December 2014

My Plate Dinner
Hearty Vegetable Soup
Whole Grain Bread or Crackers
Light Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt
 

Hearty Vegetable Soup (Protein, Vegetable)

Hearty Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 T olive or canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 can reduced-sodium diced tomatoes
  • 1 c reduced- sodium chicken broth
  • 2 c reduced- sodium vegetable juice
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 T dried basil
  • 1 t dried oregano
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 2 c. fresh baby spinach, stems removed

 

 

Directions:

1.    Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender.

2.    Add carrots and celery, sauté for 5 minutes or until celery is slightly soft.

3.    Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT spinach.

4.    Simmer until carrots are tender. Add spinach.

5.    Simmer until spinach is wilted.
 

Makes 10 servings  Print Recipe Card

Light Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yogurt (Fruit, Dairy)

Light Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yogurt

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 gallon carton vanilla fat- free frozen yogurt
  • 1 can pumpkin puree
  • 2 t pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 t cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Soften yogurt at room temperature.
  2. Use blender to combine frozen yogurt with additional ingredients.
  3. Return to freezer for half an hour.
  4. May be served with chopped nuts or crushed graham crackers.
  5. Leftover yogurt should be stored covered in the freezer.

Makes 16 servings  Print Recipe Card  

My Plate Dinner
Sweet Potato Burritos
Pear-Cranberry Crisp
Glass of Low Fat Milk

Sweet Potato Burritos (Vegetable, Grain, Protein)

Sweet Potato Burritos

Ingredients:

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 T olive or canola oil
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 2 1/2 t cumin, divided
  • 15 ounce can reduced- sodium diced tomatoes
  • 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 t cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4-6 whole-wheat tortillas, burrito size

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a pan, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, and 1/2 t cumin, and roast for 25 or until soft and slightly browned.
  3. In a large pot, mix the tomatoes, black beans, corn, red pepper, cayenne, and the remaining cumin. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Prepare a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  5. Divide the tomato-bean mixture and the roasted sweet potatoes between the tortillas.
  6. Fold in the sides of each wrap, then the bottom, then the top. Place the burritos in the casserole dish and bake for 10 or until burritos are slightly browned.

Makes 4-6 servings  Print Recipe Card

Pear – Cranberry Crisp (Fruit, Grain)

Pear Cranberry Crisp

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium pears, peeled, cored and chopped (about 6 cups)
  • 1 16 ounce can whole cranberry sauce
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 c brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice, divided
  • 3/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c cornmeal
  • 3 T sugar
  • 1 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/4 c cold butter, cut up
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 c canned pumpkin
  • 2 T low- fat milk

Directions:

Filling

  1. In a large bowl, combine pears, cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, brown sugar and 1 t pumpkin pie spice.
  2. Transfer filling to a 2- or 2-1/2- quart casserole. Bake, covered, in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes.

Topping

  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and the 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice.
  2. Using pastry blender or two butter knives, cut butter into flour mixture until pieces are pea-size.
  3. In a small bowl, combine egg, pumpkin and milk. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture all at once, stirring until just combined.

To Complete:

  1. Remove casserole dish from oven. Spoon the topping into 8 mounds on top of the hot pear mixture. If you like, sprinkle with a little additional granulated sugar.
  2. Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes more or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the biscuit topping comes out clean.
  3. Cool for 30 minutes.

Makes 8 servings  Print Recipe Card  

 

My Plate Lunch
Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich with Whole Grain Bread
Roasted Broccoli
Low Fat Flavored Yogurt

Fall Chicken Salad with Curry (Protein, Fruit)

Fall Chicken Salad with Curry

Ingredients:

  • 1 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed or shredded
  • 1/2 c apple, chopped
  • 1/4 c dried cranberries
  • 3 T plain yogurt
  • 1 T reduced- fat mayonnaise
  • 1/2 t curry powder, or to taste
  • 1 rib celery, chopped

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients.
  2. Serve with whole grain crackers or whole grain sandwich bread.

Makes 2 servings  Print Recipe Card  

 

Roasted Broccoli (Vegetable)

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:

  • 2 large bunches fresh broccoli, chopped into florets
  • 4-5 T olive or canola oil
  • 1 1/4 t kosher salt
  • 1/2 t black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 lemon

Directions:

  1. Wash and very thoroughly dry broccoli. Chop and separate florets.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F
  3. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic.
  4. Roast 20-25 minutes
  5. Top with zest and juice of lemon.
  6. May serve topped with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 2 servings  Print Recipe Card  

 

Other Fall My Plate Options

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal (Fruit, Grains)

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

  • 2 c old fashioned oats
  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1/4 t nutmeg
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1 1/2 c low- fat milk
  • 1/2 c applesauce
  • 1 T melted butter or margarine
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray an 8 by 8 baking dish with cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, butter, egg whites, and vanilla.
  5. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until combined.
  6. Gently stir in diced apples. Pour oatmeal mixture into pan.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until oatmeal is light brown.
  8. Remove from oven and serve warm.
  9. May add dried fruit or nuts to top baked oatmeal, if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings.  Print Recipe Card  

 

 

Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter (Fruit)

Easy Slow Cooker Apple Butter

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds cooking apples (like Jonathan or McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced (about 6 cups)
  • 1 c sugar
  • 3 T water
  • 1 T cider vinegar
  • 1 t ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 t ground cloves
  • 1/8 t ground allspice
  • 1/8 t ground nutmeg

Directions:

  1. Place apple slices in a 4-quart slow cooker.
  2. Stir in sugar, water, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg and cover.
  3. Cook on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. Stir.
  4. Cool mixture at least 1 hour or cover and chill overnight.
  5. Ladle apple butter into half-pint storage or freezer containers, leaving a 1/2-inch head space.
  6. Seal and label. Store 3 weeks in refrigerator or for 1 year in freezer.
  7. Serve with whole grain toast or crackers.

Makes 2 half-pints  Print Recipe Card