Monthly Archives: April 2014

Cauliflower Soup

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Soups and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup

A cold stormy day calls for hot soup. We were hit with an unexpected snow storm the other day that threw everyone into a tizzy. What is it that is so often said about the last day of March, “out like a lamb”?  Not this one. The lion roared again and tied up traffic for miles with multiple accidents. What did I do? I stayed home and sent a barrage of e-mails to the Weather Goddess. Enough is enough, Mother Nature. Check your calendar; it’s Spring!!  😀

Mr. D was so thankful for a steaming hot bowl of soup. He said it hit the spot. This soup is healthy and light. It has a creamy texture from the cauliflower and would lead you to think it was loaded with cream, but there’s not a drop of cream in it. I served it with a drizzle of olive oil on top. It would make a light lunch or first course or serve with a sandwich for a full meal as I did.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

A serving of this soup is 1 3/4 cup, with 93 calories, 3 g. fat, 12 g carbohydrate.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Very few ingredients.

Very few ingredients.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth, (vegetarians can use vegetable broth)
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower chopped into florets (1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
  • kosher salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan or soup kettle, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook about 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the chicken broth and cauliflower and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes.) Turn off the heat.

Cook the cauliflower in the chicken broth.

Cook the cauliflower in the chicken broth.

3. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, or use a regular blender and puree in small batches. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Puree the cooked cauliflower with a blender.

Puree the cooked cauliflower with a blender.

Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup

 

SOURCE: adapted from Skinny Taste

Flower Power

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Roasted Cauliflower with Cranberries and Crispy Onions

Roasted Cauliflower with Cranberries and Crispy Onions

Cauliflower is a beautiful thing!!  With its bunches of tightly clustered florets snuggled into green leaves, cauliflower looks somewhat like a flower.  Cauliflower comes in colors other than white–and with added nutrients.  Orange and green cauliflower provide us with beta carotene.  Green cauliflower also has a little more protein.  Purple cauliflower  gets its color from anthocyanins, said to improve memory.  Since its color fades with cooking, you will get the most benefits by eating it raw.

Cauliflower has been called the “skinny starch”.  It has 16 % less carbs and 79 % fewer calories per 1/2 cup than potatoes.  It also has lots of pectin– the same stuff that thickens jams and jellies–so pureed cooked cauliflower has a velvety texture that adds body to soups, and mimics potatoes when mashed.  Cauliflower may also be shredded or finely chopped, then lightly sautéed to make a low-carb “rice” or “couscous”.

If you prepare cauliflower with a sense of adventure, its mild flavor and unique texture allow it to take the place of other higher calorie, higher-starch foods in  winter dishes.  Forget basic steamed florets.  In this recipe you will see that roasty-browned cauliflower mixes well with dried cranberries and crispy French fried onions to make a side dish that goes well with just about any main entree.

IMG_6635

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH CRANBERRIES AND CRISPY ONIONS

Yield:   Makes 6 – 8 servingsIMG_6629

Ingredients:

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup French Fried onions, divided
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, divided
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, divided
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.

2.  Cut cauliflower into small bite-size florets.  Place on a large baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.   Roast for 10 minutes.  Remove cauliflower from oven.  Add 1/2 cup of the French fried onions to the cauliflower on the baking sheet and toss to mix.  Place the remaining 1/4 cup onions off to one side of the baking sheet (these will be used as garnish.)   Roast mixture an additional 10 minutes or until cauliflower reaches desired tenderness and onions are brown and crispy.

3.  In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Set aside 2 tablespoons each of dried cranberries and pistachios ( these will be used as garnish).

5.  In a medium bowl, toss warm cauliflower mixture with dried cranberries and pistachios.  Spoon ricotta mixture on top and fold gently, leaving large bits of ricotta.  Garnish with reserved cranberries, pistachios and crispy onions.  Serve immediately.

IMG_6637

SOURCE:   Eating Well

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Broccoli Rice Casserole

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Broccoli, rice and cheese seem to have a natural affinity for each other and this recipe has been around in one form or another for years.  But you know what?   We never had it at our house when I was growing up.  I remember having it at church potluck suppers, and I know my friends had it at their house, but this was not one of my mother’s  side dishes. Other popular meals that my friends had were Shake and Bake Chicken and Hamburger Helper, but nope, not us.  I felt so deprived!   And even to this day, as a grown-up,  when I hear or read about broccoli and rice casserole I still get that “left out” feeling.  So I decided to take the bull by the horns and just make it.  With all the people who have made this dish over the years, how hard could it be?

Success!!

Success!!

I know that some people used “Cheez-Whiz” to make this dish real cheesy, but that, too, had been denied to me.  So I followed the path I know and used a cheddar cheese.  You can make this with fresh broccoli if you precook it sightly,  or as a time saver use frozen broccoli florets.  The type of rice you use can vary according to your taste.  I used long grain white rice, but you could use a wild and white rice combination, brown rice, or any other variety of rice.

The finished casserole was indeed cheesy, and had a good proportion of broccoli to rice, so I didn’t feel that it was too heavy with carbohydrates.  It’s filling and satisfying, and goes well with most any meat or fish, or serve with another vegetable and a salad for a meatless meal.

IMG_6527

BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

Yield:   Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 medium onion, dicedIMG_6520
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup rice ( long grain, brown, or other)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 medium head broccoli, stems trimmed, and cut into florets; or use 1 (14 0z.) bag frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 can ( 11 oz.) cream soup, i.e., cream of chicken, mushroom, or celery
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.

1.  Saute onion in 2 T olive oil;  when onion is translucent stir in rice.  Cook and stir for 2 – 3 minutes more.  Add 2 cups broth, bring to a boil, decrease heat and simmer about 40 minutes with the lid on.  Stir a few times to prevent sticking.

2.  Meanwhile cook (or thaw) broccoli, but not completely.  You want it to be on the crisp side.  Drain off any liquid.  Mix in the soup and pepper.

3.  Add the cooked rice and 1/2 cup cheese.

Mix rice into broccoli mixture.

Mix rice into broccoli mixture.

Add the cheese and mix in.

Add the cheese and mix in.

Transfer to a baking dish that has been prepared with non-stick spray.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350*F.

So good!

It may be April 1st, but this dish is no joke!  😀

SOURCE:    Adapted from The Casserole Connection