Stuffed Brussels Sprouts Bites

Stuffed Brussels Sprouts Bites

Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients: 

  • 12 Large Brussels sprouts 
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 
  • 3 slices lean turkey bacon(diced) 
  • 1 clove garlic(minced) 
  • 3 oz soft goat cheese 
  • 2 tbsp skim milk 
  • ½ tsp salt(optional) 
  • ¼ tsp black pepper 
  • Parmesan cheese(grated) 

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
  1. Trim the ends of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half, lengthwise. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the sprouts for 2 minutes, drain and set aside. 
  1. Using a melon baller or Tsp. measure, core the sprouts, set aside the shells and roughly chop the scooped cores. 
  1. Add olive oil to a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until almost crisp. Add the chopped sprouts and garlic and sauté for a 3-4 more minutes until the sprouts have softened. 
  1. In a bowl, mix together the goat cheese, milk, salt (optional), black pepper and parmesan cheese. Add the sautéed bacon and sprouts and mix thoroughly. 
  1. Divide the filling mixture evenly among each sprout core (about a rounded Tsp.). Lay sprouts on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the filled sprouts are a golden brown. Serve warm. 

Recipe Source: https://www.diabetesfoodhub.org/recipes/stuffed-brussels-sprouts-bites-%E2%80%93-foodie-recipe.html  

Photo Credit: Peter Papoulakos 

Autumn Squash Bisque with Ginger

Autumn Squash Bisque with Ginger

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sliced onion
  • 2 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes (4 generous cups)
  • pears, peeled, cored, and diced, or 1 can (15 ounces) sliced pears, drained and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 Tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (see Notes)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  3. Add onions and stir until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Add squash, pears, garlic, ginger and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
  5. Add broth and water; bring to a simmer.
  6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until squash is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
  7. Purée soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender. (If using a blender, follow manufacturer’s directions for puréeing hot liquids.)
  8. Return soup to pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice.
  9. Garnish each serving with a spoonful of yogurt.
  10. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/autumn-squash-bisque-ginger

Cajun Sweet Potato Biscuits

Cajun Sweet Potato Biscuits

These tender, low fat biscuits are a perfect way to use up extra sweet potatoes (or yams). I sometimes bake an extra sweet potato for dinner and use it to prepare these slightly sweet and spicy biscuits within a couple of days. They come together quickly and contain more fiber and vitamins than traditional biscuits. Serve hot from the oven or warm with butter, jam, honey, cream cheese or sharp cheese or serve on the side with a bowl of soup, beans or stew.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour (all purpose flour works too)
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1/8 – ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger OR nutmeg
  • ¾ cup cooked, peeled, mashed sweet potato or yam (canned works too)
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine OR refined coconut oil
  • ½ cup milk (any kind, unsweetened and unflavored)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a metal baking pan with parchment or foil.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in medium large bowl. Whisk well.
  3. In a smaller bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, melted butter and milk, stirring well.
  4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
  5. Knead the dough 5 or 6 times, turning the dough over itself to create layers.
  6. Flatten dough to ¾ inch thickness.
  7. Cut with a 2-½ inch biscuit cutter.
  8. If you want biscuits with lightly crisp browned outsides, evenly space biscuits in prepared pan so they aren’t touching. If you want them all over soft, place them closer together.
  9. Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden.

Yields about 12 biscuits.

Recipe Source: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven

Find more Kitchen Maven recipes in the recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times” where 100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity. The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes.

Cinnamon Baked Pears

Cinnamon Baked Pears

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe pears
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons honey (see Notes) orbrown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon dried cranberries

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Cut pears in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon or melon baller.
  4. Place the pears in a baking dish. Fill centers with walnuts and drizzle about half a teaspoon of honey over each pear.
  5. Sprinkle each pear half with cinnamon and cranberries.
  6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pears are soft when poked with a fork. Serve warm.
  7. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • Honey is not recommended for children under 1 year old.

Photo and Recipe Source: https://foodhero.org/recipes/cinnamon-baked-pears

Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons uncooked white rice
  • ¼ cup grated carrot or zucchini
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion, divided
  • 1 ¼ cup finely chopped tomato, divided
  • egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh mint or ¼ teaspoon dried mint (optional)
  • 8 ounces ground meat, 15% fat or less (beef, chicken, turkey or pork)
  • ¼ cup plain bread crumbs (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 6 cups low-sodium broth (any type)
  • 1 or 2 sprigs fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
  • 2 cups chopped vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. For meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix together the rice, carrot, ¼ cup onion, ¼ cup tomato, egg, salt, oregano and mint, if desired. Mix in ground meat. Add bread crumbs to help the mixture stick together, if desired.
  3. Using the palms of your hands or a scoop, roll the mixture into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Set the meatballs aside and wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
  4. In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add ¼ cup onion and 1 cup tomato and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Stir in broth, oregano and garlic powder, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
  6. Add meatballs to the broth.  Cover and simmer until the internal temperature of a meatball reaches 165 degrees on a food thermometer, about 20 minutes.
  7. Add vegetables to the soup and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • Top with a squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro.
  • No breadcrumbs? Use 1 Tablespoon cornstarch instead.
  • Thanks to the Food Hero Latinx Workgroup for this recipe.

Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/meatball-soup-0?fbclid=IwAR3mgYu2TihsgRszLdTTUWwrzdbhnAbpdy9O9CEF0tYvVo3koS-AyTYMCkk

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups cooked, pureed pumpkin (15 ounce can)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (any type)

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs and oil. Mix well until smooth.
  4. In another bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Add to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
  5. Stir in raisins and nuts.
  6. Drop the dough by a tablespoon on to a greased baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
  7. Gently flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon.
  8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until tops are dry and begin to brown.

Notes

  • No raisins? Use any type of dried fruit.

Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/pumpkin-breakfast-cookies