Category Archives: tomatoes

August 20, 2013 · 12:43 pm

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli

Not only is pasta e fagioli hasty and tasty, it’s inexpensive and healthful.  Also known as pasta fazool, this dish provides plenty of protein and fiber because it contains beans, vegetables, and whole wheat pasta. The tomatoes and Italian seasonings give it great flavor. Try this dish for your next meat-free meal.

RECIPE

PASTA E FAGIOLI
Ingredients:

  • 1 14 oz. can chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning spice
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 15½ oz. can cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup frozen seasoning blend (Chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley)
  • ½ cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
  • (Optional: ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn, for garnish)

Directions:
In a 2 quart saucepan, heat the broth over medium heat. Stir in garlic, seasoning blend, Italian spices, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a low boil.
Add beans, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add macaroni, cover and simmer for 7 additional minutes.
Remove pan from heat, stir, and check macaroni. Should be cooked al dente.
Sprinkle each serving generously with the Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

Yield: 3 servings

©2011 Cheryl Norman, Recipes for Recovery

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Filed under Basil, beans, Healthful Eating, pasta, Soups & Stews, tomatoes, Vegetables, whole wheat

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June 23, 2012 · 2:51 pm

Fiesta Salad

This dish has many names from Nacho Salad or Taco Salad to Frito® Pie. I call mine Fiesta Salad and have made it many times. It’s a crowd pleaser, and my version is a bit healthier than the original.

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RECIPE

Fiesta Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. lean ground turkey
  • 1 Tbsp. chili seasoning or taco seasoning mix
  • 2 cups shredded lettuce
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • (optional) 1 jalepeño pepper, thinly sliced and/or diced
  • 1½ cups skim milk
  • 1 cup shredded Colby cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
  • ½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 1 bag Tostitos baked tortilla corn chips

Directions:

  1. Brown ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat, separating often to avoid clumping.
  2. While turkey cooks, heat the milk in a second skillet or 2-quart pan over medium-low heat.
  3. Sprinkle chili seasonings over the ground turkey, stir, then cover to keep warm.
  4. In the bottom of each of four large soup bowls, crumble a serving (approx. 24 chips) tortilla chips.
  5. Top each bowl of chips with approximately 1/2 pound (or 1/4) the cooked ground turkey.
  6. Cover the ground turkey with 1/4 the shredded lettuce.
  7. Top lettuce with 1/4 the chopped onions, tomatoes, and sliced (optional) jalapeño pepper.
  8. To the heated milk, stir in each of the shredded cheeses until blended.
  9. Pour a fourth (about 1/2 cup) of the cheese sauce over each fiesta salad.
  10. Serve immediately. Makes four servings

Variation: Make the cheese sauce in the Vitamix. Heat milk and add to the container. Secure lid. Begin on Variable Speed 1 and slowly increase speed to 10 then High. Remove the plug from the Vitamix lid and gradually add the grated cheeses. When cheese sauce is ready, turn off the Vitamix and pour sauce over the Fiesta Salads directly from the container.

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Filed under Healthful Eating, Mexican, Recipes, Salads, tomatoes, Turkey Recipes

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September 6, 2011 · 3:03 pm

Salsa Reloaded

Salsa has become the #1 favorite condiment in American households, and no wonder! It’s delicious, healthful, and versatile. I get a lot of e-mail about salsa, and there are many varieties.

Homemade salsa is so much better than jarred, even if you use canned tomatoes as I did in an earlier post. It’s easy to make it fresh, especially if you use a Vita-mix. Here’s another salsa recipe:


RECIPE
Ingredients:
4 ripe plum (or Roma) tomatoes, cut in half
½ sweet onion (Vidalia if available), cut in half
1 clove garlic
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded*
 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp. sweetener
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
½  cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in the Vita-mix container and pulse on low (setting 3 or 4) just until blended. Use the tamper to push food into the blades. The process takes only a few seconds. Don’t overblend unless you prefer picante sauce instead of chunky salsa.

Refrigerate. Keeps for 4-5 days.

*If you like hot salsa, use the entire jalapeño pepper, seeds and all. For mild salsa, substitute a milder pepper for the jalapeño. Be sure to wear plastic or rubber gloves when removing the seeds and membranes of a jalapeño (or any hot) pepper.

 

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I typically add cilantro but didn’t have any the day I made these photos. Tasted just as good, so I now declare cilantro “Optional.”

©2011 Cheryl Norman

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March 9, 2011 · 5:48 pm

Olé for Salsa

Homemade salsa is so much better than jarred, but it can get expensive, especially if tomato prices are high. Here is a compromise. Try it. You’ll like it!

 
RECIPE
Ingredients:

1 15-oz can stewed tomatoes (Reduced Sodium), drained
½ (or to taste) cup fresh cilantro leaves
juice of one lime
1 sweet onion (Vidalia if available), quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded*
pinch of salt
 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender (I use the Vita-mix) and pulse until blended. Don’t overblend or you’ll have picante sauce. 🙂 Refrigerate. Keeps for 4-5 days.
 

*If you like mild salsa, substitute a milder pepper for the jalapeño. Be sure to wear plastic or rubber gloves when removing the seeds and membranes of a jalapeño (or any hot) pepper, a lesson I learned the hard way!

 

Don’t underestimate canned tomatoes. They are a bargain and come in many varieties. Try to find the cans marked “Low Sodium” if possible. Then you control the salt in your recipes.

©2011 Cheryl Norman

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Filed under Cilantro, Healthful Eating, Recipes, salsa, tomatoes