Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

 

I'm not sure why I was craving this salad recently, but it may have been the rainbow carrots I bought for a holiday recipe and didn't use.  I've adapted this recipe from several different ones I reviewed--partly to fit my taste, but mostly according to ingredients on hand. It was sweeter than I expected, but I was very happy with the result.

Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can/12 oz. of Pineapple tidbits, drained w/juice reserved
• 1/2 cup Raisins (golden raisins recommended)
• 1 lb Carrots, washed, ends removed (rainbow carrots recommended)
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Pineapple Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 tsp grated Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 TBL Granulated Sugar
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Zest (optional)

Directions

1. Drain pineapple and add to medium bowl; reserve juice in a small bowl 
2. Soak raisins in reserved pineapple juice
3. Grate carrots into bowl w/pineapple bits
4. Add raisins to carrots/pineapple, discard juice
5. In a small bowl, combine mayo, yogurt, ginger, lemon juice, and sugar
6. Combine with carrot mixture
7. Add salt and lemon zest (optional) to taste.

Keep refrigerated.  Best served after a few hours, when the flavors have had a chance to combine.

Photo courtesy of Betty Crocker

Garden Gazpacho

I love Gazpacho. In EVERY form it come in. But there is nothing like this wonderful chilled soup on a hot summer day made from vegetables fresh from your garden.  To try to make this soup a little lower in WW points, I've omitted the olive oil found in most versions of this dish.

Garden Gazpacho

Ingredients 

• 2 large fresh tomatoes, sliced and seeded 
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, quartered, and seeded
• 1 large orange bell pepper, quartered and seeded
• 1⁄2 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
• 28 fl oz V8 100% Vegetable Juice, Low Sodium
• 1⁄3 cup(s)red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1⁄2 cup cilantro, chopped (1/4 cup reserved)
• 1 1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1⁄8 tsp hot pepper sauce (couple of drops) 

Instructions 

1. Pulse each vegetables individually in a food processor until desired consistency. 
2. Gently mix all processed vegetables and all remaining ingredients (except 1/4 cup reserved cilantro) in a bowl just until combined. 
3. Chill in refrigerator no less than 2 hours to let flavors mingle.
4. Serve garnished with reserved cilantro on top.
5. Serving size = 1 cup. Approx. 6 servings.

Photo courtesy of familyfoodonthetable.com

Corn and Three Bean Mexican Salad

Summer time is such a wonderful time for cold salads, and this one is chock full of dietary fiber and protein. It also makes a great topping for tossed salads, nachos, or as a vegetarian filler in tacos.  It was fun to revisit this salad with a homemade Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette.

Corn and Three Bean Mexican Salad

Ingredients

• 14 oz can Black Beans 
• 14 oz can Kidney Beans 
• 14 oz can Pinto Beans
• 2 medium Corn
• 1/2 Bell Pepper, diced
• 2 fl oz Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• Optional garnishes: fresh Cilantro, diced Tomatoes, or Pico de gallo

Instructions

1. Cook corn and remove from cob. 
2. Rinse and drain all beans.   
3. Gently combine corn, beans, and all remaining ingredients. 
4. Best served after flavors have blended at least 30 minutes. 
5. Keep leftovers refrigerated. Freshen with a splash of vinaigrette and/or optional garnishes at when serving.
6. Makes ten (10) 3/4 cup servings. WW SP=4. 

Photo courtesy of triedandtasty.com

Cilantro Lime Vinaigarette

There is nothing better on summer salads than a light, bright vinaigrette. I love using this dressing to liven up mexican dishes, such as my Corn and Three Bean Mexican Salad.  If you don't have fresh limes handy, I find that Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice makes a fine substitute.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh Lime Juice (2-3 limes)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil 
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh Cilantro 
• 1 Garlic clove, minced (optional)
• 2 TBSP Vermont Maple Syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher Salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground Coriander (optional)  

Instructions 

1. Stir all ingredients together. Keep refrigerated. Shake before serving. 
2. Makes sixteen (16) 2 TBSP servings. WW SP=3

Recipe and photo courtesy of Epicurious.com

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Lo Mein Noodles

Pinterest comes to the rescue again!  I wanted a noodle dish to accompany my Crock Pot Cashew Chicken, and these Lo Mein Noodles hit the spot! I imagine this recipe would taste great with the addition of mushrooms, but they are not include here due to a personal allergy.

These Lo Mein Noodles turned out tasty and quick, and are even recommended by our picky 9-year-old!

Lo Mein Noodles  

Ingredients

• 1 pkg (8 oz.) Spaghetti
• 3 TBSP Soy Sauce
• 2 TBSP Teriyaki Sauce
• 2 TBSP Honey
• 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
• 2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 3 Celery stalks, sliced
• 2 Carrots, cut into large matchsticks
• 1 Red Pepper, cut into long, thin slices
• 2 Scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
2. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 10 minutes.
3. Drain and rinse spaghetti with cold water to cool.
4. Whisk soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, and ground ginger together in a bowl.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. 
6. Cook and stir celery, carrots, red pepper in the hot oil until slightly tender, 5 to 7 minutes
7. Add spaghetti and sauce mixture. Continue to cook, tossing to mix, until the noodles and sauce are hot, about 5 minutes more.
8. Garnish with scallions.

Image and recipe adapted from http://allrecipes.com/

Black Bean Soup

I used to buy a fantastic black bean soup mix at our local market, but it stopped appearing on the shelves a couple of years ago. So I tried to replicate the flavor at home yesterday, and we were quite pleased with the results.

We ate ours with some Cabot sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese mixed in, plus tortilla chips.

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, diced
• 1 Garlic Clove, diced
• 3 Carrots, diced
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried Cilantro
• One 8 oz. can Diced Tomatoes with Mild Green Chiles
• Two 14-16 oz. cans Black Beans (do not drain or rinse)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in large soup pan over medium heat.
2. Add diced onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute 2 minutes.
3. Add cumin, cinnamon, and cilantro, then stir well. Saute 1-2 minutes more.
4. Add can of diced tomatoes, stir well.  Cook 5 minutes.
5. Add black beans and stir well. Cook until almost boiling (about 5 minutes.)
6. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve warm w/tortilla chips.

Serving suggestions

• Stir in Cabot Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
• Stir in a dollop of sour cream.
• Add to scrambled eggs along with some cheddar cheese.
• Fold into tortillas with cheese (and chicken if you like) to make quesadillas.

Harvest Rice Salad

While looking for vegetarian recipes for a fall pot-luck, I stumbled upon a "Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad" recipe on Simply Recipes.  I made some adaptations, and the resulting Harvest Rice Salad received rave reviews--and an empty bowl--in return.

Harvest Rice Salad

Ingredients

Rice:

• 1 cup Wild Rice mix
• Water or Vegetable stock (amount per rice package instructions)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Butter

Stir-ins:

• 1/2 cup dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried Apricots
• 1/2 cup toasted Pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced Scallions

Dressing:

• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp grated Orange Peel
• Salt and Pepper to taste (freshly ground optimal)

Directions

1. Follow instructions on the rice package for cooking 1 cup of rice. Add butter.
2. While rice is cooking, make the dressing: combine dressing ingredients (lemon juice, olive oil, orange peel, salt and pepper) then mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3. Combine the "stir-in" ingredients (cranberries, apricots, pecans and scallions) in a medium serving bowl.
4. Once rice is done and fluffed, cool completely.
5. Add cooled rice to the bowl with "stir-ins." Mix thoroughly.
6. Mix in the dressing just before serving. 
7. Salad can be served warm, room-temp, or chilled.

Serves 4-6.

Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Here is the last in our "South Beach Diet" series. Now I can put the cookbooks away since they all of our favorites are now posted here.

The sugar-free Apricot preserves really add that nice "glaze" finish and sweetness, without all of the sugar content.

Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar-free apricot preserves
• 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp canola oil,divided
• 1 1/2 lbs. pork cutlets,cut into 1/4-in. strips
• 4 garlic cloves,minced
• 1 lb broccoli,cut into florets (3-4 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper,cut into thin strips
• 1 bunch scallions,cut into 2-in. lengths
• 4 oz. snow peas, strings removed

Directions

1. Whisk preserves and soy sauce together in a bowl until smooth.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. 
3. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 5 min. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add remaining oil and garlic to the same skillet; cook over med-high heat for 30 sec. 
5. Add broccoli, pepper, scallions, and snow peas and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 min. 
6. Stir in pork and preserves mixture; cook 1 min. more. Serve hot.

Recommend serving over 1/2 cup of basmati rice.
4 (2 cup) servings

Beef and Bean Chili

My husband and I did the South Beach Diet for a while (with some success, I might add) and there are a handful of recipes from the SBD cookbooks we still make to this day.  This chili is perfect on a cold day, and we use left overs in nachos, enchiladas, etc.

I'll be posting a few in the next few days in a continued effort to post all of our family favorites here.

Beef and Bean Chili 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2.5 tsp chili powder, divided
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add beef, 1 tsp chili powder, and cumin; saute until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate.
4. Add onion, garlic, and remaining chili powder to the same pan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes with juice and beans; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Uncover, add cooked beef, and cook an additional 5 minutes, until liquid thinkens slightly.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Serves 4 (1.5 cup servings=350 calories each)

Tortellini Vegetable Saute

I LOVE pasta dishes, but there is nothing I enjoy less than a recipe that uses every pot/strainer/utensil in the kitchen.  So when looking for a simple, light, pasta recipe that wouldn't completely dirty the kitchen, I decided to create my own.  Enjoy!

Tortellini Vegetable Saute

Ingredients

• 8 oz. fresh/refrigerated Cheese Tortellini* 
• 4 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup diced Red Onion
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 medium Zucchini, diced
• 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
• Basil and Parsley, to taste*
• Freshly ground Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a deep, 12 in. skillet, boil enough water to generously cover tortellini; about 2 quarts.
2. Add tortellini to skillet, and boil according to package directions.
3. Prep vegetables while tortellini is cooking.
4. When tortellini is done, transfer to strainer to drain.  
5. Immediately return skillet to stovetop, and heat two TBSP olive oil.
6. Saute red onion and garlic until softened and translucent; about 2-3 minutes.
7. Add zucchini, basil, parsley, and then saute until zucchini slightly softened; about 4-5 minutes.
8. Add remaining 2 TBSP olive oil to veggie saute, and then tomatoes and tortellini.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste, and saute 3-4 minutes until flavors blend.
10. Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh parmesan or similar cheese.

Serves 2-3

* I recommend the following Vermont products for this recipe:
Vermont Pasta/Pastabilities Tortellini
Teeny Tiny Spice Company of Vermont's Shepherd Herb Mix

Willing to make a little more mess? Why not make your own tortellini! 

You can find a yummy recipe and tutorial here.

Photo by Taste of Home

Orzo Salad

I was recently looking for a light and easy recipe to bring to a work pot luck. I had never made orzo, and thought this recipe by Giadia De Laurentis would be fun to try.  In the end, our neighborhood market had no orzo, fresh basil, OR mint, so I substituted small shells, and dried basil. The end product was still good, so I can't wait to try again with the correct ingredients.

Orzo Salad 

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups orzo
• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups red and yellow teardrop tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• About 3/4 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe below)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. 
2. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. 
3. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. 
4. Drain the orzo through a strainer. 
5. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. 
6. Set aside to cool completely.
7. Once cool, toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. 
8. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. 
2. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. 
3. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

As an alternative, I might try this with the house vinaigrette my old friend, The Naughty Chef, makes at his workplace!

Spicy African Peanut Stew

This stew is a simplified/American-ized version of Hkatenkwan (Ghanaian Groundnut Stew.) Groundnut is the African word for peanut, and this stew is based on the Western African version of the groundnut/tomato stew found all over sub-Saharan Africa.

One of the curators at our campus museum brought this in for our monthly potluck (thanks, Emmie!) and it was all I could do to not go up for thirds!

Spicy African Peanut Stew

Ingredients

• 14-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cubed sweet potato
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1.5 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 14-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 14-ounce can light coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
• Bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients (except cilantro and peanuts) in a slow cooker
2. Set on high for an hour, then switch to low for 4-5
3. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts

Tuscan Pasta

I found a version of this yummy dish in a Crock-Pot brand slow-cooker cookbook. The only changes I made was to substitute black olives for the original recipe's mushrooms (as I'm allergic) and swap a jar of Newman's Own Organic Tomato-Basil sauce for the recommended can of plain tomato sauce. I'm not sold on the celery either, so I might consider omitting it next time, but adding peas when adding the dry pasta. Lastly, don't worry that there is a lot of liquid in this recipe, as the pasta absorbs most of it in the final step.

Tuscan Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bone-/skin-less chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
• 2 cans (14 oz. ea.) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) jar of Newman's Own Organic Tomato-Basil sauce (or similar)
• 1 cup water
• 1 jar (4.5 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
• 1 medium yellow, orange or red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 sm. can LeSueur Very Early Young Peas (optional)
• 6 oz. uncooked thin spaghetti, broken in half (Barilla+ recommended)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except peas and spaghetti in Crock-Pot slow cooker.
2. Cover; cook on LOW 4 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3. Add in spaghetti and (optional) peas. Turn to HIGH, cook 10 minutes, then stir.
4. Continue cooking covered on high an additional 35 minutes or until pasta is tender.
5. Recommend serving with shredded parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 8 servings.

Artichoke Dip

This simple recipe is a weekend

favorite which we'll eat as dinner

instead of an appetizer. It is worth

noting that I do not use marinated

artichoke hearts in order to avoid

adding additional oil/fat to the

recipe.

Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 14 oz. can Artichoke Hearts
• 3 firm, plum tomatoes
• 1 cup mayonnaise***
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan/Romano cheese
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• Garlic Maple Pepper* to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Drain and then chop artichoke hearts
3. Dice tomatoes
4. Combine artichokes, tomatoes, mayo, grated pram, garlic and maple pepper in a medium bowl.
5. Spread in an ungreased 1qt glass or stoneware casserole or pie plate (metal pan not recommended)
6. Lightly cover dip with shaved Parmesan
7. Bake uncovered 30 minutes
8. Cool 5 minutes before serving
9. Serve with crackers, tortilla or pita chips, veggies, or our new favorite "Masclun" bread**

*Maple Pepper by Highland Foods
**Masclun bread by Good Companion Bakery
***Update: My mother-in-law recommends doing a 1/2 cup mayo and a 1/2 cup sour cream.

cc image courtesy of stetted

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken

This is the first in a series of crock-pot meals we've come to love and make weekly thanks to the collection of user-submitted recipes at sparkrecipes.com

So dust off that slow-cooker and get ready for some wonderful fall cooking!

Slow-Cooker Moroccan Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts
• 4 tsp Moroccan Spice Blend (see recipe below)
• 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with onion and garlic
• 5 small or 2 large yellow summer squash
• .5 c golden raisins
• .5 c. dried apricots
• 1.5 c. chicken stock
• 1 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca (optional)

Directions

1. Remove skin from chicken; rub with Morrocan Spice Blend (see below) and place in slow cooker.
2. Cut squash into .25 inch rounds.
3. Snip apricots into small pieces.
4. Combine apricots, tomatoes (undrained), raisins, squash, stock, and 2 tsp of the spice blend. Pour over chicken, and stir a bit to get some juice under the chicken.
5. Cook in slow cooker for 3 hours on high, or 6 hours on low.

Makes 6 one cup servings.

Recommend serving over 1/2 servings of couscous or jasmine rice.

Moroccan Spice Blend (Ras el Hanout) (makes 2 tbsp)

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Nutritional info: Calories=210, Fat=4g, Carbohydrates=26g, Protein=19g

Recipe by SparkPeople user QUIXOTICKATE

Oven-Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

A tasty and easy accompaniment to Pepper-encrusted Steak. I prefer to use Garlic Maple Pepper, in place of the ground black pepper, for that special Vermont touch.

Oven-Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients

• 18 fingerling potatoes
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Wash potatoes and pat dry. Cut into 1 inch pieces to ensure even cooking.
3. Place potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet. Coat with remaining ingredients.
4. Stir once during cooking. Cook until golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes.
5. Allow potatoes to cool 5 minutes before serving.

cc2.0 image courtesy of Furey and the Feast, and see her recipe here.

Maple Butternut Squash

Here is a Vermont twist on mashed butternut squash. Enjoy!

Maple Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 (3pound) butternut squash
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup Vermont maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg

Directions:

1. Peel and cut squash into cubes.
2. Place in saucepan and fill with enough cold water to cover squash plus one inch. (You can do this the night before and refrigerate.)
3. Add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
4. Cook 20-25 minutes until tender (but not falling apart)
5. Drain squash and return to pot briefly to dry out water.
6. Mash to desired consistency.
7. Add butter, syrup, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg, then mix well and serve.

Good Ole' Mashed Potatoes

I know this is a basic one - but for the sake of sharing all of my Thanksgiving recipes in one place - here it is!

Good ole' Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of potatoes
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of half and half or milk
• 6 tablespoons of butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Peel and cube/quarter the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by an inch or so. (This can be done ahead and then placed in fridge)
2. Add salt and bring the water to a boil.
3. Cook until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife. (About 20-25 minutes)
4. Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot and cook the drained potatoes over low heat for a couple of minutes to evaporate some of the water still in the potato.
5. Mash (quickly, to retain heat) by your method of choice.
6. Blend in butter and half & half/milk, plus any other ingredients you prefer. **BEST if you warm the milk and butter before adding to the potaotes.
7. Season with salt and pepper.

Interesting notes

• Use a 1/2 cup of liquid and 2 oz. of butter for each lb. of potatoes.
• For less lumps and creamier texture, mash/blend smooth BEFORE adding liquid.
• Heating butter and liquid first (but NOT to boiling) and not over-cooking potatoes will minimize gumminess.
• If your potatoes have been sitting around for a while, adding a pinch of nutmeg will freshen the aroma and taste.

And just for fun: POTATO, POTATO, POTATO

Photo courtesy of plasticrevolver

Ginger-Scented Apple Squash Soup

This recipe is courtesy of Weight Watchers.

Ginger-Scented Pear Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp ginger root, grated
• 1 medium leek(s), white part only, coarsely chopped
• 4 3/4 oz frozen apple juice concentrate (undiluted), about 1/2 cup
• 3 large apple(s), Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
• 3 pound butternut squash, peeled, cut into chunks and seeded (1 large or 2 small squash)
• 4 cup canned chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free half and half
  

Instructions

1. Combine ginger, leek and apple juice concentrate in a large pot; cover and simmer until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Add apples, squash and 1 cup of broth; cover and simmer until very tender, about 1 hour.
2. Purée soup in pot using a hand-held immersion blender. Or purée soup in a blender in small batches (be careful not to splatter the hot liquid) and return the puréed soup to the pot.
3. Add remaining 3 cups of broth, salt and pepper; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in half and half and serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
4. This recipe is part of our Make Ahead Soups, Chilies and Stews series. To learn more about this cook-and-freeze feature, click here.

Notes

Partially cooking a hard-shell squash makes it easier to peel. Pierce the gourd in several places with a fork, microwave on HIGH for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on size, and then peel.

POINTS® value | 3 Servings | 10 Preparation Time | 20 min Cooking Time | 90 min Level of Difficulty | Moderate

Summer Vegetable Tian

I made the following recipe (courtsey of Williams-Sonoma) for dinner tonight, to utilize a wonderful bounty of summer squashes and tomatoes, and served it with whole wheat pasta. The dish could easily be transformed into a vegan delight be excluding the cheese or exchanging it for a soy-based one. I also used Panko breadcrumbs for a slightly nuttier texture. Enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Tian

Originating in Provence, a tian is a French word that describes a shallow earthenware casserole as well as the food it contains. Traditionally it features a variety of vegetables, herbs and cheeses that are layered and then baked.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch strips
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 small zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch rounds
• 2 small crookneck squash, cut into 1/8-inch rounds
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 lb. plum tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch rounds
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. 
2. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil.
3. In a fry pan over medium heat, warm 5 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. 
4. Add the bell pepper and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. 
5. Transfer the onion-pepper mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Set aside.
6. In a bowl, combine the zucchini, crookneck squash, 5 Tbs. of the oil, the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and stir to coat evenly. 
7. Arrange the zucchini, crookneck squash and tomato slices on the onion-pepper mixture, overlapping the rows. 
8. Drizzle with the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together the cheese and bread crumbs. 
10. Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top. Bake for 15 minutes more.
11. Turn the oven to broil and broil until the cheese is golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. 
12. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.