Garden Spaghetti Pie

I didn't change much in the original Clean Eating recipe, other than to adjust the recipe to servings we would eat and ingredients I had on hand.  The baking part of the recipe takes only 15 minutes.  Sauteing the vegetables and cooking the spaghetti wasn't hard either--the meal was on the table in an hour.

Garden Spaghetti Pie

(Serves 6)

Cook spaghetti in boiling water.  Drain.
3 ounce whole wheat spaghetti

Saute shallots and pepper in olive oil about 3 minutes.
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoon shallots, diced
1 sweet pepper, diced

Add squash, mushrooms and garlic.  Saute 5 minutes.
1/2 cup each yellow and green zucchini, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
1 garlic clove, minced

Stir in tomatoes.
1 cup diced tomatoes

Mix egg, cheeses, basil and Mrs. Dash. 
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoon fresh basil, snipped
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
Stir in sauteed vegetables and spaghetti.

Spread into pie pan greased with olive oil spray.  Sprinkle with wheat germ. 
2 tablespoon toasted wheat germ

Bake at 375F. for 15 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

 
 
   

Autumn Outing

Our Sunday picnics continue in weather than couldn't be better!  Our menu today features:

Chicken with Herbed Corn Salsa

Ground Cherries

Berry Rhubarb Coffeecake

The corn salsa recipe was inspired by Good Housekeeping Magazine: 

Chicken with Herbed Corn Salsa

(Serves 2)

Flatten chicken breast.  Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash.  Bake at 325 F. for about 15 minutes, until interior temperature reaches 165 F.

1-6 ounce chicken breast

Mrs. Dash

Remove loose silk and husk from corn, leaving intact husk in place.  Soak paper towel with water.  Cover corn.  Microwave for 2 minutes on one side;  turn over and microwave for 2 minutes on other side.  Immediately remove from oven and carefully remove silk and husk.  (I use a clean cloth)  Cut corn from cob.

1 ear of corn

Combine basil, garlic, juice, oil and cheese.  Pour over chicken and corn.  Marinate in refrigerator overnight.

2 tablespoon fresh basil, snipped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon Parmigiana cheese, shredded

The coffeecake recipe was inspired by US Highbush Blueberry Council.

Berry Rhubarb Coffeecake

(Serves 8)

Topping
In a small bowl, stir oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Add buttery spread and blend until crumbly.  Set aside.
1/3 cup dry oats
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread, softened

In a free standing mixer, beat eggs and sugar.
2 eggs
3 tablespoon sugar


In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flours, baking powder and salt).  Stir in berries and rhubarb.
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup wild black raspberries
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup frozen rhubarb

In another bowl or measuring glass, combine buttery spread, yogurt, milk and extract.
6 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread, softened
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup fat free evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Alternately add dry, then liquid ingredients to mixing bowl with egg-sugar mix, stirring just until combined.  Pour batter into 8 inch springform pan, greased with olive oil spray.  Sprinkle topping mixture evenly on top.  Bake at 350 F. for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until pick comes out clean.

Our picnic today was at Audra State Park near Philippi, West Virginia.

Harvest Jambalaya

My little pie pumpkin was the perfect vessel for the company size jambalaya dish I made for dinner, and the roasted pumpkin pieces added the perfect autumn flair.  Most of the ingredients were local, from the Italian Sausage and corn to the garlic and fennel.  For rice, I substituted whole grain millet.  Here's how I made it:

Jambalaya

(Serves 6)

Remove seeds, pulp and some of flesh from pie pumpkin.  Rinse seeds.  Roast seeds and pulp at 425 F. for 40 minutes.  Dice pulp.  Store seeds for a snack.
1 pie pumpkin, seeds and pulp removed
Roast shell of pumpkin for 20-30 minutes.

Saute peppers, onion, garlic, fennel and celery in oil for about 10 minutes.  Remove to bowl.
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 small sweet peppers, seeded and diced
2 tablespoon onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon fennel
1/4 cup celery, diced


Slice sausage and brown.  Set aside.
6 ounce Italian sausage, mild

Remove tail from shrimp.  Remove shells and simmer in water for 10 minutes.  Stir in bouillon cube.
12 ounce jumbo shrimp, in-shell, raw
2 cups water
1 not-chicken bouillon cube, low sodium
Saute shrimp for 3 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on other side.  Set aside.

Add sauteed vegetable mix, broth, sausage, diced roasted pumpkin, corn, tomatoes, millet and spices to large kettle.
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano 
1/3 cup millet 
Simmer until most of moisture is absorbed.

Add shrimp to mixture just long enough to heat.

Serve jambalaya in pumpkin shell. 

 


  

Season Premier Supper: White on White

Slow cooked Cuban style pork tenderloin and white beans were the main characters in tonight's dinner, while multigrains and sweet potatoes filled supporting roles.  The multigrain bread dough was made yesterday-1/2 was stored in the refrigerator overnight and ready for rising and baking before dinner tonight.  The beans and sweet potatoes were cooked this afternoon in a counter top pressure cooker, then blended prior to serving.  This was quite the tasty season premier.

Slow Cooked Cuban Style Pork Tenderloin

(Serves 6)

Mix oils and spices.  Add pepper flakes, garlic and juice.
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoon orange juice

Cut slits in top of pork.  Place in slow cooker.  Fill pork slits with marinade.
1 pound pork tenderloin

Pour rest of marinade into slow cooker.  Cook on low 8 hours.  

Slice and shred pork thinly.  Serve with juices.

Based on Jeff Mauro's recipe in Food Network Magazine.

Multigrain Rolls

(10 Rolls)

In a mixer with dough hook in place, slowly add warm water and honey to flour and yeast mix.  Beat on high speed 2 minutes.
1 cup all purpose flour
1 pack dry yeast
1 cup warm water (125 F.)
1 1/2 teaspoon honey

Add 1 cup more flour and beat 2 minutes.  Slowly add salt and remaining flours.  Knead until dough leaves side of bowl.
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup oat flour
1/3 cup rye flour
1/3 cup spelt flour
1/3 cup masa flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

I divided the dough in two pieces.  I placed 1 tablespoon oil in each of two ziploc bags, then added the dough.  One bag was placed in the refrigerator overnight.  The other bag was placed in the freezer.
2 tablespoon olive oil 

Remove dough from refrigerator.  Form dough rolls.  Place in greased pans.  Cover and allow to rise.  Bake at 425 F. for 20 minutes.
  

White Bean & Sweet Potato Soup

(Serves 3)

Brown onion, garlic, celery, peppers and sweet potatoes in oil.
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 tablespoon onion, diced
2 garlic clove, minced
2 small sweet potatoes fingers, diced (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoon celery, minced
2 colorful peppers, 1 sweet, 1 medium hot, diced

Add beans, water and bouillon.  Cook until beans are tender.  (Mine were cooked 1 hour.)
1/3 cup flageolet beans
2 cups water
1 chcken flavored low sodium chicken bouillon

Place in blender.  Cover top of blender with a clean rag.  Blend.  

Serve with apples and yogurt.

The recipe was inspired by a recipe in September 2016 Cooking Light Magazine.

This is my second attempt at making pork tenderloin-the first was successful too. 

 

Jerk Pork Tenderloin

(Serves 6)

Marinade
2 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon lite soy sauce
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teasoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 mini sweet peppers, diced
2 tablespoon onion, diced
2 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablepoon vinegar
1 tablespoon olive soil
2 teasppon allspice berries
2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 teasppon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pour marinade over pork.  Cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
1 pound pork tenderloin.

This recipe was inspired by Fine Cooking Magazine.

 
   
   
    
   



 

Eggs Undercover

A farm fresh egg yolk in a mound of three cheeses fill these ravioli, creating an Italian dish that's hard to surpass.  The recipe was inspired by Food and Wine Magazine.  Local eggs and cheeses paired with my own tomato sauce, followed by an Apple Crisp made with the first of the season West Virginia University apples, complete a dinner where I know where and who produced the ingredients.

Egg Ravioli

(Serves 2-2 Ravioli Each) 

Filling In food processor, mix cheeses, zest and spices.
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoon Parmigiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoon cilantro
2 teaspoon fresh snipped oregano
1/4 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

Enlarge each wrapper by running through a pasta machine at the thinnest setting.
On 1 wrapper, place 2 teaspoons filling.  
Create an indentation in the center of filling for the egg yolk.  
Carefully place egg yolk in center of filling.  
Brush edge of wrapper with egg white.  
Place another wrapper on top of egg yolk-filling.  
Pinch edges of wrappers together. 
4 egg yolks
1 egg white
8 dumpling wrappers

Bring a large pot of water to a simmer.  Drop wrappers in water.  Cover.  Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Serve with hot tomato sauce.
3/4 cup low sodium tomato sauce 

  

Finding the Lost Art of Picnicking

Some 42 years ago in our dating years, we stopped at Colonel Saunders Restaurant and purchased 2 small meals to go, drove to Tygart Lake State Park and "had a picnic".  Over the years we made many a scenic drive, visited parks, hiked to overlooks and walked on our hill, packing only an occasional picnic meal.  We love our healthy meals and pretty settings at home-why not combine that with out love of nature and scenic spots?

Three years ago we did just that.  We started a tradition of taking Sunday picnics to parks and wildlife management areas, most within a 100 mile radius from home.  Bob finds the spot; I plan the meal.  We've become masters of the art.

 Tomorrow we celebrate our Ruby Anniversary.  This is us in 1976:

Here we are today:

Since we worked hard yesterday, first with a culinary demo at the Farmers Market, then cleaning our house, I chose a somewhat simple picnic with a roasted chicken and vegetables.  We ate the meal hot for Saturday dinner and cold for our picnic meal.
The menu:

Garlicky Roasted Chicken 

Roasted Farmers Market Vegetables

Cornbread Muffin

Poached Peach

Garlicky Roasted Chicken

(Serves 5)

Spatchcock the chicken.  Rinse chicken. Using strong shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove.  Turn chicken breast side up and open the chicken like a book.  Press firmly against the breastbone until it cracks.  Place the chicken in a baking dish.  Tuck the wing tips under the chicken.

1 (2 1/2 pound) chicken

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

3 tablespoon Earthy Balance Buttery Spread

1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Combine garlic, seasoning, buttery spread and lemon zest.  Rub half of it under the skin of the chicken breasts and legs.  Roast in 450F. oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven to 400 F.  Place potatoes and beets around the chicken.  Bake for 20 minutes.

5 medium potatoes, quartered

5 golden beets, ends removed, halved

Drizzle remaining buttery mixture on vegetables in pan.  Add squash and carrots to pan.  Roast until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 F, about 45 minutes. 

2 carrots, peeled and cut in sticks

1 patty pan squash, ends removed and cut in large chunks

Cornbread Muffins

(Serves 9)

Beet eggs and sugar in mixing bowl.

2 eggs

3 tablespoon sugar

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

1 1/2 cups whole grain cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/8th teaspoon salt

Melt buttery spread.  Mix spread, milk and lemon juice.

1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Alternately add dry ingredients, then wet ingredients to mixing bowl.  Stir only until just mixed.

Divide into muffin tins (greased with olive oil spray), about 1/3 cup batter for each portion.  Bake at 375 F. for 30 minutes, or until skewer inserted into muffin comes out clean.  Cool on rack in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from pans.

Our picnic today was at Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge, Ohio.

  

      

 

 

Farmers Market Culinary Demo: Grilled Italia Slice

Today's Farmers Market Culinary Demo-Grilled Italia Slices- was made with all local foods donated by the farmer-vendors.  The aroma of the foods grilling certainly attracted the market guests to our table. The recipe was a simple stacking of whole food ingredients:

• Squash slice
• Tomato slice
• Sweet Italian sausage slice
• Bella Vita goat cheese-Italian style aged cheese
• Fresh Basil

Yesterday I went to the sponsoring  farm store kitchen and baked the sausage links to an internal temperature of 160F., then sliced, cooled and refrigerated the sausage slices for transport this morning.  The squash and cheese was also sliced yesterday.  The tomatoes were sliced early today and the basil at the market.  We covered the slices while grilling to melt the cheese.    

Today the assistance from colleagues was much appreciated.  Erika Ford, a Registered Dietitian and member of the WV Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, participated.

My husband-a card carrying Food Handlers member who refers to me as the "Person in Charge"-did the hard job.

Today's water feature was the Strawberry Kiwi recipe from the WVU Extension Families and Health Program.  It was very refreshing!

It was a lovely Saturday morning here in our college town surrounded by our local food friends.

 

Plum Crazy

Not to be deprived when our local plums did not survive the late frost and cicada season, I purchased some of my favorite stone fruit at the produce store.  These aren't the ripe, tasty sweet fruit I can leave in a fruit bowl and eat a few at a time-but were perfect cooked in these two seasonal recipes.  The first was a breakfast inspired by Real Simple Magazine.  I used my recipe and a small amount of local maple syrup to make this delicious breakfast. 

Hot Plum & Yogurt Breakfast Bowl

(Serves 1)

On stove top in a oven proof individual skillet, place plum halves face down in melted buttery spread.  Pour juice over and bring to a boil.  Simmer 4 minutes.
1 plum, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/2 cup apple juice

Turn plums face up.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Transfer pan to a broiler or toaster oven.  Broil for 3 minutes.
1 teaspoon brown sugar

To serve, pour plums and juice over yogurt.  Top with maple syrup and toasted walnuts.
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted chopped walnuts

I was delighted when my local farm store offered to cut turkey tenderloins from the first of the season free range poultry.  These are the perfect size for the two of us and roast in less than one hour.  And it gave me the chance to try the "Plum Chutney" recipe from Food Network Magazine.    

 Caribbean Turkey with Plum Chutney

(Serves 4)

Mix brown sugar and spices in a bowl.  Cover tenderloins with spice mix by patting and turning in bowl.  Place seasoned turkey in a baking dish and roast until internal temperature reaches 165 F, about 45 minutes.
1 6 ounce turkey tenderloin
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Chutney
Combine the plums, shallots, apricots, sugar, vinegar and spices in a saucepan.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool.
2 plums, cut in 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon shallots, chopped
2 tablespoon dried apricots, chhopped
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/16 teaspoon allspice
1/16 teaspoon coriander