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White Turkey Chili

4 points – 1 cup

·    1  tablespoon  stick margarine or butter
·    1 1/2  cups  chopped onion
·    1/2  cup  chopped celery
·    1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
·    1  tablespoon  minced seeded jalapeño pepper
·    1  garlic clove, minced
·    3  cups  chopped cooked turkey (about 15 ounces)
·    2  (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained and divided
·    2  (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
·    1  (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
·    1  cup  frozen whole-kernel corn
·    1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cumin
·    1  teaspoon  chili powder
·    1/2  teaspoon  salt
·    1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
·    1  cup  1% low-fat milk
·    1/2  cup  chopped fresh cilantro

Melt the margarine in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (onion through garlic), and sauté 5 minutes. Add turkey, 1 1/2 cups beans, broth, and next 6 ingredients (broth through black pepper), and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
Mash remaining beans. Add mashed beans and milk to the turkey mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in chopped cilantro.

Yield: 11 cups

  • Calories: 217
  • Fat: 4.6g
  • Fiber: 3.5g
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September 3, Arolla to Grimentz

Day summary:

    • 7 hours (Kev time)
    • 6 miles
    • gain 218 m, lose 554 m

Our original plan was to take a bus to La Sage or Villa, hike up to the Barrage de Moiry and then walk down into Grimentz for the night, expecting to take the bus back up to the barrage the next day – I didn’t want to cover the same ground twice, so the bus seemed like a nice option.  You can also stay at a refuge at the Barrage, but we’re all about comfort.  We found out later that our British friends had planned to stay at that hut, but it was full.  Our friends ended up having to hike a lot further up to a more remote refuge (actually running out of water on the way), so it may be wise to make reservations ahead of time.

In order to give Barry’s feet a break – and to muster the energy to complete our trip, which had turned out to be more challenging than we had anticipated – we took a postbus from Arolla to Sion, a train to Sierre, and then another postbus from Sierre to Grimentz.

It was an enjoyable break, and we came to appreciate the amount of vertical ground we had been covering and the geography of the region beyond the mountains themselves.  It was weird (and wonderful) to cover so many miles so quickly!

Here is the journal entry for today:

I can’t say enough about Hotel Mont Collon!  Yes, there were very few guests there, but the owner went out of her way to help us.  We had a great petit dejeuner – typical, but plentiful.  The owner investigated travel info to get us from Arolla to Grimentz and printed it out for us.  Barry asked about Internet access and a computer, and she offered up her laptop, all while preparing the hotel for a conference of 85 people (which turned out to be PhD graduate students in environmental studies offering presentations of their theses, and going for hikes in the mountains – pretty cool!).

Our first leg was a bus from Arolla to Sion.  We actually rode past Ann and Joe (a couple from Australia whom we’d met at Mont Fort) as we neared Les Haudres.  It was crazy taking the bus up and down very narrow mountain roads with tight switchbacks and blind curves.  It was also great NOT TO BE WALKING.  It appears that the switchbacks are just big enough for the postbus to fit around – the driver goes right up to the rail before cranking the wheel to make the turn.  As a bus, we always win the war when bus encounters car coming towards us and there is only width for one vehicle.  Many a car had to back its way down to a spot with enough shoulder to pull off and let us through.

We lunched in Sion (capital of the Valais province) and caught a train to Sierre, then finished our motorized traveling day with another bus from Sierre to Grimentz.  We saw a lot of towns and farm fields along the way.  We are now in the Hotel Alpina, right across the street from the bus stop that will take us up to the Barrage de Moiry tomorrow morning.  We will hike up from there catch a cable car at Sorebois that will carry us down into Zinal.  Then we will decide what Barry’s feet can handle.  We have a couple of options: straight into Gruben or 2 days via Weisshorn.  We have already decided not to go to Zermatt via the Europa Hut. The book offers warnings about the trail from Gasenried to the hut.  If Kev offers warnings I get scared now – because there wasn’t enough warning for the steep, class 4 climb to Col de Riedmatten.  We have checked the weather and it looks pretty good for the next several days.  We have also heard that there is avalanche damage to the trail from the Europa Hut into Zermatt, creating quite the detour.  No thanks!

Off to dinner in a few minutes.  Hotel Alpina is pretty posh and modern compared to our stays over the last couple of nights.  No creaky floors, no dormitory-style beds, sleek shower, TV, etc.

—————————————————————————–

We enjoyed our rides on buses and trains.  Sion was interesting – bustling big city, with two tall islands of hills upon which sat a castle and what appeared to be an old monastery.  As mentioned in the “Accommodations and Traveling in Switzerland” article, we could have saved a lot of money if we had purchased a 3-day pass that would have covered the buses and trains we took today, as well as the bus from Grimentz up to the Barrage de Moiry tomorrow.  Oh well.  Live and learn.

Today was “picture light” because we were speeding past all the scenery.

Interesting view of hillside agriculture

Roadside shrine/crucifix looking down into valley

Sion, provincial capital of Valais – and an old castle (?) atop a hill island

Hotel Alpina in Grimentz

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Turkey Pot Stickers+

3 points/3 stickers + sauce

Dipping sauce:
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Dumplings:
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced carrot
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups chopped skinned cooked turkey
24 (4-inch) gyoza skins
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup water, divided

To prepare dipping sauce, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk.

To prepare dumplings, place mushrooms, onions, carrot, ginger, and vinegar in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping sides. Combine mushroom mixture and egg whites in a large bowl; add turkey, stirring until combined.

Working with 1 gyoza skin at a time (cover remaining skins to keep from drying), spoon about 1 tablespoon turkey mixture into center of each skin. Moisten edges of skin with water. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal. Place dumpling on a baking sheet (cover loosely with a towel to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining skins and turkey mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange half of dumplings in pan; cover and cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn dumplings; add 1/4 cup water. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Wipe pan dry with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with remaining vegetable oil, dumplings, and water. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 3 pot stickers and about 2 teaspoons dipping sauce)

  • CALORIES 144
  • FAT 2.5g
  • FIBER 0.9g

 

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Pork Tenderloin Agrodolce

 

5 points

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and about 1/3 cup sauce)

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup green olives
1/2 cup dried sweet cherries
1/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons sugar
6 garlic cloves
3 thyme sprigs
1 pound cipollini onions, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 500°.

2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 45 minutes or until onions are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook 7 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.

3. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add pork to pan, and cook 1 minute. Turn pork over. Place pan in oven; bake at 500° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink). Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Slice pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with sauce.


CALORIES 238 ; FAT 7.7g (sat 1.7g,mono 4.5g,poly 1.1g); CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 43mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.4g; SODIUM 416mg; PROTEIN 18.9g; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 1.4mg

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Spicy Beef and Tofu Salad+

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: about 2 3/4 cups)
5 points

8 ounces firm tofu, cubed
6 cups torn or chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup torn fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 serrano pepper, minced
1 tablespoon peanut oil
4 ounces skirt steak, trimmed, cut into 3 equal pieces, and cut across grain into thin strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Arrange tofu on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 30 minutes, pressing down occasionally.

2. Combine lettuce and next 4 ingredients (through onion) in a large bowl. Combine juice and next 4 ingredients (through serrano) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle half of the dressing over lettuce mixture; toss to coat.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanut oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add tofu and beef; sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cook 3 minutes or until tofu and meat are lightly browned, stirring once or twice. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining dressing to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add tofu mixture to lettuce mixture; toss to combine.

CALORIES 214 ; FAT 13.1g (sat 3g,mono 5.1g,poly 4.5g); CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 105mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.8g; SODIUM 527mg; PROTEIN 15g; FIBER 3.2g; IRON 2.9mg

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Almond-Crusted French Toast

Top with maple syrup, fresh berries, or bananas sautéed with a bit of butter and cinnamon.

1/3  cup ground flaxseed
1/4  cup sliced almonds
1  cup vanilla soy milk (such as Silk)
1/2  cup egg substitute
1  tablespoon maple syrup
1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
2  large egg whites
6  (1.5-ounce) slices whole wheat or whole-grain bread (such as Earth Grains)
Cooking spray
1  teaspoon butter, divided
1 1/2  teaspoons sifted powdered sugar

Combine flaxseed and sliced almonds in a shallow dish. Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (through egg whites) in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk, and pour milk mixture into another shallow dish.
Working with 1 bread slice at a time, place bread slice into milk mixture, turning to coat both sides. Let bread stand in milk mixture 2 to 3 minutes. Remove bread slice from milk mixture; dredge 1 side of bread in flaxseed mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat procedure with remaining bread slices, milk mixture, and flaxseed mixture.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Melt 1/2 teaspoon butter in pan; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add 3 coated bread slices, coated sides down; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with cooking spray, remaining butter, and remaining coated bread slices. Sprinkle powdered sugar evenly over toast.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

CALORIES 216(30% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 2.7g,poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 10.7g; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 126mg; SODIUM 286mg; FIBER 5.2g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28g

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Thai Beef Tacos with Lime Cilantro Slaw

Packaged coleslaw and matchstick carrots speed preparation. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.
Reviewers had issues with the short marinating time but raved about the slaw.

Ingredients
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
Preparation
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.
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

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Rosemary-Merlot Flank Steak

5 points

If you don’t have dried Italian seasoning on hand, use 1/8 teaspoon dried basil and 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano. You can also substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary for the fresh. Prepare marinade up to a day in advance, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1/4 cup sauce)

1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
3/4 cup Merlot or other dry red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preheat grill or broiler.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes, turning once. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade.

Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices; keep warm.

While steak cooks, combine reserved marinade, tomato paste, and mustard in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 7 minutes). Serve the sauce with steak.

CALORIES 203 (39% from fat); FAT 8.8g (sat 3.6g,mono 3.5g,poly 0.5g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 54mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.1g; SODIUM 445mg; PROTEIN 23.8g; FIBER 1.1g