These little muffin size cakes have fresh pineapple on the inside. Mine are made with 1/2 whole wheat flour, good fats and only 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar per cake. These are delicious served with juicy kiwi and unsweetened coconut. Since the meal pictured above is my breakfast, I ate this with a glass of skim milk and a bowl of Greek Yogurt, to up the high quality protein.
Fresh Pineapple Muffins
(Serves 6)
Beat eggs and sugar in mixing bowl.
1 1/2 eggs (yes-I broke 1 egg into a mini measuring glass & measured 1/2! I refrigerated the remaining 1/2 an egg to use later)
3 tablespoon sugar
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients, flours, baking powder and soda, salt and pecans.
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup toasted pecans, crushed
Mix together yogurt, oil, melted spread and vanilla.
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt, plain, nonfat
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Alternately add dry ingredients and wet ingredients to egg-sugar mix. Stir just until blended.
Portion 1/3 cup batter into each of muffin size pans (mine were heart shaped!). Bake at 350 F. for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
For centuries, the pineapple symbol has been used to symbolize hospitality.
This original blend of Indian spice, lentils and vegetables topped with a mashed potato and yogurt crust is so tasty and satisfying. The recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray.
Indian Spiced Shepherd's Pie with Lentils
(Serves 2)
Cook lentils in 2 cups boiling water, covered. for 20-30 minutes until tender. (May need to add water) Drain.
1/3 cup lentils, dry
Cook potato in boiling water for 12 minutes. Drain.
1 large potato, peeled and diced
Mash potato in mixing bowl. Add yogurt.
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
Saute carrots, fennel and shallots in buttery spread for 5 minutes.
1 1/2 carrots, peeled, quartered and diced
1/3 cup shallots, diced
1 tablespoon fennel, diced
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Stir tomatoes, lentils, ginger and garam masala into carrot mixture. Heat until thickened.
1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes, no added salt
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon garam masala
Stir peas into lentil mix.
1/2 cup peas
Divide lentil mixture into 2 individual casserole dishes, misted with an olive oil spray. Spread mashed potatoes over tops.
Bake at 425 F. for 15 minutes.
Garnish with snipped parsley.
The little "cake" muffins have fresh pineapple on the inside. I'll post that recipe tomorrow!
"Celtuce: My Newest Farmers Market Find" is my eighth post on the Food and Nutrition Blog.
Stone Soup is a guest blog written by members of the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics. Guest bloggers from around the world share
with Food & Nutrition Magazine. I have always loved this
magazine-especially the photos and am so pleased they shared my post.
We understand it's hard to portion pasta and meatballs. Try baking in a muffin tin! This recipe was inspired by Laura's Lean Beef. The beef I purchase from my local farming friends at Working H Farm is also very lean. After purchasing ground beef in a 1# package, I divide the package into thirds and freeze it in recipe packages, about 6 ounce each. That amount after cooking gives us 2 ounce cooked portions of meat, enough protein for our senior citizen needs.
Pasta and Meatball Nests
(Serves 3)
Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes. Drain.
4 ounce whole wheat angel hair pasta
Divide pasta among 6 muffin tins.
Top each with 1/2 teaspoon grated Parmesan.
Bake in 400 F. oven for 3 minutes.
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
Mix beef, garlic powder, seasoning, wheat germ and egg. Divide in 6. Make 6 flattened meatballs and place over pasta in tins.
6 ounce ground beef
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoon wheat germ
1 egg
Top each with diced tomatoes, reserving some for garnish.
1 cup petite diced tomatoes, no added salt, canned and drained
Divide cheese among tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
3 ounce mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
Garnish with reserved tomato and fresh basil.
Inspired by others, I had to try lasagna baked in a heart shaped pan. My little heart shaped cake pan I purchased at the thrift store for a quarter was perfect for a quick bread and worked just fine for this Vegetable Lasagna for 2 or 3. (Named "Day Late" since yesterday was Valentines Day)
To prevent waste, I used the vegetables and cheeses I had on hand. Seems I had a tiny amount of crumbled feta and a tiny amount of cheddar cheeses-here was my chance to use those little bits!.
Vegetable Lasagna
(Serves 3)
Cook noodles in boiling water, covered, for 10 minutes.
4 whole wheat lasagna noodles
Drain and rinse with cold water.
1 cup low sodium marinara sauce
2 cups chopped vegetables (I chose yellow and zucchini squash, cauliflower and fennel)
3/4 cup shredded or crumbled cheeses (I chose Parmesan, cheddar and feta)
Mist pan (this one measured 6 inches at its largest diameter) with an olive oil spray.
Layer as follows:
1/4 cup sauce
1 noodle, cut to fit
1/4 cup sauce
1/2 vegetables
1/2 cheese
Repeat.
Bake at 400 F. for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Garnish with diced tomatoes.
1/4 cup diced grape tomatoes
Making your own taco seasoning reduces the sodium without reducing the flavor. Even the small packages of commercial taco seasoning that advertise "33% less sodium" have 8 times the amount of sodium as in this homemade version.
- 2 teaspoon Packaged Taco Seasoning = 380 mg sodium.
- 2 teaspoon Packaged Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning = 250 mg sodium.
- 2 teaspoon Homemade Taco Seasoning = 30 mg sodium.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
(Makes 3 1/2 cups)
2 cup chili powder
2/3 cup ground cumin
2/3 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoon 2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Mix and store in closed container.
Sprinkle this homemade seasoning on meats, vegetarian chili, fajitas and enchiladas.
One serving of a favorite taco salad easily totals 1000 mg of sodium!
More Tips for Reducing the Sodium in a Taco Salad
- Make your own tortilla strips with corn tortillas and homemade seasoning. Corn tortillas are whole grain and inexpensive. Mist both side of the tortilla with an olive oil spray. Cut in strips and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the homemade taco seasoning and toast to crisp.
80% reduction in sodium
- Cook your own beans from dry.
90% reduction in sodium
- Make your own salsa with fresh diced tomatoes, green peppers, onion and cilantro.
90% reduction in sodium
- Replace shredded Mexican cheese with ricotta cheese.
65% reduction in sodium
Up the flavor meter a notch by baking seafood meals in banana leaves. The leaves of the banana plant, found in Asian stores, impart a tea like flavor to the contents. Fresh herbs, onion, garlic and lemon also impart flavor and replace some or all of the sodium in a recipe.
Rather than a specific recipe, choose ingredients by checking the home refrigerator or pantry and using those on hand.
- Fresh herbs, onions and garlic. I chose shallots (a mild onion), garlic, fresh ginger and fennel bulb. Fennel adds a sweet anise flavor to foods.
- Lemon. Slices and juice impart their flavor magic.
- Vegetables. I sliced carrots, celery and yellow squash in julienne strips though the choices are endless. Broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans, edamame all come to mind.
- Whole Grain. Quinoa, brown rice, bulgur, farro, kashi-here's your chance to use that little bit left in a bag or a large jar that's been sitting on the shelf. My choice was millet. Simply cook the grain in water prior to assembly-or use leftover cooked grain.
- Seafood. Salmon, tuna steak, scallops, shrimp or any variety of raw fillet works. It's alright to make one packet with one variety and another packet with a different fish if one of this and one of that is what's on hand. My choice is flounder.
- Banana Leaf. I purchased a package of these in the frozen food section of a local Asian market. I cut pieces the size of a parchment sheet (no thawing necessary), wrap the package tightly and freeze the rest for up to 6 months. Wash the leaf pieces, and cut out any spine.
To assemble, layer ingredients on top of banana leaf:
- Grain. For carbohydrate counters, measure the amount desired. I used 1/2 cup cooked grain.
- Fresh grated ginger, shallots, garlic and fennel.
- Vegetables.
- Fish portion.
- Lemon slices and juice.
Fold ends over to enclose contents. Place face down on baking sheet. Bake at 375 F. for approximately 20 minutes until internal temperature of parcel reaches 145 F.
Do not eat the banana leaf. Sometimes they make a nice platter presentation. These were starting to brown, so I slid the contents of each packet onto our individual plates to serve.
Another great flavor technique is to poach the seafood in liquid with steeping green tea bags!
