Elementary Chef

While we usually think of bread as being difficult and time-consuming, here’s a simple recipe that any elementary chef can master. And what a great, healthy, warm breakfast!

Healthy Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. Combine this mixture well. In a small bowl, beat the egg. To the egg, add the skim milk and oil. Mix together until well blended. Add the liquid (egg, milk, and oil mixture) to the dry ingredient mixture. Combine just until blended. (The batter will be a little bit lumpy.) Add in the raisins. Put into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until it tests done. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes one loaf.

Jill Seader shares many more free baking recipes with you on her baking site, YourBakingStory.com. Enjoy the recipes and submit your own baking recipe and story. Happy Baking!

baking, bread, recipes

Here’s a wonderful weeknight easy recipe modified from our friends at Campbell’s. There’s lots of chopping to be done, but it’s healthy (lots of veggies!) and kids like it!

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup water
1 can Campbell’s Cheddar Soup
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese (8oz)

Preheat oven to 375 deg F. In 10 inch skillet over medium - high heat, cook spinach, carrots, onion, basil, pepper and garlic in butter until onion is tender, stirring often, In medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the water into soup mix until smooth. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups water, mixing well. Add to skillet. Over medium-high heat, heat to boiling, stirring constantly,. remove from heat. In small bowl, stir together, ricotta, egg and Parmesan until well mixed. In 9 x 9 inch baking pan, spread about 1/2 cup of vegetable mixture. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over vegetable mixture, trimming to fit pan. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, then 1/2 of the remaining vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 the mozzarella. Repeat layers and cover with foil, bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 15 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

recipes, vegetarian, lasagna

This is NOT a health-food recipe. But on Saturday morning, when you’re looking for something besides donuts… Try some biscuits and CHOCOLATE gravy. You’ll approve.

CHOCOLATE GRAVY

3/4 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 & 1/2 cup milk
4 tsp. cocoa

Melt butter or margarine in heavy skillet. Mix flour, cocoa, sugar; mix well then add to melted butter; blend while cooking nut brown. Add milk, stir over medium heat about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot over buttered biscuits for breakfast.

biscuits, gravy, chocolate, breakfast

There are few things that my husband (who is EXTREMELY easy to cook for) will request. But one of his favorites is a summer-time exclusive. It does take a little time to make, but you can’t do it wrong, and your guests will love it!

Proscuitto e Melone

1/2 cantaloupe
5 slices prosciutto
toothpicks

Slice proscuitto into thin strips, about 1 inch wide.
Using a melon baller, make small melon balls. (If you don’t have a melon baller, just dice your melon into bite-size cubes.
Wrap each melon ball with a strip of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick.

Serve with chilled white wine! I served this as an appetizer last night with a squash, bean, and tomato stew.

proscuitto, Italian, appetizer, cantaloupe, melon

Here’s another winner from Jill! A no-bake chocolate mint dessert. Like a Andes candy bar — only bigger! And with graham crackers!

Chocolate Mint Dazzle

18 graham crackers
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 (1 ounce) squares chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cup cream
1 package miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy

Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Crush the graham crackers and mix them with the 1/2 cup of melted butter and the sugar. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Cream the 1/2 cup softened butter and powdered sugar together in a medium bowl. Add in the eggs and melted chocolate. Beat well and spread the mixture over the top of the graham cracker crust. Beat the cream and marshmallows together and put that over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle the top with the crushed peppermint candy. Refrigerate overnight.

Jill Seader share all sorts of free baking recipes, including no bake recipes, at her website YourBakingStory.com.

Here’s a fantastic no-bake, fruity dessert! Check it out, and visit Jill’s site for even more dessert recipes.

Raspberry Revel

8 ounces of vanilla wafers
3/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pint frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
8 ounce container of whipped topping

Grease a 9 x 11-inch pan. Crush the vanilla wafers. (The easiest way to do this is to put the wafers in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.) Reserve 1/4 cup of the crushed vanilla wafers and put the rest in the bottom of the greased pan. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, eggs, and vanilla together. Put this mixture on top of the crumbs. Spread the mixture from the edges of the pan inward to help keep the wafer crumbs in place. Spread the drained raspberries on top of that mixture. Add the whipped cream and sprinkle the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs over the top. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 12.

Jill Seader shares all sorts of free baking recipes, including no bake recipes, at her website YourBakingStory.com.

After too many days of healthy recipes, I decided to share a favorite appetizer. This one isn’t low-fat, but it has spinach in it.

So it has to be healthy, right?

This is fantastic served in a bread bowl, but if you don’t have any available, just go with regular French bread and serve the dip in a bowl.

Spinach Bread Dip
16 oz Sour Cream (not low-fat!)
8 oz (small jar) Mayonnaise
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 package of dry vegetable soup mix (I like Knorr)
4 oz ranch dressing
garlic powder and black pepper to taste
Crusty bread — especially bread bowl

Thaw and squeeze water from Spinach. Combine all ingredients in bowl. Allow to sit (in refrigerator) for 4 hours.
If using a bread bowl, hollow out bread to create bread bowl, keep all bread from middle and cut into chunks. (If using a regular loaf of bread, just cut up bread into chunks.)
Transfer dip to bread bowl before serving.
Dip bread in spinach dip!

spinach dip, bread bowl

You folks know how I love a great new product, and this handy new Glad product has me all excited. I love my veggies. I love easy ways to fix them even more! This new concept from Glad lets you cook them in your microwave with very little preparation,
while maintaining lots of vitamins and good stuff. Check it out:

With 90 percent of Americans not eating their recommended amount of vegetables(1) and most needing to almost triple
their intake to meet USDA dietary guidelines(2), The Glad Products Company today introduces GLAD(R) SimplyCooking(TM) Microwave Steaming Bags. The bags are specifically designed to steam vegetables in the microwave in a
healthy, safe and convenient way.

Steamed vegetables, like those made in GLAD(R) SimplyCooking(TM) Microwave Steaming Bags, retain more nutrients as well as their natural flavors and colors than vegetables that are boiled. Vegetables turn out crisp, yet tender, and are ready in minutes without pots and pans.

Delicious vegetables are three simple steps away:

– Fill: Open the bag and place pre-washed vegetables inside. No water is necessary.
– Seal: Press the zipper firmly closed to seal.
– Cook: Stand bag in microwave and follow the timetable on the bag and package that provides cooking times for a variety of vegetables and other foods. Wait 30 seconds before opening. Each bag can cook three to four servings of vegetables.

Veggies, Glad, microwave

This is a slightly more complicated recipe with our vegetarian readers in mind! Actually, this is just an all-around good recipe, and if you MUST, you can always toss some cooked shrimp in! Viva Italia!

Light Pasta Primavera

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 carrots, sliced
1 large zucchini, chopped
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
3/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T all-purpose flour
14 oz can 2% evaporated milk
12 oz fusilli
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter over medium-high heat; cook onion, garlic and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Stir in carrots, zucchini, asparagus, 2 T each of the basil and water, salt and pepper; cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cook, uncovered, for 1 to 2 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in flour; cool, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in milk; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling water, cook fusilli al dente; drain and toss with sauce.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and remaining basil, toss again.

vegetarian, Italian, lowfat, recipes

More lowfat Italian! And this is another one of my favorites. Of course, I happen to LOVE artichokes. When we go out to dinner, my husband will predict my menu choice just by looking for the prominence of the word “artichoke” in the description. The larger the word is printed, the more likely I am to order it! Enough about me… Let’s talk about YOUR dinner!

Chicken Artichoke Pasta

1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 small jars of marinated artichoke hearts (save the juice from the artichokes)
pinch of salt and pepper on the chicken breast
1 small jar roasted red peppers cut in strips
1 can pitted black olives, partly drained
1 lb boneless chicken breast
2 c tri-colored rotini pasta

In a frying pan add 1 tbsp olive oil, cook onions and garlic for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes or till there is no pink in the middle of chicken. Take out of pan. Cook pasta, drain, add chicken, artichokes, peppers, olives with the juices from artichokes, and 1/2 juice from olives. Toss altogether and serve. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

chicken, artichoke, pasta, Italian, lowfat

I’m still on my lowfat Italian kick this week. In fact, expect a new lowfat Italian recipe each day. I mean, why not? Tonight is a favorite of mine, but my kids think it’s too spicy, so beware.

Penne with Red Pepper Sauce

1 sweet red pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 T ground almonds
1 T olive oil
1 T cream cheese
dash hot sauce
salt and pepper
1/2 lb penne, cooked
fresh basil leaves

Roast red pepper by placing it under broiler in the oven. Turn after 1 minute. Roasting is done when the outer peel is slightly charred and slips off.

In blender, puree garlic, red pepper, 1/2 the Parmesan, almonds, oil, cream cheese and pepper sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with penne. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and basil.

penne, pasta, lowfat, Italian

Yes, you read that title right! One of your favorite Italian recipes (my daughter’s very favorite) lightened up and simplified! I know the cottage cheese is a bit of a surprise, but this really turns out well!

*Cooking note, medium means MEDIUM in this recipe! If you heat the dairy products too fast and too high, they’ll turn on you. Err on the side of lower heat.

Lighten Up Fettuccine Alfredo

1 lb fettuccine, cooked per package directions
1 t olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 c light sour cream
1/2 c lowfat cottage cheese
1/4 t each salt and pepper
1 egg
3/4 c 2% milk
1 c chopped ham or grilled chicken (optional)
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 T chopped fresh parsley (or 1 t dry parsley)

Heat oil over medium heat; cook garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in sour cream, cottage cheese, salt and pepper; heat through. Whisk together egg and milk; whisk into sour cream mixture. Stir in ham and Parmesan. Bring almost to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes. Toss with pasta. Sprinkle with parsley

Italian, fettuccine alfredo, lowfat

This is an easy, tasty, low-fat Italian side-dish. It’s a filling side-dish. Serve it with grilled chicken and a salad, and you have a perfecgt meal!

Roasted Garlic Orzo

6 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 T unsalted butter
2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 t poppy seeds if desired
1/2 c orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

Tightly wrap garlic in foil and roast in middle of oven (preheated to 450F) for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Carefully unwrap garlic and let cool slightly. Remove skin from cloves and mash into a paste. Transfer garlic paste to a bowl and stir in butter and parsley. While garlic is roasting, in a small skillet dry-roast poppy seeds over moderate heat, shaking skillet until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Add seeds to garlic mixture. While garlic is roasting, in a saucepan of boiling salted water cook orzo until tender and reserve about 1/4 c cooking water. Drain orzo well and add to garlic mixture with enough reserved cooking
water to melt butter and prevent orzo from sticking together. Season orzo with salt and pepper.

garlic, orzo, side dish

If you’ve EVER planted zucchini at your house, you likely have a crop ready for harvest right about now. Zucchini is an amazingly prolific “volunteer” crop, coming back even in years that you don’t intentionally plant it.

Susan Daffron, author of Vegan Success: Scrumptious, Healthy Vegan Recipes for Busy People , offers the following suggestions for using up your home-grown (or market-bought!) zucchini.

1. Slice medium zukes into rounds and saute them with oil, onions, and a little soy sauce. Toss in fresh basil and tomato for the last couple minutes and serve over cooked pasta.

2. Grate some zucchini into soups or casseroles. Or use grated squash to make zucchini bread. (The Vegan Success web site at
http://www.VeganSuccess.com has a moist, decadent recipe for chocolate zucchini bread.)

3. If you end up with a “mega squash,” either bake it stuffed with breadcrumbs, or slice it lengthwise into slabs, brush it with oil and grill it.

4. To keep production under control, harvest squash when they are small. “Baby” zukes (called courgettes) and small squash are often featured in expensive restaurants because they are more flavorful.

5. Slice medium zucchini into rounds, dip them in milk (or soymilk) and then in breadcrumbs to coat. Fry them in oil for your own lighter version of deep-fried zucchini.

zucchinis, vegetables, recipes

Layered dips are a great appetizer idea for summer (or any!) entertaining. And Santa Barbara Bay makes it sound and look soooo easy! We don’t have Santa Barbara Bay brand dip at my local market, but I think it’s probably safe to try a locally available substitute.

Layered dips can be created using everything from artichoke dip to crabsalad found pre-prepared at your grocery store, so have fun by experimenting with different varieties and combinations. Go Greek by layering spinach dip, feta cheese and olives, served with pita chips. Or stay all-American by pairing ranch dip, diced barbeque chicken and cheddar cheese. But the most popular combination has to be this Tex-Mex inspired five-layer dip, created by following a few easy steps:
— Spread the contents of one 12-ounce container of Santa Barbara Bay Chili Con Queso Dip across the bottom of a clear glass serving dish
— Sprinkle one to two cups grated cheddar cheese over the queso dip
— Follow cheese with a layer of canned diced tomatoes
— Next, add an even layer of sour cream
— Finish with a spread of guacamole and another sprinkle of grated cheese
— For extra elegance, garnish with sliced black olives and chopped green onion
— Serve with your favorite tortilla or corn chips for dipping

While layered dips are quick and easy to prepare (a MUST for the busy summer host), their elegance and unique tastes are sure to awe your guests. And by combining fresh and prepared ingredients, you’ll add noticeable depth to flavor. The layered presentation is aesthetically pleasing, too, which is key because we all “eat with our eyes” before ever taking a bite. Another layering plus? The combinations are endless, so you’re free to flex those creative muscles.