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Vegetable Wild Rice Casserole
3 cups cooked wild rice blend
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of almond milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups frozen vegetables
1/4 yellow onion sliced
8-10 button mushrooms sliced
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 t thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Saute onions, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and bake in a covered casserole dish for 1 hour at 350 degrees, reduce heat to 250 degrees and bake for 15 minutes more.
Thai Chicken with Green Beans
Here’s a quick stir fry entree that is healthy and tasty.
2 chicken breasts
1/2 yellow onion
3 small cloves of garlic
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tsp fish sauce,optional
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 tsp Thai Red Chili paste
1/2 lb fresh or frozen green beans
1/2 to 1 cup fresh basil leaves*
Stir fry onion over medium high heat for 2 minutes.
Add chopped garlic and sliced chicken. Cook for 6-8 minutes stirring frequently.
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, red chili paste, fish sauce, and green beans. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add fresh basil and cook one more minute. Serve on steamed brown or white rice.
Serves 4
Note
*Use Thai basil if you can get it.
Sauteed Chicken Breast with Mushrooms
For those who love chicken and mushrooms here is one of my fast dinner recipes I use fairly often. It’s as easy as they come and pairs well with squash, potatoes, rice or noodles. Best of all it’s healthy and tastes great.
Sauteed Chicken Breast with Mushrooms
2 chicken breasts skin removed and pounded to 1/2 inch or less with a meat hammer.
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon Lawrey’s seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, white or black
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 8oz package of button mushrooms sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons dry white wine, chardonnay or fume blanc
Saute mushrooms in oil on medium low heat in a saute pan until lightly browned on both sides. It will probably take two pans or remove browned mushrooms and set aside then add rest of mushrooms and saute. Mix flour, Lawrey’s, pepper, and garlic then dredge the chicken breasts in flour mixture. If needed add a bit more oil to saute pan and brown chicken breasts for 5-6 minutes on medium heat until nicely browned then turn and cook another 3 minutes. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook 2 more minutes stirring. Add white wine and cook for 2 more minutes then serve topped with chopped parsley.
Note: I like to use garlic flavored olive oil for this dish.
Matches well with acorn squash and a steamed green vegetable.
Curried Tofu Salad with Walnuts
14 oz firm or extra firm tofu cut into 1 inch cubes
2/3 cup of low fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
6-8 ribs of celery sliced diagonally
2 carrots shredded
1 red or green bell pepper chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons Spike seasoning salt
2-4 pickled jalapenos sliced
1 cup walnuts
4 teaspoons garlic infused olive oil
Optional: 1/4 cup green onions sliced
In a medium mixing bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise, curry powder, turmeric, and Spike. Gently mix in tofu. In a large mixing bowl combine celery, carrots, bell pepper and jalapenos and mix well. Gently toss in the tofu mixture to the large bowl then chill for 30 minutes.
In a saute pan heat the oil on medium heat for a minute or two then add the walnuts. Lower heat to medium low and stir for 3-5 minutes being carful not to burn the walnuts. Sprinkle a bit of Spike or salt then set aside. When serving the salad top with walnuts, and green onions.
Note:
Can be served on a bed of lettuce. Suitable for a main dish, salad or appetizer.
Buttermilk pancakes with sauteed apple slices
Buttermilk Pancakes
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg beaten
1 1/2- 1 3/4 cups butter milk
Mix dry ingredients then add egg and buttermilk until desired thickness is achieved. I like it on the thinner side using 1 3/4 cups of buttermilk.
Sautéed apple slices
1 granny smith apple cored and sliced
2 teaspoons oil
2 tablespoon apple juice
In a saute pan cook apples in oil for about ten minutes stirring often. Add apple juice and cook for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone. Add a bit of honey or sugar if needed. Arrange on top of pancakes and dust with cinnamon.
Easy Italian Salad Dressing
1/3 cup oil, either olive oil or salad oil
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar, either Spectrum or Braggs
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, or fresh if you have it*
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or shallots, optional
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Mix dried herbs with vinegar. Add garlic or shallots if using and mix well. Add oil, mix well. Can be used right away, but gets better after being refrigerated for a day.
*Note:
If using fresh herbs try 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano plus 1/2 teaspoon minced thyme.
Bosnian Bread
5 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 to 3 1/3 cups water. Varies due to reletive humidity, types and brands of flour etc.
Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Mix flours and salt together in a mixing bowl. Mix all ingredients for 8-10 minutes. I use a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for 8 minutes on slow speed, and 2 minutes on medium speed. Put into large oiled bowl and let rise for 2 hours. Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes before kneading. Knead for 3-5 minutes by hand adding flour to keep it from sticking to counter top. Put into oiled baking sheet or cut in half and put in loaf pans. Let rise until doubled in size. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
1 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup apple juice
1-2 teaspoons honey
2/3 cups steel cut oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin
Bring water to a boil, apple juice and add oats and spices. Cook simmering for 12 minutes. Add canned pumpkin and honey, Cook for 2-5 more minutes depending on how dry you like it.
Optional: Top with a shot of canned whip cream.
serves two
Kurt’s Killer Salsa
Here is my favorite tomato salsa recipe(Kurt’s Killer Salsa) for chips and dip. The basic recipe was taught to me back in 1980 by Lynne Palen of the Rendezvous Restaurant in Frisco, Colorado. My version is close to what Lynne taught me, but probably a bit hotter since I love the jalapeños! Please refer to a good canning guide book like Stocking Up if you plan on canning this salsa. If you are making it for a big party it should hold well for up to two weeks refrigerated.
20 medium size fresh tomatoes diced, (13-15 cups diced)
1/2 yellow onion diced
3 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon salt
10 fresh jalapenos diced, 5 or less if you want it milder
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Combine all ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes uncovered.
Add 1 Tablespoons of lemon juice per jar if you are canning the salsa.
makes about 6 pints
Habanero Salsa
20-25 fresh habaneros seeded and sliced
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic minced
1 T olive oil
water to cover
2-4 tablespoons vinegar, I prefer Braggs or Spectrum apple cider vinegar
In a 2 quart pot saute onions and garlic in oil for 3 minutes on medium low heat stirring often. Add habaneros and saute for 5 minutes stirring about once per minute. Add water to cover and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes at a simmer or until most of the water is cooked off and habaneros are soft. Remove from heat and cool to about room temperature. Scrape habaneros with a rubber spatula into a food processor and add 2 tablespoons vinegar. Blend until desired consistency is reached. Taste and add more vinegar if desired. I like it a bit thick for eating with tortilla chips. You can get a thinner, tabasco sauce like consistency by adding all off the 4 tablespoons of vinegar. Careful as this is a very hot salsa. I recommend wearing plastic gloves when handling the habaneros.
