Roasted Red Peppers and Hummus

If you occasionally buy those little jars of pimiento peppers, making those yourself is so much cheaper!  I roasted my own peppers in an air fryer, then learned I could do that in my oven. Here's how:

Place the pepper on a pan lined with foil.  Roast at 475F for 15-30 minutes, turning over once or twice.

 Drop the hot pepper into a deep bowl and cover with saran wrap to steam.

 After 10 minutes, remove pepper and peel the burned skin.

 Cut open and remove the seeds.

 Voila! Refrigerate until ready to use.
 

Here's a recipe using that pepper:

Red Pepper Hummus

Soak chickpeas overnight in water to cover.

1/3 cup dried chickpeas

Drain and cook in fresh water.

 

In food processor, blend all ingredients together. 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove

Roasted red pepper

Cooked and drained chickpeas

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoon tahini

Serve with flatbread, crackers or fresh vegetables.   

 

Summer Fruit and Squash Bread

 

My morning routine normally includes Greek yogurt or Kefir beverages and a whole grain muesli or bread. The smoothie "recipe" is simple:  3/4 cup Greek Yogurt (mine is nonfat) and the same amount of fruit.  If the fruit is not juicy, I add enough for the blender to puree. The watermelon and strawberry smoothie pictured above is delicious. 

 

The Kefir I buy is lowfat. I buy the plain and add my own fruit as the flavored ones available do not have the fiber that real fruit has. Kefir does not have the protein that Greek Yogurt has, so I'll be hungry earlier in the morning.

 

Here's one made with fresh plums:

  

I've tried all sorts of recipes made with fresh fruit and have come to the conclusion that the best way to enjoy a piece of ripe fruit is out of hand (slice and eat).

Many times I have too much on hand to do that!  Here's a peach salsa that was good on pork:

When the neighbor "blessed me" with yellow squash, I shredded it to make a "fruit" type bread. This one utilizes my sourdough starter:

Sourdough Squash Bread

 (1-9X5 inch loaf)

Mix dry ingredients together.

2 cups whole grain flour (whole wheat, spelt or einkorn)

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 

Stir squash into dry ingredients. 

1 3/4 cup grated squash, squeezed on moisture 

 

Beat together sugar and eggs.

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

 

Add discard, extract and oil. 

1/2 cup sourdough starter

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup olive oil

 

Stir in dry ingredients, just until flour no longer shows.

 

Pour batter into pan greased with olive oil spray. Smooth batter.

 

Bake at 350F. for approximately 1 hour, until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.  

 

 

Summer Salad Board

 The kids were visiting. I had plenty of farmers market vegetables on hand. First I roasted those vegetables for the pasta salad .   (Tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, fennel, onions and garlic).

 

Sheet Pan Creole Penne

(3 Servings)

Cook pasta.  Bring cold water to a boil.  Add salt and pasta.  Cook for 12 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Drain.

2/3 cup penne

 

Mix together:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced

2 mini sweet peppers, diced

1 green garlic, diced

1 green onion, diced

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt.

Pour onto sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350F. for 15 minutes.

 

Creole seasoning

Mix together: 

3/4 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch white pepper

Pinch thyme

Pinch oregano 

  

Stir in drained pasta. 

Return to oven for a few minutes more.

 

I peeled and cubed potato for Potato Salad and put those to boil.

 

To those potatoes, I added onion, carrot, celery and red pepper the last minute of boiling. I meticulously whisked and cooked the potato salad dressing. That's the hard part but it's worth it. The cooked salad dressing takes me back to Mrs. Daugherty's Junior High Home Economics class. This is one of my recipes Main Street Morgantown printed on postcards for the local Farmers Market.

The bunch of small, multicolored beets were roasted at 400 F for approximately 1 hour. I was hoping not to have to peel the, but the skin flaked off easily after roasted. These went fast!

My tabouleh was something new and I will work on improving. My herb pots on the front porch did not garden enough parsley for this endeavor, yet I was happy to have a place to use the mint and cut up cucumbers.

Tabouleh 

Freekeh (1/2 cup)

Soak 1/4 cup freekeh in tap water 10-15 minutes. Drain.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil on stovetop. Add grain. Sauté in oil 1 minute. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add 1/4 cup boiling water. Lower heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. (Keep an eye on the pan in case you need to add more boiling water.) 

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freekeh

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups minced fresh parsley

1/2 cup minced fresh mint

2 green onion, sliced 

 

 

  

Ham Balls

 

My freezer inventory always carries small packs of sliced ham.  Here's an easy idea for a make anytime main dish.

Ham Balls

(2-3 Servings)

Grind together in a small food processor. 

6 ounce sliced ham

2 Tablespoon onion, diced

3 Graham Cracker squares, or 3 Tablespoon wheat germ or bread crumbs

1 egg

Portion into 2 ounce balls.

Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.

 

 Mix together:

3 Tablespoon ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup)

2 teaspoon brown sugar

2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Brush onto meatballs.

Bake for 10 additional minutes.

 

These are good stuffed in pita halves!  

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard  

    

Sheet Pan Creole Seafood Penne

 

Here's a dish I'll enjoy for days at a time. While the pasta is cooking on stove-top, I roast the vegetables. Add creole seasoning with raw seafood and bake some more. Then stir in the drained pasta and warm a few minutes more. For leftovers, I'll add some arugula and other cooked vegetables or protein for lunch time salads. The whole meal takes less then 30 minutes to cook.

Sheet Pan Creole Seafood Penne

(3 Servings)

Cook pasta.  Bring cold water to a boil.  Add salt and pasta.  Cook for 12 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Drain.

2/3 cup penne

 

Mix together:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced

2 mini sweet peppers, diced

1 green garlic, diced

1 green onion, diced

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt.

Pour onto sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350F. for 15 minutes.

 

Creole seasoning

Mix together: 

3/4 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch white pepper

Pinch thyme

Pinch oregano 

 

Mix partially cooked vegetables with seasoning and raw seafood.

8 jumbo shrimp or 3 ounce scallops.

Return to oven for 10 minutes.

 

Stir in drained pasta. 

Return to oven for a few minutes more.

 

Serve with grated parmigiano cheese.

 

  

  

Blending Retains Fiber and Nutrients

 I'm using my blender most days for morning smoothies with fruit and yogurt. When I buy local asparagus at our farmers market, I often cook and puree it to make a delicious soup without the waste.

Here is the recipe:

Asparagus Soup 

(Serves 4)

Saute onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes.
1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
2 garlic gloves, minces
1 tablespoon butter

 Add asparagus, broth and salt. Simmer 8 minutes.
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut in pieces
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

 

 

Spring is almost here-time to use the winter squash cooling in the basement!  Bake the squash, puree in the food processor with cocoa and maple syrup  The result is a delicious nutrient dense treat with 5 grams of fiber. 

Butternut Squash Pudding

3 Servings (6 Tablespoon Each) 

Roast whole butternut squash for 1 hour at 425F. Cool slightly to handle. Peel and remove any seeds and strings.

 

Puree squash flesh with cocoa and sweetener. Add additional flavorings as desired. Mine has ground almonds.

 

1 cup squash

3 Tablespoon 100% Cacao powder

2 Tablespoon maple syrup

2 Tablespoon ground almonds

 

I serve mine with vanilla skyr (a cultured milk product similar to yogurt) to add protein. The parfait has 5 Tablespoon of skyr.

 

Nutrition Information of parfait per serving: 

Calories 118

5 grams fiber

7 grams protein

8 grams added sugar 

Eclectic Muesli and Yogurt to Power My Day

 

I call this roasted cereal Muesli 11 as it contains 11 prebiotic fibers:  4 nuts, 4 fruits, 2 seeds and 1 grain. Combining with yogurt or kefir (a fermented probiotic) can enhance immune and metabolic health.

Muesli 11

17 (1/3 cup) servings

Chop nuts to your desired consistency. Mix nuts and seeds. Toss on a wide rim baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Toast in a 350 F. oven for 7 minutes.  Reduce oven to 275F.
1/3 cup pistachios
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pecans
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Mix honey, peanut butter, oil, orange and vanilla until smooth.   
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla

Toss peanut butter sauce with nuts and seeds and oats.  Mix until completely covered. 
2 cups old fashioned oats
Spread onto parchment lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.  Stir.  

Chop apricots and berries in a food processor.  Mix with partially roasted oats.  Bake in oven for another 30 minutes. 
1/2 cup dried apricots

2 cups fresh cranberries (I buy several bags of these in December and freeze, as they are not available after the holiday season)

Alternate the ingredients in this recipe for a variety of nutrients. We pick wild black raspberries in the summer, freeze and use those in place of the cranberries. The nuts can be any on hand, as could the dried fruit.

 

 

My advice after 50 years in the dietetic association

My first recollected food assignment as a young college student was to provide an afternoon snack for a nursery school class. I gave the preschoolers ready to eat crackers and cheese. That was more than 50 years ago. There was not as many ready to eat packaged foods.  The meats, vegetables and fruit were likely not processed. For the grain option, menu planners opted for a slice of bread, 4-6 crackers, 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cooked cereal or 1 cup ready to eat cereal. 

Fast forward 55 years when the 2026 Dietary Guidelines to Eat Real Food seemed to invoke a reluctance among colleagues. My advice after 50 years in the dietetic association:

• Don't let highly processed foods be the default option. If you can't make it in your own kitchen it probably falls into that category.   Americans have to eat less of them, not eliminate. Give alternatives. 
• Diversify plant foods. Plant foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. These add prebiotic fibers and polyphenol nutrients supporting a healthy gut. Diversifying these and trying different varieties is good for a healthy gut as well as the environment.
• Include sources of lean meat and dairy to meet the protein needs of older adults. 
• Emphasize fermented probiotic rich foods.
• Wash and cut vegetables and fruits yourself. Safety, nutrient density and taste is better.
• Make it harder for manufacturers to engineer a ready to eat food meeting nutrition standards. 

What snack would I give to the preschoolers today? Do made from scratch mini muffins (pumpkin sorghum) and a fresh banana sound good?

MAHA Breakfast Cereal

 

In the cafeteria I managed at the Health Sciences Center, customers loved oatmeal. Served from the soup station at the end of the fruit and salad bar, they filled their 10 ounce soup bowl with a hefty ladle of hot cereal. Few customers bought the single serve boxes of cold cereal.

Here’s my recipe for hot cereal made with hulled barley, dried and fresh fruit and milk. Served with chopped nuts.

MAHA Breakfast Cereal

(4-1 cup servings)

Cook barley in water.

1 cup hulled barley

Drain water and soak in milk. (It will absorb)

Stir in fruits.

3 ounce raisins

8 dried figs, sliced

3 ounce cranberries in orange juice

The cereal gets sweeter as it sits in the refrigerator.

This cereal has 9 grams of added sugar when white sugar is added to the fresh cranberries while cooking. It too gets sweeter as it sits in the refrigerator.

Dietary guidelines recommend limiting artificial preservatives and flavors, petroleum based dyes, and ready to eat packaged breakfast options. There is overwhelming evidence to support minimizing intake of ultra processed foods.

Eating Real Foods: MAHA Pizza

 

Whole foods, protein, dairy, vegetables and whole grains-they’re all here. The crust, made with whole grains and an egg flows over the whole pan. There are cut fresh vegetables, roasted meat and cheese. This is quick and easy and a great use of leftovers.

MAHA Pizza

(4 Servings)

1 1/2 tablespoon cornmeal 

Mix dry ingredients together.

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup spelt flour 

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon oregano

Beat egg into milk. Stir into dry ingredients.

1/2 cup 1 Tablespoon milk

1 egg

Pour into 10 inch oven safe pan. 

Sprinkle on top batter.

Peppers, minced, 1 mini sweet pepper

Sprinkle on:

Chicken, roasted, diced (stirred with barbecue sauce)

Vegetables, cut

Bake at 395 F for 12 minutes.

Top with cheese of choice and bake for 2-3 minutes more.

This follows highlights in What to Eat Now and 2026 Dietary Guidelines supporting overwhelming evidence to minimize ultra processed foods.

The crust recipe is adapted from the 2018 cookbook, The 30 Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.

Another Turkey Dinner

These tasty turkey meatballs and creamy sauce are cooked on stovetop. Served with mashed Yukon gold potatoes and a shortcut cranberry sauce, this turkey dinner is good!

Turkey Meatballs

(4 Servings)

In mini food processor, grind crackers, then onion. Beat in egg, salt and pepper. Add turkey and mix. 

6 multigrain crackers 

1/4 cup small onion

1 small egg

6 ounce ground turkey

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1/16 teaspoon salt

Form into meatballs, 2 teaspoon each. 

 

On stove top, brown meatballs in olive oil for 3 minutes. (They will not be fully cooked). Remove from pan.

1 Tablespoon olive oil

 

To skillet, melt butter. Add flour and mix, browning for 3 minutes.  Add vinegar and Worcestershire. Mix in chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time.  Add salt and pepper.

Drop meatballs into sauce.  Cook for 8 minutes.  

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

2/3 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2/3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/4 cup chicken broth (add 1/2 cup at a time)

1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper 

 

I-81 Traffic Jam

Cook on stove top for 10 minutes. 

 4 ounce fresh cranberries

1/4 cup jelly (Orr’s I-81 Traffic Jam)

2 teaspoon lemon juice

 

 

 

I love that I have time to make my own stock. Also, the mashed potatoes are always homemade.

Seafood Cioppino

I'm in the process of down sizing favorite recipes to match our needs.  This one is a favorite from Oldways. The homemade sauce is the highlight of this dish and it's a great way to use partial packs of seafood in the freezer.  Mine has flounder, scallops and shrimp, served over a whole grain spaghetti.

Seafood Cioppino

(Serves 4)

Saute vegetables in olive oil 8 minutes. 

1/4 cup onion, diced

2 Tablespoon bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoon olive oil 

 

Add to pot: 

1 cup diced tomatoes in juice

2 Tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

4 slices lemon

1/2 teaspoon each dried and chopped parsley, basil and oregano

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Bring to boil.  Lower heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

 

And fish and simmer covered for 20 minutes. 

1 4 ounce flounder fillet, cut in pieces

 

Add shrimp and scallops.

6 jumbo shrimp, shell removed 

4 ounce scallop pieces

Simmer 10 minutes.

 

Discard lemon slices. 

 

Serve over pasta.

 

Possibly, tasty additions to this recipe were my own freshly dried and ground herbs. Before the first frost, I take what's left in my front deck planters, dehydrate in the oven (mine has a 150F. dehydrating function) and grind.  They don't last long, but are noticeably tastier than the store bought. 

 

 

 

  

  

 

Beans & Cornbread

 

The meal combo is a West Virginia staple and, as a retired Cafeteria Manager, it's never a good idea to serve beans without the cornbread.  Our local farmers market is lucky to have a family who grows grains and beans.  This one features their newest package of three beans.  That's perfect for my personal goal focusing on diversity of plant foods.  This meal has many.  Here's the recipe I used, based on our personal (smaller) senior portions.  Note that any bean and any vegetable can be included in your personal meal.

Soup Beans

(4 Servings)

Soak beans in water overnight. 

3/4 cup dry beans

Water to cover 2-3 times the level of beans

Drain and rinse. 

 

In crock pot, place beans and hot water.  Turn pot to high. 

2 cups hot water

 

Add vegetables. 

3/4 cup diced raw vegetables

Mine has garlic, onion, celery with leaves, red pepper, fennel and carrots

 

Add ham. 

3 ounce diced ham

 

Add seasonings.

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper  

 

Cook on high for 8 hours.

 

My cornbread was originally made in a large oven safe skillet.  It has apples, onions and thyme too. For a few years, I froze half of it to make my Thanksgiving Stuffing, another classic. I hope to make more to have enough for that stuffing.

 

Cornbread with Apples, Onions & Thyme

(1-7 inch Deep Dish Pizza Pan)

Melt buttery over medium heat .
5 Tablespoon butter
Pour melted butter into a separate bowl.

Add onion to the skillet and saute for 4 minutes.
1/4 cup onion, diced

Add apple, sugar and thyme to the skillet.  Saute 4 more minutes.  Place onion-apple mix in a colander to drain any excess liquid. 
1 apple, sliced thin
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon thyme leaves

 

 Mix dry ingredients-cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and 4 1/2 tablespoon sugar together.
3/4 cup cornmeal, whole grain
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat egg and buttermilk.  Add melted buttery spread.
1 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
Melted butter
Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth (no lumps).  Stir in 1/2 of the apple-onion mix.

Pour batter into skillet (oven proof).  
Top with remaining apple-onion mix.  Sprinkle with1 teaspoon thyme. 
1/4 teaspoon thyme 

 

Bake in 400 F. oven for 30 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes.  To remove from pan, place another rack over the top of the skillet and invert.  The bread slides right out.  Invert onto cooling rack.  Cool an additional 20 minutes before tasting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smoked Salmon Chowder

This may be my favorite soup of all time. The recipe is inspired by Chef Sherry Pocknett’s creation in the November issue of Food and Wine Magazine.

Smoked Salmon Chowder

4 (1/2 cup) Servings

Melt butter in small saucepan. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Scrape roux into a small bowl.

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Add vegetables and sauté for 3-5 minutes.

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoon diced onion 

2 Tablespoon diced red pepper

1 Tablespoon diced celery 

1 garlic clove, minced

Stir in spices.

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon seafood seasoning 

1 sprig fresh thyme

Add stock and diced potato. Heat to boiling, then lower heat to cook potato, about 20 minutes.

1 cup chicken stock, homemade 

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

Stir in corn.

1/2 cup corn

Bake salmon at 325F for 10 minutes. Add thinly sliced smoked salmon and bake another 5 minutes. Flake and stir into soup

2 ounce salmon

3 ounce smoked salmon

Stir in reserved roux and milk.  Heat for 5 minutes.

1/3 cup evaporated skim milk

Food and Nutrition Publication March 2017

 

Food and Nutrition Publication September 2017

 

Food and Nutrition Publication January 2019

 

Food and Nutrition Publication November 2019

 

Food and Nutrition Publication March 2020