Category Archives: Healthful Eating

October 14, 2014 · 5:53 pm

FRENCH ONION SOUP FOR TWO

I love French onion soup, but most in my family don’t. I needed a smaller portion so I developed this simple recipe that yields about two bowls (1 quart).

Keep in mind French onion soup is about onions. You need little else, but you do need onions. Even for two servings, I use four onions because I want the flavor and texture. I slow-cook the recipe for convenience, but it requires little simmering time once the onions are done. The flavors intensify in cooking sliced onions in butter. The rest is about turning rich, delicious onions into soup.

Bon appétit!

RECIPE

                                                       

French Onion Soup for Two
Ingredients:
• 4 medium onions
• ½ stick unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 16-20 ounces stock (beef or poultry—homemade is best, but get reduced sodium if you buy ready-made stock)
• 1 sprig fresh Rosemary
• ¼ cup white wine
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or your choice)
Directions:
1. Peel, halve, and thinly slice onions using a knife, food processor, or mandolin.
2. Melt butter in a two-quart pan over low heat.
3. Add onions, salt, pepper, and Rosemary to melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions turn a golden color.
4. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the wine and a wooden spoon.
5. Carefully pour in the pint of stock, cover, and cook at least twenty minutes or until heated through (or you may transfer to a slow cooker and heat on lowest setting two-three hours).
6. Divide between two large soup bowls and immediately top each serving with the cheese. Allow the cheese to melt (tent with foil for about five minutes).
7. Serve with French bread or a baguette.

Melt unsalted butter.

1. Melt unsalted butter.

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2. Cook onions over low heat, stirring occasionally.

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3. Add 1/4 cup white wine.

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4. Deglaze pan.

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5. Add stock and stir.

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6. Simmer until soup is heated through.

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7. Top with cheese and serve.

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September 28, 2014 · 5:49 pm

Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

The idea for this delicious and easy dish came from my author friend Susan Sweet. I modified her recipe a bit by adding vegetables, but that’s an option. Her recipe calls for pineapple juice. I didn’t have any, but I always have crushed pineapple in my pantry. I prefer the added fiber.

Prep time for this meal is about ten minutes. Then plug in your slow cooker and forget about it for five or six hours. I put this on Sunday morning and it’s ready by the time we return home from church.

RECIPE

SLOW COOKER PINEAPPLE CHICKEN
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple (include juice)
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • (optional) 1 Tbsp. corn starch if you prefer thicker sauce
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice

 

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What you need to make slow cooker pineapple chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

  • Empty contents of crushed pineapple into slow cooker pot. Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, and (optional) corn starch.
  • Add celery, onion, and bell pepper pieces.
  • Cut chicken into one inch cubes and add to the pot.
  • Cover and set slow cooker to Low. Cook for at least five hours.
  • Serve over 1/2 cup cooked rice per person.
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Cut chicken into 1″ size pieces

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Cook on lower setting for 5 or 6 hours

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Serve over cooked brown rice

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September 3, 2014 · 11:17 am

SOUTHWESTERN BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Butternut squash has vitamin A, vitamin C and beta-carotene . It is a good source of vitamin B6, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. I realize butternut squash is healthful, but it was a hard sell to my family. I finally developed a recipe even they will eat. I know by putting a southwest spin on a dish, my family will eat almost anything. Including my newest recipe, Southwestern Butternut Squash Soup. Enjoy!

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RECIPE

Ingredients:
• 1½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into equal size chunks
• 1 Tbsp. safflower oil (or spray generously with Pam®)
• ½ cup onion, sliced
• ¼ cup sweet pepper, chopped (I used an orange pepper to preserve that lovely orange color)
• 1 tsp. Kosher salt or pink Himalayan salt
• 1 Tbsp. Chili seasoning mix (I use Bloemer’s brand)
• 1 quart vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
• (optional) Cilantro for garnish
• (optional) sour cream for garnish

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Directions:
1. Heat the oil in the bottom of a 4 quart pot.
2. Add onions and peppers. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat.
3. Add squash to the pot. Salt.100_1090
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and steam until squash is fork-tender* (approximately 30 minutes)
5. Remove from heat. Stir in half of the stock and deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
6. Ladle the squash into a Vitamix (or food processor). Puree until smooth. Don’t overfill container. If necessary, process in batches.100_1091
7. Return squash puree to the pot, add the chili seasoning mix1, and stir.
8. Return the pot to medium heat and add the remaining stock. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally to combine. For a thicker soup, simmer until soup reduces.
9. Remove pot from heat. Stir in the lime juice and serve with a sour cream and cilantro garnish with tortilla chips on the side.

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Yum!
Variations:
Kick up the heat level by adding a seeded and thinly sliced jalapeño pepper garnish.
1Vitamix users: During the pureeing of the squash, add the chili seasoning. Then to rinse the container, Add the rest of the stock to the container, run just enough to remove the stuck on squash, then pour into the pot.
*If your cookware isn’t waterless, add one cup of the vegetable stock to steam the squash.

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Filed under Chili and Stew, Cilantro, cooking, Healthful Eating, Mexican, Recipes, Soups & Stews

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August 25, 2014 · 7:15 am

Salsa Time!

I’ve posted in the past about making salsa in my Vitamix. Today I have a special guest who offers a flavorful twist to salsa. As soon as I pick up a fresh bunch of cilantro, I’m making this recipe. I grow my own jalapeño peppers and herbs but fail miserably at keeping cilantro alive. 😦

Today’s recipe is a guest post by Kristin, a writer for PAM and other ConAgra brands. She resides in Chicago, IL and enjoys trying new recipes on the weekends. Her favorite dishes include poached eggs in the morning, throw-whatever-is-in-the-fridge salads for lunch, and vegetable-heavy stir fries for dinner. She’s always on the hunt for unexpected yet delicious food combinations.  Please welcome food blogger Kristin Kruk:

salsaAugust
August is the Sunday of summer. Friends and family are making the most out of their last few weeks of sunshine and blue skies before fall kicks in. When you get an invitation to that last minute summer barbeque, come prepared with a zesty appetizer to surprise everyone’s taste buds. Bring a bowl of grilled tomato salsa with a bag of your favorite tortilla chips as an appetizer to the party.

On a time crunch? Don’t worry about grilling outside. A cast iron pan will do the trick because it gets hot and retains heat.

How to grill inside:

  1. Evenly spray PAM Grilling Spray on the cast iron pan.
  2. Place pan on stove top on medium-high.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium-low once the pan gets hot.

Now you’re on your way to a quick grilled tomato salsa!

Ingredients:

  • PAM Grilling Spray
  • 1½-2 pounds of tomatoes (try an assortment), sliced in half
  • 1 jalapeño , sliced in half
  • 5 green (or red) onions, chopped
  • ¼ cup of cilantro, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Optional ingredients: ½ can of black beans or corn kernels 

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, mix cumin, garlic salt, onions and cilantro. If optional ingredients were used, combine as well. Set aside.
  2. See “How to grill inside” instructions above.
  3. Once the burner is set to medium-low, grill tomato and jalapeño slices.
  4. Rotate so each side is grilled for 3 minutes. When each side is slightly blackened, remove from grill.
  5. Chop tomato and jalapeño slices into cubes. Dump into the medium bowl (Step 1).
  6. Refrigerate until ready for use.

This quick and simple appetizer complements any picnic or outdoor outing at the end of summer. Enjoy!

(Cheryl note: I do all my indoor grilling on a Lodge cast iron grill pan (sprayed with PAM). It’s affordable, retains heat, and leaves nice grill marks on food–just like an outdoor grill but without the mess!)

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Filed under Appetizers, Cilantro, condiments, Healthful Eating, Mexican, Recipes, salsa, tomatoes, Vegetables

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