Moms » RECIPES

Pita Fajitas

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:31:28 +0000

This is a combo of two favorite sandwiches: tahini sauce, generally used in Middle Eastern falafel sandwiches, is drizzled over a filing of spicy Mexican steak fajitas stuffed in a pita pocket. But you can aso roll this zingy filling into leaves of Bibb or Boston lettuce. Tahini, or sesame seed paste, looks like peanut butter and can be found in most supermarkets. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. tahini
1/4 c plus 2T freshly squeezed lime juice
4 small garlic cloves
1 lb. skirt steak
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 T olive oil
3 bell peppers: 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow
1 medium red onion, peeled
4 pita breads with pockets
4 romaine lettuce leaves, shredded
1 tomato, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, 2 T of the lime juice, and 1 garlic clove pushed through a press. Whisk in 1/4 c. water and stir until very smooth. Set aside.
2. Put the steak in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the remainimg 1/4 c. lime juice, 3 garlic cloves pushed through a press, cumin, and 2 T of the olive oil. Pour over the steak and let it marinate, covered and chilled, for 1 hour.
3. Wash and dry the peppers. Cut then in half and remove the seeds. Cut them into thin strips. Cut the onion in half through the root end, then cut it into thin half circles.
4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add the bell peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes over high heat. Add th steak and cook until seared, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the steak and cut into thin strips across the width. Combine meat in a bowl with the peppers and onions.
5. Warm each pita directly on the stove, turning over an open flame quickly with tongs. Cut each pita pocket in half and put in lettuce, tomato, then steak and peppers. Drizzle tahini sauce over the filling.
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Recipe courtesy of Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs by Rozanne Gold and her All-Star Team. Photographs by Phil Mansfield. Says one of her teen chefs, Ian, "I never thought of myself as a great cook, but following these recipes turned me into one."

Chicken "Parm" with Roasted Grape Tomatoes

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:57:05 +0000

Our incredibly juicy healthy rendition of chicken parmigiana goes like this: The chicken is "breaded" with Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy, topped with roasted grape tomatoes, and covered with mozzarella cheese. It all goes into one pan and is popped into the oven. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. olive oil

1 large garlic clove

12 oz. grape tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Large pinch of red pepper flakes

6 6-oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 1/4 c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

5 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

2. Put the olive oil in a small bowl. Push the garlic through a press and add to the oil with 1/2 tsp. salt. Put the tomatoes in another bowl. Add 2 T. of the "garlic oil," the oregano, and the red pepper flakes. Stir.

3. Coat the chicken on all sides with the remaining "garlic oil." Put 1 c. of the cheese on a large plate. Dip one side of each chicken breast in the cheese to coat completely. Place the chicken, cheese side up, one one half of a rimmed baking sheet. Place the tomatoes on the other half of the sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is just firm to the touch.

4. Place overlapping slices of m ozzarella on top of the chicken and pop back into the oven until melted. (Or put it under the broiler for 30 seconds.) Transfer the chicken to plates. Top with the tomatoes and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 c. of cheese.

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Recipe courtesy of Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs by Rozanne Gold and her All-Star Team. Photographs by Phil Mansfield. Says one of her teen chefs, Ian, "I never thought of myself as a great cook, but following these recipes turned me into one."

Grape-And-Pignoli Breakfast Cake

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:41:09 +0000

INGREDIENTS (Serves 10):

* 12 oz. red seedless grapes

* 2 extra-large eggs

* ¼ c. milk

* ½ c. plus one T olive oil

* 1 tsp. vanilla extract

* 1 ½ c. self-rising flour

* 3 T pignoli nuts (pine nuts)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Wash the grapes and discard stems. Dry grapes well and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ½ cup olive oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and ½ cup of the sugar. Blend thoroughly. Stir in the flour and mix well until smooth.

4. Use 1 T oil to grese an 8-inch pie tiin with a removable bottom and pour in the batter. Place the grapes evenly, about ¼ iinch apart, in concentric circles on top of the batter to cover the entire surface. Press the grapes halfway into the batter. Scatter pignoli nuts evenly on the cake and sprinkle with 1 T of sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool.

Recipe courtesy of Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs by Rozanne Gold and her All-Star Team.

Two-Minute Berry Banana Smoothie

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:13:43 +0000

Yum!

INGREDIENTS
• 1 banana
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen berries*
• 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
*If you’re using fresh berries, you may want to start off this recipe by crushing some ice cubes in the blender to make your smoothie nice and cold!

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients and blend. Voila!

NUTRITION INFORMATION
PER SERVING (entire recipe): 371 Calories, 1g fat, 316mg sodium, 72.5g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 51g sugars, 22.9g protein

Recipe courtesy of Hillary Paul at Healthy Girl Cooking.

Whole Wheat Lasagna

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:35:59 +0000

INGREDIENTS (makes at least 8 servings):
• 1/2 package whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1/2 jar tomato sauce, your favorite flavor
• 1 small container low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 small container low-fat or fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1 package shredded mozzarella (I recommend using part-skim mozzarella, but NOT reduced-fat. It doesn't melt well and tastes plastic-y when it's cooked.)
• 2 10-oz packages spinach leaves
• 1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 zucchini
• 1 squash
• 1 head of broccoli
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 3 tsp. olive oil, separated
• Italian seasoning or your favorite Italian herbs (like basil, oregano, thyme & marjoram)
• Salt & pepper

Optional toppings: 1-2 vine-ripe tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, sliced black olives & shredded parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Begin by pre-heating the oven to 350º and boiling a big pot of water (if your noodles require pre-cooking, that is; not all do).

2. Wash veggies dry them really well to prevent watery lasagna (spinach is the major culprit here). Mince garlic and slice zucchini, squash and broccoli.

3. In a large frying pan, sauté garlic in 1 tsp. olive oil until lightly browned. Set aside and let the zucchini, squash and broccoli have a turn. Add another tsp. or two of oil if you need too. Add the mushrooms when zucchini and squash have begun to soften just a bit. Careful not to overcook—your veggies should have a bit of crunch to them.

4. While the veggies are cooking, combine cottage cheese & ricotta in a medium mixing bowl and stir well. Add Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.

5. When your veggies are cooked, and them to the garlic and sauté the spinach alone.

6. Your noodles should be done by now (You want them al dente—not too soft.) so you're ready to assemble! Start with a thin layer of tomato sauce at the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Next comes a layer of noodles--Use only enough to cover the pan rather than piling them on. Begin your layer of veggies by spreading the spinach over the noodles, trying to get the layer as even as possible. Add the garlic & veggie mixture. Top with tomato sauce—The amount you use can depend on your taste. Next, add another layer of noodles and top with the creamy cheese mixture. You may not need all of it; this will depend on the size of your lasagna pan. Top with a light sprinkling of shredded mozzarella—you don't need to use the whole package if you're concerned about keeping the fat content down.

7. Toppings can really jazz up your 'sagn! I like to add thinly sliced tomato, black olives and fresh basil leaves.

8. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for an hour. When time is up, slice into the middle to check for doneness. This can be difficult, because your lasagna will inevitably be a little runny, but some of that will set as it cools. If you're using a larger or deeper pan, it may require another 10-15 minutes. If you like your cheese nice and brown, remove the foil before you return the pan to the oven.

9. Allow about 10 minutes for cooling. Approach with caution—tomato sauce is evil when it's hot.

Serving suggestions: Mixed greens with bell pepper and black olives; a slice of crusty whole grain bread (You don't really need bread to go with your pasta, but I LOVE to mop up tomato and cheese with crusty bread!)

Recipe courtesy of Hillary Paul at Healthy Girl Cooking.

Lord of the Onion Rings

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:52:14 +0000

INGREDIENTS
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
• 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
• Dash of salt
• Optional: additional salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cut the ends off of the onion, and remove the outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2 –inch wide slices and separate into rings.

3. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour Fiber One "breadcrumbs" into a small dish and mix in salt, and any optional spices you like.

4. Next, fill a small bowl (just large enough for onion rings to fit in) with egg substitute. One by one, coat each ring first in egg and then in the "breadcrumbs" (give each ring a shake after the egg bath).

5. Evenly place rings on a baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping rings over halfway through.

6. Makes 1 Humongous Serving

NUTRITION INFORMATION

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 153 Calories, 1 fat, 379mg sodium, 41g carbs, 16g fiber, 7g sugars, 9g protein

Recipe courtesy of HungryGirl.com. To buy the Hungry girl cookbook, click here.

Loaded 'N' Oated Veggie Pizza

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:51:09 +0000

INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
• 1/4 cup regular oats (not instant)
• 1/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 1/3 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon diced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon diced green bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon diced onions
• 1/3 cup canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Optional: salt, black pepper, oregano, additional garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place oats and Fiber One in a blender or food processor and grind until a breadcrumb-like consistency is reached. In a small bowl, combine the "breadcrumb" mixture, egg substitute, and garlic powder. Mix well.

3. Over medium-high heat, spoon mixture into a pan sprayed with nonstick spray and smooth into a circular shape (larger for a thin crust, smaller for a thick crust). Allow to cook until the bottom is slightly browned (about 2 minutes) and then gently flip. Once both sides are slightly browned, remove crust from the pan and place it on a plate to cool.

4. Remove pan from heat and re-spray. Cook diced veggies in the pan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Season tomato sauce, to taste, with any of the optional ingredients and mix well. Pour sauce evenly onto the oat/cereal crust.

6. Next, evenly top crust—first with the cheese and then the veggies. Place pizza directly on the oven rack and cook for 10 minutes.

7. If you like, season your pizza with more optional ingredients. Cut into quarters for four times more fun!

8. Makes 1 Serving

NUTRITION INFORMATION

PER SERVING (1 pizza): 231Calories, 2g fat, 870mg sodium, 37g carbs, 11g fiber, 6g sugars, 24g protein

Recipe courtesy of HungryGirl.com. To buy the Hungry girl cookbook, click here.

Ooey-Gooey Chili Cheese Nachos

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:49:00 +0000

INGREDIENTS
• One 7oz bag baked tortilla chips
• 1 cup low-fat turkey or veggie chili
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup light soymilk
• 3oz fat-free block cheddar cheese
• 1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all three cheeses in a saucepan with the soymilk. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally. Continue until all cheeses have melted and your cheese sauce is thoroughly mixed and hot.

2. Prepare chili according to package directions. Microwave chips in a bowl until warm and then spread them out on a large platter.

3. Pour your cheese sauce over the chips. Top with chili. Spoon salsa and sour cream on top and voila, your nachos are ready!

4. Makes 6 Servings

NUTRITION INFORMATION

PER SERVING (1/6 of recipe): 216 Calories, 3.5g fat, 671mg sodium, 36g carbs, 4g fiber, 3g sugars, 13g protein

Recipe courtesy of HungryGirl.com. To buy the Hungry girl cookbook, click here.

Big Burger Stopper

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:47:44 +0000

INGREDIENTS
• 1 small hamburger bun (light if available)
• 1 Boca Meatless Burger, Original
• 3 slices/chips dill pickle
• 1 slice tomato
• 1 leaf romaine lettuce
• 1 slice onion
• 1 teaspoon fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon ketchup

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare patty per package instructions, using nonstick spray or nothing at all. Toast bun, if desired.

2. Place patty on bun's bottom half and then top with tomato, onion, lettuce, and pickle slices.

3. On the top half of the bun, smear on mayo and ketchup. Put two halves together and enjoy!

4. Makes 1 Serving

NUTRITION INFORMATION

PER SERVING (1 sandwich): 202 Calories, 2.5g fat, 789mg sodium, 32g carbs, 6g fiber, 6g sugars, 17g protein

Recipe courtesy of HungryGirl.com. To buy the Hungry girl cookbook, click here.

Baja Taco Blitz

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:46:20 +0000

INGREDIENTS
• 2 small corn tortillas
• 4 ounces raw boneless, skinless lean chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 1/4 large red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/8 avocado (2 small slices)
• 1/2 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
• 2 tablespoons shredded fat-free cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
• 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
• 1 tablespoon salsa
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray a pan with nonstick spray and set stove to medium heat. Cook onion slices in the pan for 2 minutes.

2. Add pepper slices to the pan and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes until veggies are a little crisp. Remove veggies from the pan and place them in a bowl.

3. Cook chicken strips in the pan until cooked throughout and then add them to the bowl with onions and peppers.

4. Heat tortillas in the pan for 20 seconds on each side. Remove and plate tortillas.

5. Season the onions, peppers, and chicken to taste with salt and black pepper, and then place them evenly into the center of each tortilla.

6. Place one slice of avocado on each tortilla. Finish by topping with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro. Roll 'em up and enjoy!

7. Makes 1 Serving

NUTRITION INFORMATION

PER SERVING (2 tacos): 347 Calories, 6.5g fat, 380mg sodium, 36g carbs, 6.5g fiber, 5g sugars, 36g protein

Recipe courtesy of HungryGirl.com. To buy the Hungry girl cookbook, click here.