Quick and easy to prep Lentil Soup #GardenCuizine #nutritious #recipe

Lentil Soup

low sodium, high fiber 

low carb, low fat

Yields 3 quarts
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 celery sticks
3 carrots
1 medium onion
1 Tablespoon Bryani Paste*
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 small tomatoes (or one small can diced tomatoes with liquid)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
10 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cup whole lentils, rinsed 
1 teaspoon mild hot sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Putting it all together
Wash and chop celery, carrots, onion and tomatoes. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a soup stock pot. Add chopped celery, carrots and onion; stir. Simmer the aromatics letting them cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for at least 10 minutes. Stir in the Bryani Paste and thyme. Stir in chopped tomatoes and garlic powder. Stir in water. Add lentils and bay leaves. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are soft. 

When the soup is finished cooking: remove the bay leaves. Stir in cheese and hot sauce. Puree some, not all, of the soup. Serve or store in quart containers - label, refrigerate or freeze.

• Serve with extra hot sauce and grated cheese (rather than salt) and a 1/2 sandwich, whole grain crackers or crusty bread
• Experiment with soup variations adding: potatoes, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, Asofoetida, ginger, coriander or fresh garlic minced vs powder

Enjoy!
*Bryani is a paste blend of curry, ginger and tasty spices. Ask for it at your supermarket.

Excellent Source: Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A and Folate
Good Source: Vitamin C and Thiamin
If you're counting carbohydrates: Only 9g net carbs

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Homemade Lentil Soup: 1 cup (281g): 122 calories; total fat 4g; saturated fat 1g; trans fat 0; cholesterol 2mg (1% DV); Sodium 137mg (6% DV); total carbohydrate 16g; dietary Fiber 7g (29% DV); protein 6.5g; Vitamin A 2806 IU (~56% DV); Vitamin C 6mg (~10% DV); Thiamin 0.2mg (~13% DV); Folate 108mcg (27% DV) plus other nutrients...

Related Links
Cooking Up Legumes Guide  
Recipe and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

@AmDiabetesAssn Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes #GardenCuizine #diabeticrecipe #lowcarb #Thanksgiving

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
low carb - fat free
high Vitamin C 

According to many parents I've spoken with, mashed cauliflower tastes so good that even children who don't eat their veggies will eat this. Pureed veggies add good nutrition for adults too, especially those on bariatric diets and anyone needing soft, pureed food. 

Nutrient dense cauliflower is considered a brassica or cruciferous veggie, which scientific studies show as being important for disease prevention. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare and is low in carbohydrates making it a healthy choice for diabetics, especially on Thanksgiving - a day known for excess carb consumption. 

Serves 6
Ingredients
Cauliflower 1 large head (840g)
2 cups water
1/4 cup dried potato flakes
salt and pepper

Putting it all together

• Wash and chop cauliflower into florets. Place cauliflower in pot and add water. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and steam cauliflower in covered pot. Cook until really soft. Strain saving liquid.
• Puree in blender OR drain out some of the liquid and puree and mash the cauliflower right in the pot, adding back more liquid if needed. 
• Sprinkle in a little potato flakes to add desired texture. In my opinion, straight up cauliflower tends to lack the thicker, creaminess of potatoes; adding just a little potato flakes seems to perfect the recipe without adding any excess carbohydrates to worry about.  
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: no butter, milk or added fat needed if serving with gravy. If serving plain you may wish to add a tablespoon of butter, grated Parmesan cheese or Smart Balance spread.
 
GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes  
Serving size 1/6 recipe (147g)
Excellent Source: Vitamin C and Folate
Good Source: dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Potassium
44 Calories; total fat 0; total carbohydrate 9g; dietary fiber 4g (15% DV); net carbs: only 5g; Vitamin C (112% DV WOW!); Vitamin B6 0.3mg (18% DV); Folate 81mcg (81% DV); Potassium 452mg (13% DV); beneficial plant sterols 25mg
Related Links
November is National Diabetes Month

Recipe and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Comfort food: Beef Pot Roast w/ garden veggies #GardenCuizine #crockpot #recipe

Slow Cooker Comfort Food

Pot Roast Dinner

Beef braised with Carrots,

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes 

and Gravy

Lately studies have been pointing to excess refined carbohydrates and not fat as being problematic for good health. Red meat, all cuts, can be part of a healthy diet when portion controlled in moderation and counterbalanced with foods found mainly in a Mediterranean Diet. 

Nutrient dense, healthy meals include vegetarian proteins, such as soy, legumes, nuts, seeds and other nutrient-rich plant foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains. And, healthy meal plans limit sugar and excess salt.

Eat Better by Planning Ahead
Planning ahead enables individuals and families to prepare healthy balanced meals. A 2 1/2 lb. piece of beef chuck yields high quality protein for several meals depending on the size of your family. And, although chuck is not considered a lean cut, a lot of the excess fat seen marbled throughout the beef will dissolve into the cooking liquid and can later be strained out. The reduced fat beef broth can be made into gravy. 

Crock-pot slow cooking allows for home cooked meals when you are busy at work or busy at home. Leftover pot roast can be frozen for use in other recipes such as: Black Bean Chili, Cottage Pie, Fajitas, Tacos and roast beef sandwiches.

Look for quality beef that is antibiotic and hormone free.

• A 3-ounce serving of beef provides 26 grams of protein plus essential nutrients, including iron, B vitamins and zinc.
• Evenly distributing daily protein intake at meals and snacks throughout the day (~20 to 30g/meal) helps maintain a healthy body weight and support a healthy metabolism.

Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. boned Beef Chuck (we cooked USDA Choice*)
Olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
4 carrots, cut into thirds
2 celery sticks, cut into thirds
1 hot pepper (we used one thin Thai pepper)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (I used dehydrated)
3 bay leaves (grow your own tree!)
4 sprigs Italian parsley
few thyme sprigs (optional)
3 cups water
few twists fresh grated black pepper

Gravy 
3 cups broth from crock-pot after meat is cooked (strain fat)
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
Salt and black pepper

Putting it all together

• Sear the beef to add flavor - brown the outside. If your crock-pot is small like ours, cut the beef in half before searing so it fits. Sear each piece separately. Heat a large cast iron skillet* over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to coat bottom of skillet. Have a splash guard ready to prevent splatter. Add meat just long enough to brown the outside and not cook the meat. Use a spatula and turn to brown the other side. Remove and place beef directly into crock pot set on low. 
• Drain any excess oil from skillet.
• In skillet, brown carrots and onion. Add water, bay leaves, garlic and pepper. Turn off heat and stir to scrap up any brown bits on bottom. 
• Remove veggies to crock pot and ladle in liquid and cover. 
• Braise the beef by slow cooking until very tender when pierced with a fork - about 8 hours.

note that NO salt was added - with all the flavor you'll never miss it

Gravy

• Separate solids from liquid in crock-pot. I use tongs to put meat on a plate; strain the broth into a pot separating the cooked veggies. Pour into a gravy fat separator. Allow to rest while the fat floats to the top.
• In a clean pot, melt butter. Stir in flour. Stir in Worcestershire. Add broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste; stir. Simmer, uncovered about 5-10 minutes.
• Return gravy to crock-pot with beef and carrots; keep warm until ready to slice and serve.

Serve with a side of Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Buon Appetito!

* USDA Beef Grades include Choice and Select.

GardenCuizine Pot Roast Nutrition Data beef only: serving size 3 ounces (85g) - Calories 257; Protein 26g; total fat 16g (25% DV); Saturated fat 6.5g (32% DV); Monounsaturated fat 7g; Sodium 42 mg; Niacin 3.6 mg (18% DV); Vitamin B12 1.9mcg (31% DV);  Iron 2 mg (12% DV); Zinc 6 mg (40% DV); Selenium 24 mcg (34% DV)

Related Links
Saturated Fat Not So Bad? or Just Bad Science?
CookingLight Slow Cooker Favorites 
Recipe and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Better Butternut Squash Soup #wintersquash #GardenCuizine #JerseyFresh

Better Butternut Squash Soup

I've been recently testing and tasting recipes for our first outpatient dietitian hospital cooking class at Inspira Health Network. The class - "Soup's On" - featured nutritious butternut squash soup. My recipe uses soy milk so that anyone who is lactose intolerant can enjoy it too. Heavy, calorie-laden cream is not needed to make delicious cream soups.

A quick Google search will reveal a variety of ways to make butternut squash soup. I posted a recipe years ago using cinnamon and vanilla soy milk. Back then, I may have used "vanilla" soy milk because that was all we had in the house at the time. This version tasted even better with added curry, fresh ginger root and plain, versus vanilla, soy milk.

And, for those who tell me that they can't afford to eat healthy: the soup cost only about 58 cents per cup - more evidence that you can Cook Healthy on a Budget!

Yields 3 quarts - note: freezes well

Ingredients
one 2 to 3 pound butternut squash OR 2 bags (16 oz. chopped frozen butternut squash)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/8 teaspoon (tsp.) minced dried hot peppers from your garden (or hot pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon no salt butter (or vegetable oil)
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger root (or one cube of frozen ginger*)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch fresh grated black pepper
2 cups low fat chicken broth (or water)
1 quart plain soy milk (or 2% milk)

 

Putting it all together
Step 1
Decide how you want to cook the squash. 
Wash hands. 
If roasting squash: Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
Wash vegetables
Prep onions, celery and carrots: peel and chop - set aside.

Step 2

• Prep squash: cut ends off both sides. 
• If sauteing directly in the soup pot: cut in half across the middle and peel skin; cut each piece lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut into cubes. OR for convenience use precut, frozen butternut squash.
• If baking: Cut in half across the middle; cut again so there are 4 pieces. Rub olive oil on cut sides of squash. Place squash cut side down on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 deg. F. until soft (about 30 minutes); remove from oven - scoop out seeds. Return to oven and continue baking until squash is full cooked and the edges show caramelizing and a little browning.

Step 3

• In stockpot saute chopped veggies in 1 T butter or oil for 10 minutes
• Stir in hot pepper flakes
• Stir in remaining seasonings
• Add 2 cups broth OR water and bay leaf. Cover, simmer and cook until veggies are soft

Step 4

• Remove bay leaf
• Stir in milk
• Puree in blender or with hand-held immersion blender
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed

Enjoy with a few homemade whole grain herb pita chips

Buon Appetito! 

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Butternut Squash Soup: 1 cup soup
Excellent Source: Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Good Source: Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Riboflavin, Folate, B12, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium

Calories: 111; total fat: 3g; Sodium 246mg (10%DV); total Carbohydrate: 20g; dietary Fiber: 1g (4%DV); Sugars 6g; Protein 4g; Vitamin A 17250IU (345%DV wow!); Vitamin C 22.6mg (38%DV); Vitamin D: ~39.7IU (~10%DV); Vitamin E ~2mg (~10%DV); Riboflavin 0.2mg (13%DV); Folate 32mcg (11%DV); B12 1mcg (17%DV); Calcium 170mg (17%DV); Magnesium 57mg (14%DV); Potassium 593mg (17%DV)
 *thanks D.A. for introducing me to frozen ginger cubes! Ask for frozen ginger at your local supermarket.
Photos and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Warm up with homemade Broccoli Soup #GardenCuizine

Broccoli Soup

Afraid to make your own from scratch soup? If you're planning on using an instant broccoli soup packet mix, may I make a suggestion? To prevent sodium overload, only use 3 tablespoons rather than the entire packet as the directions often call for. Don't worry, your broccoli soup will still taste delicious! Broccoli soup is a nutritious beginners soup that can be easily made without using soup mix. 
 
Ingredients
2-3 cups chopped Broccoli: reserve 5-7 small florets
4 cups low fat milk
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
pinch thyme (dried or fresh)

• 1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese and sea salt to taste
• OR 3 tablespoons* instant broccoli cheddar cheese soup mix

*Note: often times instant soup packets call for using the entire packet which would be far too much sodium per serving (often greater than 1,200 mg sodium) and not necessary. Do not use the entire soup mix packet! Instead, try using just 3 tablespoons to provide plenty of flavor. Taste and see for yourself. You can always add more. 

You decide if you want to add soup mix or not. Instant soup mixes often contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as palm kernel and cottonseed oils, as well as flavor enhancers (disodium guanylate), corn syrup solids and artificial colors.

Serves 3-4

Putting it all together

• Saute onion in oil/butter blend. 
• Add garlic and saute until the onion is transparent. 
• Stir in the thyme, chopped broccoli and potato. 
• Pour in the milk. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer until the veggies are soft, stirring occasionally.
• Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup to a puree texture directly in the soup pot. 
• Stir in the reserved broccoli florets and cheese (or soup mix). Cover and simmer until florets are tender.
• Serve and enjoy with toasted whole grain bread. 

Photo and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

White House Squash Soup #GardenCuizine @letsmove @ObamaFoodorama

Squash Soup with
French Espelette Pepper

Check out White House Chef Cristeta Commerford's seasonal recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Squash Soup With Pepitas And Greek Yogurt. Chef Commerford adds Espelette pepper powder in just the right amount for medium heat and delicious flavor. 

Learn more about nutritious Espelette peppers from France. Read my article "Warm Up Your Recipes With Espelette" coming this Friday, December 9th on Dave's Garden. The link for Chef Commerford's nutritious squash soup recipe is posted below.

Photo credit: Piments sur les façades and Piments - France - Espelette - Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) - 2005-08-05 taken by Pinpin courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. GNU Free Documentation license. 
Related Links: Roasted Pumpkin Squash Soup with Pepitas and Greek Yogurt Obama Foodorama blog
Pepper, Pepper, and Espelette pepper. The Basque pepper. With a touch of Armagnac thrown in. FrenchFoodFreaks blog 

Homemade Ground Pepper Spices by Diana Wind, RD

Reduced Salt and Fat * Instant CHIA Mashed Potatoes #GardenCuizine

CHIA Mashed Potatoes

Home harvested or farm fresh whole organic potatoes make delicious mashed or smashed (with skins) potatoes. We savor and save our homegrown potatoes for rosemary roasted potatoes, home-fries for special breakfasts and brunches, or scalloped potatoes for dinners. When we make mashed potatoes, for convenience and speed, we often whip up instant 100% real potatoes. 

If you have the time, and don't want to use instant potatoes, make them from scratch. You could also mix instant with homemade. I've seen chefs do that in commercial kitchens, depending on the restaurant. It's your preference.

Reduce Sodium and Fat

In general, a good rule of thumb for healthy individuals is to avoid consuming excess sodium and fat. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day and less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day for those with or at risk for high blood pressure. The American Heart Association would like to see everyone consume less than 1,500 mg TOTAL sodium per day.

To put sodium content in perspective, the average American consumes over 3,400 mg of sodium a day. Just one McDonald's Quarter Pounder® with cheese contains 1,660 mg of sodium. Their Angus Bacon and Cheese has 2,540 mg, McRib® 980 mg, 10 pc Chicken McNuggets® 900 mg; even an EggMcMuffin® has 1,050 mg of sodium. If you're thinking, "But I don't eat at McDonald's?" Sodium can add up from just using a pinch here and there too. Look out for high sodium in canned goods, processed foods, prepared foods, soups, snacks, seasoning blends, lunch meats, cheese and even in milk (if drinking more than a few glasses). 

Health tip for instant mashed potatoes

Don't follow the recipe on the box! Do you and your family a heart healthy favor, use less salt and fat than what is called for; no one will even notice. 

Recipes given by food companies on boxes of instant mashed potatoes are usually too high in salt and butter. The dried potato flakes themselves are low in sodium and are fat free. You can't eat them dry though! This fully seasoned comfort food recipe cuts the salt from 1 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon, and the margarine from 1/4 cup to 1 tablespoon. Chia seeds add additional nutrients, including omega-3 and dietary fiber.

Reduced Sodium and Fat instant Mashed Potatoes
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 1/3 cups low fat milk (or non-dairy alternative if vegan)
1 tablespoon (~14g) margarine or butter (we use Smart Balance® Heart Smart spread w/plant stanols; use soy margarine if vegan)
2 teaspoons (~10g) minced horseradish (optional)
1 tablespoon raw Chia seeds
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
few slices hot peppers dried or fresh from your garden (optional)
2 cups 100% real instant dried potatoes (we use Potato Buds® or Bob's Red Mill)

Putting it all together

• Combine all the ingredients except the potato flakes in a large pot and set aside. We like to let the mixture sit while we get the rest of the meal together so the chia seeds can soak and soften up. This way the chia seeds will fully blend into the mashed potatoes. You will see the seeds, but they won't interfere with the creamy, comfort food texture.
• When ready, bring the liquid milk mixture to a boil. 
• Stir to combine all the ingredients and break up any clumps of chia seeds. 
• Turn off or remove the pot from heat. 
• Quickly stir in the potato flakes until evenly moistened. Stir in more potato flakes if the mixture seems too loose. Or, add more milk if the potatoes are not creamy enough. 

~Buon Appetito!

GardenCuizine Nutrition Analysis

Good Source: dietary Fiber, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium
Excellent Source: Vitamin C and Thiamin
Serving size 238g: 178 calories, 5g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, Omega-3 323 mg, Cholesterol 7 mg, Sodium 244-394 mg (10-16% DV depending on how much salt you use), Carbohydrate 30g (2 starch), dietary Fiber 3g (11% DV), Protein 6g, Vitamin A 346 IU (7% DV), Vitamin C 25 mg (42% DV), Vitamin D 35 IU (9% DV), Thiamin 0.3 mg (22% DV), Ribovlavin 0.2 mg (11% DV), Niacin 2 mg (10% DV), Vitamin B6 0.3 mg (13% DV), Calcium 120 mg (12% DV), Potassium 465 mg (13% DV)

Related Links: CHIA, an Indigenous Food by Diana Wind
AHA Urges Stricter Guidelines for Sodium, Fat Intake
Revised 3/11/13. Photos and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved. McDonald's Nutrition Data cited was generated by McDonalds.com effective 11-22-2011.