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Curried Sweet Potato & Fig Yogurt Soup #meatlessmonday #glutenfree

Sweet Potato & Fig Yogurt Soup

I’m a big fan of Greek yogurt as a healthy substitute for sour cream, so when the folks at Voskos challenged me to create a recipe using one of their yogurts, I couldn’t resist. However, since they have so many flavored Greek yogurts, why not give one of those a try? I love figs, so finding something to use their Exotic Fig Greek Yogurt in was my priority.

While figs are a Greek classic, I know several people here in Georgia who have fig trees in their yards. So it’s not too hard for me to find fresh as well as dried figs at the grocery store. Figs are rich in minerals and packed with potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and manganese. I love using slices of fig on goat cheese pizza or just enjoy them as a healthy snack.

Figs in soup?

After checking out the recipes on the Voskos website and inspired by the cool weather, I thought a soup recipe was in order. I love butternut squash soup, but thought sweet potatoes would go better with fig. After consulting a few cookbooks, I found a recipe in the The Yogurt Bible for Curried Sweet Potato Soup that reminded me of another butternut squash soup I make with curry. I liked how the recipe also combined the yogurt with coconut milk, too.

However, I made a few changes. Instead of carrots, I used parsnips. Last Thanksgiving, my son fell in love with the smell and taste of parsnips after I made him peel five pounds of it! (Lucky for me, eh?) Parsnips also remind me of my mom’s chicken soup as she always used parsnips along with carrots and a lot of fresh dill in hers. Any chance to use parsnips makes me happy!

Another change was to use dried figs instead of raisins to bring more figgy goodness into the recipe. Finally, I healthed up my soup recipe by using Voskos Exotic Fig Greek Yogurt, which is non-fat, along with Light Coconut Milk . I also used a low sodium vegetable broth .

Variations: If you’re not a fan of curry, substitute a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence instead. If you don’t like coconut milk, you could use non-fat evaporated milk as a substitute.

Meatless Monday serving suggestion: Serve soup along with some whole grain rustic style bread and a salad. For dessert, try some dried figs along with slices of goat’s milk cheese. (My favorite is Drunken Goat from Spain.)

Marking Curried Sweet Potato & Fig Yogurt Soup

Curried Sweet Potato & Fig Yogurt Soup

Inspired by a recipe from The Yogurt Bible

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup dried figs, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 – 14 ounce can light coconut milk
  • 1 – 5.3 ounce container of Voskos Exotic Fig Greek Yogurt

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and curry powder and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to be translucent.
  2. Add sweet potatoes and parsnips to the pot. Stirring constantly, cook for another 5 minutes.
  3. Add vegetable broth to the pot and increase the heat to medium high. Cover and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer with lid on, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
  5. Add figs and salt to the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes or until all vegetables are soft.
  6. Remove saucepan from heat. Using a potato masher, roughly mash the vegetables. (If you want a smoother soup, use an immersion hand blender.)
  7. Stir in coconut milk and Greek yogurt.
  8. Return saucepan to stove on medium heat and heat soup through. Do NOT let the soup boil!
  9. Serve and enjoy!

_____________________________
Disclosure: I was sent product samples and was compensated by Voskos for recipe development and photography. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Amazon links are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

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Posted on January 21, 2013 in Featured,Recipes and tagged as , ,

Curried Sweet Potato Apple Soup

Sweet Potato SoupWhile I recover from shoulder surgery over the next couple of weeks (and then some), I’d like to share a few terrific fall recipes the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission sent me. As the chill of autumn starts to settle in, nothing hits the spot like a nice, warm bowl of soup! Easy to freeze for later or to serve family style, this naturally sweet soup made with nutrient-packed sweet potatoes is a hearty and healthy way to welcome the changing weather.

You can connect with the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission on Facebook, on Twitter @Sweet_Taters and on their blog.

Curried Sweet Potato Apple Soup

Yield: 4 servings (about 5-1/4 cups)

Ingredients:

  • 2 large (1 pound) sweet potatoes
  • 1 large (8 ounces) tart apple (such as fuji, honeycrisp, or gala)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 can (14 to 14-1/2 ounces) vegetable broth (about 1-3/4 cups)
  • 1-3/4 cups unsweetened apple juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 container (6 ounces) plain low-fat yogurt
  • 3/4 cups croutons, optional

Directions:

  1. Pierce sweet potatoes and apple with fork tines. Microwave sweet potatoes and apple on high until apple is very tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.
  2. Remove apple; set aside until cool enough to handle.
  3. Continue cooking sweet potatoes on high under tender, about 4 to 5 more minutes Set aside until cool enough to handle.
  4. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and curry powder; stir until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes.
  6. Transfer broth mixture to a food processor; reserve saucepan.
  7. Halve sweet potatoes and apple. Remove apple core. Scoop sweet potato and apple pulp from skin and add to food processor. Add salt; whirl until smooth, gradually adding apple juice through processor feed tube.
  8. Transfer mixture to reserved saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; whisk in yogurt. Reheat just until hot (do not boil).
  9. Serve soup topped with croutons, if desired.

Recipe and photograph used with permission from the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission.

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Posted on October 18, 2012 in Featured,Recipes,Veggies and tagged as

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon FAGE Total Creama and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds #PlainKitchen

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Last week, I cohosted the #PlainKitchen Twitter Party with Mom Central, FAGE and celebrity chef Bobby Flay to let everyone know about the FAGE Total Plain Kitchen recipe contest. One of the recipes that everyone was drooling over was the  Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon FAGE Total Crèma and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds. So I had to share it! This would make a terrific Thanksgiving dish, and a great way to use leftover pumpkin puree after the holidays.

I hope it inspires you to enter the FAGE Total Plain Kitchen recipe contest for a chance to have your recipe using FAGE Total, cooked and served by Bobby at the FAGE Total Plain Kitchen grand opening event. The contest goes through October 8. (That’s Monday so hurry!) Three lucky winners will be chosen and will receive an all-expense paid trip to NYC for the big event.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon FAGE Total Crèma and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

By Bobby Flay

Serves 6-8

Cinnamon FAGE Total Crema

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup FAGE Total 0%
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • Water
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Whisk together the FAGE Total, cinnamon, honey and splash of water and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups pumpkin puree (not flavored pie filling)
  • 3 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock or low sodium canned vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1-2 tablespoons chipotle puree (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 3/4 cup FAGE Total 2%
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Cinnamon FAGE Total Crema, recipe above
  • 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Combine the pumpkin puree and 2 cups of the stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the spices, honey and chipotle puree, reduce the heat to medium-low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in a little more stock if needed to thin out.
  2. Remove the soup from the heat and let sit 2 minutes. Whisk in the FAGE Total (off the heat) and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle each with some of the cinnamon FAGE Total crema. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and cilantro leaves.

Recipe and photo courtesy of FAGE

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Posted on October 5, 2012 in Recipes,Thanksgiving and tagged as ,

Slow cooker recipes: homemade onion soup mix and a venison shoulder roast

slow cooker shoulder roastBelow is my basic crockpot recipe for any type of beef or venison roast, bone in or without.

The challenge has been to find a healthy substitute for French onion soup mix. Most commercial mixes contain MSG, hydrogenated oils and even wheat, which can be a concern if you cook gluten free.

Instead, I’ve found a couple of homemade substitutes. The trick is making sure that the beef bouillon you use doesn’t have MSG in it. Try your local health food store or healthy food aisle.

Slow cooker shoulder roast

The roast:

The size and weight of your roast will depend on how big your slow cooker is. For a larger roast, you should use an oval shaped 6-quart slow cooker. For smaller roasts try a 5-quart Crock-Pot.

You can use venison, beef, or buffalo in this dish. I usually use an antelope or deer shoulder roast, depending on what we have in the freezer.

  • 1 large shoulder roast (or a couple of smaller roasts)

The vegetables:

This is where you can get creative by adding as many vegetables as you like. Here are some suggestions. Just make sure to peel (if needed) and cut them into bite sized pieces:

  • Potatoes
  • Carrots (you can use baby carrots, too)
  • Onions
  • Mushrooms
  • Turnips
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Celery

Oils and seasonings:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 packet of French onion soup mix (or 5 tablespoons of homemade mix)

Liquid:

  • Enough beef broth or water to cover

Directions:

  1. Season the shoulder roast on all sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  3. Brown the shoulder roast on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Place shoulder roast in slow cooker.
  5. Place vegetables on top of the roast. Then sprinkle French onion soup mix over vegetable.
  6. Fill slow cooker with enough beef broth or water to cover.
  7. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 on high.

To serve:

  1. Turn off slow cooker. (Or use warm setting if your slow cooker has one.)
  2. Remove roast from slow cooker.
  3. Separate bone from meat. (The meat should literally fall off the bone. If it doesn’t, your roast may not be done.)
  4. Cut roast into pieces and place back into slow cooker to keep warm until serving.

To create a thicker broth after the roast and veggies have cooked:

  • Add 3 tablespoon corn starch to 3 tablespoon waters. Stir until well mixed.
  • Turn the slow cooker on high.
  • Add corn starch and water mix to slow cooker after you have removed the roast (or after you have put the cut up pieces of roast back in.)
  • Thoroughly mix corn starch into broth, vegetables and meat and cook until thickened – about 10-15 minutes.
  • Turn off slow cooker before serving.

Serving tips:

  • My family likes to have prepared horseradish with our roast. Put a dollop of horseradish on your plate and slightly dip your meat in the horseradish. Remember that it’s strong stuff and will go straight to your sinuses if you add too much!

Weight Watchers POINTS will depend on vegetables meat used. Venison is 1 POINT per ounce.

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Posted on March 1, 2010 in Crock Pot and Slow Cooker,Recipes,Venison and tagged as ,

Quick Shrimp and Corn Soup from Holly Clegg’s Trim & Terrific Gulf Coast Favorites

Quick Shrimp and Corn Soup (Holly Clegg)Today’s guest post is from cookbook author, Holly Clegg. Holly will be sending me recipes from time to time to feature here at This Mama Cooks! I’m thrilled to be working with her!

This recipe comes from Holly’s cookbook Holly Clegg's Trim & TERRIFIC Gulf Coast Favorites.

Quick Shrimp and Corn Soup

Busy and no time to cook?  Here’s a meal in minutes, an easy throw together soup, while the weather is still cool.  Everyone has a shrimp and corn soup recipe, but this recipe is only 6 ingredients and it is TRIM & TERRIFIC!!  Just open cans of corn and tomatoes, toss in shrimp for this simple yet superb soup.

Makes 12 (1-cup) servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans cream
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2 pounds medium peeled shrimp
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped

Directions:

  1. In large nonstick pot, combine cream corn, corn, tomatoes and green chilies, tomato sauce, until heated.
  2. Add shrimp, bring to boil. Lower heat, cook until shrimp is done, 5–7 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions, serve.

Nutritional information

Holly Clegg's Trim & Terrific Gulf Coast FavoriesCalories 162, Calories from fat (%) 8, Fat (g) 1, Saturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 112, Sodium (mg) 825, Carbohydrate (g) 24, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Sugars (g) 6, Protein (g) 15, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 very lean meat

You can check Holly out at The Healthy Cooking Blog, her website HollyClegg.com, on Twitter @HollyClegg , Facebook, and her webisodes at Walmart.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 3 per serving

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Posted on February 22, 2010 in Cookbooks,Recipes,Soups,Weight Watchers and tagged as , ,

Links you can use: Weekly menu plan, pumpkin soup and a porky giveaway

This Mama Cook! Reviews My FoodieView Meal Plan for Oct 18-24 just posted. It features several healthy soup recipes for keeping warm this fall including:

For another soup recipe, stop by my review blog and check out my recipe for Pumpkin Curry Soup. It uses no fat evaporated milk, which adds creaminess and protein to soup without adding fat.

Finally, check out my Pork Party Pack giveaway and enter to win $100 worth of pork, porcine related products and other goodies like iTunes cards.

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Posted on October 20, 2009 in Soups and tagged as

Cholesterol Down with some four mushroom barley soup

Cholesterol_downYes, I’m still on my soup kick. After coming down with what my doctor thought was whooping cough for a month, it was so comforting to have soup to eat. It helped my recovery and at one point I was making two or three batches at a time.

This recipe comes from Cholesterol Down: Ten Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in Four Weeks–Without Prescription Drugs by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN. Since the recipes are all about using antioxidants and high-fiber whole grains to lower cholesterol many of her recipes could be used those eating to lose weight.

And you Weight Watchers folks? Only 3 points for 1½ cups – boy I love soup!

Four-Mushroom Barley Soup
Warm and comforting, this soup is just the thing for a cold winter’s day.
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 9 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
  • 8-ounce package baby bella or cremini mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned, and diced
  • 12-ounce package white button mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned, and quartered
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup whole-grain barley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Shredded soy or regular part-skim mozzarella cheese, optional

Directions:

  1. Heat 1½ cups chicken broth. Add porcini and shiitake mushrooms to broth and soak, covered, until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from broth and chop into small pieces; set aside. Strain soaking liquid and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the baby bella and button mushrooms and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add carrots and garlic, stir, and cook an additional minute.
  5. Add remaining chicken broth, porcini and shiitake soaking liquid, porcini and shiitake mushrooms, barley, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, stir, and cover; reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour.
  6. Remove and discard bay leaf before serving. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese before serving, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving (1⁄10 of recipe, 351 grams or approximately 1½ cups soup): Calories: 157, Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 744 mg, Carbohydrate: 20 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 7 g

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Posted on March 5, 2007 in Cookbooks,Health,Soups,Veggies,Weight Watchers and tagged as

Sunset’s Soup Social – Herbed Carrot Soup

Vegetable soups are powerful food this time of year. Not only do they warm you up on cold winter days, but they provide nutritional wallop - a great defense against viruses. And if you do get a cold or flu? Soup will always make you feel better. Make a double batch and keep half in the freezer just in case you or someone in your family gets ill or feels a cold coming on. (It's a great way to get rid of those old carrots in the vegetable bin, too.)

And not to worry - it's only four Weight Watchers Point per cup.

Herbed Carrot Soup

From Sunset magazine, January 2007

Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Yield: Makes about 3 1/2 quarts.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into
  • 1/4-in.-thick rounds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/3 cup long-grain rice (any variety)
  • 2 to 3 tsp. coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 1 cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh tarragon, chopped

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in a large pot (at least 5 qts.) over medium-high heat, then add onions. Cook until onions are translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, bay leaf, rice, 2 tsp. salt, pepper, and chicken broth.
  2. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
  3. Remove bay leaf and purée soup in batches in a blender. Return soup to pot and set over low heat. Add whipping cream and 2 cups water (if soup looks too thick, add a little more water) and cook until warmed through. Season to taste with additional salt. 4. Serve soup hot, with crème fraîche or sour cream, dill, and tarragon.

Nutritional information per cup

CALORIES 184 (54% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 7g); PROTEIN 4.3g; CHOLESTEROL 29mg; SODIUM 821mg; FIBER 3.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 17g

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Posted on January 29, 2007 in Recipes,Soups,Veggies,Weight Watchers and tagged as ,

Sunset’s Soup Social – Split pea, beef and barley soup

I was eating soup at a restaurant the other day and realized what I thought was rice was barley, which was much more healthier and higher in fiber. I should use it more often. This recipe from Sunset magazine's January 2007 article on Soup Socials is a good start. It combines a classic split pea soup with one for beef and barley soup.

Best of all, one cup is only three Weight Watchers Points - so low you could treat yourself to several bowls and a glass of wine for dinner.

Split Pea, Beef and Barley Soup

Barley_pea_soup

From Sunset magazine, January 2007 issue

Prep and Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Yield: Makes about 8 quarts

Serving size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-in. pieces
  • 5 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 large onions, chopped
  • 1 leek, finely chopped
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 5 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cups green split peas (one 16-oz. package)
  • 3/4 cup dried baby lima beans
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley
  • 5 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-in. pieces

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a 9- to 10-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Season beef with 1 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper, then brown on all sides in two batches. Set aside.
  2. Add onions, leek, parsnips, celery, and remaining 3 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Return beef to pot and add split peas, lima beans, and 4 qts. water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add barley and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in carrots and cook 20 minutes more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Nutritional information

CALORIES 155 (19% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 0.9g); PROTEIN 11g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; SODIUM 401mg; FIBER 3.8g; CARBOHYDRATE 21g

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Posted on January 26, 2007 in Restaurant Reviews,Soups,Weight Watchers and tagged as

Sunset’s Soup Social – Chinese Hot-and-Sour Soup

The wonderful thing about soup is how good it makes you feel on winter days. It’s a wonderful dish if you’re sick or just tired and cold from shoveling the driveway. And it’s terrific for entertaining, too.

In their January 2007 issue, Sunset magazine did a feature on the Soup Social. You can make the soups ahead of time and reheat the night of the party. Just serve soup buffet style straight from pots on the stove. Have bread baskets, salads and condiments on a counter or on the dining room table. How easy is that?

I love the recipe for hot and sour soup. It’s only 6 Weight Watcher Points per cup. You could probably make that even less if you used low-fat chicken broth, used 2 eggs and 2 egg whites, and substituted chicken for pork loin.

Hotsour_soupChinese Hot-and-Sour Soup
Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: Makes about 4 1/2 qts.
Serving size: 1 cup

Notes: The heat from the black pepper in this soup intensifies as it sits. If you plan to make the soup ahead of time or want a milder flavor, use 2 tsp. during cooking; then taste the soup before serving and add more pepper if you like.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds pork top loin, cut crosswise into 1/8-in.-thick strips
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 3/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup peanut oil
  • 1 can (8 oz.) sliced bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
  • 12 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 12 ounces firm tofu, drained and cubed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • About 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper (see Notes)
    Chopped fresh cilantro and sliced green onions (pale green and white parts)

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, toss pork with 1/4 cup soy sauce and ginger. Marinate 20 minutes. In another bowl, stir together remaining 2 tbsp. soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sugar, and salt; set aside.
  2. Heat peanut oil in a large pot (at least 5 qts.) over medium-high heat, then add pork and marinade. Cook, stirring constantly, until pork loses its pink color, about 4 minutes. Stir in bamboo shoots and cook 1 minute.
  3. Increase heat to high, add broth, and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook about 20 minutes. Add tofu and simmer 5 minutes. Add soy-vinegar mixture and simmer 5 minutes more; the liquid will thicken.
  4. In a small bowl, beat eggs with sesame oil. Slowly pour eggs into soup in a thin stream while stirring soup very slowly in one direction. Add pepper, stir briefly, then simmer 5 minutes. Serve with cilantro and green onions.

Nutrional Information:
Serving size: 1 cup

CALORIES 244 (66% from fat); FAT 18g (sat 5.7g); PROTEIN 15g; CHOLESTEROL 80mg; SODIUM 890mg; FIBER 0.7g; CARBOHYDRATE 18g

Sunset, JANUARY 2007

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Posted on January 24, 2007 in Recipes,Soups,Veggies,Weight Watchers and tagged as

Cooking Light’s Chunky Red Dal Soup

Here's another inspired vegetarian soup from the January 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine. Since the soup is very low in fat and high in fiber, it's only 4 Weight Watchers Points per serving! Try it with a whole wheat pita and a carton of plain yogurt.

Red_dalI found red dal at a local Asian market in their extensive Indian food section. The lentils are more orange than red, and were very reasonably priced. I'll be using the leftover dried beans in other lentil recipes instead of or combined with the normal brown lentils from the market.

Chunky Red Dal Soup

From Cooking Light Magazine, January 2007

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

This soup gets a flavor kick from harissa, a hot condiment made by preserving chiles in salt. You can find it in Middle Eastern markets or substitute chile paste instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon harissa
  • Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in ginger, paprika, salt, cumin, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add 3 cups water, lentils, chickpeas, and tomatoes; bring to a boil.
  2. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and harissa. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.

Nutritional information

CALORIES 224 (8% from fat); FAT 2g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 12.9g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 54mg; SODIUM 496mg; FIBER 5.8g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.9g

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Posted on January 22, 2007 in Recipes,Soups,Veggies,Weight Watchers and tagged as ,

Cooking Light’s Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup with Cranberry Relish

The January issue of Cooking Light magazine had some terrific vegetarian soups. The Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup is very low in Weight Watchers Points – about 3 Points per serving! This should give you plenty of room for a salad, some bread sticks, and maybe a glass of wine.

You may want to double or triple this recipe and freeze for later.

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup with Cranberry Relish
Yield: 4 servings
From Cooking Light

This is a thick puree of carrots and sweet potatoes garnished with a zesty cranberry topping. Storing and transporting is easy: Place one cup soup, about one tablespoon relish, and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley in separate containers. To serve, reheat the soup; combine the relish and parsley, and garnish. Crisp breadsticks and a small wedge of sharp cheddar cheese complete the meal.

Carrot_sweet_potato_soupRelish:

  • 1/4 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallots (1 medium)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Soup:

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch pieces (about 4 1/2 ounces)
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks (about 3/4 pound)
  • 1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges (about 14 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Remaining ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

To prepare relish, combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Preheat oven to 400°. To prepare soup, combine carrots, sweet potato, and onion on a jelly-roll pan; drizzle with oil. Toss to coat. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown, stirring after 15 minutes.

Place vegetables, broth, and ginger in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Place half of vegetable mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining vegetable mixture. Stir in salt and pepper. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 4 bowls. Stir parsley into relish. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon relish mixture.

Nutritional Information:

CALORIES 144 (24% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 2.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 44mg; SODIUM 763mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.7g

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Posted on January 19, 2007 in Recipes,Soups,Veggies,Weight Watchers and tagged as

The Festive Flavors of Spain

Big Bad Dad and I recently attended a cooking class as part of the Discover Spain package at the Omni Interlocken hotel in Broomfield, Colorado. It was my birthday present. Here’s the package description:

Experience the Festive Flavors of Spain with mouth-watering cheeses, meats, spices and seafood from a land rich in culinary history and unforgettable tastes. Our chefs have trained under culinary masters from the Castilla y Leon region of Spain and they are ready to share their creations with you. And when you book the Discover Spain package you can learn first hand how to create traditional Spanish Tapas.

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Posted on December 30, 2006 in Cookbooks,Recipes,Restaurant Reviews and tagged as

Dining in California – Part 1, Claremont

Yosenabe_recipeThere are a variety of places to eat in the village area of Claremont, California. The first place we went to was Kinya, a newly remodeled Japanese restaurant. I ordered the yosenabe ($14.95) which according to the menu is a chicken, seafood and vegetable pot dish. Since Monkey Boy wanted noodles, and this dish came with soba and rice noodles, I ordered it without much thought beyond getting the boy fed. Unfortunately, it ended up being the wrong dish to order.

First, it was blazingly hot (not the best of choices on a hot afternoon, I admit). And it took forever to cool down to an edible temperature. (We had to cool down Monkey Boy’s noodles with ice from our water glasses.) Second, it did not come with chicken, but tofu, and very little seafood – mostly imitation crab, some fishy-tasting white fish, and a couple of miniscule clams. Third, while the broth was pleasant, the selection of vegetables consisted mostly of onions and a few brocolli. The vinegary dipping sauce didn’t help much either.

(The above picture comes from japanesegifts.com. The site features an authentic yosenabe recipe, which really shows what my meal was missing.)

I wish I had ordered the tempura and teriaki lunch combo, which at $8.95, was the better and tastier deal even though Big Bad Dad complained that the salmon was very fishy tasting. Even though I wasn’t impressed with our food, the owner was very nice and presented Monkey Boy with a package of frozen, asian-style yogurt pops.

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Posted on January 1, 2005 in Restaurant Reviews and tagged as

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