Tag Archives: vinegar

My Salsa Verde

May 2, 2010 admin 1 Comment

When I first had this in a Brazilian restaurant I came home and scoured the net to find a recipe that was similar to what I had just tasted. After much trial and error, this is the recipe that grew out of many test batches.

When this is paired with meats and fishes, it makes the meal super refreshing and turns the simplest of grilled meats into a flavor sensation – it is soooo good ! But beware – this does leave you with some pretty heavy duty garlic breath – this is not a good recipe for date nite !

Just a tablespoon or 2 served with grilled beef, chicken or fish is a taste treat you won’t soon forget !

15 servings
39 calories per serving
(1 serving=1T)

7 cloves garlic
2 c fresh parsley
2 c fresh cilantro
10-12 T fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
¼ c olive oil
¼ – ½ c vinegar
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Place garlic in a good processor and mince finely. Add parsley and cilantro and mince finely – so fine that the mixture is more of a paste than chopped herbs. Place in a bowl and mix with all the other ingredients. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight to let the flavors mingle.

Beef, Crock pot, Dinner

Slow Cooked London Boil

April 29, 2010 admin 1 Comment

This is best done in an oval 5 quart crock so the meat fits well. The meat becomes so, so tender, you can cut it with a fork. This is a great meal for busy weekdays – it takes on 10 minutes to prep and then you can be out all day and come home to a great hot meal. To make it a more complete meal, throw in some baby carrots to cook along with the potatoes and onions. Like many crock pot recipes, the potatoes can come out looking a bit rough – but let me tell you, they taste GREAT and they melt in your mouth !

8 servings
320 calories per serving

3 lb lean London broil
2 T flour
1 T mustard
1 T chili sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t cider vinegar
4 potatoes, sliced
2 onions, sliced
½ c water

Place meat in crock. Pour water around meat. Make a paste of the flour, mustard, chili sauce, Worcestershire and vinegar and rub over the meat. Add potatoes and onions. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.

Dinner, Lunch, Mexican

Black Bean Pies

April 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Though the Morningstar Farms black bean patties are MIGHTY GOOD, these were also good and if you’re just in the mood to do it from scratch, this is a great recipe !

4 servings
194 calories per serving

Pam
3 t oil
½ onion, chopped finely
½ green pepper, chopped finely
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T honey
1 T cider vinegar
½ t chili powder
½ t cumin
¼ t red pepper flakes
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ c breadcrumbs
2 T flour
4 T low fat sour cream
2 T cilantro, chopped

Spray skillet with Pam. Heat 2 t oil on medium high and sauté onion, pepper and garlic 4 minutes or until golden then add honey, cider, chili, cumin and red pepper and mix well. Add beans and breadcrumbs to the pan and reduce the heat to medium and cook 10 minutes stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and mash bean mixture with a potato masher until it is the consistency of a thick puree, and then shape mix into 4 patties (like a hamburger). Spread flour on a platter and coat patties on both sides. Spray same skillet with Pam and ad 1 t oil. Saute patties until light browned turning once. Serve each with sour cream and cilantro.

Dinner, Lunch, Salads, Sides, Summer, Vegetables

Zesty Coleslaw

April 15, 2010 admin 2 Comments

The mustard in the slaw is a nice unexpected flavor – it was not too much, just enough to be interesting without overpowering the dish. How can you beat coleslaw – only 45 calories per serving !

8 servings
45 calories per serving

8 c coarsely shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, grated
½ c fat free mayo
2 T white vinegar
2 T pineapple juice
3 T spicy brown mustard
1 ½ T sugar
1/8 t pepper
¼ t salt

Combine cabbage and carrot. In another bowl combine all the rest of the ingredients and then pour over the cabbage and toss well. Chill in the refrigerator.

Beef, Dinner, Tex Mex

Texas Peppersteak

April 9, 2010 admin 1 Comment

Peppersteak is great no matter how you slice it 🙂 But this recipe really is a winner – the sauce made with coffee and balsamic turned an already savory dish into something just exquisite.

4 servings
226 calories per serving

½ t ground cumin
½ t ground coriander
½ t chili powder
¼ t salt
¾ t pepper
1 lb. boneless top sirloin steak, trimmed
1 clove garlic, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oil
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 t brown sugar
½ c brewed strong coffee
¼ c balsamic vinegar

Combine first five ingredients. Rub steak with cut garlic and then rub the spice mix into the steak. Heat 2 t of oil into a skillet and cook the steak 6-8 minutes per side or to desired doneness. Get a nice sear on the outside for extra flavor ! Remove steak from pan and tent with foil to keep warm. Add 1 t oil to the skillet and stir in the pepper and onions and cook 4 minutes then add the minced garlic and brown sugar and heat a minute before stirring in the coffee and vinegar. Heat 3-4 minutes. Slice steak into thin pieces and plate with pepper mix on top. Pour any sauce from pan over platter.

Appetizers, Italian, Lunch, Vegetables

Cold Antipasto

March 30, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a nice change from having a regular salad next to your meal – I sometimes put it out as an appetizer or even add a few breadsticks and make a lunch of it 🙂 By cooking the veggies and leaving them in the ‘brine’ you get a giardiniera flavor, though not as strong since it sits for just a few hours before serving.

4 servings
149 calories per serving

1 c vegetable broth
½ c dry white wine
½ t oregano flakes
¼ t crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. carrots, sliced on the diagonal
2 c cauliflower florets
¼ lb. green beans, sliced in half on the diagonal
½ c pickled pepperoncini peppers
¼ c white vinegar
1 t oil
½ t salt
½ c cubed mozzarella cheese (part skim)

In a large skillet bring the broth, wine, oregano and red pepper flakes to a simmer and then add the carrots. Cover and cook 6 minutes. Add the cauliflower and beans and return to simmer and cook 8 minutes more. Put the veggies and liquid in a bowl and stir in the pepperoncini, vinegar, oil and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Just before serving, plate the veggies along with the cheese.

Dinner, Salads, Sides

Couscous Salad

March 27, 2010 admin 2 Comments

I usually have couscous heated but this salad is served cooled or chilled and it is a new and different flavor experience. Couscous is just a tiny pasta, almost like pastina. And you can find it boxed and usually in with the rices and rice mixes at your grocery store. Give it a try for something different !

(I just noticed that with all my couscous recipes, I photograph it in the same dish…what’s with that? hehehe I guess it’s THE couscous star.)

4 servings
131 calories per serving

1/2 c whole wheat couscous
1/2 c boiling water
1 c canned diced tomatoes
1/2 c diced English cucumber
1 T fresh oregano, chopped
1 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 T fresh basil, chopped
2 T red wine vinegar
4 t extra virgin olive oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground pepper

Combine couscous and water in large mixing bowl and let sit until water is absorbed. Mix together vinegar, salt and pepper and oil. When couscous is cool, fluff with a fork and add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve as is or chill for a bit before serving.

Salads, Sides

Kitchen Sink Salad

March 18, 2010 admin 2 Comments

This is my ‘recipe’ for a salad that contains ‘everything but the kitchen sink’. Sometimes it’s the best unplanned dish of the week.

By the end of the week I have a bunch of bits and pieces of veggies left over – so I use them all in a salad – whatever I have, it gets thrown in. And because the salad is so full of flavor from all the veggies, I use NO OIL. And that makes for one LOW CAL, LOW FAT salad !

Sometimes I even put in bits of other prepared salads I had made – this picture shows a salad where I added in some left over cucumber and radish salad – and even some black beans. Try it – it makes salad eating so much more pleasurable !

1 serving
30-80 calories per serving

2 c field greens or any other leftover lettuce you have
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t oregano flakes
Vinegar (balsamic, red wine, anything)
Citrus juice – up to a tablespoon of lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice – whatever floats your boat
1 c Veggies – cucs, broccoli, carrots, celery, jicama, zucchini
1/4 c Beans – black beans, chick peas, cannellini beans
1/4 c Fresh herbs – parsley, cilantro, basil

Mix it all up and enjoy !

Salads, Sides, Summer, Vegetables

Cucumbers and Onions

March 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Cucumbers done in a white vinegar dressing is a dish in many cultures…they are just meant to be paired. At only 20 calories per serving, this zesty side salad is a definite ‘go-to’ recipe of mine !

4 servings
20 calories per serving

2 cucumbers
½ onion, sliced thin (try red onions for their mellower flavor)
½ c white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel the cucumbers and then slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds (or use English cucumbers which are pretty much seedless) and then slice very thin. Place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and let marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour.

Salads, Sides, Vegetables

Zucchini and Tomato Salad

February 24, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Most don’t think to use zucchini in its raw state – but it is marvelously crunchy and mellow and a great addition to salads. This salad is mainly zucchini and it’s really tasty.

5 servings
117 calories per serving

1 garlic clove, minced
2 T red vinegar
1 T fresh chopped parsley
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 c oil
2 1/4 c thinly sliced zucchini
1 1/2 c grape tomatoes, halved
1 T fresh chopped basil

Combine garlic, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper. Add oil and whisk well. Add zucchini and tomatoes and toss gently. Sprinkle with basil just before serving.