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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September 1, 2011 · 4:52 pm

Guilt-free Ice Cream

I refuse to pay a lot of money for sugar-free fat-free ice cream when I can make my own. If there’s no fat and no sugar, what are you paying for?

Today I made strawberry ice cream (or perhaps I should call it ice milk) my way. It’s so easy with the Vita-mix. Here’s how:

RECIPE

Strawberry Ice Milk

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup skim or 1% milk
  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • 1 Tbsp. Splenda® sweetener

Directions:

  1. Pour milk into the Vita-mix wet ingredients container.
  2. Add Splenda and strawberries.
  3. Turn on low then gradually step up speed to high. Use the tamper to push the strawberries into the Vita-mix blades.
  4. Run Vita-mix just until strawberries dissolve and mixture resembles ice cream.
  5. Serve!

Yield: 2 servings

Variation: Use real cream or half-and-half for richer ice cream 
From RECIPES FOR RECOVERY ©2011 Cheryl Norman

Strawberry Ice Milk

Guilt-free Strawberry "Ice Milk"

Isn’t this a yummy way to satisfy two of your daily fruit servings plus a little dairy? Enjoy!

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August 28, 2011 · 5:06 pm

Powerhouse Breakfast Shake

Spinach and Fruit Smoothie

Powerhouse Breakfast Shake

In my upcoming book RECIPES FOR RECOVERY, I feature some recipes for breakfast drinks. I also mention that I use the Vita-mix, although the recipes can be made using a sturdy blender. I confess the sturdy blender thing gave me pause. I don’t know of any blenders comparable to the Vita-mix. So before the book goes to print, I plan to remove the sturdy blender language and just go with the Vita-mix. Then it will have the caveat that using a blender won’t produce the same results.

If you buy RECIPES FOR RECOVERY, it’s probably because you’re interested in getting back on your feet after a serious operation, a lengthy illness, or cancer treatment (radiation, chemotherapy). Granted the Vita-mix is more expensive than a blender, but isn’t your health worth it?

Here is a sample from the new cookbook of a nutritious drink. If you don’t own a Vita-mix, try this in your blender. Then log on to vitamix.com and order the Vita-mix. You won’t regret it!

RECIPE

Forget those “instant” or canned breakfast drinks. They’re mostly sugar and a little milk. Make your own!

Ingredients:
1 cup skim or 1% milk
1 banana, peeled
½ cup frozen chopped spinach
1 cup frozen mixed fruit or berries
Honey, sugar, or sweetener to taste (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in the Vita-mix in order listed (except sweetener).
Blend until all ingredients are smooth, like a shake.
Taste-test and sweeten if needed.
Drink immediately.

Yield: Two smoothies

Variations: Vary the fruit and frozen fruit but keep the milk and spinach for your calcium, protein, and iron.

Note: Don’t be turned off by the icky color. The flavor of the spinach is masked by the fruits.
From RECIPES FOR RECOVERY ©2011 Cheryl Norman

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August 21, 2011 · 6:25 pm

Apple Crisp

The secret to this healthy, nutritious apple crisp is the high fiber flavored instant oatmeal. The tiny bit of butter goes a long way on flavor. I made it the first time without walnuts (see slideshow), but the walnuts add flavor, fiber, and nutrition. Next time I’ll use the walnuts.

RECIPE

HASTY TASTY APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:
  1 Tbsp. real butter
  1 20 oz. can apple pie filling, no sugar added
  1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
  ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 packet high fiber instant oatmeal, maple and brown sugar flavor
  1 pint vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:
  Preheat oven to 350°.
  Generously coat the inside of a square or round baking dish
  (approximately 8” diameter) with the butter.
  Pour contents of the canned apple pie filling into the buttered baking
  dish.
  Stir in the cinnamon.
  Spread the instant oatmeal evenly over the top of apple mixture. Top with walnuts.
  Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Carefully remove dish from oven and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

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From Recipes For Recovery – ©2011 Cheryl Norman

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