Thai Noodle Bowl and Berry Cobbler

I loved this colorful recipe inspired by Laura's Lean Beef. 

Thai Noodle Bowl
(Serves 2)

6 oz. Beef Loin Steak, cooked and sliced thin

1 cup low sodium Beef Broth
1 package Brown Rice Noodles
1 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
Heat until noodles are cooked, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Portion noodles into bowls.  Top with:

Sliced Beef
Shredded Carrots
Shredded Purple Cabbage
Mini Sweet Pepper Strips
Fresh Corn, cooked and cut off the cob

Pour beef broth over each portion.  Garnish with Fresh Cilantro.  

Ours was served with Grape Tomatoes.  

This awesome cobbler was made with black raspberries with picked about and hour before dinner.  We added fresh strawberries.  Hard to believe these were just on the vines a few hires ago!

 Berry Cobbler
 (Serves 8-10)

2 cups Fresh Black Raspberries
2 cups Fresh Strawberries, diced
Sprinkle Cornstarch over.  Stir and portion into baking dish sprayed with Pam.

Cobbler Topping

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup Whole Grain Cornmeal
1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour 
1 Tbsp. Sugar
3 Tbsp. Earth Blend Buttery Spread
Cut buttery spread into dry ingredients in mini food processor.  Add 1/2 cup Skim Milk.
Drop by Tbsp. full onto top of berries in dish.  Bake at 400 degrees 25 minutes.

 We ate ours warm with Vanilla Ice Cream!

 

Ratatouille Soup and Pesto Melt

I put together a meal today where I can use those little bits of this and that produce and more before I buy new tomorrow!  The recipe for Ratatouille Soup was inspired by one in this month's issue of Food Network Magazine.  Here's my version:

Ratatouille Soup
(Serves 3)

1 small thin Eggplant
1/2 Yellow Squash
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Green Onion, minced 
1 tsp. Olive Oil
Saute vegetables in olive oil for about 8 minutes to soften.  Add:

1 cup Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
2 Tbsp. fresh Oregano
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning.  
Simmer about 20 minutes

.Pesto Melts
(Serves 2)

Pesto:
3 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Walnuts
1 Tbsp. Tahini
2 Tbsp. fresh Parsley
1 1/2 cups Greens (Spring Mix and Lettuce from my container garden)
Chop fine in food processor, stopping blade a few times to scrape down contents.


2 slices 7 Grain Bread 
1 Tbsp. Earth Blend Buttery Spread
Place bread, with buttery spread in heated non-stick pan.  Add:

1/2 the Pesto mix
Spread to cover top of bread.
1 oz. Mozzarella pearls, cut in half
2 Kalamata Olives, diced     
Grill till the bottom is toasty.  Then place open faced sandwiches in the toaster oven to melt the cheese. 

While I made the sandwiches, Bob cut a mango and the remaining fresh strawberries for a colorful fruit bowl.

Perfect Patriotic Picnic

Morris Park in Fairmont, WV is one of our favorite spots.  We picnicked here before and brought the kids here to play when they were little.  It is so beautiful and peaceful here.  Our menu today included:

 

Tilapia Peach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Corn with Tomatoes and Herbs

Red, White and Blue Parfait

 Seven Grain Bread

 

The recipe for the entrée salad was inspired by Cooking Light.  Here's my version:

 

 

 

Tilapia Peach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

(Serves 2)

 

2 Cod Loins

Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash.  Bake in toaster oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Refrigerate overnight.

 

1/2 Pickling Cucumber, sliced thin

1 Peach, peeled and sliced

Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Mix cucumber and peach slices.  Cover peach slices with lemon juice.  Add the remainder of the juice to the dressing:

 

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 tsp. White Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp. Honey

 

Assemble salad as follows:

Spring Mix Greens

Peach and Cucumber Mix

1 Tilapia Loin

Pea Shoots

Corn, Tomato and Herbs (recipe follows)

 

 

Corn, Tomato and Herbs

(Serves 2)

 

1 Corn on the Cob

I cook mine in the microwave in the husk with silk.  2 minutes per side.  First cut any loose husks and silk prior to cooking.  Cut from cob.

 

1/2 Red Tomato, diced

Fresh Basil, chopped

1 Green Onion, diced

 

Red, White and Blue Parfait

(Serves 2)

 

1/2 cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt, plain

2 tsp. Honey

Mix

 

1 Graham Cracker, crushed in a Ziploc bag

 

Alternately layer

Yogurt

Graham Cracker Crumbs

Berries (I mixed blueberries, black raspberries and strawberries,diced)

Repeat

 

Morris Park was once a horse farm where the retired horses from the Fairmont Fire Department lived.  Can't you just imagine the horses sheltering here?

 

Sundays are such relaxing days.  I'm loving our Sunday picnics in nearby parks.  Today was a perfect day.  My Kamera Kitchen partner:

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



Farmer's Market: Mozzarella Grainy Bread

What a beautiful day for a Farmer's Market and the 1st Saturday of every month, we demo at the Morgantown Farmer's Market pavilion as part of WVU Healthcare's Community Service.  Executive Chef Brandon Wade quickly accepted my request to help at his one, as grilling in front of hundreds of people made me nervous.  Brandon was awesome!

 The recipe is a simple one, with the key being local fresh whole ingredients.  We took New Day Bakery's 7 Grain Bread, placed it on the heated grill, brushed with Earth Blend Buttery Spread, added freshly sliced stem tomatoes from Yarnick's Farms, topped with part skim Mozzarella, then fresh Basil from Alexander's Farm.  Brandon covered these to melt the cheese. 

The smell of the fresh basil permeated the entire Farmer's Market pavilion.  Brandon rolled the fresh basil and cut in chevrons prior to use.  Customers loved these fresh grilled samples!

Red, White & Blue Lunch

After the morning concert by the Morgantown Municipal Band, it was time for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat.  Sheri Silver's Waffled Hash Browns with Egg sounded great using food we had on hand.  I made 4 small hash browns on the waffle iron, adding 1/4th cup potatoes to each iron square.

Waffled Hash Browns
(Serves 2)

3 small Red-Skinned Potatoes
Peel and shred into a bowl of cold water.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Drain thoroughly.  Spray waffle iron with Pam, then I added a tsp. of Earth Blend Buttery Spread to each square following by a fourth a cup of shredded potatoes to each square.  Close waffle maker and baker for about 10 minutes.

Serve 1 poached egg over 2 waffled hash browns. I sprinkled mine with Mrs. Dash.

Now for the Red, White and Blue Salad!

For each serving portion, mix
6 Mozzarella Pearls
4 Grape Tomatoes, quartered
2 Tbsp. Blueberries
2 Basil Leaves, cut in smaller pieces
1 tsp. White Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Olive Oil

Happy Independence Day!

Lentil Stuffed Zucchini

Bob worked late tonight so I dined alone.  Tonight's fare was an easy one with Lentil Stuffed Zucchini and Fresh Corn.  I cooked the lentils last night.  The recipe is from Canadian Lentils.

Stuffed Zucchini
(Serves 2)

1/3 cup Lentils
Cook in water until tender.

1 small Zucchini, halved
Remove filling, making boats.  Dice removed squash.

In small saucepan, heat
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, diced
1 Green Onion, diced
Diced Squash
Cooked Lentils

Remove from heat.
Add
2 Tbsp. Pecan Meal
2 Tbsp. Swiss Cheese, shredded

Fill boats with mixture.
Top with
2 Tbsp. Gorgonzola Cheese

Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes.

I cooked the corn in the microwave in the husk with silk for 2 minutes on each side.  (I removed the loose husks and silk before cooking).  I cut mine off the cob and ate 1/2 the ear.

The muffins were actually made to take to Chris' for tomorrow's dinner.  I toasted a piece of 7 Grain bread, added Earth Blend Buttery Spread for my dinner.

Bob just got home and ate the lentil filling! 
 

The Healthy 15

 

Food Service Director Magazine selects the HSC Cafeteria to the Healthy 15.  Our Healthy Café was chosen across all market segments for providing a healthy dining environment.

 

 



Success is attributed to great service, hard work, an attractive clean environment and the food.

 

In 2007 we were recognized by the Whole Grains Council.  We buy many of our grains and beans locally.

 

We make most of our food from scratch using healthy ingredients and many colorful vegetables.

 

We bake our own deli turkey breast and beef which is unseasoned with no added salt.

 

Since 2004 we've posted nutrition labels on every item.  These are linked to our public on line menu

 

Vegetables are washed and cut on site.  Low sodium, high fiber beans are featured throughout.

 

Our desserts have less than 12 grams of added sugar.  Popular grainy muffins are served daily.

 

The latest in evidence based research is translated into practical solutions on our menu.  That's my role as a Registered Dietitian, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member and healthy food expert!