Late Summer Vegetable Soup

by penji1

I love it when it’s soup weather!  I don’t much care for the cold weather but I do love to make homemade soup.  This is a good one but I can’t remember where the recipe came from.

4 ears corn, husks and silks removed (I cheated and used a can of corn, undrained)

2 tablespoons olive oil (omit if making soup in crock pot)

1 medium onion, chopped

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 (14.5 oz each) cans vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken)

2 cups water

2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

8 ounces green beans (stem ends removed), cut into thirds (I cheated here too and used a can of green beans, undrained)

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup orzo

Cut off tip of each ear of corn.  One at a time, stand ears in a wide bowl.  With a sharp knife (or the Pampered Chef’s kernel cutter), carefully slice downward to release kernels.  In a large pot, heat oil over medium.  Add onion and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 – 5 minutes.  Add broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Add zucchini, beans, corn, tomatoes (with juice) and orzo.  Cook uncovered until orzo is tender, 8 – 11 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  (Can be frozen up to 3 months.)

OR you can dump all the ingredients (except oil and orzo) in a crock pot and cook on low for about 7 hours, adding orzo the last 30 minutes of cooking time, like I did!

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Cucumber Tuna Salad Pitas

by penji1

Here is a quick, easy and tasty lunch idea for you from Betty Crocker again, “the 300 calorie cookbook”.  What do you guys do for lunch?  I’m always hoping that there are leftovers because if I’m the only one home, it’s a pain to make something just for me and pb & j gets old after awhile.  This kicks up the tuna sandwich a notch which is a good thing!

1 pouch (7.6 oz) albacore tuna (I used 3 2.6 oz pouches of chunk light tuna, I’m sure you could use canned instead of the pouch)

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/4 cup plain fat free yogurt (didn’t have any so left it out, the tuna from the pouch was moist enough without it)

1/2 cup chopped cucumber (1 baby cucumber is right about 1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (I am all out of dill so left this out)

1 teaspoon salt free seasoning brand (I just used Season All)

2 whole wheat pita (pocket) breads, 8″ (I used an Oroweat Sandwich Thin, see picture, 100 calories each, tasty!)

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 small tomato, chopped (1/2 cup) (left it off)

1  In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except lettuce and tomato.

2  Cut pita breads in half to form pockets.  Fill with tuna mixture.  Add lettuce and tomato.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

by penji1

This recipe comes from Wendy Paul’s brand new cookbook, “101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone”, which I just ordered from Amazon.  And when she says for everyone, she means for everyone; there are recipes for dieters, gluten free-ers and even vegans.  Zach was late to work and if you’re late, you have to bring doughnuts but I suggested cookies so these are for him to take to work when he comes home at lunch.  Anyone can bring doughnuts, but homemade Wendy Paul cookies?  I know what I’d pick!

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 (4 oz) package vanilla instant pudding mix (dry powder only)

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups flour

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla, eggs and pudding mix.  In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda and flour and gently add to wet ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Use a small cookie scoop to drop dough onto lightly greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 8 – 10 minutes, until sides are golden.  Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack.

 

“Healthified” Mexican Pasta Skillet

by penji1

This recipe came in an email today from Eat Better America (General Mills) and looked good which it was!  Highly recommend and will definitely make again!

1 pound extra lean (at least 93%) ground beef

1 jar (16 oz) mild salsa

1 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups uncooked regular or multigrain elbow macaroni

1 cup frozen corn (I used a can of corn)

1 (15 oz) can kidney, pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed (this is not in the original recipe, one of the people who reviewed the recipe said that they added beans and I thought that sounded good plus it takes down the calorie count per serving, I used kidney this time)

1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese (left this off, flavorful enough without it)

1  In 12″ skillet, cook beef over medium high heat 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked then drain.

2  Stir in salsa, tomato sauce and water.  Heat to boiling.  Stir in macaroni and corn and beans if using.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 12 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender.

3  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and let stand 1 – 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

6 servings, each serving = 370 calories

Chunky Artichoke Salsa

by penji1

Tonight my friend LaRobyn and I are hosting a Ladies Night Out at her house.  There will be a lady doing glitter toes, a lady doing eyebrow and lip waxes, there will be purses and jewelry for sale (by LaRobyn) as well as Dove Chocolate Discoveries and Pampered Chef products for sale (by yours truly).  We also do prize drawings every 15 minutes and if you bring a friend you get a gift.  And of course there will be food!  There will be Milk Chocolate Fondue and Chai Dip from Dove Choc Discoveries and this salsa since it is a Pampered Chef recipe.  Should be fun, hopefully all our friends will be able to come!

1 (6.5 oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts,, undrained

1/4 cup pitted ripe olives, chopped (I used 1/2 a can of black olives here)

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

3 medium plum tomatoes, diced

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1  Drain marinade from artichokes into bowl.  Chop artichokes, olives and onion.  Dice tomatoes.

2  Place vegetables into bowl with marinade.  Press garlic into bowl.  Add basil to mixture and mix gently.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

by penji1

So on our quest to a healthier lifestyle (by the way, Bob has lost 25 pounds and I have lost 8!  woo hoo!), I decided that I need to try some healthier baked goods for Bob and me (kids, neighbors and friends will still get the full sugar versions) so last night I googled “low fat zucchini chocolate chip muffins” and this recipe came up from the website http://www.fitness.com.  I have to say that they aren’t bad for low fat, each muffin only has 78 calories so not a bad addition to breakfast.

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour (didn’t have any yet so just used regular)

1 cup quick oats

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup shredded zucchini (I’ve said it before but here it is again, I run mine through the food processor until it is almost liquid)

2 tablespoons oil

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup skim milk

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1  Preheat oven to 400.  Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

2  In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.

3  In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, oil, egg and milk.

4  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until moist.

5  Add chocolate chips.

6  Scoop batter into muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes.

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Tuna Feta Salad

by penji1

This recipe comes from my brand new cookbook, “Betty Crocker The 300 Calorie Cookbook 300 tasty meals for eating healthy every day” and this is the first recipe I’ve tried from this cookbook.  Made it for lunch tomorrow so can’t tell you how it tastes yet but it smelled yummy!

salad:

2 cans (15 – 16 oz each) cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed (I used just plain white beans)

1 can (9 oz) chunk light tuna in water, drained and flaked

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 medium Spanish, Bermuda or red onion, thinly sliced

chopped fresh parsley (didn’t have any)

red wine vinaigrette:

1/3 cup olive or vegetable oil (I used olive)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper

In medium bowl, mix beans, tuna, feta and onion.  Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients in a separate small bowl.  Pour over bean mixture and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight, stirring occasionally.

recipe = 8 servings, each serving = 250 calories

Margherita Pita Pizza

by penji1

This recipe comes from the Pampered Chef cookbook, “It’s Good For You”.  It’s a low cholestrol and low calorie recipe but not low on taste.

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil (I used olive)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, pressed

4 flat pita bread rounds (without pockets)

2 plum tomatoes, sliced

1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil leaves (I found a fresh basil plant in the produce section of Maceys for like $4 so I bought it since so many of the recipes I make call for fresh basil, this is the first time I got to used it, smells great!)

1  Preheat oven to 425.  Combine oil, seasoning, vinegar and garlic in small bowl and mix well.  Place pitas on a stone or baking sheet and brush one side of each with oil mixture.

2  Slice tomatoes.  Top pitas evenly with tomatoes and cheese.  Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges are lightly browned.  Sprinkle with basil.  (I didn’t read the recipe carefully so actually put the basil on before cooking, probably would have been even more flavorful if I done as the recipe said and did it after cooking!)

1 pita = 1 serving, 1 serving = 270 calories

DCD Grasshopper Pie

by penji1

At my Dove Chocolate Discoveries (aka DCD) open house, I had a drawing for everyone who attended.  The prize for the drawing was a DCD recipe creation that I would make for the winner.  My friend Teresa won the drawing (yes, the same Teresa who won the Alaskan prize pack!) and so today I finally got around to making her prize for her and here it is!  Smelled yummy, tasted yummy (from the few licks I had off the spatula) and looked yummy!  Teresa will have to let us know how it was.

2 ounces DCD Chef Series Milk Chocolate

1 ready to use chocolate cookie crumb pie crust

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 Mint Cocoa Butter Flavor Discs (I don’t have any of these yet so I used 1 teaspoon peppermint extract)

1 (3.3 oz) package instant white chocolate pudding and pie filling

1 cup milk

6 – 8 drops green food coloring (I used 6, should have used 8, it looked good until I added the whipped topping then it got really light)

2 1/2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping

shaved DCD Dark chocolate (I used milk)

1  Melt chocolate on high 90 seconds in small microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.  Do not overheat.  Spread melted chocolate over crust bottom.

2  Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar and beat with mixer.  Place mint discs in small bowl with water and cook on high 20 – 30 seconds until melted.  Add melted mint flavor (or peppermint extract) to cream cheese mixture.  In separate bowl, combine pudding mix and milk and whisk.  Add to cream cheese mixture along with food coloring and beat until smooth.  Fold in half of whipped topping (I used all 2 1/2 cups here and then used the rest in the container as garnish).  Spoon filling into crust, spreading evenly.

3  Garnish pie with dollops of remaining whipped topping and shaved chocolate (I also used Andes mints cut in half for garnish).  Refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Toss

by penji1

This is a Pampered Chef recipe that comes from their cookbook, “It’s Good For You”.  The vinaigrette dressing is especially tasty!

Vinaigrette:

1 lemon

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

(I doubled the vinaigrette recipe because I added more to the salad, wanted to be sure that there were leftovers of both for lunch tomorrow)

Salad:

2 cups (6 oz) uncooked medium shell pasta (I used rotini and added about 4 cups cooked pasta to the salad)

1 small cucumber, scored and sliced (about 1 cup) (I used the minis from Costco and sliced about 3 of them which was just over a cup)

1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

10 pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped (I left these out, not a fan)

1 (8 oz) package Mediterranean salad blend (5 cups) (I bought a 9 oz package and then added about 1 1/2 heads of Romaine as well)

1 (12 oz) can solid white albacore tuna packed in water, drained and flaked (I used 2 7 oz cans)

1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese

1  For vinaigrette, juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice.  Combine lemon juice, vinegar, oil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper and whisk until blended.

2  For salad, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water.

3  Score cucumber lengthwise using scorer.  Slice cucumber and cut slices in half.  Slice onion into thin wedges.  Cut tomatoes in half.  Coarsely chop olives.

4  Place pasta in large bowl and add vegetables, olives, greens and tuna.  Pour vinaigrette over salad, tossing to coat and sprinkle with feta.

6 servings – 280 calories per serving