7 Ways to Go Light
All Recipes gives great tips on how to make a lighter version of your favorite recipes:
1. Think baked tortilla and potato chips instead of fried ones
2. Use low-fat or nonfat sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, cream cheese and salad dressing instead of full-fat versions
3. Substitute evaporated skim milk or buttermilk in place of cream (for everything except whipping)
4. To thicken soups, gravies, and sauces, use puréed vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a slurry of cornstarch and cold water instead of cream or roux.
5. It’s a painless sacrifice to use leaner cuts of meat too: skinless chicken breast, pork loin, ground turkey breast and beef round and flank steak are all good choices.
6. Start turning to non-meat sources for some of your protein needs, too: beans come in all kinds of interesting varieties, as do tofu and soy-based meat substitutes.
7. Try whole grains in place of refined ones more often. You just may find that you prefer the taste of whole wheat bread, brown rice, bulgur, barley and quinoa over white bread and white rice.
Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
1/2 cup texturized vegetable protein (TVP)
1 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
2 (12 ounce) cans kidney beans with liquid
2 (12 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 (8 ounce) container dairy sour cream
What’s Next
Place the textured vegetable protein (TVP) in water, and soak 30 minutes. Press to drain.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and saute TVP, onion, and garlic until onion is tender and TVP is evenly browned. Season with salt, pepper, 1/2 the chili powder, 1/2 the cumin, 1/2 the cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Mix in honey, beans, tomatoes, green bell pepper, and carrots. Cook, stirring, occasionally, 45 minutes.
Season the chili with remaining chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and continue cooking 15 minutes. To serve, divide into bowls, garnish with green onions and cilantro, and top with dollops of sour cream.
Tuna Salad
A light, healthy and easy recipe that’s perfect for summer picnics.
Ingredients
1/2 tsp classic Ceasar Salad dressing
1/2 can of tuna
2 baby carrots, chopped
2 lettuce leaves
3 olives
1/2 roma tomato
1/2 tsp each garlic powder
1/2 tsp basil leaves
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
What’s next
In a small bowl, combine tuna, chopped carrot, olives, and tomato. Chop one of the lettuce leaves and add. Sprinkle with remaining spices, salad dressing, then mix thoroughly. Using the other lettuce leaf, place tuna salad in tne center, and then fold and enjoy.
Potato Salad
Ingredients
4 strips bacon
1 pound small red potatoes, unpeeled
1 green onion, sliced
1 boiled egg, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
Cook bacon until crispy. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the grease, and crumble. Set aside. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Add a tablespoon of the bacon grease and some salt and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let the potatoes cool and then cut into bite-size pieces. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper for dressing. Toss potatoes, onion, and egg in dressing. Add bacon. Serve chilled.
This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
No Knead Bread
Nothing beats freshly baked bread — but most of us shy away from the task of having to knead it. However, there is a new method that involves absolutely no kneading.
You get a loaf with a crispy crust and lots of holes in the inside. Definitely much better than the store bought variety but admittedly a little short of the traditional bread. Anyway — at least you didn’t have to sweat!
Trip to the Orient
Oriental cuisine puts a lot of emphasis on presentation. In the East, meals are spiritual acts: as you take in the nourishment from Nature, you become one with it. That harmony must be reflected in the way the food is served.
Luckily food aesthetics is pretty easy to achieve . Invest in high quality plates and chopsticks. You can also get simple cooking tips from Ming Tsai’s cookbook. Even if you’ve never handled a wok in your life, you’ll be impressing guests with your Eastern flair in no time.
Sequel Soup
This soup uses holiday leftovers (hence the word sequel) — but your family will never know! It’s delicious, hearty, and perfect for the chilly January weather.
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken, turkey or ham
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
Up to 2 cups leftover gravy
Chicken broth
What’s Next
Saute the onion, celery and red pepper in large saucepan till onions are clear. Add the chicken, rice, peas and gravy. Stir to combine. Add enough of the broth to get the consistency of soup you want. Cook about 1/2 hour over medium-low heat.
Japanese Wasabi Salad
On a diet? Salads don’t have to be boring. Try this unique Japanese salad that’s excellent with julienned cucumbers and carrots, lettuce, crab sticks or shrimp (you can also use leftover chicken), and a few strips of ripe mango. Really good, promise.
Ingredients
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp wasabi (Japanese horseradish) paste
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
What’s Next
Mix soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl. Add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sesame oil and wasabi paste and wisk well. Cool the dressing in the fridge until ready to serve. *Adjust the amount of wasabi and sugar, depending on your preference.
This recipe’s amount seasons four small salads.
Orgy of Liquors
Try this delicious punch at your New Year’s Party. Aptly called “Orgy of Liquors” it’s got different flavors and packs a pleasant buzz. Just mix the following:
3 Liters Sprite® Soda
15 oz Tequila
10 oz Hpnotiq® Liqueur
3 oz Lemon Juice
2 cups frozen, sliced Strawberries
4 cups pineapple chunks
2 Liters Hawaiian Punch®
10 oz Smirnoff® Vodka
10 oz Melon Liqueur
5 oz Pneapple Juice
3 cups green grapes
Have a happy new year!
Happy Holidays from bfeedme!
To all the cooks now toiling in the kitchem slaving to prepare a delicious Christmas dinner, we raise our wooden spoons in saulte — you are the heroes of the holidays!
Living without Cooks
by Owen Meredith
We may live without poetry, music and art;
We may live without conscience,
and live without heart;
We may live without friends;
we may live without books;
But civilized man cannot live without cooks.
Owen Meredith, ‘Lucile’
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