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Light Dilled Potato Salad

Light Dilled Potato Salad
By Maureen Bevelaqua, from Family Circle magazine

Cook potatoes using steps 1 and 2 of Martha Stewart’s recipe for Basic Potato Salad

  • 4 pounds small red or white thin-skinned potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 3/4’” chunks, and steamed until tender (9 cups)
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
  • 1 c. light mayonnaise (I use less and use regular Hellman’s)
  • 1 c. plain nonfat yogurt (Greek is best)
  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 1 c. minced red onion
  • ½ c. minced fresh dill

Put potato chunks in large bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil and vinegar, toss lightly to coat.

Mix mayo, yogurt, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir in onions and dill. Pour over potatoes. Toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

Note: To make ahead, cook potatoes, toss with oil and vinegar, and refrigerate. Make dressing ahead and chill. Combine dressing and potatoes a couple hours before serving and chill.

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Mediterranean Turkey Burgers

This is my version of the burgers sometimes available at the meat counter at Whole Foods. All amounts are approximate and to taste.

  • 1 lb. ground turkey (I use mix of 3/4 lb. thigh, 1/2 lb. breast)
  • 4 oz. feta, crumbled (I buy at Trader Joe’s)
  • 8-12 sun-dried tomato halves (not in oil), chopped (the ones from Nature’s Best are excellent – dry yet chewy and sweet)
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt, or to taste
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper, ground

Mix well and form into 4 burgers. Grill until cooked through.

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Tuna pasta

Tuna Pasta

10 oz. bow-tie pasta (farfalle)
9 cloves garlic, whole
2 lemons
2 cans (6 oz. each) Italian tuna in olive oil (Genova is a readily available brand)
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper
Additional olive oil as needed

In a large pot, bring cooking water to boil. Cook pasta and whole garlic cloves until pasta is al dente.

In large serving bowl, smash cooked garlic cloves with a fork. Finely grate the zest of two lemons (a Microplane works well for this), and then squeeze the juice from both lemons into the bowl. Drain the olive oil from the tuna cans into the bowl. Add the cooked, drained pasta and mix well. Add the tuna, breaking up large chunks with a fork or by hand. Add the parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Add additional olive oil as needed to taste.

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Ginger Almond Slices (Icebox Cookies)

I adapted this recipe adapted from Gwen’s Almond Slices, a Good Housekeeping recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup(s) sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup light (mild) molasses
  • 1 Tbs. ground ginger
  • 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sliced almonds
  • 1 cup chopped candied ginger

Directions
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat sugar, margarine or butter, molasses, ginger, vanilla, baking soda, salt, eggs, and 2 cups flour.

With wooden spoon, stir in almonds and remaining 2 cups flour, if necessary, use hands to mix thoroughly, as dough will be very stiff.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 10″ by 3″ by 1″ brick, wrap each brick with plastic wrap. (Dough can be frozen at this point if you don’t want to bake it all now.) Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm enough to slice.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease large cookie sheet. With serrated knife, cut 1 brick into scant 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If using frozen dough, thaw only enough to slice. You may need to bake a couple minutes longer if baking frozen slices.) Place slices, 1 inch apart, on cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining brick. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks.

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Double Chocolate Cookies (gluten free)

I modified this recipe from the original, Chocolate Peppermint Bark.

  • 1 1/2 cup gluten free flour mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbs water
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cookie base. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt together. Sift the cocoa powder into the flour mixture and set aside. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, water, vanilla (and peppermint extract, if using) until smooth about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the flour mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Line a cookie sheet (or two) with parchment paper. Using small scoop or tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared sheet, leaving a couple inches between cookies. Use your fingers to gently flatten the dough to about 1/4” thick.

Bake one baking sheet at a time until the tops look dull, not shiny and feels evenly firm at the edges and center, about 14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until crisp. Store between sheets of wax paper in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

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Chinese Fried Quinoa

This recipe is very forgiving with regard to amounts and ingredients. I sometimes use broccoli instead of peas.

1 cup quinoa
14 oz fat-free chicken broth
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 c. shredded carrots (from the bag is fine)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. diced leftover meat (or less is fine)
1 cup frozen green peas
2 eggs
1/8 cup soy sauce (less?)

Rinse quinoa well with water. Cook quinoa in chicken broth, about 15-20 min until broth is absorbed. Set aside to cool. Best done the day ahead and refrigerated.

Sauté onion, pepper, and carrots in some of the olive oil until translucent. Add peas and meat. Remove from pan.

Heat remaining oil. Add quinoa to pan. Stir occasionally until quinoa is slightly crusty. Add soy sauce. Add egg to mixture and cook until done, about 3 – 4 min, stirring while egg is cooking.

I used 1 lb. leftover pork tenderloin, but chicken would be good too.

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Chicken with artichokes, spinach, olives, and pasta

Source unknown

  • 8 oz. rotini or farfalle pasta
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 28 oz. can Marinara sauce (or make your own with a can of crushed tomatoes)
  • 1 cup kalamata olives
  • 1 large can of baby artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 lb. baby spinach, washed well and drained (I use a bag from Trader Joe’s))
  • Feta cheese crumbles

Heat water for pasta in a pot. In a separate pan, heat oil, add chicken and brown, adding garlic after a few minutes. Add Marinara sauce, artichokes and olives and simmer for about 15 minutes, until flavors meld. While chicken mixture is cooking, prepare pasta according to package directions.

Place pasta in a bowl. Top with raw spinach leaves. Top that with chicken mixture. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top.

The hot chicken mixture will partially wilt the spinach, and the flavors are just wonderful.

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Broccoli slaw salad

I got this from Jane Brencic. It might be a Weight Watchers recipe.

  • 1 16 oz package Mann’s Broccoli Cole Slaw
  • 1 cup canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
  • 1 cup canned mandarin orange segments packed in water or juice, drained and chopped (and rinsed, if packed in juice)
  • 1 cup chopped scallions
  • 2/3 cup Newman’s Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (LD used less)
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Mix all ingredients well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Stir well before serving.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving(about 1 cup):111 calories, 3.5 g fat, 375mg sodium,
17.5g carbs, 4g fiber, 10g sugars, 3g protein

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Tortilla Soup

Adapted from a recipe by Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients
2 ears fresh corn, husks removed
4 or 5 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 small onion (about 3 ounces), peeled, trimmed, and quartered
1 small jalapeno pepper, trimmed and seeded
2 tablespoons corn oil
2 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
2 quarts chicken stock
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, whole
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish
2 corn tortillas
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions
Using a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or a large knife, coarsely chop the garlic, onion, jalapeno pepper, and corn kernels. Reserve.

In a large soup pot, heat the oil. Add the squares of tortillas and cook over low heat until they are slightly crisp. Stir in the chopped vegetables and simmer just until the vegetables are coated with the oil. Do not brown.

Add the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of the cumin and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes to maximize the flavor. Slowly pour in the stock, and bring to boil. Add chicken breasts and lower heat to simmer. Cook until chicken is just done, about 15-20 minutes depending on size and thickness. Remove chicken and cool. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with your fingers into whatever size pieces you want. Meanwhile, cook the soup about 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and additional cumin to taste.

Prepare the garnish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the tortillas into thin strips and arrange on a small baking tray; spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bake until the strips are crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel and dice the avocado.

To serve, add the avocado to the soup and reheat over low heat. Ladle the soup into 6 to 8 warm soup bowls and garnish with the baked tortilla strips and chopped cilantro.