Roasted Cauliflower with Shaved Parmesan Cheese and Tomato Dipping Sauce

         

     
     I haven't posted any new recipes in awhile and thought of making one of my favorite easy veggies. Cauliflower, best roasted and not steamed or boiled.  My favorite way of eating veggies, be it asparagus, broccoli or brussel sprouts. The roasting gives it a better taste which beats a soggy veg anytime. With the baking hardly any other seasonings are needed.

 The Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower 
1 cup of shaved Parmesan cheese
1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce

Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Cooking Equipment:
Non-stick Spray
Non-stick baking sheet covered in aluminum foil
Spatula

Cut cauliflower up into florets. On a covered baking sheet spray a coat of non-stick cooking oil. Place the florets on the baking sheet evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. With a spatula turn and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until they are almost browned. The last five minute add the Parmesan cheese and bake till cheese is lightly toasted.  Meanwhile heat the tomato sauce and I sometimes add Italian seasoning and just a bit more of grated Parm.
 


 

Sauce I use

  

 

                            Avocado Fries and Cilantro Lime Dipping Sauce
Crispy from the coating on the outside and creamy and smooth on the inside. Dipped in the sauce these have all my favorite flavors!

1 Avocado sliced in half and each half sliced into 4 sections.
1 cup of plain Panko breadcrumbs
Add to the Panko the following:
2 tablespoons of paprika
1 tablespoon of cumin
1/2  tablespoon of garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
Gently coat each section of the Avocado in the Panko mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes, just until the coating has browned.

The dipping sauce:

1/2 cup of plain Yogurt
1/2 cup of chopped Cilantro
The juice from a small lime
Place in a small food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth.

               

                                           Cauliflower Casserole

                                  

 Casserole's are a easy comfort food, that are usually loaded in fat and calories. They are most usually made during the holidays or anytime there are lots of people to feed. Broccoli casserole is one of my favorites. The cheese sauce and crunchy topping is what makes this so good. Our version drops the fat and calories, but doesn't lose the taste. My wife wanted to try a cauliflower casserole using the same recipe that we use for the broccoli. We hope you try it!

Cauliflower Casserole

1 med head cauliflower cut up into florets
2 cans of reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
4 oz of 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
pepper to taste

Makes 6, 1 cup servings based on the amount of cauliflower used.

Place cauliflower florets to a boil in a covered pan. Turn off heat and let stand 10 minutes. Making sure they are firm but fork tender. Drain and place back in pan. Place 3/4 of shredded cheese, two cans of mushroom soup and pepper with the cauliflower. Gentle combine. Place all ingredients in a 9x13 shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with a nonstick spray such as Pam. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Then evenly distribute the Panko bread crumbs on top of that. Bake at 350 degrees, until top is brown and casserole is bubbly. Remove from oven and let set a few minutes to cool. Enjoy!

A traditional broccoli casserole has about 300 calories and 18 grams of fat. Our recipe has:
per serving 153 calories, 4.8 grams of fat and 3.6 grams of fiber

                     Oven "Fried" Green Tomatoes
                          with Spicy Dipping Sauce

 
I made these last year and posted the recipe. Except this time I did not use a wire rack to back them. I just laid them out on a foil lined baking sheet spray with non-stick spray. These were the best yet. I think do to the fact that I used stone ground cornmeal that I got from the Amish grocery in Casey County, Kentucky. These tomatoes were also "heirloom" type tomatoes and were not acidic at all! I also made a spicy dipping sauce from fat free sour cream. I will post that recipe a bit later! So here you go!

First step (lightly dust in mixture)
1/2 cup cornmeal for dusting
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Second step (egg wash)
1 med egg beaten or 1/4 cup egg beater

Third step (dredge in coating mixture)
1/2 cup panko
3 Tablespoons of cornmeal
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place on wire rack that has baking sheet beneath it and has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes until tomatoes are browned and give slightly to the touch. Enjoy!
Makes two servings
160 Calories and .75 grams fat

                        

Kentucky Bourbon Brownie Pie

                                                 

                                       Kentucky Bourbon Brownie Pie


I decided to try making a chocolate dessert to celebrate Derby Day in Kentucky. Two things Kentucky is known for is horses and bourbon.The bourbon of choice was Makers Mark.The alcohol is evaporated in the cooking process. What is left is a wonderful combination of great flavors and a chocolate lovers dream. Best of all its a lower fat and lower calorie treat!

Brownie crust:
1/2 box of reduced fat brownie mix
6 T of eggbeaters
2 T Makers Mark
2 T of chopped pecan pieces
2 T of plain Greek yogurt
Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until combined. Pour into a 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the middle. If batter slightly sticks to it when removed and the brownie is set, it is  done. Let cool on a wire rack.

Second layer, Chocolate topping:
1 box of Fat Free chocolate pudding
3/4 up skim milk
With a hand mixer whip until just combined
Then add:
2 cups light whipped topping that has been thawed fold into pudding mixture until completely combined.

Spread over completely cooled brownie. Refrigerate until set.

Bourbon sauce:
2 T Makers Mark
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T skim milk.
Bring to a boil until it just begins to bubble, cook about 1 minute. Let cool and garnish individual slices with a sprinkle of chopped pecans, frozen whipped topping and a drizzle of sauce.

Makes 8 servings 220 calories a slice and 3.5 grams of fat!

Thanks to my wife for helping with this recipe and kitchen duty!

Cabbage Casserole Redo.....Southern Comfort Food

                       Cabbage Casserole Redo....Southern Comfort Food

     A co-worker of mine told me about making Cabbage Casserole for holiday meals and how much her family loves it. The thing is, it has Velveeta Cheese and butter in the original a big no-no for me and my healthier eating lifestyle. The recipes I found for the original has about 260 calories and about 18 grams of fat per serving. I made a redo of it at Christmas but it needed more flavor in it. When I started to make it I decided to give  it a kick and my weapon of choice was Franks Red Hot Sauce. It gives it the tang that was missing! It was a last minute idea to post the recipe so the pics aren't so great. After I dug into it and tasted I had to share. So here is my recipe, thank you Mrs. R for the idea!

1 medium head of cabbage cut in chunks

2 cups of fat free lower sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

1 can of Healthy Request Cream of mushroom or Cream of Celery soup-your choice

1 cup of 2% Sharp Cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2 Tablespoons of Franks Red Hot Sauce

Pepper to taste

1 Cup of Panko bread crumbs

Place cabbage in large sauce pan and with chicken broth and water. Cook on medium heat until translucent and fork tender. Do not over cook.

Remove cabbage from pan leave about 1/2 cup of liquid in pan. Add 1 can of condensed soup and whisk together. Then add cheese and other spices and hot sauce, whisk. Return cabbage to cream mixture and gently stir till coated. 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour cabbage mixture into baking dish and top with Panko. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Enjoy!

Makes 8 (1 1/2) cup servings 

113 calories 

4 grams of fat

Twice Baked Zucchini Poppers

I love my veggies and love cheese. So I came up with this recipe that is lower in fat and calories than the traditional twice baked potato. These are so good!

           3 medium zucchini ends trimmed, split in half with the seeds removed.

      I gave them a good sprinkle of coarse black pepper and baked them at 375 for about 20 minutes.


The filling I used was as follows:
1 can of lower sodium chopped artichoke hearts, rinsed.
1 frozen 10oz box of chopped spinach, thawed and pressed out in a colander so the water is removed.
1 cup reduced 1% cottage cheese.
1 diced garlic clove
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning to taste.

 Mix together and press into the hollowed out zucs. Bake at 375 for about another 20 min or until cheeses are slightly brown and bubbly. I grated 1/3 cup of 2% sharp cheddar on top the last five minutes of baking. But Mozzarella would have been better. The flavor and texture is great with the salt, fat and calories!

1 half zuchnni is: 112 calories and 1.3 grams of fat.