Thursday, January 23, 2014

White-Bean and Sausage Stew

Ingredients:

  • 6 (3 oz.) Italian sausages  
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped  
  • 2 (15 oz.) cans white beans (Great Northern or navy), rinsed and drained  
  • 1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained  
  • 1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme  
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

  1. Poke holes in sausages and put in a large nonstick skillet. 
  2. Add 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil. 
  3. Lower heat and cook sausages, turning, until lightly browned and water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. 
  4. Transfer to a plate. 
  5. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. 
  6. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. 
  7. Add beans, tomatoes and thyme.
  8. Put half of bean mixture into a slow cooker. 
  9. Arrange sausages on top, followed by remaining beans. 
  10. Cook on high for 4 hours. 
  11. Check after 2 hours and add water if mixture looks dry.
  12. Remove sausages; slice thickly. 
  13. Season beans with salt and pepper. 
  14. Return sausage to stew. 

Note:  Stew can be kept, frozen and tightly sealed, for up to 1 month.

Prep. Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  4 hours, 15 minutes
Serves 4

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Tortellini & Zucchini

This is a pretty versatile recipe.  Pick your favorite tortellini.  Add peppers if you like.

Ingredients:
2 medium to large zucchini, sliced thin
1/4 c. diced onion
1 T. Olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
9 oz. tortellini, cooked according to package directions
2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 t. basil
1 t. parsley


Directions:
  1. Cook the tortellini according to package directions
  2. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet
  3. Saute onion until translucent
  4. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds
  5. Add basil and parsley
  6. Add zucchini to skillet and saute until lightly browned
  7. Add cooked tortellini to zucchini mixture
  8. Add tomato sauce, stir.
  9. Cook until everything is heated through.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Pork Cutlets

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded into fine powder)
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour plus a few tablespoons for dredging
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 small, boneless porkchops 
  • salt, pepper, seasonings 
  • Worcestershire (optional)
  • Cabbage
  • 3 - 4 Tablespoons Coconut oil 


Directions:
  1. Pound pork lightly until thin
  2. Season pork with salt and pepper
  3. Dredge pork in coconut flour
  4. Beat eggs, dip pork into egg mixture
  5. Combine Parmesan and coconut and then dip pork into that mixture as well
  6. Heat oil 
  7. Fry porkchops until dark golden brown and then flip it on the other side (10 min, depending on thickness)
  8. Serve with cabbage

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

This makes a nice appetizer or light lunch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and diced
  • 1 medium tomato, diced 
  • 1 avocado, diced 
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine 
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion 
  • 2 limes, juice of 
  • 1 tsp olive oil 
  • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro 
  • salt and fresh pepper to taste 


Directions:
  1. In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. 
  2. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.
  3. In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeƱo. 
  4. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. 
  5. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.


If you need to prepare this ahead of time, combine all ingredients except the avocado and cliantro.  Refrigerate.  Add the avocado and cliantro immediately prior to serving.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Basic Tomato Sauce

If you are looking for a tomato sauce recipe with no added sugar, here is a simple, yet tasty recipe.  An added benefit is the extra vegetables added, and no one will know!

Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped
1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t. dried basil or 2 T. chopped fresh basil
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 t, tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
  1. Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. 
  2. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. 
  3. Stir to coat. 
  4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.
  5. Remove cover and add the minced garlic. 
  6. Increase the heat to medium high. 
  7. Cook garlic for 30 seconds. 
  8. Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes. 
  9. Add the tomato paste and the basil. 
  10. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
  11. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. 
  12. If you want, you can push the sauce through a food mill, or blend it with an immersion blender, to give it a smooth consistency. 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Cherry Tomatoes with Broccoli Filling

I served these at our Christmas Eve party and they were a very popular appetizer.

Ingredients:
48 cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)  1 10-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed1/2 cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise1/2 cup  nonfat sour cream1/4 cup  grated Parmesan1/2 teaspoon  crushed red pepper  Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Slice tops off tomatoes; reserve. 
  2. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out pulp; discard pulp. 
  3. Invert tomatoes onto paper towels, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill
  4. Squeeze as much moisture as possible from broccoli and pat dry with paper towels. 
  5. Place in bowl of a food processor and add mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan and crushed red pepper. 
  6. Pulse a few times to thoroughly mix, but do not completely puree. 
  7. Season with salt and pepper. 
  8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  9. Spoon 1 tsp. filling into each tomato, mounding filling slightly. 
  10. Set tops on filling. 
  11. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

10 Servings