Raman done right

I really wanted Raman, Oodles of Noodles as I have always called them.  But they are a pretty plan and basic food.  So I figured what can I had to it.  I have added chicken strips to the creamy chicken that was good but I was having chicken for dinner I didn't want it for lunch too.

So what I ended up doing is I diced up a garlic clove, one carrot, a little onion and about a cup of broccoli.  I let this mixture come to a boil and than I added the Raman.  It came out really good.  Something everyone should try especially since a head of garlic is $1, bag of carrots $2, onion $1, bag of broccoli $2 and Raman is about $0.20. My meal cost about $0.95. 

Basil pesto, vine-ripened tomato and bread.

My school has a hydroponic lab and they grow flowers, lettuce, basil and much more.  I decided to get a bag of basil good price at $3.00.  But now I had to figure out what on earth I was going to do with all that basil.  I love pesto so why not. 

I made a very basic pesto: 2 cups basil, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp seasoned salt, couple dashes of ground pepper and about a 1/4 olive oil.   Mixed it all in my mini chopper.  If you are going to freeze pesto you only want to put in about half of the olive oil in the mix and than just drizzle the rest on top.  When you take it out of the freezer and thaw it it will come out tasting like it was just made.

 For dinner I pared it with some bread sprayed with Pam and toasted (tip to avoid the added calories of oil or butter) and a vine-ripened tomato.  Was so delicious!

Luncheon Recipes

For a class project my classmate and I have to put on a luncheon.  Our luncheon theme is Edible Garden.  It is a vegetarian menu.  We had requirements for this project.  We could only spent $75, feed 12 people, less than 700 calories/person, less than 30% fat calories/person, less than 150 milligrams of cholesterol/person, less than 800 milligrams/person and be able to be prepared in less than two hours. We were able to do ours for 669 calories/person and well below in sodium and cholesterol.  As well as coming in $20 under budget. This is a very fun experience.  We just started working on our next luncheon and I will add that when the time comes.  We complete every step from theme, music, table setting, center piece, quantifying recipes, plate design, menu analysis, ordering and much more.  This is a great process and teaches us many skills.  I hope that you will enjoy the menu and try to make these recipes yourself.

Menu

 Mango Virgin Mojito

Baby Spinach Salad with

Lemon Garlic Dressing

Baked Zucchini Cakes

Corn, Black Bean & Tomato Salsa

Tomato Tortilla Chips

Vanilla Cupcake with Fruit Glaze

 

Mango Virgin Mojito-68 calories

 Yield:  48 fl. oz. - 6 portions    Portion:  8 oz glass

 Ingredients

3 cups mango juice

3 cups seltzer water

3 limes cut into 4 wedges

3 limes juiced

12 mint leaves

 Directions

1.  Combine mango juice and seltzer in a pitcher.

2. When serving add one lime wedge and

     two mint leaves to each glass.

Baby Spinach Salad-15 calories

 Yield: 6 servings      Portion:  1 Cup

Ingredients

6 cups baby spinach, washed and de-stemmed

¼  cup pine nuts

Directions

1.  Wash baby spinach.

2.  Plate and top with pine nuts.

3.  Top with 2 tsp Lemon Garlic Dressing.

Lemon Garlic Dressing-84 calories

Yield: 6 servings           Portion:  2 tsp

Ingredients

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

¾ tsp Lemon Zest

1.5 Cloves Garlic

¾ tsp Dry Mustard

Directions

1.  Mince garlic, zest lemon, squeeze the lemon into a measuring spoon

     be careful of seeds. 

2.  In a bowl combine all ingredients, whisk.

3.  Serve on Baby Spinach Salad.

 

Corn, Black Bean & Tomato Salsa-132 calories

Yield: 6 servings           Portion:  ½ cup

Ingredients

1.5 cup frozen corn

2 cups of water with 1 cup of ice.

1.5 Cans– Canned black bean, drained and rinsed

1.5 red bell pepper, diced

30 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

6 Leafs of Boston bib lettuce

Directions

1.  On the stove top in a sauce pan add corn and 1/2 cup of water, using medium heat

2.  Cook the corn for 5-6 minutes. Pour corn into a strainer and submerse in an ice water

     bath to stop cooking process. (1.5 cups water 1 cup ice).

3.  Rinse black beans. Halve tomatoes, dice peppers and chop cilantro.

4.  Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.

5.  Chill for 1 hour Serve.

 

Tomato Tortilla Chips-110 calories

Yield: 6 servings           Portion: 4 chips

Ingredients

3 Regular size Tomato flavor flour tortillas.

Pam Spray

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.

2.  Cut each tortilla into 8 triangles using a pizza cutter.

3.  Put  tortilla triangles on a large baking sheet. Don't overlap the chips.

4.  Spray the triangles lightly with cooking spray. Turn over triangles and spray again.

5.  Bake in the oven for about 3-4 minutes. Turn chips over and bake for another five minutes,  

     or until chips are golden brown and crisp.

6.  Remove from oven, place chips on a cooling rack.

Baked Zucchini Cake- 60 calories

Yield:  12 servings                 Portion: 2 oz. cake

Ingredients

3 cups unpeeled zucchini, coarsely grated

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp Garlic powder

1/8 tsp Black pepper

1/8 tsp Onion powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp Dried leaf oregano

1/8 tsp Dried thyme

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Mayonnaise

1/8 tsp Red pepper flakes

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray two full sized baking sheets with Pam spray.

2.  Wash zucchini, grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater.

3.  Squeeze water from grated zucchini in a strainer. Zucchini should be fairly dry.

4.  Place zucchini and remaining ingredients in a bowl; mix well.

5.  Form into 12 patties (approximate 1-inch diameter), and place on prepared baking sheets.

6.  Bake for 5 minutes. Then turn each cake over and bake for another 4 minutes.

     Cakes should have a slight brown color to them.

7.  Remove from oven, serve immediately.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Fruit Glaze-260 calories

Yield: 24 servings         Portion:  1 cupcake

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 (15.5 ounce) can Cannellini Beans

1/4 cup butter

2 cup Granulated Sugar 

 6 egg whites

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

24 cupcake liners (tin)

Fruit Glaze

3 cups of Confectioners’ Sugar

9 ounces of frozen strawberries

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place 24 cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

3. Using a mixer, blend beans and butter, add eggs to mixture.

4. Mix bean mixture into dry mix, add buttermilk and vanilla.

5. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them ¾ full.

6. Bake about 17 minutes, rotate pan halfway through. To check for doneness stick a toothpick into the center of a cupcake and it should come out clean. 

Fruit Glaze

1. Using a blender blend frozen strawberries into a puree.

2. In a bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and fruit puree. 

3. Dip each cooled cupcake into the glaze letting excess drip off.

4. Set on rack to dry, approximately 15 minutes before serving.

I will post pictures after our luncheon has been completed.

Veganaise Recipe/ Tofu Pate Recipe

I don't really like mayo so I might like this it without egg.  I have had a tofu pate made with veganaise and it was amazing.  Here are some recipes I found.  I hope to try this out this weekend. When I do you will know. 

Veganaise

2-1/4 cups safflower oil
1 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, raw or lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Makes 3-1/2 Cups

Combine all ingredients except vinegar or lemon juice in blender, blending until smooth. Slowly add vinegar or lemon juice until liquid thickens. 

One of my favorate snacks!!!

Avocado/Tomato Salsa

One Roma Tomato, Diced
One Avocado, Diced
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Olive Oil
Salt/ Pepper

Just combine all ingredients refrigerate,
serve with tortilla chips.

A few weeks ago my best friend Wanda and I made sushi.  This was only our second time so they might not look so perfect but we had a blast anyway.  We got the recipes from a book I was given for Christmas this year; Sushi with Style.  We made what most would call California Rolls but we added carrots to the mix of avocado, cucumber and crab meat.

What to do with left over chicken.

For the left over beer can chicken, take two potatoes, two stalks of celery, four carrots, 1 cup peas, 1/2 medium onion and mushrooms.
Dice potatoes, celery, carrots and onion.
Cook all vegetables add 2 cups of chicken gravy and cook on medium heat add left over chicken.
Serve with sour dough bread. Yum!!!