Quick Ginger Chicken & Spinach Soup

Quick Ginger Chicken & Spinach Soup

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
1 slice of ginger
¼ cup whole wheat fusili (or other small pasta)
1 tsp lemon zest
¾ -1 cup cooked chicken, skinless and cubed or shredded
2 cups spinach, wilted & chopped
1 tbsp canola or olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
Dash of Cholula chipotle sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a small skillet and sauté mushrooms.

2. Combine the broth, ginger, pasta, and in a medium sized pot and cook over medium heat until it begins to boil. Reduce heat, add the chicken, sautéed mushrooms and wilted spinach*, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with hot sauce and serve.

* To wilt the spinach, rinse well and microwave for a minute to wilt.

Fudgy Buttermilk Brownies

Fudgy Buttermilk Brownies
From The New American Heart Association Cookbook, 8th Edition

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Cooling time: 30+ minutes

Makes 16 squares

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
Brownies:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 large egg whites (or ¼ cup egg substitute)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup low fat buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
1 ½ cups sifted confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp fat free milk

Directions:
Brownies:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and lightly spray a 9” square baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a medium sized bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, baking soda & salt.

3. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites. Ruth’s note: the mixture should turn white and barely form any peak.

4. Whisk the applesauce, buttermilk and vanilla into the egg whites. Whisk in the flour mixture until well blended. Pour into the baking pan.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies cool in the pan.

Frosting:
6. In a small bowl, stir together the confectioner’s sugar and remaining ¼ cup cocoa powder. Stir in the vanilla and gradually stir in the milk until the frosting is spreading consistency.

7. Spread over cooled brownies and cut into squares.
Ruth’s note: To store the brownies, cover the pan with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap does NOT touch the frosting. It will turn liquidy – not very appealing to the eye.

Mushroom Meatloaf with Honey Chipotle Glaze

Mushroom Meatloaf with Honey Chipotle Glaze
From fineCooking Magazine

Printable Recipe

For other options

Prep time: 20-30 minutes
Roasting time: 45-60 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
4oz/112g bread (Italian, French, Portuguese or sourdough – preferably stale, with crusts) cut into 2” pieces (about 2 ½ cups)
1 cup milk
1oz/28g dried wild mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup boiling water
½ cup shallots, finely chopped
½ cup fresh cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup sherry
¼ cup mushroom liquid
1 lb/450g ground veal
4oz/113g turkey fennel sausage, casings removed
12oz/340g ground beef
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper
Glaze:
2-3 tbsp honey
¾ - 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo, pureed

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Line a 9x13 inch (22x33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the cooking liquid. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.

3. Soak the bread cubes in 1 cup milk for 5-10 minutes. They should be soft but not falling apart. Lightly squeeze a handful at a time to remove some of the milk. Finely chop.

Cooking aromatics -
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the finely chopped shallots, garlic, chopped reconstituted mushrooms & fresh cremini, toss with the oil and cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots are soft. (about 6-8 minutes).

5. Add the sherry & mushroom liquid & toss. Simmer briskly until almost dry (about 4-5 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool until warm.

Preparing the meat loaf
6. Add the meat, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, chopped bread, thyme & pepper to the bowl of aromatics. Gently mix all the ingredients until just combined. Try not to compact the mixture.

Tip from fineCooking …if you want to taste for flavor, heat a little oil in a small skillet over medium low heat. Form 1 tbsp into a small patty. When oil is hot, cook the patty on both sides until cooked through (they suggest 5 minutes) . Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly. Taste and then adjust seasoning as needed to the bowl of meat loaf mixture.

7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and form into a 10x4inch (25x10cm) loaf.

Preparing the glaze
8. In a small cup, combine the honey and ½ the chipotle, Stir, taste and add more chipotle to your taste. Spread over the top of the meatloaf.

Roasting:
9. Roast at 375°F/190°C for 45-60 minutes. It’s done when the internal temperature is 160-165°F/71-72°C. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, slice into the center of the meatloaf. It should no longer be pink.

10. Lightly cover with foil and let rest on the counter for 10 minutes. Cut into 1 inch/2.5cm slices.

Serve with your favorite comfort food side. I roasted some baby new potatoes cut in half and sprinkled with fresh rosemary, sea salt & pepper and tossed with olive oil on a lined, rimmed cookie sheet during the last 15 minutes of the meatloaf cooking. Garlic mashed potatoes would be awesome too.

Grilled Ginger Lime Steak

Grilled Ginger Lime Steak
From The New American Heart Association Cookbook, 8th Edition

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinate time: 2 hours to overnight
Grill time: 10 minutes
Rest time: 3-5 minutes

Serves 2 Ruth’s note: if you have an unexpected guest or two, you can slice across the grain and serve over a large green salad.

Ingredients:
2 strip loin steaks
Ginger Lime Marinade:
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium is best)
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (half large lime)
1 tsp fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red chili pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients into a large zip lock bag, making sure it’s well mixed. Lightly score the steaks and add to the baggie, massaging the marinade into the meat. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before grilling. Turn the steak once or twice.

2. Preheat grill (Ruth’s note: optimal of course and Anna’s preferred way is the BBQ grill, but if you’re like me and that’s not always an option you can use one of these three options: 1) broiler in oven; 2) grill pan on top of stove over high heat; 3) Griddler or other electric indoor grill.)

3. Grill steaks about 5 minutes per side. Remove steak from the grill and let it rest covered with foil for 3-5 minutes before slicing on the bias (against the grain – to keep this tough cut of meat really tender).

Serve with some roasted cauliflower and a side of salad.

Pasta with Sausage, Swiss Chard & Pine Nuts

Pasta with Sausage, Swiss Chard & Pine Nuts
From Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
¾ cup raisins
1 lb/450g gemelli or other short pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
12oz/340g Italian Sausage, casing removed (Ruth's note: this dish would be great as a vegetarian version without the sausage)
1 lb/450g Swiss chard, tough stems removed, leaves washed, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for sprinkling)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Bring a large Dutch oven full of water to the boil. Measure out 1 cup of water and pour over raisins in a small dish. Let soak for 15 minutes and drain.

2. While the raisins are soaking, add a generous amount of salt to the pot of boiling water and cook pasta until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Return pasta to pot.

3. In the meantime, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook sausage, breaking it up with a fork, until browned (about 5 minutes). Add Swiss chard and garlic. Sautee, tossing until the chard is wilted (3-4 minutes). Taste for seasoning.

4. Add sausage mixture, drained raisins, pine nuts and parmesan, plus ½ cup of pasta cooking water to the pot. Toss with the pasta and taste again for seasoning. This is where I added some red pepper flakes as a contrast to the sweetness of the raisins.

Sprinkle with more cheese and serve.

Sauteed Ginger Garlic Kale

Sautéed Ginger Garlic Kale

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes or until kale is tender

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 bunch kale, rinsed well and coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, mashed
½ tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1-2 tsp sesame oil
Sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, boil the kale in ½ cup or so of water until tender. You might have to add more water during the cooking.

2. Once the kale is tender, drain and set aside.

3. Heat the sesame oil, garlic & ginger in a small skillet over medium heat. Sautee for just a minute or until you get the fragrance of the garlic & ginger. Add the kale and quickly stir fry (should only take a minute or two). Taste for seasoning – you might want to add a little soy sauce.

4. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Great as a side for Hoisin Garlic Flank Steak & steamed rice.

Hoisin Garlic Flank Steak

Hoisin Garlic Flank Steak
From Lighthearted at Home: The Very Best of Anne Lindsay

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinating time: overnight
Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Rest time: 5 minutes in the fridge to “relax” the meat

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 flank steak
Marinade:
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp orange zest
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
Large pinch red chili pepper flakes

Directions:
1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock baggie.

2. Lightly score the flank steak (cutting into the flesh, but not right through) on both sides and then add to the zip lock baggie. Rub the marinade all over the meat and place in the fridge overnight. Allow to come to room temperature before grilling.

3. Grilling methods: BBQ over high heat; under the broiler on a rimmed baking sheet, or in a grill pan on top of the stove. Grill for 5 minutes and flip. Continue to cook another 4 minutes or so for medium.

4. Place on a platter and place side that was closest to the fire facing up and refrigerate for 5 minutes.

5. Slice across the grain and serve with garlicky rice and some sautéed greens.

Cheesy Spinach & Smoked Turkey Frittata

Cheesy Spinach & Smoked Turkey Frittata

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 15-20 minutes
Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people)

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
5-6 large eggs
½ - ¾ cup Hot Spinach Cheese Dip
½ cup smoked turkey, coarsely chopped or diced
Smoked paprika (optional – for color and added zip)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, chop the left over spinach dip (it gets quite hard in the fridge) and the smoked turkey. Add to the eggs and stir to mix..

3. Over medium high heat, heat the oil in a small ovenproof (preferably non-stick) skillet. Add the egg mixture and cook, lifting the cooked edges away toward the center and tilt the pan so liquid egg gets closer to the hot edges of the pan. Continue until the egg mixture no longer runs (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle with smoked paprika.

4. Place the skillet into the preheated oven and bake until set (about 15-20 minutes)

Serve immediately with a crisp salad or some crunchy toast.

Hot Spinach Cheese Dip

Hot Spinach Cheesy Dip
Adapted from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 25-30 minutes

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
4oz/112g baby spinach (the recipe called for 2lb/1kg, but all I had was 4oz and I added the Swiss chard – total weight was still less than 1lb and plenty for the dip)
1 bunch Swiss Chard leaves (stems removed), coarsely chopped (beet greens are nice too)
½ cup milk
6oz/25g cream cheese, cut into small cubes and allowed to soften on the counter
3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
3-4 dashes Cholula Chiptle hot sauce (or whatever your favorite is – do try to find some Cholula though, it’s awesome)
¾ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded + ¼ cup for topping
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C

2. In a Dutch oven, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent and fragrant, stirring occasionally (five minutes). Don’t let the garlic burn or the dish will taste bitter.

3. Add the spinach and chopped Swiss chard and sauté until wilted (another 5-8 minutes).

4. Transfer the greens to a colander or large strainer and press out any moisture. Place the drained mixture on a chopping board and coarsely chop.

5. Back in the Dutch oven, bring the milk to a boil and add the diced cream cheese, whisking until melted (about 3 minutes). Return the chopped cooked greens to the pot and add the seasonings and mozzarella. Stir to combine and pour into a baking dish – preferably one you can serve from. Sprinkle more mozzarella (about ¼ cup) over top.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let set on the counter for 5 minutes or so – just until it cools down a little. The dip will thicken and … of course, keep you from burning your tongue.

I like to serve it with multigrain chips or homemade pita chips.

Another Norene "Best" - Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Norene's Best Chocolate Chip Oatmeal CookiesFrom Norene's Healthy Kitchen

Printable Recipe
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 10-12 minutes
Makes 3 dozen or so

Ingredients:
½ cup soft tub margarine
1 large egg
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ cup rolled oats (preferably large flake)
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or large bowl using an electric mixer) beat the margarine, egg, sugars, and vanilla about 1 minute. Add the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, & salt. Process just until combined.

3. If you are using a food processor to this point, transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the fruit, chocolate chips and nuts (or whatever you fancy) with a rubber spatula.

4. I use a small ice-cream scoop, but you can use a soup spoon to drop the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

Norene says they freeze well for up to 4 months. They didn’t last 2 days on my counter!

Roasted Garlic, Ricotta and Kalamata Olive Pasta

Roasted Garlic, Kalamata Olives & Ricotta Pasta
From Donna Hay's Seasons

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
10 cloves garlic
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp salted capers, rinsed & drained
¼ cup pine nuts
1/3 cup fresh oregano leaves
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
13oz/375g fresh lasagna sheets (I used whole wheat and cut them into 2” strips horizontally)
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups freshly& finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C (I used my toaster oven). Place the garlic cloves and olives on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean up. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and bake for 15 minutes or until the garlic is tender.

2. Peel and mash the garlic. Coarsely chop the olives and set aside with the mashed garlic and oil.

3. Place the remaining oil in a skillet and heat over medium until the oil is hot. Add the capers, pine nuts and oregano and cook for 2-3 minutes. The oregano should be crispy. Add the lemon juice and remove from heat.

4. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente (about 5 minutes). Drain and return to the pot. Add the olives, mashed garlic, pine nut mixture, salt, pepper ricotta and parmesan. Toss to combine and place in individual bowls or a large serving bowl, communal style.

Serve with a simple salad and you and your guests will be in Heaven... or somewhere in the Mediterranean.

Fennel & Citrus Salad

Fennel & Citrus Salad
From Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes plus 1 hour fridge time for the fennel

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 fennel bulb, trimmed
4 pink grapefruits
5 oranges
1 tsp sugar (plus 1 tsp honey if you like it sweeter)
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
2 handfuls of baby arugula (and/or mixed baby greens)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf/Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Using a mandolin (or very sharp knife, although I don’t recommend that), slice the fennel very thin horizontally. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Cut the top & bottom off the grapefruit & oranges and peel, using a paring knife to cut away the rind and the pith. Over a large bowl, cut in between the white membranes and separate the segments (“flesh” only). Stir in the sugar, vinegar, olive oil and pepper, toss and taste. Note: This is where you would add honey and possibly more vinegar.

3. Just before serving, drain the fennel and pat dry. Add to the citrus mixture.

4. Place the arugula on a platter. Gently scoop the citrus, fennel mixture over the greens. Sprinkle with lemon zest, chopped herbs and serve immediately

Mushroom, Beef, Barley & Lentil Soup

Mushroom, Beef, Barley & Lentil Soup
Adapted from Kitchen Sense

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 20 minutes or so
Cooking time: 3 hours or so
Serves 8-10 freezes well

Ingredients:
2 ½ lb/1kg beef short ribs (flanken)
1-2 beef marrow bones
1 (14oz/ 400ml) can diced tomatoes with juice ( I really stock up on fire roasted when I can find them)
¾ cup brown lentils, picked over for stones, rinsed & drained
½ cup pearl barley
1 large yellow onion, diced small
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped (the book calls for celery, but I love fennel more as a base ingredient)
5 -6 sprigs fresh thyme (the book suggests Italian/flat leaf parsley)
1 bay leaf
4 cups beef broth + 2 cups water or mushroom soaking liquid
½ -1lb/225-450g mushrooms, sliced (I love Cremini, Portobello & Porcini work well too)
1 handful dried wild mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water for 10 minutes, drained & chopped add the liquid to the soup
1 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, combine the ribs, soup bones, tomatoes, lentils, barley, onion, carrots, fennel, thyme and bay leaf. Note: Normally I sear the meat before adding anything else, but I decided to forego this step and follow the book… great idea, saves time, no spatter and the meat tastes as tender at the end of the day.

2. Add the liquid (beef broth & mushroom soaking liquid or water). Heat at medium high and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Lower heat to simmer and cover for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf & thyme or parsley sprigs.

3. Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped thyme leaves and sauté until the mushrooms are golden. Add to the soup and continue to simmer for another hour or until the meat falls off the bones.

4. Remove the bones, shred or dice the meat and return to the soup. Taste for seasoning

Leftovers: fridge – 2 weeks; freezer – several months