking down pure pomegranate juice very slowly over low heat until thickened. 1 cup of juice will cook down to about 1/4 cup and you’ll have plenty for the recipe. This can be prepared days in advance, so you are not making this the day you are entertaining.

If fresh horseradish is unavailable, use 1 1/2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish (available in jars in the refrigerated case of the supermarket.)

If you can’t find tiny baby potatoes (about the size of a large grape), use the smallest ones available, cut in half or quarters depending on size.

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Cold Weather Salads

November 13, 2012

Winter salads can’t rely on ripe tomatoes and delicate butter lettuce to make them shine. Instead hearty greens, salty cheese, dried fruit, and crunchy nuts are the flavorful ingredients that make winter salads delicious. Use the ideas below as a springboard to create your own winter salads.

Avoid the wilted lettuce mixes flown in from faraway places. Instead, select hearty greens, crunchy chicories, or crisp cabbage that flourish in winter. Many greens you may be used to cooking, chard and  kale in particular, are perfectly good for salads.

Hearty greens and chicories can handle a lot of flavor, Feta, goat, and blue cheeses are all great matches for winter salads—just crumble them on top. Olives—either whole pitted, or pitted and chopped—are also good additions.

 

Hearty greens and chicories have a lot of body and texture of their own, so feel free to add crunch to the dish. Nuts, croutons, slices of radish, pieces of fennel, slim coins of carrots—anything that will work your teeth and jaws just a little bit.

 

The slightly bitter taste of winter greens and chicories can be altered with a little bit of sweetness. Roasted beets are good to use, as are winter fruits like pears, oranges, kumquats or dates. Dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, or blueberries add texture and sweetness.

Like a Caprese Salad or Marinated Green Beans, summer salads don’t always involve leaves. Good winter salads don’t have to involve greens. Roasted beet salads, celery and red onion salads or lemony lentil salads are all examples of leafless salads.

Lunch or First Courses

Winter Citrus Salad with Honey Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 2 tangerines
  • 1 pink grapefruit
  • 1 navel orange
  • Salt
  • 1/2 small red onion or 1 shallot, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • Lime or lemon juice to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly chopped tarragon or a pinch dried.
  • Arugula

Directions:

Peel citrus, removing as much pith as possible, and cut into segments. Remove any pits, layer fruit on a serving dish, sprinkle with salt and garnish with chopped onion.

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, lime juice and tarragon until well combined; taste, adjust seasoning as needed and drizzle over salad.

Yield: 4 servings.

 

Apple-And-Zucchini Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 large Red Delicious apples, diced
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced (if not available substitute another vegetable)
  • Lettuce (whatever is in season)

Directions:

Combine oil and next 6 ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously.

Combine apple and next 3 ingredients; toss with dressing. Serve on individual lettuce-lined serving plates.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Roasted Beet Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds beets (gold beets are attractive if you can find them), stems removed and washed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 Serrano chile, seeded and thinly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • pinch of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • walnuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the beets with salt and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil, leaving a little hole in the top facing up, and set in a roasting pan. Cook until easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes or until very tender.

Meanwhile, mix together the rest of the olive oil, red onion, Serrano, ginger, sugar, and red wine vinegar.

When beets are done and cool enough to handle, peel and chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and add the parsley.

Dinner Salads or Second Courses

Potato Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 pound small uncooked red potatoes
  • Salt
  • 2 pounds uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 3/4 pound green beans
  • 2 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz seedless grapes, halved (about 1 cup)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; add salt and potatoes and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove potatoes from water with a slotted spoon or strainer; set potatoes aside but maintain water’s boil.  Add green beans to boiling water and blanch until crisp-tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, coat broiler rack with cooking spray; preheat broiler. Broil chicken five inches from heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 10 minutes; set aside. ( You can also use a stove top grill pan.

When chicken has cooled, slice into bite-size chunks; place in a large serving bowl. Slice potatoes into 1-inch chunks and cut green beans into 1-inch pieces; gently toss with chicken. Add celery and grapes.

To make dressing:

In a small bowl whisk lemon juice, broth and mustard; then, whisk in tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Drizzle in oil in a slow stream, whisking all the while, until dressing turns creamy, about 1 minute. Toss salad with dressing, taking care not to break up potatoes. If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

 

Tuscan-Styled Tuna Salad

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. Italian tuna in olive oil, drained and oil reserved
  • 15-oz can small white beans, (cannellini or great northern, rinsed)
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons reserved tuna oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

Combine tuna, beans, tomatoes, scallions, tuna oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir gently. Refrigerate before serving. Garnish with parsley.

What’s in the Refrigerator Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Rotini or Penne pasta
  • 4 cups mix-ins (see below)
  • Dressing: Herbed Vinaigrette (recipe follows) or
  • Homemade Buttermilk Dressing (recipe follows)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add desired mix-ins and half of dressing. Toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours; toss again before serving. Add additional dressing, as desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Suggested Mix-Ins:

Crisp-tender cooked vegetables: green beans, broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas, green peas, edamame, zucchini, yellow squash

Raw vegetables: shredded or sliced carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, celery, avocado, spinach, radish, onions

Other: olives, cheese – shredded, crumbled or cubed, herbs

Meats: Salami strips, cooked chicken, cooked tuna and shrimp, crab, cooked salmon, grilled ham, leftover beef steak slices, prosciutto

Dressings:

Herbed Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley

Directions:

In small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Whisk in mustard and garlic. Add herbs.

Makes 3/4 cup.

Homemade Buttermilk Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon no-salt garlic and herb seasoning blend (Mrs. Dash)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Coarse-ground black pepper

Directions:

In small bowl, stir together buttermilk and mayonnaise. Add remaining ingredients; stir to mix well. Add additional buttermilk if needed for consistency. Let stand about 10 minutes to thicken or chill until needed.

Makes 1 cup.

 

 

 

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Choose Your Stuffing Or Is It Dressing?

November 9, 2012

Thanksgiving Day Stuffing – Or Any Day

Stuffing, also called dressing depending on where you live, is a seasoned mix of vegetables and starches and sometimes eggs that are cooked within or alongside a meat entree. Some stuffing recipes utilize other meats, such as sausage (especially popular in Italian dishes) or oysters in their mix and vegetarian stuffing is usually based on bread, rice or potatoes.

Various kinds of stuffing go as far back as the Roman Empire , where recipes appear in De re Coquinaria , a collection found within a kitchen anthology called Apicius that chronicles thousands of Roman dishes. In De re Coquinaria , chicken, rabbit, pork and dormouse stuffing are included and there are long traditions and other historical references that corroborate the wide use of stuffing in Ancient Italy.

The First Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving

Since humans were thought to be stuffing small animals long before the days of the Roman Empire, it seems natural that the pilgrims might think to stuff a turkey. However, there is no historical evidence that stuffing was served at the first Thanksgiving, but the tradition has been long standing in America.

Stuffing is not uncommon, but is not regularly utilized in most households, other than during the Thanksgiving holiday. Turkey stuffing is the most widely used, and while many buy pre-packaged stuffing such as Stove Top, there are yet many varying family recipes that have endured over the years. Stove Top introduced boxed stuffing in 1972. It was home economist Ruth Siems who discovered how to manipulate bread crumbs in such a way that made reconstitution practical, and Stove Top, now owned by Kraft Foods, sells almost 60 million boxes of stuffing every Thanksgiving.

In Victorian England, “stuffing” became “dressing” and remained so in its emigration to America.  Now “stuffing” and “dressing” are used interchangeably in America, although some places, especially in the Midwest, still refer to the dish as dressing. The famous cookbook, “The Joy of Cooking”, says that a mixture is considered stuffing if you cook it inside the bird, and dressing if you cook it in a pan.

Other differences are in the ingredient choices which vary according to regional locations. The base is usually a crumbled bread product such as cornbread, biscuits or bread. Most call for chopped onion and celery. Some recipes call for sauteing the onions and celery until they are tender. Another key ingredient in almost every recipe is poultry seasoning.There are recipe variations that can include sausage, walnuts, cranberries and in coastal areas, oysters.

There is a health risk involved with placing stuffing inside the turkey cavity while it is cooked. The stuffing can develop bacteria if it is not cooked to 165 degrees. The problem is that it is possible for the thigh of the turkey (where you insert the thermometer) to register an internal temperature of 180 degrees while the stuffing may not be the same temperature. If the turkey stuffing has not reached 165 degrees it must be cooked longer, which can result in the turkey being overcooked.

When it comes to the texture of stuffing, there is no right or wrong way to make it. Some people like it dry and crisp; some like it moist and dense. Soft breads produce a dense, spongy stuffing; toasted breads produce a drier stuffing because the bread crumbs can absorb more juices without becoming soggy.

To get the consistency your family prefers, follow these simple suggestions:

  • For a drier stuffing, use prepackaged dry bread crumbs or cubes and limit the amount of liquid.
  • For moist stuffing, add broth or juice until the mixture is just moist enough that it sticks together when pinched. But keep in mind that stuffing baked in poultry or in a tightly covered dish will not dry out as it bakes.
  • For fluffier stuffing, add a beaten egg or egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters. It will allow the stuffing to bake to a lighter, more airy consistency. For food safety reasons, use an egg substitute in dressing that is stuffed into poultry.
  • Ensure stuffing is done by using a meat thermometer. The temperature at the center of the stuffing inside the bird should reach 165°.
  • For stuffing baked in a separate dish, either egg or egg substitute can be used. Refrigerate leftover stuffing promptly.

If you like stuffing, you don’t have to limit it to holiday dinners. It bakes up just as well on its own as an accompaniment to chicken or other meats. Simply place stuffing in a greased shallow baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 325°F. to 350°F. for 1 hour or until heated through. For a crisper crust, uncover stuffing during the final 15-20 minutes of baking.

My Family’s Favorite

Italian Bread & Sausage Stuffing

Yields about 18 cups, enough to fill a 12- to 14- pound turkey and a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Ingredients:

  • 14 cups Italian bread, like ciabatta, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes (about 3 loaves)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds bulk hot or sweet Italian sausage (or sausage links, casings removed)
  • 2 large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 5 large ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1-1/2 tsp. dried)
  • 1 tablespoon. dried sage
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1-2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Pile the bread cubes into a very large bowl and set aside.

Spray a large sauté pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon or spatula until light brown, about 5 min. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl of cubed bread. Wipe out the pan and add the olive oil, onions, celery, and garlic  and saute until the onions are translucent and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 min. Stir in the thyme, sage, salt, and peppers, cook 1 minute, and add the mixture to the cubed bread. Add some of the broth to the bread mixture; stir until well combined. The stuffing should just hold together when pressed together, if not add more broth.

If cooking in a turkey, put the stuffing in the bird just before roasting. Pack the stuffing loosely, leaving enough room to fit your whole extended hand into the bird’s cavity. Cook the stuffing in the bird to 160º to 165ºF, checking with an instant-read thermometer. If the bird is done before the stuffing is, take the bird out of the oven, spoon the stuffing into a casserole dish, and continue to bake it while the turkey rests.

My preferred method:

If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of broth over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.

 

Fennel, Pecan and Caramelized Apple Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • Cooking spray
  • 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 cups chopped onion
  • 1 1/4 cups sliced fennel bulb
  • 1 1/4 cups chopped carrot
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 cups chopped Golden Delicious apple
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 16 minutes or until golden, stirring after 8 minutes. Place in a large bowl. On a separate baking sheet place pecans and bake for 6-8 minutes and add to bread cubes.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and next 5 ingredients (through garlic). Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables to bread mixture.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add apples and sugar; sauté 5 minutes or until apples caramelize, stirring occasionally. Add to the bread mixture.

Combine broth and eggs in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper to bread mixture; toss well to combine.

Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil. Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes. Uncover dish; bake for 20 minutes or until browned and crisp.

You can adjust oven temperature and baking time, if you are baking the stuffing alongside a turkey or you can stuff the turkey.

 

Wild Rice Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2/3 cup wild rice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 medium celery stalks, diced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 cups regular long-grain rice
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

In a 4-quart saucepan over high heat, heat chicken broth, wild rice, salt, thyme, and 1 1/2 cups water to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove carrot mixture to bowl.

In same skillet in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, cook mushrooms until golden brown and all liquid evaporates.

Stir long-grain rice, carrot mixture, and mushrooms into wild rice; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes longer or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in chopped parsley. Use to stuff 12- to 16-pound turkey or, spoon into serving bowl; keep warm.

Cherry Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 5 cups country bread cubes
  • 3/4 cup dried cherries
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) or frozen (defrosted) pitted tart cherries, drained
  • 1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

In a saucepan, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Stir in thyme and poultry seasoning. In a large bowl, combine bread, dried cherries and celery mixture. Add broth and canned cherries; toss to mix.

Loosely stuff turkey just before baking. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with the olive oil.

Bake, uncovered, at 325°F. for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for the turkey and 165° for the stuffing. Baste occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.

Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving the turkey. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy. Yield: 10-12 servings (6 cups stuffing).

Note: The stuffing may be prepared as directed and baked separately in a greased 2-qt baking dish. Cover and bake at 325°F.for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

 

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Soup And Sandwich Night

October 18, 2012

Soup and sandwich pairings are a great go-to choice when you’re looking for warm, comforting meals in a hurry. You can make delicious soups and substantial sandwiches that are tastier, healthier, and cheaper than eating out or picking up fast food meals.

While you might think of sandwiches or soup as just for lunch, they are a good dinner choice when you get home after a hectic day. Sandwiches are endlessly versatile—you can pile lots of delicious, healthy toppings on whole-grain bread and many hearty soups can come together in 30 minutes or less with just a little advance planning.


How To Keep Sandwiches Healthy:

Better Choices:

Bread

Pick a bread with has three to five grams of fiber per serving

  • High-fiber whole wheat bread
  • High protein bread
  • Wraps and pita bread (they are thin and have fewer calories)
  • Reduced calorie bread
  • Multi-grain bread

Proteins

  • Lean deli meats preferably without nitrates : Turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef or homemade meatloaf
  • Vegetarian spreads: Hummus, peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini or vegetarian patties
  • Salads: Tuna fish salad, seafood salad, chicken salad made with low-fat dressing

Cheese

  • Harder cheeses (such as Swiss and Cheddar) usually have less fat.
  • Softer cheeses (like light cream cheese) may have more fat, but if spread thinly, can add overall less fat than slices of hard cheese

Condiments

  • Mustard, nonfat salad dressings, salsa, and nonfat mayonnaise all add little calories and lots of flavor.
  • Avoid high-fat salad dressings, regular mayonnaise and oil-based dressings.

Vegetables.

A sandwich is a great way to slip vegetables into a meal. 

  • Sliced tomatoes
  • Cucumbers or pickles
  • Onions: Sweet, hot, or red
  • Peppers: sweet or hot
  • Lettuce
  • Apples or pears (especially good with ham and turkey)
  • Sauerkraut
  • Herbs (Basil with toasted cheese and tomato)

How To Keep Soups Healthy:

Fat

Most soups begin with a fat, such as oil, to saute vegetables and bring out their flavor. Fat isn’t always unhealthy; monounsaturated fats can help improve your blood cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats reduce your risk of type-2 diabetes and can help improve your blood cholesterol. Healthy fats are usually liquid at room temperature: Peanut oil, corn oil, safflower oil and olive oil are healthy choices. Always use the least amount of oil as possible in your cooking. I believe that you never need more than 1 tablespoon of oil in a recipe to saute ingredients.

Soup Base

In high-sodium soups, the base is often a salty stock. Keep the sodium low by using a salt-free stock. Chicken, beef, vegetable and fish stock often are available in salt-free varieties. Canned low sodium tomatoes are readily available and make a fine base for soup on its own or mixed with stock, depending on how thick you want the broth. Milk or fat free half works for creamy soups. Do not add salt or use full-sodium broth. There are 860 milligrams of sodium in 1 cup of full-sodium chicken stock and only 72 milligrams in low-sodium chicken stock. If you add 1 teaspoon of salt to the base, you increase the soup’s sodium content by 2,325 milligrams.

Protein and Fiber

Most soups include a source of protein, either meat or legumes. Legumes are also an excellent source of fiber. Lean beef, chicken, pork, turkey or fish are good choices. For legumes, don’t choose a sodium canned variety — they can have as much as 818 milligrams of sodium per 1-cup serving. There are many no salt added canned beans in the markets today. Almost any legume works in soup. For additional fiber, add whole grains, such as barley, quinoa or brown rice, all of which are low-sodium. If your soup recipe has noodles, choose a whole grain variety. In addition, use only fresh — not canned — veggies to avoid excess sodium. Onions, carrots, garlic, celery, corn, spinach, kale and potatoes are good choices for soup.

Seasoning

The seasonings make lower sodium soup tasty. They complement the flavor of the other ingredients and finish your soup. Add seasonings to taste — stir, taste and then add more if necessary. Most spices and herbs do not contain sodium. Provided it does not have added salt, any seasoning works. Rosemary, thyme and marjoram make a tasty combination, so do chili powder and cumin. Parsley and basil complement almost any type of soup.

Quick Soups and Healthy Sandwiches  

Vegetable Beef Barley

Saute 1 pound lean ground beef in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; drain fat.

Add 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, 1 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cover; simmer 15 minutes.

Add 1 cup frozen mixed veggies, 1 14 ½ oz can no salt added diced tomatoes, and 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley. Cover; simmer 15 minutes.

                                                                                                                  Warm Prosciutto-Stuffed Focaccia

 Ingredients:

  • 1 (9-ounce) round loaf focaccia bread, whole grain if possible
  • 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced Provolone cheese
  • 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette

 Directions:

Cut bread in half horizontally, using a serrated knife. Top bottom bread half with prosciutto and next 3 ingredients.

Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette; cover with top bread half. Wrap in aluminum foil; place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until warm. Cut focaccia into six wedges. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Many markets sell butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes in the produce section of the market, usually next to the cut up fruit.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 and 1/2 pounds after trimming)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup fat free half half

Directions:

Melt the butter in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the squash, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook 10 minutes, covered. Add the chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes, stirring once in awhile. Remove the bay leaf.

Purée the soup with a hand blender and add the half and half. Warm gently, and serve immediately.

 

Grilled Eggplant Pita Sandwiches with Yogurt-Garlic Spread

4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 (1-pound) eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup plain reduced-fat Greek-style yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Cooking spray
  • 4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
  • 2 cups arugula

Directions:

Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, yogurt, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Brush eggplant and onion slices with oil. Place eggplant and onion slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

Fill each pita half with 1 1/2 tablespoons yogurt mixture, one quarter of eggplant slices, one quarter of onion slices, and 1/4 cup arugula.

Crab Chowder                                                                                              

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 cup cored fennel bulb, finely diced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fronds, divided
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups diced red potatoes, unpeeled
  • 28 oz container Pomi strained tomatoes
  • 1 pound pasteurized crabmeat

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, diced fennel, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are just starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add broth, water and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, 20 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, crabmeat and fennel fronds. Return to a boil, stirring often; immediately remove from heat.

Turkey, Apple, and Swiss Melt

 Serves 4 (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 8 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat bread
  • 4 (1-ounce) slices Swiss cheese
  • 5 ounces thinly sliced Granny Smith apple (about 1 small)
  • 8 ounces thinly sliced lower-sodium deli turkey breast
  • Cooking spray

Directions:

Combine mustard and honey in a small bowl. Spread one side of each of 4 bread slices with 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard mixture.

Place one cheese slice on dressed side of bread slices; top each with 5 apple slices and 2 ounces turkey. Top sandwiches with remaining 4 bread slices.

Coat both sides of sandwiches with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches to pan.

Cook 2 minutes on each side or until bread is browned and cheese melts.

Black Bean Soup 

Saute 1 chopped onion, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 4 minced garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Add one 32 oz. carton (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth, 1- 14 ½ oz can no salt added diced tomatoes, two 15-ounce cans low sodium black beans, and one 1.4-ounce can diced green chili peppers. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro and 1 tablespoon light sour cream. Garnish with baked tortilla chips.

Avocado Tomato Wraps

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 whole wheat tortillas (10 inches), room temperature
  •  Lettuce leaves
  • 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced Avocado Tomato Wraps
  • 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, mash a fourth of the avocado with a fork; spread over tortillas. Layer with lettuce, tomato and remaining avocado.

Sprinkle with cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper; roll up. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.

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Apple Time

October 15, 2012

The saying, “As American as apple pie,” is referred to as the symbol of America. The word “apple” comes from the Old English word “aeppel.” Apples probably have more symbolic value than any other fruit on earth, from the forbidden fruit of Adam and Eve to the offering of the Evil Queen to Snow White, the apple has always represented beauty, love and good and evil.

Carbonized remains of apples have been found by archeologists in prehistoric lake dwellings in Switzerland, dating back to the Iron Age. There is also evidence to show that apples were eaten and preserved by slicing and sun drying during the Stone Age in Europe. In China, Egypt, and Babylon records were found that mentioned man understood the art of budding and grafting fruit trees as long as twenty centuries ago.

When the English colonists arrived in North America they found only crab apples. Crab apple trees are the only native apples in the United States. European settlers arrived and brought with them their English customs and favorite fruits.

Johnny Appleseed

One of America’s fondest legends is that of Johnny Appleseed, a folk hero and pioneer apple farmer in the 1800s. There really was a Johnny Appleseed, however, his actual name was John Chapmen (1774-1845) and he was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. His dream was for the land to produce so many apples that no one would ever go hungry. Most historians today classify him as an eccentric but very smart businessman, who traveled about the new territories of his time, leasing land and developing nurseries of apple trees.

When covered wagons traveled over the Oregon Trail westward, they carried apple trees and “scion wood” for grafting as part of their cargo. Often the family orchard was planted before the ground was broken for their log cabin home. Josiah Red Wolf, a Nez Perce leader, planted apple trees at Alpowa Creek near the Snake River in southeast Washington. He is probably the first Native American to have had a European-style garden and orchard. Red Wolf’s trees lived for decades. America’s longest living apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Governor Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard on the corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street. The tree was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.

There are approximately 10,000 different kinds of varieties of apples grown in the world with more than 7,000 of these varieties grown in the United States. Apples are a member of the rose family of plants and the blossoms are much like wild-rose blossoms. There are between 25 to 30 kinds of wild apples grown throughout the world with seven kinds in the U.S. Most wild apples are crab apples with small, sour, hard fruit. 

Resource Information: Apples: History, Folklore, Horticulture and Gastronomy, by Peter Wynne, Hawthorn Books, New York, N.Y., 1975.

How To Care For Apples                                                                                                                                                        

Short Term Storage

Apples do best in the fruit drawer of the refrigerator, where they keep for up to 3 weeks. At room temperature, they ripen too quickly and become mealy after 2 days. Storing apples next to broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, greens or cauliflower could cause these vegetables to spoil faster, since apples give off ethylene gas, which causes faster ripening.

Long Term Storage

Almost any kind of apple will keep for three or four months, or even longer, if stored properly. It’s cheap and easy to do. All you need is newspaper, a box or basket, and apples. A root cellar is optional, but not necessary.

The main causes of apple spoilage are time, bruises, and contact with a rotten spot on another apple. Only perfect apples should be used for long-term storage. Even minor imperfections speed spoilage , so scan them and set aside any with bruises for immediate use.

Prevent contact between apples stored for the winter by wrapping them individually in sheets of newspaper. The easiest way to do this is to unfold a section of newspaper all the way and tear it into quarters. Then stack the quarters.

Place an apple on top of the stack and fold the top sheet of paper up around the apple, wrapping it in paper. Give the corners a slight twist—just enough to make them stay wrapped. If you twist them too hard, the paper will tear. It’s not necessary to exclude air. Just twist hard enough so the paper does not come unwrapped before the apples are boxed. The paper prevents contact between apples, so just one rotten apple won’t spoil the whole bunch. 

Boxed apples need to be kept in a cool, dark spot where they won’t freeze. Freezing ruptures all of an apple’s cells, turning it into one large bruise overnight. Keep wrapped apples in a cardboard box. It need not be airtight, just tight enough to impede air circulation. Store the boxed apples in an unheated basement, a pantry, an enclosed porch, an unheated attic or a root cellar

Apple Equivalents:

1 large apple = 2 cups sliced or chopped = 1 1/2 cups finely chopped =1 1/4 cups grated.

1 medium apple = 1 1/3 cups sliced or chopped = 1 cup finely chopped = 3/4 cup grated.

1 small apple = 3/4 cup sliced or chopped = 3/4 cup finely chopped = 1/2 cup grated.

1 pound apples = 4 small apples or 3 medium apples or about 2 large apples

1 (9″ or 10″) pie = 2-1/2 pounds (4 to 5 large or 6 to 7 medium or 8 to 9 small apples)

Peck = 10-1/2 pounds

Bushel = 42 pounds (yields 20-24 quarts of applesauce)

Below is a chart with some of the best baking and cooking apples in North America.

Name Best Uses Flavor Characteristic, Appearance
Braeburn Sauce Tart, sweet, aromatic, tall shape, bright color
Cortland Pies, Sauces, Fruit Salad Tart, crisp, larger than McIntosh
Fuji Baking Sweet and juicy, firm, red skin
Gala Dried, Cider Mild, sweet, juicy, crisp, yellow-orange skin with red striping (resembles a peach)
Granny Smith Baking Moderately sweet, crisp flesh, green skin
Jonagold Pie, Sauce Tangy-sweet, Yellow top, red bottom
Jonathan Sauce Tart flesh, crisp, juicy, bright red on yellow skin
McIntosh Sauce Juicy, sweet, pinkish-white flesh, red skin
Newtown Pippin Pie, Sauce, Cider Sweet-tart flesh, crisp, greenish-yellow skin
Rhode Island Greening Pie Very tart, distinctively flavored, grass-green skin, tending toward yellow/orange
Rome Beauty Baking, Cider Mildly tart, crisp, greenish-white flesh, thick skin
Winesap Sauce, Pie, Cider Very juicy, sweet-sour flavor, winey, aromatic, sturdy, red skin

 

Italian Apple Desserts

Italy is a major apple producer, one of the top five worldwide. The region most Italians associate with apples is the Val di Non, in Trentino. It’s not alone, however. Apples are also grown in Emilia-Romagna, the Veneto, Piemonte, and Campagna areas. The crop begins in August and continues on through spring. As is the case elsewhere, most of the commercial production concentrates on a tiny fraction of the roughly 7,000 known strains of apples, and if you visit an Italian market, you will likely find (depending on season) Granny Smiths, Goldens, Golden Delicious, Starks, Renettes, Gravensteins, or Galas.

In modern Italian cooking, apples generally appear at the end of the meal, either in a bowl of fresh fruit or in a cake prepared for a special occasion. Golden Delicious apples are favored eating apples, while the Red Galas are a more recent addition in Italy and have become extremely popular.

When one thinks of Italian fruit desserts, it is usually a dessert made with pears, figs, or nuts. Apples are not usually associated with Italy. Apples are typically American! However, I learned in doing research for this post that apples are plentiful all year round in Italy and apples are used in a variety of dishes.  A very common dessert in Rome, and other parts of Italy, is the torta di mele, meaning a simple apple cake.

Granny Smith Apple Sorbet With Muscat Wine and Grappa

Marcella Hazan writes in her book, Marcella Cucina, about this recipe:

This is the most deliciously fresh sorbet, I know, she says. What makes it so is the felicity with which the ingredients act upon each other. The Granny Smith apples and the grappa both have bite, but the grappa isn’t all bite. It is packed with the aromatic esters of the pomace, the grape skins left over after making wine, from which it is distilled. The honey is all suavity with its characteristically musky aftertaste. The Muscat brings its own soft touch and the scent of peaches and apricots. These qualities don’t stand apart, but coalesce to produce this sorbet’s unique, zephyr-like refreshment. If you have all the choices in the world, use the low-alcohol Moscato naturale d’Asti, a shyly sweet Muscat from Piedmont. Only slightly less desirable, but far more available, is Asti Spumante, which you must beat lightly with a fork to drive away some of the bubbles.

Grappa is one of Italy’s most popular alcoholic drinks, with somewhere in the region of forty million bottles of grappa being produced every year. It’s also a very Italian drink; since 1989 the name has been protected by the EU, meaning that the drink can only be called grappa if it’s sourced and produced in Italy. The main ingredient of grappa is pomace, which consists of the grape skins, seeds and stalks that are left over from the wine making process. These are taken through a second process of distillation, which extracts the remaining flavors from the pomace before the waste is discarded. The grappa is then either bottled at once, which creates white grappa (grappa bianca), or aged in wooden casks to create the yellow or brown-hued grappa known as riserva.

Muscat is the only grape to produce wine with the same aroma as the grape itself. Sweet Muscats have a rich nose of dried fruits, raisins and oranges. Muscat grapes range from white to almost black in color. Muscat vines and wines are found throughout Italy usually producing light wines with distinct aromas. The basic wine styles made are spumante (sparkling), frizzante (half-sparkling), and sweet dessert wines, some of which are fortified. (Fortified wine is wine to which a distilled beverage (usually brandy) has been added).  This unique wine is often labeled simply as “Moscato” or if it’s grown and produced in Italy’s Northwest region of Piedmont, it’s labeled with its full name of Moscato d’Asti (named after the grape, Moscato, and the Italian town of Asti). A close relative of Piedmont’s Asti Spumante, Moscato d’Asti is generally produced in smaller quantities than Spumante.

Marcella Hazan’s Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 Granny Smith apples
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • Freshly squeezed juice of 1 medium lemon
  • 1 cup muscat wine or other sweet wine
  • 2 tablespoons grappa.

Directions:

1. Peel and core the apples and cut them into pieces about the size of a walnut.

2. Put the honey, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a slow boil over low heat. Cook down to a syrup half its original volume.

3. Put the apples, the honey and sugar syrup, the juice from the lemon, the muscat wine and the grappa in a food processor and puree to a creamy consistency.

4. Freeze to a very firm consistency in your ice-cream maker. Serve when done or transfer to suitable containers and store in the freezer.

Yield: About 2 pints sorbet.

The following recipe is a typical method of preparing fruit for the end of an Italian meal. 

Apples Simmered in Wine

6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 pounds Golden Delicious apples
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup white wine, not too dry
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • The juice of a half a lemon

Directions:

Add the lemon juice to a bowl of cool water. Peel, core, and slice the apples, slipping the pieces into the bowl of water to keep them from discoloring. When you are done, drain the apples and transfer them to a pot with the wine, sugar, and butter. Cook them over medium high heat, stirring them occasionally, until they are just tender. Don’t overcook them or they will be mushy. Transfer them to a heated serving bowl, arranging the slices so they don’t appear jumbled, pour the cooking liquid over them and serve. A scoop of frozen yogurt is a nice addition when you serve this for guests.

How Did strudel Get To Be Italian?

People generally think that strudel is an Austrian dish, however, this sweet is originally Turkish. In fact, the precursor to the strudel is baklava, a Turkish dessert stuffed with dried fruit and spices. The Hungarians and Austrians were introduced to baklava during the invasion of Eastern Europe by the Ottoman Empire during the 16th century. From 1526 to 1699, the Turks controlled Hungary and, during these two centuries, the Hungarians adopted many different aspects of the Ottoman culture, including various Turkish recipes.

In 1699, when the Turks lost their power over Hungary to the Hapsburgs, the recipe for baklava spread throughout Austria and became known as strudel. Unlike traditional baklava, strudel was made with the apples that grew across Europe. Then, during the Congress of Vienna in 1816, Austria gained control of Venice and the surrounding region and strudel spread throughout Northeastern Italy.

Italian Apple Strudel

Make the pastry and the filling the day before you want to serve it.

Ingredients for the pastry:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup water

Directions for the pastry:

Place all the ingredients in the work bowl of the processor. Mix until the dough forms a ball

If the mixture is too dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time.

Turn the dough out on a floured board and knead a few times.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature 2 to 3 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. (Remove refrigerated dough to room temperature at least 1 hour before rolling the dough.)

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 2 lb. firm apples, such as Granny Smith
  • 1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
  • 1/4 cup raisins, golden is preferred
  • The zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons Rum
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • Powdered sugar

Directions for filling:

Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a pan, add the bread crumbs and brown well. Set aside until you roll out the pastry.

Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Cut away the seeds and cores and cut the apple quarters into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.

Mix the apples with the pine nuts, raisins, grated lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon and the rum.

For best flavor, refrigerate the apple filling at least overnight. Filling will last in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container.

Assemble and Bake the Strudel:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pastry dough at room temperature.

  1. Flour the rolling surface and pin lightly as you work to prevent the dough from sticking.
  2. Roll out the dough from the center to the edges into a very thin rectangle that measures about 36 x 24 inches. The dough will relax more as you roll it. As it gets thinner, you should be able to pull and stretch it gently with your hands to coax it into the shape you want; it doesn’t have to form a perfect rectangle.
  3. Place the dough on a clean, dry kitchen towel. Arrange the dough with one of the longer sides facing you. (This will help you move the strudel to the baking sheet once it is formed.)
  4. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the dough leaving a 1 1/2-inch-wide border on all sides of the rectangle.
  5. Arrange the apple mixture in a long mound along the side closest to you. The mound of apples should measure about 4 inches wide and as long as the bread crumb mixture, remembering to leave the 1 1/2-inch-wide border.
  6. Using the towel for assistance, fold the pastry closest to you over the apples. Begin rolling the strudel into a fairly tight roll, starting at one end of the apple mound, giving it a half-roll and gradually working your way down the roll. Repeat as necessary, working your way down gradually down the roll each time.
  7. You should end up with a fairly even, lumpy looking roll that is centered, seam side down, on the kitchen towel.
  8. Use the towel to transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet, bending the strudel into a crescent shape, if necessary to fit it on the pan. Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining half tablespoon of butter.
  9. Seal the ends of the strudel by folding the ends of the roll underneath and pressing them firmly with your fingers. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375º F. Bake 30 minutes. Check the strudel: the top should be a light golden brown. If deeper in color than that, reduce the temperature to 350º F.
  10. Rotate the baking pan in the oven so the strudel cooks evenly. Continue baking until the strudel is deep golden brown and the crust is firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the strudel from the oven and cool 30 minutes. With two metal spatulas, carefully lift the strudel to a wire cooling rack and let stand until completely cooled. Dust with powdered sugar.
The Second Fold

Use a kitchen towel to help roll the strudel.

Apple-Ricotta Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is perfect for a brunch and will keep for a couple of days, so it can even be made the day before you plan to serve it.

Cake Ingredients:

  • 2 firm cooking apples; peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 lemon                                                                                                                                                                   
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus more to dust cake pan
  • 3/4 teaspoon. baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon. salt
  • 1/2 cup Smart Balance butter blend sticks for baking; at room temperature
  • 3/4 cups granulated sugar or light sugar alternative
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1 cup skim milk ricotta cheese

Streusel Ingredients:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons Smart Balance butter blend sticks for baking; cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

Sprinkle the apple slices with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown, while you prepare the cake mix.

Streusel Directions:

Combine all the dry streusel ingredients (except butter and pecans) in a food processor.

Add butter in pieces. Pulse about 10 times then process for 5 to 10 seconds until there are no visible lumps of butter.

Cake Directions:

Mix together 1 and 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer beat the butter for about 30 seconds, then beat in granulated sugar and vanilla.

Add eggs, one at a time or 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

Alternately add flour mixture and ricotta cheese to batter. Mix on low speed after each addition until combined. Note: this batter will be rather thick and stiff.

Assemble and Bake:

Spread 1/2 of the batter into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the filling mixture and half the pecans: then the diced apples. Spoon remaining batter over apples. It will not spread smoothly, so drop dollops of batter over the apples. Sprinkle with remaining topping and nuts.

Bake 45-50 minutes more or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool at least 1 hour on a wire rack.

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Posted by in apples, cake, Coffee Cake, Desserts, Fruit, Healthy Italian Cooking, Italian Cuisine, sorbet, strudel, Wine Tags: , , , ,

4 comments

Try Something Different In Your Fall Salad

September 21, 2012

Fall is about leaves changing and weather cooling. As fall comes around, you want to bring in all there is to love about the autumn season, including your food. Whether you are serving up a salad course before dinner or looking for a recipe for a potluck dinner, an autumn-inspired salad can be a nice touch.

Spring and summer means fresh crisp salads. Just because fall is here doesn’t mean you have to settle for limp lettuce, tired tomatoes or crunchless cucumbers. Make your salads with fall vegetables and fruits to reflect the bounty of autumn. Or look to your pantry for canned and dried staples that you can add to salads along with herbs, vinegars and oils.

Autumn Vegetables

Pumpkin, carrots, squash, beets, and Brussels sprouts are just a few vegetables that appear on the produce stands in autumn. With the exception of carrots, most have to be cooked. Roast the vegetables to bring out their sweetness. ( For how to oven roast vegetables, see post: http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/05/07/vegetables-on-the-side-no-butter-please/). Dress with an apple cider vinegar dressing and serve at room temperature. Sliced raw carrots, cooked beets and blanched parsnips make a colorful autumn vegetable salad. Blanch cauliflower in boiling water for a few minutes, then plunge into ice water. Break off florettes and toss with walnut oil, chopped walnuts and white wine vinegar.

Fall Fruits

Fall fruits are ideal for savory salads. Waldorf is a prime example, a combination of apples, raisins, celery and walnuts in a mayonnaise dressing. Consider a fruit slaw of bright red crisp apples, complemented by a citrus juice dressing with added cayenne pepper for a touch of spice instead of mayonnaise. Pears are mellow and at their peak in the fall. Combine sliced pears with bleu cheese, sliced almonds and baby spinach leaves. Try a red grapefruit, avocado, jicama and butter lettuce salad. The avocado melts into the grapefruit juice, so no dressing is required.

Pears

Pears are a traditional fruit of the autumn season. Since pears are plentiful during the fall, you can purchase them at reasonable cost. Create a sautéed pear salad with warm nuts and a cider-vinegar dressing. Use fresh pears paired with celery, white cheddar and a warm dressing for a crunchy pear salad. Pair green lettuce with warmed walnuts, fresh pears and a maple vinaigrette dressing for a more traditional salad.

Apples

Just like pears, apples are in abundance around the fall season. You can use apples fresh, sautéed or baked for autumn salads. A salad does not have to contain lettuce to be considered a “salad.” Pair sautéed apples with toasted pecans and apple cider vinaigrette for a warm, tangy and sweet salad. Pair cheddar and fresh apples together with walnuts for a crisp and refreshing salad. Another idea is to try fresh spinach, pomegranates, diced fresh apples and walnuts together with a pomegranate vinaigrette. See dressing recipe below:

Pomegranate Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pomegranate juice*
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon good-quality aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

* Be sure you’re buying 100% pomegranate juice, as some juices advertised as pomegranate juice are a blend of apple or grape juices with a small percentage of the more expensive pomegranate juice. POM is an excellent brand, but there are also other brands that are pure pomegranate juice.

Directions:

In a small stainless steel or non-reactive saucepan over high heat, boil the pomegranate juice until reduced to 1/3 cup, approximately 9 or 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

While still warm, stir in the sugar, salt, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil; set aside to cool.

Yields 1 cup vinaigrette.

Nuts and Beans

With autumn comes the use of spiced nuts and legumes. Common nuts and legumes in the fall season are pecans, walnuts, pine nuts and lentils. Create a warm lentil salad with fresh spinach, pecans and sharp cheddar cheese. Use toasted nuts to top off a salad for a crunch. Toasted walnuts and pecans are suitable in both savory and sweet salads, and they work best when paired with fresh fruit or a fruity vinaigrette.

Dressings and Vinaigrettes

A salad is not a salad without a dressing or vinaigrette (an emulsion of oil and vinegar with herbs and spices). Fall vinaigrettes and dressings should be warm and rich in flavor. Use maple syrup to create a maple-balsamic dressing that has a bite of mustard and a sweet accent.  When in a hurry, create a quick vinaigrette using apple cider vinegar, mustard powder, extra-virgin olive oil and salt. Adjust portions according to taste and tartness.

Cider Vinaigrette Recipe

Yield: 3/4 cup

 Ingredients:

  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Boil cider in a small heavy saucepan until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.

Whisk together reduced cider, shallots, vinegar, and mustard with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.


Broccoli Salad With Gouda

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups small broccoli florets
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onions
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds ( or pine nuts)
  • 6 -8 ounces Gouda cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes ( smoked or regular)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • salt, to taste

Directions:

Cook broccoli in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain well.

Combine the broccoli with onion, tomatoes, nuts and cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, pepper and salt; pour over salad mixture and toss to coat.

 

Parmesan Celery Salad

Ingredients:

  • 8 large celery stalks and celery leaves
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini or garbanzo beans, heated
  • 3 tablespoons golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • sea salt or celery salt
  • reserved celery leaves

Directions:

Slice the celery stalks quite thinly – 1/8-inch.

In a small bowl, make a paste with the olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Set aside.

In a large bowl toss the heated beans with the olive-Parmesan mixture. When well combined, add the celery, raisins, and most of the almonds. Toss once more. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed. Serve in a bowl or platter topped with celery leaves and remaining almonds.

Serves 4-6.

Apple Turkey Salad

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces cooked turkey breast, cubed
  • 1/4 cup chopped apples
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup Fruit and Nut dressing, recipe below ( or your favorite)
  • sliced or chopped nuts of choice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, gently stir together, turkey, apple, celery and shallot.

Pour dressing over chicken mixture.

Toss gently to coat.

Serve on lettuce leaves, sprinkle nuts of your choice over.

 

Dressing for Salads with Fruit and Nuts

Ingredients: 

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or any citrus juice
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons walnut oil
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 Directions:

Whisk together the vinegars, lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the oils. Taste and adjust seasonings.

 


 

Tomato Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 (19 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed ( garbanzos)
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 tomatoes, cut into large dice
  • 1 cup chopped cucumbers
  • 6 green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup cubed swiss cheese ( or feta, mozzarella, Cheddar or Monterey Jack)

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Salad: In large bowl, combine chickpeas, parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, onions and cheese.

Dressing: Whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic and seasonings.

Toss dressing with salad ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

 

Chicken and Pear Salad over Arugula

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken breast, roasted and sliced
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing, low-calorie, see recipe below
  • 3 pears, sliced
  • 2 bunches arugula
  • Walnuts

Directions:

Place pears in medium bowl; toss with salad dressing. Add arugula; toss again. Arrange arugula salad on 4 plates.

Divide chicken slices and place on top of salad. Sprinkle with walnuts.

 

Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

Adapted From EatingWell: March/April 2007, The EatingWell Diet (2007)

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk, or nonfat milk
  • 1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar, or white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, (1 ounce)

Directions:

Whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk (or milk), yogurt, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Add cheese and stir, mashing with a spoon until the cheese is incorporate

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Stir before using.

 

 

 

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2 comments

Make Your Quick Breads Healthy

September 18, 2012

Quick breads (chemically leavened, not yeast leavened) which most fruit and nut bread recipes are, were not developed until the end of the 18th century. This took place in America, where pearlash was discovered. Pearlash is a refined form of potash, and it produces carbon dioxide gas in dough. In American Cookery, ( 1796 – the first American cookbook), Amelia Simmons published recipes using pearlash, and the US exported some 8,000 tons to Europe in 1792. Baking powder was not developed commercially until 1857 (phosphate baking powder). So the quick bread, as we know it, was probably not made in America until the 18th century, when housewives discovered pearlash as a chemical leavening agent.

“Quick bread” refers to any bread that uses leaveners like baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast and requires no kneading or rising time. The definition includes pancakes, waffles, scones, biscuits, coffee cakes and muffins. These breads keep well, they’re tasty for a quick breakfast, snack, sides, a healthy after school snack and they’re great as gifts, too!

More versatile than most other baked goods, quick breads give you greater freedom to add healthy ingredients and make substitutions that reduce the carbohydrates and calories. See healthy alternate baking ingredients at the bottom of this post.

Bake several loaves and freeze, pulling them out as needed. (Muffins and quick breads can be frozen for up to 3 months.)

Slice loaves and freeze servings individually (wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then in a resealable larger plastic freezer bag). Kids can grab one from the freezer in the morning for a snack if they are going straight from school to an after-school activity.

Tips on Baking Quick Breads:

To lower the fat in your own quick bread recipe, you can substitute some of the oil with an equal amount of almost any fruit puree (applesauce, plum baby food, pumpkin puree, mashed bananas).

The secret to moist, tender quick bread is in the mixing: use a gentle touch. Combine in a bowl the dry ingredients (flour, leaveners, salt, and spices) and mix them thoroughly with a wire whisk. In another bowl, beat together the fat, sugar, and eggs. Stir any other ingredients (fruit puree, flavorings, or extracts) into the wet ingredients.

Only when each bowl of ingredients is mixed thoroughly should they be combined. When you are ready, pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and fold them together gently with a large spatula. Do this part by hand rather than with a mixer and stir just until incorporated. Over-mixing will cause “tunnels”–holes where the air bubbles escaped–and will make the bread tough.

To keep the bread from sticking to pan, you should always grease the pans before you pour in the batter. The best thing to use for greasing the pan is shortening, because its melting point is higher than any other kind of fat, which helps maintain a “shield” between pan and batter while the bread is baking. A high-quality cooking spray–one that won’t bake on to your pans and discolor them–is also a fast, easy fix. Next, be sure to flour the bottom of the pan and shake out any excess.

The crack on top happens when top of the loaf “sets” in the heat of the oven before the bread is finished rising. Don’t worry–it’s normal for quick breads. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if it is important to have an attractive loaf.

Bread that looks done on the outside but is still raw in the middle is a common quick bread problem. It can be caused by a few different factors. The oven temperature could be too high. (Use an oven thermometer to check: they’re cheap and available at most supermarkets.) Try lowering the oven temperature and/or putting a loose tent of foil over the top of the bread so it won’t burn before the middle has time to catch up.

Another cause of “raw center” could be using a different pan size than the recipe calls for. One of the nice things about quick breads is that you can use the same batter to make muffins, mini loaves, jumbo loaves, or rounds, but each size requires different baking times–and some require different baking temperatures. The larger and thicker the loaf, the longer it’s going to take to bake. If you’re using a different size pan than your recipe calls for, adjust the baking time accordingly and check the bread often.

Tips for using baking soda and baking powder:

Batters made with baking soda should be baked soon after mixing for best results because the leavening starts to work as soon as the wet and dry ingredients are combined.

Batters made with baking powder can be allowed to rest for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature, but no longer, before going in the oven.

An open can of baking powder should be used within 4 months and kept in the refrigerator. To test for freshness, place 1 teaspoon of baking powder in a small amount of hot water. If it is fresh, it will fizzle rapidly.

 

Lemon Bread

Ingredients

  • 1  3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute blend (Truvia for Baking) equivalent to 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup refrigerated egg substitute or 1 lightly beaten egg
  • 1 cup fat-free milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup finely ground toasted almonds (grind in a processor)

Topping

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan; flour the bottom of the pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2 . In another medium bowl combine the egg, milk, oil, lemon peel, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. If desired, stir together the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the 1 tablespoon sugar. While bread is still in the pan, brush lemon-sugar mixture over the top of the loaf.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before serving to improve flavor. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).

 

Orange Quick BreadOrange-Coconut Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute blend* (Truvia for Baking) equivalent to 3/4 cup)
  • 1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup lowfat milk
  • 1 (8 oz.) carton vanilla yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour or Eagle Brand Ultra Grain flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon flaked, sweetened coconut
  • 2 teaspoon grated orange rind
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and flour bottom. Combine sugar, oil and egg in a bowl and whisk till smooth. Stir in yogurt and milk.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level with a knife (as opposed to scooping from container). Combine flour, ¼ cup coconut, orange rind, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Make a well in the centre and add milk mixture.

Stir until just moist. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coconut on top. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Cut in slices and serve warm with a little low sugar orange marmalade.

 

Quick Apple Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups diced peeled apples
  • Squeeze of lemon juice
  • 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 cup almond meal (flour)
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup skim ricotta
  • 1/4 cup butter or Smart Balance Blend for Baking, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/2 cup sugar (plus 2 tablespoons for the top) or 1/4 cup Truvia for Baking (plus 1 tablespoon)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. and spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Flour bottom of the pan.

Put the chopped apples in a bowl of warm water with a squeeze of lemon and let them sit while the other ingredients are prepared.

Whisk the eggs, butter, ricotta, vanilla and buttermilk together in one bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients together, including the cinnamon and salt in another bowl until combined. Gently mix in the buttermilk mixture.

Drain the apples in a colander and shake off excess water. Fold in the apples, do not over mix.

Fill the loaf pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar or 1 tablespoon Truvia. Bake on the middle rack for 45 minutes until golden on top and springy to the touch. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Do not overcook, as the bread will continue to cook a bit more when you remove it. Remove and cool.

Honey Banana Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup butter or Smart Balance Blend for Baking, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1 cup mashed ripe banana
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and coat bottom with flour. Mix 1/2 cup flour, the whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the honey and butter in a large bowl of an electric mixer or use a hand mixer and beat until fluffy. Add the vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Fold in the dry ingredients. Stir in the mashed bananas and the walnuts.

Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove to the wire rack to cool completely.

 

Cranberry Pecan Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup chopped cranberries, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup orange juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add the cranberries and chopped nuts, stir to coat with flour.

Combine the egg, oil, orange juice and grated orange peel in another bowl. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let bread sit for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing.

 Choose Healthier Baking Ingredients

 Picture of Ultragrain All Purpose Flour

LightKing Arthur Whole Wheat Pastry Flour / Graham Flour - 3 lb.

King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour - 5 lb.
Related articles

Posted by in apples, banana, Bread, Breakfast, cranberry, Desserts, Fruit, Healthy Italian Cooking, lemon, orange Tags: , , , ,

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