Corn & Black Bean Quinoa Salad

From Eating Well, Aug. 2013

(h^f = high fiber )

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili. Low Salt, Low Sugar

5 tomatoes (chopped)
4 sweet peppers (chopped)
1 jalapeno-style pepper, chopped, seeds removed (optional)
1.5 Cups carrots (chopped)
4 stalks celery (chopped)
2 onions (chopped)
15 oz. canned kernel corn no salt added
15 oz pinto beans no salt added
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
15 oz. mild chunky salsa
6 bay leaves

Mix together all ingredients into a slow cooker. 
Cover and cook on low heat, about 8 hours.

Top with grated cheese (optional).
Makes 6 servings.

Fisherman's Stew

1 Cup cherry tomatoes

14.5 oz diced tomatoes, no salt added

1 Cup water

10 oz. apple juice

6 oz tomato paste, no salt added

5 oz. diced peppers

5 oz. diced onions

5 oz. diced celery

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 TBS dried basil

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning

2 bay leaves

8 oz small scallops

8 oz. small or medium shrimp, shelled

11 oz. cod or halibut filets, cut into half-inch chunks

4 oz. mushrooms, stems & pieces

In a slow cooker, mix together the tomatoes, apple juice, water, tomato paste, peppers, onions, celery, garlic, basil, thyme, rosemary, ground pepper, Mrs. Dash and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low setting 5-6 hours. Remove bay leaves.

Stir in scallops, shrimp, cod or halibut. Cover and cook on the high setting 20-30 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms.

Serve in soup bowls.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional data for 1 serving of Fisherman's Stew:

Tortelloni/Vegetable Soup

Originally from the book, "The Best Slow Cooker Cookbook Ever", this recipe has been modified to reduce the calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. Modifications have also increased the calcium, fiber and protein per serving. Makes 8 servings.

32 oz. Kitchen Basics Vegetable Stock (no added sodium)

1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn, no salt added

5 oz. chopped onion (substituted for a leek)

1 elephant garlic clove, chopped (substituted for 2 garlic cloves)

1 TBS dried basil (or 1/4 Cup fresh basil)

4 cups homegrown cherry tomatoes (substituted for 28 oz can of diced tomatoes)

5 oz. chopped red and green bell peppers

5 oz. snow peas, chopped (substituted for zucchini)

1 (9 ounce) package of Buitoni Cheese & Roasted Garlic tortelloni

1 TBS black pepper (instead of garlic pepper)

1 TBS Italian seasoning

1 TBS Mrs. Dash, table blend

===================================

In a 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients together.

Cover & cook on high, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Don't overcook!

top with grated parmesan cheese, if desired

per serving:

Rosemary Swordfish Skewers with Sweet Pepper Salad

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 4 small sweet peppers (Gypsy, Lipstick, Jimmy Nardello): two sliced into quarter-inch rounds, two cut into thin strips

• One-half small onion, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced, soaked in ice water

• 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

• 2 Tbs sherry (or rice) vinegar

• 2 oz. fresh greens (or arugula), about 4 cups

• Salt to taste

• Ground pepper to taste

• 12 oz. swordfish steaks, trimmed & cut into 1" cubes

• 1-2 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary 

• 1 lemon, quartered

Bring oil and garlic to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until garlic is toasted and light golden brown, about six minutes (or less). Pour oil through a fine meshed sieve into a small bowl and let cool. Reserve garlic chips for garnish.

Combine peppers, onion, vinegar, and 1/4 cup garlic oil in a large bowl. Add greens. Toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Place cubed swordfish on skewers (bamboo or metal). Brush fish with remaining garlic oil; sprinkle with rosemary and season with salt & pepper.

Grill swordfish over medium-high heat until opaque in the center and lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes on each of the four sides. (total: 8 minutes)

Place skewer on top of salad on each plate. Garnish with garlic chips and lemon quarters for squeezing.

528 calories, 30 grams fat, 5.6 grams saturated fat

Bon Appetit, August 2012 p.32

Farmer Fred Salsa

2 lbs. of very ripe tomatoes (Celebrity, Ace, Big Beef)
 
2 to 4 warm to hot peppers, seeds removed (Inferno, Numex Joe E. Parker or Anaheim) (Wear Rubber Gloves)
 
One-half of a home grown onion (preferably a yellow,
such as Stockton yellow, Or Stockton Red)
 
One-half cup fresh cilantro (remove stems)
 
2 cloves minced garlic
 
2 tsp. sugar
 
2 TBS juice from a fresh lime
 
Garlic salt (to taste)
 
Dice the tomatoes. (or use a food processor...very briefly).
 
Chop the peppers, onions and cilantro in a food processor.
 
Stir all ingredients, including the garlic, sugar, garlic salt
and lime juice, together.
 
Makes about 3 cups.

"Sweatin' Up a Storm" Chili

3 medium onions (Stockton Red)
2 medium sweet peppers (Tequila, Flamingo or Gypsy)
3 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 serrano chili pepper (remove seeds)
1 jalpeno chili pepper (remove seeds)
1 Fresno or Anaheim chili pepper (remove seeds)
For sadists and mosochists only: Leave the seeds in the peppers.
8 lbs chuck, coarsley ground
30 oz. fresh tomatoes (peeled and cored)
15 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
7 oz. diced green chilies (canned)
2 or 3 fresh bay leaves
2 Tbs fresh oregano
4 Tbs fresh cilantro
1 Tbs fresh parsley
1 Tbs cayenne pepper
6 oz. chili powder
1 Tbs crushed cumin seed
12 oz. Carte Blanca beer (You may consume 6 oz. of this directly)
12 oz. spring water
Add garlic salt to taste
Add Tabasco sauce to taste
Dice and saute first seven ingredients. Add meat; brown.
Add remaining ingredients.
Add enough water just to cover the top of the ingredients.
Cook for three hours on low heat. Stir often.

Makes 24 servings. Freezes well. Supply diners with sweatbands.


This chili recipe took first place in the 1984 Sacramento
Media Chili Cookoff. The Secret? Home grown ingredients,
especially the tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions!

For best results, use paste tomatoes. Recommended varieties:
San Marzano, Classica, Viva Italia, Polish Linguisa or Roma VF.

Sweet Red Pepper Relish

Sweet Red Pepper Relish:

• 6 pounds of sweet red peppers, seeded and cut into one-inch squares (we throw in a few Anaheim peppers for a touch of heat)

• 3 pounds onions, cut into one-inch chunks

• 4 cups distilled white vinegar

• 3 cups sugar

• 2 Tbs canning salt or non-iodized table salt

• 1 Tbs mustard seeds

Chop the peppers and onions, then put in a food processor or food chopper with a medium blade.

Pour chopped peppers and onions into a heavy-bottomed, 8-10 quart stainless steel or unchipped enamel pan.

Mix in the vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard seed.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium-low and let it boil gently, uncovered.

Stir often to prevent sticking.

Cook about 50 minutes, until relish is thickened but still juicy.

Makes about 7 pints.

A quarter-cup serving has 81 calories, 1 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium

Storage:

Unprocessed: Ladle into pint jars or refrigerator containers, leaving a half-inch head space. Apply lids, let cool, then refrigerate. Refrigerator life: 1 month.

or

Processed: Ladle hot relish into clean, hot pint jars, leaving a half-inch headspace.

Run a narrow nonmetallic spatula between relish and jar sides to release air bubbles.

Wipe rims and threads clean. Top with hot lids, then firmly screw on bands.

Process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes. Shelf life: up to 1 year.

"Sweatin' Up A Storm" Chili

This chili recipe took first place in the 1984 Sacramento

Media Chili Cookoff. The Secret? Home grown ingredients,

especially the tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions! 

For best results, use paste tomatoes. Recommended varieties:

San Marzano, Classica, Viva Italia, Polish Linguisa or Roma VF.

3 medium onions (Stockton Red)

2 medium green peppers (Yolo Wonder, Flamingo or Gypsy)

3 stalks celery

3 cloves garlic

1 serrano chili pepper (remove seeds)

1 jalpeno cili pepper (remove seeds)

1 Fresno or Anaheim chili pepper (remove seeds)

For sadists and mosochists only: Leave the seeds in the peppers.

8 lbs chuck, coarsley ground

30 oz. fresh tomatoes (peeled and cored)

15 oz. tomato sauce

6 oz. tomato paste

7 oz. diced green chilies (canned)

2 or 3 fresh bay leaves

2 Tbs fresh oregano

4 Tbs fresh cilantro

1 Tbs fresh parsley

1 Tbs cayenne pepper

6 oz. chili powder

1 Tbs crushed cumin seed

12 oz. Carte Blanca beer (You may consume 6 oz. of this directly)

12 oz. spring water

Add garlic salt to taste

Add Tabasco sauce to taste

Dice and saute first seven ingredients. Add meat; brown.

Add remaining ingredients.

Add enough water just to cover the top of the ingredients.

Cook for three hours on low heat. Stir often.

Makes 24 servings. Freezes well. Supply diners with sweatbands.

Fresh Salsa

2 lbs. of very ripe tomatoes 

(we prefer Big Beef, Dr. Wyche, Bloody Butcher, Lemon Boy, Kellogg’s Breakfast)

2 to 4 warm to hot peppers

(I use moderate heat peppers such as  Numex Joe E. Parker and Anaheim; for a milder pepper, try Jimmy Nardello or Tequila)

One-half of a home grown onion (Stockton Red or yellow)

One-half cup fresh cilantro (remove stems)

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tsp. sugar (or stevia)

2 tbs juice from a fresh lime

Garlic salt (to taste)

Dice the tomatoes. (or use a food processor...very briefly)

Chop the peppers, onions and cilantro in a food processor.

Stir all ingredients, including the garlic, sugar, garlic salt

and lime juice, together.

Makes about 3 cups.