watcha got cookin
We've been trying to eat healthier lately, so I bought Moosewood's Low-Fat Favorites cookbook. Tonight I tried out my first two recipes: Bean and Bean Gumbo and the Almost Fat-Free Cornbread.
Bean & Bean Gumbo
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola or other vegetable oil
1 large onion , chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic , minced or pressed
1-2 fresh green chiles , minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 stalks celery , diced
1 large bell pepper , seeded and diced
3 cups water or vegetable stock , plus
3 tablespoons water or vegetable stock
2 cups fresh sliced okra or frozen sliced frozen sliced okra
1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (15-oz. can)
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (15-oz. can)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt & fresh ground pepper
In a saucepan, warm the oil. Stir in the onions, garlic, and chiles. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, thyme, celery, bell peppers, and 3 cups of the water or stock. Bring to a simmer, cover,and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the okra, black-eyed peas, white beans, brown sugar, and tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornmeal and the remaining 3 tbls. of water or stock and stir into the gumbo. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cornmeal is cooked and the gumbo thickens slightly. Add the parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
Almost Fat-Free Cornbread
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 egg whites (or egg substitute equal to 2 egg whites)
3/4 cup nonfat yogurt or buttermilk
1/2 cup pureed cooked pumpkin, sweet potato, or winter squash
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup unbleached white flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan with cooking spray or very lightly coat it with oil. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, egg shites, yogurt or buttermilk and pumpkin until frothy. Sift the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder into the mixing bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed. Pour the batter into the oiled pan.
Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Andrew devoured a huge bowl of the gumbo and had three pieces of cornbread. There was a little too much parsley for my taste, but he didn't seem to mind. The cornbread was surprisingly good.
So thumbs up for Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites (which, btw, if you didn't already know, is completely vegetarian). Yummy!
Bean & Bean Gumbo
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola or other vegetable oil
1 large onion , chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic , minced or pressed
1-2 fresh green chiles , minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 stalks celery , diced
1 large bell pepper , seeded and diced
3 cups water or vegetable stock , plus
3 tablespoons water or vegetable stock
2 cups fresh sliced okra or frozen sliced frozen sliced okra
1 1/2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (15-oz. can)
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (15-oz. can)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt & fresh ground pepper
In a saucepan, warm the oil. Stir in the onions, garlic, and chiles. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, thyme, celery, bell peppers, and 3 cups of the water or stock. Bring to a simmer, cover,and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the okra, black-eyed peas, white beans, brown sugar, and tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornmeal and the remaining 3 tbls. of water or stock and stir into the gumbo. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cornmeal is cooked and the gumbo thickens slightly. Add the parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
Almost Fat-Free Cornbread
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 egg whites (or egg substitute equal to 2 egg whites)
3/4 cup nonfat yogurt or buttermilk
1/2 cup pureed cooked pumpkin, sweet potato, or winter squash
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup unbleached white flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan with cooking spray or very lightly coat it with oil. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, egg shites, yogurt or buttermilk and pumpkin until frothy. Sift the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder into the mixing bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just mixed. Pour the batter into the oiled pan.
Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Andrew devoured a huge bowl of the gumbo and had three pieces of cornbread. There was a little too much parsley for my taste, but he didn't seem to mind. The cornbread was surprisingly good.
So thumbs up for Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites (which, btw, if you didn't already know, is completely vegetarian). Yummy!