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Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili+

6 plus points
Yield: Makes 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
This is pretty mild – could stand to be spiced up.

1 pound extra-lean ground beef (I used stew beef instead)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14.5-ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 (16-ounce) can chili beans
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Cook beef, bell pepper, and next 2 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well, and return to Dutch oven.

Stir in tomatoes and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in corn, and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender and chili is thickened.

CALORIES 234 (22% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g); IRON 2.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 21mg; CALCIUM 65mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30g; SODIUM 642mg; PROTEIN 17g; FIBER 6.8g

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Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas

 

8 points

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup chickpea mixture, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1 1/2 teaspoons mint, 1 tablespoon almonds, and 1/2 cup couscous)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
1 tablespoon ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend) or garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
6 cups escarole, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup roasted whole almonds, coarsely chopped
4 cups hot cooked couscous

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove garlic from pan using a slotted spoon; discard or reserve for another use. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon stick) to pan; sauté for 7 minutes or until the onion is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water, rind, juice, chickpeas, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in escarole; simmer for 1 minute or until escarole wilts. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and mint; top with almonds. Serve over couscous.


CALORIES 406 ; FAT 12.7g (sat 1.5g,mono 8.1g,poly 2.4g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 127mg; CARBOHYDRATE 62.8g; SODIUM 512mg; PROTEIN 12.6g; FIBER 9.6g; IRON 3.8mg

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Zucchini Bread

3  cups all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon baking powder
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon salt
1/4  teaspoon baking soda
1/2  cup egg substitute
1/3  cup canola oil
1  teaspoon grated lemon rind
2  teaspoons vanilla extract
1  large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2  cups sugar
3  cups shredded zucchini (12 ounces)
1/4  cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through baking soda) in a large bowl.
Combine egg substitute and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; add sugar, stirring until combined. Add zucchini; stir until well combined. Add flour mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in walnuts.
Divide batter evenly between 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 2 loaves, 12 servings per loaf (serving size: 1 slice)

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Blood Orange Sangría

Any good-quality, fruity red wine works well in this cold sipper; a combination of pinot noir and Beaujolais is particularly good. The vermilion flesh of blood oranges (which come into season in December) is lovely. But if they’re not available, substitute navel oranges.

Ingredients
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups apple juice
2/3 cup Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup sugar
4 whole cloves
3 seedless blood oranges, each cut into 16 wedges
2 (750-milliliter) bottles fruity red wine
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks. Pour sangría into individual glasses, including the fruit.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

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Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw

9 points

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Steak:
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray

Slaw:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups packaged angel hair slaw
2 cups packaged matchstick-cut carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Remaining ingredient:
8 (6-inch) fat-free flour tortillas

To prepare steak, combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill or broiler.

Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

To prepare slaw, combine juice and next 6 ingredients (through 2 garlic cloves) in a large bowl. Add slaw and next 3 ingredients (through cilantro); toss well to combine.

Divide steak evenly among tortillas; spoon about 1/2 cup slaw onto each tortilla. Fold in half; serve immediately.

CALORIES 431 (24% from fat); FAT 11.5g (sat 3.9g,mono 5g,poly 1.4g); IRON 4.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 157mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.8g; SODIUM 871mg; PROTEIN 31g; FIBER 5.1g

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New Dog in the Family

Alex and Jolene just adopted a dog, Cowboy, a Catahoula Leopard dog.  He could give Bernoulli a run for his money (and then eat him).

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It’s Owl Season!

We have great horned owls trying to make babies and settle down in our woods!  We have had barred owls for many years – we love their call of “Who, who, who cooks for you.”  The call of the horned owl is different – a combination of short and long “whos.”  When they are courting each other, they fluff out their tails when they call.  It’s been fun watching them.  Happy hour is about when I get home each night.  It has been too dark to get a good photo.  Here is a fuzzy image of what I saw:

 

Continue reading “It’s Owl Season!”