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.

"Mashed Potaga" you heard it first on @GardenCuizine low-carb Thanksgiving side dish #EatWellAmerica

Mashed Potaga
low-carb, low-fat side dish
perfect for holiday meals

I created the name "Mashed Potaga" since it's a combination of potato and rutabaga. Mashing rutabaga is nothing new. Since rutabaga is not a starchy root vegetable, straight up mashed rutabaga isn't as comforting and creamy as mashed potatoes. By adding just a little potato to mostly rutabaga, the texture becomes comparable and even better because of the distinct, indescribable, good flavor. Mom loves this recipe!

In comparison to mashed potatoes, Mashed Potaga's have less than half the carbohydrates and less than half the calories. And, by making it yourself, you control how much salt is added. This recipe has half the sodium found in typical mashed potatoes.

This recipe is another example of healthy cooking on a budget. The approximate cost per person is less than 50 cents. Enjoy!

Yields: 6, one-cup servings
Ingredients
1 large rutabaga (also called waxed turnip)
1 medium potato (can be any kind; we've used Russet)
2 Tablespoons Smart Balance (or butter)
1/2 cup milk (we use 2%)
1 teaspoon horseradish minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Putting it all together

• Wash, peel and cut rutabaga into small chunks. 
• Place in stockpot, cover with water and bring to boil. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or longer depending on how big you chopped the rutabaga. When rutabaga chunks are getting soft, peel and chop the potato into chunks. Add to the same pot. Cook until both potatoes and rutabaga are fully cooked and ready to mash. 
• Remove the well cooked root vegetables with a slotted spoon. Mash using a ricer or food mill into a bowl. Use a potato masher to mix in the remaining ingredients. 
• Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Place in covered serving dish. 
• Can be made in advance and stored for several days in the refrigerator. Reheat in microwave or oven just before serving.

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data Mashed Potaga: 1 cup
   Excellent Source: Vitamin C
   Good Source: Dietary Fiber, Potassium, Magnesium and Vitamin B6
Calories 107; total fat 3g; saturated fat 1g; trans fat 0; sodium 256 mg (11% DV); total carbohydrates 18g; dietary Fiber 3g (11% DV); Potassium 574mg (16% DV); Magnesium ~38.3mg (~10% DV); Vitamin B6 ~0.3mg (~13% DV); Vitamin C 24.8 mg (41% DV)
Photos, Mashed Potaga comparison chart and recipe Copyright (C)Wind. *Mashed Potaga is a name created by GardenCuizine. All rights reserved.

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup #GardenCuizine #lowcarb #recipe #EatWellAmerica

Thyme for Chicken Zoodle Soup!

Low Carb ~ Low Fat ~ Reduced Sodium 

Ingredients 
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion - diced
2 celery - diced
2 carrots - diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
9 cups no salt chicken broth (the best way to get nutrient-rich, NO SALT broth is to make homemade!)
2 1/2 cups roasted chicken pieces (bite size) 
1 teaspoon salt
2 Zucchini - spiral cut (Veggetti kitchen gadget works great)
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped

Putting it all together

• In a large stockpot over medium heat add olive oil. When hot: saute diced onion, carrots and celery until onion starts to become transparent. 
• Stir in garlic, thyme and cayenne. 
• Add broth and simmer until flavors blend. 
• Stir in cooked chicken and salt simmer another 15 minutes. 
• Using culinary shears or a knife, cut into the spiral cut zucchini noodles pile a few times to shorten the spaghetti-like strands. Add zucchini noodles, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Zucchini noodles cook fast so they are best added near the end.
• Serve with additional grated cheese at the table. Enjoy!

This GardenCuizine recipe was created just in time for American Diabetes Month®, which takes place every November. National Diabetes Month is a good time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®! 

Yesterday's Diabetic Cooking class at Inspira Health Network featured this recipe. Both adults and children had fun taking turns using the Veggetti spiralizer kitchen gadget.

Comfort food - Nutritious and Delicious
Homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup provides you and your family with double the Vitamin A and Vitamin C found in canned soups such as: Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle, Progresso Heart Healthy roasted Chicken Noodle or Campbell's 25% less sodium Chicken Noodle. 

Heart Healthy
Cooking your own soup gives you control of the salt content, making it a better choice for heart health. This recipe has low sodium of 235 mg per cup, versus 910 mg high sodium in Nissin Chicken Flavor Ramen noodles or 470 mg in Progresso's heart healthy Chicken Noodle Soup. 

Using zucchini in place of pasta or rice also makes homemade Chicken Zoodle Soup lower in carbohydrates, which benefits those keeping count for a healthy body weight and diabetes control.

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 

a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:

• Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.
• Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
• The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion.

American Diabetes Month takes place each November and is a time to come together as a community to Stop Diabetes®!
- See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html#sthash.z5qQ4cKn.dpuf

Recipe, photos, blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Stop Diabetes is a registered trademark of the American Diabetes Association.

Homemade salt-free, low fat, Chicken Broth #GardenCuizine #recipe

Homemade Chicken Broth
No Salt - Low Fat

Homemade chicken broth is not only inexpensive, it is super easy to prepare. Make it when you know you will be home for at least a few hours. Simply put all the ingredients in a stock pot, cover, simmer and walk away. The wonderful aroma will warm up your home and lure people into the kitchen to see what's cooking. Nothing you can buy has the richness and nutritional quality of homemade chicken broth.

Like many foods that once were a staple in home cooking, chicken broth has gone by the wayside of convenience. You'll find many low-priced brands of ready-made chicken broth. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for. Those broths are made for profit. 

Most store-bought broths are low in nutrients and made with dextrose and high sodium. Swanson's has over 850 mg of sodium in just one cup. Even low sodium, ready-made chicken broths are produced with added chemicals (necessary to maintain particular pH) that don't have to be listed on the food label.

Making Your Own Chicken Broth
There are a few methods to make chicken broth. One way is to boil a chicken until cooked, skim any scum that floats to the top, then remove the cooked meat for chicken salad or other recipes. Return the bones back to the stock pot to make chicken broth. That method leaves excess fat in the soup, which can later be removed after the stock is chilled and the fat firms up and floats to the top. 

Another method (shown below) is to roast the chicken first, remove the meat and use the carcass with a little meat left on the bones. 

Chicken bones added to a stockpot of water along with aromatic veggies (carrots, celery, onion), herbs and spices will yield a large pot of high quality chicken broth in just a few hours. The broth can be used immediately to make homemade soup or frozen for later use.

Yields: 4 Quarts Homemade Chicken Broth

Ingredients
16-18 cups Water
1 roast chicken carcass with some meat left on the bones
2 carrots 
2 celery sticks
1 large onion
5 whole peppercorns
3 bay leaves
few sprigs fresh parsley

Putting it all together
In a large stock pot add the water and chicken bones. Quarter the onion (can leave skin on) and chop the veggies into thirds. Add veggies to the stock pot along with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for 2 hours. Cover, leaving a little bit of the lid open to allow some reduction. Periodically stir, then strain into another large pot. Use as needed or pour into storage containers, label and freeze.

Related Links
Grow your own Bay Leaf tree
Stock, Broth and Bone Broth, What is the difference?

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

Energizing breakfast or brunch: Peppers and Eggs #GardenCuizine

 
Add Nutrition to your scrambled

egg breakfast with

Sweet Banana Frying Peppers

Low sodium, low fat, Sweet Banana Frying Peppers in scrambled eggs adds great flavor and an excellent source of dietary Fiber and Vitamins B6, C, and K to your recipes. Sweet Banana Peppers also provide a good source of potassium and vitamin A. Enjoy this tasty, easy way to add veggies to your breakfast.

GardenCuizine Peppers and Eggs freestyle recipe: meaning that you do not need to measure ingredients. Use as many eggs or Egg Beaters that you wish to use to serve the number of guests coming for breakfast or brunch. Figure on at least one sweet banana pepper per person.

Ingredients: 
Eggs* (we prefer free range organic or Egg Beaters. *You can use tofu for a vegan option)
Sweet Banana Frying Peppers (nothing beats organic home grown)
Olive oil
fresh herbs as desired  (add turmeric in scrambled tofu)
ground black pepper at the table; no need for added salt

• Wash peppers first
• Cut in half and remove seeds
• Place in microwave safe container with a little water and steam for 1-2 minutes on high
• In a skillet with a generous amount of olive oil, saute, continuously stirring so peppers don't blacken
• Remove and set aside cooked peppers, drain excess oil
• Add Egg Beaters or scrambled eggs to skillet
• At the very end of cooking the eggs, stir in cooked peppers
• Serve hot and enjoy!

GardenCuizine Sweet Banana Peppers Nutrition data: 4 medium (4 ½-inch long) sweet banana frying peppers: 48 calories; 0.8g total fat (1%DV); 24mg sodium (1%DV); 8g dietary fiber (32%DV); 624 IU vitamin A (12% DV); 17.6 mcg vitamin K (22%DV); 0.8 mg vitamin B6 (40%DV); 152 mg vitamin C (253%DV WOW!!); 472 mg potassium (13%DV)
Related Links
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables 
Veggies for Breakfast? yes!
6 Sly Ways to Sneak Veggies into Breakfast
Photo collage and blog post Copyright (C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.

@TheDeersHeadInn Sautéed Diver Scallops w/ Spinach, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Feta over Capellini #GardenCuizine

Mediterranean Scallops

The Deer's Head Inn

Elizabethtown, NY

What a pleasure it was to luck out and discover a restaurant in the gateway to the Adirondack High Peaks with a chef who is generous with nutritious garden vegetables. I'm not sure if it was Chef Matt Baldwin who prepared our meals that hot Saturday, July 20th, evening - the night of the Elizabethtown Day fireworks - but kudos to all who worked that night; we really enjoyed our meals.

The photo shows their Mediterranean Scallops dinner entree, which featured sautéed Diver Scallops with Spinach, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives and Feta over Capellini served with a generous side of steamed asparagus.

The Deer's Head Inn is located in the Adirondack mountains in the home of the Essex County seat - Elizabethtown, NY. We stumbled across their historic Inn (est. 1808) and restaurant after having to go into E-town to get our car repaired. Our server couldn't have been nicer too. We will surely return the next time we visit this quaint and charming town.
photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Homemade Just Peachy Black Bean Dip in 5 minutes #recipe #GardenCuizine @foodbankSJ

"Just Peachy" Black Bean Dip

Low fat ~ High Fiber ~ Low sodium

Boost your nutrition and weight management diet with high fiber protein from beans. Serve beans as a side dish or puree beans for dips or sandwich and fajita spreads. Pureed beans are quick and easy to make in just 5 minutes. Kids love homemade bean dips too, which make a tasty snack on whole grain crackers and raw fresh vegetables. Try and avoid the temptation to serve bean dips with tortilla chips to encourage eating more veggies.

Black beans are low in fat, cholesterol-free, and provide 30% of the daily recommended amount of dietary fiber. One ounce of black (or white) beans yields 2 grams of protein. In general, beans are inexpensive and readily available in cans or dried. Dried beans are easily hydrated. Simply rinse, soak in water and then cook until tender. Of course, you could also grow your own beans in your home or community garden.

To reduce flatulence sometimes associated with legumes, introduce beans to your diet gradually. Some people find products like Beano helpful.

Ingredients

1 can cooked black beans, rinsed
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup prepared salsa: Food Bank of SJ Just Peachy Salsa! (of course, homemade or any salsa can be used. We like to support our local food bank)
splash hot sauce (optional)

Putting it all together

• In a small bowl or directly in your storage container - using a hand held blender - puree the beans, water, lime juice and cumin. Add more water if needed.
• Stir in the cilantro and salsa
• Enjoy!
• NO added salt is necessary

Serve with your favorite multigrain crackers and rinsed raw garden vegetables, such as baby carrots, celery, cucumber slices, bell pepper slices and grape tomatoes.

GardenCuizine Nutrition Data ...coming soon
Related Links
Support your local food bank  Food Bank of South Jersey
Nourish Healthy Kids List of Legumes
USDA canned Black Beans fact sheet

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

Daikon never looked so good! #GardenCuizine @EatRight

Japanese Daikon Radish

Chefs add the crisp, mild flavor of Japanese daikon radish to salads, stir-fries, sushi and recipes - often sliced thin and marinated. The salad shown above was served at Lambertville Station in Lambertville, NJ - featuring Lobster​ claw, colossal crab, baby watercress, chopped plum tomato, topped with daikon radish and scallions on a bed of boston bibb lettuce. Orange peppercorn vinaigrette complimented the salad.  

Try Daikon sliced raw or pickled. Combine daikon radish with carrots for a winning combination. Grow Daikon radish (Raphanus sativus) in your garden: direct sow; prefers full sun. The thick white roots grow 2 to 3-inches wide and up to 24-inches long. Daikon greens are edible too. Harvest in late fall or early winter. We plan to grow daikon and burdock root this year. 

• Enjoy Daikon radish as a good source of Vitamin C

Related Links
Daikon Radish Nutrition 
Photo and blog post Copyright(C)2013 Wind. All rights reserved.