Green Split Pea Soup

Hearty winter soup



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5rQovfLXcA&hl=en

Garlic Lamb With Wilted Mushrooms and Noodles

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

- oil for cooking
- 300g (10 oz.) fresh egg noodles
- 350g (12 oz.) lamb, cut into strips
- 200g (6 1/2 oz.) button mushrooms, sliced
- 150g (5 oz.) oyster mushrooms
- 75g (2 1/2 oz.) fresh garlic chives, cut into pieces
- 8 Asian shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the lamb, the shallots, the garlic, the oil, the brown sugar, the salt and the pepper in a bowl. Mix them very well.

2. Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes or so, or until it becomes tender. Then rinse with some cold water.

3. Heat the wok until very hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around to coat the side. Stir-fry the lamb in three batches until browned, adding a little more oil when needed. Remove all the meat from the wok.

4. Then add the button mushrooms to the wok with 2 teaspoons of water and stir-fry for about 1 minute or so. Then add the oyster mushrooms and the teriyaki sauce and toss them very well. After that, cover and steam for about 10 seconds or so.

5. Then return the lamb and any juices to the wok with the noodles. Toss them well to heat through. Serve it immediately.

Nutrition Value:

- Protein 30g;
- Fat 20g;
- Carbohydrate 40g;
- Dietary Fibre 3g;
- Cholesterol 60mg;
- Energy 1920kJ (460 cal)

Hints:

1. Trim any fat from the lamb and cut the fillet into strips (diagonal strips).

2. Stir-fry the marinated lamb in batches, in the mean time tossing constantly until it is well browned.

Let Nothing Go to Waste

One of the biggest differences between food prepared at home and expensive food at high end restaurants is a chef's ability to add flavors at every point during the cooking process. When on a whole foods diet, it may be harder since you are trying to limit salt and animal products. However, there are still many simple things that you can do to improve the taste of your food.

When preparing to cook, most people cuts the ends off of vegetables and throw them away. Another option is to learn from restaurants. Preparing your own homemade stocks and broths can be an affordable way to add flavor to your soups, sauces, and other dishes without having to worry about the artificial chemicals and high salt found in store bought stocks.

They key is to organize and to save as much as possible. If you have herbs that are starting to turn colors, simply put them in air tight bags and freeze them. Rinse the ends of vegetables and save them in freezer bags for the stock pot. The ends of carrots, bottoms of celery, the roots of onions, and even corn cobs are all great for stock making.

Limiting animal fats is important when on a whole foods diet but you can use bones from chicken or turkey to make poultry stock. Leftover meat can make beef stock, a ham bone can make ham stock for split pea soup, the shells and tails or shrimp can make shrimp stock. These are all flavorful liquids that can be added to your food for an extra depth of flavor.

Making homemade stocks and broths is easy. Just add your saved vegetable pieces, any spices that you want, as little salt as you can get away with without it tasting bland, and anything else you need. When using animal products in stocks, be sure to let it cook so you can separate out the fat. Remember that animal fat is something to limit, or avoid, when on a whole foods diet.

You can freeze these in gallon bags, ice cube trays, or containers in the freezer for later. Stocks are great for chicken, vegetable, split pea, and many other soups. They can be a great addition to sauces that would otherwise use water. You can use stocks and broths when poaching, stewing and roasting to just to name a few possibilities. And the best part is the cost should be next to nothing. You are mostly using just leftover ends of vegetables, herbs, and possibly pieces of meat or bones. All you need is a stock pot, a stove, and time to let everything simmer.

How to Cook Lima Beans (aka Butter Beans)

There wasn't a Thanksgiving in my home, when I a was a girl, that didn't include lima beans. For that matter, lima beans were a side dish at practically every Sunday-with-the-kinfolks meal. Only, we usually called them butter beans.

Lima beans are popular in the southern part of the United States, perhaps less so in other regions, but good anywhere and any time, in my biased opinion. The trick is to cook them right.

Oddly enough, cooking lima beans the right way does not mean cooking them the way I remember most of my southern kin did it, and even the way the restaurants we frequented did. They all seemed to think you had to cook them into mush, as well as oversalt them. If that's how you are used to eating lima beans, and you enjoy them that way, then don't let me stop you. But be aware that the recipes I give below are calibrated to produce limas that are about halfway between "hard" and "mush" on the cooked beans scale.

One fact I recently learned is that lima beans are more southern than even I had suspected: They were being grown and eaten in South America thousands of years ago.

Fresh lima beans are the best, although they require more work to prepare, including shelling them. You're most likely to find fresh limas at a farmer's market, especially in the South.

Alternately, feel free to use the dried or frozen ones that your supermarket carries. You can probably find both large and small ("baby") sizes; my preference is for the small ones as they seem to be more resistant to turning mushy as you cook them, but either will work fine.

If you start with dried lima beans, you should soak them for at least five hours and preferably overnight before cooking. Keep in mind that dried limas will swell from soaking and cooking, at least doubling in volume. So, a cupful of dried limas will cook up to 2 cups or a little more.

Lima Beans, Southern Style

If you go to a down-home style restaurant or cafeteria in the South and order lima beans, the odds are 10 to 1 that this is how they'll come out to the table. We're talking authenticity here!

Ingredients

1 lb. lima beans, large or small (dried limas commonly come in 1-lb. packages)

1 chopped onion

1 or 2 ham hocks

1 large clove of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Directions

1. Soak lima beans overnight (if using dried beans)

2. Rinse beans in a colander under cold running water.

3. Dump beans into a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

4. Remove beans from heat, cover and let stand until fairly well cooled--at least 30 to 45 minutes. Then, drain the beans and set them aside.

5. In the pot, saute ham hocks, onion and garlic in cooking oil until the onion turns clear. Put in the beans and cover it all with water. Add salt and black pepper.

6. Bring pot to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water as necessary to keep the beans covered.

7. After a half-hour of simmering, begin checking on beans to see how well cooked they are. You might want to stop the cooking early, depending on how tender they are--and whether or not you like your lima beans mushy!

Succotash

This is the other main way to enjoy lima beans, at least where I grew up. Succotash basically just means lima beans and corn. The onions and tomatoes give it extra interest.

Ingredients

3 cups lima beans

3/4 cup onions, diced

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 cups kernel corn, already cooked (according to package directions)

2 cups peeled and diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Put lima beans in large pan or pot. Cover with water and boil 4 to 6 minutes, or until beans are tender. Drain.

2. Melt butter or margarine in a small skillet over medium heat, then pour into the pot you will be cooking the beans in.

3. Add beans, onion, corn and tomatoes to the pot. Saute for 4 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Remove from heat, mix in the salt and pepper, and serve.

Peter Cottontail's High Fiber Easter

Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail. Along the path, he follows his nose to munch on carrots, cabbage, and high fiber bunny cake. Fiberlady loves to celebrate all of the holidays, including Easter, because it gives her a chance to share high fiber recipes and life enhancing information for your high fiber health.

A healthy daily diet should include fiber from a wide variety of foods high in different types of fibers, rather than from supplements. High-fiber foods offer five grams or more fiber-rich nutrients. There needs to be a combination of soluble and insoluble fibers.

Fruits such as apples and citrus,leafy green veggies and oats are good examples of foods with soluble fiber. When these foods are eaten, fiber adds bulk as water is absorbed. This contributes to a feeling of fullness and so we tend to eat less. Weight loss is a real benefit when considering the typically rich, calorie-laden holiday menu.

For valuable insoluble fiber, choose whole grains, legumes, and most veggies and fruits. Insoluble fibers increase the bulk and weight of the food being digested. The increased viscosity from soluble fibers such as pectin slows down the movement through the intestinal journey which gives more time for nutrients to be absorbed by the body. Fiberlady reminds you to drink plenty of liquids when you eat fiber.

In addition to improving regularity, consuming adequate amounts of fiber can aid in the prevention of several forms of cancer and heart disease. High fiber diets are helpful in delaying the onset or lowering the risks of many of these diseases.

Now that you have absorbed the scientific facts, you can focus on the naturally bright flavors of some very delicious high fiber foods to add to your Easter menu.

This low fat, high-fiber pea and mint soup is an incredible flavorful not to mention colorful addition to your Easter brunch or dinner.

Pea and Mint Soup

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped

1 pound frozen or fresh (shelled) green peas

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

4 tbsp fat free or low fat sour cream or plain yogurt plus mint sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Sauté shallots on a low heat until softened. Add peas, mint, parsley and broth, stirring well. Bring to a boil then simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.Transfer to a blender, reserving some of the liquid, and puree until smooth.

Add remaining liquid depending on desired thickness of soup. Ladle into 4 bowls and top with mint and yogurt or sour cream if desired.

Per Serving: Fiber: 5.8 grams; Calories: 130; Total Fat: 2.6 grams

Here is Peter Cottontail's heavenly dessert that will have you hopping back for more.

Carrot Cake

12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 pound carrots

2 cups white sugar

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray. Flour pan and tap out excess flour.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine coconut, walnuts and raisins. Set aside.

3. Grate carrots (to make 3 cups). Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pineapple with juice, oil and applesauce. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and carrots.

5. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add coconut, walnuts and raisins and combine.

6. Put batter into 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate. Frost, and refrigerate one hour.

7. To make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar, orange zest and juice. Beat until smooth.

per serving: Fiber: 3.1 grams; Calories: 642; Total Fat: 29.6 grams

Three Delicious Beef Casserole Dinner Recipes

As a busy mother and wife, I am a big fan of casserole dishes for our family dinners because I can get them onto the table in less than 60 minutes. If you are as busy as I am, I think you will appreciate these 3 recipes.

Time Saving Tips:

1. Brown up your hamburger ahead of time and freeze in airtight freezer containers.

2. Chop all vegetables the night before and store in the refrigerator.

3. To save money, purchase your ground beef in large family value packs.

Onion Beef Macaroni Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 tablespoons flour

2 cups water

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup uncooked macaroni

Brown meat in large skillet, drain off grease. Stir in onion soup mix, flour, tomato sauce, water and macaroni. Simmer covered for approximately 10 minutes or until macaroni is almost done. Pour mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Taco Hamburger Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 cup water

9 oz. package frozen green beans

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brown ground beef in a large skillet then drain off excess fat. Add taco mix and water. Cook over low heat 8-10 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Meanwhile, cook green beans according to package directions, drain. Spread meat in a greased baking pan. Spread beans over meat and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes or until hot and cheese melted.

Beef and Rice Casserole

1 cup uncooked rice

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup black olives, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

2 1/2 cups canned stewed tomatoes

1 cup water

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Brown ground beef in a frying pan until browned. Stir in chopped onion, celery and rice. Simmer until browned and softened. Add tomatoes, water and seasonings. Cook for 5-7 minutes and then transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake covered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Tomato and Rice Soup (for cheaters!) - RECIPE

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! au.youtube.com FOLLOW ME! www.twitter.com BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK! www.facebook.com Tomato and Rice Soup is the ultimate in cheater's cuisine! With only 3 ingredients and virtually no fuss - it's almost too easy to call a recipe! Add additional ingredients, such as bacon or ham to make this soup really pop :) =================RECIPE FACT SHEET ================= INGREDIENTS IN THIS DISH: 1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (500g) 1 Cup of Rice (I used White Long Grain) 4 Cups of Water (Recently Boiled in Kettle) Preperation Time: 1 minute Cooking Time: 20 minutes Serves 4 - 6 ALL MEASUREMENTS GIVEN ARE AUSTRALIAN STANDARD METRIC (Look up Google for a converstion chart if using Imperial) Music by Kevin McLeod (Used with Permission) incompetech.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSq3CECzhxA&hl=en