Hearty Turkey Veggie Soup

Hearty Turkey Veggie Soup
Portions ready for the freezer!

Oh, it is a bit chillier in the AM these days!  It happens every October, but I'm never prepared for the sudden need to wear a jacket when taking the daily walk.  My Marigold & Zinnia seeds are stored away to plant next spring, so it's probably time to take out more of the long sleeved jerseys.  Thinking of those long sleeves brings the thought of a hearty soup at dinner time!  A soup that contains a few colorful veggies like tomatoes, spinach & carrots with rice.

Two years ago my large Dutch Oven would contain a yummy Sausage Soup.  Alas, that was 2 years ago.  Now, I'm keeping cholesterol in mind even more than before.  I've learned that my yummy Sausage Soup tastes mighty good when I substitute browned/ drained Ground Turkey for the browned/ drained Sausage!  Add more spices into the pot when this soup is simmering and it's oh so good!!!  So good, that yesterday I was searching for it in our freezer.  Well, that quick JG Take Out Meal was not to be seen on any freezer shelf.  Looks like Ground Turkey needs to be added to my grocery list!

Hearty Turkey Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Turkey
4 cans (14.5 ounces each) College Inn Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth
1 can (14- 20 ounces) Dice or Whole Tomatoes, drained
1 box (8- 10 ounces) chopped frozen Spinach, thawed
1 Cup White Rice, uncooked
1 lb. Baby Carrots (rinsed)
1 pkg. (10- 14 ounces) defrosted Green Beans- optional
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
3/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Basil
1/4 Teaspoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon dried Parsley

Method:

1. Brown Ground Turkey & drain.
2. Place in large pot or Dutch Oven.
3. Add remaining ingredients to pot.
4. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to simmer.
5. Simmer about 45- 60 minutes- until Rice has cooked.

Could this be any easier?  No!  Serve with a slice of Rye Bread.

After enjoying a bowl of this hearty soup at dinner, you'll notice there is a quantity left in the pot.  No problem here!  This soup freezes very well.  After the soup cools, I place 2 portions in freezer containers, date/ label.  Into the freezer they go.

There is nothing like searching for a quick dinner in my freezer on a cold day & finding this hearty soup.

***The Rice absorbs the liquid when the soup is cooling, so I add Chicken Broth when reheating to enjoy again.

***When reheating for 2 Servings-  I add almost 1 can (14- 20 ounces) of Chicken Broth into the sauce pot along with the soup.  It's yummy!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

    

Lowering LDL Cholesterol!

Dinner Salad Platter
with Chunks of Avocados & Pears

For a very long time (years) I've been very conscious of eating more healthy foods.    Using Olive Oil while cooking & drizzling Balsamic Vinaigrette containing Olive Oil over veggie salads has been my thing.  Canisters of Oats are replaced often with newly filled canisters.  We like Oatmeal Cookies, Creamy Oatmeal at breakfast & also Apple Crisp with the oat topping.  Peanuts & Pecans are great snacks, here.  Fresh salads at dinner are enjoyed.  Seafood grilled or baked is so good!  Very rarely do I bake a dessert that contains more sugar than flour (or an equal amount) in the recipe.  These past few months I've learned about the benefits of adding Avocados & fresh Pears into our diets.  Both also help with lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Avocados are definitely not grown here in New England.  But hey, if eating Avocados helps in lowering the bad (LDL) Cholesterol, I'm definitely in.  They ripen quickly while sitting on the kitchen counter.  Pears can be ripened in a couple of days by placing in a closed brown paper lunch bag & also placing on the counter.

During the winter season the tomatoes purchased in the produce departments of grocery stores are not juicy & tasty as they are in the summer.  In the summer we have locally grown tomatoes to enjoy!  I've learned that Pears are a tasty substitute in a salad!  

So, there are 2 new additions to any dinner salad or dinner salad platter that we enjoy- chunks of Avocados & chunks of Pears.  This coming week promises to bring warm grilling weather, so chicken will be grilling one evening!  Any extra grilled chicken will add to a dinner salad platter with chunks Avocados & Pears the following night!  The dressing?  Oh, Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, of course!

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Olive Oil for salads & marinades
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
Dash Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Raspberry Jam or Jelly

***Salad Dressing Mixing/ Shaking Container

Method:  

1.  Place Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar in shaker container.
2.  Add dash of Black Pepper.
3.  Add 1 Tablespoon Raspberry Jam or Jelly.
4.  Place cover on container.
5.  Shake, shake, shake & shake again. 
6.  Drizzle over salad.

***After adding Raspberry Jam or Jelly, shake container until Jam or Jelly is dissolved.

After dinner this Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette is stored in my fridge.  About 1/2 hour before using again, I place the salad dressing container on my counter.  It will come to room temperature.  All it needs will be a few shakes & it will blend together to be enjoyed again.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

     

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Tuesday is Valentine's Day!!!

This weekend I wanted to prepare a breakfast that we'd enjoy and also place any extras in our freezer for Tuesday morning.  It did not take too long to decide what breakfast to prepare.  One of my My husband's fave breakfast in the world is Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes!  Light Buttermilk pancakes flavored with Cinnamon and a bit of Nutmeg.  Combine that with Blueberries = YUM!  

As I've mentioned previously, I discovered this Buttermilk Pancake recipe that BURYGOLD submitted on allrecipes.com.  These are really great pancakes!  Now, I make a lower fat version that tastes divine!  You know how I like to reduce the cholesterol content when baking/cooking.  It sure works when you reduce it over time.  Egg Whites rather than Whole Eggs (1 Whole Egg = 2 Egg Whites when baking), low fat Milk rather than whole Milk, using Olive Oil instead of Butter, when possible.  Those little changes that do not make a change in taste, do reduce cholesterol levels.  I know from experience and I am very happy with the results!  :)

  

Third Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake ready to Flip over!

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

- adapted from BURYGOLD on allrecipes.com 

Ingredients: 

3 Cups White Bread Flour (can be all purpose Flour)

3 Tablespoons Sugar

3 teaspoons Baking Powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

3/4 teaspoon Salt (I use a little less.)

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

1 Whole Egg + 4 Egg Whites

3 Cups Fat Free Buttermilk

1/2 Cup 1% Milk

1/3 Cup Olive Oil for Sauteing & Baking

2 Cups Blueberries (can be fresh or defrosted & drained)

Method:

1. Heat griddle over medium heat.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Lightly beat Egg + 4 Egg Whites in another bowl.
4. Add Buttermilk, Milk and Olive Oil. Beat.
5. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture in large bowl.
6. Stir just until blended.  Make sure all dry ingredients are mixed in, but do not over stir.
7. Allow about 1/3 Cup of batter for each pancake and place on griddle.
8. Add 8-9 Blueberries to each pancake.
9. When brown on one side flip over.
10. Brown other side.  

After Breakfast and the extra pancakes have cooled I place each in a sandwich bag and then stack them in a Ziploc Freezer Bag.  Into our freezer they go to enjoy other mornings.  This works great! 

The Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes will taste wonderful tomorrow morning!  The Blueberries are defrosting in our fridge.  As a matter of fact I do know what we will enjoy on Valentine's Day for breakfast!  

Enjoy!

Yummy!

Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant Parmigiana is so good!  Sometimes I order it when dining out, but the eggplant slices are usually prepared with an egg coating and then fried.  So ...only occasionally do I enjoy this entree.  It is that cholesterol thing with me.  Much like that sugar thing prevents me from making desserts that contain a ratio of more or almost equal sugar to flour in a tempting treat.     

It has been a busy three weeks reviewing Art, Chinese History & Japanese History notes for the school group tours I am/will be giving at the Springfield Museums.  Now that some warmer weather has arrived, students on field trips visit our wonderful five museum complex.  It is a jewel in the Pioneer Valley and a great resource for all residents in my area and in southern New England.         

Last week while shopping in my local grocery store, the Big Y, I spied two Eggplants in the produce section.  Very quickly meatless Fridays came to mind in addition to a recipe for Eggplant Parmigiana that was located in the Big Y's February 2011 Life in Balance booklet.  No Eggs involved! 

I had prepared this recipe as printed two months ago and we really liked it.  This dish is made in two baking steps and so worth it.  The two Eggplants remained on the bottom shelf of my fridge as I reviewed more history notes.  Two nights ago was the perfect opportunity to use them and bake this dish again, but with a couple of changes.  It's a very tasty meatless meal!

Eggplant Parmigiana -adapted from Big Y Life in Balance booklet, February 2011

Ingredients:
PAM
Olive Oil
(2) small Eggplants
Ground Pepper & Basil - McCormick's
(1) jar Spaghetti Sauce (about 16 oz. - 20 oz.)
(1) can 6 oz. Tomato Paste
8 oz. shredded Mozzarella

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Line a large cookie pan with foil and spray with PAM.
3. Wash & dry Eggplants. 
4. Cut each Eggplant into 1" slices.
5. Place each slice on cookie sheet and drizzle a small amount of Olive Oil on top of each slice.
6. Then, lightly sprinkle with Ground Pepper & Basil.
7. Bake Eggplant slices for 12 - 15 minutes in 450°F oven.

After slices are baked, remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 350°F.

*While Eggplant is baking continue prepping:

1. Spray a large baking dish with PAM.
2. Mix Spaghetti Sauce with Tomato Paste in a small bowl.
3. Place a small amount of sauce mixture on bottom of baking dish.
4. Place baked Eggplant slices on bottom of baking dish.  Top each slice with shredded Mozzarella Cheese.  Then, top with another slice of Eggplant.  Place sauce mixture on top and then top with more Mozzarella Cheese.   
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until Eggplant is soft.  

Fresh Basil can be used, but my Spice Rack is always within my reach, so I use McCormick's Basil.  :)  I stacked the Eggplant slices in the baking dish, but they are not stacked in the original recipe.  

No longer will I dream of eating Eggplant Parmigiana, but it will be on our dinner table served with Barilla PLUS Farfalle Pasta and Green Beans.  In the photo above my smaller Rose Colored Pyrex contains the Eggplant Parmigiana remaining after Wednesday's dinner.  Tonight is meatless Friday, so our dinner is in the fridge waiting to be reheated.  I'll add a little more tomato sauce and dinner will be...

Yummy!
Enjoy!

  

Lower Cholesterol Scrambled Eggs

On the morning that you plan on preparing Scrambled Eggs for breakfast keep in mind that 2 Egg Whites equals 1 Whole Egg. For each serving of Scrambled Eggs use 1 whole egg and two egg whites. Place in a bowl with about 1 TBS. Milk (can be Soy Milk). Mix and pour into the skillet. Add one slice of Kraft sliced American Cheese that has been broken into pieces and scramble all. The cheese will melt while cooking. Delicious Scrambled Eggs await! And … they contain a lower cholesterol level plus calcium!

Oatmeal and Cholesterol

Four months ago I was advised that I needed to LOWER my cholesterol, so I started to pay more attention to the Oatmeal commercials on television. We have all seen them … an individual proudly states that he/she has eaten a serving of oatmeal cereal every day for 1 month and the result is a lower cholesterol reading. Knowing that I would tire of that particular breakfast every day, I decided to eat oatmeal every other day. My breakfast would be either “Creamy Cranberry Oatmeal”, Creamy Oatmeal made with raisins or Awesome Oatmeal Pancakes. After eating this breakfast for 3 months, I, JG, am a believer! I can proudly state that I have lowered my cholesterol 23 points in 3 months by eating a breakfast with oatmeal every other day! WOW!! And … I am still enjoying my healthy oatmeal every other day.