Lemon
Vinaigrette
I
had some leftover cooked asparagus that I needed to use. So I mixed up this dressing, added a chopped ½
cucumber, 1 cup asparagus and a medium tomato and refrigerated for an hour. Very tasty!
The sugar doesn’t make this a sweet dressing, but balances the tartness
of the lemon and vinegar. This was
plenty of dressing for about 3-4 cups of vegetables. Cooked beans could be added to make it a
meal.
Grated
rind of ½ lemon
Juice
of one lemon
1 ½ teaspoons
sugar
1 tablespoon
apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons
olive oil
Salt
and pepper to taste
Whisk together.
Use right away or refrigerate for up to one week.
Two Easy Non-fat Salad Dressings
My husband likes Thousand Island salad dressing, but it is usually mayonnaise based and loaded with calories.
I like a non-fat tomato basil dressing we get at our local produce market, but it is $5.99 for just 12 ounces.
So today I was on a quest to make a healthier version of my husband's favorite and a lower cost version of mine.
The recipes below are quite tasty, low-cost and very low calorie. Both are easy and quick to prepare.
I encourage tofu haters to give this a try. You won't taste the tofu.
Thousand Island Salad Dressing
1 pound of silken tofu (you must use silken for the smooth texture)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1/4-1/3 cup water
1/2 cup pickle relish
Place tofu, vinegar, ketchup and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Process at a medium speed until mixed and smooth.
Add a little more water until desired consistency.
Add relish and pulse 2-3 times to mix. You want the relish bits to remain whole.
Makes 1 quart. Calories are 8.2 per tablespoon
Easy Tomato Basil Salad Dressing
1 can tomato paste ( 6 ounces)
1 can diced no-salt tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, peeled
5-6 large fresh basil leaves, washed
Place tomato paste, diced tomatoes, water, vinegar, onion and garlic in a blender and process until smooth.
Add the basil and pulse several times to chop into small, but visible bits.
Makes 3 3/4 cups. Calories are 5.3 per tablespoon.
Oregon Apple-Cranberry Sauce
I used organic cranberries from Bandon, Oregon and a Jonagold apple from Hood River, Oregon in this yummy cranberry sauce.
We will enjoy this tomorrow with Vegan Spatzle With Spinach Cashew Cream Sauce
and Winter Squash (recipe found in Main Dishes)
and Winter Squash (recipe found in Main Dishes)
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, washed
1 cup coarsely shredded, sweet apple
3/4 cup evaporated cane juice
2 cups water
1 whole cinnamon stick
Place all ingredients in a 3-4 quart sauce pan. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until most of the cranberries burst. Remove the cinnamon stick.
Remove from heat and cool. Refrigerate for up to five days.
Makes 3 cups.
2 tablespoons is 36.5 calories
1/4 cup is 73 calories
Braised Broccolini and Baby Heirloom Tomatoes
Broccolini (broccolette) is a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks. Although often misidentified as young broccoli, it is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. The stems and the florets are edible. It has a milder flavor than broccoli. Some say it tastes like a cross between broccoli and asparagus. Both broccolette and broccolini are brand names. (broccolette- EarthBound Organics; broccolini- Mann)
We love it braised with fresh tomatoes and lemon juice.
1 pound fresh broccolini (or broccolette), washed
1/2 cup water
2 cups baby heirloom tomatoes cut in half
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Coat a large skillet with spray oil. Heat over high heat and then add the broccolini. Place a lid on the pan. Turn every 1-2 minutes or until the florets begin to brown on the edges.
Add the 1/2 cup water and turn heat down to medium. When the water has evaporated add the tomatoes and lemon juice.
Turn the heat to high and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes are beginning to cook. The broccolini should be aldente, depending on the size of the stalks.
Remove for the pan and enjoy.
Makes four generous servings at 52 calories each.
No-Fat Roasted Vegetables
Typically roasted vegetables are coated in olive oil to help them brown a bit. I substitute spray olive oil and avoid the avoid the calories. If calories are not an issue for you, go ahead and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil instead of the spray oil.
I always select vegetables for their color. A colorful dish is one loaded with vitamins. The staples of my roasted vegetables are sweet onions (usually Vidalia or Walla Walla), mushrooms and red sweet peppers. Then I add whatever vegetables I find at a good price in my local produce market. I stick with the non-starchy vegetables. As much as I love potatoes they are pretty high on the glycemic index and not good for the blood sugar. Sweet potatoes, however are lower on the glycemic index and add a nice color.
In the photo, the roasted vegetables are on the right side of the plate. On the left side is my mushroom ravioli. I sautéed some halved baby heirloom tomatoes with some fresh oregano, chives and parsley and then tossed with the cooked ravioli.
The basic recipe:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large roasting pan with spray oil. Cut the vegetables into bite sized pieces and toss in the pan. Coat the top of the vegetables with more spray oil. Bake for 20 minutes and then stir. Bake another 20 minutes or until desired done to your liking.
The calorie count varies based the vegetables you choose. The roasted vegetables in the photo include the following:
onion
mushrooms
sweet red pepper
an orange carrot
a purple carrot
eggplant
brussel sprouts
Italian Romanesco Salad Vegan Style
Romanesco con Alici (Green Cauliflower with Anchovies) is a dish from the Calabria area of Italy. Calabria is in southern Italy (in the toe of the boot)
The original recipe has anchovies, buffalo mozzarella, hard cooked egg and a lot of olive oil. I lightened it up and made it vegan. I substituted cannellini beans for the egg and cheese and strips of sautéed vegan pepperoni for the anchovies. I reduced the olive oil to one tablespoon. These changes cut the calorie count from 270 to 140.
7 cups steamed Romanesco florets
20 pieces Yves vegan pepperoni sliced into strips and sautéed in spray olive oil for a few minutes
1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans drained
6 cloves garlic roasted (or sautéed with the pepperoni)
2/3 cup whole Kalamata olives
1/3 cup Peppadew peppers sliced
juice of two lemons
1 tablespoon olive oil
Toss all together in a large bowl and enjoy!
Makes 6 generous servings at 140 calories each
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad
I like to take advantage of in season vegetables. Right now there are many great root vegetables at my local produce market. I usually roast root vegetables and have the leftovers cold the next day for lunch. I typically include red peppers fro color and mushrooms for low calorie volume. Today I roasted only root vegetables and made them into a yummy salad.
The key to roasting vegetables is to cut them all about the same size, roast them in a hot oven and set the timer.
2 cups unpeeled, sliced carrots
1 cup peeled and sliced parsnips
2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
1 cup unpeeled sliced potatoes (I used yellow, red and purple baby potatoes)
2 cups peeled and sliced beets (I used chioggia)
Olive oil spray (I use Trader Joe's)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large roasting pan with spray olive oil.
Add the vegetables to the prepared pan. Spray the vegetable with spray olive oil.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Stir and roast another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Or if you want plain roasted vegetables, they are ready to eat at this point.
1/4 cup vegan sour cream
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon dry dill
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced green onion
With a whisk, mix the sour cream, milk, dill, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Add the green onion and cooled roasted vegetables. Toss gently and refrigerated 1-2 hours before serving.
Makes four 1 cup servings at 190 calories per serving.
Asparagus- The Dettwiler Method
Asparagus contains a unique variety of nutrients. It is an important source of the digestive support nutrient, inulin. It contains anti-inflammatory saponins include asparanin A, sarsasapogenin, protodioscin, and diosgenin. Asparagus has flavanoids such as quercetin, rutin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Asparagus is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate, vitamins B1, C, and A and copper. Asparagus is a very good source of vitamin B2, and B3 as well as phosphorus; potassium, vitamin B6 and dietary fiber; vitamin E and manganese; and protein.
My friend, Chef Glenn, taught how to cook perfect asparagus every time. It is easy, quick and foolproof.
Wash the asparagus and break off the cut ends. To remove the ends, it is better to break than cut. When you cut, you are likely to leave some fibrous material that is difficult to chew. To break the ends of the asparagus, hold the cut end in one hand, grasp the middle of the stalk and bend until it breaks. Toss the cut end (or use in a vegetable stock)
- Fill a 5-6 quart pot with water and about a teaspoon of salt
- Bring to a boil
- Place about one pound of cleaned asparagus into the boiling water
- Place a tight fitting lid on the pot
- Turn off the heat
- Set a timer for 5 minutes (6 if you have a more than a pound)
- Pour off the the water
- Fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking
- Remove immediately from the cold water and serve (it will still be warm but the cooking will have stopped.)
Leftover asparagus is great on a salad.
Marinated Garbanzo Beans
4 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 1/4 cups diced sweet onions
1 1/4 cups diced carrots (I used both orange and purple carrots)
1 1/4 cups diced celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (I used basil, thyme and parsley)
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate several hours or over night.
Makes 9 cups. Each 1/2 cup serving has 75 calories
Tomato Corn Relish
I was assailed by fresh corn and ripe tomatoes at my produce market again today. I always buy more than I can eat and because they are ripe they need to be used right away. This recipe for Tomato Corn Relish is reminiscent of one my grandmother made and it will keep up three weeks in the refrigerator.
Corn is a good source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins C, B3, and B5, and manganese.
Tomatoes contain vitamins C, A, K, E, B3, B6 and B1, and potassium, molybdenum, manganese, fiber, copper and folate.
To peel fresh tomatoes just drop into a pot of boiling water for one minute. Then immerse in cold water. The skins will slip right off.
2 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob (about 5 ears)
2 cups chopped sweet onions
2 cups peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups chopped English cucumber (leave the peel on)- if you use regular cucumber, remove the seeds
1 1/4 cups green pepper chopped
1 cup evaporated cane juice
1 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
1/ teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
dash of cayenne pepper
Place all ingredients in a 5 quart pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate. Will keep for 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Makes 2 quarts (32 servings). Each 1/4 cup serving has 44 calories
Tomato Corn Black Bean Salad
My local produce market had beautiful tomatoes and corn today that inspired this simple salad. No fat, low-calorie, high fiber, fresh summer deliciousness
I recently learned a very easy way to cook fresh corn that produces great results every time.
Boil the water first. Add the corn. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Turn on the timer for 20 minutes. Drain and enjoy.
Many thanks to my friend, Chef Glenn for teaching me this. He also has a food blog with some great recipes and tips http://www.chefs-notebook.com/
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups diced sweet onion (I used a 1/2 of a large Vidalia)
1 1/4 cups sweet red pepper (about 1 medium)
4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 cups cooked corn cut from the cob
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash of black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper (a few dashes for me)
Mix it all together and enjoy.
Makes 9 cups with 111 calories per cup.
Vegan Spanish Rice
3 T Olive oil
½ medium bell pepper, diced
½ medium onion, diced
1 ½ Cup long grain brown basmati rice (rinsed and rested)
1 T of Chili Powder or Taco Seasoning (may want to add more to taste)
1 15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes or jalapeno tomatoes and enough water to make approximately 4 cups of liquid and tomato pieces combined. When I’m cooking 2 cups of rice I add two cans of tomatoes and enough water to make 6 cups of tomato liquid combined.
Pinch of caraway seed equal to about 1/8 teaspoon or so.
Heat olive oil on medium high heat in medium pan, add bell pepper and onion. Cook until onion begins to look transparent.
Add the rice and chili powder or taco seasoning, stirring to allow the rice to warm up and all ingredients to combine. If you prefer spicier taste this is when you will want to add additional seasoning. I usually go for a medium to dark color of my spices surrounding the rice.
Add the water tomato combo to the pan. Stir it well just once. Turn the heat up to where it starts to boil then turn it down to simmer.
Add the caraway seed. Pop a lid to it turned slightly so some air escapes.
It will take it 25 minutes or so to cook.
Musing from the blogger: Mmmmm.... I don't have the calorie count on this yet, but will make it soon and figure it out.
Pickled Chioggia Beets
8 medium Chioggia beets, trimmed and washed
1 cup evaporated cane juice (or sugar of your choice)
1 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)
2 cups water
Boil the beets over medium heat until you can pierce with a fork, but they are still firm (about 45 minutes)
Run cold water over the cooked beets until cool enough to handle.
Peel and slice. Place in a ½ gallon jar or other large container.
Mix the sugar, vinegar and water together in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.
Pour over the beets. Refrigerate several hours before serving. These will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
Makes 16 servings. 62.5 calories per serving.
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