Showing posts with label rice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rice. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2015
CrockPot Turkey and Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Day 325.
The weather has officially changed. I am running the heat in the morning, the guinea pigs have moved inside, and the flannel sheets are out of hiding. Last night, I finally finished reading "The Long Winter" to the girls. We have so much to be thankful for--- if you have kids that sometimes forget how richly blessed modern day life is, I highly recommend reading it aloud.
Anyway. Today I am thankful that I met Kalyn Denny at BlogHer, and I am so happy to have found her Turkey and Wild Rice Soup. Adam proclaimed it the best turkey soup hes ever had, and the kids each ate two bowls. I may have wept. Im not sure.
The Ingredients.
adapted from Kalyns Kitchen
--turkey carcass (if you dont have one, you can use 2 cups of cooked turkey)
--8 cups water (to make broth. if you dont have a carcass, use 8 cups chicken broth)
--1 chicken bouillon cube (only if you are using the carcass to make broth. Dont use if youre using broth.)
--2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
--1 yellow onion, chopped
--1 cup chopped celery
--1 cup chopped carrots
--1 tsp sage
--2 T balsamic vinegar
--2 cups spinach leaves (Kalyn used cabbage, but cabbage reminds me either of engorgement or the cabbage soup diet)
The Directions.
I used a 6.5 quart crockpot.
This is a 1 1/2 day project. Were going to use the turkey bones to make broth for the soup. If you are using chicken broth and 2 cups of turkey, bypass this step.
Put your turkey carcass into a crockpot, and cover with 8 cups of water. My carcass was only from a tiny turkey, so if you need to break the bones down to fit in your crock, do so.
My turkey was still stuffed with a quartered onion and some apple, so I didnt bother to add any vegetables to season the water. You may certainly add some onion, celery, or anything else youd like to season the broth. The more meat and skin left on the bones, the more flavorful the broth.
Cover and cook on low overnight. I cooked the broth for 10 hours. In the morning, put on an apron to strain the broth with a colander. What? No apron? Perhaps you could use a brand-spanking-new "I Heart CrockPotting" one? Since I have a bunch of crockpots, I strained the broth into a new one. You might need to strain the broth into a big bowl, then dump it back into the crockpot.
Pick off the meat, and add it to the broth.
Chop up the vegetables (not the spinach), and add to the pot. Dump in the wild rice. Add the sage, bouillon cube, and balsamic vinegar. Stir.
Add two heaping handfuls of baby spinach to the pot. It will look like a lot, but will shrivel down nicely while cooking.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-6. The soup is done when the vegetables have reached desired tenderness. There is a lot of volume here; this is a good candidate for a day when you are out of the house for a long time. No need to worry about it over-cooking.
The Verdict.
This is my new favorite soup. I love, love, love the hint of tartness from the balsamic vinegar, and how it darkened the broth. The wild rice exploded a bit, and actually resembled barley by the time we ate it. The kids ate a bunch, and I had at least 3 bowls throughout the day yesterday. We have a quart left, which I will happily serve for lunch.
Thank you, Kalyn!
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Slow Cooker Vegan Brown Rice Mexican Bowl with Black Beans Bell Peppers and Poblano Avocado Salsa
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| Slow Cooker Brown Rice Mexican Bowls have a vibrant combination of flavors, with just enough spicy heat to keep it interesting! |
I don't remember my mother cooking black beans when I was a kid, but sometime after I left home she must have started using them, because they became my father's favorite type of bean, and any dish that had black beans was something he would enjoy. I was thinking about that as I missed him on Father's day, and remembered all the black bean salads I made for him the last few years of his life when he was in an assisted living center where I'd visit twice a week and cook lunch. My dad could be a picky customer when it came to trying new dishes, and I doubt he ever heard of vegan food, but I'm betting he would have enjoyed these Slow Cooker Vegan Brown Rice Mexican Bowls with Black Beans, Bell Peppers, and Poblano-Avocado Salsa, if only because of the black beans, rice and avocados; three foods he always loved. Using the slow cooker to cook the rice and then heat together the chopped peppers, green chiles, and black beans kept the house cool, and I thought one of these Mexican bowls made a perfect Slow Cooker Summer Dinner.
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Brown Rice Salad Recipe with Olives Bell Peppers Peas and Basil Vinaigrette
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| This Brown Rice Salad with Olives, Bell Peppers, Peas, and Basil Vinaigrette is an old favorite recipe! |
Re-discovering a recipe is always fun, and while I was unpacking from the move I found this old favorite rice salad recipe in a set of binders with recipes I clipped from cooking magazines back in the days before the internet. The salad was called Roman Rice Salad, but unfortunately I didn't write down where I found it, and I couldn't find anything with that name online. I made this salad many, many times through the years with white rice, dried basil, and chopped bell pepper, but I loved this updated version with brown rice, fresh chopped basil, and rings of pepper from sweet mini-peppers.
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Sunday, March 8, 2015
Broccoli Shitake Mushroom and Red Pepper Quiche With A Brown Rice Crust How To Make A Healthy Vegetarian Quiche
Sauté the red bell pepper, red onion and shitake mushrooms.
A brown rice crust is easy to make and is low in calories and fat.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan and bake.
After baking 45 minutes at 375 degrees, let sit for 10-15 minutes.
Beware Restaurant Quiche
When some people see the word "broccoli" or "vegetable" in a menu item, they often get the false impression that the dish is healthy. With vegetable quiche dishes, nothing could be further from the truth. Thats because most quiche dishes made in a restaurant are prepared with butter, heavy cream, full fat cheeses and lots of eggs. And thats just the filling! The crust is generally made from refined white flour and butter or lard. It wouldnt be hard for a slice of restaurant quiche to be over 600 calories and contain 40 to 50 grams of fat.
How To Lighten Up A Veggie Quiche
First, the Crust
I was very excited to find ready made, whole wheat and spelt crusts at Whole Foods. At first glance, I thought that would be a healthy choice for my crust. After reading the label, however, I was surprised to find out that one crust contained almost 900 calories, 64 grams of fat and 32 grams of saturated fat. Even though the saturated fat was from "tropical" oils and contained zero cholesterol, I was still put off by the amount of total fat and calories. I found a few recipes that made a crust using a mixture of cooked rice and eggs and was very pleased with the results. To step it up a notch, I used brown rice and an egg white. The resulting crust had half the calories and 1/16th the fat of the ready-made whole wheat crust. It wasnt as convenient as pulling it out of the freezer but it was still pretty easy to make and certainly worth the effort.
Then, the Dairy
You can lower the calories and saturated fat and still get a very nice consistency by using reduced or low fat cheese instead of full fat cheese. In this recipe I use low fat cottage cheese and reduced fat swiss or cheddar. You can also replace cream with soy milk or fat free evaporated milk. To further reduce the calories and cholesterol, you can replace one of the eggs with 2 egg whites. The flavor created by adding a few tablespoons of high quality parmesan on top will give the impression that all of the dairy ingredients are rich and decadent and no one will realize that youve made these healthy substitutions.
Finally, the Vegetables
There is no need to fry the vegetables in loads of butter. Steam the broccoli and lightly sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a few teaspoons of olive oil.
And the Result is...
The following recipe uses all of these techniques and weighs in at around 300 calories a slice with14 grams of fat and only 4 grams of saturated fat. It also provides around 20 grams of high quality protein and almost 7 grams of fiber. Thats pretty healthy for a quiche.
Good Menu for a Brunch, Baby or Bridal Shower
A veggie quiche is great to serve at a brunch or shower. Serve with roasted baby potatoes, a big fruit or raw green salad and, for a special treat, Mimosas (a flute filled with half champagne and half orange juice). Enjoy!
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Broccoli, Shitake Mushroom and Red Pepper Quiche in a Brown Rice Crust
[serves 8]
For the crust [youll need a 9 inch pie pan]
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 large egg white
pinch of salt and pepper
For the filling
2 cups broccoli florets
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup baby shitake mushrooms
2 large organic, cage free eggs
2 large organic, cage free egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk or fat free evaporated milk
1/2 cup low fat organic cottage cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat swiss or cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)
2 tablespoon parmesan, shredded
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cooked brown rice, egg white, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan. Press the rice mixture into the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes until it "sets". Remove from oven. LOWER THE OVEN TO 375 degrees.
Steam the broccoli until fork tender and separate into small pieces. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauté the onion, bell pepper and shitake mushrooms until they soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place the eggs and egg whites in a mixing bowl and lightly beat. Add the milk, cottage cheese, shredded swiss or cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley and mix thoroughly. Add the cooled broccoli and sautéed vegetables and mix well. Pour mixture into the baked rice crust and top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until you can gently shake the quiche and it doesnt wiggle. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 304.1 calories, 13.9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 119 mg cholesterol, 19.8 g protein, 33.2 g carbohydrates and 6.6 g of fiber.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Kale Bowl With Quinoa Millet Or Rice Perfect For Breakfast Lunch Or Dinner!Vegan Gluten Free And Low In Calories
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| This low-calorie kale bowl is perfect for weight loss! Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest. Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen. |
One of my Favorite Meals
This simple kale bowl makes a great meal. Lately Ive been enjoying it for breakfast but it is also wonderful for lunch or dinner. You can use any of your favorite grains as the base. For a gluten-free meal, use quinoa, millet, or rice. If gluten is not an issue, you can also make the dish with barley, farro, or couscous. Or, if youd like, replace the kale with chard or beet greens.
For breakfast I serve it with a small fruit salad and for lunch or dinner I serve it with a tossed green salad or cup of soup.
Perfect for Weight Loss
Whatever grain or greens you select, its a delicious low calorie recipe, with less than 300 calories per serving. When made with kale and protein-rich quinoa, the dish provides 11 grams of complete protein, providing all of the essential amino acids. It also delivers a substantial dose of omega-3 fatty acids. The avocado provides a healthy monounsaturated fat that keeps you full longer.
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Kale Bowl with Quinoa, Avocado, and Hemp Seeds
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt plus some for sprinkling
4 packed cups raw kale, stems removed and washed
1 avocado
2 tablespoons raw hemp seeds
1/2 lemon
Prepare quinoa. If quinoa is not pre-rinsed, place in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for several minutes.
Place quinoa in a 2-quart sauce pan with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all the water is absorbed, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for another 10 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, steam the kale until tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the avocado and set aside.
To prepare the kale bowl, place one quarter of the cooked quinoa in each of four bowls.
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| I used multi-colored quinoa as the base of this kale bowl. |
Place one quarter of the steamed kale over the quinoa.
Place one quarter of the avocado slices over the kale.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each bowl and sprinkle each with one quarter of the hemp seeds and a little salt. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 277 calories, 10.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 789 mg omega-3 and 3,182 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg of cholesterol, 11 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 7 g dietary fiber, and 179 mg sodium (not counting the final pinch of salt).
Looking for additional delicious recipes to help you lose weight, get healthy, and feel great? Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen available on Amazon and iTunes.
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