Traditional Hummus

Posted on September 30, 2009

Traditional Hummus

Serve with toasted whole wheat pita bread, crackers, or sliced fresh vegetables for the perfect protein and vitamin-packed snack. It’s a staple in my kid’s lunch boxes, and I eat it for lunch, with soup or  salad. Feel free to expand on this recipe: add your favorite fresh herbs and spices, or crank up the heat with hot oil or tabasco.

Makes about 2 cups
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 small garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
About ¼ cup water (add more or less for the desired consistency)
Salt, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Adjust the seasoning and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days.

Cooking Tip: If serving this hummus as an appetizer, garnish it with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, a dash of cayenne pepper, or toasted pine nuts.

Nutrition Highlights: Protein, folic acid, fiber, and cholesterol free

Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: ½ cup traditional hummus: Calories: 231 cals, 12%; Protein: 10 g, 20%; Total fat: 8.1 g, 13%; Saturated fat: .8 g, 4%; Cholesterol: 0 mg, 0%; Carbohydrates: 31 g, 10%; Fiber: 8 g, 34%; Sodium: 155 mg, 6%; Folic acid: 188 mcg, 47%; Vitamin K: 8 mcg, 11%; Diabetic Exchange: 2 Starch, 2 Fat
Source: Eating for Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love

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Homemade Salad Dressing Made Easy

Posted on September 9, 2009

Take the guess work out of salad dressing and make a fool-proof batch every time. Feel free to substitute ingredients, including fancy oils (walnut, avocado, hazelnut) and flavored vinegars (tarragon, raspberry, white balsamic). Instead of crushing the garlic clove, smash it with the blade of a knife, so you get the garlic flavor without small pieces clogging the squirt bottle opening. To produce consistent results, purchase a wide-mouthed plastic squirt bottle (minimum one-cup capacity) and mark lines on the side of the bottle to indicate how much vinegar and oil to add. Here’s a classic vinaigrette recipe to get you started.

Catherine’s Classic Vinaigrette
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, to taste
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

Combine the mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar in a squirt bottle. Seal the top and shake vigorously Add the oil and shake again. Keep refrigerated. The dressing will last about 1 month refrigerated.

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Juicy Turkey Burgers

Posted on August 12, 2009

Juicy Turkey Burgers

An alternative to traditional beef burgers, these juicy patties can be served with or without a bun. I like them with a salad loaded  with fresh herbs and juicy ripe tomatoes. See my vinaigrette recipe.

Makes 4 burgers
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon canola oil or canola oil cooking spray

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the canola oil in a bowl and mix until well blended. If the mixture is too pasty or sticky, add 1 tablespoon water. (Note: The consistency should be softer than a burger made with ground beef, but firm enough to hold its shape.) Divide the turkey mixture into 4 portions, form each portion into a patty, and place on a large plate.
2. If pan frying, heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. If grilling, before preheating the grill, position a piece of foil over the grill rack and poke holes in it. (This grilling method is used to prevent these burgers from sticking to the grill and falling apart.) Just before cooking the burgers, generously spray the surface of the foil with canola oil cooking spray. Add the burgers to the skillet or grill, and cook on one side for 6 minutes, or until the underside is dark brown. Flip the burgers and cook on the second side for about 6 minutes, or until the center of the burgers is completely opaque and instant-read thermometer inserted into the center (through the side of the burger) reads 165º to 170º  F.
3. Remove from the skillet or grill and serve immediately. These turkey burgers keep 3 days refrigerated. They do not freeze well.

Advance Preparation: The burgers can be formed, covered, and refrigerated up to 4 hours in advance.
Variation: Substitute ground chicken for the turkey.

Nutrition Highlight: Protein

Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: one 5-ounce turkey burger: Calories: 316 cals; Protein: 35 g.; Carbohydrates: 3 g.; Fat: 18 g.; Fiber: 0 g.; Sodium: 498 mg.; Diabetic Exchange: Fat 1, Meat-Lean 5
Source: Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be

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Spice Up Your Nuts!

Posted on July 30, 2009

Many studies from around the world have shown that people who eat nuts regularly cut their risk of heart disease by as much as half compared to those who rarely or never eat nuts. Recently, several studies have found that 1 to 3 ounces (2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup) a day of walnuts or almonds, in particular, can lower blood cholesterol, as well as levels of other substances in the blood (including apoliprotein) that have been linked to heart disease. Toss nuts in salads, add them to grains, or sprinkle them on a bowl of soup. Read more about nuts in Eating for Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love. Here’s a recipe to spice up your nuts!

Spicy Cashews
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Dash of ground cinnamon
Pinch of sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime (optional)
2 cups (about ½ pound) cups unsalted, cashews

1. Preheat oven to 300º F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the nuts and mix. Add the nuts and mix until they are well coated.
3. Line a baking sheet with foil. Evenly spread out the nuts and bake for 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
4. Remove the nuts from the oven, cool completely, and store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

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Fresh Strawberry-Raspberry Pie

Posted on June 30, 2009

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Fresh Strawberry-Raspberry Pie

The perfect summer dessert when fresh berries are sweet and plentiful. If you don’t need to watch your cholesterol, use 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in place of the canola oil in the crust.

Makes one 9-inch pie; serves 8
Graham Cracker Almond Piecrust
1-1/4 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped sliced almonds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
Filling
1 pound fresh strawberries (about 4-1/2 cups), washed and hulled,
smaller berries quartered, larger ones into sixths or eighths
12 ounces fresh raspberries (about 1 ½ cups)
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup water

1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine all of the ingredients for the graham cracker almond piecrust in a bowl and mix until well blended. Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie plate and press them evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake the pie shell for 12 to 14 minutes, or until it is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool before filling.

3. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries and raspberries. Puree 2 cups of the berries to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. (Note: The pureed berries should yield about 1-1/3 cups.) Set aside the remaining berries.
4. Combine the berry puree, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, or until the mixture becomes thick and shiny. Remove from the heat.

5. Place half of the reserved strawberries and raspberries in the pie shell and pour half of the hot berry mixture over them. Add the remaining strawberries and raspberries and top with the remaining hot berry mixture. Using a spoon, gently move the berries until all of them are covered with sauce and the sauce touches the sides of the piecrust.

6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the filling is set. Serve chilled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Highlights: Vitamin C and cholesterol free

Approximate Nutritional Information: One-eighth fresh strawberry-raspberry pie: Calories: 225 cals, 11%; Protein: 2g, 5%; Total fat: 8 g, 13%; Saturated fat: .5 g, 3%; Cholesterol: 0 mg, 0%; Carbohydrates: 38 g, 13%; Fiber: 4g, 16%; Sodium: 23 mg, 1%; Vitamin C: 55 mg, 91%; Vitamin K: 10 mcg, 12%; Diabetic Exchange: 1 Starch, 1-1/2 Fruit, 1 Fat
Source: Eating for Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love

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Save Money with Homemade Yogurt

Posted on June 18, 2009

Why would you want to make your own yogurt when it’s readily available in grocery stores? Here are three good reasons: 1) You control what goes into it: no gelatin, artificial coloring, or preservatives; 2) it’s remarkably easy; and 3) it will save you some money in the long run, especially if your family eats a lot of yogurt (like mine does).

My advice is to invest in a good yogurt machine. I am pleased with my Euro Cuisine Yogurt Maker. Once a week, I make the following recipe. Before I begin, I preheat my yogurt machine (preheating is not called for in the directions, but I find it speeds up the setting time) for about 20 minutes while I’m warming the milk.

To fill seven 6-ounce yogurt jars, place 4 cups (1 liter) whole milk or 2% milk, in a saucepan and heat it to the point just before it boils, about 6 or 7 minutes (watch it closely). Remove the milk from the stove and let it sit at room temperature for 3 minutes. Whisk in 4 tablespoons of plain, unsweetened store-bought yogurt, then evenly distribute the milk mixture among the jars. Place the jars in the yogurt machine and heat for 6 hours, or until set. Once the yogurt has set, seal the jars (while they are still warm), and refrigerate. Note: Follow the directions on your yogurt maker as all models vary.

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Calcium-and-Protein Powered Smoothies

Posted on June 8, 2009

smoothiesIt’s all about smoothies these days…and the choices are endless. I mean, just look in the grocery store and you’ll find shelves of smoothies that deliver extra protein, vitamins, antioxidants, calcium, and so on. Wish they’d invent one to get rid of wrinkles! You can give your own smoothies, either homemade or store-bought, a boost of calcium by whisking 1/3 cup pasteurized instant nonfat dry milk into 1-1/2 to 2-cups of liquid. This will add about 14 grams of protein and 500 milligrams of calcium (1/2 the recommended daily intake!) to your power drink. Moms with kids who need more calcium, take note.

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Sun-Soaked Tarragon Vinegar

Posted on May 20, 2009

Infusing vinegar with fresh tarragon raises salad dressings to a whole new level. Combine 1 cup lightly packed fresh tarragon sprigs, ends trimmed, washed, and bruised leaves removed, with 2-1/2 cups of distilled white vinegar in a jar. Seal the jar and place it in a sunny spot for 1 day and then at room temperature for 5 more days. Remove the tarragon sprigs and strain the vinegar. Return the vinegar to the jar and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

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