Foodbuzz

Fall

Butternut Squash and Crimini Mushroom Pizza

 

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

pizza

Wait a second.  Squash?  On pizza?  Yes!  Not only is this combo delicious, it’s also the perfect way to use leftover butternut squash, pumpkin fondue, or even yams from your last holiday meal or party.  (If you read yesterday’s post and are now reading this, you can tell I have lots of leftover pumpkin & squash).

You can make this pizza using really any ingredients you have.  The squash/pumpkin functions as the “sauce” – and from there you just need cheese, veggies, and either fresh herbs or pesto for a little flavor kick.  This time, I spread pesto all over a store-bought pizza dough (Trader Joe’s), then applied a thick layer of squash:

pizza

(the squash should be soft but not soupy otherwise the pizza will get soggy).

pizza

I had goat and Parmesan cheeses, after adding sliced mushrooms and onions, I sprinkled with both kinds of cheese

pizza

and baked at 475 for about 12 minutes.

pizza

After baking, I topped the pizza with chopped fresh basil and parsley– but if you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can substitute arugula, spinach, baby lettuces, or a pinch of dried oregano.

Along with a green salad, this is a complete quick & healthy meal!

pizza

pizza

Creamy Pumpkin Orzo

 

Friday, December 9th, 2011

orzo

Leftover pumpkin fondue is awesome, not just because you can pile it on bread and call it dinner (or breakfast or lunch), but also because you can easily turn it into a whole new satisfying winter meal.  Most recently, I made orzo pasta with a creamy, cheesy, pumpkin sauce.  Yes, it was pretty healthy – and it came together in a flash.

First, I scraped the remaining fondue and pumpkin “meat” out of the pumpkin skin.

pumpkin pasta

I sauteed some chopped onion in a pot with some fresh sage, then added the pumpkin leftovers to the pot along with some vegetable broth to thin it out a bit.

pumpkin

While this mixture was warming, I cooked and drained some whole wheat orzo

orzo

then pureed the pumpkin mixture with a hand blender (aka immersion blender or the wand-looking thing) and folded in a few spoonfuls of yogurt to give it a creamy, silky feel plus a little tang.

pumpkin orzo

Mixed the pumpkin “sauce” with the pasta, sprinkled with a little Parmesan cheese, and we were ready to eat.

pumpkin orzo

This dish tasted rich, and it did have cheese plus a bit of residual cream from the fondue.  But, our plates were filled with more than half sauce, which was primarily pumpkin (a vegetable!), so it was much healthier than a creamy pasta would be at a restaurant.  Yum!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

 

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

pumpkin spice latte

Pretty much every even semi-cool morning during the fall, I wake up craving a Starbucks holiday drink.  The eggnog latte is my favorite, but I would also never turn down a pumpkin spice or gingerbread latte, nor a peppermint mocha.  Mmmm.

Unfortunately, the calories and cost of these drinks take a hefty toll on both the wallet and the waistline.  So this season, I’ve decided to make my own versions at home.  This morning was my first attempt at a pumpkin spice latte, and if I do say so myself, it was GOOD.  It was also easy (no fancy equipment needed), lower in calories & sugar, and made with real pumpkin, not a flavored syrup.  Here’s how you can do it too.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 1

    Ingredients

  • 1 pinch Cinnamon
  • 1 pinch Ground Nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons Canned Pumpkin
  • ½ cup 1% Milk
  • ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 teaspoons Sugar
  • 8 ounces Brewed coffee

    Directions

  • 1 Make latte.

    In a microwaveable mug or bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin, sugar, spices, and vanilla. Heat in the microwave until hot. Pour into your mug of hot brewed coffee and stir to combine. (Note: you can also use a couple pinches of pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon/nutmeg combo).

  • 2 Make foam.

    If desired, warm 2-3 Tbsp more milk or cream in a separate mug, and froth using an Aerolatte milk foamer. Spoon this foam onto the top of your latte before enjoying.

Print This Shopping List

  • Baking

    • 2 teaspoons Sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

  • Dairy

    • ½ cup 1% Milk

  • Spices

    • 1 pinch Cinnamon
    • 1 pinch Ground Nutmeg

  • Vegetables

    • 2 tablespoons Canned Pumpkin

  • beverages

    • 8 ounces Brewed coffee

pumpkin latte

pumpkin spice latte

pumpkin spice latte

Quick & Easy Mac ‘n Cheese

 

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Healthy macaroni and cheese

The phrase “comfort food” conjures up thoughts of warm, hearty meals – but it might also mean long hours spent in the kitchen slaving away over the stove.  That is not Eating Made Easy!

Luckily, many traditional recipes can be made much easier with a few alterations and the right equipment.  To celebrate quicker comfort food, Kelly Ripa and Electrolux just launched a new Comfort Food Made Easy campaign, which features the ridiculously fast Electrolux Induction Cooktop (boils water in 90 seconds!) and benefits the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  During the campaign, food lovers everywhere can share and vote for their favorite comfort foods on Kelly-Confidential.com.  Every time you share or vote for a recipe on Kelly Confidential, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF, and you’ll be entered to win a FREE ELECTROLUX INDUCTION COOKTOP!!!!!  So head over and post or vote for your own favorite comfort food.

Here’s one of my own favorites that can be made in a flash.  It’s one of the classic comfort foods – Mac and Cheese – but a faster and healthier version that utilizes one of fall’s best veggies: butternut squash.  I recommend just steaming (you can even do it in the microwave) then pureeing the squash in the blender or food processor.

healthy mac and cheese

Don’t have squash on hand or want to make this dish even faster?  Use frozen pureed squash or canned pumpkin.

All you do for this recipe is make a simple cheese sauce while the noodles are boiling away.  Add the squash, drain and add the noodles to the sauce, then toss and you’re done!

Quick & Easy Mac and Cheese

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 6

    Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Elbow Macaroni
  • 1 Yellow or Brown Onion, finely chopped
  • 8 ounces White Mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 1 pinch Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 ½ cups Butternut Squash, pureed
  • 14 ounces Evaporated Skim Milk, 1 can
  • 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

    Directions

  • 1 Cook pasta.

    Prepare noodles according to package directions, making sure to liberally salt the pasta water. Leave pasta in the strainer and return pot to the stove.

  • 2 Saute veggies.

    In the pasta pot, saute onion and mushrooms in the butter (with generous pinch of salt & small pinch of pepper) over medium heat until onions soften (5-8 min), stirring occasionally.

  • 3 Make sauce.

    Add the flour to the pot and stir mixture for about a minute, then add full can of evaporated milk and whisk for ~3 minutes or until mixture has thickened a bit. Add squash puree to pot and whisk to combine, then add cheeses and pinch of nutmeg and continue mix until sauce is smooth.

  • 4 Combine and serve.

    Return the noodles to the pot and gently fold into the sauce with a spatula or wooden spoon. Serve with some more sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, alongside a green salad or any vegetable side dish.

Print This Shopping List

  • No Department

    • 2 tablespoons Butter

  • Baking

    • 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

  • Dairy

    • 14 ounces Evaporated Skim Milk
    • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese

  • Pasta

    • 12 ounces Elbow Macaroni

  • Spices

    • 1 pinch Ground Nutmeg

  • Vegetables

    • 1 ½ cups Butternut Squash
    • 8 ounces White Mushrooms
    • 1 Yellow or Brown Onion

Enjoy!  Can’t wait to see all of your favorite comfort foods on Kelly Confidential!

The Best Pumpkin Recipes (It’s not just for just pie!)

 

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

pumpkin recipes

When you think of eating pumpkins, pie is probably the first thing that comes to mind.  But pumpkins are great in SO many other recipes, including savory ones!  This fall, make a point to use pumpkin (or another type of squash) in a new way.  Pumpkins not only taste great, they’re rich in vitamins and fiber and low in calories – plus, they’re inexpensive and they last forever!  Here are some great places to find easy, healthy pumpkin dishes.

1. My 5 favorite ways to eat pumpkin.  Some savory, some sweet.  All YUMMY.

2. Eating Well’s pumpkin recipes.  I highly recommend the Southwest Pumpkin Burgers with Fresh Tomato Salsa!

3. Kath’s Pumpkin Oatmeal. Really all you do is stir some pureed (or canned) pumpkin into your oatmeal and top it with whatever you like.  You can do this with any hot cereal, and it’s also great in yogurt.

4. Pumpkin Maple Baked Bean Cornbread Casserole.  It’s a mouthful of a title, and a mouthful of a dish, but it’s easy to make and tastes delicious!

If you’re not in the mood to cook, you could always just use your pumpkins to prop up your baby for a photo…

pumpkin recipes

Aren’t pumpkins beautiful?  Even sitting in the mud, they look good!

pumpkin recipes

What to Do with Kabocha Squash

 

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Kabocha squash may look like a pumpkin’s ugly cousin, but its actually one of the sweetest, tastiest squashes.  As with all squash, I like to roast it.  You can either cut it into wedges and roast those, like this, or roast it whole.  What I usually do is wash and dry the outside of the squash, cut off the top (but save it), then mix together 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage with 2-3 Tbsp butter and use your fingers to rub this all over the inside of the squash.  Sprinkle the inside of squash generously with salt & pepper, then replace the top, rub the outside of the squash with a little oil (to prevent the skin from burning) and roast it on a foil-lined baking sheet at 425 for about an hour, or until the squash is tender when you poke it with your finger.  Remove the top, take a big scoop out of the inside, and eat it.  Yum!

(Squash will look a little like this when it comes out of the oven).

What To Do With Leftover Cranberry Sauce

 

Saturday, November 27th, 2010

leftover cranberry sauce

I’m convinced that the cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving table is there almost purely for color and decoration, because I only know a few people who actually eat it.  Thus, many of us are left with 95% of it when dinner’s over.  But no need to toss the sauce, as there are many ways you can turn these leftovers into something delicious.  Here are a few of my favorite post-Thanksgiving uses for cranberry sauce:

  1. Grilled Turkey and Cheese Sandwich: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly butter two slices of bread on one side. On the other side of one piece, spread a thick layer of cranberry sauce. On the other piece, spread a light layer of Dijon mustard.  Add cheese (my favorites here are white cheddar, Gruyere, or Fontina) and thinly sliced leftover turkey breast and pan-cook like a regular grilled cheese.  Let cool a few minutes before digging in, as the cranberry sauce gets very hot.
  2. Cran-Applesauce: Place leftover cranberry sauce in a medium pot over low heat.  Stir in 4-5 peeled and diced apples, then cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft and have melded into the cranberry sauce, about 30 minutes.  Eat warm, cold, or at room temperature.
  3. Fruit Compote. Follow this recipe for Pomegranate Pear Compote, but add the cranberry sauce to the pot as well.  You can use any type of fruit juice you have on hand, and the pomegranate seeds are optional.  This type of compote is delicious when stirred into yogurt, spooned over ice cream, or spread on toast with peanut butter.

Note: These recipes will work well regardless of whether you use homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Pomegranate Pear Compote

 

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

pomegranate recipe

Don’t know what compote is?  Don’t worry.  It just means stewed fruit or fruit sauce, and this one only takes about 5 minutes to make.  You could swap the pears for halved grapes, diced oranges, diced apples or persimmons (would take a bit longer to cook), or even cranberries (with a little more sugar).  It’s divine served over or under vanilla ice cream, stirred into plain yogurt for breakfast, or spread on toast.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds for an extra crunch.

Pomegranate Pear Compote

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 6

    Ingredients

  • 2 Anjou or Bartlett Pear, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar
  • ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds, optional
  • 1 ½ cup POM 100% pomegranate juice
  • 2 tablespoons Cornstarch

    Directions

  • 1 Make compote.

    In a small pot, mix together cornstarch and sugar over medium heat. Pour in juice and pears, and let mixture come to a gentle boil until it thickens to desired consistency (kind of like a thin jelly - it will get thicker as it cools).

  • 2 Cool.

    Let cool to warm or room temperature and serve with ice cream or yogurt. Garnish with pomegranate seeds if desired. *Variation: make compote with 1 cup POM juice and 1 cup POM Tea.

Print This Shopping List

  • Baking

    • 1 tablespoon Sugar

  • Fruit

    • 2 Anjou or Bartlett Pear
    • ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds

  • baking

    • 2 tablespoons Cornstarch

  • juice

    • 1 ½ cup POM 100% pomegranate juice

pomegranate recipe

Learn here how to open and seed a pomegranate.

Pomegranate BBQ Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Pearl Onions

 

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

pomegranate recipe

The main course at my recent POM dinner party was Pomegranate BBQ Chicken, which I served with roasted baby potatoes and mini pearl onions.  As you can see, it was a popular dish…

pomegranate recipe

and the best part for me was, it was incredibly easy to make.

Pomegranate BBQ Chicken

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 6

    Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 3 pieces Chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
  • 3 pieces Chicken Breast Halves, bone-in and skin-on
  • 3 pieces Chicken drumsticks
  • ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • ¾ cup POM 100% pomegranate juice
  • ¾ cup Smoky, not-too-sweet BBQ sauce
  • ¼ cup Fresh Italian Parsley, rough chopped
  • ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds

    Directions

  • 1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

    Preheat oven to

  • 2 Prep chicken.

    Trim extra fat off chicken with scissors or a sharp knife. Pat dry, then place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle chicken with olive oil, rub around so both sides are coated, then sprinkle both sides of chicken generously with salt & pepper.

  • 3 Cook chicken and make sauce.

    Roast the chicken on top rack of oven for about 20 minutes or until skin is browned and chicken is mostly cooked-through. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: place POM juice in a small pot and cook over medium heat until sauce has reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in BBQ sauce, cumin, mustard, and hot sauce.

  • 4 Add sauce to chicken.

    Remove chicken from oven and paint each piece generously with the sauce, on both sides. Return to oven and bake until chicken is cooked and sauce has caramelized/browned on top (see pic below), about 5-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.

  • 5 Cool and serve.

    Let chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking, then place on a platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and pomegranate seeds.

Print This Shopping List

  • Condiments

    • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

  • Fresh Herbs

    • ¼ cup Fresh Italian Parsley

  • Fruit

    • ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds

  • Oils

    • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • Pantry

    • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt

  • Spices

    • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

  • condiments

    • ¾ cup Smoky, not-too-sweet BBQ sauce

  • juice

    • ¾ cup POM 100% pomegranate juice

  • poultry

    • 3 pieces Chicken Breast Halves, bone-in and skin-on
    • 3 pieces Chicken drumsticks
    • 3 pieces Chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on

  • spices

    • ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper

Here’s what the chicken should look like when it’s ready to pull from the oven – browned on top:

pomegranate recipe

Anytime I make chicken, I love to present it on a large platter with the vegetable or starch all around it.  Garnished with some fresh herbs, and in this case pomegranate seeds, this quickly turns a simple dish into an elegant dinner.

pomegranate recipe

And the perfect salad to complement this meal?  Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad, one of my favorite fall dishes that also made an appearance at my POM dinner party.

pomegranate salad

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 4

    Ingredients

  • 1 bag Baby Greens
  • 2 whole Fuyu Persimmons
  • ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds, Remove seeds from pomegranate
  • ¼ cup Candied Walnuts or Pecans
  • 2 ounces Soft Goat Cheese
  • ¼ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

    Directions

  • 1 Arrange greens on platter

    Spread baby greens in an even layer over a large platter

  • 2 Prepare persimmons

    Remove the stem, slice the persimmons, then lay the slices atop the greens on the platter

  • 3 Sprinkle the candied nuts and pomegranate seeds over the salad

  • 4 Crumble goat cheese over salad

  • 5 Drizzle salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

    Recipe here: http://eating-made-easy.com/2010/09/30/easy-salad-dressing-recipes/

Print This Shopping List

  • Condiments

    • ¼ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • Dairy

    • 2 ounces Soft Goat Cheese

  • Fruit

    • 2 whole Fuyu Persimmons
    • ½ cup Pomegranate Seeds

  • Pantry

    • ¼ cup Candied Walnuts or Pecans

  • Produce

    • 1 bag Baby Greens

I usually serve this salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, but this time I added a little twist: used the same recipe, but replaced the apple cider vinegar with POM juice.  Delish!

Not sure how to get the seeds out of a pomegranate? Learn here.

Pomegranate Citrus Salsa

 

Saturday, November 20th, 2010

pomegranate recipe

Looking for the perfect appetizer to go with your Pomegranate Moscow Mule on Thanksgiving?  Here it is: Citrus, Avocado, and Pomegranate Salsa.  I made this for my POM party the other day, and not only was it a huge hit with my guests, but its also now my favorite taco filling and topping for grilled fish or chicken.  Yum!  You can whip up a big bowl of this stuff in no time, and your hungry guests will happily nosh on it while you finish up dinner.  Its great served with tortilla chips or cinnamon pita chips.

Pomegranate Citrus Salsa

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 12

    Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 cup Fresh Cilantro, rough chopped
  • 2 whole Avocado
  • ¼ cup Red Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Lime, juiced
  • 3 Orange, peeled and chopped
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • 1 cup Pomegranate Seeds
  • 1 Chipotle peppers canned in adobo

    Directions

  • 1 Make salsa.

    Finely chop one Chipotle pepper and put it in a large bowl with the lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Dice the avocados into small chunks and add them to the bowl, making sure they get coated in lime juice so they don't turn brown. Add the orange pieces, red onion, and pomegranate seeds and stir gently to combine.

  • 2 Marinate and serve.

    Let salsa marinate for about 30 minutes (if you have time) so the flavors meld together, then serve with tortilla chips or cinnamon pita chips.

Print This Shopping List

  • Fresh Herbs

    • 1 cup Fresh Cilantro

  • Fruit

    • 1 Lime
    • 3 Orange
    • 1 cup Pomegranate Seeds

  • Oils

    • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • Pantry

    • 1 pinch Kosher salt

  • Vegetables

    • 2 whole Avocado
    • ¼ cup Red Onion

  • canned food

    • 1 Chipotle peppers canned in adobo

pomegranate recipe

Learn here how to open and seed a pomegranate.

POM Wonderful Week Begins with Happy Hour: Pomegranate Moscow Mule

 

Friday, November 19th, 2010

pomegranate recipe

It’s Friday afternoon, and time for a cocktail!  I made this Pomegranate Moscow Mule for my POM party guests recently, and it quickly became everyone’s new favorite drink.  The combination of ginger, lime, and crunchy pomegranate seeds makes this cocktail refreshing and comforting at the same time.  Not to mention the colors are ideal for any upcoming holiday meal or party.

pomegranate recipe

Pomegranate Moscow Mule

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 2

    Ingredients

  • 2 ounces POM 100% pomegranate juice
  • 2 ounces Vodka
  • 12 ounces Ginger Beer (like Reed's), 1 bottle
  • Ice cubes
  • Lime wedges
  • ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds
  • 4 piece Candied ginger

    Directions

  • 1 Make cocktail.

    Fill 2 glasses or glass mugs with ice. Pour 1 oz vodka in each glass, then add ginger beer. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges into each drink, then toss in the wedges themselves. Stir to combine, then top with a generous splash of POM juice.

  • 2 Garnish.

    Sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on the top of each cocktail, then garnish with a few pieces of candied ginger on a toothpick.

Print This Shopping List

  • No Department

    • 12 ounces Ginger Beer (like Reed's)
    • Ice cubes

  • Fruit

    • ¼ cup Pomegranate Seeds

  • juice

    • 2 ounces POM 100% pomegranate juice

  • liquor

    • 2 ounces Vodka

  • pantry

    • 4 piece Candied ginger

  • produce

    • Lime wedges

Need help opening and seeding a pomegranate?  Watch this quick video.

moscow mule recipe

Note: You can easily make this beverage non-alcoholic.  Just skip the vodka and add some extra ginger beer or a little club soda.  Regardless of which version you make, you’ll have happy guests!

pomegranate recipe

Persimmons: What They Are and What To Do With Them

 

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

persimmon recipes

Persimmons are my favorite fall fruit.  They’re only available for a month or two, depending on where you live, so when you see them on the shelves, snap them up!

There are two kinds of persimmons sold in the U.S. — Fuyu and Haciya.  Fuyus are what I buy, because you can eat them raw when they’re still crunchy like an apple, or wait until they’re deep orange and soft to the touch like a tomato.  These are Fuyus:

persimmons

They make a perfect snack, or ingredient in a fall salad (see recipe below).  Hacicya Persimmons are more cone-shaped, and extremely astringent if you eat them before they’re fully ripe.  They’re best when cooked, because otherwise they may make your mouth tickle and pucker.  If you’re new to persimmons, stick to the Fuyus.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

1 bag baby greens of any kind

2 ripe Fuyu persimmons (deep orange in color, but still pretty firm)

Seeds from half a pomegranate

Candied pecans or walnuts

2 oz soft goat cheese

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Arrange greens on a large platter.  Remove stem and slice persimmons into thin wedges.  Arrange persimmon slices and nuts over the greens, then crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds.  Drizzle whole salad with vinaigrette and serve.

Roasted Delicata Squash

 

Saturday, November 6th, 2010

delicata squash

Delicata Squash may not be the most recognizable squash of the season, but it’s sweet flavor and tender flesh make it one of the best squashes for roasting.  Simply wash the outside, slice the squash into little rings, toss rings with olive oil and generous salt plus a pinch of pepper, and roast for 20-30 minutes at 425.  Squash rings are done with edges are brown and seeds are crispy.  Eat the seeds along with the squash, or remove them after cooking and eat on their own (they taste like pumpkin seeds).

delicata squash

These little rings are perfect for snacking, as a side dish, or as a salad topper.



Baked Apples

 

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

baked apples

Yet another way to use fall’s best apples!  Serve these with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce for dessert, or a big scoop of plain nonfat Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of granola for breakfast.

Baked Apples

Baked Apples

Print This Recipe

Number of Servings: 4

    Ingredients

  • 4 whole Apple, Cut in half and cored
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

    Directions

  • 1 Cut apples in half and remove core.

  • 2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  • 3 Place apples in baking dish

    Arrange apples face up in a baking dish.

  • 4 Sprinkle each apple with cinnamon, sugar, and pinch of salt

    Sprinkle each apple with cinnamon and sugar and a pinch of salt.

  • 5 Add tiny cube of butter to center of each apple

  • 6 Bake at 350.

    Bake apples for ~45 minutes or until apples are soft and wrinkly.

Print This Shopping List

  • Baking

    • 1 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar

  • Dairy

    • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

  • Fruit

    • 4 whole Apple

  • Pantry

    • 1 pinch Kosher salt

  • Spices

    • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

4 apples (any kind), cut in half and cored

1 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp butter

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Arrange apple halves face-up in a baking dish.  Sprinkle each apple with a little of the cinnamon, sugar, and salt, then place a little cube of the butter in the middle of each one.  Bake for about 45 minutes, or until apples are soft and wrinkly.  Eat for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.

Apple, Fennel, and Parsley Salad

 

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Apple Salad Recipe

Here’s a great way to turn the season’s best apples into a light, refreshing, savory dish.  Any kind of apple will do, so hunt down whatever variety is freshest in your area and quickly turn them into this perfectly crunchy salad.

Apple Salad Recipe

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

2 Tbsp honey

3 large apples, cored and thinly sliced

1 fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced

Handful of fresh parsley leaves

Whisk first 4 ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl until combined.  Add the apple, fennel, and parsley, and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.  Serve as a side dish, perhaps with Squash Mac n Cheese or Homemade Hamburger Helper.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

 

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

pumpkin soup

This easy pumpkin soup is perfect for a Halloween party, appetizer on Thanksgiving, or simple meal on a cold fall evening.  For a little more sweetness, saute a couple of peeled, chopped apples along with the onions.  Throw a couple of homemade croutons on top before serving, or eat with cornbread or any rustic bread you like.

Pumpkin Soup

2 large onions, chopped

2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp white pepper (may sub black)

28 oz can Pumpkin (make sure not to get Pumpkin Pie Filling)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 qt chicken or vegetable broth

1 can Light coconut milk, or 1.5 cups regular milk

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat for 2 min.  Add chopped onion and sweet potato and saute until onion softens, 5-8 min.  Add curry powder, pepper, and a generous pinch of salt and saute another minute.  Stir in canned pumpkin and broth and bring to a simmer.  Cook over medium-low heat until sweet potato is tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and carefully blend soup with an immersion blender (also called hand blender. If you don’t have one, let soup cool for 30 minutes and then blend in batches in a regular blender or food processor).  Stir in coconut milk or milk off of heat and serve.  If soup needs to be warmer, heat again covered over low heat, making sure not to boil after milk is added.

Spaghetti Squash Recipes

 

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

spaghetti squash recipes

Question: I’m looking for some good spaghetti squash recipes. Do you have any ideas?

Answer: I love squash. Butternut, acorn, and delicata are my favorite varieties, but spaghetti squash is fun too because you can use it in almost any pasta recipe in place of the noodles (great way to make a pasta dish low-calorie).  Here’s how to cook it.  And here are some ideas for how to serve it:

  1. Baked, then drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh Italian parsley.  This is a simple preparation but so good.
  2. Tossed with homemade pesto (or your favorite purchased pesto).  My go-to pesto recipe is 2 packed cups fresh herbs (basil, parsely, mint, cilantro, arugula, or baby spinach), 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water, salt & pepper to taste.  Blend this all in a food processor until smooth, then toss with hot spaghetti squash.  Freeze the rest in small Tupperware containers or in an ice cube tray.
  3. Greek Style Salad with Spaghetti Squash.  If you like Greek flavors, you’ll love this recipe.  And you can alter it depending on what you have lying around.
  4. Spaghetti Squash Gratins.  These are kind of like little lasagnas – hearty and cheesy, but without all the calories.  I like to use part-skim ricotta rather than the fat-free it suggests here (so it’s creamier) and I use dried herbs when I don’t have fresh.
  5. Spaghetti Squash with Lemon and Capers.  I added more veggies and only half the butter in this recipe, and it was still delicious.  Don’t worry about using julienned tomatoes — canned diced tomatoes would be fine.

**image above taken from http://thequickanddirtydirty.com/2010/06/22/spaghetti-squash/

Moroccan Stuffed Acorn Squash

 

Saturday, October 16th, 2010

acorn squash recipes

Here’s another delicious recipe using one of fall’s best offerings: squash.  And like Southwest Stuffed Peppers, they’re a whole meal in one!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 Acorn squash (look for squash with a yellow spot)

3/4 lb lean ground beef

2 cups cooked brown rice

15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular)

2 Tbsp orange marmalade or apricot jam

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375.  Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and place squash halves on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle flesh of squash with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Place flesh-side down on baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until squash has softened and browned.  It should look similar to this:

acorn squash recipes

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet.  Add ground beef and let brown, stirring occasionally to break up the pieces.  When no longer pink, stir in a sprinkle of salt, all the spices, and the jam/marmalade until the meat is evenly coated.  Add the cooked rice and canned tomatoes to the skillet and stir to combine.  Remove the squash from the oven, turn squash so it’s flesh-side up, and stuff with the meat mixture.  Top with shredded cheese of any kind (feta or mozzarella would be tasty) if you wish, and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.  Serve hot.  Makes 4 servings.

Roasted Butternut Squash

 

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

roasted butternut squash

The pile of squashes in the grocery store may look intimidating, but squash is one of the easiest veggies to prepare.  All you have to do is cut it open, scoop out the seeds, and you’re ready to roast.  Here’s my favorite way to eat Butternut Squash (pictured above).

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Generous pinch salt

Few sprinkles of black pepper

1 packed Tbsp brown sugar

2-4 Tbsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 400.  Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and place on a baking sheet.  Rub flesh of squash with olive oil, pour orange juice into the hole where the seeds were, then sprinkle the whole thing generously with salt, the brown sugar, and the black pepper.  Roast at 400, flesh side up or down, for about 45 minutes or until squash is soft when poked with a fork.  Serve as a side dish, or during the last 15 minutes of cooking, stuff the hole with a mixture like the one in stuffed peppers, and serve as an entree.

Gnocchi with Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce

 

Monday, April 26th, 2010

gnocchi sauce recipe
This dish is fast, easy, healthy, and cheap.

(and it looks much better in person than in this picture!)

1 pkg gnocchi (potato dumplings, look for it in the pasta aisle)

1 pkg frozen pureed squash (comes in a box like frozen chopped spinach), thawed

1 small onion, chopped

8-oz pkg mushrooms, chopped

2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves (remove from stems)

1/2 can evaporated fat free milk (approx)

1/2 cup low-fat or fat free milk (approx)

More…

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

 

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Looking for an alternative to the traditional calorie-laden potato salad that’s so popular during the summer months? Try this Sweet Potato Salad — it has fewer calories, less fat, and more nutrients — not to mention it’s flavor-packed and delicious!

Ingredients
3 lbs sweet potatoes
2 poblano peppers
4 scallions (aka green onions)
Big handful of Italian parsley
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar
squeeze of lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
salt & pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into chunks (size is up to you, just make sure the pieces are about equal sized so they cook evenly). Cover a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Place potatoes on baking sheet and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Bake for about 30 min, or until potatoes are fork tender and edges have browned (toss potatoes 1/2 way through baking).

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, remaining oil, lemon, mustard, & honey in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Finely chop the scallions & Italian parsley and add to bowl. Then chop poblano peppers into 1/4 inch pieces and add.

When the sweet potatoes are ready, let them cool for about 5 minutes, then add them to the bowl with the veggies & vinaigrette and gently toss together. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!

*adapted from a recipe by Bon Appetit magazine, July 2009

Surviving Thanksgiving!

 

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

Part of the fun of Thanksgiving is stuffing yourself a little. However, some of us merely begin stuffing ourselves on Thanksgiving….and continue to do so through New Years when we finally make a resolution to deprive ourselves of yummy food. So instead, here’s what I recommend: enjoy Thanksgiving food to whatever degree you want to, just make sure you

1) EXERCISE before you dig in. Do an intense cardio workout if you can, for at least 45 minutes. If this isn’t in the cards, go for a long brisk walk. Exercising before you eat will make you more likely to eat reasonably, and will counteract some of the calories you take in during the day.

2) Drink plenty of water. If you’re dehydrated while you’re eating, you’re likely to overeat even more than normal. And if you’ll be drinking alcohol on the holiday, drink extra water.

3) Exercise AGAIN after you eat. You’ll be full, so just get up & move around a bit…a walk is usually a good call for post-Thanksgiving feasts. Then on Friday, get moving again with a really good workout.

4) DO NOT let Thanksgiving be the first day of a 30 day binge. Instead, wake up on Friday and get back to normal. There will be plenty of times to indulge this holiday season, so insert as many healthy days as you can between now & January. This way, you won’t have to set some horrible resolution because you won’t have gained any weight!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!