Porcini Mascarpone Risotto

Hi everyone! This is Sara writing a guest post about my house specialty, risotto. I know there's a certain fear factor that people have when attempting risotto- yes, it takes a while and yes, there's lots of stirring, but if I can make it well, anyone can! For me, making risotto is a zen-like experience- an hour in front of the stove by myself, chopping, stirring, tasting and watching the arborio plump up. It also helps to drink a glass of whatever wine you are putting into the dish!

I like making it now, but my first attempt at risotto was an unqualified disaster. It was back when Megan and I lived in Somerville and I was not exactly a practiced cook. Ok, I was a terrible cook. I wanted to make a nice dinner as a surprise, and followed a pumpkin risotto recipe exactly as it was written. I didn't taste the risotto until it was already out of the pot and in bowls, so I didn't realize that I hadn't put in nearly enough liquid until it was too late. The arborio was hard as a rock! We had to throw out the whole thing, and I was so disappointed. That was the beginning of my mission to become an excellent risotto maker.

This recipe is a family favorite, and came from Cooking Light magazine. I have tweaked things a little over time, based on some cooking chemistry that I've learned (mostly from TV!) Sometimes when making this dish, I noticed that the shallots took on a harsh, almost bitter taste. I switched to using a bit of butter to saute them in, instead of olive oil or cooking spray, and that made a huge difference. I'm sure it's less healthy, but much tastier! Also, I never understood why risotto recipes had you toast the rice before adding the liquid. This question was answered by Lidia Bastianich on one of her shows- apparently initially toasting the arborio allows it to absorb more liquid and get that creamy consistency. And one last risotto tip- you are always going to need more liquid than the recipe calls for, so plan ahead!

Original Inspiration: Cooking Light
Serving Size: 4
WW: ?

Ingredients:


1 1/2 cups boiling water 
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce) 
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth (didn't have any tonight, so I used mushroom broth- worked well!)
1 tbs butter1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3/4 cup chopped shallots 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 10 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.
2. Bring reserved soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm over low heat.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter. Add rice, shallots, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine; cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
4. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheeses, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently just until cheeses melt. Serve warm.

Green Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter

I finally made a dinner worthy of the blog. As much as I normally love my quality kitchen time,  I've been a bit lazy about trying new recipes lately. This one is exceptionally delicious. I always say that, I know, but really, it is awesome. I actually went back for a second serving, because I couldn't resist the spicy, warm taste. I can't wait for lunch tomorrow! 

I served the soup with a piece of toasted garlic naan. The original author recommended pan frying a few paneer cubes in the leftover brown butter and topping the lentil soup with them. I must try that!

Original Inspiration: Super Natural Every Day

Serving Size: 5 big servings

WW: 8 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil or unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

5 1/2 cups of vegetable broth 

1 1/2 cups (10.5 oz) green lentils, picked over and rinsed (you could also use green split peas)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 3 or 4 pats

1 tablespoon Indian curry powder

1/2 cup light coconut milk

sea salt

fresh chives, minced 

Method: 

Melt the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or butter in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions soften. 

Add the vegetable broth and lentils, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender. This will likely take between 25-45 minutes, depending on the lentils. It took about 30-35 minutes for me using sprouted green lentils. 

When the lentils are almost done, it is brown butter time. Listen carefully, my friends, as I had to do this twice since I burned my first batch.  This whole process will take about 3-4 minutes. Pull out a small, thick-bottom saucepan or skillet and set the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk the butter frequently as it cooks. Once the butter melts, it will start to foam up - keep whisking. When the foam subsides, watch the butter carefully and remove from the heat as soon as the butter starts to smell nutty and light brown specks start to form on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the curry powder and stir until the spices are fragrant, which should take less than a minute. 

When the lentils are tender, remove them from the heat and stir in the coconut milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Then, puree with an immersion blender to your desired texture. You can leave it a bit chunky, as I did, or puree it until it is smooth. Stir in half of the curried brown butter and taste. You may need to add more salt at this point, depending on the saltiness of your stock. Serve drizzled with the remaining spiced butter and a healthy sprinkling of minced chives. 

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread

Happy New Year to my beloved readers! The holidays were great, but I am happy to be back in my routine and on track food-wise. Today was my first day totally on plan in a long, long time. 

I received a plethora of cookbooks for Christmas, so I am starting to crack them open to find some tasty new recipes.  I was most excited about getting Heidi Swanson's first cookbook - Super Natural Cooking. When I saw this spoon bread recipe, I knew that I couldn't live without trying it. I had never tried spoon bread before, but the idea of a casserole-like dish with sweet potatoes and goat cheese was exciting to me. I was surprised by the texture (like a cross between stuffing and mashed potatoes - in a good way), but the taste was as fantastic as I envisioned. It could be served as an entree with a green salad or as a side dish.

I'm posting the recipe now, because I want you all to see its sweet orange-y beauty, but I do think that I can get the points down a bit lower. Maybe a little less butter? I'll play around with it next time I make it and edit the recipe if I can drop a few points.

Original inspiration:  Super Natural Cooking

Servings:  6 generous portions

WW: 9 points plus per serving

Ingredients:

3 cooked medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled (I baked up some sweet potatoes last night and then just scooped out the flesh when I started cooking tonight)

1/3 cup unsalted butter

4 large shallots

6 ounces goat cheese

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or white whole-wheat flour)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

1 cup boiling water

3 large eggs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 2 quart casserole dish.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat and then add the shallots. Cook the shallots, stirring frequently, until they are golden and the butter has browned, which should take 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the goat cheese with a fork until it is fluffy and light. I needed to add a tablespoon of water, since my goat cheese was a bit dry.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Begin to add the boiling water slowly, first making a paste and then just working to make sure it is all incorporated. It is OK if the batter is a bit lumpy. Add 3 cups of the sweet potatoes to the bowl and blend. Stir in the shallots and browned butter. Then, stir in one egg at a time and mix until well combined.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with the whipped goat cheese. Using a spatula, press the goat cheese into the mixture and even out the top of the sweet potatoes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the goat cheese begins to color and the sweet potatoes have set.

Heidi Swanson recommends serving the spoon bread topped with a little Parmesan cheese, but I found it unnecessary. The sweetness from the potatoes and tang of the goat cheese didn't need anything extra. Enjoy! 



Cider-Glazed Chicken Sausages with Butternut Mash

I love cooking magazines, but I hate to have clutter all over my house, so I have started ripping out all of the recipes that interest me in Cook's Illustrated, Cooking Light, America's Test Kitchen, and Everyday Food, scanning them, and saving the PDFs. I now have a gigantic recipes folder on my laptop that gives me an absurd amount of pleasure. I'm on holiday break this week and I finally cracked open this ever-expanding file to make something.

I have been wanting to try this recipe since the beginning of autumn...I'm only a few months late.  It was a perfect cold weather dinner, my friends. I couldn't seem to get an appetizing looking picture of my final product, but I will try again the next time I make it.  Here is the picture from Everyday Food's blog -->

My plate looked a bit soupier than this, but every bit as tasty as this one looks. This is a really easy 'meat and potatoes' meal to add to the table. I think that people with more traditional palates than mine would also love it, so it would be a great comfort food to serve when parents or other relatives are stopping by.

Original Inspiration:  Everyday Food
Serving Size: 4
WW: 10 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 1" wedges
1 pound raw chicken sausage (Ideally 4 links - not the pre-cooked kind. I bought mild Italian chicken sausage at the butcher's counter. Any mild flavor would work well.)
7 fresh sage leaves
3 cups apple cider
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 large granny smith apple, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1/3 cup greek yogurt (I used 0% Fage)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (if needed)

Method:

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or a small dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sausages to the pan and cook until the sausages are golden brown (about 6 minutes). Turn the sausages and stir the onions every 2-3 minutes.  Add sage and cider to the pot, and season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a rapid simmer and let it cook until the cider is syrupy, which should take about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the squash, apple, and potato in a medium saucepan and cover by at least 2 inches of water. Bring the vegetables to a controlled boil at medium-high heat and let them cook until tender (around 15 minutes).

Drain the vegetables and add them to your food processor with greek yogurt, salt, and pepper.  Pulse until blended and then taste. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. My granny smith apple was really tart, so I had to add a bit of brown sugar at this point. You don't want to make the mash sweet, because the cider you add on top will bring a lot of sweetness, but just make sure that it isn't too tart.

Divide the butternut mash onto four plates (or 2 plates and 2 storage containers, like in my house) and top with a chicken sausage, onions, and a healthy amount of cider 'gravy'.

Enjoy!

Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

This is the best cake I have ever eaten in my life. It is unique with a complex, interesting flavor that isn't too sweet. Right up my alley. It tastes like a cross between cornbread and pound cake. I brought a piece to work today and I ate it one bite at a time over the two hours before lunch. I couldn't wait. This cake is worth every single calorie.

I would recommend using a good quality olive oil and dark chocolate bar. You will really be able to taste the difference.

Original inspiration: Good to the Grain via 101 Cookbooks
Serving Size: 12 thick slices
WW: 11 pointsplus per serving (totally worth it)




Ingredients:

Dry:

3/4 cup (3 ounces) spelt flour
1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (4 ounces) white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used sea salt and it turned out fine)

Wet:

3 eggs
1 cup good quality olive oil
3/4 cup whole milk

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces (I used a 45% cacao Icelandic chocolate bar and I felt like it needed a bit more bitterness. Look for a 60-70% cacao bar.)
1 tablespoon cane sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Either line a long loaf pan (4 1/2" by 13") with parchment paper or spray a fluted tart pan or bundt cake pan with olive oil.

Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly and then add the olive oil, milk, and rosemary and whisk again.

Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry and mix gently until just combined. Stir in 2/3 of the chopped chocolate.

Transfer the batter into your pan, making sure to smooth the top of the batter with a spatula. Then top with the remaining chocolate and pat it into the batter a bit. Sprinkle the top of the cake with a tablespoon of raw cane sugar (or something else with larger crystals - for crunch).

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a skewer or knife comes out of the center of the cake cleanly.

You can enjoy a slice warm or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and eat cold over 2-3 days. Yum!

Nameless Cookie Wonders

You are probably realizing by now that I have a thing for cookies.  Cake, pie, cupcakes...you can have them. They aren't really my thing (although I will be making this in the next couple of days), but cookies are fantastic. I like cookies because they aren't usually too sweet and the best ones have a nice sweet/salty/savory balance.  I have had this recipe saved in my ever-growing recipe folder for a while now and I am thrilled to finally have tried it.  They are not like any cookies I have ever had before. They are actually healthy and surprisingly filling for such small treats.  I would feel great about feeding them to my 4 year old niece, since they do not contain any added sugar or artificial ingredients. AND they are delicious.  I can't quite come up with a name, since it would be something like "Banana-Chocolate-Coconut-Almond-Oatmeal Cookies". Hmmm...maybe trail mix cookies? The name is still in progress!

Original Inspiration:  101 Cookbooks
Serving Size: 2 cookies (I got 45 cookies out of this batch)
WW:  3 pointsplus for 2 cookies (loads of health benefits included!)

Ingredients:

• 3 large, ripe bananas, mashed (around 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed slightly so it becomes liquid) or olive oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2/3 cup almond meal  (*You can just pulse 2/3 cup raw almonds in the food processor to make this. You want the texture to resemble sand when you are done)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded (I had coconut flakes, so I just blitzed them in the food processor)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar, chopped up (I used some leftover mini chocolate chips I had and that ended up being the perfect size chocolate pieces for these cookies. I used chocolate chips, since I have a ridiculous amount of them, but I can't wait to try them with a quality dark chocolate bar)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with your racks in the top third of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats. 

In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and liquid coconut oil.  Set aside. 

In another bowl, combine the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.  When all of the dry ingredients are incorporated together, add them to the wet ingredients and stir well.  Fold in the chocolate chips or pieces.

Expect the dough to be dry and fairly loose. You will think you did something wrong, but no worries! Drop less than a tablespoon-sized dollops of dough onto the cookie sheets about an inch apart (the cookies really won't grow on the pan).  Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cookies should be beginning to brown around the edges. My oven is on the hotter side and I left them in for 14+ minutes. 

Let the cookies cool on the stove top for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.  

Make sure you eat at least one or two of the cookies warm - to die for!

Sweet Tooth Fix: Coconut Cornflake Clouds

I have had the world's worst sweet tooth all week. I've been picking at candy and baked goods wherever I can find them. I sometimes get into these moods where sweets are all I crave and the holidays really bring that out.  I tried this recipe out to help satisfy my sugar jones without breaking the WW points bank. Super easy to make if you have a stand mixer and incredibly delicious! They taste like a cross between a macaroon and a meringue. I think that I might even try dipping the bottoms in chocolate next time.  

Original Inspiration:  SkinnyTaste
Serving size: 2 cookies (makes between 24-28)
WW: 3 pointsplus for 2 cookies!

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes (I might try unsweetened next time)
• 3/4 cup cornflake crumbs (I smashed 2+ cups of cornflakes in a large ziploc bag - you can buy cornflake crumbs at the store though)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Using a stand mixer or hand beaters (a stand mixer would be significantly easier), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar for 8-10 minutes until the meringue is formed. If you put a spoon into the mixture, it should leave a soft, thick peak when you take it out.

Fold in the cornflake crumbs and coconut and combine until just mixed.  Then, using two tablespoons, drop good sized spoonfuls of the mixture onto your prepared cookie sheets. I got 24 large cookies, but Gina on SkinnyTaste got 28. Expect somewhere in that range.

 Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until the cookies are golden. Let cool on the stovetop for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Quick & Hearty Orzo Soup

Happy Thanksgiving, my loyal readers! Sorry for the delay in posting. I didn't make many healthy recipes during the holidays, I have to admit. Thanksgiving was spent at my parents' house in Maine. My parents and sisters don't really cook much, but we had the usual standards for the holiday. They consider me to be a bit of an overly adventurous chef, but I did bring some good stuff to the table. I made homemade gingersnaps to serve with Pumpkin Mousse Dip, the not-really-Thanksgiving-y, but nonetheless always requested Cooking Light Spinach Artichoke Dip, and a big spinach salad with roasted sweet potatoes, feta, and candied pecans. I made some delicious Brown Sugar Rosemary Pecans to add to my salad. Any weight I gain this week is likely due to my inability to keep my hand out of the pecan jar. 

After several days of utter gluttony, I needed to get back on track and cook something healthy. I also organized my overflowing cupboards and realized I had several open boxes of orzo. A little recipe hunting and voila - a healthy, incredibly easy orzo soup for this chilly Sunday night! I'm giving you two topping options below for both the spice lovers and the wusses out there. 

Original Inspiration:  101 Cookbooks

Serving Size: 6 servings

WW: 7 pointsplus (1 1/4 cups of soup, 2 tablespoons of tomato mixture, 1/2 ounce of either feta or parmesan)

Ingredients: 

7 cups vegetable broth (I used low-sodium Kitchen Essentials chicken stock, as it was all I had on hand)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo

3-4 cups spinach or chard, chopped

3 egg whites

sea salt (to taste)

Topping options:  For either choice - make sure that your olive oil is good quality. In my opinion, the greener, the better. This soup is so simply flavored that you want the best quality ingredients you can find. Also, I recommend the Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes. I stock up on them when I find them on sale. Great product. 

Spicy

14 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons harissa

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Mild

14 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

3 ounces fresh, grated parmesan cheese

Method:

Bring the broth to a boil in a soup pot or medium-sized dutch oven. Stir in the orzo and cook until tender, which should take around 8-10 minutes. Add the raw, chopped spinach. 

In a separate, small saucepan, add your tomatoes, evoo, and red pepper flakes or harissa and cook on low until warm. Taste and add salt, if needed. 

Right before you are ready to eat, whisk the egg whites into the soup quickly. The whites will give the soup almost a creamy consistency. Taste and add salt to the soup, if you need to brighten up the flavors a bit. I added a few turns of fresh ground black pepper as well. 

Serve in individual bowls each topped with the tomato mixture you chose and about a tablespoon (1/2 ounce) of cheese. 

This is such a quick and easy recipe - I had a hearty soup perfect for the cold weather on the table in less than 30 minutes. I served the soup with a heat and serve mini baguette that I had in the freezer. Fresh rolls or bread would be even better. Enjoy!

Not Your Grandma's Bran Muffins

I have been hesitant to try this recipe as I always envision bran muffins to have the texture of a hockey puck and the taste of cardboard. The carton of buttermilk sitting in my fridge just waiting to go bad gave me the inspiration to broaden my horizons. I was able to make some WW-friendly tweaks without losing the amazing whole grain goodness of these babies!

Original inspiration: Super Natural Every Day
Serving Size: 12 muffins
WW: 4 pointsplus per serving






Ingredients: 

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons melted, unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran (I bought mine for 10 cents in the bulk bins at Whole Foods)
• 1.5 cups (4 ounces) plain, unsweetened bran cereal (I used lightly sweetened Nature's Path Organic SmartBran cereal, because that is all I could find at my grocery store)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour 
• 3 Tablespoons natural cane sugar 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ounce chopped walnuts (optional; other nuts or dried fruit would also work well)

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Either butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan or place paper or silicone liners in the muffin cups. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, apple sauce, melted butter, and maple syrup. Sprinkle the wheat bran and cereal across the top of the bowl, stir, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. 

While the wet ingredients are sitting, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. After the five minutes has elapsed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Immediately fill each muffin cup almost to the brim. If you are adding nuts, top each muffin with the chopped walnuts before you put them in the oven. 

Bake until the edges of the muffins start to brown and the tops are set, which should take between 18 and 22 minutes. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then cool the rest of the way on a wire rack. Delicious served warm with butter or jam!

Slow Cooked Apple Butter

I've been making apple butter for years. I love to set the crock pot at night and then wake up to the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and apples all throughout my house. This is easy as can be and you can slather it on fresh bread, scones, muffins, or even roasted chicken or pork chops. I love a few tablespoons in my morning oatmeal. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy!



Original inspiration: Cooking Light
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons (around 32 servings per pot)
WW: 1 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients: 

• 10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (around 2.5lbs cut up)
• 1/4 cup local honey (the generic stuff is disgusting and mostly just corn syrup)
• 1/4 cup apple cider 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Method:

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker and set on low for 10 hours. The apples should be very tender at the end of this time.

If you have an immersion blender, blend the cooked down apple mixture until smooth. If not, you can press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard the apple pulp. The immersion blender saves time and is much less messy. Either way, return the smooth apple mixture to the slow cooker. Turn it up to high and cook uncovered for 90 minutes or until the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally.

Transfer into a bowl or mason jar and refrigerate for up to a week (it won't last that long). If you double your recipe, jarred apple butter with a cute, crafty label makes a beautiful hostess gift for holiday parties!

Spicy Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

I love my slow cooker. There is something immensely satisfying in knowing that when you come home from work your dinner will be all ready for you. Here is a great, versatile pork carnitas recipe to try out. It makes a lot and this picture is from meal 3 of using the carnitas. So far, I've served it in warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro and avocado slices, eaten over cilantro-lime rice with guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and Mexican cheese (Chipotle burrito bowl style), and today I added it to corn tortillas with the leftover rice, guacamole, salsa, AND cheese. YUM! Tomorrow, I'm planning on making baked potatoes and putting a remaining portion of pork carnitas right on top. I think it would also be a delicious topper for nachos while watching a game with friends. If you aren't as willing as I am to eat pork for multiple days, this would freeze well in individual sized portions.

Original Inspiration: SkinnyTaste

Serving Size: approximately 8 four ounce servings

WW: 5 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients:

• 2.5lb lean boneless pork shoulder blade roast, all fat removed (My butcher only had boneless pork picnic roast, so I had to do A LOT of trimming - try to find Boston or blade roast if you can)
• 6 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers
• cumin (to taste - probably around 1 tablespoon)
• dry adobo seasoning (I used about 1 tablespoon of Goya Adobo seasoning)
• garlic powder (approximately 2 teaspoons)
• 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (to taste - more peppers, more heat)
• 2 bay leaves
• juice of 1/2 a lime

Method:

Generously season the roast with salt and pepper. Preheat a saute pan on medium-high and add the pork roast. You want to brown each side for about 3-5 minutes. You should be able to get a good sear if your pan is hot enough. Remove from heat and let cool.

Using a paring knife or other sharp, thin bladed knife, cut small holes in the roast and insert your garlic slivers. Once your roast is fully studded with garlic, season it liberally with cumin, adobo seasoning, and garlic powder.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to your slow cooker. Place the pork roast in your crock pot and cover.  All of your prep is done at this point. You can put your dish in the fridge overnight if you are cooking the carnitas all day while you are at work as I did.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Now (or when you get home from work), shred the pork roast using two forks and combine the meat with all of the juices. Remove the bay leaves, add lime juice, and adjust your seasoning (you may need more salt and cumin). Cook for about 15-30 minutes on low and then serve with any base (tortillas, rice, salad, tortilla chips, baked potato, etc.) and toppings you like. Fresh chopped cilantro, avocado, or guacamole are excellent additions!

Heirloom Bean & Farro Stew

There's nothing better than a hearty vegetable stew bubbling away on the stove once cold weather hits. This one is excellent and a great base that can accommodate a variety of different greens, beans, and grains. I cooked a mixture of organic heirloom beans from scratch, but I think you could use canned kidney or pinto beans if you are short on time.

You could top the stew with a healthy amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese or another salty cheese. I followed one of the original blog's suggestions and mixed together 1 tablespoon of harissa, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and .5 ounces feta cheese to dollop on top of each bowl. Exceptional.

Original Source: 101 Cookbooks
Serving Size: 10 servings (approximately 1.5 cups each)
WW: 6 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients:

1 pound (16 ounces) red beans (or mixture of heirloom beans, if available), soaked for at least 4 hours, then drained
10 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
28 ounces canned whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
8 ounces new potatoes, chopped (I used organic fingerling potatoes)
2 cups (13 ounces) pearled farro
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 large bunch kale, destemmed and chopped (you could use chard, spinach and/or savoy cabbage)
sea salt & pepper

Method:

Cook the beans in a large pot with 10 cups of water according to the directions on the package (mine required boiling unattended for 2 hours). When they are tender, remove a big scoop of them from the pot, mash them up in a bowl, and then return the mash to the pot.

In a separate pan, saute the onions in the olive oil over medium-high heat and add them to the bean broth when they just begin to brown. Stir in carrots, celery, potatoes, farro, and tomatoes. Bring the liquid to a boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the farro and vegetables are cooked through.

Add vegetable stock to the stew one cup at a time until it is the consistency you prefer. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and taste - you may need to add more based on your own taste preferences. I also added a good amount of fresh ground pepper.

Stir in the greens and cook for a few minutes more. Serve topped with harissa and feta mixture or fresh grated parmesan.

Wild Rice Casserole

This is going to be a new comfort food in my house. It's creamy, hearty, and smells amazing bubbling away in the oven. You can make this with just wild rice or brown rice, or a combination of the two. I followed the author's suggestion and made 1/2 wild rice and 1/2 brown rice. Delicious combination!

Original inspiration: Super Natural Every Day

Serving size: 6 main-course sized portions (could be served as a side-dish as well)

WW: 5 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup (8 ounces) low fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup (4 ounces) low fat sour cream

2 teaspoons Dijon or whole grain mustard (if your Dijon is super spicy, use less)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ounce gruyere cheese, grated

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon or thyme, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups wild rice and/or brown rice (I made mine fresh, but you could use frozen)

sea salt

Method:

Bring a pot of your rice(s), 3 cups of water, and about 1/2 teaspoons of salt to a boil. Let simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the water is all absorbed and the rice is tender.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish (about 9" by 13") with olive oil or butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a large skillet, combine the olive oil and a few pinches of salt and turn the heat to high. Stir in the mushrooms and then do not touch them again for 5 minutes (until any water from the mushrooms evaporate). Continue to cook the mushrooms until they are browned, stirring every minute or two. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until they become translucent. Then, stir in the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant (about a minute). Remove the skillet from the heat.

Add the rice mixture to the skillet and stir until it is combined well, then add everything to the cottage cheese mixture. Mix well and then transfer to the prepared baking dish. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking dish and top with the grated gruyere cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the casserole gets golden brown along the edges (about 20-30 additional minutes). Serve the casserole hot, right from the oven, with minced tarragon and another sprinkle of grated gruyere, if you want it (extra pointsplus). I served this as a main course with a side of arugula salad with apples, blue cheese, and apple cider vinaigrette. Excellent!

Lemony Millet Muffins

I just found out that I have a snow day tomorrow. Happy Halloween! I decided that baking was a good way to celebrate. This is another recipe from Super Natural Every Day and you can expect quite a few more over the next few weeks. Such a great cookbook!

These muffins are delicious, nutty, and lemony. They are healthy, but a bit high in points. I am going to try to find ways to make them a bit lower calorie without losing the wholesomeness. Maybe just less butter? I don't think applesauce would work as a butter substitute in this recipe. Suggestions are welcome.

Original Inspiration: Super Natural Every Day

Serving Size: Makes 12 large muffins

WW: 6 pointsplus per muffin

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup (2 ounces) uncooked millet

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup (8 ounces) plain yogurt (I used fat free greek yogurt)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup agave nectar or honey (I ran out of honey, which is what the original recipe calls for, but the agave tasted great)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Zest from 1 lemon

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with your rack in the top third of the oven. Butter a muffin tin or put liners in the pan (reusable silicone for me).

Whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, millet, baking powder, baking soda, and salt - in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients - yogurt, butter, eggs, agave or honey, and lemon zest and juice - until everything is smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is incorporated.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter into each muffin cup. Each cup will almost be filled to the brim. Bake for around 15 minutes, until the muffin tops are browned and beginning to crack and a toothpick comes out clean from the center of your biggest muffin. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

I enjoyed my muffin plain, but they would be delicious slathered in salted butter, lemon curd, or honey. Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal with Apples & Pecans

It snowed last night. It's October. I hate the cold and snow, but I do love warming my house up with delicious cold weather food. My mom is visiting from Maine, so I thought I should make something special for breakfast. I grabbed my favorite new cookbook - Super Natural Every Day, which makes me drool and want to quit my job to cook all day - and found the perfect recipe. The author (Heidi Swanson) made hers with bananas and huckleberries, but I only had delicious, in-season macoun apples on hand. Here's my version of this perfect cold-weather breakfast bake.

I love that Swanson gives me the weights of the ingredients, as well as the standard baking measurements. I always use my food scale for recipes when I'm given the weights, so I am adding both measurements below.

Original inspiration: Super Natural Every Day (Swanson)

Servings: 6 main course portions or 12 portions if you are serving with other breakfast/brunch items

WW: 7 pointsplus

Ingredients:

2 cups (7oz) rolled oats

1/2 cup (2oz) chopped pecans, toasted

1/3 cup (2oz) maple syrup (brown sugar or agave would also be delicious), plus more for serving

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

2 cups milk (I used skim)

1 large egg

1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups (7.5 ounces) apples, peeled and diced

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter the inside of an 8" square baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, half of the pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In a second bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.

Arrange 2/3 of the apple on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with all the oat mixture. Then, slowly pour the milk mixture over the oats. Move the baking dish around on the counter a bit to make sure that the milk gets all the way through the oats. Top the dish with the rest of the apples and pecans. I pushed the apples and pecans down a bit with a spatula to make sure they are in the wet oat mixture.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the dish is set and golden brown on top (mine only took 35 minutes, but my oven runs a bit hot). Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve with additional maple syrup for people to drizzle on their dish, if they prefer it a bit sweeter.

Mexican Lentil Burgers

I have had a bag of black lentils sitting in my cupboard for a while now. I impulse buy legumes. I've been searching for a new recipe to try and here it is. Really tasty and the base (lentils, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt) could accommodate a million different flavor profiles.




Original inspiration: 101 Cookbooks
Serving size: 12 burgers
WW: 3 pointsplus per burger

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked black lentils (I cooked 1 cup dry lentils in 4 cups water with 3 crushed garlic cloves)
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup toasted whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces canned green chiles, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
hot sauce (optional, to taste)


Method: 

Combine lentils, eggs, chili powder, cumin, and salt in the food processor and puree for about a minute (until it has the texture of hummus). Add the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the green chiles, hot sauce (if you want it), and onion (I pulsed the onion in the food processor). Add the toasted bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the bread crumbs absorb some of the moisture.

Your mixture should be fairly moist. If it feels too dry, you should add more egg or water. Form the mixture into 12 equal-sized patties (around 1" thick). I put the patties on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper as I formed them and started cooking.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet on medium-low heat. Add four patties to the skillet, cover, and cook for 7-10 minutes.  The bottoms of the burgers should be brown when you flip them over. Cook the other side for 7-10 minutes (or until golden brown).

You can continue to cook all 12 patties (using the extra tablespoon of olive oil as you need it) or wrap the leftover uncooked patties individually in plastic wrap and refridgerate (for up to a week) or freeze (I put my wrapped burgers in a freezer bag to be safe). Then just cook them up as you want them!

Top your burger with your favorite toppings (extra pointsplus). I added reduced fat mexican cheese, guacamole, and tomatillo salsa to ours and they were delicious.

Amazingly Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

These might be my new favorite cookies. I can't get over how low calorie they are. They taste exactly like real peanut butter cookies, but made with PB2 (all natural powdered peanut butter) and whole wheat flour. Spectacular cookies!

Original source: Bell Plantation website
Serving Size: Makes 30 cookies
WW: 3 pointsplus for 2 cookies!





Ingredients: 

1 cup PB2 (you can buy it on Amazon or the Bell Plantation site)
6.25 ounces whole wheat flour
3.50 ounces white sugar
3.50 ounces brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/4 cup water

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together until smooth sugars, egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt, agave nectar, water, and PB2. Add flour, beating until mixture is well combined. The dough is extremely sticky and hard to stir.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepped cookie sheets. I tried to make the cute fork marks on the cookies that I remember from my childhood, but the dough was too sticky. You should try to spray a fork with cooking spray and press the balls down a bit with the fork. If you can make the cute fork marks with this dough, tell me how!

Bake for 10 minutes. Turning the pans halfway through the baking time. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool.


SO GOOD!

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Ohmy...dinner tonight was fantastic, if I do say so myself. These meatballs are served with a super easy lime sesame sauce that you can either use as a topping or dip the meatballs right into it. I made big meatballs, but I think that smaller ones would be great to serve at a party on toothpicks around a bowl of the sauce. I served the meatballs on top of brown rice. Super easy, healthy, and delicious!


Original inspiration: SkinnyTaste
Serving Size: 4 (3 large meatballs each)
WW: 8 pointsplus per serving

Ingredients: 

Meatballs: 


20 ounces ground turkey (I used 93%, as I worry about them drying out with ground white meat turkey)
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs - available in most grocery stores)
1 egg
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Sauce:

4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons water
1 scallion, chopped fine
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a cooking rack in a large cookie sheet (or you could use a non-stick cookie sheet without a rack - I just hate flat bottomed meatballs).  Add all of the ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Mix together with your hands. It is very, very sticky!  Shape 1/4 cup of meat mixture into ball and place on the rack. You should get 12 equal sized meatballs.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

While the meatballs are cooking, mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Serve meatballs with 1-2 tablespoons of sauce each (either on top or to dip).

Potato Leek Soup

<- Dinner tonight. Actually, it is lunch tomorrow, but dinner came from the same pot. I've actually never had potato leek soup until I made this recipe. It was very tasty and super healthy. I can't really compare it to regular potato leek soup, but give this healthier version a try! 

Original inspiration: SkinnyTaste

Serving: 6 servings (about a 1 & 1/4 cups each)

WW: 4 pointsplus

Ingredients: 

3-4 medium sized leeks, dark green stems removed

1 small onion, diced

2 large russet potatoes, peeled  and cut into cubes

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup milk (I used skim and it turned out fine)

salt and pepper to taste (for me, that means an unbelievably large amount of pepper)

Method: 

You need to make sure that you clean the leeks very well, since the layers hold a lot of dirt in. What I do is cut the bottoms off and remove the dark green tops of the leeks. Then I cut them lengthwise into quarters and chop them coarsely. I use my salad spinner to rinse and spin the leeks dry. You could just use a strainer and wash them well. 

In a medium soup pot (I used my 3.5 quart dutch oven & it was perfect - don't use anything smaller), melt butter on a low flame and stir in the flour. Mix well as this is the base of your soup. 

Add leeks, potatoes, onion, and broth to the pot, raise the burner up to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes. The potatoes should be very soft. Add milk, salt, and pepper. You can either serve the soup chunky or blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

I was satisfied eating one serving and a few slices of baguette for dinner.  You could also serve this as an appetizer and probably get 10+ servings from this recipe.

Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin isn't really my favorite thing. Everyone goes all pumpkin crazy once September hits, but usually I can take it or leave it. Honestly, when I get the hankering to bake something, I usually find a pumpkin recipe. It takes away the sweet craving, but I am not going to eat 10 cookies in one sitting. Chocolate chip or snickerdoodles...I can't control myself. This is a super easy recipe that is perfect for fall!

Original inspiration: SkinnyTaste

Serving: 36 cookies

WW: 2 pointsplus per cookie or 5 for two cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temp)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, unpacked
• 1 large egg
• 6 tablespoons canned pure pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans (approximately 3 ounces)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat (best baking tool ever, see Meg's Favorite Things on the right).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars using your mixer on medium speed. After about a minute or two, add the egg, followed by the pure pumpkin and vanilla extract.
Next, begin to add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir by hand until they are just combined and no white flour is visible. Stir in the pecans (it will be hard to stir at this point).

Drop 1 tablespoon dollops of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. The cookies will not spread much, so you do not have to worry about giving the dough balls too much room.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies begin to turn light brown around the edges. Cool for 3-5 minutes on the stove top and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!