Adapted from Healthy Cooking (April/May 2010), page 46.
Yield: about 1 cup
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chili powder
3 Tbs. dried minced onion
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
Combine all ingredients. Use in place of packaged taco seasoning. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
To prepare taco meat:
Cook ground meat (beef, turkey, etc.) over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add 1/4 cup taco seasoning mix and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Nutrition Facts:
1 Tbs. dry mix = 14 calories, 0.07 g fat (0.01 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 191.5 mg sodium, 2.5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g dietary fiber, 0.4 g sugar, 0.3 g protein
Notes:
- The original recipe called for 2 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper. Do what you want, but I thought it turned out great the way I made it! It was just spicy enough for my taste, but if you like things a little milder consider cutting the cayenne to 1/2 or 3/4 tsp.
- You will save money and cut out a CRAZY amount of sodium from your diet if you use this recipe instead of the stuff you buy at the store. I compared this to my bottle of Tone's taco seasoning; 2 tsp. (yes, 2 tsp.) of the Tone's contains 470 mg sodium!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Champ (Turkey & Brie Panini)
We made these paninis in honor of one that Matt ate at Champ's Deli when we were in New York two years ago (hence the name). All we could remember (or find out) was that it had turkey, brie, and honey mustard. It is very simple, but also very tasty!
Prep: 5 min./Cook: 5 min.
Yield: 2 sandwiches
3 slices (4 oz. total) Columbus Herb Roasted Turkey lunchmeat
12 thin slices Brie cheese (or however many it takes to cover the faces of your bread)
1 sliced tomato
2 Ciabatta buns
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 Tbs. mustard
1 Tbs. honey
Mix together honey, mustard, and mayonnaise. Spread on both cut sides of each bun, then cover with Brie. Add tomato and 1 1/2 slices of turkey to each sandwich.
Cook in a contact a grill or panini press set to sear for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is toasty, applying slight pressure to press the bread.
Slice and enjoy!
Notes:
- You can use whatever turkey you want, but I have to say that Columbus is my all-time favorite brand of turkey lunchmeat. It's more expensive than other brands, and I've only seen it at Costco. But it honestly tastes like Thanksgiving turkey, is 99% fat free, and is MUCH lower in sodium than other brands (we're talking 220 mg per 2 oz serving instead of the usual 500-700 mg). It's worth it.
- Brie is one of those cheeses that is on the list of foods to avoid for pregnant women and small children; however, if you find a pasteurized Brie (our Costco carries a Henri Hutin Brie Couronne), then it's safe for both pregnant women and toddlers.
- Feel free to alter the amounts of mayo, honey, and mustard--to be honest, I didn't measure, so those amounts are complete guesses. Dijon mustard also makes a very good honey mustard.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Oven-Roasted Fries
From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 92.
Prep: 10 min./Cook: 35 min.
Serves: 4-6.
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbs. kosher salt
3 Tbs. seasoning mix (pages 117-119), optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice each potato lengthwise into 8 slices. Put the potato slices in a large bowl, add oil, salt, and seasoning mix, if using, and toss to coat the potatoes evenly.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the potatoes in an even layer. Bake the potatoes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.
Prep: 10 min./Cook: 35 min.
Serves: 4-6.
Pictured: Oven-Roasted Fries with Cuban Seasoning.
5 large Yukon Gold potatoes, well scrubbed1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tbs. kosher salt
3 Tbs. seasoning mix (pages 117-119), optional
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice each potato lengthwise into 8 slices. Put the potato slices in a large bowl, add oil, salt, and seasoning mix, if using, and toss to coat the potatoes evenly.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the potatoes in an even layer. Bake the potatoes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.
Cuban Seasoning
1 tsp. ground bay leaves
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. granulate onion
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
Whisk together bay leaves, cumin, garlic, onion, oregano, and turmeric in a small bowl until combined.
Notes:
- I used 10 small Yukon Gold potatoes
- My fries were delicious and cooked through, but perhaps next time I'll cook them a little longer to get them a little more like fries instead of roasted potatoes.
- A small coffee grinder is perfect for grinding dried bay leaves (as well as other spices). I used a little less than 1 tsp. garlic powder because I didn't have granulated garlic, and I again used the coffee grinder to turn my dried minced onion into granulated onion.
Crunchy Broccoli Salad
From Healthy Cooking (April/May 2010), page 43.
Prep/Total Time: 20 min
Yield: 10 servings
8 cups fresh broccoli florets
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onions, and cranberries. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, and sugar; drizzle over broccoli and toss to coat. Chill until serving.
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon.
Notes:
- The original recipe calls for an entire bunch of green onions, which seemed a bit much to me. It also called for 1/2 cup cranberries, but I wanted more. The nutrition facts listed below are for the original recipe.
- I didn't have seasoned rice vinegar, so I used regular. I also decided to add about 1/8 tsp. ground ginger to the dressing and used already cooked and crumbled real bacon from a little bag that I bought at the store. Cheating, I know.
Nutrition Facts (for original recipe):
3/4 cup = 121 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein.
Prep/Total Time: 20 min
Yield: 10 servings
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onions, and cranberries. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, and sugar; drizzle over broccoli and toss to coat. Chill until serving.
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon.
Notes:
- The original recipe calls for an entire bunch of green onions, which seemed a bit much to me. It also called for 1/2 cup cranberries, but I wanted more. The nutrition facts listed below are for the original recipe.
- I didn't have seasoned rice vinegar, so I used regular. I also decided to add about 1/8 tsp. ground ginger to the dressing and used already cooked and crumbled real bacon from a little bag that I bought at the store. Cheating, I know.
Nutrition Facts (for original recipe):
3/4 cup = 121 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Black Bean Burgers with Cilantro-Lime Mayo
From the food blog Cookin' Canuck.
Prep: 30 min. + chilling / Cook: 8 min.
Yield: 4 burgers
These are absolutely delicious! The texture of the patty is obviously not meat, but it is good and tasty. We will definitely be eating these again.
Burgers:
4 slices stale or toasted whole wheat bread, cubed
2 Tbs. olive or canola oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. minced jalapeno pepper, membranes and seeds removed
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 cups cooked brown rice
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Cilantro-lime Mayo (recipe follows)
4 whole wheat buns, toasted if desired
Cotija cheese, crumbled
Tomato, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Pulse bread in a food processor to form breadcrumbs. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic, jalapeno, and ground cumin. Saute for 2 more minutes.
Scrape mixture into food processor. Add black beans, brown rice, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until beans are chopped but not pureed.
Remove bean mixture into a large bowl. Add cilantro and 1/2 of the breadcrumbs; stir mixture until combined. Add more breadcrumbs if needed.
Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties. Place on a baking sheet or large plate lined with plastic wrap and cover with additional plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers 4 minutes per side.
Spread Cilantro-lime Mayo on both interior sides of bun. Top with black bean patty, cotija cheese, tomato, and avocado.
Cilantro-lime Mayo
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbs. finely chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, ground cumin, cilantro, and pepper. Stir well.
Notes:
- I probably only used about three slices-worth of bread crumbs.
- One small jalapeno will be about the right amount; however, it wasn't spicy at all to me, so I may use a large one next time.
- Next time you make brown rice, set some aside and make this recipe the same week. It will save you a lot of time waiting for the rice to cook so you can make your burgers (brown rice takes a lot longer to cook than white rice).
- I didn't really measure my lime juice: I used half a lime for the burger and the other for the mayo.
- We ate ours on wheat kaiser rolls--yummy!
- Cotija cheese is a salty, crumbly, cows milk cheese from Mexico. Most grocery stores have it.
- Confession: I didn't chill the patties at all because we were hungry and didn't want to wait half an hour to eat. I don't think it made a difference, but I guess I'll know better next time I make these . . . correctly. Just know that if you're short on time, you'll be fine skipping the refrigeration!
- Use mayo with olive oil--it's all I buy anymore!
Prep: 30 min. + chilling / Cook: 8 min.
Yield: 4 burgers
Burgers:
4 slices stale or toasted whole wheat bread, cubed
2 Tbs. olive or canola oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. minced jalapeno pepper, membranes and seeds removed
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 cups cooked brown rice
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Cilantro-lime Mayo (recipe follows)
4 whole wheat buns, toasted if desired
Cotija cheese, crumbled
Tomato, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Pulse bread in a food processor to form breadcrumbs. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic, jalapeno, and ground cumin. Saute for 2 more minutes.
Scrape mixture into food processor. Add black beans, brown rice, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until beans are chopped but not pureed.
Remove bean mixture into a large bowl. Add cilantro and 1/2 of the breadcrumbs; stir mixture until combined. Add more breadcrumbs if needed.
Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties. Place on a baking sheet or large plate lined with plastic wrap and cover with additional plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers 4 minutes per side.
Spread Cilantro-lime Mayo on both interior sides of bun. Top with black bean patty, cotija cheese, tomato, and avocado.
Cilantro-lime Mayo
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbs. finely chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, ground cumin, cilantro, and pepper. Stir well.
Notes:
- I probably only used about three slices-worth of bread crumbs.
- One small jalapeno will be about the right amount; however, it wasn't spicy at all to me, so I may use a large one next time.
- Next time you make brown rice, set some aside and make this recipe the same week. It will save you a lot of time waiting for the rice to cook so you can make your burgers (brown rice takes a lot longer to cook than white rice).
- I didn't really measure my lime juice: I used half a lime for the burger and the other for the mayo.
- We ate ours on wheat kaiser rolls--yummy!
- Cotija cheese is a salty, crumbly, cows milk cheese from Mexico. Most grocery stores have it.
- Confession: I didn't chill the patties at all because we were hungry and didn't want to wait half an hour to eat. I don't think it made a difference, but I guess I'll know better next time I make these . . . correctly. Just know that if you're short on time, you'll be fine skipping the refrigeration!
- Use mayo with olive oil--it's all I buy anymore!
Oreo Cookies
From Lindsey Eliason.
1 box Devils Food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine
2 tsp. vanilla
2-4 cups powdered sugar
Mix together cake mix, eggs, and shortening. Drop in tablespoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 min @ 350F. Let cool.
Mix together cream cheese, margarine, vanilla, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar until the filling reaches the desired consistency (thick but not too thick). Sandwich between two cookies.
Notes:
- I haven't made this in a while, so I don't remember how long it takes or what the yield is.
- I use a cookie scoop for, well, almost everything. It makes a really nicely shaped cookie. If you don't have one (and don't want to make the purchase), I suppose you could gently roll the dough into little balls so they're good, circular discs.
1 box Devils Food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup shortening
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine
2 tsp. vanilla
2-4 cups powdered sugar
Mix together cake mix, eggs, and shortening. Drop in tablespoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 min @ 350F. Let cool.
Mix together cream cheese, margarine, vanilla, and 2 cups powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar until the filling reaches the desired consistency (thick but not too thick). Sandwich between two cookies.
Notes:
- I haven't made this in a while, so I don't remember how long it takes or what the yield is.
- I use a cookie scoop for, well, almost everything. It makes a really nicely shaped cookie. If you don't have one (and don't want to make the purchase), I suppose you could gently roll the dough into little balls so they're good, circular discs.
Nut-Crusted Orange Roughy
From Simple and Delicious (March/April 2009), page 12.
Prep/Total: 25-30 min.
Yield: 4 servings
This fish recipe is really easy and quite delicious! The mild flavor of the fish is complemented by the walnut-sesame crust and the sweet-salty sauce. We've rated it as one of our top four favorite fish recipes that we've tried so far.
4 fresh or frozen orange roughy fillets, thawed (5 oz. each)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or a mixture of the two
3 Tbs. seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Place flour and egg in separate shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, combine walnuts, bread crumbs, sesame seeds, and parsley. Dip fish in flour, egg, then walnut mixture.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook fish in butter in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
In a small bowl, whisk honey and soy sauce; serve with fish.
Nutrition Facts:
1 fillet + 1 Tbs. sauce = 425 calories, 22 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 153 mg cholesterol, 633 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 32 g protein
Notes:
- We only used half of the sauce, so you may consider reducing the amount you make.
- Orange roughy is low in calories and fat and has a very mild flavor. So good!
- The recipe suggests using flounder or sole if you can't find orange roughy.
Prep/Total: 25-30 min.
Yield: 4 servings
4 fresh or frozen orange roughy fillets, thawed (5 oz. each)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or a mixture of the two
3 Tbs. seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Place flour and egg in separate shallow bowls. In another shallow bowl, combine walnuts, bread crumbs, sesame seeds, and parsley. Dip fish in flour, egg, then walnut mixture.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook fish in butter in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
In a small bowl, whisk honey and soy sauce; serve with fish.
Nutrition Facts:
1 fillet + 1 Tbs. sauce = 425 calories, 22 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 153 mg cholesterol, 633 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 32 g protein
Notes:
- We only used half of the sauce, so you may consider reducing the amount you make.
- Orange roughy is low in calories and fat and has a very mild flavor. So good!
- The recipe suggests using flounder or sole if you can't find orange roughy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
