Runs for Cookies Recipes: vegetables

Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts

January 21, 2017

Ground Turkey and Cabbage with Spicy Peanut Sauce

This recipe has been migrated to my everyday blog, Runs for Cookies. Here is a direct link to the recipe: Ground Turkey and Cabbage with Spicy Peanut Sauce.

I've been kind of obsessed with bagged coleslaw mix lately (it's just shredded cabbage and carrots). It started when I tried making "Egg roll in a bowl". That turned out really good, but had way too much soy sauce, so it was very salty; but, I liked the texture, and cabbage is my favorite vegetable. So, I started playing with it and adding it to other things as well. Surprisingly, my whole family loves it, too!

Yesterday, I made the filling for P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps and then instead of eating it in lettuce wraps, I added a whole bag of the coleslaw mix and we ate it out of bowls. Everyone kept exclaiming how good it was, even my kids!

November 5, 2014

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This recipe is loosely based on the one found on Skinny Taste. I had a ton of peppers to use up, and that recipe only called for 1 cup, so I made some changes to accommodate all my peppers (and my family's tastes). This soup is SO yummy!

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. extra lean ground turkey breast
4 bell peppers (I used one green, one yellow, and two red), chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cups beef broth
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) tomato juice (you probably don't need this, I just threw it in there because I had it in the pantry)
3/4 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1.5 cups uncooked rice (white or brown--I used white)

Cook the rice according to package directions, and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot (at least 5.5-quart size). Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the turkey, breaking it up as it browns. Once the turkey is browned, add the bell peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the rice) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and let it cook until the peppers and onions are as soft as you'd like (I cooked it about 15 minutes). Add the rice to the soup pot, and stir to combine. If it's too thick, you can add some water (I added about two cups). (You could keep the rice separate from the rest of the soup and only add it when serving, so it doesn't overcook--but I like to add it right to the soup)

When made as written, it should produce about 14 cups. Using the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder, that comes out to 3 PointsPlus per cup (I ate two cups per serving).

November 23, 2012

Chicken 'n' Noodles

I was really in the mood for some creamy comfort food, and since I already had cooked and shredded chicken in the fridge, I just threw this meal together last-minute. Jerry and I both loved it! If the chicken is already cooked, the whole meal comes together very quickly.

I'm sorry, but this recipe has been migrated to my everyday blog, Runs for Cookies. This link is a direct link to that recipe. Thanks! --Katie

September 9, 2012

Vanilla Pumpkin Protein Shake

This recipe has since been migrated to my everyday blog, Runs for Cookies. Click Here to be taken directly to the recipe!

This shake turned out so yummy it actually deserves its own post ;) One of my readers requested that I create a pumpkin protein shake. I've tried a few recipes that I found online, but wasn't crazy about any of them. A lot of the shake recipes use bananas to sweeten, and I just wasn't crazy about the combo of pumpkin and banana. I used Torani Pumpkin Pie flavored syrup in this--if you really can't find it and/or don't want to buy it online, you could probably just use some sort of sweetener (1 Tbsp. of maple syrup would probably be good!) and extra pumpkin pie spice.

Anyway, this shake makes me super excited for my favorite time of year--fall!

February 7, 2012

Quinoa Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

A reader sent me a link to this recipe, thinking I might like it. I'm glad she did, because it was great! The original recipe can be found here. I made a few modifications, so I'll post those below. It sounds like a strange combination of ingredients, but it worked really well together.

Not the prettiest dish, but it tastes good!

Quinoa Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing
(modified to make 1 serving)

1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coleslaw mix (just plain shredded green cabbage and carrots)
3-4 slices of cucumber, julienned

For the sauce:
1.5 Tbsp. smooth natural peanut butter
1.5 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Bring the water to a boil in a small sauce pan, and add the quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer until water is absorbed (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Add the coleslaw mix and cucumber, and toss to coat. When the quinoa is done cooking, add it to the bowl and toss again until everything is coated. Makes 1 serving

December 21, 2011

Infamous Glazed Carrots

My family hated these, but I happen to love them! You can read the story of how these became "infamous" on my blog. You can make glazed carrots with pretty much anything that contains sugar. When you heat it, some of the liquid evaporates and it reduces down into a syrup-like glaze.

The first time I made these, I used frozen carrots. I've also made them with canned carrots. I'm sure I'd like them with fresh carrots as well. Just make sure that the carrots are cooked until fork-tender before you add them to the glaze.

Infamous Glazed Carrots
1 can sliced carrots, drained (or fresh or frozen, but make sure you cook them first)
1 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. dried cranberries (Craisins)

In a skillet, combine the orange juice concentrate, the butter, the cranberries, and the maple syrup, and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes until thick and syrupy. Add the carrots and brown sugar and toss to coat, keeping over the heat until the carrots are heated through.

Makes 4 side-dish servings (approximately 1/3 cup each)

August 18, 2011

Kielbasa & Corn Hash

I found this unusual recipe on allrecipes.com and gave it a try. It's fantastic!! This is a great way to use up veggies.

Kielbasa & Corn Hash

20 oz. potatoes, peeled and diced
14 oz. package smoked turkey sausage (about 90 calories/serving)
1 cup of pepper and onion stir-fry blend (frozen)
1 can corn, drained
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
4 eggs, cooked over-easy, to top the hash with

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook potatoes and kielbasa until potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 minutes (add a little water if they start to stick). Add the frozen pepper mix and corn. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more. Portion out hash and top with an egg.

Chicken Stew

I like this when I'm looking for some comfort food. It's hot and creamy and filling.

Chicken Stew

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 medium carrots, chopped or sliced
16 oz. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 1/2 cups frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and carrots. Add the chicken and cook until chicken is browned. Add the potatoes and broth, and simmer until the potatoes are soft (I cover the pan for this part). Add the peas, corn, and green beans, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of water, and add it to the pot. Stir until thickened.

August 17, 2011

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

My mom taught me to make this years ago, and I thought it sounded so strange when I read the ingredients. But they all work so well together! This is a delicious lunch--I love to stuff this into a pita bread.

Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad

1-2 Tbsp. minced red onion
2 Tbsp. light ranch dressing (I like Hidden Valley)
1 oz. low-fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli
1/2 cup finely chopped cauliflower
20 grams of raisins (about 1-2 Tbsp)

Combine all in a bowl and stir together. Stuff into a pita pocket or just eat it straight out of the bowl.

Split Pea Soup

Despite how gross it looks, I LOVE split pea soup. My husband does too, and this recipe is our favorite.

Split Pea & Ham Soup

1 (1 lb) bag of dried split peas
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 oz. of potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (8 oz) package of diced ham
8 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for about 4 hours (or low for 6-8 hours) until thick. Makes 8 servings, approximately 1-1/2 cups each.

Sweet Potato Wheels

I had a sweet potato sitting on my counter for a while, so I decided to turn that into my lunch yesterday. It was SO GOOD that I just have to share--it's not much of a "recipe", more of a "method". But either way, you've got to try it!

Sweet Potato Wheels (because "Wheels" sound so much more fun than "fries" or "rounds")

1 large sweet potato (mine was 12 oz)
cooking spray
salt & pepper to taste

Set the oven to 'broil' (mine has high and low, so I chose high). Peel the sweet potato and slice into thin slices (about 1/4 inch). Spray a baking sheet with the cooking spray, and then lay all the sweet potato pieces out on the sheet.

Lie the wheels on a sprayed baking sheet

Spray the tops with a little cooking spray and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Put the sheet under the broiler until the tops are starting to ~~burn~~ darken in spots, like this:

When they look like this, flip them over

I think it took about 10 minutes for mine. Flip each piece over, and put the sheet back under the broiler. When you can smell the sweet potato goodness, and they look like this, they're done:

~~Pile them all on a plate and devour them~~. Share them with someone, because this is probably at least two servings. I ate the whole batch for about 280 calories, which was totally worth it. These taste just like sweet potato fries, but they are so much easier to make--they cook more evenly, they don't stick to the baking sheet, and they take less time overall.

A very well-spent 280 calories!

Breakfast Pizza

This is a very hearty breakfast pizza. I imagine it would be good with different meats and veggies. Ham and spinach would be good!

Breakfast Pizza
1/2 recipe of whole wheat pizza crust (see that recipe here)
1 pkg frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry
3/4 cup of 2% cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. chopped green bell pepper
6 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled (I used the Hormel Black Label bacon that is 70 cals for 4 slices)
onion powder, salt, and black pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp of each)

Spray a pie plate with cooking spray and sprinkle a little flour around the bottom. Spread the dough out along the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pie plate (adding flour if necessary to keep it from sticking). Spread the broccoli out on the crust, and top that with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle the bacon and peppers on top of that. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, milk, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the whole thing, and then top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until eggs are just set (it took 35 minutes for me). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving for Breakfast Pizza:

Breakfast Pizza nutrition

Spicy Carrot Bisque

My friend Courtney made this for me when I had a broken jaw and my mouth was wired shut. It's a pureed soup, so I was thrilled to be able to eat it. It is absolutely DELICIOUS. I'm not even a huge fan of carrots, but this soup is one of my favorites! The original recipe used a roux to thicken (butter + flour), but I don't find it necessary. Also, I used half & half instead of heavy cream and used less of it. It is rich and thick, and yummy, and it is the very definition of "comfort food" for me!

Spicy Carrot Bisque

3 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped
1 onion, chopped
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup half & half (regular, not fat free)
1/4 tsp. white pepper (this is what makes it so good!)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. cumin

Combine everything except for the half & half in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer (med-low) and cook until the carrots are soft (depends on how small the pieces are, but about 30 minutes). Use a stick blender to puree (if you don't have a stick blender, you can use a blender and just do it in batches). Stir in the half & half and heat through--just don't boil it after adding the half & half.

Makes about 10 cups. Per cup: 99 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 4 grams fiber, 16 grams carbs, 3 grams protein.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

This is SOOO good--probably my favorite soup, especially when I'm sick. There's no meat, which is nice because I don't have to thaw it out first.

10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach
1 med. onion
2 cloves garlic
1 quart chicken broth
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
3 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Throw the spinach in the microwave and microwave it on high for 3-4 minutes until thawed. While that's thawing, heat a soup pot over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Chop and add onion and garlic. Cook until soft. Add chicken broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. When the spinach is done thawing, put it in a clean towel, and squeeze out all the liquid by wringing the towel out. Add the spinach to the pot, as well as the tomatoes. Bring back to a boil. Add the tortellini. In a small bowl, beat the egg and and the cheese, salt and pepper to the egg, combining it all together. When the tortellini is done cooking (just takes a couple minutes), stir and slowly drizzle the egg mixture into it. Keep stirring so that the egg doesn't scramble.

AMAZING Garlic Green Beans

These are anything-BUT low-calorie, but they're sooo delicious! I figured, what better way to spend my calories than tasty vegetables? Next time I make them, I'm going to try cutting the butter and oil in half, but somehow I don't think it'll be the same. :) Even my husband, who is a complete "meat & potatoes" guy told me to make these way more often.

Garlic Green Beans

1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 head garlic
2 cans green beans, drained
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and butter. Peel each clove of garlic (it takes some work, but trust me, it's worth it!) then slice into very thin slices. Add the garlic to the oil and saute until the garlic is BARELY brown (you don't want to burn it, so keep the heat at medium/medium low). Add the green beans and stir to coat the beans with the oil/butter. Cook until the beans are heated through, just a couple minutes. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. parmesan cheese over each serving.

Cabbage Casserole

This has very few ingredients, but it tastes AWESOME--just like stuffed cabbage, only without all the work. You can eat it as-is, or serve it over rice, which is my favorite way to eat it.

1 head of cabbage (whatever size you want, depending how much you like cabbage)
1 lb. lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 can condensed tomato soup (I use the Campbell's healthy request)
salt and pepper, to taste
cooked rice, optional

Remove the core from the cabbage and coarsely chop the whole head. In a skillet, cook the beef and onion until the beef is browned. Spread half of chopped cabbage into a large casserole dish. Cover with the meat mixture. Top with the remaining cabbage (you may have to pack it down--it looks like a TON of cabbage, but it shrinks down a lot while cooking). Pour tomato soup over the top, and spread it around. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr and 15 minutes (more or less, depending on how soft you like the cabbage to be). Serve over rice.

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan

This is my VERY FAVORITE vegetable-- I can eat an entire head of cauliflower in one day this way, that's how good it is.

(This is more of a cooking method than a recipe, because you can adjust the amount of oil and cheese depending on how many calories you want to spend). This is how I usually make it:

1 head cauliflower
2 tsp. olive oil
8 tsp. grated parmesan cheese (2 Tbsp + 2 tsp)
salt & pepper
garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces, and put them in the casserole dish. Drizzle with the olive oil (I have one of those pump sprayers, where you just fill it with oil, pump the top, and then spray--I like that, because it gets more coverage). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss it all together with your hands, to coat the cauliflower. Bake UNCOVERED for about 30-40 minutes--for softer cauliflower, cook longer. I usually take it out when it starts to brown, like in the picture. Makes 4 servings.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

This is my very healthy sweet and sour chicken recipe. You could also make this with pork.

2 tsp. olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
About 20-30 baby carrots (sliced), or a few large carrots
1 large onion
1 large green bell pepper
1 clove garlic or 1 tsp. jarred minced garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger (fresh or jarred, I always use jarred because that's what I keep on hand)
1 can (about 15 oz) pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve juice)
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar (you could use white vinegar if you don't have the rice vinegar)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. corn starch
Cooked rice, for serving <---I always start cooking this first, and then right when it's done cooking, I'm finished with the chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat, and and add oil. Slice the carrot and add it to the skillet. Chop the onion and green pepper and add that (if you like your green pepper crispier, then add it later--but I like mine to be pretty soft).

While those are cooking, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and add them to the skillet. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook until the chicken is done, stirring frequently. Add enough water to the pineapple juice to make 1 cup of liquid, and add that to the skillet. Bring to a boil, and then add the soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Add the pineapple tidbits. Stir well to comine. Put the 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl and stir in the corn starch until it's dissolved. Then add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet, stirring well. The sauce will get very thick. Serve over rice.

Keema

This is a slightly modified version of a dish called Keema that I found on Sparkpeople. It sounded really interesting, and since I was loving the cinnamon in the Moroccan meatball dish, I decided to try this. Some very unusual ingredients that I never would have considered putting together, but it tastes fabulous. My whole family loves this dish.

Keema

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. lean ground turkey (93/7)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup diced potato (peeled)
1 cup frozen peas
1 can tomatoes
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger root
1 Tbsp. curry powder (I used Kroger brand curry powder)
Cooked brown rice for serving

Brown ground turkey in pan with olive oil and onions. Add tomatoes, peas, potatoes, and spices, along with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Add water if it becomes too thick--it should have the consistency of chili. Serve over brown rice (or just by itself). Serves 4.

Vegetarian Fried Rice

I used to hate sesame oil. I still gag when I smell it straight out of the bottle. However, it goes really nicely in this dish. This is meatless, which you know makes me happy!

2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 small green pepper, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced (or 1 can, drained)
4 servings cooked brown rice
1 cup frozen peas
3 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 eggs, beaten (omit eggs to make it vegan)
black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook the carrots, green pepper, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic in the oil for a couple of minutes. Add the rice, peas, and soy sauce and combine. Push rice mixture to side of skillet, and cook eggs in other side. Mix the eggs into the rice mixture.