Gourmet Dishes Made Simple
Crab-Stuffed Poblano Peppers
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Crab-Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Serves: 4 Prep Time: (2 stuffed pepper halves): 209 calories, 15% fat (3 g; < 1 g saturated), 29% carbs (15 g), 56% protein (29 g), 2 g fiber, 220 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 604 mg sodium.
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Ingredients: Vitamin-C-rich poblano peppers, whose peak season is summer to early fall, are excellent roasted, peeled and added to soups, stews and sauces, or halved and stuffed before baking. (Dried poblano peppers are known as ancho chilies.) The spicy-sweet poblano's mild heat has an added benefit beyond perking up your taste buds: The capsaicin that gives peppers their punch is a potent antioxidant that may help prevent cancer.
Directions:
Fresh poblanos typically measure about 4-5 inches long and about 2 1/2 inches wide at the stem end. When shopping, select rich-green peppers without bruises, wrinkles or soft spots. In the simple recipe below, their gentle spiciness pairs nicely with the sweet flavor of crab for a delectable summer meal. Cooking spray 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons minced roasted red peppers (from water-packed jar) 4 poblano peppers, halved andseeded 8 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine crabmeat, sour cream, bread crumbs and roasted red peppers. Mix gently to combine, being careful not to break up the crab. Spoon crab mixture into halved poblano peppers and arrange side by side in pan. Top mixture with Parmesan cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes, until peppers are soft and cheese begins to brown. |
Millet-Quinoa-Cashew Kugel with Apple-Balsamic Drizzle
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Millet-Quinoa-Cashew Kugel with Apple-Balsamic Drizzle
Serves: 8 Prep Time: Calories 394; % Fat 27; g Fat 12; % Carbs 62; g Carbs 61; % Protein 11; g Protein 11; g Fiber 4
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Ingredients: Kugel
Directions:
Nonstick cooking spray 1 cup uncooked quinoa 1 cup uncooked millet 2 1/2 cups water, or more as needed 1 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs (preferably omega-3 enriched, such as Gold Circle Farms or Eggland's Best), lightly beaten 3 scallions, minced (green and white portion) 1 cup coarsely chopped cashews, lightly toasted* Apple-Balsamic Drizzle 1 12-ounce can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar *Toast cashews by heating in a small skillet over medium heat until golden, shaking the pan frequently for about 3-5 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° F (325º F if you are using a glass baking dish). Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Combine quinoa and millet in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse several times under running water. Shake strainer to remove excess water and transfer grains to a large saucepan. Add water and set pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until grains are tender, adding more water as necessary to prevent sticking. Transfer cooked quinoa and millet mixture to a large bowl, add salt and fluff with a fork. Add to the bowl beaten eggs, minced scallions and toasted, chopped cashews; then mix well. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and level the top with the back of a spoon. Bake 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and slightly crisp. Meanwhile, to make the Apple-Balsamic Drizzle, combine apple juice concentrate and vinegar in a shallow, wide saucepan. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 30-35 minutes, until mixture is reduced by slightly more than half (making about 1 cup). Remove from heat and cool slightly. When ready to serve, cut kugel into 8 squares and spoon Apple-Balsamic Drizzle over top. Recipe note: The kugel and sauce can be served warm or at room temperature. The apple-balsamic sauce will keep for over a week, in a covered container, without refrigeration. If it stiffens, microwave for 10-20 seconds before serving. |
Poached Salmon Spring Rolls
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Poached Salmon Spring Rolls
Serves: 4 Prep Time: (4 pieces) 248 calories, 28% fat (8 g; 2 g saturated), 44% carbohydrates (27 g), 28% protein (17 g), 3 g fiber, 47 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 676 mg sodium
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Ingredients: 2 cups water
Directions:
In a medium saucepan heat water, ginger, garlic, and 1/2 a sliced lime until simmering begins. Add salmon, then reduce heat and cover pan. Cook for 12 minutes, until salmon is slightly pink in the middle, then put on a plate.1 inch fresh ginger, sliced 1 clove garlic, sliced 2 limes 10 ounces salmon, skinned 1/2 cucumber (about 8 ounces) 3 scallions 1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 4 teaspoons fish sauce 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes 2 cups savoy or napa cabbage, shredded 8 9-inch spring-roll wrappers 8 sprigs cilantro While the salmon cooks, halve the cucumber lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, then cut into thin strips. Slice scallions on a diagonal. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, 1 tablespoon juice from remaining limes, and pepper flakes. Toss cucumber, scallions, and cabbage with 2 tablespoons sauce. Set aside. Fill a large bowl with cool water. Immerse two spring-roll wrappers in water for about 3 minutes, until soft. Pat dry and lay flat on a work surface. Fill center with about 1/3 cup of the vegetables, then top with a few pieces of flaked salmon and cilantro leaves. Roll tightly, folding edges in, as you would a burrito. Set aside, cover with a damp towel, then repeat these steps to prepare the rest of the rolls. Use a damp knife to slice rolls in half, and serve with remaining sauce. |
Pork Medallions in Cranberry Chutney with Barley
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Pork Medallions in Cranberry Chutney with Barley
Serves: 4 Prep Time: (3 ounces pork, 1/3 cup chutney, 1 cup barley and peas) 455 calories, 65 carbs (57%), 7. g fat (15%), 11 g fiber, 32 g protein (28%), 2 g saturated fat
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Ingredients:
Directions:
In a saucepan, add barley to boiling broth/water. Cover, reduce heat; simmer for 8 minutes. Add peas. Cook for 2 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the barley is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Salt and pepper both sides of pork and saute for 2 minutes per side. Remove pork; set aside. In the juices in the skillet, saute onion for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Return the pork to the pan; simmer for 2 minutes. Serve. |
Tempeh Ratatouille
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Tempeh Ratatouille
Serves: 4 Prep Time: per serving (1 cup ratatouille, 3/4 cup couscous): 420 calories, 19% fat (9 g; 1.6 g saturated), 61% carbs (69 g), 20% protein (21 g), 13.4 g fiber, 150 mg calcium, 5 mg iron, 266 mg sodium.
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Ingredients: 1 cup whole-wheat couscous
Directions:
Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous, stir and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add tempeh and saute 2 minutes. Add eggplant, zucchini and red pepper and saute 5 minutes, until vegetables are soft and golden brown. Add thyme and stir to incorporate well. Add tomatoes and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, until liquid reduces and mixture becomes thick. Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and stir in basil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Spoon couscous into 4 shallow bowls and top with tempeh ratatouille. 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces tempeh, cubed 2 cups cubed eggplant 2 cups cubed zucchini 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 bay leaf 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil Salt and ground black pepper |
Vegetable-Bean Cassoulet
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Vegetable-Bean Cassoulet
Serves: 6 Prep Time: 516 calories, 14% fat (8 g; 2 g saturated), 69% carbs (86 g), 17% protein (21 g), 25 g fiber, 261 mg calcium, 7 mg iron, 370 mg sodium
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Ingredients: 1 medium-sized rutabaga, peeled and diced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rutabaga and cook for about 5 minutes. Scoop it out with a hand strainer and set aside, reserving the cooking water. Bring to a boil again.1 pound shallots 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (about 3 cups diced; peeling optional) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram or oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 cup dry red wine 2 large carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces 1 large stalk celery, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 3 packed cups stemmed, chopped kale (1/2 pound) 6 cups cooked white peas or navy beans (4 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained) Fresh bread crumbs, optional Freshly ground black pepper to taste Trim and discard the shallot stems, drop the shallots into the boiling water for about 1 minute. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water (for easier peeling). Drain well; then peel and chop them. Place an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and melt in the butter, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the shallots and cook uncovered over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the partially cooked rutabaga and the potatoes and cook until everything is coated with the butter-spiked oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add salt, cover again and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of each of the herbs, along with the wine, carrots, celery and garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the broth and kale, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the beans and remaining herbs, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot and top with bread crumbs and black pepper if desired. |
Curried Lamb Patties with Chutney
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Curried Lamb Patties with Chutney
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 287 calories, 24.3 g carbs (33%), 8.8 g fat (28%), 4.5 g fiber, 27.8 g protein (39%), 3.1 g saturated fat
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Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well to blend. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Prepare grill or broiler. Place patties on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. |






