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

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.

CRAB SPREAD

CRAB SPREAD

This recipe is: Quick
Prep/Total Time: 20 min
Servings: 8

Yield: 2 cups
Serving Size: 1/4 cup (calculated without crackers or vegetables) 
Nutrition per Serving: 146 Calories, 13g Fat, 7g Saturated Fat, 51mg Cholesterol, 218mg Sodium, 1g Carbs, Trace Fiber, 7g Protein
INGREDIENTS :

1 (8oz pkg) cream cheese, softened
1 (6oz can) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 tsp minced garlic
Paprika
Assorted crackers or vegetables

PREPARATION :

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. To serve chilled, cover and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with paprika.

To serve warm, spoon into a greased 3-cup baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes or until heated through. Serve with crackers or vegetables. 

FRESH SALSA

FRESH SALSA

Yield: 4 servings (1 Serving = 1/4 Cup)

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 20; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 306 mg; Carbohydrates: 4 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg

Exchanges: Free Food

INGREDIENTS :

- 1 large tomato (8 ounces), seeded and chopped
- 3 green onions with green tops, chopped
- 1/3 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon seeded and chopped jalapeno
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS :

- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl; mix well. Leave at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes for flavors to mingle.

Exchanges: Free Food

TIKKA KEBABS

TIKKA KEBABS

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 161; Protein: 23 g; Sodium: 81 mg; Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg
Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1/2 Fruit, 3 Low-Fat Meat

INGREDIENTS :

- 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, or 1/4 tsp. ground
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. curry powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 oz. boneless skinned chicken breast, cut in 24 pieces
- 8 1-inch cubes fresh or canned pineapple
- 1 medium red onion, cut in 20 wedges
- 1 large green bell pepper, cut in 20 pieces
- Canola oil cooking spray

DIRECTIONS :


- In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, curry powder, salt and pepper. Mix in chicken to coat on all sides. Cover bowl and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.

- Preheat grill or broiler. Soak skewers in water at least 15 minutes.

- Remove chicken from marinade, scraping off and discarding most of marinade. Onto each skewer thread a piece of pineapple, then chicken, onion wedge and green pepper. Repeat, minus pineapple, until each kebab contains 6 pieces of chicken, 5 onion wedges, 5 pieces of pepper and 2 pineapple cubes, one cube at each end.

- To help prevent charring, spray kebabs with cooking oil spray. Cook skewers 4 to 5 minutes, making sure they are far enough from the heat source to avoid charring. Turn and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, about 4 minutes.

Serve kebabs. Kebabs go especially well with freshly-cooked brown rice or tucked inside pita bread lined with lettuce leaves.

CHICKEN BREAST WITH ROSEMARY

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING :

Calories: 188; Protein: 25.6 g; Sodium: 209 mg; Cholesterol: 69 mg; Carbohydrates: 2.6 g; Fat: 6.4 g Exchanges: 1/2 Vegetable, 3 Meat

Yield: 4 servings


INGREDIENTS

- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
- 1/4 teaspooon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh, or 1/2 tsp dried, crumbled rosemary leaves
- 1/2 cup diced, peeled fresh tomato

PREPARATION :

- Whisk 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon rind, salt, and pepper in medium bowl; add chicken and let stand 10 minutes. Drain, reserving marinade.

- Cook chicken in remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, adding any remaining marinade after browning. Add wine and rosemary to skillet and heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Add tomato and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes.

DIABETIC GERMAIN CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 cup carob unsweetened chips
1 (1.75oz) sugar free milk chocolate candy bar
1/2 cup boiling water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 cup margarine, softened (2 sticks)
1/2 cup sugar twin or Splenda
12/cup steels powdered sugar or powdered sugar replacement
4 large eggs, separated, at room temp
1 tsp. vanilla or 2 tsp imitation vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (OPT.)

FROSTING:

1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar twin or Splenda
1/2 cup Steels powdered sugar or powdered sugar replacement
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans or any nuts (I used 1/2 cup English walnuts in place
of pecans)


PREPARATION :

Preheat oven to 350.Grease and flour 3 round 9" cake pans or a 9x13 pan (Which is what I used). Tap to remove excess flour. Stir chocolate into boiling water and stir until melted. Cool while mixing rest. Stir sour cream, milk and vanilla
together. Beat margarine and sugars until fluffy and egg yolks 1 at a time, beat well after each. Gradually beat in chocolate mixture. Gradually beat in flour and milk mixture alternately. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently
fold into chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pans or pan. Bake 30-35 min. or until tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and remove from pans. If using 9x13 pan do not remove from pan ,just put frosting on top.

Make Frosting, combine evaporated milk, sugars, and egg yolks, margarine and vanilla in large sauce pan. Cook stirring constantly over medium heat until thick, (do not let boil) Remove and stir in coconut and nuts. Stir occasionally
to cool. Spread 1/4 of frosting between cake layers then two and spread rest of frosting.