July 3rd, 2009. All recipes will include comments for LDL version.
Soup is about the easiest thing on the planet to make. REALLY. We love eating roasted asparagus, and we love the fresh taste and color of sweet peas, so I decided to turn it in to a bright green yummy soup ! I would serve this as a first course for a grilled fish or chicken dish (chicken with roasted lemons and green olives-not my recipe). Enjoy.
You will need:
-three bunches of asparagus, medium thickness, trimmed and snapped at natural break
- cup of sweet peas (organic preferred), thawed
- olive oil
- 5 shallots, skin left on
- 4 cloves garlic, skin left on
- sweet onion, diced.
- fresh thyme
- fresh parsley
- sherry
- chicken stock
- hunk of parmesan (rind okay)*
- salt
- pepper
- lemon
Toss asparagus, shallots, and garlic, in olive oil. Spread in pan. Bake at 425pm in middle rack for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven. Saute onion in olive oil in large 5 quart pot. Add Asparagus, shallots, and garlic (remove skin from shallots and garlic) and peas. Bring to high heat, splash with sherry. Add chicken stock, thyme, parsley, and parm*. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Puree in batches, adding salt, pepper, and squeeze of lemon to taste.
*do not use low fat or pre grated parm
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
GAZPACHO UPDATE
8-10 servings
Warm weather has finally returned, inspiring me to make a batch of gazpacho. This only gets better as we get in to spring and summer when you can score farmer’s market tomatoes. I can’t take credit for this particular recipe, it is an adaptation of one my late father made which was his adaptation of my late mother's gazpacho. The Blendtec blender (or equivalent you Vitamix groupies) is a critical component to making this gazpacho smooth and wonderful.
- 4 large tomatoes, seeds and core removed (I prefer yellow heirlooms whenever possible, makes for a pretty soup). You can also use a combination of cherry or grape tomatoes and large tomatoes, whatever has the best flavor.
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1/2 sweet onion
- 1/2 shallot
- 1 long English or Persian cucumber, peeled (or 4 minis, peeled)
- 1 red pepper (or a combination of the mini red/orange/yellow peppers)
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed (optional)
- 1-2 flat fillets of anchovy
- 1 slice sprouted grain bread (optional, or you can use any bread, to bind soup)
- 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- dash cumin
- dash tabasco
- dash worcestershire
- dash fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice, and zest
- salt and black pepper to taste
I generally like to flash pickle my onions, shallots, and garlic to remove the bite. Rough chop first seven ingredients (reserve a small amount and finely mince for garnish). Start with tomatoes and olive oil in blender. Add onions/garlic/shallot, peppers, cucumber, anchovy, bread, and remaining ingredients (all spices to taste). Blend in batches until smooth with olive oil, cumin, tabasco, Chill.
Top with a tablespoon of minced mixture of following: red and yellow tomatoes, jalapeno, red onion, cucumber, red and yellow pepper, cilantro, avocado,lime juice, olive oil, salt.
Serve with homemade croutons made on stove top with olive oil and cumin.
Yum.
Warm weather has finally returned, inspiring me to make a batch of gazpacho. This only gets better as we get in to spring and summer when you can score farmer’s market tomatoes. I can’t take credit for this particular recipe, it is an adaptation of one my late father made which was his adaptation of my late mother's gazpacho. The Blendtec blender (or equivalent you Vitamix groupies) is a critical component to making this gazpacho smooth and wonderful.
- 4 large tomatoes, seeds and core removed (I prefer yellow heirlooms whenever possible, makes for a pretty soup). You can also use a combination of cherry or grape tomatoes and large tomatoes, whatever has the best flavor.
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1/2 sweet onion
- 1/2 shallot
- 1 long English or Persian cucumber, peeled (or 4 minis, peeled)
- 1 red pepper (or a combination of the mini red/orange/yellow peppers)
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed (optional)
- 1-2 flat fillets of anchovy
- 1 slice sprouted grain bread (optional, or you can use any bread, to bind soup)
- 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- dash cumin
- dash tabasco
- dash worcestershire
- dash fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice, and zest
- salt and black pepper to taste
I generally like to flash pickle my onions, shallots, and garlic to remove the bite. Rough chop first seven ingredients (reserve a small amount and finely mince for garnish). Start with tomatoes and olive oil in blender. Add onions/garlic/shallot, peppers, cucumber, anchovy, bread, and remaining ingredients (all spices to taste). Blend in batches until smooth with olive oil, cumin, tabasco, Chill.
Top with a tablespoon of minced mixture of following: red and yellow tomatoes, jalapeno, red onion, cucumber, red and yellow pepper, cilantro, avocado,lime juice, olive oil, salt.
Serve with homemade croutons made on stove top with olive oil and cumin.
Yum.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
PISTACHIO MINT PESTO
This was created to be served with lamb, and can work with pork tenderloin and fish as well.
- 2 cups mint leaves, rinsed and dried.
- clove garlic, chopped
- 2 cups parsley, rinsed and dried.
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2/3 cup shelled and skinned roasted pistachios (trader joes sells these, out of the shell, unsalted)*
- salt
- pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, minimum 1/3 cup, add to consistency*
Combine all ingredients in blender. Add more of the lemon juice, olive oil*, sugar, salt, pepper, as needed to taste. Consistency should be thick, like pesto, but not too oily like premade basil pestos.
*Substitute drained, rinsed white beans or edamame for pistachio nuts for lower fat version
* Reduce amount of olive oil and replace with water or vegetable stock for lower fat version
- 2 cups mint leaves, rinsed and dried.
- clove garlic, chopped
- 2 cups parsley, rinsed and dried.
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2/3 cup shelled and skinned roasted pistachios (trader joes sells these, out of the shell, unsalted)*
- salt
- pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, minimum 1/3 cup, add to consistency*
Combine all ingredients in blender. Add more of the lemon juice, olive oil*, sugar, salt, pepper, as needed to taste. Consistency should be thick, like pesto, but not too oily like premade basil pestos.
*Substitute drained, rinsed white beans or edamame for pistachio nuts for lower fat version
* Reduce amount of olive oil and replace with water or vegetable stock for lower fat version
LAMB TENDERLOINS
This is one of the dishes that I miss the most, when I go through phases where I decide not to eat meat. Lamb tenderloins are difficult to find (at least in San Diego), so I grab them at Wegman's when I am back east, freeze them, and send as checked baggage. If you haven't had them, and are a fan of lamb, you need to try them. First step is to marinate the lamb. Generally acid in a marinade can start to cook your protein, however, I have found the orange juice (you could use mango nectar I suppose) adds a wonderful flavor and to date has never left me with lamb ceviche.
Serves 4
- 3 packages lamb tenderloins (2-3 tenderloins per package)
MARINADE
- honey *
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1/2 cup pom wonderful pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1-2 tsp light soy sauce
- orange zest
- pinch of coriander
- pinch of cumin
- garlic powder
- fresh ground pepper
Mix all ingredients for marinade. Add lamb, marinate at least four hours in fridge, can be marinated overnight.
Remove from marinade. Discard marinade and pat lamb dry. Oil skillet and heat. Sear tenderloins on each side, until cooked to desired temperature. These can also be broiled as an alternative.
Slice horizontally in 1/2 inch thick slices.
Drizzle Blood Orange Balsamic syrup on and around tenderloins (USE VERY LITTLE, it is more for effect and aesthetic). Place tiny spoonful of mint pesto on each slice OR serve on side. We like to serve this with a brown rice sweet pea risotto* and roasted asparagus.
If you have leftovers, a lamb sandwich on toasted naan bread* with mint pesto*, greens, feta*, and caramelized onions make a wonderful last minute meal for guests.
*can substitute splenda for honey if you want to reduce calories
*mint pesto can be made without pistachios to reduce fat
*replace brown rice sweet pea risotto with sweet peas and garbanzo bean mixture if you don't eat rice
*replace naan bread with lettuce leaves for lower carbs/fat
*do not use low fat feta
Serves 4
- 3 packages lamb tenderloins (2-3 tenderloins per package)
MARINADE
- honey *
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1/2 cup pom wonderful pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1-2 tsp light soy sauce
- orange zest
- pinch of coriander
- pinch of cumin
- garlic powder
- fresh ground pepper
Mix all ingredients for marinade. Add lamb, marinate at least four hours in fridge, can be marinated overnight.
Remove from marinade. Discard marinade and pat lamb dry. Oil skillet and heat. Sear tenderloins on each side, until cooked to desired temperature. These can also be broiled as an alternative.
Slice horizontally in 1/2 inch thick slices.
Drizzle Blood Orange Balsamic syrup on and around tenderloins (USE VERY LITTLE, it is more for effect and aesthetic). Place tiny spoonful of mint pesto on each slice OR serve on side. We like to serve this with a brown rice sweet pea risotto* and roasted asparagus.
If you have leftovers, a lamb sandwich on toasted naan bread* with mint pesto*, greens, feta*, and caramelized onions make a wonderful last minute meal for guests.
*can substitute splenda for honey if you want to reduce calories
*mint pesto can be made without pistachios to reduce fat
*replace brown rice sweet pea risotto with sweet peas and garbanzo bean mixture if you don't eat rice
*replace naan bread with lettuce leaves for lower carbs/fat
*do not use low fat feta
GARDEN HERB SHRIMP SALAD
I needed a last minute dish for a party we were hosting, and didn't want to make a chimichurri shrimp salad I make every time. This was the love child of what was in the pantry and fridge that morning. Everyone loved it and we received many requests for the recipe, so, it becomes one for the books. Recipe is party sized so you probably want to divide in half or quarter.
- 2 bags of costco frozen shrimp: cooked, tail off, 51-70 per pound
thaw shrimp, rinse and drain. place in deep saucepan with warmed
chicken stock and garlic powder ,"poach" (until shrimp are warmed
through but not curled up). Ideally you would want to use fresh uncooked shrimp. In this case, I was pressed for time AND didn't want to triple my costs on this salad.
- drain again, pour in to large deep bowl
- add 1 bag baby spinach, rough chopped.
- add 2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped.
- add 2 cups roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (I like trader
joes peppers)
- add 1 cup julienned sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped. if they
are packed in oil, rinse.
MAKE DRESSING...all goes in to food processor (and even if you 1/2 the
recipe, make the same amount of dressing, it keeps and can be used for grilled fish, salad, etc, etc, etc):
- big fist plus full of fresh basil
- big fist plus full of fresh dill
- big fist plus full of fresh flat leaf parslety
- tbsp dijon (regular not grainy, unless you like grainy)
- 2 cloves rough chopped fresh garlic
- juice of two lemons or to taste
-tbsp capers
- lots of olive oil
- salt and pepper
ADD DRESSING TO SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES
- add 1 package crumbled Athenos(R)Feta cheese, unless you don't like
feta cheese, then leave it out*...
*do not use ff or low fat feta
- 2 bags of costco frozen shrimp: cooked, tail off, 51-70 per pound
thaw shrimp, rinse and drain. place in deep saucepan with warmed
chicken stock and garlic powder ,"poach" (until shrimp are warmed
through but not curled up). Ideally you would want to use fresh uncooked shrimp. In this case, I was pressed for time AND didn't want to triple my costs on this salad.
- drain again, pour in to large deep bowl
- add 1 bag baby spinach, rough chopped.
- add 2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped.
- add 2 cups roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (I like trader
joes peppers)
- add 1 cup julienned sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped. if they
are packed in oil, rinse.
MAKE DRESSING...all goes in to food processor (and even if you 1/2 the
recipe, make the same amount of dressing, it keeps and can be used for grilled fish, salad, etc, etc, etc):
- big fist plus full of fresh basil
- big fist plus full of fresh dill
- big fist plus full of fresh flat leaf parslety
- tbsp dijon (regular not grainy, unless you like grainy)
- 2 cloves rough chopped fresh garlic
- juice of two lemons or to taste
-tbsp capers
- lots of olive oil
- salt and pepper
ADD DRESSING TO SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES
- add 1 package crumbled Athenos(R)Feta cheese, unless you don't like
feta cheese, then leave it out*...
*do not use ff or low fat feta
EGGS
Before the weekend turns in to the usual chaos of running errands, catching up on house chores, and hopefully some golf, we try to mellow after walking the dogs with some breakfast. Not a big breakfast person, which every nutritionist will tell you is a huge mistake, this egg white dish hits the spot. Once again, shallots show up in this dish...
You will need (serves 4)
- 8 oz. egg whites (or 8 eggs, or 1 cup egg beaters)
- one small shallot
- vegetable or chicken stock
- olive or canola oil spray
- tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 chopped red pepper
- 4 chopped mushrooms
- 2 morningstar farms vegetarian sausage patties-thawed and chopped*
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled. (you can use whatever kind of cheese you like)*
coat non stick pan with spray, add shallot until soft, turn heat to high, add a small amount of chicken stock and let cook down, stirring shallots. Add red peppers, repeat process with more chicken stock, add mushrooms, repeat process with chicken stock. Reduce heat. Warning: you are not using much chicken stock in each pass, this is just for flavor. Add sausage patties and parsley. Reduce heat, add egg whites, allow to cook, turning to desired texture. Remove from heat, add goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
*replace veggie sausage with homemade turkey sausage patties
*omit for less fat
You will need (serves 4)
- 8 oz. egg whites (or 8 eggs, or 1 cup egg beaters)
- one small shallot
- vegetable or chicken stock
- olive or canola oil spray
- tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 chopped red pepper
- 4 chopped mushrooms
- 2 morningstar farms vegetarian sausage patties-thawed and chopped*
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled. (you can use whatever kind of cheese you like)*
coat non stick pan with spray, add shallot until soft, turn heat to high, add a small amount of chicken stock and let cook down, stirring shallots. Add red peppers, repeat process with more chicken stock, add mushrooms, repeat process with chicken stock. Reduce heat. Warning: you are not using much chicken stock in each pass, this is just for flavor. Add sausage patties and parsley. Reduce heat, add egg whites, allow to cook, turning to desired texture. Remove from heat, add goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
*replace veggie sausage with homemade turkey sausage patties
*omit for less fat
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A VARIETY OF OPTIONS FOR SALAD
I generally use a mini cuisinart to mix all the dressings I make, if you don't have one you will be doing a lot of chopping and shaking. Here are some options:
1) Lemon Dijon (aka real french dressing): Juice of 1 lemon/1 clove garlic peeled/1 tbsp grainy dijon/olive oil/salt/pepper: blend, streaming in olive oil for structure: goes well used as
- a mayonnaise free potato salad (use red skinned potatoes*), sub. apple cider vinegar for lemon/add parsley to dressing
- a baby arugula salad with dried sour cherries, pistachios**, goat cheese ***
- leftover salmon broken up in to a salad (add parsley,dill, shallots and capers to dressing)
- a tortellini salad**** with fresh red peppers, zucchini, sun dried tomatos (add parsley and basil to dressing)
- tuna salad with celery and tomatoes (omit the mustard and add a hit of tobasco sauce)
*you can do this with butter beans instead of potatoes and it kinds of taste like potato salad
**remove pistachos for less fat
***omit goat cheese for less fat
****don't do this if you are not eating carbs!!
2) Balsamic (substitute the lemon in the dressing above for really good balsamic and omit the garlic)
- mixed herb salad, with julienned strips of d'anjou pear, caramelized onions, gorgonzola, and pecans*
- a chopped salad with tomatoes, red peppers, cucumber, nicoise olives, feta**, micro greens, take a long strip of cucumber, make a circle, build the salad inside the cucumber for effect (add basil and or parsley to dressing).
*omit pecans for less fat
**do not use fat free feta or low fat feta, the flavor is not as good
3) Southwest (lime juice, garlic clove, olive oil, cumin to taste/salt/pepper/sugar).
- great for a southwestern slaw which could sit alongside fish tacos* or used for fish tacos*
- mixed green salad with chicken, cotija, and pepitas**.
- swirl over vegetarian chili or in tortilla soup***
*replace tortillas with lettuce leaves for lower carbs
**omit pepitas for less fat
***omit tortillas in tortilla soup for less fat, but then it really wouldn't be tortilla soup, would it?
1) Lemon Dijon (aka real french dressing): Juice of 1 lemon/1 clove garlic peeled/1 tbsp grainy dijon/olive oil/salt/pepper: blend, streaming in olive oil for structure: goes well used as
- a mayonnaise free potato salad (use red skinned potatoes*), sub. apple cider vinegar for lemon/add parsley to dressing
- a baby arugula salad with dried sour cherries, pistachios**, goat cheese ***
- leftover salmon broken up in to a salad (add parsley,dill, shallots and capers to dressing)
- a tortellini salad**** with fresh red peppers, zucchini, sun dried tomatos (add parsley and basil to dressing)
- tuna salad with celery and tomatoes (omit the mustard and add a hit of tobasco sauce)
*you can do this with butter beans instead of potatoes and it kinds of taste like potato salad
**remove pistachos for less fat
***omit goat cheese for less fat
****don't do this if you are not eating carbs!!
2) Balsamic (substitute the lemon in the dressing above for really good balsamic and omit the garlic)
- mixed herb salad, with julienned strips of d'anjou pear, caramelized onions, gorgonzola, and pecans*
- a chopped salad with tomatoes, red peppers, cucumber, nicoise olives, feta**, micro greens, take a long strip of cucumber, make a circle, build the salad inside the cucumber for effect (add basil and or parsley to dressing).
*omit pecans for less fat
**do not use fat free feta or low fat feta, the flavor is not as good
3) Southwest (lime juice, garlic clove, olive oil, cumin to taste/salt/pepper/sugar).
- great for a southwestern slaw which could sit alongside fish tacos* or used for fish tacos*
- mixed green salad with chicken, cotija, and pepitas**.
- swirl over vegetarian chili or in tortilla soup***
*replace tortillas with lettuce leaves for lower carbs
**omit pepitas for less fat
***omit tortillas in tortilla soup for less fat, but then it really wouldn't be tortilla soup, would it?
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