I like a hearty brown stew when the weather turns cool. That used to mean pot roasts and beef stews but these days I enjoy lighter fare.  The secret to this dish is letting roasted veggies and herbs cook down into a thick gravy, then add fresh chopped veggies the last 10 minutes — I like cooked veggies to have a light crunch.  Earlier I’d roasted some veggies, so I added a cup each of roasted carrots and celery and onions to a 2 quart saucepan, then added two 1-quart cartons of low sodium chicken broth. I chopped 2 large russet potatoes very finely diced, and 16 oz of white mushrooms.  I added a teaspoon each of turmeric, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried basil, dried tarragon, crushed fennel seeds, paprika and 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary and chili powder. I added 2 dried bay leaves, left the pot slightly uncovered and brought it to a simmer for 40 minutes.    Continue reading →

When I made the meatballs for yesterday’s Low Fat Semi-Homemade Turkey Meatball Veggie Soup, I didn’t follow the recipe and added a shake of red pepper flakes as well as too much jerk seasoning. It made them a little too hot and a little too herby. I knew I could add potato and mushroom to the soup to draw some of the flavor out of the meatballs, and I could season the soup only lightly, since it would draw spice from the meatballs. It was so easy and turned out so well I wanted to share it with you.   Continue reading →

From merely hot to incendiary, this Caribbean jerk seasoning gets its kick from a blend of ingredients such as cayenne, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, and nutmeg. Sprinkle on meat or vegetables. This Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Blend is from myrecipes.com

Combine and store in airtight container
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

I love Indian and Greek food, and a yogurt sauce on the side adds a cooling element and balances the flavors. The Tzatziki is an easy dressing for Greek salads and omelets, also a nice dipping sauce for veggies. Combine ingredients in food processor or blender to desired consistency. Chill at least an hour before serving. Blend These Ingredients:
Continue reading →

I eat this soup when my tummy is upset. You can make a spicier version of this by doubling the dried herbs & spices.

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp olive oil
2 medium onions
4 small organic carrots
2 large stalks of celery
1 package of fresh asparagus
32 oz fat free chicken broth
3 bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt
Dried basil, cumin, oregano, black pepper, 2 shakes each   Continue reading →

LOWFAT EASY HOMEMADE FRENCH ONION SOUP FROM SCRATCH
This version calls for caramelizing the onions in the oven rather than on the stove top. This gives you more flavor out of the onions without having to continually stir them.   Continue reading →

Collards are packed with nutrition but, truth be told, Kale has almost three times as much

Collard greens are packed with nutrition (see links below). I cooked a batch the other day and flavored them with some favorite Indian spices. I add plenty of liquid so it makes a flavorful pot liquor broth as well. I sauteed in a 2 quart pot 1 chopped celery stalk, one chopped carrot, 1 small chopped onion. Saute a few minutes to release the flavor and add your spices in: 2 star anise, 1/4 tsp each  garlic powder, onion powder, crushed fennel, crushed coriander seeds, a dozen mustard seeds and a cinnamon stick. Cook a few minutes to release the oils, then add a large bag of chopped collard greens and one quart of low sodium chicken broth.   Continue reading →

Photo credit http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-blog/baked-chicken-thighs/

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
(2) Remove the skin from 4-6 bone-in chicken thighs.
(3) Line an oven sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray, or place on a wire rack.
(4) Arrange the thighs and spray them.
(5) Using a half teaspoon of each, season the thighs with with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, granulated garlic, turmeric, paprika, dried tarragon, basil and oregano leaves.
(6) Into the oven for 20-25 minutes until top begins to crisp.  Then turn over, season the other side, back into the oven for 10-15 minutes.     Continue reading →

I have a bad habit of skipping breakfast, a time I should be fueling up for the morning. I’ve begun doing smoothies again and I went to Naturesmarket Healthfoods today for some Spirutein Whey Vanilla protein powder. While there, I thought I’d get some extra nutrition while I was at it. I stocked up on chia seeds, magic greens (it has spirulina in it, also alfalfa powder chlorella and barley grass) and soy lethicin for my power smoothies. I told the clerk I used to take soy lecithin but I don’t remember what I took it for. She laughed and said it’s good for memory!      Continue reading →

Spaghetti squash and kale for breakfast, sprayed with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and sprinkled with nutritional yeast. The Bragg’s is a nutritious version of soy sauce, and the nutritional yeast is cheesy tasting savory flakes full of B vitamins, folic acid, selenium, zinc and protein. You shake it on the same as parmesean cheese and it’s great on veggies and popcorn.