Garden Bounty, Summer 2012

Zucchini cakes (Photo credit: foodiesathome.com)

It's been quite some time since I've posted anything on my blog, over a year!  I guess that's what happens when life gets in the way ...


We've been quite busy in the garden this summer, all of our plants seem to be growing like crazy.  We have the biggest potato plants I've ever seen, and our cucumbers just keep coming.  I've already given a bunch away and still have plenty in the fridge, along with a couple of jars of pickles. 


One thing I've made a couple of times this year are Zucchini Cakes, which is a recipe I found on the Food Network by Sandra Lee: Zucchini Cakes Recipe . The recipe calls for a cup of "baking mix" which she gives the recipe for at the bottom, but I substitute Biscuik and it works just fine.  I've found that the 1/4 cup of oil called for in the recipe is a little excessive in my nonstick pan; just use enough to coat the bottom of the pan, they actually brown better when not swimming in oil.  


Tonight, Michael and I had a delicious vegetarian meal of new potatoes, Italian green beans, leftover squash casserole and zucchini cakes - all from the garden.  It was outstanding and light, perfect for a no-fuss weeknight meal.  We even topped it off with some fresh watermelon (from the Ingles garden!).


I made Zucchini Bread again (you can find it under "zucchini" on the right-hand side).  I always love this recipe, the taste is just a little different than your run-of-the-mill zucchini bread because of the lemon zest, poppy seeds, crystallized ginger and curry.  You can leave all those "optional" ingredients out of the recipe but it just wouldn't be the same.

The Tastiest 2-Ingredient Dessert!

Another Weight Watchers recipe that I found to be super-delicious is Moist Cherry Angel Food Cake. This cake is so easy that even if you're a dodo in the kitchen, you can make this!

Ingredients:

1 Box Angel Food Cake Mix

1 can Light Cherry Pie Filling (or Blueberry)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. Mix the cake and pie filling together; pour batter into the cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Batter will rise while baking, but then settles down after you remove it from the oven. Place the pan on a cooling rack; cut into 24 pieces when cooled. Each piece is 3 points.

Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad

I found this recipe in Pampered Chef's "Make it Fresh, Make it Healthy" cookbook, which is new this spring. I modified it just a bit, since preparing a salad for 6 people when there are only 2 in the house is more than I can eat without getting bored with it -- so I adjusted it for 4 servings. Since I'm now on the Weight Watchers Points Plus Program, I'm always looking for new recipes that are low in points but very filling.

Ingredients

1/3 cup(s) rice vinegar

2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter, without salt

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp ginger root

1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), pressed

1/3 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cup(s) Napa cabbage, shredded

1 1/2 cup(s) romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup(s) shredded red cabbage

2 medium scallion, sliced thin (both green and white parts)

3 small (about 9 oz) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 medium orange(s)

3 serving(s) Wonton Strips (found in the Produce Section with the croutons)

Instructions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill on a George Forman grill or something similar. Set aside.

For the dressing, whisk together vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, canola and sesame oils, sugar, gingerroot, garlic and plack pepper until blended; set aside. Combine cabbage, lettuce and onion together; toss to combine and set aside.

Slice the chicken into thin strips and toss with about 1/4 c. of the dressing. Gently toss the rest of the dressing into the lettuce mixture. Split into 4 servings; top each serving with oranges, chicken and wonton strips.

I'm on the Weight Watchers Bandwagon!

Image via WikipediaYep -- I'm one of the slew of people who have hopped on the Weight Loss Bandwagon at the beginning of the year. I've been dieting for most of my adult life - I have yet to get to a weight that I feel comfortable with. Why is that? I have a few opinions, the most plausible being that I -- along with about 70% of the U.S. -- am totally addicted to sugar and empty carbohydrates!

I decided to join Weight Watchers, partly because I had 3 friends who had already joined and I thought it would be good to have some buddies going through the same ups and downs. I also had heard that the program has been totally revamped and was very easy to follow. Mostly I joined because I needed to be accountable to someone other than myself.

I followed the program - mostly to a T -- and ended up losing 5.8 lbs my first week - HOORAY! It's definitely a psychological boost when you see a healthy weight loss your first week, I'm definitely motivated to continue following the program and counting my points. The Weight Watchers website is great; it keeps track of all my points for the week as well as my weight. It definitely makes it pretty easy to stay on the plan.

I noticed that if I kept foods in the house that I could eat and still stay on plan, it was that much easier. I did go out to lunch once and dinner once but was able to stay within my points. They encourage you to use your weekly extra points but I only used about 1/2 of the 49 points.

I'm pretty motivated to stay on the program and will report any new recipes or tips that I come up with.

A Taste of Fall

Image via WikipediaWhat says fall more than something made with pumpkin? Our church is participating in the Waynesville Cookie Tour again this year, and I thought I would try something different. Everyone seems to love anything made with pumpkin, so I found this recipe. I confess I haven't made them yet but I will be experimenting with the recipe this week. I would love to find a way to make a tasty cookie that is not filled with butter and sugar. In this recipe, I plan on cutting the amount of butter in half (and will be using I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Baking Sticks), and using Splenda for some of the sugar in the recipe. I'll report back after I've made the cookies with a modified list of ingredients, and any tips that might be helpful. Here is the original recipe:

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups fresh (or canned) pumpkin

4 cups flour (sifted)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

2 cups raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate, smaller bowl. In a large bowl, blend butter & sugar, add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla (do this with a mixer). Fold in pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients in thirds, blending well each time, fold in nuts and raisins. Drop dough by one-inch balls onto a greased cookie sheet, bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Makes LOTS of cookies!

Fresh Tastes of Summer!

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Oh, the delicious flavor of a cucumber fresh-picked from the garden; you just can't beat it. We finally got a couple of cucumbers ripe enough to pick, as well as some yellow squash - which I suspect we will be picking for the next few weeks.

Since the tomatoes aren't quite ready yet, I had to purchase a few greenhouse tomatoes at the supermarket today to go along with the cucumbers. One thing I love about this season is the simplicity of preparation -- simply slice the tomatoes and the cucumbers, and serve them with just a dash of salt and pepper. In the words of Rachael Ray, YUM-O!

We haven't had much luck this year with zucchini. Michael planted four plants from seed, but they all have withered away. We may get a few zucchini out of them but certainly not as many as we had last year. The yellow squash, on the other hand, will be quite plentiful this year. My favorite way of preparing yellow squash is to cut up an onion and 3 or 4 small yellow squash into chunks, saute in olive oil, add some fresh thyme, salt and pepper, and let it all simmer for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. The flavors really come through in this dish.

I hope you enjoy some fresh summer experiences for yourself - definitely worth a little extra effort.

Garden Bounty

This week has brought on much progress in the garden. The lettuce is going to start to bolt soon, so it has to be picked - but we have much more growing as you can see from some of the pictures. The tomatoes, squash and peppers all have fruit on them, the corn is starting to grow nice and tall, and the chard and kale are in full swing.

Tonight for Father's Day, we'll have some chicken on the grill with fresh snap peas and a nice big salad with some of the romaine lettuce from the garden. I'm sure Michael will be pleased.

For more garden photos, here is the link to my Facebook photos:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068726&id=1144844382&l=634f5aec24

Gardening Season is upon us!

Image via Wikipedia

Hooray, things are finally starting to happen in the garden! So far we have all this planted:

Lettuce

Garlic

Strawberries

Potatoes

Peas

Carrots

Beets

Swiss Chard

Kale

Broccoli

Basil

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Peppers

Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Radishes

Dill

Tarragon

Lemon Balm

Chamomile

Hard to believe that we have so much planted in our tiny little backyard, but that's the beauty of Square Foot Gardening! Since we only need a few of each plant (ok, so we have 80 garlic plants but who's counting???) it makes sense to devote one or two squares to each plant. The method is amazing and it WORKS!

This evening I picked a whole bunch of romaine lettuce leaves - I now have more than enough lettuce for the next few days. The beauty of lettuce is that you pick only the outer leaves and the plants just keep producing. And the taste is outstanding to say the least. We have a lot of strawberries that will be ready to pick in the next week or so, so I will be making a wonderful salad with all that romaine and some fresh strawberries. I'll make a viniagrette similar to a raspberry viniagrette - but with strawberries -- to splash on the salad. You don't need much and the taste is so fresh!

Don't forget to check out my husband Michael's blog; he's a certified Square Foot Gardening Instructor and knows his stuff. http://afewsquarefeet.com/

Middle Eastern Chickpea Stew

This recipe was definitely a winner. I had seen it on a website (Eatingwell.com) earlier this week and was just waiting for the opportunity -- and the time -- to make it. It's economical, vegan and very hearty. Served with a salad and some pita bread, you've got a great, healthy meal.

6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 cup orange juice

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed

3 cups peeled and diced sweet potato, (about 1 pound)

2/3 cup brown basmati rice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onions and cook, stirring often, until tender and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add cumin and coriander and stir for about 15 seconds. Add orange juice and broth. Stir in chickpeas, sweet potato, rice and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the sweet potatoes are breaking down to thicken the liquid, about 45 minutes. Season with pepper. (The stew will be thick and will thicken further upon standing. Add more broth to thin, if desired, or when reheating.) Serve topped with cilantro.

Nutrition

Per serving : 317 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 3 mg Cholesterol; 58 g Carbohydrates; 12 g Protein; 9 g Fiber; 362 mg Sodium; 461 mg Potassium

3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 very lean meat

More Bean Burgers

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I started to make a White Bean Burger recipe that Michael had emailed me from a NY Times website, but the white beans I was saving in the fridge had gone bad, so I needed to improvise since the weather was bad outside and I wasn't about to head to the store. I had some pinto beans left over from the other night so I used them instead. With a little cumin powder, I gave the original recipe a Southwestern spin. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2/3 cup carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 cups pinto beans (I used dried beans that I had cooked a few nights earlier but canned beans would work just fine).
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or 1/2 cup dried, unseasoned)
• 1/2 tsp ground sage or thyme

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet; add the onion and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Add the carrot and garlic, then sprinkle the cumin, salt and pepper over the vegetables and cook for another minute or two until the carrot has softened. Remove from heat.

Place the beans and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse until they have a mashed consistency with a few chunks of bean still present. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the vegetables, parsley, herbs, breadcrumbs and egg; mix together until just until blended - do not overmix. Form into six patties and place on a foil-lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour to an hour.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; add the burger patties but don't crowd the pan. Cook slowly, only turning once so that the burgers don't fall apart. These are delicious served with salsa, or even chow chow -- with our without the bun!

Black Bean Cakes - Vegetarian Delights

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to eat less meat. I've been trying to cook and serve a vegetarian meal at least twice a week. It's better for me personally and definitely better for the environment. Of course, January is not the best time for fresh vegetables, but I did find a HUGE bag of Kale in the produce department at Walmart, from a farm in South Carolina -- that's pretty close to locally grown in my book. I found a recipe for Spicy Black Bean Cakes on Allrecipes.com, and set out to make a Vegetarian Feast of Black Bean Cakes and Sauteed Kale. Michael was skeptical at first, since the Black Bean Cakes called for Sweet Potato -- he just didn't think that combination sounded very appetizing. Needless to say he was pleasantly surprised at the end result. Here's the recipe for the Black Bean Cakes, reprinted from Allrecipes.com:

Ingredients:

Lime Sour Cream: 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, minced salt to taste Bean Cakes: 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 green onions, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, pressed 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed salt and black pepper to taste 2 cups grated raw sweet potato 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs

Directions:

1.	To prepare lime sour cream, mix the sour cream, lime juice, 1 small minced jalapeno, and salt together in a small bowl. Cover, and refrigerate.
2.	Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook green onions until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic, 2 diced jalapenos, and cumin; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3.	Transfer contents of skillet to a large bowl. Stir in black beans, and mash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in sweet potatoes, egg, and bread crumbs. Divide into 8 balls, and flatten into patties.
4.	In the oven, set cooking rack about 4 inches from heat source. Set oven to broil. Lightly grease baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil.
5.	Place bean patties on baking sheet, and broil 8 to 10 minutes. Turn cakes over, and broil until crispy, about 3 minutes more. Serve with lime sour cream.

The black bean cakes came out absolutely delicious, and we had enough left over for dinner the next night. Not bad for ingredients that cost about $4.00!

I have posted the technique for my Sauteed Kale on this blog in the past, but I will give a quick refresher course here. The type of kale that I found was already chopped and triple-washed which was definitely a huge time-saver. If you get whole kale, make sure it is thoroughly washed, and stripped off the stems. Chop it up into smaller pieces, spin-dry in the salad spinner, then set aside. In a large pot (like a soup pot), heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (any kind). Add one yellow onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced. Saute the onion over medium-low heat for about 9-10 minutes until it has carmelized. To the onion, add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and saute for about one minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Now add the kale; you might have to add it in bunches and wait for the first bunch to wilt a little to make room for the rest. Once it's all added and mixed in with the onion and garlic, add a generous splash of soy sauce, mix it up with tongs, lower the heat and cover the pan. You only need to cook the kale for about 5 minutes until it has softened a bit; don't overcook. This is one of the most delicious ways to make greens, whether it be kale, swiss chard, mustard greens or turnip greens. If you want to give it an Asian flair, add a generous splash of sesame oil at the end.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

This is a recipe my sister Fran posted on her Facebook page. It took me awhile to make it, but being cooped up in the house during the "Great Winter Storm of '09" inspired me to do some baking.

The first thing I thought of when I saw this recipe was how high in calories it was, so I made a few changes, reducing the fat and sugar content. The cake, which has a kind of custardy bottom and a crunchy top, turned out delicious - even with my attempts to lighten it up. Don't get me wrong, it still is very rich with a lot of calories (I don't even want to guess how many!), but it is heavenly. It called for whipped cream to top it but believe me, it doesn't need it. Here are the directions:

2 c. pumpkin puree
1 (12 oz.) can fat-free evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. Splenda baking substitute
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 (18.25 oz.) package yellow cake mix
1 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 c. melted margarine
whipped cream (optional)

Directions- preheat oven to 350 F
Lightly grease one 9 x 13 baking pan

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
Mix well and spread into prepared pan

Sprinkle yellow cake mix over top of pumpkin mixture and pat down. Sprinkle chopped pecans
over the top of the cake mix then drizzle the melted margarine all over the top.

Bake at 350 for about 1 hr. but no longer than 1 hr. 20 min. (insert a knife in the center, it should come out clean).
Top cooled cake with whipped cream when ready to serve, if desired.

It's Soup Time!

Image by thebittenword.com via Flickr

It's been awhile since I've posted any recipes. Now that I'm working full-time it's hard to find the time to play in the kitchen these days. When I get home from work there are always a million things to do, which I ponder over while I'm vegging out in front of the TV or computer!

I've been trying to stay away from processed foods these days, as well as fast foods and foods that are high in fat and cholesterol. I'm not getting any younger; taking care of my body is getting more and more crucial as the years pass. The summer brought a bounty of fresh vegetables straight from the garden; now that those are nearly gone (there are still some greens to be picked out there), I'm actually going to have to buy stuff -- ouch!!

Since we're now into "soup weather," I've rediscovered some of my favorite soup recipes, one of which is Sweet Potato and Apple Soup. It's super easy and has very little fat. It goes great with some homemade croutons and a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. Try this soup; you'll be making it every winter.

Here are the ingredients:

3 lbs. of sweet potatoes

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 celery stalk sliced

1 apple peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons salt

(you may want to try substituting some winter squash or even pumpkin for the potatoes, or add some ginger to the mix, maybe a bit of cinnamon)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees, prick the potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet and roast until tender (45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes).

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat--add the onion, celery and apple and cook, stirring occasionally until soft about 10-12 minutes.

Halve the potatoes, scoop out the flesh, then add to the saucepan, add 6 cups of water, the salt and pepper and other spices). Cook until heated through (8-10 minutes).

Puree the soup in the saucepan using an immersion blender (or working in batches, use a standard blender). Add more water if needed to reach the desired consistency.

Serve with croutons and a dollop of sour cream (and a garden salad, fresh from the back yard or the salad bar at Ingles, whichever is in season).

A Very Vegan Vegetable Salad

In an effort to cut down on animal fats, Michael and I have been eating a lot more dishes containing beans and lentils. As I was looking through my collection of printed recipes, I came across this one which I have made several times over the past few months. It's incredibly versatile; I've substituted garbanzo and kidney beans for the black beans, and lemon juice for the lime juice. I made it again last night for a church supper we were having today. It got rave reviews and I only had a serving or two left to take home.

This recipe calls for Quinoa, which is a South American grain-like seed; you can find it at Earth Fare and the larger Ingles stores. It doesn't have much flavor, but it absorbs the dressing in the salad and gives the salad a crunchy texture. I've made it without the quinoa -- either way, it's a delicious, colorful salad that's good for you and contains heart-healthy fats.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Quinoa
• 1-1/2 cups canned black beans, drained (or substitute chick peas or kidney beans or a combination)
• 1-1/2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 cups cooked corn (fresh is best but frozen is a good substitute - don't use canned)
• 1 red pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped or 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 t. garlic, chopped fine
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (or lemon juice if you don't have lime juice)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1-1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer under running water until the water runs clear (quinoa has a soap-like film on it that makes it taste bitter so it needs to be washed off). Put in a small saucepan with a cup of water, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for about 15-20 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan a little, just take it off the heat and keep it covered for a few minutes, it will loosen. Transfer to a large bowl to cool (or you can place the pan in a shallow ice bath for about 15 minutes, stirring the quinoa every few minutes).

While the quinoa is cooking, marinate the beans and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside. In another large bowl, mix together the corn, pepper, onion, garlic and herbs. Whisk together the lime juice, pepper, salt and ground cumin; slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to make an emulsion. Pour over the vegetables, add the beans and the cooled quinoa; mix well. Make this dish early in the day or the night before so it can chill and the flavors can marry.

Sauteed Greens, Asian Style

Image by flit via Flickr

We have had an abundance of several types of greens this season, and they are still producing - even after a couple of frosty nights. Last weekend Michael picked some turnip and mustard greens, which I cooked with some Asian flavors. This is a quick, easy dish that is a delicious as it is good for you. Don't be afraid to try different types of greens; there's so much more to life than spinach!!!

Ingredients:

• Fresh greens -- whatever is available: Kale, Swiss Chard, Turnip Greens or Mustard Greens, about 1 to 1-1/2 lbs (serves about 2-3 people)
• 1 sweet onion, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin strips
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Canola oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• Dash of rice wine vinegar (white vinegar works fine too)

Directions:

Wash the greens and dry in a salad spinner (you may have to do this in batches). Cut the greens into smaller pieces and set aside. In the meantime, heat the canola oil in a large pot (I use my soup pot) over medium heat and add the onion. Saute the onion slowly until it is lightly browned and carmelized - about 5-7 minutes. Now add the garlic and saute for only about 1 minute, making sure it doesn't burn. Add the greens, blending them into the onions with tongs. You may have to wait until they start to wilt and reduce in size before adding more. Once the greens have wilted and reduced (which only takes about a minute), add the soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Blend well, turn down the heat to medium-low and cover; let simmer for about 5 minutes until the greens are tender. Add a dash of vinegar, stir and serve.

Easy Chickpea Salad

Michael and I have been trying to change our diet so that we eat more grains, beans and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. We got this idea from several sources, but mostly by reading a couple of books authored by Dr. Andrew Weil.

I've been doing a lot of research on the so-called "Mediterranean Diet." The key foods consumed on this program are whole grains, beans or legumes, rice and pasta and -- of course -- olive oil. It's a very healthy way of eating, as long as it's done in moderation; it is by no means a low-calorie or low-fat diet.

I came across a recipe for Chickpea Salad that is fast, easy and delicious. It took me about 10 minutes to put it together; it's best to prepare the salad the night before so you can refrigerate it overnight to blend the flavors together.

Ingredients:

• 15.5 ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
  
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Dash of red wine vinegar
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, red onion, tomato, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for 2 hours before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

Lightened Up Spaghetti & Meatballs

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My mother always made the most wonderful spaghetti dinners on Sundays; you always knew it was Sunday morning when you awoke just by the smells coming from the kitchen. Mama started around 9 am, making the meatballs and a big pot of sauce. I don't have the kind of time she used to, nor the huge family to feed (10 kids, a husband and usually a few neighbor kids).

Over the years I have developed my own version of Mama's Spaghetti and Meatballs. I don't spend as much time as Mama did, but the dish always comes out delicious. One thing I have done, in the interest of eating less red meat, was to use turkey in place of beef in the meatballs. My mom used a combination of beef and pork (usually 1 lb of ground beef and 1/2 lb of ground pork). These meats have a much higher fat content (and more cholesterol) than the much leaner ground white meat turkey. The only problem with ground turkey is that because it's so lean, that usually means the meatballs will be dry. I've found a few remedies for this problem, however. First of all, I sometimes will mix the lean white meat ground turkey with some ground turkey that has a higher fat content (meaning it contains some dark meat). If I'm making 2 lbs of meatballs, I will use 1-1/2 lb of white meat ground turkey and 1/2 lb of ground turkey (85/15 or less). If you only have the white meat (97/3) ground turkey, you can add about 1-1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the meatballs. Another thing I've done to lighten up the meatballs is to cook them in the oven instead of on the stove, soaking in oil. And lastly, make sure you let the meatballs cook in the sauce for at least an hour so they can absorb the flavor (and the moisture) from the sauce.

Below you will find my turkey meatball recipe. Make sure you season them well as ground turkey can be pretty tasteless.

2 lbs of lean white meat ground turkey (or a combination of 97/3 turkey and 85/15 or 80/20 turkey)
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk (or more if needed)
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated romano or parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced very fine
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients together with your hands. If the meat feels too dry, add a little milk; if it's too wet, add a few more bread crumbs. Cover two cookie sheets with aluminum foil, then spray with some cooking spray. Roll the meat into balls - the size is up to you; I like them about the size of a large golf ball. Place the meatballs on the cookie sheets. It should make 24-30 meatballs. Cook the meatballs for about 10 minutes, then turn and cook 5 minutes more. Drain on paper towels, then add to your favorite marinara sauce and let the meatballs cook in the sauce for about a half hour to an hour. Serve over your favorite pasta - it doesn't always have to be spaghetti!!!

My version of Spanish Rice

This is another one of those recipes that Mama used to make for us regularly, only I put my own spin on it. The measurements don't have to be exact - mine never are! Just taste as you go along and adjust accordingly.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, preferably lean
1 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can petite diced tomatoes, seasoned with green chilies
1 cup white rice (uncooked)
1-1/2 cups water
1 T chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Shredded Monterey Jack & Cheddar Cheese blend

In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, brown the ground beef in the olive oil until all the pink is gone; drain out the fat. Add the onion, pepper and garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes, rice, water, chili powder and about 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked through. If the rice is still a bit soupy, remove the cover and let it simmer on the stove for another 5-10 minutes until some of the liquid is absorbed. Check for seasoning and add some ground red pepper if you want more fire. Now add the cheese and mix in to melt the cheese. Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana

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Michael wanted me to post this recipe. It's very similar to my lasagna, I just substitute eggplant for the lasagna noodles. I never made this dish with homegrown eggplant before, it was delish!

For this dish, you will need about 3 small eggplants. Make sure you select eggplants that are small, then the seeds inside will also be small. I'm not a fan of big eggplant seeds so I made sure that we picked the eggplant when it was small. Slice the eggplants lengthwise, about 1/4" thick. Place the slices on a clean kitchen towel (or a double thickness of paper towels) and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let the slices sit for about 1/2 hour, then blot the excess liquid from the slices. This step is necessary to remove a lot of the moisture from the eggplant, as well as some of the bitterness. While the eggplant is doing its thing, take out two shallow bowls. In one, place about 1 cup of flour, seasoned with salt & pepper. In the other, add two eggs, beaten. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, then add about 2 T olive oil and 2 T vegetable oil. Set up the bowls like an assembly line: first the flour, then the egg, then the skillet. Dip the dried eggplant first into the flour; shake of any excess. Then dip into the egg, making sure it is coated well. Now place into the skillet, a few pieces at a time. Don't crowd them in the skillet; they need room to breathe. Fry until golden on each side, then remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.

Now that the eggplant is all fried up, it's time to assemble everything. Here's what you'll need:

1 8-oz container of part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese, or a combination of both
3 cups marinara sauce (preferably homemade but if not, then at least a good quality brand)
2 tablespoons pesto
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Mix the egg with the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl, and add about 2 tablespoons of the grated romano cheese. Mix in about 2 tablespoons of water so the mixture is just a bit soupy. Heat the marinara sauce in a skillet, add the pesto and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes. In a large casserole dish, place some of the sauce (2 or 3 ladels-full) in the bottom of the dish. Now make a layer of eggplant. On top of the eggplant layer, spoon out about 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture and spread it around, then top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and a couple tablespoons of romano cheese, then top with marinara sauce. Start again with the eggplant, then ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and sauce. Top with more eggplant, then sauce and finally mozzarella cheese and romano cheese. Place in a 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes. If the cheese is getting too brown, cover with foil for the last 15 minutes or so.

Serve with extra sauce, a salad and plenty of hot Italian bread. Mangia!

Sun-dried Tomatoes

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What to do with those little tomatoes that have been coming out of our garden??? I've always loved sun-dried tomatoes so I thought I would try to make my own. I found some directions on the Epicurious website. The "sun-dried" effect can be accomplished in the oven, which I think is much safer than leaving those tomatoes out in the open air for 8 hours with nothing covering them. I just wish I could do this in the middle of winter when I could use the extra heat in the house, since the oven has to be on for 8 hours!

Directions:

Turn the oven on at 250 degrees. Wash about 20 small tomatoes, halve lengthwise and remove the stem area. Place the tomatoes cut-side up on cookie sheets that have been fitted with racks (I used my cake-cooling racks). Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, some dried basil and some black pepper (don't salt them - they're salty enough). Let them sit in the oven for about 8 hours. Check them after about 6 hours to make sure they're not getting too dark. If they are, open the oven door for the remaining time. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the racks, then place them in a glass jar and cover with olive oil. They can be stored in the pantry or in the fridge.

What to do with those sun-dried tomatoes? I made a cheese ball by adding about 8 chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of pesto and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese to 2 cups of cream cheese. Place into a small round bowl which has been fitted with plastic wrap. Pack it in pretty tightly, then cover with the ends of the plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, then unmold and decorate with toasted pine nuts. Serve with toasted bread rounds or pita chips.

Other ideas for sun-dried tomatoes: snip 4 or 5 pieces into your Pasta Primavera, or add to your favorite tomato sauce. You can also make a simple pasta dish by adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese and cooked Italian Sausage to cooked penne pasta. Make sure you add a generous amount of grated Romano Cheese! And of course, you can always make a pizza with sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fresh spinach (which has been barely steamed), and a nice sharp cheese like goat cheese or provolone.