Archive for the 'Recipes' Category

RECIPE: Orange Beets-Carrots

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Recipe for Orange Beets/Carrots:
(I use fresh organic goodies from my garden, but you could also use a drained 1-pound canned beets, or carrots)

Boil your beets and/or carrots until soft (in separate pans). Peel the beets after boiling…

"Secret Sauce"
In a large frying pan, combine:
     3 Tablespoons Sugar (or alternative)
     1-1/2 teaspoons Cornstarch
     1 Teaspoon Salt (or substitute)

Slowly stir in 1/2 cup Orange Juice (I squeeze a fresh orange).
Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick.

Add 1 Tablespoon Butter (or margarine).

Add cooked veggies, and serve warm! YUM!

I multiply the "Secret Sauce" per each 2 cups of cooked beets.
Makes 4-5 servings.

Sheryl Roush
Inspirational and Business Speaker
Author of Heart of a Woman, and now an organic gardener

Turkey Baking Tips

Recipes, Thanksgiving| No Comments »

Turkey Baking Tips

Whether you’re tackling a Thanksgiving turkey for the first or hundredth time, our top 10 tips will ensure your big bird is the best it can be.

1. Thawing a frozen turkey requires patience. The safest method is to thaw turkey in the refrigerator. Be sure to plan ahead — it takes approximately 3 days for a 20 pound turkey to fully defrost.

2. For crisper skin, unwrap the turkey the day before roasting and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Cooking times will differ depending on whether your bird was purchased fresh or frozen. Plan on 20 minutes per pound in a 350 degree F oven for a defrosted turkey and 10 to 15 minutes per pound for fresh.

4. A turkey will cook more evenly if it is not densely stuffed. Consider adding flavor by loosely filling the cavity with aromatic vegetables — carrots, celery, onion or garlic work nicely — or by carefully tucking fresh herbs underneath the breast skin. For the stuffing lovers, cook the dressing in a casserole dish on the side.

5. For even roasting, truss your turkey.

6. Before roasting, coat the outside of the turkey with vegetable or olive oil, season with salt and pepper and tightly cover the breast with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning (it will be removed in step 7).

7. Don’t be a peeping tom (no pun intended)! Once you get the turkey in the oven, resist the temptation to open the oven door and admire your handiwork. When the oven temperature fluctuates, you’re only increasing the likelihood of a dry bird. About 45 minutes before you think the turkey is done, remove the foil from the breast to allow it to brown.

8. Remove the turkey from the oven when the deepest spot between the leg and the breast reads 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Check the internal temperature of the stuffing as well; it should be at least 165 degrees.

9. Tent the bird with foil and let rest for about 15 minutes before carving. If you need more time to make gravy, heat up side dishes, etc., you can let the turkey set for up to an hour without losing too much heat.

10. Remember to carve your turkey with a very sharp or electic knife.

Courtesy of Food Network

St. Patrick’s Day Recipe: Champ (Irish potato casserole)

Recipes, St. Patrick's Day| 1 Comment »

St. Patrick’s Day: Irish Champ Recipe

Champ (Irish potato casserole) is native to the North of Ireland. It’s made by blending scallions or green onions with creamy mashed potatoes. It’s a great dish on it’s own, served steaming hot with extra butter which will melt through it and it’s also the perfect side dish!

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and halved
1 cup milk
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup butter
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Place potatoes into large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain well. Return to very low heat and allow the potatoes to dry out for a few minutes. (It helps if you place a clean dish towel over the potatoes to absorb any remaining moisture.)
Meanwhile, heat the milk and green onions gently in a saucepan, until warm.
Mash the potatoes, salt and butter together until smooth.
Stir in the milk and green onion until evenly mixed.
Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Serve piping hot in bowls.
Set out some extra butter for individuals to add to their servings.

Makes 4 servings.
PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME : 25 Min
READY IN: 40 Min

Courtesy: Linda Gorin, The Best To You

Lighten Up Your Favorite Recipes: 7 Simple Substitutions

Heart of a Mother, Heart of a Woman, Heart of the Holidays, Recipes| 3 Comments »


1. Use condensed low-fat milk instead of whole milk.
2. Try ground chicken or turkey instead of beef.
3. Mix whole-wheat and white grains.
4. Use egg yolks sparingly.
5. Use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

6. Use olive oil instead of butter.

7. Use nonfat sour cream.



There was a time when artificial sweeteners were reserved for coffee, diet soda, and sugarless candy. Now you can use them when you’re baking cookies or cakes. In fact, changing the ingredients in recipes to fit your diet is common, easy, and tasty, says Riska Platt, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. "The biggest mistake I see is when people eliminate anything that’s not good for them from a recipe," says Platt, who works with chefs in New York City to help them develop healthier meal options. Instead, substitute fatty ingredients with healthy, lower-calorie ingredients. Use the above seven ways to lose the fat but not the flavor.

RECIPE: Non-Dairy, Low-Fat Pumpkin Pie (Vegan)

Christmas, Heart of the Holidays, Kwanzaa, New Year's, Recipes, Thanksgiving| 4 Comments »

NON-DAIRY, LOW-FAT PUMPKIN PIE
Servings: 8
Nutrition Facts are for filling only.

 
Ingredients
1-1/2 packages Mori-Nu Silken Lite Firm Tofu*
2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice or next 4 ingredients
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 unbaked 9" pastry crust

* For firmer texture, use Mori-Nu Silken Extra Firm Tofu

 
Method
Drain tofu and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add remaining ingredients; blend well. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for about 1 hour. Filling will be soft, but will firm as it chills. Chill and serve.
 
Nutritional Notes
Provides 2g of fiber per serving
 
Nutritional Facts


Calories: 122 Fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 26g
Sodium: 49mg Cholesterol:: 0mg Protein: 4g

Menus to check out.

RECIPE: Lori’s Easy Pumpkin Pie (Dairy-Free Filling)

Heart of the Holidays, Recipes| 1 Comment »

Lori’s Easy Pumpkin Pie
(Dairy-Free Filling)

Ingredients:
•    1 cup Rice Dream Classic Original or Vanilla
•    2 large eggs, lightly beaten
•    2 cups unsweetened canned pumpkin (1-16 oz. can)
•    1/2 cup maple syrup
•    1 tsp. cinnamon
•    1/4 tsp. ginger powder
•    1/2 tsp. nutmeg
•    1/2 tsp. allspice
•    1/2 tsp. sea salt
•    1 unbaked 9" pie crust

Pre-heat oven to 425.
Mix all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell.
Bake for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until inserted knife comes out clean.
Remove from oven and set on a wire rack to cool.

From Imagine Foods, www.tastethedream.com

RECIPE: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Crusts

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Crusts

Pie crust #1:
1 and 1/2 cup rice flour
1/3 cup of ground almonds (may use hazelnuts or walnuts instead)
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil (or use coconut oil for its many healthy properties)
2 TB maple syrup
1-2 TB water as needed
From www.glutenfreegirl.com

Pie crust #2:
"My favorite gluten-free pie crust" adapted from Rebecca Reilly’s Gluten-Free Baking Book.
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
3 tablespoons sweet rice flour
3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon strong cinnamon (I use Saigon cinnamon from World Spice Merchants)
8 tablespooons (or, one stick) cold butter
1 large egg
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 ice-cold water, or enough to make the dough stick together

Mix together all the dry ingredients, including the sugar and cinnamon.
Cut the butter into little pieces, about 1/2-inch thick and drop the pieces into the dry ingredients.
Using a pastry cutter or fork, meld the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter has crumbled into pea-sized pieces.

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Drop the egg and apple cider vinegar in, then stir them in, gently, with a fork, stirring from the center out. Once they are incorporated into the dry ingredients, slowly drizzle the ice-cold water into the mixture, a little at a time, then stirring to see if it has become dough yet. You do not want this dough to be too wet. Add water only it all coheres together.

At this point, drop the ball of dough onto a large piece of parchment paper. (Prepare this ahead, unless you want to wipe dough off the box of parchment paper later!)

Place another piece of parchment paper, the same size, on top of the dough. Gently, smoosh the dough outward, equally in all directions, until it is a thick, round cake of dough, about the size of a pie plate.

Refrigerate the ball of dough, for as long as you can stand. Ideally, you would prepare the dough in the evening and refrigerate overnight. Take the dough out of the refrigerator at least twenty minutes before you want to work with it.

Leave the dough in the parchment-paper sandwich and roll it out. By rolling it, gently, between the pieces of parchment paper, you will not need to add more flour to the mix. Roll it out as thin as you can, then strip the top piece of parchment paper off the dough. Gently, lay your favorite pie plate on top of the dough, then flip the whole thing over. The dough should sag into the pie plate. You can crimp the edges at this point. If some of the dough falls off the sides, don’t worry. Simply re-attach the pieces to the crust-to-be by pressing in with your fingers.

You can pre-bake the pie crust, if you like. With this pumpkin pie, however, I just pour the pumpkin filling directly in and bake it immediately. It works well.

Posted by Shauna at http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2006

RECIPE: Sweet Potato Soup

Heart of a Mother, Heart of the Holidays, Recipes| 1 Comment »

Sweet Potato Soup

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
6 cups peeled raw diced sweet potatoes (or any type yams)
1 large onion, diced
3 lg garlic cloves, minced
7 cups chicken broth (Kitchen Basics is very good in this recipe)
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground gingerroot
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
 
In large saucepan, heat the olive oil and cook the onions, without browning, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add sweet potatoes, ginger root and chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender.
Remove from heat and puree the soup in a blender or food processor (be careful as it’s very hot, puree a little at a time). 
Return to heat and adjust consistency with more broth if necessary.
Add seasonings and taste before adding salt/pepper.

Serves 8

Recipe by Mary Gay Roush, RN, CDE

RECIPE: All in One Chocolate Pie (Low Carb!)

Heart of a Mother, Heart of a Woman, Heart of the Holidays, Recipes| 1 Comment »

All in One Chocolate Pie (Low Carb!)

RECIPE CREDIT: low-carb-motivation.com

This pie has no crust, requires no baking and is only 5 grams of Carbs per serving.
Number of servings: 8
Effort:  Easy
 
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
3-4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa (depending on how chocolaty you like it)
3/4 cup artificial sweetener
1 tsp vanilla
8 ounces of low fat cream cheese
 
Tip all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well until velvety smooth.
Pour into a fluted quiche dish, or similar, and refrigerate to set.
Serve with some fresh strawberries and raspberries for a colorful finish!


Recipe submitted by Mary Gay Roush, RN, CDE

RECIPE: Apple Cranberry Crumble

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Apple Cranberry Crumble

This "pie" has no bottom crust and is very easy to make.
 
Top Crumble Crust:
1/2 cup brown sugar (or equivalent of Splenda)
1 cup rolled oats (not instrant)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cube butter, softened or melted (do not use shortening or margarine)
Filling:
2 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen raspberries)
3 or more tart green apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (Fuji ok too)
1 cup sugar (or equivalent of Splenda)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
 
Preheat Oven: 325 degrees
 
To prepare crust: Combine brown sugar, oats, flour and salt.
Mix in butter until mixture is crumbly, set aside.
 
To prepare filling: Combine cranberries, apples, sugar and lemon juice.
Spread in a 9 inch pie dish or square baking pan. Spoon crumb mixture over fruit.
 
Bake 50-60 minutes or until top is lightly browned and bubbly and apples are still tender-crisp when pierced with tip of knife.
 
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. YUM!

Recipe submitted by Mary Gay Roush, from her best friend Gayle Halldin

RECIPE: Butternut Squash Soup

Christmas, Heart of the Holidays, New Year's, Recipes, Thanksgiving| 1 Comment »

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 8)

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash-peel and cut into chunks
1 leek-wash and chop
2 tbsp unsalted butter
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, salt, pepper, nutmeg
(optional: 1 cup of heavy cream)

Melt butter in large pot; add leeks and sauté about 6-8 minutes; add squash and cover with chicken or vegetable stock; bring to a boil and cook until squash is very tender; remove squash with a slotted spoon and put in a blender with a little stock; puree until all soup is pureed; season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg.

Add heavy cream (optional).

RECIPE: Wisconsin Cranberry Relish

Christmas, Heart of the Holidays, New Year's, Recipes, Thanksgiving| No Comments »

Wisconsin Cranberry Relish

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag fresh whole cranberries   (12 oz)
2 Oranges
Grate the peel.  Cut off membrane and remove seeds. Cut into small sections.
1 Lemon
Grate the peel.  Squeeze remaining juice.
1 cup sugar (and ½ more to taste)
1 and 1/2 cup pecans slightly crushed

PREPARATION:
Combine cranberries and orange sections in a cuisine art or mixer/chopper. Add juice of 1 lemon and zest of lemon.  Add zest of 2 oranges.  Mix well then add pecans and stir by hand.  Chill then drain and serve.

This may be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week before serving.  You can also freeze extra until Christmas!

Makes 4 cups.

Recipe by:  Jane Henning
Submitted by: Liz Mohler (her daughter)

Wisconsin is the nation’s leader in cranberry farming and produces more than 300 million pounds of fruit annually – more than half of the estimated 575 million pounds of cranberries that Americans consume each year.

Cranberries are one of only three fruits native to North America–the other two are blueberries and Concord grapes. This tasty little berry was a staple in the diets of American Indians long before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

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