Heather Cooks! IBS Cooking Show - Fast & Easy Favorites
Heather Cooks currently has three delicious seasons:Fast & Easy Favorites ~ Ethnic Adventures ~ Sweet Treats
Fast and Easy Favorites are family homestyle recipes sure to please children as well as adults with their all-American flare! Follow the links below to try these comforting treats.
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Audience Pick! Banana Berry Smoothie |
Blueberry Pecan French Toast
Garden Veggie Nachos
Lemon Herb Whitefish with Brown Rice and Mesclun Salad
Pizza Party Snack Mix and Banana Berry Smoothie
Blueberry Pecan French Toast
Custardy, berry-sweet and with the crunch of toasted pecans, this is a decadent treat for breakfast. It's hard to believe that it's low fat, dairy-free, and high soluble fiber - but it is! It's prepared the night before so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven.
Makes 4 Servings
a 12 inch French or sourdough baguette (fresh, not day-old)
4 organic egg whites
1 cup soy milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if desired
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup chopped pecans (toasted if desired)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
Spray a 9 inch inch square baking dish with cooking oil. Cut 9 to 10 one-inch slices from the baguette and arrange in the baking dish. In a large bowl whisk the whites until frothy, then whisk in the milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar. Pour evenly over bread, turning slices to coat evenly, cover pan, and chill at least 8 hours or overnight, until liquid is absorbed by bread.
Preheat oven to 400F. Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread. In a small bowl stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and canola oil. Spoon sugar mixture evenly over bread and bake about 20 minutes, until liquid from blueberries is bubbling.
Garden Veggie Nachos
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Several cups baked corn chips (like Tostitos or Guiltless Gourmet)
1 large ripe tomato, diced
2-3 green onions (scallions), finely diced
1/2 avocado, diced
handful of canned, drained black beans, chopped
handful of shredded or grated soy/rice cheese (America, cheddar, or jack)
Pour baked chips into a large, shallow baking dish. Scatter remaining ingredients evenly over chips. Broil until cheese melts, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from oven and serve topped with:
handful of shredded fresh cilantro
dash mild chili powder, to taste
juice of 1/2 lime
All-American Classic Sandwiches
Club Sandwich
Makes 1 sandwich
3 slices, toasted, thinly sliced fresh white bread
fat free mayonnaise
extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice (from about 1/4 fresh lemon)
Bacos or other brand soy bacon bits
3-4 oz. shaved organic turkey (or chicken) breast
thin fresh tomato slices
mesclun or butter lettuce
Liven up the fat free mayonnaise! Drizzle about 1/4 teaspoon of the olive oil into a spoonful or two of the fat free mayonnaise. Squirt some fresh lemon juice into the mayonnaise, and stir until well-blended. Spread one side of each piece of toast with the mayo mix, and sprinkle with the Bacos. Layer on the turkey, tomatoes, and lettuce to make a triple decker sandwich.
Serve with pretzels or baked potato chips, and a small sliced radish or two.
Grilled Tuna Melt
Makes 1 sandwich (with leftover tuna filling)
2 slices fresh white bread
1 small can white or light tuna, packed in water
fat free mayonnaise
fresh lemon juice (from about 1/4 fresh lemon)
1 T finely diced sweet white onion
1 T finely diced fresh celery
1 t celery seed
dash salt and pepper
thin fresh tomato slices
1 slice American or Cheddar soy (or rice or almond) cheese
With a fork, in a small bowl blend together the tuna, a spoonful or two of fat free mayonnaise, a squirt of fresh lemon juice, onion, celery, celery seed, salt and pepper. Make a sandwich with the bread and tuna mixture, topped with the tomato slices and a slice of the soy cheese.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and spray lightly with cooking oil such as Pam. Grill sandwich in the skillet on one side until golden brown. While the first side is grilling, lightly spray the uncooked side of the sandwich with the cooking oil, then flip the sandwich over, and grill the other side until golden brown. Serve at once.
Serve with pretzels or baked potato chips, and a small sliced radish or two.
Lemon Herb White Fish with Brown Rice and Mesclun Salad
Makes 2 Servings (easily doubled)
1 white fish fillet, about 1 lb. total (cod, halibut, etc.)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
generous dash pepper
generous dash salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium to large lemon, thinly sliced, seeded, end pieces discarded
Preheat oven to 450F and place a heavy baking sheet in oven to preheat as well. Cut a large rectangle of foil or parchment paper* and place fish fillet in the center of the foil. Combine all remaining ingredients except lemon slices in a small bowl and stir well. Spread mixture evenly over fish, scatter lemon slices on top, and fold the edges of the foil up over each fillet, crimping edges tightly.
Place fish packages on preheated baking sheet and bake 10 minutes per inch of fish thickness (so if your fillet is half an inch thick, cook for just 5 minutes). Fish is done when it just starts to flake in the center. Serve fish over brown rice.
*Parchment paper is available at some grocery stores and most specialty food stores, health food stores, and kitchen supply shops
While the fish is cooking, make the rice...
Brown Rice
Makes 2 servings
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup water
Rinse rice in water several times, and drain. Add water to rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and fluffy, about 30 minutes.
While rice is cooking, make the salad...
Mesclun Salad with Balsamic Honey Mustard Dressing
Makes 2 Servings:
Salad:
2 cups mesclun or mixed greens
2-3 T diced tomatoes
2-3 T diced, peeled, seeded cucumbers
Combine all ingredients in two small serving bowls.
Dressing:
1 T honey
1 T Dijon or stone ground mustard
balsamic vinegar to taste
optional - several whole peppercorns (black, white, green, and/or pink)
Blend honey and mustard in a small bowl with a fork until emulsified. Drizzle in balsamic vinegar until dressing is just thin enough to pour over greens. Taste and add more vinegar if desired. Crush whole peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. Blend crushed peppercorns into dressing and drizzle over salad.
Pizza Party Snack Mix
This is a wonderful snack food to keep on hand. It's crunchy, munchy, zesty and everyone loves it. It makes a great snack alternative to high-fat chips.
Makes 16 Servings
4 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion pwder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
3 tablespoons fat-free ranch salad dressing*
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke**
4 cups Corn Chex cereal
4 cups Rice Chex cereal
3-4 tablespoons soy Parmesan
In a small bowl combine first 8 ingredients to form seasoning mix. Set aside. In a very large bowl combine salad dressing, tomato paste, olive oil, and liquid smoke, and blend well. Gradually stir in cereals until evenly coated. Add seasoning mixture. Stir well. Microwave on high for 5-6 minutes, stirring well every 90 seconds, until cooked through. Sprinkle soy Parmesan over cereal mix, stirring well. Cool thoroughly before serving.
*If you can't find a ranch dressing without any dairy ingredients, you can use a full fat variety of a soy ranch salad dressing, and then reduce the olive oil to 1 tablespoon.
**Liquid smoke is a flavoring available in grocery stores in the condiment or spice section. One small bottle will last you a lifetime.
Banana Berry Smoothie
This is a great breakfast shake to accompany a bowl of oatmeal or toasted sourdough English muffins. The banana adds soluble fiber and the berries lend a luscious sweetness to the morning.
Makes 2 Servings
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (or cherries, or strawberries)
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 large firm-ripe banana
Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth. Serve immediately.
All dietary information is copyrighted by Heather Van Vorous and MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED without permission.
