Lighten Recipes

Jan 2017 event - at the home of Rose Beecher

Overindulge in lavish feasts and sweet treats this holiday season? Want to keep your New Year's resolution to live healthier in 2017? We gathered for a deliciously healthy winter evening at our  Let's Dish! Lighten Up on Wednesday, January 18th.

Each attendee brought a homemade prepared (or ready to warm up) appetizer, salad, side, main, dessert, or cocktail to share with the group.  In keeping with the "light" theme, dishes werebe light and healthy.  The dish was an old favorite, or something new to try.

Here are some of the recipes:

Peppers with Nagada Sauce:

From the kitchen of Nancy DeAngelo
Use poblano peppers or the sweet, small and colorful peppers. Roast gently, remove seeds and stuff with anything.

I used ground turkey, ground sausage, toasted almonds, currents, garlic, cumin, coriander, mozzarella. Bake on 375 for 20 minutes and serve with Nagada Sauce.

Sauce:
1/2c sour cream,
12 cup toasted walnuts,
1/3 cup cream cheese,
¼ cup milk,
1t cinnamon,
½ t red pepper flakes.

Instructions:
Puree and serve.

Lemon Coconut Mousse

From the kitchen of Judi Kotanchik

  • From the kitchen of 400g tin of coconut milk
  • 3 medium eggs, separated
  • 75g local organic honey (or less)
  • Juice and zest of 2 unwaxed organic lemons
  • A pinch of salt
  1. Chill the coconut tin in the fridge for at least 2 hours, so that the coconut cream floats to the top. You only need to use the cream, so keep the rest of the milk to flavor a soup or a smoothie.
  2. Place the egg yolks, honey, lemon zest and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and whisk constantly for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, scoop out the chilled coconut cream from the top of the tin into a bowl and beat with a whisk or spoon until stiff.
  4. In separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites and sea salt until stiff.
  5. Fold the lemon mixture into the coconut cream, then gently fold in the egg whites.
  6. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, then spoon into pretty glasses or bowls to serve.

Fat Free Brownies

From the kitchen of Lynne Gassiraro

  • 1 c sugar
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 6 oz. fat free vanilla (or plain) Greek style yogurt
  • 1/4 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
  • 1 egg white (optional)*
  • Can add 1/4 cup chocolate chips, M&M’s, nuts or sprinkles but will add fat/calories

Directions:
● Preheat oven to 350. Spray an 8x8 pan with baking spray.
● In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.
● Add the coffee and yogurt (and egg white if using) and mix together well. The batter will be
quite thick.
● Stir in the chocolate chips or nuts if desired (or sprinkle on the top later).
● Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
● Bake 25-30m, do not over-bake.

Nutrition based on 9 brownies using plain fat free yogurt and egg white:
140 calories, 4.2g protein, 1g fiber, 0g fat
(175c, 4.2 protein, 1g fiber, 2.6 g fat using 2oz optional chocolate chips)

My Notes:

  • *the egg white will make the brownies more cake-like and less dense
  • I used Trader Joe’s plain Greek yogurt sweetened with Splenda and flavored with vanilla
  • If using plain yogurt add a tsp. of vanilla to the batter
  • If using regular style yogurt decrease or omit coffee, add enough to make batter thick, but mixable.
  • Sugar substitute is not recommended
  • I used 1 tsp espresso powder with dry ingredients and added 1/4c hot water after mixing in the yogurt
    & egg white
  • I used 2oz chocolate chips to add to batter & sprinkled the top

Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes

From myrecipes.com and Lisa Jacobs

Ingredients
5 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation
1. Heat 4 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add shallots to pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with sugar; cook 20 minutes or until shallots are golden, stirring occasionally.

2. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper; beat until blended. Spoon into a bowl; top with shallots, and drizzle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil.

1. Heat 4 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add shallots to pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with sugar; cook 20 minutes or until shallots are golden, stirring occasionally.

2. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper; beat until blended. Spoon into a bowl; top with shallots, and drizzle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

From Ninjakitchen.com and Maria Armstrong

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
16 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves

Instructions

  1. Place chicken into pot. Set to Stovetop High. Cook uncovered 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring often.
  2. Stir in onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, if desired, and water chestnuts. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until mixture is hot, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in cilantro. Divide chicken among lettuce leaves. Fold lettuce around filling.

Apple Marzipan Galette

From Southern Living light,  submitted by Judi Kotanchik

Ingredients:

Make a pie crust
½ cup +- cup marzipan, softened
4 cups sliced peeled apples (about 2 lbs)
¾ cup sugar – divided
1 tbls flour
2 ts. Lemon juice
1 ts. Almond extract, divided

Instructons

  1. Preheat 425 degrees
  2. Line a jelly roll pan with foil, coat foil with cooking spray.  Roll crust to a 14” circle on a lightly floured surface (or between 2 sheets of wax paper)
  3. Place on prepared pan.  Roll marzipan to 9” circle and place on top of crust.
  4. Combine prepared apples, ½ cup sugar, flour lemon juice, ¼ ts. Extract& salt in lare bowl,  toss and spoon mixture over marzipan on crust.
  5. Fold 2” border over apples.
  6. Bake @ 425 for 35+- minutes until lightly brown…apples may leak slightly during cooking.
  7. Combine ¼ cup of remaining sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium high heat, cooking until sugar dissolves, stirring as needed.  Cook 1 minute or until golden brown.  Remove from heat and  carefully add remaining ¼ ts. Of almond extract. Drizzle over galette.  Yield 8 servings

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

From Joythebaker.com andRose Beecher

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 small apple, peeled and sliced
4 to 5 cups sliced, peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups vegetable broth
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic and cook for one minute, until fragrant.  Add sliced apples and diced carrots and cook for 3 minutes more.

Turn flame to medium-high and add vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil. Reduce flame to low and simmer, uncovered,  until carrots and apples are softened, about 30 minutes.  Remove pan from the flame and let rest for 10 minutes.

Blend the soup in batches in a blender.  Be sure not to fill the blender more than halfway full or hot soup will explode everywhere.  Not cool.  Also, when blending hot liquids in a blender, leave the blender lid slightly ajar to let some of the steam escape.

Once all of the soup is blended, return to the pot.  You may decide that you want you soup a bit thinner in consistency.  Add more vegetable broth if you’d like.  Taste, and add a dash of fresh ground nutmeg, as well as salt and pepper to taste.  The soup won’t need much pepper, as ginger is pretty spicy.

Serve with a drizzle of quality olive oil, a sprinkling of fresh cracked pepper, and a few carrot top sprigs… cause you’re fancy, and whatnot.

Soup will last, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Soup also freezes well.  Thaw in the fridge before reheating.