Tempura Fried Okra w Honey Scallion Dip

Tempting Tempura-Fried Okra
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
3 quarts canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning the okra
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup club soda
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 pounds fresh okra, stems trimmed and okra halved lengthwise
Sweet and Sticky Honey-Scallion Dipping Sauce (see below)

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over high heat until a deep-fat thermometer reaches a temperature of 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix 11/2 cups flour with the salt and pepper. Add the club soda, egg, and cream of tartar and whisk until smooth.

Coat the okra with the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and shake off any excess. Dip the okra in the batter and then, using a long-handled slotted spoon or tongs, carefully submerge the okra in the oil and fry until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not crowd the pot. Lift the okra from the oil with the slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain, and season with salt while hot. Continue frying the okra, letting the oil return to 350°F between batches. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Sweet and Sticky Honey-Scallion Dipping Sauce
Makes about 11/2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream or low-fat Greek-style plain yogurt, drained
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, honey, scallions, and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill, or for up to 1 week. Stir before using.

Avocado Crunch Wrap

Avocado Crunch Wrap

* 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, (see Note)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups shredded red cabbage
* 1 medium carrot, shredded
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
* 1 ripe avocado
* 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
* 2 tablespoons minced red onion
* 4 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat wraps, or tortillas

1. Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle chile and salt in a medium bowl. Add cabbage, carrot and cilantro; toss to combine.
2. Mash beans and avocado in another medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in cheese and onion.
3. To assemble the wraps, spread about 1/2 cup of the bean-avocado mixture onto a wrap (or tortilla) and top with about 2/3 cup of the cabbage-carrot slaw. Roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut the wraps in half to serve, if desired.


* Ingredient Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they'll keep at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

Greek Style Quinoa Salad

Greek-Style Quinoa Salad

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3 tbsp. olive oil
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed in a garlic press
¼ cup kalamata olives
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
7 ounces sheep’s milk feta cheese, cubed
¼ cup diced red onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Place quinoa in a strainer and rinse under cold running water.
Add water and quinoa to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Cook 15 minutes until quinoa is almost translucent.
Spread cooked quinoa on a large dinner plate and place in freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and garlic. Toss with quinoa.
Add olives, scallions, grape tomatoes, feta cheese, and red onion; gently mix ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

*Feta cheese may be too salty for some. To lower the sodium count, soak it in water overnight.

Happy Cinqo de Mayo!

Mexican Tortilla Bake

I'm adding a layer of seasoned burger/sausage crumble mix, too.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 11/2 cups cooked pinto beans or one 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed (I'm using cilantro lime black beans)
• 1 141/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 11/2 cups prepared tomato salsa
• 4 ounces soft or silken tofu
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 12 6-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded vegan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly oil a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pinto beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. In a food processor or blender, combine the salsa, tofu, lime juice, and 1/2 cup of the bean mixture. Process until well blended.
4. Spread a thin layer of the tofu and salsa mixture over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 6 of the tortillas on top, overlapping as necessary. Spread the remaining bean mixture over the tortillas and cover with another layer of tortillas. Top with the remaining tofu-and-salsa mixture and sprinkle with the shredded cheese. I'm also topping this with salsa verde w heavy avocado chunks.
5. Bake until hot and bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes.

Homemade Horchata

• 1 cup long grain rice, rinsed
• 1 quart of soy milk
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, but definitely necessary, in my opinion)
• 1/2 cup white sugar

1. In a large saucepan, combine rice, water and cinnamon. Heat until it’s just about ready to boil.
2. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
3. Purée rice mixture in a blender until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Flavor with vanilla and sugar to taste. Chill, and serve over ice.

Roasted Garlic Creamed Spinach

Roasted Garlic Creamed Spinach

* 1 large head of garlic, top trimmed to expose the cloves
* EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
* Salt
* 1 cup half-n-half
* White pepper, to taste
* Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 round tablespoon flour
* 2 10oz boxes chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a clean kitchen towel

Yields: Serves 4

Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle garlic with oil and season with a little salt. Wrap tightly in foil and roast garlic to soft, 45 minutes. Let cool to handle.

Combine garlic, half-n-half, salt, white pepper and a little nutmeg in a blender and purée. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Step

In medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute, add half-n-half mixture and bring to a bubble. Separate spinach with your fingertips as you add to the sauce. Simmer at a low bubble to thicken, 20-25 minutes.

Morning Glory Muffins

Morning Glory Muffins

PREP TIME 15 Min
TOTAL TIME 40 Min
SERVINGS 12

1 cup Fiber One® original bran cereal
2/3 cup vanilla soymilk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal
3/4 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup flaked coconut -- I skipped this one and opted for 1 very ripe medium smashed banana
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fat-free egg product
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla



1. Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. Spray bottoms only of baking cups with cooking spray. (Muffins will stick if baking cups are not sprayed.) Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor).
2. In large bowl, mix crushed cereal and soymilk; let stand about 5 minutes or until cereal is softened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove muffins from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm.

Healthy Poutine?

Poutine

4 servings, about 3/4 cup potatoes & 1/3 cup gravy each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds new or baby potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
* 5 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
* 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium veggie beef broth or mushroom broth, divided
* 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
* 1 cup coarsely chopped cremini or white mushrooms
* 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
* 2 Tbs finely chopped chives
* 1/2 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese



1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F.
2. Combine potatoes, 2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are tender and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Whisk 1/2 cup broth and flour in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Heat the remaining 3 tsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup broth; bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the reserved flour and broth mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in chives and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; keep warm on low heat.
6. When the potatoes are done, push them together in the center of the pan and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven; bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Serve the potatoes topped with the gravy.

Pasta Fagioli

* 2 lbs veggie burger crumbles
* 1 onion, chopped
* 3 carrots, chopped
* 4 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
* 1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
* 1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans, drained
* 30 oz veggie beef stock
* 3 teaspoons oregano
* 2 teaspoons pepper
* 5 teaspoons parsley
* 2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
* 1 (20 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
* 8 ounces pasta

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 7 1/4 hrs

1. Brown beef in a skillet.
2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.
3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.
4. During last 30 min on high or 1 hour on low, add pasta.

Black Bean Soup

* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
* 1/4 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
* 2 small chicken bouillon cubes
* 1 -1 1/2 cup boiling water
* 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, undrained
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 lemon, juice of
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

1. In a pot, combine the first six ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add half a can of beans, salt and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.
3. Puree soup (I use an immersion blender which makes it easy to do it right in the pot).
4. Add the rest of the beans to the soup.
5. Combine the cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons of water.
6. Add the lemon and the cornstarch to the soup; cook until thickened.

Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

Sausage, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

10 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours


* 8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
* 1 pound vegetarian sausage, crumbled
* 4 cups sliced mushrooms, (10 ounces)
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed
* 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste
* 1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese, (2 cups)
* 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until not quite tender, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot, cover with cool water and set aside.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and water; cook, stirring occasionally and crumbling the sausage more, until it is cooked through, the water has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water, then stir into the pan; remove from heat.
4. Mix tomatoes with basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
5. To assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, trimming to fit if necessary. Evenly dollop half the ricotta over the noodles. Top with half the sausage mixture, one-third of the remaining tomatoes and one-third of the mozzarella. Continue with another layer of noodles, the remaining ricotta, the remaining sausage, half the remaining tomatoes and half the remaining mozzarella. Top with a third layer of noodles and the remaining tomatoes.
6. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake until bubbling and heated through, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Vegetarian Variation: Use a sausage-style soy product, such as Gimme Lean, or simply omit the sausage altogether.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

8 servings
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours


* 12 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 3 medium carrots, sliced
* 3 medium stalks celery, sliced
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 2 lbs MSF Chicken Strips or Chicken Grillers, cut into 1" cubes
* 1/3 cup cornstarch
* 4 cups low-fat milk
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup hot sauce, preferably Frank’s RedHot
* 1 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil. Cook noodles until barely tender, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside.
3. Heat oil in the pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook til warm, 3-5 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and milk in a medium bowl; add to the pot along with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until bubbling and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in hot sauce.
4. Spread the noodles in a 9-by-13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish. Top with the chicken mixture; sprinkle with blue cheese.
5. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

* Make Ahead Tip: In Step 2, cook the noodles 4 minutes less than package directions. Prepare through Step 4, cover and refrigerate for 1 day. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake at 400°F for 45 minutes.

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole Recipe

12 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours


* 2 1/4 pounds summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups)
* 2/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
* 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
* 1 4-1/2-ounce can chopped jalapenos, (about 1/2 cup), drained
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* 2 1/4 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, (about 7 ounces), divided
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup mild salsa
* 4 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
* 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, for garnish


1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine squash, onion, chiles, jalapenos, salt and 3/4 cup cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour; toss to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
3. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the squash is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Spoon salsa over the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake, uncovered, until golden and heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and red onion.

* Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, at 350°F for about 40 minutes. Garnish just before serving.

Zucchini Rice Casserole

Zucchini Rice Casserole Recipe

12 servings, about 1 cup each
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
* 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 4 cups diced zucchini , and/or summer squash (about 1 pound)
* 2 red or green bell peppers, chopped
* 1 large onion, diced
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese, divided
* 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
* 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 8 ounces vegetarian sausage, crumbled
* 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeños

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Pour rice into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir hot broth into the rice along with zucchini (and/or squash), bell peppers, onion and salt. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 35 to 45 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, whisk milk and flour in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until bubbling and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add 1 1/2 cups Jack cheese and corn and cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking the sausage into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. (If using vegetarian sausage, just microwave 2 minutes til crumbly.)
5. When the rice is done, stir in the sausage and cheese sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Jack cheese on top and dollop cream cheese by the teaspoonful over the casserole. Top with jalapeños.
6. Return the casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

* Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5; cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. To finish, bake at 375°F until the casserole is hot and the cheese is melted, about 45 minutes.

Korean Tofu Pancakes

Korean Tofu Pancake
* a package of firm tofu, mashed and drain
* a package of fresh oyster mushroom, cut into small pieces.
* a bunch of chives, finely chopped
* half of a sweet red pepper, finely diced
* 1 egg, beaten
* flour for coating

The tofu has to be drained properly. If the tofu is too wet, it will be very difficult to form the mixture into small patties.

Mix the tofu, oyster mushroom, red pepper and chives together. Season with salt and pepper.Add 3 to 4 tablespoons (or more) of flour to bind the mixture together.

Form the mixture into small patties.

Coat the patties in flour and then dip in egg wash (you may leave the egg wash if you would like to make this into a true vegetarian dish) and then re coat with flour.

Pan fry the patties in medium heat until both sides are browned.

You may serve the Tofu Pancake with a sauce made of Korean soy sauce, chopped green onion and Korean red pepper powder.

Or you can steam/stir-fry the whole mixture with extra slice onions and green onions. This is great with steam rice.

Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping

Vegetable Casserole with Tofu Topping
Makes 6 to 8 (side dish)

* Active time:1 hr
* Start to finish:1 1/2 hr

This colorful, delicious dish continues to be a staple at our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. Using dried bread crumbs will create a crispy topping, while fresh bread crumbs produce a more tender result.

For Vegetables

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
* 1 lb cabbage, cored and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices (4 cups)
* 1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped (12 cups)
* 1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Topping

* 1 1/2 cups fine fresh or dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
* 7 oz firm tofu
* 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauté vegetables:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add cabbage, kale, carrots, water, soy sauce, and salt. (Skillet will be full, but volume will reduce as vegetables steam.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Pulse all topping ingredients together in a food processor until combined well. Alternatively, mash ingredients together in a large bowl with a potato masher. Sprinkle tofu mixture over vegetables in baking dish and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Mushroom Seitan Casserole

Mushroom Casserole Recipe -- Thanks to 101

Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese or sour cream if you prefer. Use chopped seitan, veggie chicken and greens for add-ins. :)

1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy.

Peasant Stew

Peasant Stew

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned ---I'm using 6 vegetarian MSF Chicken Grillers added just at the last step of the recipe.
1 cup chopped onion
1 (14.5-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with jalapeño peppers and spices, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
Combine cumin, salt, and pepper; sprinkle over chicken.

Place chicken in an electric slow cooker; stir in onion, tomatoes, and chiles. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting for 3 hours. Stir in beans. Cover; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. If you're using my vegetarian version, you'll need only the 1 hour.

Place 1 chicken thigh in each of 6 soup bowls; ladle 1 1/4 cups stew into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 teaspoons cilantro and 2 teaspoons sour cream.

A-mmmm-azing Mini Mushroom Tartlets

Mmmm-azing Mini Mushroom Tartlets

1 cup finely chopped portabella mushrooms
1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
3 T. chopped scallions
3 T. fat free cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 t. chopped garlic
1/8 t. salt
2 dashes black pepper
2 dashes nutmeg
15 mini phyllo dough shells (found in the freezer aisle)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium high heat on the stove. Add mushrooms and onion, and cook until soft. Place mushrooms and onion in small bowl. Add scallions, cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix well. Evenly distribute mushroom mixture among the phyllo shells. Arrange shells on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes until edges of tartlets are crisp. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Yum!
Makes 3 servings, 120 calories per serving, points value: 3

Spinach Risotto

Spinach Risotto

Ingredients
1 small zucchini,chopped
10 oz baby spinach
1 carrot, diced
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup dry white wine -- or chicken stock or ginger ale or white grape juice
1 ½ cup GF chicken stock
1 cup Arborio rice
¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Salt, pepper, and dried dill weed to taste

1. In a large pan, over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, celery, onion, mushrooms, carrot. And rice. Cook for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.Stir in the GF chicken stock and the dry white wine; bring to a boil over high heat.

2. Reduce the heat (medium-low), cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Add in spinach, zucchini and Parmesan. Add in salt, pepper, and dill weed to taste.Continue heating until the spinach is wilted (about 2 minutes) and the serve!

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

10 lasagna noodles
1 egg
1 pound ricotta
1-1/2 cups fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 cup veggies, finely chopped (spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Garlic salt and pepper to taste
2 cups tomato sauce


1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a large bowl combine egg, ricotta, half of the mozzarella, Parmesan, veggies, parsley, garlic salt and pepper. Mix well.
4. Spread the noodles out on a cutting board. Spread a thin layer of the veggie mixture evenly over each noodle.
5. Starting at one end, roll up each noodle.
6. In a shallow baking dish spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom.
7. Add the rolls, seam side down, so they don't unroll and fall apart.
8. Add remaining tomato sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese on top of rolls.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through and cheese is melted.

Serves 2