Category Archives: Vegetables

Roasted Green Beans

September 17, 2013 admin 1 Comment

Get the pre-washed, pre-trimmed beans and your prep time is literally 1 minute. Using kosher salt can really make a difference in recipes and it does in this one. Kosher salt is a much larger crystal (much like sea salt) and instead of melting into the food, it kind of stays on the surface giving you a much bigger burst of the salt flavor – I think it works really well with green beans.

4 servings
42 calories per serving

1 pound fresh green beans
1/2 T olive oil
1 t balsamic vinegar
2 t minced fresh basil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Mix together green beans, oil, vinegar and basil. Place on a non-stick baking sheet in one layer and roast for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dinner, Salads, Sides, Summer, Vegetables

Green Beans and Tomatoes

July 4, 2013 admin Leave a comment

This just has ‘summer’ written all over it. Use garden fresh or farmer’s market fresh veggies for the best flavors 🙂

8 servings
90 calories per serving

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
2 lb. beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½ inch wedges
5 T balsamic vinegar
3 t minced garlic clove
½ t Kosher salt
½ t pepper
1 anchovy fillet, minced
3 T oil

Boil green beans 3 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add tomatoes. Whisk vinegar, anchovy and oil and add to beans. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Asian, Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Asian Sesame Slaw

June 15, 2013 admin Leave a comment

This has WOW flavor ! Serve this next to any Asian inspired dish (Asian Grilled Chicken comes to mind) for a great salad that takes over every tastebud in your mouth !

8 servings
60 calories per serving

1/3 c Miracle Whip light
2 T KRAFT Light Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing (I use this dressing in hot and cold dishes)
3 T lime juice
6 cups finely shredded cabbage (get the Dole pre-shredded to save a lot of time)
1 c snow peas, julienned
1 carrot, coarsely grated (not necessary if you use the Dole cabbage that has carrot in it already)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 T minced ginger
2 T sesame seeds, toasted
Touch of salt

To toast sesame seeds, place in a hot skillet and sauté for a couple of minutes until they turn golden and are aromatic. Mix lime, Miracle Whip and Sesame dressing well and pour over the rest of the ingredients (except the sesame seeds). Mix well. Chill at least 2 hours. Sprinkle with seeds just before serving.

Lunch, MUFAs, Salads, Turkey, Vegetables

Turkey Cobb

April 28, 2013 admin Leave a comment

Cobb salads are a perfect lunch. They are packed with protein and give you the energy to get through the afternoon without any ‘3 o’clock sleepies’.

8 servings
200 calories per serving

12 c mixed salad greens
6 oz. thin deli sliced roasted turkey breast, cut into strips
1 chopped avocado
1 ½ c grape tomatoes, halved
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 hard boiled eggs cut into wedges
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. light balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Place greens on a platter and then lay other ingredients in strips across the top. Place dressing on top of individual portions.

Appetizers, Italian, Vegetables

Stuffed Artichokes (Pressure Cooker)

April 26, 2013 admin Leave a comment

Stuffed artichokes cooked in a pressure cooker are delectable ! They soften up beautifully and the garlic seems to just be infused into the artichoke leaves. This is a great recipe – so flavorful, so classic.

8 servings
105 calories per serving

8 large artichokes, trimmed
½ c bread crumbs
½ c grated parmesan cheese
½ c minced garlic
1 c chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon

Everyone trims an artichoke differently – I cut off the stem and then ½ inch from the top. Then I trim all the leaves by nipping off the end. To get the leaves to open up enough to stuff them, I bang the leave side down on the counter a couple of times – then you can use your fingers to pry open the leaves some. Yes, all this work is definitely worth it 🙂

Separate leaves slightly so you can drop in the ingredients – each should get bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and garlic.

Place artichokes in pressure cooker (you can double decker them) and pour over broth. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then squirt with the juice of 1 lemon. Close pressure cooker and bring to pressure and cook 60 minutes. Quick release pressure.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can cook these stovetop in a dutch oven – simmer for 2 hours or until tender.

You can make these ahead of time and just reheat in the microwave prior to serving – I actually prefer to do it this way. They just seem to be more flavorful with the second heating.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Spinach Souffle

March 8, 2013 admin Leave a comment

This recipe will make even the most finicky eater a spinach lover. The dish is light and fluffy with loads of cheesy flavor – the spinach flavor is definitely mellowed.

8 servings
149 calories per serving

1/2 c chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T margarine, melted
8 oz. low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. low fat cottage cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 c egg beaters
20 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and well drained
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t nutmeg
Pam

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt margarine and cook onion and garlic for 6 minutes. Remove to a bowl and add cream cheese, cottage cheese, salt and pepper and beat with a mixer. Add the egg beaters 1/4 cup at a time mixing well in between and then mix in the spinach. Spray a 9 inch baking dish with Pam and place the spinach mix in the dish and sprinkle with the paprika and nutmeg then cover and back 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

Soups, Vegetables

Celery Root Soup

February 2, 2013 admin Leave a comment

Simple does not always mean plain. This is a simple soup of just a few ingredients, but it turns out a restaurant class meal – classic flavor and perfectly mild spicing.

4 servings
180 calories per serving

2 T butter
1 c thinly sliced leek
1/2 c carrot, finely chopped
2 T white wine
3 c peeled and cubed celery root (about 3/4 pound)
3 c chicken broth
1 c water
1/2 t coarse salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 3/4 c cooked wild rice
2 T fresh chives, chopped finely

Melt butter in soup pot. Add leek and carrot then cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook another 5 minutes or until tender. Add wine, celery root, broth, 1 c water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then cover and cook 10 minutes. Place 1 c soup mix in a blender and blend until smooth then add back to soup pan and add rice. Cook 15 minutes. Garnish with chives just before serving.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Spinach Au Gratin

December 2, 2012 admin Leave a comment

Creamy, cheesy, savory spinach – a perfect side dish to a light fish meal.

6 servings
200 calories per serving

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 slices pre-cooked bacon, finely chopped
15 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, cubed
15 Ritz Crackers, coarsely crushed
2 T grated parmesan cheese
1 T butter, melted
Pam

Preheat broiler. Spray pan with Pam and add onion. Cook 5 minutes adding a couple of tablespoons of hot water along the way if needed to keep the onions moist. Add bacon and cook 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook 3 minutes to wilt the spinach then remove from heat and add cream cheese being sure to mix well. Turn into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Mix crackers, parmesan and butter and sprinkle over the casserole. Broil 2 minutes to brown the crackers.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Salads, Tex Mex, Vegetables

Tex Mex Cobb

September 28, 2012 admin Leave a comment

Chop up all your veggies and fixings and lay them out on a platter in rows. It’s a beautiful presentation and everyone can grab exactly what they want for their salad. The dressing for this one is so simple and so low cal, but it tastes divine !

10 servings
291 calories per serving

20 oz. mixed greens (Spring mix, baby greens, etc.)
12 oz. seasoned chicken breast strips (Perdue Shortcuts work great here)
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c low fat shredded cheese
12 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 small avocados, sliced
2 c grape tomatoes, halved
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2/3 c fat free ranch dressing
1/3 cup chunky salsa
Salt and pepper to taste

Over a large platter with the greens then arrange chicken, eggs, beans, cheese, bacon, avocados and tomatoes in rows and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the salsa and dressing and pour over platter.

Lunch, Vegetables

Grilled Veggie Tacos

September 4, 2012 admin Leave a comment

You can serve these veggies in bread, on top of a salad, or in a crunchy taco shell. I choose a taco ! Spreading the cheese inside the taco makes for a great bite from start to finish.

4 servings (1 serving = 2 tacos)
230 calories per serving

Get taco shells and spread the inside with the spread mix – then put in veggies – if more room, add extra chopped lettuce for crunch

Spread:
3.5 oz. goat cheese
¼ c roasted red peppers
1 t chopped chives
1 t liquid from jar of roasted red peppers

Veggies:
1 T oil (used in an oil mister, 1 T goes a long way !)
1 t Kosher salt
4 large Portobello mushrooms halved
1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
1 small eggplant in ¼ inch slices
4 taco shells
4 lettuce leaves, chopped
Pam

Preheat broiler. Process all the ingredients for the spread in a food processor and then set aside. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and place mushrooms, peppers and eggplant in a single layer on sheet and spray with oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil 8 minutes, turn, then broil another 5 minutes or until tender. Cool for a bit and then slice up. Spread inside of tacos with the cheese mix and then add lettuce and then veggies.

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