This simple salad is especially delicious in the autumn when apples are fresh. Using a pre-washed salad mix makes it easy to prepare.
6 cups salad mix or washed and torn butter lettuce
1 tart green apple (Granny Smith, pippin, or similar)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3-4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
Place salad mix or torn leaf lettuce into a bowl. Core and dice apple and add to salad along with walnuts. Sprinkle with seasoned rice vinegar and toss to mix.
Per 1/2-cup serving: 31 calories; 1 g protein; 4 g carbohydrate; 2 g fat; 1 g fiber; 141 mg sodium; calories from protein: 10 percent; calories from carbohydrates: 46 percent; calories from fats: 44 percent.
Hummus Dip
Makes 2 cups
Hummus is a creamy garbanzo spread that can be used as a sandwich filling, or served as a dip with fresh vegetables or wedges of pita bread.
2 garlic cloves
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed butter)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place garlic and parsley in a food processor and chop finely.
Drain beans, reserving liquid. Add to the food processor along with tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and paprika. Process until very smooth: about two minutes. The mixture should be moist and spreadable. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved bean liquid to achieve desired consistency.
Per 1/4 cup: 95 calories; 4 g protein; 11 g carbohydrate; 4 g fat; 2 g fiber; 136 mg sodium; calories from protein: 17 percent; calories from carbohydrates: 46 percent; calories from fats: 37 percent.
Quinoa Tabouli
(Serves 4 to 6)
2-1/2 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry)
3/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup diced seedless cucumbers
2 cups finely chopped parsley
2 small tomatoes
3 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Bring 1 cup quinoa and 1-3/4 cup water to a full boil over medium heat, cover, and reduce to simmer. Continue simmering for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover. Allow to cool.
In a bowl, combine quinoa, mint, cucumbers, parsley, tomatoes, and onions. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over salad; toss. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 1 or more hours and serve cold.
Mushroom Barley Soup
(Makes about 3 cups)
This soup takes just minutes to make if you have cooked barley on hand.
2 cups plain rice milk
2 tablespoons barley flour
1 cup cooked barley
1 4-ounce can mushrooms, including the liquid
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch each of dried marjoram, sage, thyme, and dill weed
Place rice milk and barley flour into a blender. Blend on high speed for a few seconds. Add barley and blend on high for about 10 seconds, or until barley is chopped coarse.
Add mushrooms with their liquid. Blend just enough to coarse-chop mushrooms.
Transfer the blended mixture to a medium-sized saucepan and add all the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat—stirring often—for about 5 minutes, or until the soup is hot and somewhat thickened.
Fruity Spinach Salad
Serves 4
4 cups cleaned spinach leaves
2 oranges, peeled, sliced, and quartered
1 cucumber, peeled, sliced and quartered
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons raw or roasted sunflower seeds
To taste: ready-prepared fat-free raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Toss spinach with cucumber, orange, and red pepper chunks in medium sized bowl. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serve with dressing on the side.
Per serving: 93 calories; 3 g protein; 17 g carbohydrate; 3 g fat; 4 g fiber; 59 mg sodium; calories from protein: 13 percent; calories from carbohydrates: 73 percent; calories from fats: 25 percent.
Curried Cauliflower with Peas
Makes about 6 cups
The spices in this curry are toasted for extra flavor. Be careful to add the liquid slowly to avoid spattering.
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon whole mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon each: turmeric, cumin
1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cayenne
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1-2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 cauliflower, cut or broken into florets (about 4 cups)
1 10-ounce bag frozen peas
Combine coriander, mustard seed, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cayenne in a large skillet. Heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and just begin to smoke: about one minute. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, and onion. Cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about five minutes.
Stir in cauliflower, then cover and cook over medium heat until tender when pierced with a fork, about five minutes. Stir in peas and cook until hot, another minute or two.
Per 1/2-cup serving: 36 calories; 2 g protein; 7 g carbohydrate; 0.1 g fat; 2 g fiber; 73 - 115 mg sodium; calories from protein: 23 percent; calories from carbohydrates: 73 percent; calories from fats: 4 percent.
Basmati and Wild Rice Pilaf
Makes about 6 cups
Basmati and wild rice give great flavor and texture to this low-fat pilaf. The nuts can be left out to reduce the fat even further if desired.
1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed
2-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed
1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoons salt
Combine wild rice and vegetable broth in a saucepan. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Add basmati rice, then cover and continue cooking over very low heat until tender, about 50 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375oF. Place pecans, if using, in a small oven-proof dish and bake until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
Heat 1/2 cup of water in a large non-stick skillet and cook onion and garlic until all the water has evaporated. Add 1/4 cup of water, stirring to remove any browned bits of onion, and cook until the water has evaporated. Repeat until onions are browned, about 20 minutes.
Lower heat slightly and add mushrooms, celery, parsley, thyme, marjoram, black pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
Add cooked rice and toasted pecans. Stir to mix, then transfer to a baking dish and bake 20 minutes.
Per 1/2-cup (with nuts): 95 calories; 3 g protein; 16 g carbohydrate; 3 g fat; 2 g fiber; 204 mg sodium; calories from protein: 11%; calories from carbohydrates: 65%; calories from fats: 25%
Per 1/2-cup (without nuts): 75 calories; 2 g protein; 16 g carbohydrate; 1 g fat; 1 g fiber; 204 mg sodium; calories from protein: 12%; calories from carbohydrates: 79%; calories from fats: 9%<
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