Saturday, January 31, 2015

Berry Cobbler-Electric Skillet

Ingredients:
  • 2 Pkgs Frozen Blueberries 2 Pkgs Frozen Mixed Berries 1 cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup brown sugar 
  • 3 tbsp cinnamon 
  • 2 tbsp butter, sliced in 5
Directions:
Spray cold electric skillet with PAM. Place frozen berries in skillet and scatter butter slices on top. Mix oatmeal, cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle on top of berries. Cook at 275 degrees or Medium-click-low (180 degrees) for 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whip cream.

Another idea you could do, is use peaches or apples instead. I used apples and it turned out great!! If you use more oats, the apple cobbler would work well as a morning oatmeal meal for a family.


(This recipe is from the Cooking 4 Life website) 

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Spicy Tofu in Indonesian Peanut Sauce

Utensils: 3 quart saucepan (MP5 or saucepan to pre-cook rice)


A scallion, green onion, or spring onion, is one of various Allium species, all of which have hollow green leaves, but which lack a fully developed root bulb.


Ingredients:
Precooked rice
Tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 hot green chile peppers, seeded and minced
1 cup thinly sliced scallions/green onions
2 cups of water
1 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced, cut into 2-inch lengths
2/3 cup of chucky or regular peanut butter
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 pound of tofu, cubed into 1" squares

Directions:

Cook rice

Preheat saucepan over medium for 2-3 minutes. Add oil then sir in ginger, garlic and chile peppers. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Add scallions/green onions and stir 1-2 minutes.

Add water then bell peppers, peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir over medium heat until sauce thickens and bubbles. Gently stir in tofu. Cover and reduce to low for 10 minutes or just until peppers are crisp-tender.

Serve over rice.


Chicken and Lime Soup

The lime is a MUST! Do not skimp on this ingredient. I used real, homemade chicken broth for this recipe and I believe this made a huge difference. This soup is soup-er good ;)

Equipment: Large skillet (for chicken) and 3 quart sauce pan with cover is needed.

Ingredients:
1 fresh lime
1 medium onion
4 skinless chicken breast halves, *pre cooked and shredded or cubed
1/2-1 cup orzo
6 cups of low-sodium chicken stock
1 can of chopped mild green chilies
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley


Directions
1. *Cook chicken and shred or cube
2. Shred lime zest using No. 1 cone; squeeze juice from lime; Set aside (there will be leftovers)
3. Process onion on #2 cone
4. In saucepan over medium-high heat, combine chicken stock, onion, chilies, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of lime zest, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, black pepper and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer 5 minutes.
5. Turn heat to medium and stir in orzo. Cover; cook until valve clicks (if not Saladmaster cookware, just reduce and cook for 9-12 min), reduce to low and cook 7-9 minutes.
6. Stir in tomato and heat through.
7. Sprinkle each serving with cilantro.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Stuffed Bell Peppers in MP5




4 bell peppers (any color)
1 pound of ground turkey (BTW, what do you call a cow with no leg? Ground beef!)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 normal size jar of spaghetti sauce (24 oz) **add seasonings like basil, oregano, Italian, etc. to sauce
2 cups of cooked rice -or- **1 bag of frozen cauliflower, grated using #2 cone

**My version: I added basil and Italian seasoning to my plain pasta sauce. I grated a bag of frozen cauliflower in place of rice and boiled whole wheat spaghetti noodles (I added olive oil, salt, and Mrs. Dash to the noodles. That make a huge difference in taste in my opinion.)


Preheat 5 quart Cooker (MP5), uncovered at 375 degrees F.
Wash and core bell peppers; set aside.
When MP5 has been preheated, add ground turkey and onion; brown.
Add Worceshire sauce, spaghetti sauce and cooked rice/grated cauliflower. Mix well. Fill peppers with mixture, leaving some mixture in the cooker. Place peppers on top of mixture in MP5; cover and reduce to simmer (I chose 170, but the bell pepper was not as tender as I wanted, so next time I will either wait for the click and reduce to create a vacuum seal or chose a higher temperature like 220). Cook 35-45 minutes or until peppers are tender. *** serve remaining mixture over noodles.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Chicken, Veggies & Sauce Skillet Meal

Did not thaw out your meat? No worries!! Saladmaster has it covered. Use what you have in the kitchen to make a meal with frozen meat and vegetables. Frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of freshness and then frozen. Best alternative to fresh!  

Ingredients:
Frozen, skinless chicken breasts OR tenders                
1 large potato
1 onion
1 bag frozen broccoli OR mixed veggies                       
1 large can Cream of Chicken OR Mushroom Soup
Season to taste with spice of choice. For example: garlic, creole, salt and pepper.

1.      Place chicken in cold skillet, cover and turn to 275.  When valve clicks, turn chicken. 
2.      Slice potato on #4 cone and onion on #2 cone and place on top of chicken.  Add broccoli, soup and seasonings and cover. 

3.      When valve clicks, reduce to simmer and cook 25 minutes.



The nice part about this recipe, is that you can add and take away ingredients to make a meal of your own style.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are very high in fiber (12.5g/cup) and also has a good amount of folate. Helps prevent cardiovascular disease, regulates blood sugar and is high in protein. It is a great alternative to meat.

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray (not needed if using Saladmaster cookie sheet)
1 cup of brown sugar
¾ cup of trans-fat free soft tub margarine
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons of vanilla
*1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (pureed in food processor is optional).
2 cups (12 oz of chocolate chips)
¾ cups of chopped walnuts (optional)
¾ cup of raisins (optional)
2 cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.      In a large mixing bowl beat sugar and margarine until smooth. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, then the chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda and salt and mix on low until dough forms.
3.      Drop the dough by tablespoonful, 2 inches apart. Press gently with a fork to flatten. Cook until cookies are golden brown and just set, 11-13 minutes; do not over bake. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Mandarin and Asparagus Green Salad (This one is my favorite)

Asparagus has vitamin K and folate. Folate is important in brain and nervous system function. There is 3g fiber per 1 cup.
Mandarine oranges are a traditional symbol of abundance and good fortune in the Chinese New Year.
Spinach has vitamin A and K. It is great for bone health and was originated in ancient Persia (Iran). 1 gram of protein per cup.
One honeybee makes 1/12 teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.

Dressing:
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Salad:
1 pound of asparagus
2 cups of mandarin oranges or strawberries
4 cups of baby spinach
¼ red onion

1.      In small jar mix ingredients for dressing
2.      Trim asparagus and cut in 1 inch pieces. Use culinary basket and 3 quart to cook asparagus. After click wait 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
3.      Combine with mandarin and place over spinach.

4.      Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Bulgur Salad

Bulgur is crushed whole wheat. It is precooked and dried, so it is easy to cook and is quick. It is low in fat and is a complex carbohydrate. It can be use in various ways including hot cereal, a replacement for rice in recipes and in soups. It has a light nutty flavor and a tender, slightly chewy texture.

Red bell peppers have 11 times more beta-carotene, an antioxidant that is converted to vitamin A then green bell peppers! There are flavonoids in the white part in the cavity; same antioxidant as in wine.

¾ cup bulgur
1 ¼ cup water
1 cup (4 oz) cheddar cheese (1/4-1/2 inch cubes)
1 cup of broccoli florets (#3 cone)
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup thinly sliced green onions or red onions
½ cup cilantro, diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1.      Combine bulgur and water in small saucepan. Cover and bring to  a boil, then immediately remove from heat and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
2.      Meanwhile, cut cheese, broccoli, carrot, bell pepper and green onions. Place in a medium bowl. Drain bulgur or pour off remaining water. Pat with paper towel.

Mix all ingredients. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days

Skillet Meals.. the possibilities are endless!


How to Make a Skillet Meal
(Makes 4-6 servings)

1. Choose one food from each box. Combine all ingredients in a large skillet. Add a small amount of salt, pepper, chili powder, onion or garlic powder or curry for flavor.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn heat to low. Cover pan and simmer until pasta or rice is tender. This is about 15 minutes for the pasta and 30 minutes for the rice and quinoa.

½ to 1 pound or 1 ½ cups of cooked meat, fish, chicken, ground turkey or beans
-Ground beef or turkey, cooked
-Chicken or turkey, cut-up into cubes, cooked
-Tuna or other fish, cooked
-Kidney, pinto, white, or black beans (drained)
1 ½ or 2 cups of vegetables
-Carrots
-Green beans
-Broccoli
-Cauliflower
-Bell peppers
-Mixed vegetables (1 bag of frozen or 2 cans of salt-free)
Pasta, rice, or noodles
Use uncooked:
-1 cup of whole grain macaroni
-1 cup spaghetti
-1 cup rice-noodles
-3/4 cup rice
-3/4 cup quinoa
Sauce
-2 cups of spaghetti sauce or marinara
-2 cups of chicken, beef or vegetable broth (low sodium)
-Use 1 can of cream soup, tomato soup/sauce, or onion soup WITH 1 ½ cans of water OR 1 ½ cans of milk
Seasoning
-Salt
-Pepper
-Cheese
-Reduced soy sauce
-BBQ sauce
-Oregano
-Garlic powder
-Onion powder
-Basil
-Chili powder
-Paprika
-Italian seasoning

Favorite Combinations for Skillet Meals
CHILI MAC




½ pound of ground turkey OR 1 can of red beans, drained
1 can of green beans
1 grated carrot
1 cup of whole grain macaroni
1 can of tomato sauce PLUS 1 can of water
1 tablespoon of chili powder
Top with low-fat cheese
Pepper to taste
CHICKEN  & BROCCOLI




1 cup of leftover chicken, cut up
1 ½ cups of green beans or broccoli pieces
¾ cup of rice
1 can of cream of mushroom soup PLUS 1 ½ cans of water
Pepper to taste
TUNA-NOODLE




1 can of tuna, drained
1 cup of mixed vegetables or green peas
1 cup of raw noodles/whole grain pasta
1 can of cream of mushroom soup PLUS 1 ½ cans of water
(optional: pepper, paprika,
Top with low-fat cheese

H. Wolfe 12/2017

Friday, January 9, 2015

Cauliflower Rice

The benefits of making a cauliflower rice vs. real rice is the calories saved. 1 cup of cauliflower has 30 calories and 2 grams of fiber vs. 210 calories and 0.5g fiber in white rice. Brown rice will have 3.5g of fiber, however, the calories are 7 times more than cauliflower, and with cauliflower, you can eat 2 cups and get the same amount of fiber as brown rice. I don't know about you, but if I am able to not think about portioning my "rice" and get to eat 2 cups, I'm into it! 

There are different varieties including orange, green and purple! Cauliflower is a great source of vitamin C and folate along with several phytochemicals. Boiling reduces the levels of these compounds, with losses of 20–30% after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 75% after thirty minutes. Good thing we have Saladmaster to keep the nutrition!

Cauliflower Rice




1 small clove Garlic
1 tbsp. chopped Onion
1 tsp. chopped Oregano
½ tbsp.
Cilantro
Mrs. Dash
1 head cauliflower
½ cup water

Process Cauliflower on #1 cone or in food processor.



Blend water and all seasonings. Preheat skillet add liquid and cauliflower. Salt to taste. Briefly heat. Overcooking will make it mushy.

(This recipe is from the Cooking-4-life website)

Cooking Fish with the Culinary Basket



Use 3 Qt. (2.8 L) Sauce Pan with 2.5 Qt. (1.49 L) Culinary Basket for small quantities of food (2 - 4 servings); and for larger quantities of food, use 10 Qt. (9.5 L) Roaster and 6 Qt. (5.67 L) Culinary Basket (6 - 8 servings).


Whole Fish (bone-in):

Select a size fish that will fit proportionally in the bottom of the Culinary Basket. Some grocery stores will even scale and clean the fish for you.

Pat fish dry with head and tail intact. Rub the fish with a little seasoning inside and out. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Layer dried corn husks on the bottom of the Culinary Basket. Place fish over the corn husks in the center of the Culinary Basket. The corn husks make it easy to remove the fish from the Culinary Basket when done.

Add 2 cups (500 mL) water to 3 Qt. (2.8 L) Sauce Pan. Turn heat to medium temperature and bring water to a slight boil. Holding the handles of the Culinary Basket, place Culinary Basket with corn husks and fish in sauce pan over boiling water. Cover.

Vapor cook fish for 20 - 30 minutes or until fully cooked. Cooking time may vary according to the size and thickness of the fish. Use a fork to poke into center of the fish to check for doneness. Fully cooked fish will flake with a fork.

Using spatula/turner, remove corn husks with fish from Culinary Basket. Serve.


Fish Filets:

Follow same directions as for whole fish, but alter the cooking time. Vapor cook filets for 5 - 7 minutes or until fully cooked. Cooking time may vary according to the size and thickness of the fish filet. Fully cooked fish will flake with a fork.

For added flavor, add 2 green onions, diced, 1 tablespoon (6g) fresh ginger, diced, and 1 red bell pepper, diced and place mixture over fish. Squeeze half of a lemon over fish. Drizzle 2 tablespoons (30 mL) soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) sesame oil over fish prior to cooking.


Shellfish:

For shellfish, such as clams and mussels, try this very simple technique. Before you start to cook clams or mussels, make sure they are alive and unbroken. To check whether they are alive, tap the open ones on a hard surface and see if they will close. Assume the closed ones are alive, and discard and dead ones.

Using the 2.5 Qt. (1.49 L) Culinary Basket, wash clams or mussels under cool tap water. Let drain.

Using Saladmaster 3 Qt. (2.8 L) Sauce Pan, add 2 cups (500 mL) of water and cover. Place on stove burner and position temperature to medium heat. When the Vapo-Valve™ begins to click, remove cover and add Culinary Basket with shellfish (holds up to 2 pounds). Place cover over Culinary Basket and turn temperature to low heat. Vapor cook shellfish for approximately 5 - 7 minutes; check to see if shellfish have opened. If unopened shellfish remain, toss gently with a spoon to reposition any unopened shells to the bottom of the Culinary Basket. Cover and cook an additional 3 - 4 minutes or until most of the shells have opened. Do not overcook. Discard any unopened shellfish. This technique may also be used for crabs and lobsters.

Boost the flavor of vapor cooked seafood by simmering ingredients such as lemon juice, white wine, onions, shallots, seafood spices, or fresh herbs in the cooking liquid for a few minutes before vapor cooking. These ingredients will scent the vapor and add a subtle, but delicious flavor that cooks directly into the seafood.


(This post is from the Saladmaster website)