INGRIDIENTS:

2 oz dried shitake mushrooms

10 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger

2 tablespoons fresh garlic (minced)

3/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper (add more if you want hot soup)

1/2 lb chicken or tofu (cut into bit size pieces)

1/4 cup line juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS:  Combine shitake mushrooms and 3 cups of chicken stock in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Remove from the heat and let stand until mushrooms are tender and broth is flavorful about 30 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and discard stems.  Thinly slice caps and reserve.  Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve and combine with the remaining chicken stock and set aside.  In a medium sauce pan heat the vegetable oil adding ginger, garlic, crushed red peppers and cook for 2 minutes (if you don’t want to use oil then just sautee in broth until soft).  add the chicken or tofu and stir to combine.  In a small bowl or cup combine the lime juice and the cornstarch and bring to a boil and stir until smooth (if you don’t want a thick soup, then leave cornstarch out) then add mixture to the hot soup and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.  Add soy sauce and sesame oil (optional) and serve the soup.  Garnish with some sliced scallions.

COMMEMTS:  This soup is great.  If you want hotter soup then add more red pepper flakes.  This soup freezes very well also.  Don’t forget the broth is a liquid, so if you eat the tofu and vegetables, it is then considered a meal and you are limited to the amounts you can eat. 

SERVES: This amount of soup feeds about 8 servings, takes 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook. 

INGREDIANTS:

28 Asparagus spears (2 bundles) trimmed

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

1 clove garlic peeled and minced

2 beefsteak tomatoes cored and cut into wedges

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped fennel leaves (feathery ends)

DIRECTIONS:  Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer.  Fit the basket into the steamer.  Steam the asparagus over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes until bright green and tender.  Remove the steamer from the hear and let the asparagus cool.  Combine the yogurt and blue cheese in a small saucepan.  Warm over low heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly just until the blue cheese has melted.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice chives and garlic.  Arrange the asparagus in the center of a serving plate and ring with the tomato wedges.  Drizzle the yougurt dressing over the asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with the fennel leaves.

 Comments:  This is a very delicious vegtable platter.  Don’t let the asparagus scare you away. 

Dash—————————–less than 1/8 teaspoon

3 teaspoons———————1 tablespoon

4 tablespoons——————-1/4 cup

5 tablespoons +1 teaspoon—-1/3 cup

8 teaspoons———————1/2 cup

10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons-2/3 cup

16 tablespoons——————1 cup

2 tablespoons (liquid)———-1 fluid oz

8 oz (liquid)———————1 cup

2 cups—————————1 pint

2 pints—————————1 quart

4 cups—————————1 quart

4 quarts————————-1 gallon

4 oz (weight)——————–1/4 lb

8 oz (weight)——————–1/2 lb

12 oz (weight)——————-3/4 lb

16 oz (weight)——————-1 lb

INGREDIENTS:

5 lbs butternut squash

3 tablespoons butter

4 large leaks (chopped coarse)

5 cups of chicken broth (low salt or homemade)

1/2 teaspoon white pepper (opt)

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

3 tablespoons chopped chives

6 slices turkey bacon, crisp and chopped medium pieces

7 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dry

1 1/4 tablespoons salt

DIRECTIONS:  Pre-heat oven to 350.  cut squash length wise, scoop out seeds.  Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet.  Cook for 40-60 minutes or until soft.  Let cool for a while, then scoop out flesh.  Melt butter in a stock pot, add leeks and thyme.  Cook at medium heat until leeks are soft and light brown.  Remove thyme sprigs if used.  Add squash and stock to pot.  Cook 20-25 min.  Blend with a stick blender or in batches in a regular blender until smooth.  Add more stock to thin to desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a small dollop of sour cream and 1 teaspoon each of chives and bacon.

NOTE: Wash leeks well as they normally contain lots of sand.  The best way is to cut long way, then wash each part of the stem.  run under cold water at least twice.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons orange juice.

1 tablespoons olive oil.

1 teaspoon Jamaican jerk seasoning.

1 teaspoon grated orange peel.

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

1/1/2 pounds sea scallops (approx 16).

2 medium zucchini.

Directions: In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, oil seasoning, orange peel and red pepper flakes. Set aside 1 tablespoons for basting. Pour the remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag, and add scallops. Seal bag and turn to coat scallops. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Using a vegetable peeler or metal cheese slicer, cut zucchini into very thin lengthwise strips. Drain and discard marinade. Wrap a zucchini strip around each scallop, securing by threading where the zucchini ends overlaps onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting grill. grill skewers covered over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until scallops are opaque, bushing once with reserved marinade.

YIELDS: 4 servings

NUTRITION FACTS: 1 serving equals 194 calories, 5gm fat, 56mg cholesterol, 346 mg sodium, 7 gm carbs, 29 gm protein

COMMENTS: You can use the same marinade on chicken breasts and broil them.