Tag Archives: lunch

Veggie Burger

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These patties are so delicious you won’t want to wait til Meatless Monday to enjoy them.

Ingredients

  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large carrots, grated
  • 1 yellow squash, grated
  • 1 zucchini, grated
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 C canned pinto beans
  • 3 T flour (or gluten free flour substitute), and additional for dusting
  • 1 1/2 C rolled oats
  • 2 T chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 t paprika
  • 10 oz. mushrooms, chopped

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add onion and reduce heat to medium. Saute the onion for 2 minutes, then add garlic and saute for 3 more minutes. Add carrots, squash, and zucchini and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Put the mixture in a large bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat, add mushroom and saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned. Add to the mixing bowl. Mix all remaining ingredients except flour and let sit for one hour at room temperature. After one hour, add 3 tablespoons of flour and mix thoroughly. Divide the mixture into six portions and form each into patty. Lightly dust the patties with flour. Heat the remaining oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown.

Calories:

About 170 Kcal each

 

Skinny Soup Sunday: Cream of Cauliflower, Leek, & Spinach

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This recipe comes from my favorite soup cookbook, A Good Day For Soup. I received it for a gift in 1997 and have been using it ever since. There’s a whole chapter dedicated to “Slender Soups”, and the next several Skinny Soup Sundays will feature soups from this section. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

The text and directions come directly from A Good Day For Soup, though the calorie estimations are my own.

The cool green color of this light soup make it especially inviting, crisscrossed as it is with shreds of fresh spinach. We sometimes use green cauliflower, which produces a much darker puree. Either way, this fragrantly spiced soup is a treat.

  • 1 medium head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
  • 3 leeks, white parts only, thoroughly washed and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 cups Chicken or Vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayanne
  • 6 oz (6 cups) fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
  • salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, combine cauliflower, leeks, garlic, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add cumin, nutmeg, cayenne, and half the spinach. Cook another 5 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor. Reheat with remaining spinach. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

About 85 kcal per cup.

Creamed Cauliflower Soup

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This soup derives its silky texture to potato and not cream, so it’s low-fat and indulgent!

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
  • 2 leeks, white parts only, well-washed and chopped
  • 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 1 medium all-purpose potato, cubed
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground white pepper
  • 1/2 cup 1 percent low-fat milk (optional)
  •  fresh parsley (garnish)

Directions

Warm the butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and, stirring frequently, allow them cook slowly for 10 minutes. Do not brown.

Stir in the cauliflower, potatoes, and stock. Season with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Remove form the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Transfer to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the soup is too thick, thin with water,  or your choice of low fat milk, soy milk, or almond milk. Top with parsley.

One cup has approximately 90 calories when made without milk, soy milk, or almond milk.

Asian Vegetable Soup

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Oh so simple and delicious, this skinny soup is low in calories and packed with vitamins and minerals.  It’s surprisingly filling, so it makes a perfect savory snack or satisfying first course.

It is also delicious made with chicken broth for a non-vegetarian option.

Ingredients:

  • fresh ginger, 2 1/2 – 3 inch piece, peeled and minced
  • 1 C onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 T vegetable oil
  • 1 C red or green cabbage, thinly chopped
  • 2-3 small or baby bok choy, chopped
  • 12 oz of favorite mushrooms, washed and sliced
  • 3/4 C diakon radish, peeled and cubed
  • 6 C vegetable broth
  • 2 T rice vinegar
  • 1 t soy sauce

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot, add onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring occasionally to keep the garlic from burning. Add cabbage, bok choy, and mushrooms and mix thoroughly. Saute for approximately 5  minutes. Add broth and radish and cook for ten minutes. Turn off heat, then mix in rice vinegar and soy sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste.

1 cup has less than 60 calories, so eat up!

Basic Egg White Omelet

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I live on egg white omelets. They are fast, easy, packed with protein, and delicious. Plus, you can change the accompaniments and have endless variations. I swear by my Scanpan frying pan; it is truly nonstick and can make perfect egg white omelets using no oil or fat!

Basic ingredients:                         

  • 5 large egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Optional ingredients:

  • Chopped herbs, such as parsley, chives, sage, and chervil
  • Freshly grated cheese, such as feta, Parmesan,  or manchego
  • Diced lean ham, one slice crumbled bacon, or smoked salmon
  • Sauteed vegetables, such as onions, peppers, chopped spinach, mushrooms, &c

The key to having delicious egg white omelets is the technique. When done right, you have delicious fluffy omelet, but done improperly you get a runny, rubbery mess.

  1. Heat your nonstick skillet over low heat. Meanwhile, whisk together egg whites and salt, incorporating a lot of air, which will ensure that the omelet is light and fluffy. Be sure not to do this in advance or the egg whites will deflate.
  2. Place your hand directly above the skillet. When your palm feels warm, the skillet is ready to start cooking. Working quickly, pour whisked eggs into the heated skillet. While shaking skillet back and forth over heat, stir with a heatproof rubber spatula for less than 1 minute. You want to keep eggs moving, incorporating any runny parts and some curds begin to form.
  3. Continue cooking, making sure eggs cover the entire surface of the skillet and using a spatula to push together any holes that may have formed. Top with one or more desired fillings.
  4. Run the spatula along right side of omelet to loosen eggs from skillet. Place spatula under right side of eggs, making sure that the spatula is well underneath the eggs to offer maximum support, and lift right side over left in one fluid motion. Folded omelet should look like a half-moon.
  5. Lightly press down on omelet with the spatula to seal omelet together. Do not press hard; you do not want to flatten the curds. Check to make sure the handle of the skillet is still facing directly out toward you.
  6. Lift up skillet with one hand, and hold a plate with your other hand. Tilt skillet, and let the curved edge of the omelet slide onto the plate.
Value given for omelet with no optional fillings or toppings:
Calories: 80
Fat: 0
Protein: 20 grams
Personal favorite filling combinations: asparagus, ham, and Swiss cheese; smoked salmon, chives, low fat sour cream; onions, peppers, mushrooms; tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella.