Passover is a holiday where Jewish people basically give up bread and all other yummy carbs (think beans, rice, corn, etc.) to thank G-d for his help freeing us from slavery in Egypt. It is a time of year that I struggle with cooking wise, but I have managed to compile a short list of recipes to get me through the seven days of sacrifice. For non-observers you can use phyllo dough--3 sheets on top and 3 sheets on the bottom, just make sure to spray each sheet individually with PAM. Points/calories stay the same!
Matzo-kopita
18 points in entire dish (about 850 calories)
Makes about 9 small hors devours sized pieces at 2-points a piece (100 calories)
or 4 dinner sized portions at 4.5 points a piece (225 calories)
10 oz fresh spinach
2 scallions
1 tbs fresh dill
4 eggs
2 tbs lemon juice
1 cup reduced fat feta (1 small container)
2 sheets Matzo
salt
pepper
-Pre-heat oven 350 degrees.
-Thaw and drain spinach. Place in bowl.
-Dice scallions and dill, mix in with spinach.
-Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.
-Wisk together eggs and mix into spinach mixture.
-Add feta cheese and mix until well blended.
-Spray 8x8 pan. Layer 1 piece of Matzo down.
-Spread spinach mix over evenly.
-Top with last sheet of Matzo.
-Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Home made pizza & baked ziti
Last night we really wanted to order pizza and baked ziti, but since we are trying to eat in during the week we opted to have what we had already made. As a surprise to my husband for dinner tonight I made home made pizza and baked ziti--he was thrilled. I was able to make both in about 1.5 hours, which I thought wasn't bad! The pizza dough is great because 1 batch makes enough dough for two pizzas, so you can use half one night and then freeze the rest for another night. The ziti made enough to serve 9 people, so you can either freeze it in portions or have a dinner party--your choice (I chose freeze since our house is a mess and I can't find the dining room table under all of the crap I have on it).
Pizza dough
Makes two 12-inch pizzas
18 points per crust (about 900 calories)
1 1/2 cups warm water (not HOT)
1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs olive oil
4 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
-In a small bowl mix yeast, warm water and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until it gets frothy looking.
-Add oil to yeast mixture and put aside.
-In a separate bowl mix flour and salt.
-Slowly mix yeast mixture into flour mixture. Dough should form a smooth ball (add extra flour if it is too sticky--you may need to use your hand)
-Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
-Punch down dough and kneed for 3 minutes.
-Divide dough in half. Toss one crust into a zip lock bag and freeze.
Cheese Pizza
30 points in prepared cheese pie / 6 slices at 5 points per slice (about 250 calories)
1 portion of pizza dough recipe
1 cup marinara sauce
1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded Italian cheese
-Pre heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking rack on lowest setting.
-Roll out dough on a pizza stone.
-Top with 1 cup sauce and 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese.
-Bake for 15 minutes or until desired crispiness.
Baked Ziti
Serves 9
72 points in entire dish/8 points per piece (about 400 calories)
1 box ziti, cooked and drained
1/2 pound lean ground meat
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs dried basil
1 tsp salt/pepper
1 jar marinara sauce (sorry folks, no time for home made during the week)
1 cup part skim ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
-Pre-heat oven 350 degrees.
-In a large pan over medium high heat saute onion until soft.
-Add meat and cook until all of the pink is gone.
-Push all of the meat to one side and tilt the pan so the fat runs down to the other side. Drain or blot away with a paper towel.
-Add oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
-Reduce heat to low and pour in marinara sauce. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
-Stir ricotta directly into hot sauce.
-Mix pasta and sauce together in a large bowl.
-Spray a large baking dish with PAM. Pour mixture into dish. Top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Pizza dough
Makes two 12-inch pizzas
18 points per crust (about 900 calories)
1 1/2 cups warm water (not HOT)
1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs olive oil
4 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
-In a small bowl mix yeast, warm water and sugar. Let sit 5 minutes until it gets frothy looking.
-Add oil to yeast mixture and put aside.
-In a separate bowl mix flour and salt.
-Slowly mix yeast mixture into flour mixture. Dough should form a smooth ball (add extra flour if it is too sticky--you may need to use your hand)
-Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
-Punch down dough and kneed for 3 minutes.
-Divide dough in half. Toss one crust into a zip lock bag and freeze.
Cheese Pizza
30 points in prepared cheese pie / 6 slices at 5 points per slice (about 250 calories)
1 portion of pizza dough recipe
1 cup marinara sauce
1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded Italian cheese
-Pre heat oven to 500 degrees. Place baking rack on lowest setting.
-Roll out dough on a pizza stone.
-Top with 1 cup sauce and 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese.
-Bake for 15 minutes or until desired crispiness.
Baked Ziti
Serves 9
72 points in entire dish/8 points per piece (about 400 calories)
1 box ziti, cooked and drained
1/2 pound lean ground meat
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs dried basil
1 tsp salt/pepper
1 jar marinara sauce (sorry folks, no time for home made during the week)
1 cup part skim ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
-Pre-heat oven 350 degrees.
-In a large pan over medium high heat saute onion until soft.
-Add meat and cook until all of the pink is gone.
-Push all of the meat to one side and tilt the pan so the fat runs down to the other side. Drain or blot away with a paper towel.
-Add oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
-Reduce heat to low and pour in marinara sauce. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
-Stir ricotta directly into hot sauce.
-Mix pasta and sauce together in a large bowl.
-Spray a large baking dish with PAM. Pour mixture into dish. Top with cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
You can pick your friends, and you can picadillo your turkey
I have been a little red-meat phobic lately, so most of my meals have been turkey or chicken based. You could totally make this one with ground meat, and it would probably by just as good. While I am not so into meat lately, I understand that those I cook for probably still are, so I have included it in the weekly line-up. Amazingly, I have been blogging for so long now that all but my turkey picadillo recipe are already posted.
This week's menu:
Rosemary-merlot flank steak with steamed broccoli
Chicken with olives and fruit with roasted potatoes
Turkey Picadillo on whole-wheat rolls with tortilla chips
This recipe is based on one that I saw in FOOD magazine a few months back—I just changed it up to make it lower in calories and fat.
Turkey Picadillo
Serves 6
5 points per serving (250 calories) + 3 points for a whole wheat roll (150 calories)
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbs minced garlic (about 4 cloves, or if you can used pre-minced garlic)
3 whole bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/4 pounds ground 93% lean turkey
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup green olives (use the jarred kind, not the can)
2 tablespoons green olive juice (use the liquid from the olive jar)
Directions
Spray a large pan with PAM and heat over medium-high heat
Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly soft and clear
Add the bay leaves, cumin, chili powder and allspice mix so that onions and garlic are well coated
Add the turkey, salt and pepper
Cook about 5-10 minutes, until turkey begins to brown
Add the tomato paste and stir until all of the turkey mixture is coated
Add 2 cups water, the raisins, olives and olive juice
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 15 minutes
Uncover and cook, stirring, 10 more minutes
Pull out bay leaves and discard (don’t eat them—yuck)
Serve on a whole-wheat roll
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
This week's menu:
Rosemary-merlot flank steak with steamed broccoli
Chicken with olives and fruit with roasted potatoes
Turkey Picadillo on whole-wheat rolls with tortilla chips
This recipe is based on one that I saw in FOOD magazine a few months back—I just changed it up to make it lower in calories and fat.
Turkey Picadillo
Serves 6
5 points per serving (250 calories) + 3 points for a whole wheat roll (150 calories)
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbs minced garlic (about 4 cloves, or if you can used pre-minced garlic)
3 whole bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/4 pounds ground 93% lean turkey
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup green olives (use the jarred kind, not the can)
2 tablespoons green olive juice (use the liquid from the olive jar)
Directions
Spray a large pan with PAM and heat over medium-high heat
Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly soft and clear
Add the bay leaves, cumin, chili powder and allspice mix so that onions and garlic are well coated
Add the turkey, salt and pepper
Cook about 5-10 minutes, until turkey begins to brown
Add the tomato paste and stir until all of the turkey mixture is coated
Add 2 cups water, the raisins, olives and olive juice
Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 15 minutes
Uncover and cook, stirring, 10 more minutes
Pull out bay leaves and discard (don’t eat them—yuck)
Serve on a whole-wheat roll
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Friday night family dinner--Chicken with Olives and Fruit
Growing up we never had a specific night that was designated to “family dinners”—we ate together every night by candlelight, discussing our day, our plans for the week, or anything else that came to mind (my mom was a no-joke homemaker who still prides herself on the fact that she can fold a perfect peacock napkin with her eyes closed).
As a full-time working mom of a 13-month-old, with a husband who gets home as late as 8pm, we usually eat in front of the TV before passing out and starting the routine all over the next day. The exception is Friday nights, when we really do try to sit down together and have a nice relaxing dinner together. I try to prepare hardier meals for Fridays, and if I am really good I pick up a challah to go with it (rarely happens, but I do try). Chicken with Fruit and Olives has become one of my favorites, especially since you do most of the work the night before, and just throw it in the oven to cook the day-of.
Chicken with Olives and Fruit
Serves 4
6 points per person (300 calories)
-1/4 cup red wine vinegar
-1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, filleted into 4 cutlets
1/2 cup white wine (if you don’t have wine just increase chicken broth to 1 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Combine first 8 ingredients in a zip-lock bag. Mush together until well blended.
Add chicken and let marinate overnight.
Preheat oven to 450
Spray a large baking dish with PAM. Pour entire content of zip-lock bag into the dish, and top with wine and chicken broth.
Bake at 450° for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.
Let stand 15 minutes to cool.
Slice each cutlet into 4 pieces, and mix well with the warm fruit mixture.
I like to serve this meal with roasted potatoes—they soak up the sauce and really complete the dish. I actually stir them directly into the chicken/sauce mixture before serving.
Roasted potatoes
Serves 4
3 points per person (150 calories)
2 dice russet potatoes, skins on and scrubbed clean
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pre-heat oven 425
Place aluminum foil n a cookie sheet and spray with PAM
Bake for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, toss the potatoes using a spatula, and cook for 15 more minutes.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
As a full-time working mom of a 13-month-old, with a husband who gets home as late as 8pm, we usually eat in front of the TV before passing out and starting the routine all over the next day. The exception is Friday nights, when we really do try to sit down together and have a nice relaxing dinner together. I try to prepare hardier meals for Fridays, and if I am really good I pick up a challah to go with it (rarely happens, but I do try). Chicken with Fruit and Olives has become one of my favorites, especially since you do most of the work the night before, and just throw it in the oven to cook the day-of.
Chicken with Olives and Fruit
Serves 4
6 points per person (300 calories)
-1/4 cup red wine vinegar
-1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, filleted into 4 cutlets
1/2 cup white wine (if you don’t have wine just increase chicken broth to 1 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Combine first 8 ingredients in a zip-lock bag. Mush together until well blended.
Add chicken and let marinate overnight.
Preheat oven to 450
Spray a large baking dish with PAM. Pour entire content of zip-lock bag into the dish, and top with wine and chicken broth.
Bake at 450° for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.
Let stand 15 minutes to cool.
Slice each cutlet into 4 pieces, and mix well with the warm fruit mixture.
I like to serve this meal with roasted potatoes—they soak up the sauce and really complete the dish. I actually stir them directly into the chicken/sauce mixture before serving.
Roasted potatoes
Serves 4
3 points per person (150 calories)
2 dice russet potatoes, skins on and scrubbed clean
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pre-heat oven 425
Place aluminum foil n a cookie sheet and spray with PAM
Bake for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, toss the potatoes using a spatula, and cook for 15 more minutes.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Comfort food when the weather is Chili (Chicken and white bean chili that is)
One of the great things about cooking for another family is that it challenges me to not cook the same thing every week. I often spend my free time flipping through cooking magazines, and now rather than just admiring the recipes, I think about how I can tailor them to meet my desire for healthy meals that please the palate.
This week's line up:
Chicken and white bean chili served with corn bread
Spanikopita (Greek spinach pie) served with salad
Stuffed Shells served with brussels sprouts
After looking at the weather forecast for the weekend (rain, rain and more rain), I knew that some comfort food would be in order. By combining a few recipes that I had come across, I was able to create this delicious Chicken and White Bean Chili. Perfect for these dreary NJ days!
Chicken and White Bean Chili
5 points per cup (about 250 calories)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 (15.8-ounce) cans Cannallini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (4 cups) fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 chicken breasts (about 30oz of chicken) poached and shredded*
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or two cubes of frozen cilantro**
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
-Add onion; sauté until it looks translucent
-Add chili powder, garlic, cumin and oregano. Stir until onions are coated with spices.
-Add beans, diced tomatoes and broth; bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
-Using an immersion blender, puree some of the chili so it thickens. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or blender, just be careful not to put the lid all the way on the blender, or the hot mixture will explode. You can probably also use a potato masher or big fork and just mash around the pot until some of the beans look broken up.
-Add the pulled chicken and let simmer on low for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*To poach chicken, fill up a pot with water and add ½ cup of salsa. Place chicken in the pot and simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat. Pour out water and allow chicken to cool on a cutting board, then pull apart with your hands or using two forks. If you don't have time to do this, buy a whole rotisserie chicken and shred the meat from it for this recipe.
** I buy most of my herbs frozen or dried because otherwise I find they go to waste. Trader Joes sells frozen cilantro (check out the freezer aisle). I love this product and add it to all sorts of things like marinades, pico de gallo and chili. You just pop out the number of cilantro “cubes” you want to use (1 cube is equal to one tablespoon on cilantro) and then stick the rest back in the freezer for next time!
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Hey there Cowboy
I love burgers--it is actually what brought me and my husband together. On our first date, I made sure he was a fan of cheeseburgers, because I knew that if he wasn't, our relationship was doomed. He introduced me to Pal's Cabin, where you can get the most delicious burger in NJ, topped with melted cheddar cheese and crisp steak fires (my mouth is watering as I type).
Realistically, I am trying to limit the amount of red meat I consume, so I go for the next best thing--turkey burgers seasoned with BBQ sauce, or as I like to call them, Cowboy Burgers.
Cowboy Burgers
6 points per burger patty
Makes 5 burgers
20 oz 93% lean ground turkey
1 egg
3 tbs seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbs BBQ sauce
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
-Mix together bread crumbs, egg and BBQ sauce.
-Add onions, salt and pepper
-Mix in ground turkey until just blended
-Shape into 5 patties
-Refrigerate patties for 30 minutes
-Preheat grill pan, sprayed with PAM, over medium high heat.
-Grill 5-10 minutes per side, until cooked all the way through.
-Serve on whole wheat roll.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
Realistically, I am trying to limit the amount of red meat I consume, so I go for the next best thing--turkey burgers seasoned with BBQ sauce, or as I like to call them, Cowboy Burgers.
Cowboy Burgers
6 points per burger patty
Makes 5 burgers
20 oz 93% lean ground turkey
1 egg
3 tbs seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbs BBQ sauce
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
-Mix together bread crumbs, egg and BBQ sauce.
-Add onions, salt and pepper
-Mix in ground turkey until just blended
-Shape into 5 patties
-Refrigerate patties for 30 minutes
-Preheat grill pan, sprayed with PAM, over medium high heat.
-Grill 5-10 minutes per side, until cooked all the way through.
-Serve on whole wheat roll.
Healthy meals to nourish your mind.
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