Provencal Beef Stew

Total: 8 hours, 31 minutes
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3 cups (1-inch) slices zucchini
• 2 cups (1-inch) slices carrots

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; dredge in flour. Add beef to pan; sauté 2 minutes, browning on all sides. Place beef in an electric slow cooker. Add onions and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Place onion mixture in cooker. Add broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and tomatoes to cooker; top with zucchini and carrots. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until beef is tender. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 271

Lia Huber, Cooking Light, MARCH 2009

Roasted Salmon in Phyllo

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 packet)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (2-inch) julienne-cut leek
• 1/4 cup (2-inch) julienne-cut carrot
• 1 tsp minced fresh tarragon OR 1 TBL fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

• 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 (18 x 14-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed and divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 2 lemon wedges

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook leek and carrot in boiling water 1 minute; drain. Combine leek mixture, tarragon (or dill), and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, tossing gently. Sprinkle salmon evenly with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface (cover the remaining dough to prevent drying); lightly coat with cooking spray. Repeat layers twice, ending with phyllo. Gently press phyllo layers together. Lightly coat top phyllo sheet with cooking spray. Arrange 1/4 cup leek mixture along center of 1 short edge of phyllo, leaving a 4-inch border; top with 1 fillet. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon juice. Fold long edges of phyllo over fish.

Starting at short edge with 4-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Place wrapped fish, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat wrapped fish with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining phyllo, cooking spray, leek mixture, salmon, and juice. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories:457 (32% from fat)

Southern Beet Greens (or Kale or Swiss Chard)

While this recipe calls for discarding the stems, if you want you can use them too if they aren't too woody. Just cut them into 1-inch segments and add them to the onions after the onions have been cooking for a minute.

Ingredients

• 1 pound beet greens
• 1 strip of thick cut bacon, chopped (or a tablespoon of bacon fat)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/6 cup of cider vinegar

Method

1 Wash the greens in a sink filled with cold water. Drain greens and wash a second time. Drain greens and cut away any heavy stems. Cut leaves into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

2 In a large skillet or 3-qt saucepan, cook bacon until lightly browned on medium heat (or heat 1 Tbsp of bacon fat). Add onions, cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occassionally, until onions soften and start to brown. Stir in garlic. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.

3 Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes until the greens are tender. Stir in vinegar. (For kale or collard greens continue cooking additional 20 to 25 minutes or until desired tenderness.)

Serves 4.

Cream of Asapargus Soup (Crème D'asperges)

yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds green asparagus
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 to 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Preparation

Cut tips from 12 asparagus

1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish.

Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.

Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter.

Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

Cooks' note: ·Soup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days. If making ahead, add last tablespoon butter and lemon juice after reheating.

Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup

From the Sonoma Diet Cookbook

INGREDIENTS
Prep 30 min; Makes 6 servings

2 TBL extra virgin Olive Oil (divided)
3 pounds fresh Roma tomatoes cored and coarsely chopped OR three 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained.
2 TBL minced garlic (12 cloves)
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 14-ounce cans chicken broth
4 cups chopped zucchini and/or yellow summer squash
2 TBL chopped fresh oregano
2 TBL chopped fresh flat-leave parsley

6 slices (1 per serving) of whole wheat or rustic french or italian bread toasted.
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved.

• Heat a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat--add 1 TBL olive oil. Reserve 1 cup of chopped fresh tomatoes (or 1 can), adding the rest to the Dutch oven. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes are very tender. (Stir occasionally)
• Add chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook an additional 15 minutes
• In a large skillet add 1 TBL olive oil over medium heat. Add zucchini; cook for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp-tender.
• Transfer 1/2 of the tomato/broth mixture to a blender or food processor. Cover andd blend to process until smooth Repeat with remaining 1/2 of the mixture.
• Return all to the Dutch oven. Add in the reserved tomatoes, cooked zuchinni, oregano and parsley.
• Taste and season with salt & pepper.
• Heat through.
  

To serve--divide soup into 6 bowls. top with torn pieces of the bread toast andd garnish with cheese.

210 Calories

Classic Potato Latkes

You'll need to cook latkes in batches. Place the cooked ones in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and keep them warm in a low oven as you fry the next batch.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 latkes and 2 tablespoons applesauce)

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups shredded peeled baking potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 1/4 cups grated onion
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• Dash of ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Combine potato and onion in a colander. Drain 30 minutes, pressing with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture, flour, and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; toss well.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture loosely into a dry measuring cup. Pour mixture into pan, and flatten slightly. Repeat procedure 5 times to form 6 latkes. Sauté 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove latkes from pan, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and potato mixture to yield 12 latkes total. Combine applesauce and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Serve applesauce with latkes.

Calories: 215

David Bonom, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2010