Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with Tomato Sauce

We watched a program tonight where they made Gnudi (a version of the word "nude" in Italian). It is called that because it is like a pasta dish without the pasta, so "nude":) Sounds delicious, so I have put together my own version of the recipe with some changes. There is no salt in this recipe as we are going very low sodium these days, but Parmesan is a "salty" cheese, so I don't find the lack of salt is a big deal. I have gone with low fat ricotta to reduce the amount of saturated fat and I have decreased the amount of Parmesan cheese and eggs for the same reason!

Ingredients:

Pomodoro Sauce to pour over the finished gnudi (you can make it from scratch or buy the bottled stuff to make this a lot easier!)

2 eggs
1 (454 gram) tub low fat ricotta
6 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup baby spinach, blanched, squeezed dry and chopped
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Semolina flour or all-purpose flour, for coating
Fresh basil leaves (optional) 

Directions:

Bring large pot of water to a boil.

Beat eggs with whisk. Add ricotta, olive oil, Parmesan cheese. Stir with wooden spoon to mix. Stir in spinach. Stir in flour, just until smooth. If it doesn’t hold its shape as you form the balls, add more flour to the dough.

Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Transfer to large baking tray and lightly toss with semolina or flour so they don’t stick. (Makes about 35 gnudi.)
Drop into simmering water. When gnudi start to float, cook another 1 minute. Total cook time is about 3 minutes. Remove gnudi with slotted spoon, blotting with paper towel to remove excess water.
To serve, spoon Pomodoro Sauce into pasta bowl, top with 4 to 6 gnudi. Top with more Pomodoro Sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. If you have fresh basil on hand, place a couple of the leaves on top.

Pumpkin Soup

I have an extra (large) can of pumpkin puree that I did not use at Christmas for my pumpkin pie, so I have decided to make a pumpkin soup. It has been cool and rainy here the past few days and a warm soup just gets the heat back into your bones!  We are doing low sodium in my household from here on in, so there is no added salt in this recipe. It is also vegan. We use certified organic ingredients for the best quality and flavour.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large can of pure pumpkin puree (796 ml)
• 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 large, sweet red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, washed, trimmed and chopped (don't peel)
• 4 large or 6 medium garlic cloves, pressed or minced (or 2 tbsp garlic powder)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp dried hot chili peppers (optional) 
• Freshly ground black pepper and 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup low fat, plain yogurt (optional)
• -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Directions:
• heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed dutch oven/saucepan, over medium heat
• add chopped onion, peppers and carrots and cook, stirring until the vegetables are soft
• add garlic and cinnamon and chili peppers; cook for another minute
• add vegetable broth and water and stir well until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer
• stir in freshly ground black pepper and parsley and cook on low for about 20 minutes. 
• ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt
   

VEGAN LEEK SOUP with Chick Peas

Leeks are full of fibre and have a very light onion flavour. At my husband's request, I made a very simple and delicious leek soup tonight! It is low sodium and low fat but is full of flavour and the chick peas add plant protein to the mix.

Ingredients:

Medium onion, diced
1 large leek, washed and chopped into small pieces (use the entire stock and the greenery)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red or yellow pepper, sliced
1 large can of chick peas, rinsed and drained
3 large kale leaves, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried hot chili peppers
1 tsp oregano, basil and lemon rind
2 cups vegetable broth, low sodium and low fat
2 cups water

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil at medium heat. Add onions, leeks, kale and peppers. Reduce heat to medium low and saute for a few minutes until the veggies are soft. Add chopped garlic and chili peppers and saute another minute.
2. Add broth, water and chickpeas. Increase heat to medium high. Bring to a boil and add ground pepper and spices and lemon rind. Stir and reduce heat to medium low.
3. Simmer, partially covered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

Warm Brussels Sprout, Chickpea and Walnut Salad

SERVINGS: 4
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and lightly brushed with canola oil, pepper and garlic powder (roasted on parchment paper coated baking sheet at 450F until soft--about 20 minutes)
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried well
⅓ c chopped walnuts
Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
 Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. 
2. Optional: grate a small amount of fresh Parmesan cheese overtop

Chicken Curry

My husband is in on a low salt, low fat diet. We had to come up with something really tasty that he would love and not be craving all of the unhealthy stuff he shouldn't be eating and this recipe does it all! Delicious!! Make a big batch and you can reheat it all week. Add a side salad of mixed greens and beans and you have a very healthy, complete meal.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Chicken Pieces (I Used Legs And Thighs), Rinsed, Skin And Fat Removed
• Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Halved
• 1 whole Tomato, Quartered
• 8 cloves Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons (rounded) Curry Powder
• 2 teaspoons Turmeric
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Jalapeno Pepper, Sliced (optional)
• sweet potatoes and carrots
• 2 cups of chick peas

Preparation

Place chicken in a bowl.
 

Chop half the onion, tomato, garlic, and black pepper (or jalapeno/habanero).

Add mixture to the bowl. Stir the whole mixture together so that the chicken is totally coated in the seasoning ingredients. Allow chicken to marinate for at least two hours.

After chicken has marinated, make the curry slurry: Add curry powder and turmeric to a bowl. Pour in 3/4 cup water and stir until dissolved.

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Pour in the curry slurry and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Curry slurry will deepen in color. If the mixture becomes too dry during cooking, add a little water. When the curry slurry has become a thick paste, chop the other half of the onion and add it in. Allow the onions to soften, then add in the chicken. Stir to coat the chicken, then cook, half covered, for five minutes. Turn the chicken, then add in 1 to 2 cups of water. Shake the pan and allow the chicken to cook until done, stirring every five minutes. Reduce heat to low and add 2 cups of water and 2 cups of chick peas; cover and simmer for a couple of hours.

At the end, be sure to taste and adjust spices. . Serve chicken and vegetables over chick peas and quinoa (optional); spoon sauce over top.

CRUSTLESS BUTTERNUT SQUASH OR PUMPKIN PIE

I made this pie using Butternut Squash that I had roasted the day before. We had it for dessert on Thanksgiving, with a dollop of low fat plain yogurt on top. To make it a little sweeter I offered a garnish for those who wanted it, by mixing together some chopped walnuts, brown sugar and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil in a bowl. The garnish can be spooned over top; my preference was to have just the pie with the yogurt. Either way, everyone loved it! 

INGREDIENTS:

-2 CUPS PUMPKIN PUREE or ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

-1/2 CUP LOW FAT YOGURT

-1 EGG

-1/4 CUP BROWN SUGAR

-1/4 CUP STEEL CUT OATS

-1 TBSP TOASTED SESAME OIL

-1/2 CUP WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR

-3/4 TSP BAKING POWDER

-1/2 TSP BAKING SODA

-1 TSP CINNAMON

- PINCH OF NUTMEG

DIRECTIONS:

 

1.       PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. LIGHTLY OIL A 9 INCH PIE PLATE.

2.       IN A MEDIUM BOWL MIX PUMPKIN, YOGURT, EGG, OIL, STEEL CUT OATS AND SUGAR UNTIL COMBINED.

3.       IN A SEPARATE BOWL WHISK TOGETHER THE FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, NUTMEG AND CINNAMON.

4.       GENTLY FOLD THE DRY INGREDIENTS INTO THE PUMPKIN MIXTURE. POUR INTO PIE PLATE AND BAKE FOR 50-55 MINUTES. ALLOW TO COOL FOR 15 MINUTES, THEN REFRIGERATE FOR AT LEAST 4 HOURS.

 

Pastetti (Calabrian Almond Cookies)

Pastetti are traditional wedding cookies in Calabria. The bride and groom would hand them out along with confetti (candied almonds) and a shot of liqueur to toast with the guests. This is a recipe that my husband gave to me and he made the cookies today; they are delicious! He did not use as much sugar as what the recipe called for and did not add the powdered/icing sugar, so they are not overly sweet (that is what makes them so perfect).

If you are vegan, the only adjustment you would have to make is with the egg whites. You can use flax seeds soaked in water to get the right amount of liquid and consistency that the egg whites give to the recipe and they would be just as delicious.

This recipe makes about 20 small cookies.

Ingredients:

150 gm almond flour
30 gm hazelnut flour
100 gm sugar (he used 2/3 cup)
60 gm egg whites
10 gm honey (not used)
1 small orange peel, zested
powdered sugar (not used)
whole almonds, hazelnuts or candied fruit/dried cranberries, for garnish

Directions:

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add liquid ingredients and mix to a loose peanut butter consistency (add more egg white or flax/water mixture if necessary). On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop rounded tablespoon of mixture; pat down and place an almond or candied fruit in centre. Let mixture rest in fridge for one hour.

Preheat oven to 390F or 200C and place the cookies on the parchment lined baking sheet in centre of oven for about 12 minutes, until edges are golden. Let them cool for 5 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack.