Hungry girl promises its good, we'll see, I love the Olive Garden's minestrone. Probably not too authentic, but I'm 0% Italian so you can fool me. I'm using chicken broth and ditalini pasta since it's what I have, and northern beans since I couldn't find canellini and throwing in some corn & celery. I'm living dangerously. Going to have some foccacia and salad with it :) should be pretty tasty, and Dad won't care that its meatless and my veggie-adverse husband will be out of town. Should be something good and healthy to freeze for my grandparents too. Haven't been freezing latley since they don't handle spicy well.
Here's the recipe, for those of you who don't get the HG e-mails.
Hungry Girl's Mmm-mmm Minestrone
PER SERVING (1 generous cup): 105 calories, 0.5g fat, 512mg sodium, 19.5g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 4g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 1*
Need a big pot of soup PACKED with veggies (not calories!), but don't want to spend forever chopping? This recipe is a DELICIOUS shortcut to Soupville!
Ingredients:
Two 14-oz. cans (3 1/2 cups) fat-free vegetable broth
Two 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained
One 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
One 10-oz. package frozen spinach, mostly thawed
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup uncooked whole-wheat-blend rotini or penne pasta
1 tbsp. dried minced onion
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large pot on the stove. Add 1 cup water and stir it up. Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and allow soup to simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve!
MAKES 10 SERVINGS
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
You get a two-fer
Some recent finds that are low fat and tasty:
Mann's broccoli slaw. Mom would be so proud I eat broccoli now, I was the kid who ran screaming from it. Made a salad with mandarin oranges, cooked chicken, water chestnuts, almonds, and my favorite Ken's lite Asian Sesame dressing. So yummy. Good recipes on their bags, on their site, and on hungry girl.
I made a spicy peanut chicken from that low fat crock pot cook book I posted about awhile ago, the healthy slowcooker and it was tasty.
Mann's broccoli slaw. Mom would be so proud I eat broccoli now, I was the kid who ran screaming from it. Made a salad with mandarin oranges, cooked chicken, water chestnuts, almonds, and my favorite Ken's lite Asian Sesame dressing. So yummy. Good recipes on their bags, on their site, and on hungry girl.
I made a spicy peanut chicken from that low fat crock pot cook book I posted about awhile ago, the healthy slowcooker and it was tasty.
Spaghetti Casserole
This is a weightwatchers friendly recipe I used last time I did WW back in 2005. My husband liked it a lot, so I'm breaking it out again this go around.
Ingredients:
8oz cooked whole wheat spaghetti
6 slices Kraft 2% singles
3 cups boca meat or about 1 lb ground turkey, cooked/crumbled
jar of favorite marinara (5 or 6 1/2c servings)
1 cup reduced fat 4 cheese italian
most of a pack of a turkey pepperoni "pillow pack"
Preheat oven to 350, cook spaghetti, pam a 9x13 pan.
layer starting on bottom:
spaghetti
american cheese
crumbled meat (boca or turkey)
pepperoni
sauce
shredded cheese
bake @ 350 for 30 minutes
Ingredients:
8oz cooked whole wheat spaghetti
6 slices Kraft 2% singles
3 cups boca meat or about 1 lb ground turkey, cooked/crumbled
jar of favorite marinara (5 or 6 1/2c servings)
1 cup reduced fat 4 cheese italian
most of a pack of a turkey pepperoni "pillow pack"
Preheat oven to 350, cook spaghetti, pam a 9x13 pan.
layer starting on bottom:
spaghetti
american cheese
crumbled meat (boca or turkey)
pepperoni
sauce
shredded cheese
bake @ 350 for 30 minutes
Monday, January 18, 2010
Beef & Barley with rosemary and orange
Large slow cooker (5 quart minimum) required.
From the book "The Healthy Slow Cooker" by Judith Finlayson. Book has some whackadoodle recipes I'd never try (in addition to the whole seafood chapter) but has some neat ideas. Did you know you can bake bread in your slow cooker if you have a pan that fits it?
Beef and Barley with Rosemary and Orange
8 servings
Ingredients:
2Tbsp olive oil, divided
2lbs trimmed stewing beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
8oz mushrooms (small ones quartered, large ones sliced)
3 cooking onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced (I just used about 3/4 cup matchstick carrots)
4 cloves of garlic, minced (2 tsp minced garlic)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary –or- 2tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cup whole (hulled) or pot barely, rinsed
3 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
Salt, optional (it says if you don’t use reduced sodium beef stock to not add)
(I skipped shrooms because the scare Chris and just used the quaker quick barley)
Persillade (optional):
1 cup finely chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
(note says this adds a “zesty finish” while allowing you to enjoy the health benefits of garlic free from worry about garlic breath because the parsley works to negate any offensive odor.)
1. In a (huge) skillet, heat 1tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, in batches and cook, stirring until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware (I drained mine on paper towels on a plate first and rinsed/wiped out the pan).
2. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to pan. Add mushrooms and toss until lightly seared, about 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring until carrots are softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, peppercorns (I used fresh ground pepper) and orange zest and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add barley and toss to coat. Add orange juice, beef stock, and wine and bring to a boil. (this is where the huge skillet is required). Season to taste with salt, if desired. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware, stir well.
3. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high for 4, or until meat is tender.
4. Persillade (optional): In a bowl, combine parsley, garlic, and vinegar. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Ladle stew onto plates and garnish with persillade, if using.
book recommends a tossed green salad & crusty whole grain roll.
From the book "The Healthy Slow Cooker" by Judith Finlayson. Book has some whackadoodle recipes I'd never try (in addition to the whole seafood chapter) but has some neat ideas. Did you know you can bake bread in your slow cooker if you have a pan that fits it?
Beef and Barley with Rosemary and Orange
8 servings
Ingredients:
2Tbsp olive oil, divided
2lbs trimmed stewing beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
8oz mushrooms (small ones quartered, large ones sliced)
3 cooking onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced (I just used about 3/4 cup matchstick carrots)
4 cloves of garlic, minced (2 tsp minced garlic)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary –or- 2tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cup whole (hulled) or pot barely, rinsed
3 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
Salt, optional (it says if you don’t use reduced sodium beef stock to not add)
(I skipped shrooms because the scare Chris and just used the quaker quick barley)
Persillade (optional):
1 cup finely chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
(note says this adds a “zesty finish” while allowing you to enjoy the health benefits of garlic free from worry about garlic breath because the parsley works to negate any offensive odor.)
1. In a (huge) skillet, heat 1tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, in batches and cook, stirring until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware (I drained mine on paper towels on a plate first and rinsed/wiped out the pan).
2. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to pan. Add mushrooms and toss until lightly seared, about 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring until carrots are softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, peppercorns (I used fresh ground pepper) and orange zest and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add barley and toss to coat. Add orange juice, beef stock, and wine and bring to a boil. (this is where the huge skillet is required). Season to taste with salt, if desired. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware, stir well.
3. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or high for 4, or until meat is tender.
4. Persillade (optional): In a bowl, combine parsley, garlic, and vinegar. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Ladle stew onto plates and garnish with persillade, if using.
book recommends a tossed green salad & crusty whole grain roll.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Healthy recipe to share :)
This was excellent with some brown rice, crinkle cut carrots, and a mixed greens salad with mandarin oranges & almonds on it. :)
Hoisin Chicken
POINTS: 5, 4 servings
1/4 cup(s) hoisin sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp five-spice powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp table salt
1 pound(s) Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, raw (I bought the Tyson trimmed & ready thin chicken, there were 4 in the package).
Preheat broiler on medium. combine hoisin, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, in a saucepan, bring to a boil.
Combine cornstarch and water and add to mixture, stirring.
Cook 1 minute, remove from heat and set aside. mix spices and rub evenly over both sides of chicken. Spray line a broiler pan with foil and spray pan grate with non stick spray, add chicken, broil 5 minutes.
Brush with hoisin mixture and cook for 5 minutes more. turn over and brush with sauce, broil 5 minutes, basting often, until done.
Hoisin Chicken
POINTS: 5, 4 servings
1/4 cup(s) hoisin sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp five-spice powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp table salt
1 pound(s) Chicken breast, skinless, boneless, raw (I bought the Tyson trimmed & ready thin chicken, there were 4 in the package).
Preheat broiler on medium. combine hoisin, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, in a saucepan, bring to a boil.
Combine cornstarch and water and add to mixture, stirring.
Cook 1 minute, remove from heat and set aside. mix spices and rub evenly over both sides of chicken. Spray line a broiler pan with foil and spray pan grate with non stick spray, add chicken, broil 5 minutes.
Brush with hoisin mixture and cook for 5 minutes more. turn over and brush with sauce, broil 5 minutes, basting often, until done.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Chocolate cookies
I am in a Christmas cookie exchange tomorrow, so I decided on 3 varieties of cookies, all chocolate. Now they are all cooling and I'm resisting (somewhat successfully) the urge to eat them myself.
First up were my favorite from last Christmas, the Chocolate Mint Cookies I found on allrecipes. Only thing I add to the batter is 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp mint extract. Then I use 1/2 an andies mint on top of each instead of whatever the mint was they wanted you to hunt down. Andies mints are easy to find.
While the batter for those was chilling, I made the fudgey bon-bon cookie recipe; I used the new dark chocolate Hershey kisses this year, and they're good :)
Fudgey bon-bons
(recipe says 60 cookies but I don't get that many)
ingredients:
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
60 Hershey's kisses (your favorite flavor)
2 oz chocolate
1 tsp shortening
sprinkles/decors (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. In double boiler combine chips and butter; cook and stir over very low heat until chips and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add sweetened condensed milk, mix well. Stir in vanilla. In medium bowl add flour then pour over chocolate. Mix well. Shape 1 tablespoon of dough around each kiss, covering completely. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Cookies will be soft and may appear shiny, but will firm up as they cool. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and let them cool completely. Melt chocolate and shortening in microwave. Place cookies on wax paper, drizzle chocolate over cookies and add sprinkles. Store tightly covered.
Next I made the cookie dough for the brownie cups I found on the mint Hershey kisses bag (yes I have more than one kind of Hershey kisses in my house, don't judge).
Mint Capped Brownie Cookie Cups
(4 dozen)
48 Hershey Kisses mint truffles wrapped in dark chocolate
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup Hershey special dark cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
(powdered sugar optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Line 48 mini muffin cups with paper or foil baking cups. Remove kisses from wrappers. Beat butter, sugar, water, and vanilla on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, beat well. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating on low speed until just blended. Refrigerate dough until firm enough to handle. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, place in prepared muffin cups. Bake 11-13 minutes or until cookie surface is set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Do not overbake. Cool about 5 minutes on wire rack, then press one kiss into center of each cookie cup. Cool completely. Sprinkle each cookie with powdered sugar if desired.
First up were my favorite from last Christmas, the Chocolate Mint Cookies I found on allrecipes. Only thing I add to the batter is 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp mint extract. Then I use 1/2 an andies mint on top of each instead of whatever the mint was they wanted you to hunt down. Andies mints are easy to find.
While the batter for those was chilling, I made the fudgey bon-bon cookie recipe; I used the new dark chocolate Hershey kisses this year, and they're good :)
Fudgey bon-bons
(recipe says 60 cookies but I don't get that many)
ingredients:
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
60 Hershey's kisses (your favorite flavor)
2 oz chocolate
1 tsp shortening
sprinkles/decors (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. In double boiler combine chips and butter; cook and stir over very low heat until chips and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add sweetened condensed milk, mix well. Stir in vanilla. In medium bowl add flour then pour over chocolate. Mix well. Shape 1 tablespoon of dough around each kiss, covering completely. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Cookies will be soft and may appear shiny, but will firm up as they cool. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Remove cookies from cookie sheet and let them cool completely. Melt chocolate and shortening in microwave. Place cookies on wax paper, drizzle chocolate over cookies and add sprinkles. Store tightly covered.
Next I made the cookie dough for the brownie cups I found on the mint Hershey kisses bag (yes I have more than one kind of Hershey kisses in my house, don't judge).
Mint Capped Brownie Cookie Cups
(4 dozen)
48 Hershey Kisses mint truffles wrapped in dark chocolate
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup Hershey special dark cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
(powdered sugar optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Line 48 mini muffin cups with paper or foil baking cups. Remove kisses from wrappers. Beat butter, sugar, water, and vanilla on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, beat well. Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating on low speed until just blended. Refrigerate dough until firm enough to handle. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, place in prepared muffin cups. Bake 11-13 minutes or until cookie surface is set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Do not overbake. Cool about 5 minutes on wire rack, then press one kiss into center of each cookie cup. Cool completely. Sprinkle each cookie with powdered sugar if desired.
Monday, November 2, 2009
apple cheesecake
Yes, I'm a cheesecake fan, won't deny it. :)
I'd printed this one out back in 2005 and found it again this weekend and decided to finally try it. I'd bought a bag of jonamac apples at the store and some cream cheese so it was bound to happen. My aunt had an open house this weekend so I had an excuse to make a cheesecake, that's all I needed. ;)
Here is the original recipe, I naturally changed things up immediately, so I'll post the recipe I followed below. I'm not sure I'm done tweaking this one, but as is its pretty good, other than the non-existent crust.
Apple crumble cheesecake
1 1/2 cup nilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
cinnamon sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about the size of nickles)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of cloves
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter softened
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, stir together the nilla wafer crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter; press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar after cooled. (not sure I'm in love with the crust, seemed thin and got soggy... anyone have a great not chocolate crust for cheesecake?)
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla; pour filling into the baked crust.
In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss the cinnamon-sugar with the apples to coat. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer. In the future I may combine the apples & sugar first, then set to strain juices out before adding the spices and then top it.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon with a pastry cutter until a crumby texture forms. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake in preheated oven for 75-85 minutes in a water bath. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill cake before serving.
I'd printed this one out back in 2005 and found it again this weekend and decided to finally try it. I'd bought a bag of jonamac apples at the store and some cream cheese so it was bound to happen. My aunt had an open house this weekend so I had an excuse to make a cheesecake, that's all I needed. ;)
Here is the original recipe, I naturally changed things up immediately, so I'll post the recipe I followed below. I'm not sure I'm done tweaking this one, but as is its pretty good, other than the non-existent crust.
Apple crumble cheesecake
1 1/2 cup nilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
cinnamon sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about the size of nickles)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of cloves
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter softened
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, stir together the nilla wafer crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted butter; press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar after cooled. (not sure I'm in love with the crust, seemed thin and got soggy... anyone have a great not chocolate crust for cheesecake?)
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla; pour filling into the baked crust.
In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss the cinnamon-sugar with the apples to coat. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese layer. In the future I may combine the apples & sugar first, then set to strain juices out before adding the spices and then top it.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon with a pastry cutter until a crumby texture forms. Sprinkle over apples.
Bake in preheated oven for 75-85 minutes in a water bath. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill cake before serving.
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