Tzatziki

Ingredients

1 cup Greek whole milk yogurt
1 English cucumber, seeded, finely grated and drained
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Chill.

Pork

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Jazzy Pork Tenderloin in Slow Cooker

Recipe Type: Pork, Tomatillos, Chile Peppers, Tomatoes

Cuisine: Southwest

Yields: 2 to 4 servings

Prep time: 35 min

Slow cooker time: 10 hr

Ingredients:

5 tomatillos, husked, washed, and cut in half

1 red onion, sliced

5 to 6 garlic cloves, diced

Salt and pepper

2 to 3 roasted or grilled Anaheim chile peppers, blackened skin and seeds removed>*

1 cup chipotle salsa**

1 can Fire-roasted, diced tomatoes in juice, or 1 (6-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) pork tenderloin roast

Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

* Learn how to roast and grill fresh chile peppers.

** If you can't find chipotle salsa, any salsa may be substituted.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Prepare Tomatillos: Remove the husks before using, the husks are inedible. Tomatillos are very easy to cook with because they don't need to be peeled or seeded. Their texture is firm when raw, but soften when cooked. Rinse before using as the tomatillo is covered by a sticky substance. Do not peel the green skin.

To roast tomatillos, place prepared tomatillos in a baking pan coated with a little olive oil, cut side down. Roast for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, cut each 1/2 of tomatillo in 1/2 again; set aside.

Line the bottom of slow cooker (crock pot) with red onion slices, and 1/2 of the diced garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Lay the pork tenderloin roast on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the remainder of the diced garlic on top of the pork. Add the roasted chiles, salsa, diced tomatoes or tomato sauce, roasted tomatillos, and additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle a little powdered cumin all over the top and stir gently to mix.

Cook on low for approximately 10 hours or until pork is tender and the meat is falling apart.

Serving suggestion: Slice or chunk pork, serve with juice, and all the vegetables on top.  Mexican rice and colorful coleslaw makes for a very healthy and tasty meal. This pork would also be excellent to shred and serve in tacos.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

 

Garden Risotto

1/2 pound asparagus
6 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1.5 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 tsp. salt
ground pepper
3 ounces baby spinach
1 cup peas
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Microwave the asparagus in a tightly covered microwave-safe bowl with 1 tsp water for 90 seconds and cut into 3.4 inch pieces.

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan.Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat and cook the onion, stirring a few times, until softened 3-5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. add the wine and simmer, stirring until absorbed. Add 3/4 cup broth and stir until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth , stirring frequently and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more. About 18 minutes.

Stir in the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan.

Serves 6
1 Cup

Calories 205
Fat: 4g
Protein 10.5 g

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach and Coucous

 3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless chicken breast halves pounded between 2 sheets waxed paper to 1/2" thickness
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces baby spinach leaves
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, with their juices
2 cups hot cooked whole-wheat couscous

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through about 4 minutes a side. Remove the chicken to the plate.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the spinach to a bowl, set aside.

Add the vinegar, broth and tomatoes to the pan and stir, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Divide the couscous between 4 serving plates. Top with some of the spinach, then a piece of chicken and sauce

Serves 4

Calories:342
Fat: 12g
Protein: 32 g

Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart

For the crust
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour or whole-wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons water

For the filling:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinkly sliced
1 small eggplant cut into 1/8"-thick rounds
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/8"-thick rounds
3 medium ripe tomatoes thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup shredded basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
To make the crust, combine the cornmeal, flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Add the butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the water and pulse until the mixture forms a loose dough. Remove the dough from the processor and press into the bottom and about 1/8" up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and up the sides of the pan on top of the dough. Weigh if down with uncooked rice or pie weights. Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the rice and foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degress.

To prepare filling-heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan over medium heat; cook the shallots stirring often until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.

Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange the vegetables on the sheets in a single layer and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remover from oven and let cool.

Lower the temp to 350 degrees. Lay the eggplants slices on bottom of the tars, cover with a third of the mozzarella and some shredded basil. Repeat with the zucchini and then tomatoes. Cover the all the Parmesan. bake until cheese is melted and the vegetables have further wilted, 25-30 minutes. Remove from over, let cool for 5 minutes.

Serves 8
Calories:225
Fat:14g
Protein: 6.5

Summer Corn and Vegetable Soup

From the Food you Crave
Ellie Krieger

4 cups fresh corn kernels or two 10-ounce packages frozen corn, thawed
2 cups nonfat milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
1 medium red bell pepper seeded and diced
1 small zucchini diced
2 cups low sodium broth
2 plum tomatoes seeded and diced
3/4 tsp. salt
pepper
1/2 cup basil

Put two cups of the corn and milk into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and the tomatoes and cook until warm, but not boiling. Add the salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

Serves 6.
1.5 cups
Calories:180
Fat:5 g
Protein: 9.5 g

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Calzone

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Calzone Recipe


Good Life Eats


serves 6-8

Ingredients:

No Rise Calzone or Pizza Crust:
1 1/3 cup warm water
2 packets Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour

For the Calzone Filling:
1 3/4 cups diced ham
1 3/4 cups small broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces
6 ounces Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded
2 - 3 green onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons flour
10 ounces milk
1 cube or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon sour cream

Directions:

For the Calzone Crust:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, whisk in the olive oil.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, salt, whole wheat, and 2 cups of all purpose flour in a bowl. Reserve the remaining 1 cup all-purpose in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the water 1 cup at a time while mixing with the stand mixer's dough hook until a soft dough is formed.

If dough is still sticky, add the reserved flour 1/4 cup at a time (while still mixing) until desired consistency is reached. Dough should be soft and moist, but not sticky.

Dough does not need to rise, but keep it covered while you mix up the filling.

For the Calzone Filling:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Prepare the ham, broccoli, cheese, and green onion. Stir together in a medium-large bowl. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it has absorbed the butter. Slowly add the milk, whisking vigorously as you pour, until the sauce is thick and smooth. Add the bouillon and stir until dissolved. Season with pepper and, if desired, salt. Stir in the sour cream. Add the sauce into the ham mixture and stir to combine.

Divide dough into 8 equal portions and roll them into balls. It helps if you have a kitchen scale.

Roll each ball into an 8 inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Top each circle with approximately 1/2 cup of the filling mixture. Pull edge of lower crust over top to form a half circle. Press the layers together to seal.

Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Transfer calzones to a greased baking sheet or a parchment lined pizza stone. If desired, brush with olive oil or an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten). Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-20 minutes, until browned and puffy. Transfer to cooling rack to keep bottom crust crisp to sit until cool enough to handle.

Note: To freeze - cool completely, then store in a freezer safe ziploc bag in the freezer for up to a month. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or toaster oven at 300 degrees F.