Eating Light Virtual Supper Club Celebrates Peanut Butter in November

Ahhh Sweet November and it's peanut butter month in the hood.  A versatile ingredient and a staple in a vegan diet (unless of course you have a nut allergy), peanut butter can be an appetizer, a main and/or a dessert.    Somehow I gravitate to the dessert portion of the meal and this month is no different.  A lighter version of the peanut butter and jelly muffin was my pick this month and I discovered that this muffin was a choice that will most definitely make repeat performances in the Equal Opportunity Kitchen.  All I can say is Yum Yum!

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (about 3 1/2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1/4 cup egg substitute (2 eggs)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam 

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugars, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through vanilla); add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Fill each cup half full with batter. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam into each cup. Spoon remaining batter on top to cover jam. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Foraging with Mushroom with the October Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club

 

October already!!!  I'm conflicted because I adore this time of year; the weather, the leaves changing colour, the plentiful harvest and yes, even the shift towards winter.  The cooler weather is a welcome change and honestly, I'm getting a little "over" everyday salads.  I'm ready for more comfort food, the smell of spices and pumpkin, Thanksgiving and the festive holidays.

This month we're virtually out in the forest foraging for mushrooms.  I'm putting big emphasis on the virtual since I'm pretty certain you won't get too far with me in the forest looking for mushrooms.    This month I've chosen a Wild Mushroom Omelette recipe.  This is probably the best time of year to load up on mushrooms since they have a plentiful supply of vitamin D.

• 
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 ounces wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 4 large eggs, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper, divided

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 3 minutes or until water evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place 2 eggs in a small bowl. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper, stirring with a whisk until eggs are frothy.

Pour egg mixture into pan, and stir briskly with a heatproof spatula for about 10 seconds or until egg starts to thicken. Quickly pull the egg that sets at sides of the pan to the center with the spatula, tipping the pan to pour uncooked egg to the sides. Continue this procedure for 10 to 15 seconds or until almost no runny egg remains.

Remove pan from heat; arrange half of mushroom mixture (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) over omelet in pan. Run spatula around the edges and under omelet to loosen it from the pan. To fold the omelet, hold the pan handle with one hand and tip the pan away from you. Give the handle a sharp tap with your other hand so the top edge of the omelet flips over, or fold the edge over with a fork. Slide the omelet from the pan onto a plate, rolling it as it slides, so it lands folded in three with the seam underneath. Tuck in the sides of the omelet to neaten it.

Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, 2 eggs, 1/8 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper, and 1 1/2 tablespoons mushroom mixture.

Take a trip and see what the others in the club are doing for October:

Val from More Than Burnt Toast Cabernet Balsamic Burgers with Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants prepared a Mushroom Salad with Truffle Oil. 

Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe Cooking prepared Creamy Corn Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms 

 

Thai Seafood Salad for Canada Day and the Cooking Light Supper Club

HAPPY CANADA DAY

Canada Day, also known as Canada's Birthday is known as a day of celebration by Canadians at home and abroad.  Equally as significant on this day is the Oath of Citizenship ceremony that takes place welcoming immigrants as new Canadians (officially).  I was once one who took that oath and feel very proud to be called a Canadian.  A country of diversity, what could be more appropriate to prepare than an ethnic dish that speaks to an immigrant group that has brought us their culture and their cuisine.

My contribution to the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is a Thai Seafood Salad.  All the elements of typical Thai cuisine come through in this dish with a depth of texture that makes my mouth extremely happy.

• 1/4 cup water
• 8 ounces sea scallops
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
• 1 cup red bell pepper strips
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 8 ounces lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
• 2 fresh lemongrass stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced (I omitted this)
• 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Bring 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a large skillet. Add scallops to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes or until done. Remove scallops from pan with a slotted spoon; pat scallops dry with paper towels. Place scallops in a large bowl. Add shrimp to simmering water in pan; cover and cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain well; add to scallops.

2. While scallops and shrimp cook, combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chile paste; stir to dissolve sugar.

3. Add juice mixture, bell pepper, and remaining ingredients to scallop mixture; toss gently to combine.

What are the others in the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club doing?

Val from More Than Burnt Toast made a salad of Marinated Mozzarella and Pepper (like the red and white theme going on here)

Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch with a main of Lobster Rolls

Sandi from The Whistlestop Cafe Cooking made Grilled Zucchini with Caprese Salad.

Helene of  La Cuisine Helene.com/ made Fresh Squeezed Limonade

Jerry from  Jerry's Thoughts Musings and Rants  brought Strawberry Parfaits for dessert.

I'd say we've got quite the picnic - wouldn't you?

June Cooking Light - Lemon Almond Tarts

The days are getting longer and the weeks are flying faster and faster. Before we turn around Val will be on her bucket list trip to the Amalfi coast. I'm mentioning Val's trip since June's theme for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is hers and interesting that we'd be focusing on Mediterranean style dishes. Since it's likely the only trip I'm taking to Italy this year, virtual is good.

I combed the recipes of Cooking Light and found this recipe for Lemon Almond Tarts that was begging be to give it a try.  It was just so easy to make.

Ingredients 

1/2 cup blanched almonds
3 tablespoons brown sugar
36 vanilla wafers
1/4 cup butter, melted
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) jar lemon curd
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely ground. With motor on, drizzle butter through food chute; process until blended. Press about 1/4 cup crumbs into the bottom and up sides of each of 8 (4-inch) tart pans coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until toasted. Cool.
3. Preheat broiler.
4. Spoon curd evenly into crusts.
Place egg whites and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a thermometer registers 250°. Pour hot syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread egg white mixture over tarts. Broil 30 seconds or until lightly browned

Want to see what the others are doing?  Check them out.  If you close your eyes, you might be able to hear the waves of the ocean on the coast.  

Making this tart was fun - just be careful to get it out of the oven before the top starts to get a little too brown - but we won't discuss that here and I can't possibly repeat what came out of my mouth when the golden brown was starting to be more than golden.

Val of More Than Burnt Toast provided our main dish of   Chicken with Olives and Lemons and Fresh Mediterranean Salad 

Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe Cooking made a treat of Warm Olives. I admit I've never tried warm olives but now have a mission for something new to me.

Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants made a gorgeous Classic Tzatziki and served it with warm pita.

Fresh Eggs A Sign of Spring for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club

It's really hard to believe that it's March already. I'm not exactly sure how it happened but I think that while I was sleeping someone pulled a fast one, changed the clocks and calendars and made me believe that it'll be spring in a few short weeks. One of the first signs of spring for me is a dessert made with spring produce. One of the first things we see at the markets in spring is rhubarb ... add some farm fresh eggs and you've got the start of rhubarb custard bars I think a better name for these low fat treats is "Won't Last Long Rhubarb Custard Bars". It went so fast that I couldn't even get a clean shot without a piece taken out of it.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
3 large eggs
5 cups (1/2-inch) sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb (unthawed)


Topping:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Mint sprigs (optional)
Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare crust, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

To prepare filling, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl; add milk and eggs, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir in rhubarb. Pour rhubarb mixture over crust. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until set. Cool to room temperature.

To prepare topping, place 1/2 cup sugar, cheeses, and vanilla in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping; spread evenly over baked custard. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club - Double Ginger Pumpkin Flan

Here we are in the dead of winter and thus far we've had it relatively easy. Toronto's had a smattering of snow but not the 6 ft drifts I remember from my childhood. I'm not sure whether I should be happy or concerned.

This month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is focusing on winter comfort food. For me, desserts are always comforting so I decided to try my hand at a Double Ginger Pumpkin Flan I used a flan pan that was probably too big for the volume of this flan so I carefully spooned it into dessert dishes. It sure didn't take away from the taste. I've included the nutritional breakdown to emphasize that we can always have dessert.



If you don't have individual ramekins, use custard cups or a 1 1/2-quart baking dish, which will require an additional 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

Caramel:

Cooking spray
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Flan:
1/3 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. To prepare caramel, lightly coat 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 4 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, without stirring, 6 minutes or until mixture turns golden around outside edges. Divide evenly into prepared ramekins. Set aside.

3. To prepare flan, combine 1/3 cup sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin and next 3 ingredients (through cinnamon). Combine milk, half-and-half, and fresh ginger. Heat milk mixture over medium-high heat in a heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Reduce heat, and cook to 160°, stirring constantly with a whisk . Remove from heat. Strain through a sieve over a large bowl; discard solids.

4. Divide milk mixture evenly among prepared ramekins. Place cups in a 13 x 9–inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1-inch. Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cups from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Chill at least 8 hours.

5. Carefully loosen edges of custards with a knife. Invert ramekins onto plates. Drizzle any remaining caramel over custards.

Val from More Than Burnt Toast prepared Carmelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread.
Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants! has a Tuscan White Bean Soup
Sandi of The Whistestop Cafe Cooking arrived with Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Spinach
Roz from La Bella Vista prepared Sirloin Steak with Mushroom Sauce with Chive Garlic Potatoes



Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 224
Calories from fat: 31%
Fat: 7.6g
Saturated fat: 3.6g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8g
Protein: 5.1g
Carbohydrate: 34.9g
Fiber: 1.3g
Cholesterol: 215mg
Iron: 1.2mg
Sodium: 39mg
Calcium: 106mg

Camarones Fritoes with Mexican Cocktail Sauce

After spending the past couple of weeks of 2011 cooking, eating, celebrating, eating, relaxing, eating and of course, eating, I feel like I'm ready to get back on track. A smart person once said to me that we can chose to live life consciously or unconsciously. So no, I'm not going to stop eating, but I'd like to be living my life a little more consciously with more assurance about outcomes. Actually, I think that smart person was Psychgrad.

One of my new efforts this year is being the newest member of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. I join a formidable group of fellow bloggers; Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants , Val from More Than Burnt Toast , Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe Cooking and Roz of La Bella Vista . Based on the philosophy of Healthy Foods - Cooking Light , each month one of the members selects a theme and each of us participates by selecting a recipe based on the theme. Each blogger selects a course to prepare and submits their choice to the group. If I choose an appetizer, the next blogger must choose a different course until we fill the entire meal. Posting is generally the first Wednesday of each month.

This month's theme is "Dreaming of a Summer Mexican Fiesta". The dreaming part and preparing Mexican dishes is about as close as I'm getting to Mexico especially when it looks more like this here.

The fun is both in the challenge of the theme and also in the blog hop to see what everyone else has done. Happy blog hopping.

My choice for the Fiesta is a shrimp appetizer - Camarones Fritoes with Mexican Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients

Shrimp:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 large egg white

1 (5.5-ounce) bag baked potato chips (such as Lay's)

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

Use the coating and crisping technique for different fillets of fish, such as halibut or catfish. It will also work in making chicken fingers. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Sauce:

6 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare shrimp, lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine the buttermilk and egg white in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place potato chips in a food processor; process until finely ground. Place chip crumbs in a shallow dish.

Sprinkle shrimp evenly with salt and pepper. Working with 1 shrimp at a time, dredge shrimp in flour; dip into buttermilk mixture. Dredge shrimp in crumbs, shaking off excess. Place shrimp on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly spray top of shrimp with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining shrimp, flour, buttermilk mixture, and crumbs. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done.

To prepare sauce, combine ketchup and remaining ingredients, stirring well. Serve sauce with shrimp.