lundi 22 octobre 2012

MEDITERRANEAN BALSAMIC BRAISED BEEF‏


Nutritional Information (Per Serving) :
Calories: 217; Protein: 22 g; Sodium: 206 mg; Cholesterol: 57 mg; Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g;
Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g

Yield: Makes 8 servings

 
INGREDIENTS :
 
-  1 boneless beef chuck shoulder pot roast (2-1/2 to 3 pounds)
-  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-  2 tablespoons olive oil
-  1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-  2 small onions, halved, sliced
-  4 medium shallots, sliced
-  1/4 cup chopped pitted dates
-  1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 

PREPARATIONS :
 
Heat oven to 325F. Lightly coat beef pot roast with flour. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat 
until hot. Brown pot roast ; remove.
 
Add 1-1/2 cups water and vinegar to Dutch oven; cook and stir until brown bits attached to pan are 
dissolved. Return pot roast. Add onions, shallots, dates, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover tightly 
and cook in 325F oven 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until pot roast is fork-tender.

Remove pot roast; keep warm.
 
Cook liquid and vegetables over medium-high heat to desired consistency. Carve pot roast. Serve with sauce.
 

lundi 8 octobre 2012

STIR-FRY WITH LINGUINE, BEEF AND VEGETABLES


STIR-FRY WITH LINGUINE, BEEF AND VEGETABLES
 
Nutritional Information Per Serving: 

Calories: 520; Protein: 35 g; Sodium: 713 mg; Cholesterol: 59 mg;Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Digestible 
Carbohydrates: 19 g

Yield: Makes 4-6 servings. 

 
INGREDIENTS :
 
-  3/4 box Dreamfields Linguine
-  2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided
-  2 tablespoons oyster sauce, divided
-  2 tablespoons white wine, divided
-  1 tablespoon cornstarch
-  2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
-  1 pound beef top sirloin cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick, thinly 
sliced
-  2 tablespoons olive oil
-  3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
-  1 cup reduced-sodium, fat free chicken broth, divided
-  1 pound Chinese broccoli, cut into bite size chunks or florets
-  1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
-  2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
-  Sesame seeds (optional)
-  Freshly ground black pepper 

 
PREPARATIONS :
 
1 - Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan.
 
2 - Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon each soy sauce, oyster sauce and wine. Whisk in cornstarch until 
smooth. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and beef; stir to completely coat beef. Marinate, covered, 30 minutes at room temperature. 
(Refrigerate if marinating longer than 30 minutes.)
 
3 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 
about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup broth; bring to boil. Add broccoli; cook 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-
tender, stirring frequently. Transfer to plate.
 
4 - In same skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-
high heat. Add 1/2 of beef; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or untilno pink remains. Transfer to plate with broccoli. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.

5 - Add remaining broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, wine, sesame 
oil and sugar, if desired, to the same skillet; bring to boil 
over medium-high heat scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Add linguine; cook and toss 2 to 3 minutes until liquid has almost completely evaporated. Return beef and broccoli to skillet; addtomato slices and sesame seeds, if desired. Toss to combine. Season with pepper to taste. 

lundi 24 septembre 2012

BRAZEN BRAZILIAN CHICKEN


Nutritional Info Per Serving : 200.7 cal, 29.1 g pro, 17.8 g carb, 3.3 g fiber, 2.5 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 727.9 mg sodium

Prep: 8 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 3hr 23 min
Serves: 4


INGREDIENTS :

1 lemon
1 lime
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
1 teaspoon hot pepper salsa
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup chunky salsa


PREPARATIONS :

1. GRATE the zest of the lemon and lime into a resealable bag. Squeeze the juice from both fruits into the bag and throw out the pulp and the seeds.

2. MIX in everything else except the chicken and chunky salsa.

3. DROP in the chicken, reseal the bag, and refrigerate for a few hours.

4. GRILL the chicken, turning and basting with marinade a few times, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the center is no longer pink. Serve with the salsa.

(When you grab this chicken off the grill and serve it with salsa, it might seem like just another marinated chicken breast. But don't be fooled—this recipe slips in a helping of ground flaxseed, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, one of the fat-fighting supernutrients from the break through Diabetes DTOUR Diet.)

lundi 6 août 2012

MEAT MARINARA SAUCE



Yield: 10 Servings
Serving size: 1/2 cup
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING :

Calories: 225; Protein: 14 g; Sodium: 67 mg; Carbohydrate: 23 g; Fat: 8.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2.5 g ; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 11 g 
Exchanges: 3/4 Fat, 1 1/2 Meat, 4 1/2 Vegetable


INGREDIENTS :

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup fresh chopped onion , chopped
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup sliced green bell peppers, chopped
- 30 ounces whole-canned unsalted tomatoes, 2-15 ounce cans
- 30 ounces no-salt tomato sauce , 2-15 ounce cans
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground thyme
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef or ground turkey


PREPARATIONS :

Heat oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic powder, and green pepper to oil. Cover and heat 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mash tomatoes into small pieces and stir into tomato sauce.

Add spices and tomato mixture to sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.

Brown beef or turkey in skillet. Place in a colander or strainer.

Bring a tea kettle full or 3 quart sauce pan of water to a rapid boil. Place colander over a large bowl and pour boiling water over the meat to remove excess grease.

Add meat to tomato sauce mixture and continue to simmer another 20 minutes on medium heat.

Remove bay leaves and serve over pasta or rice.

samedi 21 juillet 2012

GARLIC TIGER SHRIMP


Yield: 4 Servings
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 92; Protein: 12 g; Sodium: 80 mg; Carbohydrate: 1 g; Cholesterol: 86 mg; Fat: 4 g;
Dietary Fiber: 0 g, Exchanges: 1-1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Fat
INGREDIENTS : - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced - 1/2 pound large raw shrimp (such as tiger shrimp), peeled - Freshly chopped parsley and 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges, to garnish DIRECTIONS : Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the olive oil and garlic in a large, shallow ovenproof dish and heat in the oven for 2-3 minutes. You need to watch carefully so that the garlic does not start to brown. Add the shrimp, and turn them in the hot oil until they are completely coated. Return them to the oven and bake for a further 3 minutes until they are pink and cooked through. Serve immediately, sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley. Serve accompanied by lemon wedges for squeezing.

mardi 10 juillet 2012

OLD-FASHIONED TOMATO SOUP


Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 130; Protein: 4 g; Sodium: 210 mg; Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrate: 14 g; Cholesterol: 0mg
INGREDIENTS : - 1 Tbsp. butter - 1 onion, finely chopped - 2 large garlic cloves, chopped - 1 can (28-oz.) diced tomatoes - 1 Tbsp. sugar - 1 tsp. dried thyme - 1/8 tsp. ground mace - Pinch of cayenne pepper - 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half cream - Salt and freshly ground black pepper - 3 Tbsp. snipped dill, for garnish (optional) DIRECTIONS : Melt the butter in a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the onions are golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the sugar, thyme, mace and cayenne. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer the soup until the tomatoes and onion are soft, about 15 minutes. Let the soup sit 20 minutes, uncovered. Transfer it to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and reduce the mixture to a puree, either pulpy or completely smooth, as desired. Blend in the half-and-half. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the soup hot, sprinkling one-fourth of the dill over each bowl, if using.

lundi 25 juin 2012

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE


Yield: 6 servings
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 155; Protein: 7 g; Sodium: 268 mg;
Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Fat: 5 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

INGREDIENTS : - 2 teaspoons canola oil - 1 large onion, thinly sliced - 1 medium onion, finely chopped - 3-1/4 cups sliced mushrooms - 1 clove garlic, minced - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour - 1 (16 ounce) can low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth - 1 bay leaf - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme - Pinch freshly ground nutmeg - 3/4 cup low-fat sour cream - Fresh ground black pepper to taste - 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs - 1 pound frozen green beans, or 4 cups lightly steamed green beans PREPARATIONS : In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside. (This step may be one up to 2 days in advance; store, covered, in the refrigerator.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic; continue cooking until the mushrooms release their juices, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes, then gradually stir in the broth. Add the bay leaf, thyme, and nutmeg; simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the sour cream, season with pepper, and remove the bay leaf. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the reserved onion topping with the cornflake crumbs, coating thoroughly. In a 2-quart baking dish, add green beans. Top with the sauce, then evenly scatter the onion mixture on top. Bake until bubbling, 20-25 minutes.

samedi 2 juin 2012

CANNELLINI AND CABBAGE SOUP


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING : 

Calories: 107; Protein: 7 g; Sodium: 175 mg; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg

Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1 Bread, 1/2 Meat
Makes: 8 Servings (about 1 cup each) INGREDIENTS : - Vegetable cooking spray - 3 cups thinly sliced or chopped cabbage - 1 small onion, coarsely chopped - 3 cloves garlic, minced - 1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds - 2 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth - 1 cup water - 1 can (15oz) cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained - 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mostaccioli (penne), uncooked - Salt and pepper, to taste PREPARATIONS : Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute cabbage, onion, garlic, and caraway seeds until cabbage begins to wilt, 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, water, and beans to saucepan; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

mardi 24 avril 2012

GREEK SALAD


Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1/4 of salad
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 73; Protein: 4 g; Sodium: 247 mg; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 8 mg
Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat
INGREDIENTS : - 1 large bunch spinach, washed, chopped - 1 cucumber, (regular or English) peeled, seeded, chopped - 8 cherry tomatoes, seeded and quartered - 1/4 red onion, sliced - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled - 8-10 Greek olives, seeded, sliced - 3 cloves roasted garlic (optional) DIRECTIONS : - Combine the above ingredients in large salad bowl. - If preparing ahead of time, do not add cheese, olives, or garlic. Add these items just before serving. - Use dressing of choice or a Greek yogurt salad dressing.

mardi 17 avril 2012

GREEN BEANS WITH TOASTED NUTS

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 104; Protein: 3 g; Sodium: 145 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Fat: 6 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg
Yield: 4 servings. INGREDIENTS - 1 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed - 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons chopped peeled hazelnuts or walnuts - 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste - Freshly ground pepper to taste


PREPARATIONS :

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Return the reserved beans to the pot and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

lundi 9 avril 2012

BROCCOLI PESTO

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 43; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 22 mg; Carbohydrates: less than 1 g; Fat: 4 g
Exchanges: Vegetable, 1/4 Medium-fat Meat
Yield: Makes 1 cup of pesto.

Makes enough for 8-12 crostini or as a dip with sliced raw vegetables such as carrots and red, orange, or yellow bell peppers.


INGREDIENTS :

- 2 cups broccoli florets, stem removed
- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Salt, if desired


DIRECTIONS :

Place the broccoli, garlic, basil and nuts in a food processor or blender. Add 4 or 5 grinds of pepper. Puree until the broccoli is finely ground but still grainy.

With the motor running, drizzle in just enough of the oil to make the mixture spreadable and soft enough to use as a dip. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend 15 seconds longer. Transfer the pesto to a bowl.

Mix in the cheese and season to taste with salt, if desired. Cover tightly and refrigerate 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. This pesto keeps up to 2 days if stored tightly covered in the refrigerator.

To use with crostini, spread 1 to 2 tablespoons pesto on each slice of grilled or toasted bread (preferably whole-wheat Italian).

lundi 2 avril 2012

FETTUCCINE SALAD WITH ROASTED GARLIC, ONIONS, AND PEPPERS

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 151; Protein: 5 g; Sodium: 184 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 24.4 g; Fat: 4.5 g
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Vegetable, 1 Bread/Starch, 1 FatServes: 8
Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe


INGREDIENTS :

- 2 bulbs garlic
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 3 medium onions, cut into wedges
- 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces fettuccine, cooked, warm


DIRECTIONS :

Cut a scant 1/2 inch off tops of garlic bulbs, exposing ends of cloves. Wrap garlic heads loosely in aluminum foil.

Spray jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Arrange garlic, onions, and bell peppers on pan. Bake vegetables, uncovered, at 400 degrees until garlic is very soft and vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Cool garlic slightly; squeeze pulp into small bowl. Stir in oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Spoon garlic mixture over pasta and toss; add onions and peppers and toss. Serve warm.

lundi 26 mars 2012

MEXICAN TUNA SALAD

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 192; Protein: 23 g; Sodium: 841 mg; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Fat 8 g
Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 3 Very Lean Meat, 1 Fat (Mono)
Yield: 2 servings
Serving Size: About 1 cup


INGREDIENTS :

- 1 (6 ounce) can chunk light tuna in water, drained and flaked
- 1 green bell pepper, minced
- 2 scallions, minced
- 1/4 cup prepared green salsa
- 6 pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Freshly ground pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS :

Combine tuna, bell pepper, scallions, salsa, olives, mayonnaise, lime juice and cumin in a medium bowl. Mix with a fork; season with pepper.

jeudi 22 mars 2012

WILD RICE WITH SHIITAKES & TOASTED ALMONDS

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 159; Protein: 8 g; Sodium: 60 mg; Cholesterol: 4 mg; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Fat 4 g
Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 Fat
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 3/4 cup


INGREDIENTS

- 2-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps or button mushrooms (3 ounces)
- 1 cup wild rice
- 6 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in mushroom and wild rice. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer until the rice has "blossomed" and is just tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid and transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, toast almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until golden brown and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

About 5 minutes before the rice is done, melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and cook, stirring often, until softened and still bright green 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the scallions, almonds, and pepper into the rice. Serve warm.

dimanche 11 mars 2012

WEST COAST COBB SALAD

Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: 1/4 of recipe
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 413; Protein: 40 g; Sodium: 838 mg;
Cholesterol: 166 mg; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Fat 16 g
Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat, 4 Vegetable, 2 Fat

INGREDIENTS

- 12 cups torn romaine lettuce
- 2 cups diced grilled chicken breast or roast turkey
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1 cup diced avocado
- 1 medium carrot, shredded with a potato peeler
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 4 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3/4 cup shredded nonfat or reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup nonfat or light ranch or olive oil vinaigrette salad dressing

DIRECTIONS

Arrange a quarter of the salad greens over the bottoms of each of 4 plates. Top the lettuce on each plate with a quarter of the chicken or turkey and a quarter of the tomato, avocado, carrot, and onion.

Sprinkle each salad with some of the egg, bacon, cheese, and walnuts. Serve immediately accompanied by the dressing.

TUNA SALAD WRAP

Nutritional Information (Per Serving) :

Calories: 238, Protein: 20 g, Sodium: 534 mg, Fat: 6 g, Carbohydrates: 24 g

Exchanges: 2 Low-Fat Meat; 1 Bread/Starch; 1-1/2 Vegetable


INGREDIENTS :

1 can (6.5 oz.) water-packed white tuna, drained
1 small carrot, shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 Tbsp. dried chives or chervil
2-4 Tbsp. nonfat mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 8-inch flour tortillas
4 Tbsp. nonfat cream cheese
4 well-dried leaves of leafy green lettuce slightly smaller than a tortilla
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
4 sprigs fresh mint, cilantro, or flat-leaf parsley


PREPARATIONS :

- In small bowl, combine tuna, carrot, celery, green pepper, chives and enough mayonnaise to make a moist (but not wet) salad. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- On each tortilla, spread a thin layer of cream cheese (about 1 tablespoon) across the center two-thirds of tortilla's surface, leaving a 2-inch margin along edges. Center 1 lettuce leaf on top of each tortilla. Press leaf into cream cheese. Spread one-fourth of the tuna salad firmly over each lettuce leaf, leaving a 2-inch margin at top and bottom of each tortilla. Sprinkle one-fourth of cheese over each tortilla and top with sprig of fresh mint or other fresh herb.
- Fold the bottom of the tortilla up to cover the top of the filling. Fold in the two sides a quarter-inch. Roll tortilla up, holding side folds in. Roll wraps tightly and as firmly as possible to ensure packets stays closed. Tightly seal each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve or pack. Wraps made without wet ingredients can keep for 24 hours or more without getting soggy.


INFORMATION :

Use vegetables in wraps, which hold better than sandwiches if you keep the wrapper flexible and don't overstuff them. The following recipe uses cream cheese and a lettuce leaf to prevent the moist filling from turning the wrapper soggy. Cold wraps usually improve in flavor by sitting in the refrigerator overnight.

dimanche 8 janvier 2012

SPICY TOMATO SOUP

Difficulty: Easy
Total: 1 hr 15 min

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 355g
Nutrition per Serving: 145 Calories, 97 Calories from Fat, 10.8g Total Fat, 0.7g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 43mg Sodium, 11.6g Total Carbs, 3.5g Dietary Fiber, 7.5g Sugars, 2.8g Protein
Vitamin A 46% - Vitamin C 58% - Calcium 3% - Iron 5%
Nutrition Grade: A-
Good points:
No cholesterol
Low in sodium
High in potassium
Very high in vitamin A
Very high in vitamin C

Bad points:
High in sugar

INGREDIENTS :
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 (28oz cans) whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Creme fraiche, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION :
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and very tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, plus the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Add the basil, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and let cool briefly, about 5 minutes.

3. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large, heatproof bowl. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam from the hot soup to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Pour the blended soup through the strainer, pressing on the solids with a rubber spatula or ladle; discard the solids. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

4. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat on medium low until hot. If you choose, serve topped with a tablespoon of creme fraiche.


~~~~~~~~~~~~
With:
 
6 Tbsp fat free plain yogurt instead of creme fraiche = 1 Tbsp per serving.
Servings: 6
Serving Size: 355g
Nutrition per Serving: 100 Calories, 46 Calories from Fat, 5.1g Total Fat, 0.7g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 53mg Sodium, 12.8g Total Carbs, 3.6g Dietary Fiber, 8.5g Sugars, 3.2g Protein
Vitamin A 46% - Vitamin C 58% - Calcium 6% - Iron 5%
Nutrition Grade: A

Good points:
No cholesterol
Low in sodium
High in dietary fiber
High in manganese
High in potassium
Very high in vitamin A
High in vitamin B6
Very high in vitamin C

Bad points:
Very high in sugar

samedi 7 janvier 2012

SOUTHERN MARYLAND STUFFED HAM

INGREDIENTS :

1 canned ham (10 to 12 lbs.), or a 12 lb "cured" ham
1 3/4 lbs. onions
2 1/2 lbs. cabbage
4 lbs. kale
2 tbsp. black pepper
2 1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. ground red pepper
1 tbsp. dry mustard seed
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper


PREPARATION :
With a sharp knife, cut vertically through the top of the ham 8 to 10 pockets. Chop onions, cabbage and kale. Mix vegetables with remaining ingredients. Stuff "pockets" with vegetable mixture. Fill with as much as possible then put remaining stuffing on top of ham. Put ham on a large piece of cheesecloth. Sew or tie the cloth around the ham, tightly, to keep dressing in place. 

Cook 20 minutes per pound of ham.

To cook, place ham in a large covered pan on a rack, covering the ham with water. The rack is so the ham will not stick while cooking. Cover with lid, cook as specified, remove from water to cool. Serve cold.