http://blackfoxhomestead.com/from-my-kitchen/our-first-experience-with-a-pressure-canner/#comment-399
Then I found this vegetable tian that looked easy, pretty & healthy! Yeah!! I want to keep this one in mind for this fall while I am trying to meet my healthy eating plan goals:
http://www.simply-gourmet.com/2012/07/165-vegetable-tian.html
Not to worry though, I am not going to turn into a health food nut on you. There are too many things that although they are sinful, I will not expunge from the list of possibilities. I just won't do them very often. Here's an example:
Aren't these just too sweet for words? They are called Smiling Scarecrow Cupcakes
Cupcakes
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
1 Land O Lakes® All-Natural Egg
1 1/2 cups applesauce
Frosting
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup Land O Lakes® Half & Half or whipping cream
1/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Decorations
Pretzel squares*
Cinnamon graham cracker sticks
Chow mein noodles or pretzel sticks
Mini candy-coated chocolate pieces, chocolate chips, decorator candies or decorator gels, as desired
Candy corn
Chocolate sprinkles or licorice candies
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups into 18 muffin pan cups; set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda and cinnamon in medium bowl; set aside.
Combine sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture and applesauce. Continue beating until well mixed.
Fill each muffin pan cup 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, half & half and 1/4 cup butter in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil (5 to 6 minutes). Cool 20 minutes; add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Cool completely.
To create scarecrow face, spread 1 heaping tablespoon frosting over 1 cupcake; place pretzel square onto cupcake to make top of hat. Place small amount of frosting on back-side of graham cracker stick; place below pretzel to make hat band. Insert chow mein noodles into frosting around hat to resemble straw. Make face using assorted candies, chips or decorator gels. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and decorations.
Store in loosely covered container.
***********************************************
I have moved into fall mode today, but that's not to say that I won't switch back to summer again. This was a fast & dirty healthy soup that I thought would be a handy addition to our meal plans.
Broccoli-Potato-Cheddar Soup
Ingredients:
• 8 tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 4 – 5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped*
• 1 lb. broccoli florets, chopped
• 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• Sea salt to taste — try Real Salt!
It's just as you'd expect...saute the onion in butter. Add the vegetables & chicken stock & cook under tender. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve!
***********************************************
I came across this little tidbit to remind me to cook healthy:
Top 10 Healthy Ways to Cook Fruits & Vegetables
Bake …
1.Sweet potato fries by cutting up into slices and seasoning with olive oil, cayenne pepper and a dash of salt.
2. Peaches for a sweet snack. Slice in half, drizzle on some honey and sprinkle with ginger and pecans.
3.Winter squash. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. A potato for lunch. Top with broccoli and a sprinkle of cheese.
5. An apple for dessert. Fill the core with dried fruit and nuts.
Boil …
1. Diced or crushed tomatoes in a vegetable or chicken broth for the base of a homemade tomato soup! Add fresh herbs and spices to make your own unique recipe.
2. Apples with lemon juice and cinnamon. Mash up and serve warm or chilled.
3. Turnips and potatoes. Mash them together and season with salt and pepper.
4. Kale, and add a handful of chopped currants, salt and pepper.
5. Butternut squash and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Steam …
1. Artichokes for a long time (about an hour) to get flavorful leaves perfect for dipping! Try them with a tasty almond pate.
2. Any of your favorite vegetables with citrus juice and zest added to the water to create bold, new flavors. Try lemon juice with spinach, orange with broccoli or grapefruit with carrots!
3. A medley of vegetables and season with some herbs. Serve over couscous.
4. Cabbage, and season with caraway seed, salt and pepper.
5. Green beans with chopped onion. Add a clove of garlic to cooking water.
Stir-Fry …
1. Pineapple and mango in a honey ginger sauce for a perfect topping to low- or fat-free ice cream.
2. Zucchini, yellow squash, diced tomatoes and mushrooms with olive oil and herbs. Add some diced jalapeno for an extra kick and serve over brown rice.
3.Broccoli in olive oil and chopped garlic. Add some capers for extra zip.
4. Frozen mixed veggies. Add a dash of low sodium soy sauce, or flavor with herbs.
5. Onions, peppers, zucchini, corn and jicama. Throw in some red or black beans. Season with your favorite salsa to give it a Southwestern flair. Serve over rice.
Sauté …
1. Pear and apple slices (peeled) in a skillet with a little butter until tender. Add marmalade and orange slices, remove from heat and serve for a fruity dessert.
2. Cauliflower with nutmeg and oil after pre-steaming for a tasty twist on an old veggie.
3. Spinach with garlic and olive oil.
4. Green and yellow summer squash with onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. For a different twist, add chopped tomato and basil.
5. A variety of different colored peppers with onion. Serve as a side dish.
Roast …
1. Red peppers in the oven at 450°, turning every 15 minutes until done (blackened skins). Peel off the skin and slice them, then drizzle in oil and garlic and refrigerate. A Perfect addition to any salad, sandwich or antipasto dish!
2. Whole red potatoes in the oven after tossing them in a mixture of olive oil, garlic and rosemary until tender for a mouth-watering side to any meal!
3. Some winter vegetables cut in large pieces – parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, beets, sweet potato are some good choices. Coat lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite herbs, and roast at 425° for 30-40 minutes until tender and browned.
4. Brussels sprouts drizzled lightly with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt. Magnifique!
5. Thin slices of sweet potato to make chips.
Grill …
1. Mushrooms, bell peppers, onions and tenderloin for the perfect summer kabobs.
2. Corn on the cob. Peel and coat in a mix of seasonings such as oregano, pepper, onion and chili powders and salt with a touch of butter to help it stick. Wrap in aluminum foil and grill until tender.
3. Pineapple, peaches or mango. Top with a dollop of low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt or sherbet.
4. Asparagus and add to a salad of mixed greens, roasted peppers and toasted nuts.
5. Some eggplant, zucchini and portabello mushrooms to use in a wrap. << No Thanks!!
Stew …
1. Pears. Peel and core and stew gently in cinnamon, sugar and water until tender. Perfect for an after-dinner treat!
2. Cabbage with tomatoes and garlic to serve over rice for a unique side dish to any meal!
3. Classic stew vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, green beans, celery, onions in canned tomato sauce. Substitute canned beans like kidney beans or black beans for meat.
4. Frozen corn, onions, peppers, celery, and salsa. Serve over rice. Add some red or black beans and call it a meal!
5. Canned tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and chickpeas. Add oregano and top with sliced olives.
Blanche …
1. Almonds in water for 15 seconds and peel for a new twist on a healthy snack.
2. Basil and parsley leaves. Blend together with olive oil, pine nuts, garlic and a little lemon juice for a great pesto!
3. Broccoli and cauliflower to use on a vegetable platter for snacks and appetizers.
4. Broccoli rabe in salted water to reduce bitterness. Then cook like broccoli.
5. Carrots, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus and broccoli. Marinate in your favorite low-fat vinaigrette and serve cold. If desired, add other veggies like onions, mushrooms and peppers.
Microwave …
1. Any of your favorite chopped veggies in a bowl with an egg or two for a quick, nutritious breakfast.
2. Cranberries and orange zest with a little sugar and water to make a sweet cranberry relish.
3. Frozen or canned vegetables on those busy nights.
4. Spaghetti squash by cutting in half lengthwise and putting face down in a dish with water. Scoop out squash and serve like spaghetti with tomato sauce and/or Parmesan cheese.
5. A potato for lunch and top with low-fat cottage cheese and chives.
***********************************************
And if that didn't get my creative juices flowing, then there's always a nice Minestrone Soup that would be a bit hit around here:
Minestrone
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup pancetta, diced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 leek, sliced into rings
• 1/4 green cabbage, shredded (I've used a big handful of bagged coleslaw mix in the past, which is just shredded cabbage and carrots, so it worked perfectly.)
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 oz) can navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups hot chicken stock, diluted with 2½ cups boiling water
• bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 sprigs of thyme, tied)
• salt and pepper
• freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the pancetta, onions and garlic and saute for about five minutes or until the onions are soft, stirring often.
2. Add the potato, carrot, leek, cabbage and celery to the pan and cook for two more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the tomatoes, navy beans, chicken stock and bouquet garni to the pan, stirring to mix. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the bouquet garni. (If you over cook the soup like I did the first time I made it, the leaves of the herbs will all fall off into the soup, which is not the goal here. You just want the herbs to season the broth, but remain on the stem and removed, so keep an eye on them!)
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with fresh parmesan cheese.
***********************************************
And just for fun I am sharing these with you:
No comments:
Post a Comment