Posted Oct 17, 2009
By the end of August, fall feels like it’s right around the corner. This week’s recipes help you gear up for the change in seasons with lots of oranges and browns thanks to carrots, pumpkin and mushrooms. Besides being colorful, these ingredients offer important nutrients like vitamin A, potassium and selenium.
This week’s featured family meal is perfect for a fall picnic because each dish can be made ahead of time and served cold. Bring along Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup, Salade Nicoise and Baked Pumpkin Bread for the first football game of the year.
During the rest of the week, try Asparagus Salad with Carrots and Shitake Mushrooms or Pollo Relleno for lunch or dinner. Crustless Tomato-Pepper Quiche and Strawberry- Vanilla Yogurt Waffles both offer a final taste of summer that can be served for breakfast, brunch or even dinner.
“Family Meals Matter” features recipes selected by registered dietitians from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at the free online nutrition and meal planning website Meals Matter (www.mealsmatter.org), sponsored by Dairy Council of California.
Featured Meal
Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup
2 cups water
1 1/2 lb peeled baby carrots
4 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 tsp salt
1. Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add carrots and ginger; cook, covered, over medium-low heat 25 minutes or until tender; chill in covered saucepan.
2. Puree carrots and liquid in food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into a bowl; stir in buttermilk and salt. Swirl in a little extra to decorate.
Total time does not include chilling
Salade Nicoise
1/2 lb green beans
2 eggs, hard boiled
6 c mixed greens
2 cans tuna (use 8-12 oz fresh grilled if possible)
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
6 anchovies
1 t capers
3/4 c pitted olives
2 c red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 t Dijon mustard
Steam green beans for 4 minutes, drain and shock in ice water to set color.
Refrigerate until time to use. Boil eggs, cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
Arrange greens on platter, top with tuna, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, anchovies, capers and olives. Mix in small bowl or food processor the red wine vinegar, olive oil, shallot, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad and serve.
Cook’s notes: A number of these ingredients can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the salad. Improvise with ingredients if you don’t have certain things on hand, or find you don’t like them.
Baked Pumpkin Bread
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 1/3 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk OR
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl. Mix in pumpkin, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and butter until well blended. Pour into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and smooth the top.
3. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Entrees (lunch, dinner), sides, beverage
Asparagus Salad with Carrots and Shitake Mushrooms
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/7954
Pollo Relleno
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/48872
Crustless Tomato-Pepper Quiche
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/49660
Strawberry-Vanilla Yogurt Waffles
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/42592
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SHOPPING LIST (Includes ingredients to make at least four servings of each recipe.)
BAKING NEEDS
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 teaspoons sugar
Vegetable cooking spray
2 to 5 teaspoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
CANNED MEATS AND BEANS
6 anchovies
2 cans tuna
CANNED VEGETABLES
1 teaspoon capers
1 can (4 ounces) chili peppers, green, whole
3/4 cup olives, pitted
1 1-3 cups pumpkin puree
CONDIMENTS
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
A few drops hot sauce, optional
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3/4 cup strawberry syrup
DAIRY
3 tablespoons butter
2 1-2 cups milk, low-fat (1 percent) or fat-free
3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
6 1/2 cups reduced-fat buttermilk
6 ounces (2/3 cup) vanilla fat-free yogurt
EGGS
1 dozen eggs
ETHNIC FOODS
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce, or more to taste
2 jars (8 ounces each) salsa
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
POULTRY
6 (about 1 1/2 pounds) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
PRODUCE
3/4 pound asparagus spears
6 1/2 pounds carrots, baby
1 small bunch cilantro or fresh parsley
One large root ginger, enough to mince for about 2 tablespoons
1/2 pound green beans
1 medium green bell pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons green onions, optional
8 large dried shiitake mushrooms
6 cups mixed greens
1 onion, medium
2 medium red bell peppers
1 shallot
1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
4 or 5 tomatoes
SEASONINGS
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
One package taco seasoning mix (2 tablespoons)
Dash salt and pepper
1 teaspoon vanilla
Date: Sept 3, 2009
For more healthy meal planning made simple, go to www.mealsmatter.org
© 2009, Dairy Council of California, MealsMatter.org.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.