Leek and Golden Potato Soup

Here is the soup recipe I mentioned yesterday. It was really quite good. As I've said before, Weight Watchers recipes are hit or miss. But this one was a big, low-fat hit. And the directions couldn't be easier. Really.



Leek and Golden Potato Soup
WW New Complete Cookbook
Makes 6 servings

WW Notes - When you substitute all-purpose potatoes with buttery-tasting Yukon Golds, there's no need to add butter or oil to get a wonderfully rich-tasting soup. Once considered a specialty ingredient, these light skinned potatoes can now be found at most supermarkets.

My notes - I added garlic. Can't have soup without garlic. And I carmelized the leeks in some cooking spray. Yes, the nutrition police will pick me up shortly for my rebellion I'm sure. My recipe modifications are in italics.

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 large leeks (about 2.5 pounds) white and pale green parts only, cleaned and chopped
1 large oinion, chopped
5 cups fat-free chicken (I used veggie) broth
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Combine the potatoes, leeks, onion, broth and pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil. Spray pan with cooking spray. Add leeks and saute over medium high heat. Add onion. Saute until brown and flavorful. Add garlic as leeks and onions begin to look dry (about a minute before you are ready to add broth). Add 1 cup of broth, and deglaze pan with spatula/spoon. Add rest of broth, potatoes and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are tender (20-25 minutes). Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.

2.Transfer mixture to a blender and puree, working in batches if necessary, to prevent overflow. Mix with hand blender in pot until desired texture.

General Tso's (Fake) Chicken

I admit it. Sometimes I use "fake meat" substitutes. They're quick, and easy and sometimes that's what I need. And I figure, as long as I don't use them every day, then its okay.

Meat substitutes, like the kind I used last night, can be a very divisive topic with vegetarians. Some vegetarians believe very strongly that cooking and eating meat substitutes goes against the principle of vegetarianism, or abstaining from eating meat. They think that if you are vegetarian, then you wouldn't want the taste of soy crumbles (another popular meat substitute) in your food. I understand that principle and idea, but the fact of the matter is vegetarian cooking can be quite time consuming. Vegetarian main dishes tend to involve many spices, ingredients and take a considerable time to cook (especially when using dried beans, grains etc). So, sometimes it is appealing to take a recipe written for meat (and therefore somewhat quicker in preparation) and substitute either tofu, tempeh or a store-bought meat subsitute. Its not something I do every day, but sometimes it adds something different to our menu.

The recipe I made tonight is an old favorite of ours. It is ... wait for it ... a Weight Watchers recipe (I seem to be on a Weight Watchers kick lately), but you wouldn't know it from the taste. The use of cornstarch again creates that thick, glossy mouthfeel found in most Chinese takeout. Like most stir-fry dishes, once the sauces are mixed the dish cooks and comes together quite quickly. I've made this dish successfully with tofu, as well as the fake chicken strips I used this evening.

Below you see the entire meal. On the upper right side of the plate, Japanese Grilled Eggplant. Lower right side has Stirfried Green Beans with Rice Wine Vinegar and Mirin. Lower left side has homemade vegetable dumplings, and in the top left corner is the General Tso's "Chicken".

General Tso's Chicken
Weight Watchers Take Out Tonight Cookbook
Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces (I used fake chicken strips)
5 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus 2 teaspoons
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (I subbed hoisin sauce)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole scallions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions:

Combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons of the sherry, 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch, and the oyster sauce in a medium bowl, set aside to marinate for 5 minutes.

Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sherry, the water, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and the remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.

heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the canola oil, then add the chicken mixture. Stir fry until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, and crushed red pepper; stir fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the celery and bell pepper; stir fry until crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the sherry mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, and the chicken is just cooked through, 1-2 minutes.


Weight Watchers Notes:

This wonderful dish originated in china's Hunan province and demonstrates the Chinese tradition of naming dishes after significant figures.

Nutritional Information:

According to recipe, one serving (1 cup) provides: 207 calories, 6 g. fat, (1 g. saturated fat), 63 mg. cholesterol, 413 mg. sodium, 13 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. fiber, 24 g. protein, 34 mg. calcium, 4 Weight Watcher Points.

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

So, after finishing the muffins (and baking a batch of brownies but more on those tomorrow) I was somewhat at a loose end. M. was still asleep, and I was definitely feeling pangs of hunger. But what to make for lunch? I remembered a favorite recipe for eggplant parmesan that we both really enjoy, and a certain white eggplant lurking in the depths of our vegetable drawer. Lunch was determined, and after sampling the dish it is safe to say that we still really like the recipe. While it is a Weight Watchers recipe, the addition of parmesan to the breadcrumbs adds a nice flavor to the sandwich. I used some of my homemade marinara, and a sprinkling of fat-free mozzarella cheese and we were enjoying our sandwiches within 35 minutes of my decision to make Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches for lunch. I threw together a quick side salad using up the last of the quinoa salad along with some romaine lettuce, carrots and red pepper chunks in order to round out the meal. And I think its safe to say that this will be a recipe often repeated - it's even fast enough to be a weeknight dinner if I think far enough ahead and cook the eggplant while preparing the salad.

Eggplant Parmesan Hero ~ 7 Pts.
Weight Watchers recipe - Take Out Tonight Cookbook

Weight Watchers' Notes - "A favorite Italian treat, our hero is kept low in points by spraying the eggplant with nonstick spray and baking it. For best flavor, use olive oil spray."

My notes - I had a mini-baguette so I used one small eggplant to make only 2 sandwiches. The leftover eggplant pieces were topped with a little sauce and cheese, and eaten plain.

1 pound eggplant -- unpeeled, cut into 1/4"-thick slices
1 large egg
1 tablespoon nonfat milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs, seasoned -- dried
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese -- grated
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim milk -- shredded
1 cup marinara sauce
4 Italian hard rolls -- split

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.

Lightly beat the egg and milk in a shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan on a sheet of wax paper. Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs, and arrange in one layer on the baking sheet. Lightly spary the eggplant with nonstick spray. Bake until the eggplant is softened and lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

Divide the eggplant slices into 4 equal portions on the baking sheet. Overlap each group of slices so they are no larger than the dimensions of each roll. Top each portions with 1 tablespoon of the mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer each eggplant portion to the bottom of each roll, top each with 1/4 cup of the sauce. Replace top of roll and serve at once.

A walk on the veggie heavy side...

So, I've decided that my veggie kitchen will be producing lighter fare in the weeks to come. There may still be baking for M.'s office folks, but the french tarts and tartes tatins will have to wait a bit. All this travelling and vacationing has left me feeling somewhat heavy from eating in restaurants that use much more butter/oil then I do. As a result, I'm craving nonstop fresh fruits and veggies, and this is certainly the time of year to indulge.

First of all, I must show off the omelet M. made me for lunch today. M. tends to be a very inventive cook. Give me a recipe, and I'm a happy girl but M. likes to push the envelope a bit more. Sometimes this results in amazingly tasty concoctions, sometimes not so much. Today fell into the amazingly tasty category. He chopped fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary and thyme) and added them to the egg mixture component of the omelette. I would never have thought to do so (I would have added the herbs to the sauteed vegetables instead) but the result was so flavorful and above and beyond the standard omelet.

After the dust settled (and the dishes were washed), I set about trying a new hummus recipe. We're big fans of hummus, but have stopped making it since we have an amazing Middle Eastern grocery on the next block which makes it in bulk amounts for a minimal price. Why reinvent the wheel? But, in an attempt to make as much at home as possible (so as to minimize unwanted ingredients like too much oil etc), I decided to whip up a batch to have with carrots and cucumbers for a snack. When I drastically lighten our diets, I like to send M. to work with snacks so that he's not chained to a desk wasting away with hunger. This hummus will do nicely. All in all, the recipe was good but not great. It's a Weight Watchers recipe, and in my experience WW recipes are either awesome or just alright. The texture was a little runny, but then I just dumped 6 oz. of plain fat free yogurt into the mix without measuring out a half a cup so that might be cook's error. The flavor was good, it was just the runniness that was a touch off-putting.

But, falling squarely into the awesome WW recipe category were the two dishes I made for dinner. We started with a Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Napoleon which consisted of seared tofu slices with roasted peppers, onions and zucchini in between. The recipe should have included eggplant, but my brain did not register this fact when copying down ingredients so our napoleons remained eggplant-less. Both M. and I were impressed by how flavorful the resulting dish was, and agreed that the tofu benefited from the simple but tangy preparation. I would make this dish again.



As a main dish, I made Grecian Spaghetti Squash Saute. Chickpeas, diced tomatoes, mint and feta- this dish combined several of our favorite flavors. Halfway through making it, I realized I'd made it before but not in a very long time. I had a sort of recipe deja vu. Since I already had the oven on for the roasting vegetables, I roasted the spaghetti squash as well. This dish came together quickly, and if using the microwave cooking method would definitely be doable on a busy weeknight. I served this dish with fresh corn since the combination of the two dishes had meant lots of chopping etc, and I wasn't going to make anything else! This kitchen was closed, and the chef on strike. :) But it felt great to be cooking again.


Grecian Spaghetti Squash Saute
Weight Watchers Recipe
Serves 4

WW notes - This unusual and delicious take on spaghetti squash is great as a main dish, or as a side dish paired with grilled or broiled fish or chicken, or roast leg of lamb. Red pepper flakes will add extra kick

My notes - Red pepper flakes would have been good, I'd add them next time.

2 pound raw spaghetti squash
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup scallion(s), sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup dill, or mint, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup pot cheese, or fat-free crumbled feta

1. Pierce squash with a fork in several places; place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high, turning squash over every 3 minutes, until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes; let stand 5 minutes. (Or to bake squash, preheat oven to 350ºF. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a large baking dish and prick skin all over with a fork. Bake until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.)
   
   
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add scallions and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, chickpeas, oregano, lemon zest, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.
   
   
3. Cut cooked squash in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds and then scrape strands of squash into skillet with a fork. Cook, stirring, until squash strands are well coated; remove from heat and stir in dill or mint. Top each serving with cheese. Yields about 1 cup of squash and 1 tablespoon of cheese per serving.
   
   

Roasted Vegetable and Tofu Napoleon
Serves 4

4 sprays cooking spray
1 large red onion(s)
1 medium raw eggplant, peeled
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow pepper(s)
1 medium sweet red pepper(s)
1 pound extra firm tofu
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped
3 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped
3 large garlic clove(s)
1 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, about the juice from one lemon

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
   
   
2. Slice onion in half and then cut each half into quarters. Slice eggplant, zucchini (slice diagonally) and peppers into 1/4-inch slices. Slice tofu across into 8 slices, about 1/4-inch thick.
   
   
3. Place onions on one half of a baking sheet and peppers on other half. Place eggplant and zucchini separately on second baking sheet. Coat tops of vegetables with cooking spray. Roast 15 minutes and then rotate baking sheets; roast 15 minutes more. Turn off oven and leave vegetables in oven to keep warm.
   
   
4. Place rosemary, parsley and garlic in bowl of food processor. Add oil and lemon juice and blend until smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes; set aside.
   
   
5. Spread herb mixture onto both sides of each tofu slice. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Place tofu in heated pan and brown both sides of tofu, about 2 to 4 minutes per side.
   
   
6. To serve, place one slice of tofu on a plate. On top of tofu, stack one slice of eggplant, one slice of red pepper and one wedge of red onion; top with another slice of tofu and then top that with one slice each of yellow pepper and zucchini, and another piece of red onion. Drizzle with remaining herb mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Yields one napoleon per serving.
   

Hummus
[Will be posted tomorrow, as it requires typing unlike the two previous recipes which I found online!]

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