Let me just say, this dip is so good you will want to put in on EVERYTHING! I found this on a recipe site and altered it a bit for taste. Serve it with homemade wheat pita chips and a variety of veggies that your children enjoy. We like it with cauliflower, carrots, red pepper, broccoli and asparagus best. It's tasty, full of good fats, fiber, protein and anitoxidants. And moms-it's figure friendly!
White Bean Dip
1 14 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
Small handful of italian parsley, chopped
Juice of one lemon
1/4 C. Olive oil(up to 1/3 cup if it seems like it needs more)
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a heavy duty blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Serves 4-6.
Pita Chips
Whole wheat pita cut into wedges(I use 1/2 to 1 per person served)
olive oil spray
salt and pepper
dried oregano, rosemary or thyme
Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking sheet lightly and layer pita triangles in a flat layer. Spray tops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, about 7-10min.
This makes a great appetizer that keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days or a nice snack/lunch alternative. I have even stuffed a pita with some dip and cucumber, spinach leaves, tomato slices and sprouts. Very yummy!
Showing posts with label appetizer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label appetizer. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Zucchini!
Well, this past week I picked up a HUGE organic produce basket from the co-op. I received 10(YES, 10!) beautiful blemish free zucchini. Since there is no way we can eat this many zucchini so quickly(or my family would probably go on strike), I decided we would eat some right away and then I would process the rest for freezing. I grated a couple of them along with a few carrots and put them in freezer bags to add to canned soup and to muffin or pancake batter later. I steamed and pureed a couple more to add to pizza sauce for pita pizza as well. The rest I will incorporate into frittatas for breakfast and my son's favorite, breaded zucchini chunks. Zucchini are a great source of vitamins A and C and they taste great.
Breaded Zucchini chunks
2 zucchini, 1/2 in cubes
3/4 c. low fat italian dressing(I just used the bottled kind to save time)
1 C. bread crumbs, italian style
1/2 c. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
salt and pepper
Heat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Mix bread crumbs, salt and pepper and cheese in a bowl. Add zucchini chunks in small batches to the italian dressing and then roll in the bread crumbs mixture. Set on the baking sheet in a single layer and lightly spray with the cooking spray. Let bake at 350 for about 20 min or until they are fork tender and lightly browned! SO yummy! I serve these with homemade chicken fingers and sweet potatoes. Serves 4.
Breaded Zucchini chunks
2 zucchini, 1/2 in cubes
3/4 c. low fat italian dressing(I just used the bottled kind to save time)
1 C. bread crumbs, italian style
1/2 c. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
salt and pepper
Heat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Mix bread crumbs, salt and pepper and cheese in a bowl. Add zucchini chunks in small batches to the italian dressing and then roll in the bread crumbs mixture. Set on the baking sheet in a single layer and lightly spray with the cooking spray. Let bake at 350 for about 20 min or until they are fork tender and lightly browned! SO yummy! I serve these with homemade chicken fingers and sweet potatoes. Serves 4.
Stuffed Mushrooms
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Between the holidays and moving, there has been alot going on! Hope all of your holidays were just what you hoped they would be!
I decided to come up with a yummy stuffed mushroom to share with my family for the holidays. This recipe makes 24 and I can say that there wasn't a morsel left! I dreamed about them last night they were so good! Mushrooms are excellent for you and your kids, but I know sometimes they can be a challenge at the dinner table. This recipe is sure to please. And once your kids see how delicious a mushroom can be, add them as a healthy addition to salads, pizza, spaghetti sauce, omelets, etc! They are very versatile and many different varieties are available to experiment with. See a bit about the nutritional content of mushrooms below.
* Without additional ingredients, a serving (5 medium-sized mushrooms) has only about 20 calories, no cholesterol and virtually no fat and sodium.
* Mushrooms are high in riboflavin, a B-vitamin that promotes healthy skin and good vision.
* Niacin, another B vitamin found in mushrooms, ensures that the digestive and nervous systems function as they should.
* Pantothenic acid, also found in mushrooms, is involved in the production of hormones.
* Mushrooms are an important source of potassium; one medium-sized portabella contains more that a banana.
* Selenium is an essential mineral that plays an important role in the immune system, the thyroid system, the male reproductive system and cancer prevention; mushrooms are the only produce item that contains significant amounts.
* Copper, also found in mushrooms, aids iron in its role in making the red blood cells that deliver oxygen to all the cells in the body.
* Scientists are looking into the role that white mushrooms may play in treating and preventing breast cancer.
* Laboratory studies suggest that a mushroom extract may help prevent heart disease by reducing blood lipids and cholesterol levels.
* Researchers are taking a serious look at the medicinal potential of both shiitake and maitake mushroom extracts in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.
--information taken from modern mushrooms farms, inc.
24 large button mushrooms, wiped clean and stems removed(reserve about 12 stems and mince)
1/2 small onion or 1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 C. flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 lb. spicy italian sausage(turkey or pork)
2/3 C. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
1 C. panko bread crumbs(more if the mixture seems too wet)
2 TBS. olive oil and more to drizzle
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a large frying pan add olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and minced mushroom stems. When they start to brown, add in crumbled sausage and cook until browned. If there is alot of extra fat, drain excess and pour mixture into a large bowl. Add parsley, cheese, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Toss together. Place clean mushrooms with cavity side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle or spray with a little olive oil and then fill each mushroom to almost overflowing with the sausage mixture. Bake about 25-30 min until the mushrooms have softened and the mixture has browned. Makes 24.
I decided to come up with a yummy stuffed mushroom to share with my family for the holidays. This recipe makes 24 and I can say that there wasn't a morsel left! I dreamed about them last night they were so good! Mushrooms are excellent for you and your kids, but I know sometimes they can be a challenge at the dinner table. This recipe is sure to please. And once your kids see how delicious a mushroom can be, add them as a healthy addition to salads, pizza, spaghetti sauce, omelets, etc! They are very versatile and many different varieties are available to experiment with. See a bit about the nutritional content of mushrooms below.
* Without additional ingredients, a serving (5 medium-sized mushrooms) has only about 20 calories, no cholesterol and virtually no fat and sodium.
* Mushrooms are high in riboflavin, a B-vitamin that promotes healthy skin and good vision.
* Niacin, another B vitamin found in mushrooms, ensures that the digestive and nervous systems function as they should.
* Pantothenic acid, also found in mushrooms, is involved in the production of hormones.
* Mushrooms are an important source of potassium; one medium-sized portabella contains more that a banana.
* Selenium is an essential mineral that plays an important role in the immune system, the thyroid system, the male reproductive system and cancer prevention; mushrooms are the only produce item that contains significant amounts.
* Copper, also found in mushrooms, aids iron in its role in making the red blood cells that deliver oxygen to all the cells in the body.
* Scientists are looking into the role that white mushrooms may play in treating and preventing breast cancer.
* Laboratory studies suggest that a mushroom extract may help prevent heart disease by reducing blood lipids and cholesterol levels.
* Researchers are taking a serious look at the medicinal potential of both shiitake and maitake mushroom extracts in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.
--information taken from modern mushrooms farms, inc.
24 large button mushrooms, wiped clean and stems removed(reserve about 12 stems and mince)
1/2 small onion or 1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 C. flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 lb. spicy italian sausage(turkey or pork)
2/3 C. freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
1 C. panko bread crumbs(more if the mixture seems too wet)
2 TBS. olive oil and more to drizzle
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a large frying pan add olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and minced mushroom stems. When they start to brown, add in crumbled sausage and cook until browned. If there is alot of extra fat, drain excess and pour mixture into a large bowl. Add parsley, cheese, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Toss together. Place clean mushrooms with cavity side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle or spray with a little olive oil and then fill each mushroom to almost overflowing with the sausage mixture. Bake about 25-30 min until the mushrooms have softened and the mixture has browned. Makes 24.
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