A New Twist on Lentil Soup

The lentil soup my mother made always started with a meaty ham bone after a holiday meal.  I’ve similarly carried on the same tradition of making lentil soup with a ham bone, which means we don’t have it very often. 

Then I happened upon the most amazing tomato lentil soup at Caviar and Bananas while on vacation in Charleston, SC.  Lentils and chick peas were simmered in a rich tomato broth.  My requests for the recipe in store and by email went unanswered, but I was determined to recreate it.  Although not identical, this recipe is pretty delicious, and vegetarian too if you use vegetable broth.  I made up a pot today to have on hand if I run out of time to make dinner during the holiday rush.  It also travels well in a lunch bag and is better the second day. Smart meals take the stress out of “What’s for Dinner?”  

Tomato Lentil Soup

Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

4 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

5 cups vegetable or chicken broth*

2 cans (about 15 ounces each) diced tomatoes

1 cup dry lentils

1 can (about 15 ounces) chick peas, drained

1.      Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender.

2.      Add broth, tomatoes, lentils and chick peas.  Heat to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. 

Nutrition Information per serving: 203 calories, 7 g. total fat, 1 g. saturated fat, 1 mg. cholesterol, 762 mg. sodium, 28 g. carbohydrate, 6 g. dietary fiber, 7 g. sugar, 9 g. protein

*If you like a brothier soup, increase the broth to 6 cups.

One Pot Cooking

I love this recipe because it’s a complete meal in one pot with easy clean up.  I picked up many of the fresh ingredients at our local farmer’s market.  The butcher even sells the stew beef already cut into the perfect size cubes trimmed of all the fat! 

When I brown the beef, I make sure I don’t crowd the cubes in the pan to be sure they get nicely browned.  If there are too many cubes in the pan at one time the beef will steam rather than brown.  Covering the stew with a tight fitting lid while cooking over low heat keeps the moisture in and allows the mixture to cook without stirring.  However, the stew liquid may thin down a bit during this time.  So I uncover the stew for the last period of cooking to allow some of the liquid to evaporate and thicken up the stew. 

Don’t worry if you have leftovers….the flavor gets even better the next day!  Smart meals are great meals!

French Onion Beef Stew

Makes 8 servings

¼ cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 pounds beef round, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can (10 ½ ounces) condensed French onion soup

1 ½ cups dry red wine

1 pound small new potatoes, halved

6 carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced 1-inch thick

1 package (10 to 12 ounces) baby bella mushrooms, halved

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1.      Mix flour and pepper in resealable plastic bag.  Add beef cubes and seal bag.  Shake the bag to evenly coat the beef cubes with the seasoned flour.

2.      Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Brown the coated beef cubes in 2 batches in the hot oil. 

3.      Return all the beef cubes to pot with the soup, wine, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, garlic powder, thyme and rosemary, stirring to blend.  Heat to a boil.

4.      Reduce the heat to low and cover.  Cook for 1 hour.  Remove the cover and cook 15 minutes more or until beef and vegetables are tender and gravy thickens. 

Nutrition Information per serving: 341 calories, 10 g. total fat, 4 g. saturated fat, 77 mg. cholesterol, 491 mg. sodium, 17 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. dietary fiber, 4 g. sugar, 28 g. protein

Low Country Cooking

One of the highlights of a recent vacation in Charleston, South Carolina was having the opportunity to sample the area’s traditional dishes in many of the great downtown restaurants.  Grits is a common item found on breakfast menus in the south, however, I particularly enjoyed the popular shrimp dish, Shrimp ‘n’ Grits.  So much so, we tried it at several restaurants over the course of the week and noticed each chef put their own spin on the dish.   My favorite was at Southend Brewery & Smokehouse.  The savory sautéed shrimp and Tasso ham sat atop rich creamy grits.  When I got home I was determined to make my own ‘better-for-you’ take on the dish.  I was able to bring the fat down but keep the creamy richness in the grits by using fat free half & half.  There is usually ham, bacon or sausage sautéed with the shrimp, however I opted to leave it out to save on some of the sodium and fat.  I was able to infuse some smoky flavor into the dish by adding smoked paprika.  The dish comes together pretty quickly, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Creamy Shrimp ‘n’ Grits

Makes 4 servings

2 cups fat free half and half

2 cups reduced fat milk

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup stone ground white or yellow grits

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips

1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 green onions, diagonally sliced (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1.   Heat half and half, milk and black pepper to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Stir in grits and return mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir in butter.

2.   While grits are cooking, heat oil in large skillet.  Add red pepper, mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. 

3.   Add shrimp, green onions and paprika.  Cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink.  Serve shrimp over grits.

Nutrition Information per serving: 365 calories, 11 g. total fat, 4 g. saturated fat, 240 mg. cholesterol, 684 mg. sodium, 29 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. dietary fiber, 18 g. sugar, 32 g. protein

It's Chili Time!

Chili is one of those dishes that is easy to pull together.  It’s classic one pot cooking which lends itself to easy prep and clean up.  Instead of using canned tomato sauce for my chili, I use jarred salsa.  It packs a lot of flavor in just one ingredient.  I still like to add some onion and green bell pepper for fresh flavor, color and texture. 

As for the meat, I usually use ground beef for chili for the rich meaty flavor from the browning step which you don’t get when using ground turkey.  However, I discovered a way to use lean ground turkey and still get a rich flavor by adding unsweetened cocoa along with the spices.  Adding chocolate is typical to some Mexican dishes like moles and I found it adds a nice layer of flavor to the chili when using ground turkey. 

Zesty Turkey Chili

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon oil

1 ½ pounds extra lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons ground cumin

4 cups salsa

½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt or nonfat sour cream

¼ cup shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese

1.      Heat oil in pot over medium heat.  Add turkey and cook until browned, stirring occasionally to break up meat.

2.      Add onion, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cocoa and cumin.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes.

3.      Add salsa.  Heat to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.      Serve topped with yogurt and cheese.

Nutrition Information per serving (1 ½ c. chili, 2 tbsp. plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese): 418 calories, 15 g. total fat, 6 g. saturated fat, 86 mg. cholesterol, 1225 mg. sodium, 26 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. dietary fiber, 11 g. sugar, 47 g. protein

Zesty Turkey Chili with Beans: add 1 (15 to16-ounce) can black beans, drained with the salsa.

The Flavors of Tuscany

Fresh rosemary was the inspiration for this recipe.  My daughter brought home several stalks of this fragrant herb grown in a coworker’s garden.  I was planning on meatloaf for dinner so decided to explore the flavors of Tuscany.  Rosemary is an herb commonly found in Tuscan cuisine, so I pulled in red wine, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic which are also typical of the cuisine of the region. 

I like to use fresh bread crumbs in my meatloaf.  Instead of buying a fresh loaf of crusty bread to make crumbs for this purpose I always make crumbs of leftover bakery bread to have on hand in the freezer for uses like this.  The meatloaf mixture comes together quickly and is ready for the oven in no time.

The star of the dish is the balsamic flavored mushrooms.   The earthy mushrooms soak up the sweet-tart flavor of the vinegar along with the garlic and rosemary to make the perfect complement to the meatloaf. Buon appetito!

Rosemary Meatloaf with Balsamic Mushroom Sauce

Makes 10 servings

½ cup red wine

¼ cup tomato paste

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced, divided

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 ½ pounds ground meatloaf mix (beef, pork, veal)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

½ cup balsamic vinegar

1.      Mix wine, tomato paste, eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in bread crumbs, onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons rosemary and pepper.  Add meatloaf mix and thoroughly combine.

2.      Shape into a 10 x 4 x 2 1/2- inch loaf and place in a foil-lined and greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.

3.      Bake at 350°F. for 1 hour 10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.  Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

4.      Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.   Add mushrooms and remaining garlic and rosemary.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.  Add vinegar and heat to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes or until syrupy.  Spoon the mushroom mixture over the sliced meatloaf.

Nutrition Information per serving: 320 calories, 10 g. total fat, 3 g. saturated fat, 134 mg. cholesterol, 589 mg. sodium, 14 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. dietary fiber, 2 g. sugar, 34 g. protein

   

An Easy Weeknight Dinner

A good weekday recipe is one that delivers flavor without a lot of effort.  I decided that a pint of grape tomatoes I had on hand was the simple beginning to a delicious topping for turkey cutlets that I purchased on special at the supermarket.  I halved the tomatoes before tossing with some fresh garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper before roasting, then stirred in some basil from the garden for a pop of fresh flavor.  You can do the same thing using plum tomatoes for an quick side dish.

While the tomatoes were roasting I coated the turkey cutlets with Parmesan cheese and cooked them off in a grill pan.  This is the rare occasion where I break my one pan rule.  Normally I stick to creating recipes that use one pot or pan, but in this case the rich flavor you get from roasting the tomatoes and pan grilling the turkey cutlets is worth a little extra clean up.  To round out the meal, simply serve with a warmed loaf of crusty bread.

Parmesan Turkey Cutlets with Roasted Tomatoes

Makes 4 servings

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ¼ pounds turkey cutlets

¼ cup cholesterol free egg substitute

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1.   Mix tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper on baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, stirring to coat well.  Spread tomato mixture into an even layer.  Bake at 450°F. for 15 minutes or until tomatoes are softened and starting to brown.  Keep warm. 

2.   Dip turkey cutlets into egg substitute and coat evenly with Parmesan cheese, shaking off excess. 

3.   Heat oil in nonstick grill pan or skillet over medium high heat.  Add turkey and brown on both sides for 10 minutes or until turkey is done, turning once.  

4.   Stir the basil into the roasted tomatoes and spoon over turkey cutlets.  Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information per serving: 348 calories, 14 g. total fat, 5 g. saturated fat, 119 mg. cholesterol, 614 mg. sodium, 4 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. dietary fiber, 2 g. sugar, 49 g. protein

 

A Dinner Waiting to be Discovered

Before I go food shopping each week I take inventory of the refrigerator looking for perishable items I didn't use and leftovers.  This week I had a good amount of grilled pork tenderloin left from a weekend dinner and some broccoli and bok choy for which I had plans that never materialized.  So top priority was coming up with a recipe for these ingredients.  Doing a mad dash through my mental recipe box, I decided that these ingredients were destined for Far Eastern flair. Fortunately I had some Asian seasonings on hand to bring my idea to life. 

You can do this too!  Make a list of ingredients you have on hand in your refrigerator that need to be used.  Put them into your internet search engine (e.g. cooked chicken and broccoli recipes) and see what recipes come up.  You may be surprised at what delicious dinner could be waiting for you in your fridge with the added bonus of cleaning it out! 

Pork with Garlic-Ginger Broccoli and Bok Choy

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons light agave nectar

1 tablespoon sweet cooking rice wine (Mirin)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons oil

1 1/4 pounds broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size florets

3 baby bok choy, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and minced

1 pound cooked pork tenderloin, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon hot chili sauce with garlic

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, agave nectar and rice wine in small bowl.  Add cornstarch, stirring until blended. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add broccoli, bok choy, onion, garlic and gingerroot.  Cook and stir for 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp.  Remove vegetable mixture from skillet.




3. Add remaining oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Add pork.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until hot.   
4. Stir vinegar mixture to re-blend cornstarch and stir into pork.  Cook for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Return vegetable mixture to skillet with hot chile sauce with garlic and sesame oil.  Stir to blend and heat through.  Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information per serving: 350 calories, 9 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 221 mg sodium, 33 g total carbohydrates, 6 g dietary fiber, 20 g sugar, 35 g protein

A New Take on Buffalo Chicken

The popularity of Buffalo Wings ultimately created a whole new flavor category and a food trend that has popped up in dips, sandwiches, salads, pizzas and pretzels to name a few.  I decided to hop on the Buffalo bandwagon with my own rendition using boneless chicken while keeping an eye on the fat and sodium.  The simple marinade for this dish consists of plain Greek yogurt which tenderizes the chicken plus a good dose of hot sauce to add the kick.  The creaminess of the yogurt coating coupled with the tang of the blue cheese and crunch of the celery tastes like you're eating Buffalo chicken dip for dinner!  

Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese and Celery

Makes 6 servings

3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Frank's RedHot)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
Paprika

1. Mix the yogurt and hot sauce in a bowl. 




2. Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag.  Add yogurt mixture, mixing to coat chicken.  Seal the bag.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

3. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Remove the chicken from the yogurt mixture and place on the baking sheet (most of the yogurt mixture will cling to the chicken).  Discard any remaining yogurt mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until done. 
5. Mix the blue cheese and celery.  Spoon the celery mixture over chicken breasts and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese slightly melts.  Slice chicken and serve.

Nutrition Information per serving: 299 calories, 14 g. total fat, 6 g. saturated fat, 116 mg. cholesterol, 582 mg. sodium, 3 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. dietary fiber, 2 g. sugar, 38 g. protein

Chicken Portion Size Tip: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can no longer be considered single serving size portions.  They can range anywhere from 5 to 12 ounces each!  The average portion size should be about 4 ounces or the size of a deck of cards.  Before serving a chicken dish, slice each breast into 4 or 5 pieces and arrange on a serving platter.  This will allow you to manage your portion size.

Time for Soup!

Whenever my refrigerator is brimming with produce or leftovers it's time to make a pot of soup!  Of course the soup never tastes the same way twice, but it always tastes great (or so my critics tell me).  I start with the same basics...onion, garlic and broth.  From there I layer on the flavor with seasonings, vegetables (raw or cooked) and leftover chicken, beef or pork.  I also add a package of shredded cole slaw mix to bulk up the soup and add great flavor. 

Italian seasoning is my go to dried herb....in just one bottle you get marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil...beats having to keep a bottle of each on hand!  I like to add some curry powder...not enough to scream curry.  Just a subtle back note that you'll find creates a nice flavor blend.  To round out the herbs and spices, some coarsely ground black pepper adds a little heat. 

You really can't hurt this recipe....just follow the basic amounts using your own choice of  ingredients.   Let me know how it turns out!  

'Clean Out The Refrigerator' Soup

Makes 10 (2-cup) servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10 cups chopped vegetables (raw or cooked)*
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cartons (48 ounces) fat free chicken broth
1 package (16 ounces) shredded cole slaw mix
4 cups diced cooked chicken, beef, or pork

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in an 8-quart pot.  Add the onion, garlic, raw chopped vegetables, Italian seasoning, curry and black pepper.  Cook and stir until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.



2. Add the broth and cole slaw mix.  Heat to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. 

    3.  Stir in the cooked vegetables and chicken and heat through.   

*I used red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, celery and shredded carrot.

Easy Late Summer Dinner

Although I grill all year round, I especially want to take advantage of cooking outdoors during the last wonderful days of summer.  I had a special request for a shrimp dish, so that's what's on the menu this week. 

I've moved into the third cyle of the 17 Day Diet with the addition of an expanded list of carbs to include whole grain breads, pita and tortillas, as well as being able to occasionally have carbs at dinner.  I've lost 13 pounds...not bad for a little more than a month on the diet.  To celebrate, I'm going to add some quinoa and broccoli to round out the meal.  Check out the quinoa link to learn about this nutritent rich ingredient.  Although it's appearance reminds me of couscous, it has a nutty flavor and cooks up in a way similar to rice. 

  

Herb Dijon Grilled Shrimp

Makes 4 servings

1 1/4 pounds shrimp, peeled with tails left on and deveined*

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
8 (12-inch) wooden skewers

1. Mix shrimp, mustard, Italian seasoning and black pepper in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.



2. Meanwhile, soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
3. Place shrimp on skewers, inserting a second skewer about a 1/2 inch apart from the first one to keep the shrimp from twirling around the skewer as you're turning them on the grill.  (Instead of placing the shrimp on the skewer, you can also place them in a grill basket.)

4. Grill over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until done, turning once.

5.  Remove from skewers to serving plate and serve immediately. Any leftover shrimp is great served chilled on a tossed green salad.

* I usually keep a bag of frozen peeled and deveined raw shrimp with the tail on hand in the freezer.  They defrost quickly in cold water for last minute decisions about dinner.  Costco sells a 2-pound package of the 31-40 count/pound size for $14.99.

Red Pepper Quinoa Pilaf

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups fat free chicken broth

1 cup quinoa

1. Heat olive oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Add bell pepper, onion and garlic.  Cook and stir for 3 minutes.

2. Add broth and quinoa.  Heat to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until broth is absored.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Broccoli Tip

The broccoli that I picked up at the farmer's market had long stems.  The stem can be woody and many folks just cut them off and discard.  But you're losing a lot of vegetable and good nutrition if you do that.  I find that cutting an inch off the bottom of the stem, then paring the stalk with a vegetabler peeler removes the woodier part of the stem (see photo).  I slice the stem crosswise up to the florets which I then cut into smaller pieces.  I steam them all together until done.