Cuisinart Covered Casserole Giveaway & Piping-Hot Peanut Butter Soup Recipe

by The Meal Makeover Moms on January 21st, 2010

January is National Soup Month (no surprise there), and to celebrate we’re giving away a gorgeous Cuisinart 5 QT Round Covered Casserole, perfect for cooking savory soups and stews on cold winter days. To enter, all you have to do is post a comment here or to our Facebook Fan Page with your family’s favorite soup recipe (see below for more entry details).

We’ve also cooked up a steamy new recipe for Piping-Hot Peanut Butter Soup. This soup is a huge hit with our kids. Something magical happens when the flavors of the peanut butter and all those seasonings — cumin, curry, cinnamon — hit the taste buds. This soup has big-time kid appeal, so we hope you’ll give it a try.

Piping-Hot Peanut Butter Soup

Makes 7 Servings

The inspiration for this recipe came from Janice’s sister Lori who got the recipe from Apollo’s Pasta & Pizza restaurant in Olympia, WA. Her husband and kids absolutely love the soup which motivated us to give it a try. After a few Meal Makeover Mom tweaks, we created a soup that your family will gobble up, and that’s a promise.

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
  • 1 large orange or red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 ¼ cups)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • One 32-ounce container all-natural chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup chopped cooked chicken (we cut the meat into ¼-inch pieces)
  • 3/4 cup instant brown rice
  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • Unsalted, roasted peanuts, chopped, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers soften, an additional 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, curry powder, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, celery salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 30 to 60 minutes.

3. Whisk in the chicken, rice, and peanut butter until the peanut butter melts into the soup. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is done, about 10 minutes.

4. Serve in individual bowls and top with peanuts as desired.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 generous cup): 280 calories, 16g fat (3g saturated, 0.2 omega-3), 790 mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 15g protein, 30% vitamin A, 70% vitamin C

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To Enter our Cuisinart 5 QT Round Covered Casserole Giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling us about your family’s favorite soup recipe. The more details on the ingredients and preparation the better! A link to your favorite recipe would also be great.

We Will Enter You into the Giveaway Multiple Times if you do any or all of the following (just be sure to leave us a new comment every time you do one of these things):

> Tweet about our giveaway on Twitter or tell your Facebook friends about it with a link back to this blog post.

> Become a Facebook Fan.

> Add one of our buttons/widgets to your blog or website. They are located in the upper left sidebar of our blog. We have three to choose from: Our blog post widget, our Recipe badge, and our Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen badge.

Our giveaway ends on Friday, February 5, 2010 at noon. As always, we’ll use Random.org to choose the winner. Good luck!

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180 Comments | Filed Under Dinner, Giveaways, Grains, Lunch, Poultry, Soups/Stews, Vegetables 

Podcast 89: Vegetarian Delights – Very Veggie Chili and Chocolate Caramel Tofu Pie

by The Meal Makeover Moms on January 13th, 2010

Meat-less meals are predicted to be all the rage this year due to consumer concerns over health, the environment, and the economy. With a renewed interest on vegetarian diets, we figured we’d jump on the bandwagon with some new vegetarian-inspired recipes … and a podcast. So for this week’s Cooking with the Moms, we cooked up a steaming hot Very Veggie Chili recipe made with carrots, corn kernels, black eye peas, and tofu, and we used a fabulous soy-based cheese, so the chili is super-low in saturated fat. We also created a sweet and delicious pie featuring, of all things, tofu!

Very Veggie Chili

Makes 6 Servings (1 generous cup per serving)

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 large carrot, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • One 15-ounce can black eye peas, drained and rinsed (about 1 ¾ cups)
  • 1 cup all-natural vegetable broth
  • One 8-ounce package cubed super firm tofu (we like Nasoya), drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • One 7-ounce package Veggie Shreds Cheddar Flavor (we like Galaxy)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes.

2. Stir in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper as desired and cook an additional 2 minutes.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, beans, broth, tofu, and corn and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4. Remove the cover, add 1 cup of the cheese, and stir until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in individual bowls and top with the remaining cheese.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 320 calories, 9g fat (0.5g saturated), 680mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate, 10g fiber, 21g protein, 130% vitamin A, 25% vitamin C, 40% calcium, 30% iron

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For our next recipe, no one has to know it’s made with tofu, unless, of course, you choose to divulge that information. Janice’s girls and Liz’s boys request this dessert all the time … and they are all fully aware there is tofu in the recipe.

As you can see, we call for a prepared pie crust for this luscious yet light dessert. There are a few brands we like including Wholly Wholesome and Arrowhead Mills, and we just heard about another crust made by Heartland that we’re itching to try. You can certainly make your pie crust from scratch. For a healthier version, check out the crust we created for our Double Strawberry Smoothie Pie.

Silky Chocolate Caramel Pie

Makes 10 Servings

  • One package Dark Chocolate Silken Style Creations (we like Nasoya)
  • One 8-ounce package 30%-reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
  • One 9-inch prepared chocolate (or plain) Graham Cracker pie crust (look for an all-natural, trans fat-free brand)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. To make the filling, place the tofu, cream cheese, cornstarch, and caramel sauce in a large bowl, and use a hand mixer to combine until smooth and creamy (you can also use a food processor). Scrape down the sides as necessary.

3. Pour the tofu mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 1 hour until set. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 hours, uncovered, until cooled completely. Slice and serve.

Tip: Serve with a small dollop of whipped cream, an extra drizzle of caramel sauce, and/or some fresh raspberries on top.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 210 calories, 8g fat, (4g saturated), 220mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 4g protein

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If you have a favorite vegetarian or vegan recipe you’d like to share, or if you get a chance to try these new recipes, let us know what you think.

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16 Comments | Filed Under Beans, Desserts, Dinner, Lunch, Podcast, Soups/Stews, Vegetarian 

Broccoli, Bean & Cheddar Cheese Soup

by Liz on January 3rd, 2010

It snowed again in Boston today, and even though we’re just a few days into the new year, I’ve already lost count of the inches. After a morning of shoveling followed by a brisk walk through my neighborhood turned winter wonderland, I decided we could all use a steamy bowl of homemade soup.

Having returned late the night before from a family ski trip to New Hampshire, I didn’t have too many ingredients to work with. Luckily, the simple recipe I created — inspired by my 11-year old’s plea for broccoli soup (he loves the Cheesy Broccoli Soup recipe from our cookbook on page 116) and a recipe from Eating Well magazine for Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup, our meal was on the table in a matter of minutes.

Broccoli, Bean & Cheddar Cheese Soup

Makes 6 Servings (6 cups total)

The beans add a “creamy” consistency to the soup … along with fiber and antioxidants!

  • One 32-ounce container all-natural vegetable broth
  • One 16-ounce bag frozen chopped broccoli
  • One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Croutons, optional

1. Place the broth in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli, beans, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper, cover, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until cooked, about 8 minutes.

2. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup or let cool slightly, transfer to a blender, and puree in batches (puree VERY WELL so there aren’t any lumps in the soup). Place the soup back in the saucepan over low heat. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with croutons as desired.

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If I make this soup again, which I probably will, I may toss in a shredded carrot for a hint of sweetness and some extra nutrition. But then again, with two veggies already — broccoli and beans — this soup is already packed with great nutrition. As for my boys’ reaction, they said they’d definitely eat it again (which I consider a mealtime success).

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13 Comments | Filed Under Beans, Lunch, Soups/Stews, Vegetables, Vegetarian 

Podcast 86: Quinoa Karma, and 3 Yummy Recipes

by The Meal Makeover Moms on December 23rd, 2009

Once called “the gold of the Incas” and believed to increase the stamina of their warriors, quinoa (keen-wah) is an ancient “grain” fairly new to the U.S. market. Quinoa is ideal for vegans and vegetarians (or omnivores like us) because it’s a complete protein — it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It’s also a good source of fiber, magnesium (reduces heart disease risk and helps ward off migraines), manganese (good for bone health), and iron. Quinoa is gluten free, so if you’re following a gluten-free diet, this is the food for you!

Interestingly, quinoa is often referred to as a “grain,” but it’s actually the seed of a plant related to beets, chard, and spinach. When cooked, the seeds expand to three to four times their original size, become translucent, and the white germ partially detaches itself — it looks like a white-spiraled pig’s tail! When fully cooked, quinoa becomes fluffy and a bit crunchy.

In the spirit of full disclosure, we don’t have a lot of experience cooking with quinoa which is why we we posted a plea on our Facebook page asking fans for their favorite quinoa recipes and ideas — and boy, did they come flooding in. Teresa S. suggested we try a recipe for Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash from Fat Free Vegan (which we ended up trying and then tweaking … see recipe below), Katie C. serves her family a “make-your-own grain salad” meal by laying out bowls filled with cooked quinoa, beans, veggies, cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette, and Leora T. told us she likes quinoa when topped with flaked cooked salmon, lime juice, cilantro, fresh peas, and toasted pine nuts. All that inspiration led to three family-friendly quinoa recipes and episode 86 of Cooking with the Moms!

Crunchy Quinoa with Almonds & Apricots

Makes 6 Side Dish Servings (or 4 Main Dish)

We got the idea for this simple side dish from Debra Stark’s recipe for Quinoa with Pine Nuts and Apricots. Debra is a cookbook author and owner of Debra’s Natural Gourmet in Concord, MA.

  • 1 cup quinoa (cooked with all-natural vegetable broth as suggested on package *)
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper (cut into ¼-inch dice)
  • 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped (7 to 8 apricots)
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions, optional
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • Freshly ground black pepper

* The amount of broth needed will depend on your quinoa product. Read package directions for the suggested amount of liquid (it may range from 1 ¼ cups to the more likely 2 cups liquid per 1 cup quinoa). The cooking time may also vary depending on the brand you select. As a rule of thumb, the suggested time will range from 10 to 15 minutes with an instruction to let stand 5 to 10 minutes until the quinoa fully absorbs all the liquid. When fully cooked, the quinoa will “sprout.”

1. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse very well several times in cold water. Drain well and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, for the time suggested on the package. Turn off the heat and let quinoa remain in the covered saucepan until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Transfer quinoa to a salad bowl and fluff slightly with a fork every few minutes until the grains cool.

4. Gently stir in the bell pepper, almonds, apricots, scallions as desired, salt, cumin, and coriander until well combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and honey. Stir into the quinoa mixture until the grains are well coated. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information per Serving (total yield 3 ¼ cups): 200 calories, 7g fat (0.5g saturated), 210mg sodium, 30g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 6g protein, 15% vitamin A, 30% vitamin C, 15% iron

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Quinoa contains a natural, bitter coating called saponin. In nature, saponins come in handy because birds hate the taste, so the plant needs minimal protection. Lucky for us, most quinoa sold commercially has been processed to remove the soapy coating, but it’s still a good idea to wash it really well by placing the tiny seeds in a fine-meshed strainer and running under cold water while gently rubbing the seeds together with your fingers.

Lemony Red Quinoa with Butternut Squash

Makes 6 Side Dish Servings (or 4 Main Dish)

This recipe was adapted from Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash from FatFree Vegan Kitchen.

  • 12 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 ½ cups)
  • 1 cup red quinoa (cooked with all-natural vegetable broth as suggested on package *)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts

* The amount of broth needed will depend on your quinoa product. Read package directions for the suggested amount of liquid (it may range from 1 ¼ cups to the more likely 2 cups liquid per 1 cup quinoa). The cooking time may also vary depending on the brand you select. As a rule of thumb, the suggested time will range from 10 to 15 minutes with an instruction to let stand 5 to 10 minutes until the quinoa fully absorbs all the liquid. When fully cooked, the quinoa will “sprout.” If you can’t find red quinoa for this recipe, just use the regular beige variety.

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, toss the squash with ½ tablespoon olive oil. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir halfway through.

2. Place quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse very well several times in cold water. Drain well and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat to low if the garlic starts to brown.

4. Add the vegetable broth and the thyme and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, for the time suggested on the package. Turn off the heat and let quinoa remain in the covered saucepan until all the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Gently stir in the cooked squash, lemon juice and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with the toasted pine nuts on the side.

Nutrition Information per Serving (total yield 3 ¼ cups): 200 calories, 8g fat (0.5g saturated), 105mg sodium, 28g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 6g protein, 110% vitamin A, 15% vitamin C, 15% iron

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Last but not least, we received an email from Rose T. of Santa Barbara, CA suggesting we try this Roasted Quinoa with Potatoes and Cheese. It turned out to be super yummy.  In fact, all four of our kids really liked the dish, though Liz’s 14-year old son, Josh, said it would have been better without the red bell pepper. Humph!!

Roasted Quinoa with Potatoes and Cheese

Makes 4 to 6 Servings (Adapted from Mark Bittman’s book, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)

  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled if you like, and cut lengthwise into wedges
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • Salt
  • ¾ cup quinoa
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup scallion, sliced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (about 1 cup)
  • Hot red pepper flakes or cayenne to taste
  • 4 ounces reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese (1 cup)
  • ¼ cup minced parsley for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F . Grease an 8 x 10 inch (or 9 x 9 inch) roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Put the potato wedges and garlic into a large pot with water to cover, salt it, and turn the heat to high. When the water begins to boil, stir in the quinoa. Adjust the heat so that the water boils assertively and cook, stirring once or twice, for about 5 minutes.

3. Drain the quinoa, garlic, and potatoes in a strainer, but leave them fairly wet. Spread them into the prepared pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the olive oil, and gently toss with a spatula. Spread them out again. Roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Gently toss again, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender on the inside and golden on the outside.

4. Add the scallion, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes and toss everything one last time. Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind that the cheese will add some saltiness. Spread the cheese over all and return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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Feel free to share additional quinoa ideas by posting a comment to the blog.


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15 Comments | Filed Under Dinner, Grains, Lunch, Podcast, Vegetarian 
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