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Bulgar Wheat Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Lemon and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

February 28, 2012 By 3 Comments
cracked wheat recipe This Bulgar Wheat Salad Recipe with Garbanzo Beans, Lemon and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is packed with flavor.  It is a great example of how eating healthier, even meatless, does not have to be a sacrifice.

Bulgar Wheat Salad Recipe with Garbanzo Beans, Lemon and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
5.0 from 1 reviews
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Recipe type: Salad / Side Dish
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 18 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dry bulgar (cracked wheat)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (for vegans, just substitute vegetable broth)
  • generous pinch of thyme
  • tsp. olive oil
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
  • 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup sliced black olives
  • 1 tbs. capers (small)
  • kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Put bulgar, broth and thyme in saucepan, bring to boil, then cover and turn off burner.
  2. Zest 1/2 the lemon, cut the zested half off and juice it. Reserve both.
  3. Saute garlic in the olive oil, add sun-dried tomatoes & the lemon zest.
  4. After about 2 minutes remove from heat, and add the bulgar and remaining ingredients.
  5. Best served at room temperature, with sliced lemon.
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cracked wheat garbanzo bean salad

Filed Under: Food, light recipes, Salads, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , ,

Lemon-Truffle Roasted Cauliflower

February 26, 2012 By 7 Comments

roasted cauliflower with lemon truffle oilThis recipe for Roasted Cauliflower, with lemon and truffle oil, is a healthy snacking alternative.  Roasted cauliflower also makes a wonderful side dish, and would be yummy tossed in with a simple pasta preparation, added to soups or even used as a pizza topping.  Leftovers certainly won’t go to waste.  The white truffle oil adds a richness to the dish, while the lemon brightens it up.  Roasted Cauliflower is a surprisingly kid-friendly recipe, as you can see from my daughter’s reaction, below.

Lemon-Truffle Roasted Cauliflower
5.0 from 3 reviews
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Recipe type: Vegetable
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 4 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 29 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 large fresh head of cauliflower
  • 1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
  • teaspoon of white truffle oil
  • 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original
  • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cut florets off of cauliflower head. (slices of stem work too)
  3. Mix the cauliflower with the rest of the ingredients, in a large bowl.
  4. Dump the florets onto baking sheet and spread out.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn with spatula.
  6. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
Notes

Serve the roasted cauliflower warm, or room temperature for best flavor.

If you don’t have truffle oil, and I realize most kitchens don’t stock this, nut oil, or a bit of crushed nuts (increase olive oil a little) would add richness too.

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Apparently, my little foodie in training thought roasted cauliflower looked like a great snack to nosh on while watching Yo Gabba Gabba. She swiped it off the counter, and settled in with Muno and friends.  I’m not complaining, mind you.  Any time you can get your kids to eat their vegetables, without smothering them with copious amounts of cheese or breading, is a good thing.  Yes, this roasted cauliflower is quite likely to become a family favorite recipe, in our home.
roasted cauliflower healthy snack for kids

Filed Under: Food, light recipes, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,

Rockin’ Elvis Biscotti

February 25, 2012 By 1 Comment

peanut butter banana biscotti Everybody knows Elvis’ favorite food was peanut butter & banana sandwiches, well this is my Italian cookie version of his favorite treat.  Why not rock your own Peanut Butter and Banana Biscotti this weekend, and shake things up.  If your kids love them as much as my daughter did, you will quickly escalate to in-home-rock-star status… well, at least for a few fleeting minute ;

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Peanut Butter Banana Biscotti (Rockin’ Elvis Biscotti)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 18-24

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large mashed banana
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1⁄2 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • Peanut Butter Glaze
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup confectionery sugar
  • 2-3 tbs. water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Beat the eggs, in large mixing bowl.
  3. Add banana, vanilla & peanut butter, and beat on high, until well mixed.
  4. In a separate bowl mix the remaining (dry) ingredients.
  5. Add the dry mix slowly to the wet mix, while beating.
  6. Dough will be sticky, dump onto well floured surface, and form into log approx. a foot long.
  7. Transfer to baking sheet, and form the log to about 3 inch wide, and an inch or two from pan ends.
  8. Bake for 30-35 mins., until golden brown around edges and semi-firm in middle.
  9. Place the log on rack to cool, for about 10 mins, and reduce oven temp to 300°.
  10. Once cool enough to comfortably handle, cut 3/4 inch slices.
  11. Place slices on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for approx 25 mins.
    12. Glazing
  12. After the slices are cool, whisk together creamy peanut butter, confectionery sugar and water, to make glaze.
  13. Drizzle over the biscotti ( I used a squeeze bottle for this). Let set a few hours until the glaze is firm, before serving.
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peanut butter banana biscotti cookies

Filed Under: Cookies, Desserts & Sweet Baked Goods, Food Tagged With: ,

Orange-Walnut Oatmeal Mini Muffins

February 22, 2012 By 6 Comments

This Orange-Walnut Oatmeal Mini Muffin recipe is a marriage of the Orange Cake my grandmother had in her handwritten cookbook (with notes that it was my grandfather’s favorite), and an Oatmeal Muffin Recipe I found in a vintage McCall’s cookbook.  The “zippy” flavor of the orange zest used in this recipe, along with the richness of the plenitude of walnuts, seemed perfect for mini-muffins.  Enjoy!

Orange Walnut Oatmeal Muffin Recipe
5.0 from 3 reviews
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Recipe type: Dessert – Muffins
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 12
Orange Walnut Oatmeal Mini Muffins with Orange Glaze.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (plus approx. a tbs. for glaze)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp group cinnamon
  • zest of a large orange
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tbs. baking powder
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (make sure pieces are small)
  • 1/2 cup confectionery sugar (for glaze)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and flour the mini-muffin pan.
  2. Put oats, buttermilk, orange juice, salt, vanilla & cinnamon in large mixing bowl, stir and set aside, while doing other prep work, so oatmeal can absorb some of the liquid.
  3. Zest the entire orange, make sure the pieces are not too long, chop if necessary. Add to oatmeal mixture.
  4. Add egg and oil to mixture and beat well.
  5. Mix the flour and baking powder in separate bowl, them add to oatmeal mixture.
  6. Add the chopped walnuts last. Stir well to make sure they are evenly distributed.
  7. Scoop up 1 tbs. of mixture, and place in each muffin tin.
  8. Bake 14-16 minutes, until pick pulls clean from center, and edges are starting to show a little color.
  9. Once cooled. Mix the confectionery sugar, and about a tbs of orange juice ( a little more will likely be needed). Brush over the muffins.
Notes

This recipe makes approx. 36 mini-muffins. Serving size 3 pieces.

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Filed Under: Desserts & Sweet Baked Goods, Food, muffins, Recipes

How to Roast a Pepper

February 20, 2012 By 4 Comments
roasted peppersRoasting peppers is so easy, that paying the exorbitant prices asked for fresh roasted peppers in the market is, well, crazy.  If you don’t know how to roast a pepper, no worries, you will in about a minute, and with a little work you will be enjoying your own.  They will taste better than most you have had too.

Pretty much any pepper can be roasted.  I usually stick to sweet red, yellow or orange varieties, but occasionally roast Pablanos or other mildly hot peppers (they go wonderfully in home fries).  End of summer abundance, or slightly shriveled reduced produce finds, can really bring down the cost of making your own roasted peppers.

O.k. here we go…

How to Roast a Pepper
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Recipe type: vegetable
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 31 mins
Once you make your own roasted peppers, you will never buy the again.
Ingredients
  • Peppers (yup, that’s it. anything else is optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Rinse and dry peppers.
  3. Put peppers on baking sheet.
  4. Roast for about 15 minutes, then turn. Smaller peppers like the ones shown here will only need one turn, and will be done in about 1/2 an hour. Larger peppers will need to be turned a few times, and roasted longer, 45 minutes should do it for those.
  5. Remove pan from oven, and set aside to cool.
  6. Once the peppers are cool and shriveled, peel off the skin and de-seed them. Avoid the temptation to rinse the seeds out, you will lose a lot of flavor that way.
  7. Put your finished roasted peppers in container and pour the juices from the pan in with them, for extra flavor.
Notes

You can add olive oil, a little Kosher salt, roasted garlic or herbs to your roasted peppers if you like, but they will be quite tasty served simply in their own juices, as shown above.

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how to roast a pepper
how to roast peppers

Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,

Low Fat Chocolate “Cheesecake” Pie (105 calories!)

February 19, 2012 By 3 Comments
low fat chocolate cheesecake pieLow Fat Chocolate “Cheesecake” Pie (105 calories!)
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Recipe type: Dessert
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 16
At 105 calories there is no need to skip dessert!
Ingredients
  • (Chocolate Filling)
  • 2 packages of lite silken tofu
  • 1 package fat free cream cheese
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tbs. sugar
  • 3 tbs. cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 packet of gelatine
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 individual packets of Equal
  • (Peanut Butter Crust)
  • 6 low fat graham crackers
  • 2 tbs. Peanut Butter
  • 2 tbs water (plus more if needed)
Instructions
  1. (To Make Crust)
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Finely grind the graham crackers in food processor.
  4. Pulse in peanut butter.
  5. Add 2 tbs. water. Pulse. Add another tsp. if small wad of mixture will not loosely hold together.
  6. Dump mixture into spring-form pan, spread out and press lightly until bottom is evenly covered. (you may need to use the back of a spoon, which has been coated with cooking spray)
  7. Bake at 350 for 10 mins.
  8. (To Make Filling)
  9. Put the drained tofu, cream cheese & vanilla in mixing bowl and mix on med-high until smoothly combined.
  10. Add cinnamon and cocoa. Beat well.
  11. Measure the chocolate chips and set aside.
  12. In mixing cup, add gelatine to boiling water, stir, then immediately add the chocolate chips. Mix well.
  13. Pour the chocolate mixture into the tofu/cream cheese, Mix well.
  14. Add 6 packets of the Equal beat well, taste. It will probably need 2 more packets, but suit to your taste.
  15. The mixture should be light, from all the air incorporated in mixing.
  16. Pour into spring-form pan over Peanut Butter Crust.
  17. Refrigerate overnight.
Serving size: 1/16th of pie Calories: 105 Fat: 4 Protein: 7
Notes

Pie was originally cut into 8 pieces, but the consensus was that it was too filling (more like a meal). 1/16th is the perfect after dinner dessert portion.

Serve some sliced strawberries or banana with this low fat dessert, if you want a little more color on the plate.

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I love cheesecake, but very rarely have it.  Who can afford the calories, never mind the mind-boggling amounts of fat, in most cheesecakes.  After a good deal of investigation, and a couple failed attempts, I’ve come up with a low fat chocolate cheesecake, with yummy peanut butter crust. It has only 105 calories per serving, so there is no need to skip dessert.  The texture, and flavor ended out being about half-way between cheesecake and chocolate pudding pie, hence the addition of the word pie to the name.

 

low fat cheesecake - chocolate pie

Filed Under: Desserts & Sweet Baked Goods, light recipes, Recipes

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cous Cous Recipe

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
spicy shrimp and tomato cous cous
This Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cous Cous Recipe is perfect for a light lunch, or first course.    At just 220 calories per serving, 3 grams of fat and about 20 minutes from start to table, it is sure to fit in with your busy healthy lifestyle.

Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Cous Cous Recipe
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 17 mins
Total time: 22 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed minced)
  • 1/2 Vidalia onion (rough diced)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 jalapeno pepper (minced)
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 lb. shrimp (raw peeled/deveined)
  • 1 cup dry cous cous
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken broth (hot)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
Instructions
  1. Place large non-stick wok or skillet on med-high heat, add olive oil.
  2. Once hot add garlic and onion, saute, until onion is cooked through.
  3. Chop the shrimp into bite size pieces.
  4. Add jalapeno, curry powder and shrimp. Saute until shrimp is just cooked.
  5. Add cous cous, stir.
  6. Add hot broth, cover, then remove from burner.
  7. After 3 minutes, add cilantro and tomato. Recover.
  8. Cous cous should be ready to serve in couple more minutes, once liquid is all absorbed.
Calories: 220 Fat: 3 Protein: 5
Notes

Perfect for lunch

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Filed Under: Entrees, Food, light recipes, Recipes, Seafood Tagged With: , ,

Meyer Lemon and Peppadew Baked Fish

February 13, 2012 By 4 Comments

meyer lemon and peppadew baked fishI was in Whole Foods a couple days ago, and they had Hake on sale.  I have never made this fish before, but was feeling adventurous, and the fish monger told me it was quite similar to cod in flavor, just less flaky.  After cooking it myself, I would say his description was pretty accurate.

Since Meyer lemons are currently in season (milder, with a spicy lemon-orange flavor), I grabbed one for the dish.  Pickled Peppadew peppers seemed like they would be the perfect way to round out the tangy and slightly sweet sauce I had in mind.  They would of course add a little spice too.  Garlic-Cilantro Cous Cous would be the side dish (curry was a last minute addition).

The results were both healthy and delicious.  I will certainly be making this recipe again… next time I may double up on the Meyer lemon, pepperdew & agave,  since the sauce was wonderful on the cous cous too.

Meyer Lemon and Peppadew Baked Fish
4.5 from 2 reviews
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 22 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2-3
Fish baked with Meyer lemon and Peppadew peppers. Low in fat, bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
  • 3/4 to 1 lb. of mild fish (such as cod or hake)
  • 1 Meyer lemon
  • 6-8 pickled Peppadew peppers
  • tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp agave syrup (substitute tsp sugar if this is not on hand)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray pan with cooking spray and arrange fish in pan.
  3. Juice 1/2 the Meyer lemon, cut the rind into 3-4 pieces and reserve.
  4. Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and agave (or sugar).
  5. Pour the mixture over fish.
  6. Cut up the Peppadews, and place them and the lemon rind on top of fish.
  7. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of Kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
  8. Cover tightly, and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Notes

Serve with slices of Meyer lemon. Curried Garlic Cilantro Cous Cous makes a good side dish for this fish.

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meyer lemon and pepperdew fish

Filed Under: Entrees, Food, light recipes, Recipes, Seafood Tagged With: , ,

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant Recipe: Love Kraft Singles

February 10, 2012 By

I adore cheese, perhaps a little too much…lol.  Lucky for me I’ve been able to enjoy cheese in my dishes, by  using Kraft Singles, the 2% Singles to be exact.  Kraft Singles are real cheese, actually made with milk, not some weird artificial stuff, like those similarly packaged cheese products that taste like wax.  Being able to get real cheese in this packaging, is very convenient for me, each slice is a standard size, so tallying fat, calories, protein, etc. for recipes is easy.  In addition to the convenience of the packaging, Kraft Singles melts like a dream.stuffed eggplant recipe vegetarianThis afternoon, I made Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant for lunch, and the addition of Kraft Singles not only brought great flavor, but also provided 20% of my calcium requirement and 4 grams of protein, all for just 45 calories, since I was using the 2% variety…  just look at that gooey yumminess :) I’ve included the recipe below for your convenience.

Convenience without sacrifice… got to love it.  That is why,  I love Kraft Singles.

Stuffed Eggplant Recipe (vegetarian)
4.8 from 11 reviews
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Recipe type: Entree
Author: Robin Gagnon
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • large eggplant (cut into planks – you will need 4 for 2 servings)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup low fat milk
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sliced sweet onions
  • 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
  • pinch thyme
  • salt to taste
  • 4 vegetarian meatballs
  • 2 Kraft 2% Singles
  • Marinara or other pasta sauce of choice
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Whisk together egg whites and milk in one bowl, flour and bread crumbs in another.
  3. Dredge eggplant slices in egg mixture, then crumb mixture.
  4. Place on sheet pan and spray both sides with cooking spray.
  5. Bake 10 minutes, flip eggplants, and bake another 10 minutes.
  6. While eggplant is baking saute the mushrooms and onion, and heat pasta sauce.
  7. Remove eggplant from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
  8. Lightly break up a veggie meatball, and place about an inch from end of eggplant.
  9. Top with mushrooms & onions, place 1/2 a Kraft Single on top of that.
  10. Roll up, starting from the stuffed end. Place rolls side by side, so they won’t unroll.
  11. Put in oven until cheese melts, then plate and top with sauce.
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making stuffed eggplant

I’ve told you why I love Kraft Singles, now it’s your turn.  Go to their Facebook Page and them them why you love Kraft Singles.  You will get your spot on their Facebook map and get entered to win a grocery gift card worth up to $500!

I am one of several bloggers selected by Kraft Foods to participate in the KRAFT Singles “Put Your Love on the Map” program.  While I have been compensated for my time, my opinions are my own, and I have not been paid to post positive comments.

Grocery Gift Card Giveaway is now closed.

Filed Under: Entrees, light recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian
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