Lentil Burgers

These would be great served as you would any burger – ketchup, pickles, onions and what not. But it would also be pretty good done up with Italian inspired fixins, like roasted red pepper and pesto. Maybe a little pesto mixed into some vegan mayo? Let your imagination run wild.

If you want to make a double batch and freeze them, cook first, then stack with squares of parchment paper to keep them separated. Freeze in ziplock bags.

One last thing, I use canned lentils here. You can use french or green lentils that you cook yourself, but you’ll need to play with consistency a bit, most likely adding a little bit more breadcrumbs to get them firm enough. Don’t use red lentils, they are too mushy.

Olive oil (from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, your choice)
1 small yellow onion, diced medium
½ pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
½ cup pitted kalamata olives (really, use any pitted olive you like)
1 15 oz can cooked lentils, rinsed and drained (1 1/4 cups)
1 cup breadcrumbs, divided
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Preheat a large, heavy bottomed pan non-stick (preferably cast iron) over medium high heat. Saute onion for about 3 minutes with a pinch of salt. Add mushroom, garlic, black pepper, thyme and tarragon and saute for 7 to 10 minutes, until mushroom is cooked.

While mushroom is cooking, place olives in food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped (not pureed.) Remove from food processor and set aside. (No need to clean it out for the next step.)

When mushrooms have cooked, add mushroom mixture to the food processor. Add all other ingredients except for ½ a cup of the breadcrumbs. (Did you hear me? Reserve ½ cup of the breadcrumbs, this will give them better texture.) Pulse until mostly smooth, but there should still be a little texture. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ½ cup breadcrumbs to the burger mixture, along with the chopped olives, and thoroughly combine.

Divide burger mix into 6 equal pieces. An easy way to do this is divide it in half, then cut each half into 3 basically equal portions. You can do that right in the bowl if it’s large enough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Form mixture into patties, spray with a little more cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes. Flip burgers and bake for 12 to 15 more minutes, until nicely browned.

They taste great served immediately but they’re also excellent at room temperature so don’t be afraid to stuff into a sandwich and take as a lunch.

Quinoa Burgers

Serves 4

  • ½ cup rinsed quinoa
  • 1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 15 ounces great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • Coarse salt
  • Ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 pitas (each 6 inches)
  • ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, bring ¾ cup water to a boil; add quiona, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes; set aside.
  2. In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, half the scallions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.
  3. Form mixture into four ¾-inch-thick paties (dip hands in water to prevent sticking). If too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes to firm. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium; cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, and the remaining scallions; season with salt and pepper. Serve burgers in pita topped with cucumber and yogurt sauce.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Greek-Style Quinoa Burgers

Parmesan Potatoes

Oven Baked Parmesan Seasoned Fries

NOTE: The amounts listed are for every one pound of fries. One pound of fries is the equivelant of appoximately 3 medium potatoes. (I just double or triple the recipe to fit within my needs).

Ingredients:

1 pound of medium russet potatoes (approx 3 medium potatoes)
1 ½ TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ tsp Dried Thyme
¼ tsp Dried Oregano
⅛ tsp Dried Rosemary
¼ tsp of Garlic Powder
¼ tsp of Old Bay Seasoning
2 TBSP of Kraft Parmesan Style Grated Cheese (I used reduced fat)

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 425°.
*Wash and cut potatoes into 1/8ths.
*Place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil (I used Reynolds Release foil so that they will not stick, but you could also either use non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease the top of the foil with extra virgin olive oil).
*Mix all of the spices and the parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
*Place all of the potatoes (remember we are talking about one pound at a time) into a gallon size freezer bag, add olive oil and the parmesan cheese/spice mixture to the bag.
*Seal the bag and shake until the potatoes are evenly coated.
*Once thoroughly coated dump onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread in a single layer.
* Bake 30-45 minutes or until tender and lightly golden brown. (Baking times will vary depending on the amount of fries that you make and the size that you cut them). For the ones shown in the picture they were baked at 425° for 45 minutes.

 

4 medium red potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cut the potatoes in wedges.

In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, garlic, and paprika and set aside. Next, toss the potatoes and oil together in a mixing bowl then add the bowl of cheese and seasonings and stir to coat.

Arrange them on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes then remove from oven and turn over all the potatoes. Bake for another few minutes until crispy and golden.

 

Ingredients

  • 12 – 15 Red Potatoes cut in wedges and soaked in cold water
  • ¾ stick (6 tbsp) Butter
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • ½ cup Flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Thyme
  • ½ tsp Pepper

Directions

Drain water from potatoes and mix melted butter with potatoes in a pot with a lid. Mix cheese, flour, salt, thyme, and pepper and pour over potatoes. Shake pot with lid on then pour everything into a 9×13 pan. Bake uncovered at 350° for 1 hour.

 

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

Yields 1 loaf

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ⅓ cups barely warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 ½ cups all purpose (or bread) flour
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, or until elastic. If you are doing this by hand, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic, 7-10 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley flakes, and minced garlic. Set aside.

Punch down the dough. Tear off small pieces of dough (roughly the size of the bowl of a medium spoon), coat in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of a bundt pan. Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough balls. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Continue layering the dough balls and cheese until you have 3 layers. Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to sit until dough has doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Serve hot with a side of marinara or tomato sauce.

Lasagna Soup

Bobby’s Lighter Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

404 less calories
28 g less fat

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 ½-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles)
½ cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
½ cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
8 Whole-wheat breadsticks or grissini (optional)

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.

Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Serve with the breadsticks, if using. (whole-wheat lasagna noodles take a little longer to cook.)

Nutritional Information:

Per Serving (1 cup) 225 Cal (27% from Fat, 42% from Protein, 31% from Carb); 23 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 17 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 4 g Sugar; 108 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 826 mg Sodium; 53 mg Cholesterol

Original Recipe by Paula Deen: Tastes Like Lasagna Soup
Take It Lighter recipe courtesy of Bobby and Jamie Deen, and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen

Servings: 8 cups
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter

  • I used Cool Whip for the whip cream portion, because it’s lower in calories and also shortened the prep time, but using homemade whip cream will work just as well.
  • If you have a peanut allergy, try substituting Nutella for the peanut butter.
  • I made this recipe in three 4 inch mini springform pans, but it can just as easily be made in a 9 inch pie pan or cake pan.
  • I threw in some crushed Reese’s for extra flavor and for added texture-of course, if you don’t have any on hand or to keep the dessert even lower in calories you can bypass this portion of the recipe.

Frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie

Makes one 9 inch pie or three 4 inch mini pies. Preparation: Lightly butter springform pan if it is not non-stick. If you do not have a springform pan line a cake pan with a piece of lightly buttered foil leaving a one inch over hang around the edges for easy pie removal or alternately use a traditional pie pan.

  • 24 oreo cookies, crushed
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 ½ cups Cool Whip
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup confectioner sugar
  • ½ cup crushed Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Oreo Crust Instructions:

  1. Place Oreos in a food processor or blender and pulse until cookies are finely crumbed. Alternatively, place Oreos in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.  Mix in the melted butter and then firmly press crumbs into pan to create a crust. Bake crust at 350 degrees F for 7-10 minutes.

Reese Peanut Butter Pie Filling Instructions:

  1. Place peanut butter and confectioner sugar in a pan over low heat and stir until combined and peanut butter is melted. Set aside for five minutes to cool. Gently fold in peanut butter mixture into Cool Whip until combined. Gently fold in crushed Reese’s pieces into peanut butter Cool Whip mixture.
  2. Pour mixture into Oreo crust and freeze for 3 hours. Garnish with caramel and chocolate drizzle (for added decadence rim with chopped Reese’s pieces).

Samoas

  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate + 2 oz for drizzle
  • 35-40 shortbread cookies (I used Lorna Doone)
  • 14 oz bag of caramels
  • 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 2 Tbsp water

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
  2. Melt 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. (I prefer double boiler).
  3. Spread the melted chocolate to your desired thickness…I went thin-ish.
  4. Top your warm chocolate evenly with your shortbread cookies.
  5. Place baking sheet in freezer while you do the next steps.
  6. In a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat, toast your coconut, stirring occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes or so, but be watchful because once it starts to brown it happens quickly and you do not want to burn the coconut! When the coconut is toasted, set aside.
  7. Meanwhile unwrap all your caramels and place them in a medium saucepan along with 2 Tbsp of water over medium-low heat.
  8. Stir continuously until the caramel has melted. Immediately fold in your toasted coconut.
  9. Remove your chocolate from the freezer and spread the caramel/coconut evenly on top.
  10. Melt your remaining 2 oz of chocolate using whatever melting process you prefer and drizzle over the top of the caramel/coconut.
  11. Put back in the freezer for 5 minutes to set the chocolate.
  12. Cut and enjoy!

Lemon Pull-Apart Coffee Cake

Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake Recipe
Adapted from here
Yields 1 9×5″ loaf

Ingredients:

For the sweet yeast dough:
About 2 ¾ cups (12 ¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons (1 envelope) instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (2 ½ fluid ounces) whole milk
2 ounces unsalted butter
¼ cup (2 fluid ounces) water
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs , at room temperature

For the lemon paste filling:
½ cup (3 ½ ounces) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
2 ounces unsalted butter , melted

For the tangy cream cheese icing:
3 ounces cream cheese , softened
⅓ cup (1 ¼ ounces) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:

1. Stir together 2 cups (9 ounces) of the flour, the sugar, the yeast, and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the water, and set aside until warm (120 to 130°F [49 to 54°C]), about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract.

2. Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture and, using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer, and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stop the mixer, add ½ cup (2 ¼ ounces) of the remaining flour, and resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds. Add 2 more tablespoons flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.

3. Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and center the dough on the flour. Knead gently until smooth and no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if necessary to lessen the stickiness. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl securely with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place (about 70°F [21°C]) until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for the next step. While the dough is rising, make the filling.
Make the lemon paste filling

4. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and the lemon and orange zests. Set the sandy-wet mixture nearby (the sugar draws out moisture from the zests to create the consistency).
Make the coffee cake

5. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Or, lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray.

6. Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry brush spread the melted butter generously over the dough. Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 by 4 inches. (A pizza cutter is helpful here.) Sprinkle 1 ½ tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture over one of the buttered rectangles. Top with a second rectangle and sprinkle it with 1 ½ tablespoons of the zest-sugar mixture. Repeat with the remaining dough rectangles and zest-sugar mixture, ending with a stack of 5 rectangles. Work carefully when adding the crumbly zest filling, or it will fall off when you have to lift the stacked pastry later.

7. Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4 by 2 inches. Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan, cut edges up and side by side. (While there is plenty of space on either side of the 6 strips widthwise in the pan, fitting the strips lengthwise is tight. But that’s fine because the spaces between the dough and the sides of the pan fill in during baking.) Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F [21°C]) until puffy and almost doubled in size, 30 to 50 minutes. Press the dough gently with a fingertip. If the indentation remains, the dough is ready for baking.

8. Bake the coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the tangy cream cheese icing

9. In a medium bowl, using a rubber spatula, vigorously mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

10. To remove the coffee cake from the pan, tilt and rotate the pan while gently tapping it on a counter to release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the coffee cake, invert the cake onto the rack, and carefully lift off the pan. Invert another rack on top, invert the cake so it is right side up, and remove the original rack.

11. Slip a sheet of waxed paper under the rack to catch any drips from the icing. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it.

12. Serve the coffee cake warm or at room temperature. To serve, you can pull apart the layers, or you can cut the cake into 1-inch-thick slices on a slight diagonal with a long, serrated knife. If you decide to cut the cake, don’t attempt to cut it until it is almost completely cool.

Picture 017 copy

Nutella Fruit Dip

Nutella Yogurt Fruit Dip

Posted by fujimama on March 19th, 2011 at 8:35 pm

Creamy Nutella Yogurt Fruit Dip Nutella Yogurt Fruit Dip

Nutella Yogurt Dip—two ingredients, 3 minutes . . . it doesn’t get much easier than that!  I made this dip for a get-together I hosted at my house yesterday morning, and it was a definite hit.  I served it alongside little glass teacups filled with fruit.  The dip makes the perfect accompaniment to fresh cut fruit.  It tastes like a decadent treat, but is gentler on the waistline due to the use of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt.  Not only does this dip make a great addition to any party food lineup, but it’s a perfect afternoon snack for you little ones.  You will love seeing how fast that fresh fruit disappears!  It’s hard to beat a treat that is not only good tasting, but also takes less than 5 minutes to whip up!

Dipping fresh fruit in the Nutella yogurt dip Nutella Yogurt Fruit Dip

Nutella Yogurt Fruit Dip

Makes 10 servings

1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
½ cup Nutella

Mix the yogurt and Nutella together in a small bowl until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with fresh cut fruit.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • ½ cup Avacado pureed smooth
  • ¼ cup Carrot cooked and pureed smooth
  • ½ cup Powdered Sugar
  • ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Melt butter over low heat in medium sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and whisk well until smooth. Serve warm or cold with fruit.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

In my experience, the total cook time for these oven fries varies, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes and the thickness of the fries.  Small or medium sized sweet potates may require less time.  But at my grocery store, sweet potatoes range from medium-large to monstrous.  The bigger the sweet potatoes, the more fries, and the longer they take to cook.  Also, the potatoes have a tendency to stick to the pan so be sure to toss well with oil.

2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
Pinch cinnamon
2 – 3 Tablespoons olive oil

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easier clean-up.

2.  Cut each sweet potato in half cross-wise; then cut each half lengthwise into 3/8 inch wide (tombstone-shaped) slices. Finally cut lengthwise into 3/8 inch wide sticks or “fries.”

3.  Put the sweet potato fries on the baking sheet. Sprinkle salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, black pepper, and cinnamon evenly over the sweet potatoes. Pour on 2 to 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Thoroughly stir the sweet potatoes, gently tossing them around to evenly coat with seasonings and oil.  Be sure to coat all sides of the sweet potatoes with oil, as they tend to stick. Use additional oil as needed.

4.  Spread sweet potatoes on the baking sheet, trying as much as possible for a single layer. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes have started to brown.  Use a spatula to carefully turn over sweet potatoes, if desired. (The potatoes at the edges of the baking sheet tend to brown faster, you may want to rearrange to correct for hot spots.) Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until browned to your liking… I recommend you keep a close eye on the sweet potatoes as they go from golden brown to dark brown quickly.

5.  Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes. Serve with chili-lime sour cream and yogurt dipping sauce.

Makes about 4 cups total or 5 (3/4-cup) servings.