Barley makes an easy--and inexpensive-- substitute for Arborio rice in this very rich dish. Its earthy flavor pairs beautifully with portobello mushrooms.
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
2. In a large nonstick saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring as needed, until the mushrooms are wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the barley; cook, stirring to coat, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in 1 cup of the broth; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in another 1/2 cup of the broth; simmer, covered, 10 minutes longer. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring, while the broth is absorbed, until the barley is just tender. The total cooking time should be about 40-45 minutes. Stir in the cheese and thyme; serve at once.
PER SERVING: 178 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 1 mg Cholesterol, 92 mg Sodium, 32 g Total Carbohydrate, 5 g Dietary Fiber, 6 g Protein, 43 mg Calcium . 3 POINTS
This sweet and nutty mixture is a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Two kinds of dried fruit and a bit of cinnamon keep things sweet and lively.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the barley, garlic and cumin; cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in the apricots, raisins, salt, cinnamon and 1 1/4 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the barley is tender, 45-50 minutes. Add the almonds; toss to combine.
PER SERVING: 167 Calories, 4 g Total Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 151 mg Sodium, 30 g Total Carbohydrate, 5 g Dietary Fiber, 4 g Protein, 33 mg Calcium. 3 POINTS
*To toast the almonds, place them in a small skillet over medium-low heat; cook, shaking the pan and stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Recipe By : Weight Watchers Versatile Vegetarian
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beans And Legumes Main Dishes, Vegetarian
Vegetables Soups & Stews
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 teaspoons olive oil
2 onions -- chopped
1 bunch escarole
cleaned and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 ounces canned cannellini beans -- rinsed and drained
14 ounces canved diced tomatoes -- (no salt added)
Makes 4 servings
Serve this fast, flavorful, Italian-inspired dish over steaming rice for a satisfying meal. The escarole will wilt quite a bit, so don't worry about chopping it too fine--2" pieces are about right.
In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the escarole, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring as needed, until the escarole is wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans and tomatoes; simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes.
PER SERVING: 142 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 490 mg Sodium, 24 g Total Carbohydrate, 7 g Dietary Fiber, 7 g Protein, 104 mg Calcium . 2 POINTS
Recipe By : Weight Watchers Versatile Vegetarian
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beans And Legumes Main Dishes, Vegetarian
Vegetables Soups & Stews
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions -- chopped
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 carrots -- cut into chunks
2 pounds butternut squash -- peeled,
seeded and cut into chunks
19 ounces canned chickpeas -- rinsed and drained
1 14 ounces ca diced tomatoes -- (no salt added)
2 small sweet potatoes -- (about 1 cup)
peeled and cut into chunks
3 parsnips
peeled and cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Makes 4 servings
A tagine is a Moroccan stew traditionally simmered in an earthenware pot with a cone- shape lid. We've simplified the technique, using a saucepan, but we've left the exotic aroma and the delicious flavors for you to savor.
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the cumin, pepper and cinnamon; cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Stir in the carrots, squash, chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, bay leaf and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, 45-55 minutes; discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
PER SERVING: 380 Calories, 6 g Total Fat, 1 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 193 mg Sodium, 74 g Total Carbohydrate, 17 g Dietary Fiber, 12 g Protein, 214 mg Calcium . 5 POINTS
In this substantial dish, other mushroom varieties (such as cremini and
portobello) can be used instead of the shiitakes if you wish.
Add barley and water to medium saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium-low
heat until tender, about 1 hour.
In large nonstick saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook,
stirring occasionally, until browned, 7 minutes. (Add sprinkling of water
to prevent sticking if necessary.) Add garlic, shiitake and white mushrooms
and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Add spinach and barley and cook,
stirring often, until barley is heated through and spinach is wilted, 3 to
5 minutes. Season with tamari, sesame oil and cayenne pepper.
PER SERVING: 293 CAL.; 9G PROT.; 7G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 51G CARB.; 0
CHOL.; 233MG SOD.; 10G FIBER.
VARIATION: Add 8 oz. diced firm tofu after adding mushrooms.
Recipe By : adapted from Cooking Light, December 1998
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Grains
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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4 cups water
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
3 packages fresh shitake mushrooms -- (3 1/2-ounce)
cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup imitation chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated dry monterey jack or fresh -- (3 ounces)
-- parmesan cheese
1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add barley; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand covered 5 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350ø.
3. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms, and slice mushroom caps. Heat a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, and saute 3 minutes. Remove from skillet. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion; cover and cook 6 minutes. Add bell peppers; cover and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked barley, mushrooms, broth, and next 4 ingredients (broth through black pepper).
4. Spoon half of barley mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated cooking spray, and sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350ø for 45 minutes. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup).
CALORIES 182 (26% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 2.1g mono 2.4g poly O.5g); PROTEIN 8.lg; CARB 27.5g; FIBER 5.9g CHOL 7mg; IRON 1.9mg; SODIUM 353mg; CALC 150mg
WW: 3 pts.
Converted by MC_Buster. KES 1/1/99
Recipe By : Cooking Light Magazine, December 1999, page 163
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beans And Legumes Main Dishes, Vegetarian
Vegetables
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack -- (4 ounces)
cheese -- divided
1 cup cooked brown basmati rice
OR long-grain rice
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
15 ounces canned black beans -- rinsed and drained
1 jalapeno pepper -- seeded and chopped
19 ounces canned red enchilada sauce
Cooking spray
12 6 inch corn tortillas
"I've made this dish for friends, but usually it's just for family. It's an everyday, casual recipe. It's my favorite."
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine 1/2 cup cheese, rice, and the next 7 ingredients (rice through jalapeno) in a large bowl. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Heat remaining enchilada sauce in a skillet for 2 minutes or until warm, and remove from heat. Dredge both sides of 6 tortillas in warm enchilada sauce, and arrange tortillas, overlapping, over sauce in baking dish. Top with 1 3/4 cups bean mixture. Dredge both sides of remaining tortillas in warm enchilada sauce, and arrange tortillas, overlapping, over bean mixture. Top with the remaining bean mixture, remaining enchilada sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 [3 1/2-inch] square).
CALORIES 323(20% from fat); FAT 7.2g; PROTEIN 16.1g; CARS 49.5g; FIBER 5.5g; CHOL 12mg; IRON 2.5mg. SODIUM 683mg. CALC 269mg
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Spicy Bean Dip
1 16 oz. can fat-free refried beans
6 oz. tofu (I use Mori-Nu lite Firm)
3/4 cup salsa
1 tsp. chili powder
1 to 2 cloves garlic
2 green onions, sliced thin
Combine beans, tofu, salsa, chili powder and garlic in a blender or food processor and mix. Stir in green onions.
1/2 cup: 2 points
Tortilla Casserole
1 med. onion, chopped
1 lg. bell pepper, chopped
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup picante sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 15 oz. cans black beans
12 6" corn tortillas
2 cups monterey jack cheese (or jalapeno soy cheese)
2 med. tomatoes, diced
2 cups shredded lettuce
green onions, diced
Preheat oven to 350. Place first six ingredients in a skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 min. Stir in beans and remove from heat.
In a 13x9x2 dish: 1st layer-1/3 bean mixture; 2nd layer-half the tortillas; 3rd layer-1/2 the cheese(1 cup). Repeat. Finish with last 1/3 of bean mixture. Bake covered for 30-35 min. Use tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, etc. for toppings.
8 servings: 6.5 points (I'm not a pro at converting recipes to points yet, so if anyone comes up with a different number, please let me know.)
4 ounces of whole wheat pasta (fettuccini or spaghetti) (4pts)
2 Tablespoons peanut butter (natural without added sugar is best) (4 pts)
1 oz peanuts (individual bag of Planters)4 pts
green onions, sliced (1-4, depending on size and preference)
1-2 tsps chopped garlic (fresh or jar)
1 tsp grated ginger root (fresh or jar)
1 tsp + chili paste (can use chinese or thai, if you can find it chinese black beans with chili paste is my favorite)
1-2 T lite soy sauce (low sodium)
Cook pasta in water until al dente, usually about 13 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool or room temperature.
Make sauce while pasta is cooking: add to large soup bowl or pasta bowl the peanut butter, garlic, grated ginger, mix and add soy sauce (1-2 T plus)until you get a rather thick sauce. Add cooled, cooked noodles. Top with sliced green onions and peanuts, Mix thouroughly.
You can adjust the spices to your taste depending on how hot you want it!
The amount of pasta can also be reduced, as can the peanuts, if you want to cut the points. The peanuts can be omitted, but I like the crunch that contrasts to the smoothness of the noodles.
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Ethnic- Mexican Main Courses- Chili
Main Courses- Legumes Main Courses- Vegetarian
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1/2 onion -- finely chopped
1 green bell pepper -- diced
15 ounces organic chili beans, canned -- undrained (I used Westbrae)
14 ounces diced tomatoes, canned -- undrained
4 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons chopped green onions -- for garnish
Coat medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Saute onion and green pepper until slightly browned. Add remaining ingredients (except green onions) and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Garnish wih chopped green onions.
Optional: Feel free to add toppings like reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese or nonfat sour cream if desired. Just remember to count the points!
1 med. onion, chopped
1 lg. bell pepper, chopped
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup picante sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 15 oz. cans black beans
12 6" corn tortillas
2 cups monterey jack cheese (or jalapeno soy cheese)
2 med. tomatoes, diced
2 cups shredded lettuce
green onions, diced
Preheat oven to 350. Place first six ingredients in a skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 min. Stir in beans and remove from heat.
In a 13x9x2 dish: 1st layer-1/3 bean mixture; 2nd layer-half the tortillas; 3rd layer-1/2 the cheese(1 cup). Repeat. Finish with last 1/3 of bean mixture. Bake covered for 30-35 min. Use tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, etc. for toppings.
8 servings: 6.5 points (I'm not a pro at converting recipes to points yet, so if anyone comes up with a different number, please let me know.)
3 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced (or 1 portabello)
1/2 cup eggplant, cut in thick chunks
1/2 cup zuchinni, in thick 1/2-moon slices
1/2 small onion (regular or red)
1/2 red pepper, in thick strips
1 small tomato, in large chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt/pepper to taste
3/4 ounce shredded cheese (i just used the pre-grated "nacho cheese" out of the bag.. but any old type will do, as long as it's 'melty')
1 tsp olive oil
1 whole wheat tortilla or pita pocket
Saute garlic and onions for a couple minutes, then add mushrooms, eggplant, zuchinni, and peppers, saute until they start to get soft (adding a bit of water or broth to prevent sticking, if necessary). Then add the tomatos and basil, cook till heated through. Remove from heat, stir in the cheese until well blended, and season with salt and pepper. Stuff into your "bread" of choice (i used pita today).
Filling is 3 points... pita is 2... if you use a tortilla wrap i think the big ones are about 3 points.
Black Bean and Rice Bake
A friend shared this with me and I really liked it so thought I would post here. Comes from WW healthy cookbook
Makes 4 servings, 5 points each, plus points for topping.
2 c cooked rice
8 oz drained canned black beans
1 1/2 oz reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 c egg substitute or 2 eggs
1/2 c each finely chopped onion and red or green pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 c mild salsa
sour cream or yogurt for topping
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a bowl (recipe suggests using the salsa as a topping, but I prefer to put it right in the mix). Transfer to a sprayed 8x8x2 dish.
Bake 20 min, or until knife inserted in center comes out dry. Top with sour cream or yogurt.
253 calories; 2 g fat; 3 g dietary fiber (old program: 2 protein; 1 bread; 1/2 vegetable)
3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces of firm tofu, well drained and squeezed dry between paper towels
1 cup cooked white rice
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 English muffins, split and toasted
In a small nonstick frying pan over med-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the scallions and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mash the tofu until smooth. Add the scallions, rice, oat bran, flour, egg substitute, sesame seeds, soy sauce and cumin. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Shape the mixture into 4 patties. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm the remaining two teaspoons oil. Add the patties. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until golden. Serve on the English muffins.
Per Serving:
416 calories
12.6 g fat
5.2 g fiber
0 mg cholesterol
565 mg sodium
Note:
Chilling the tofu mixture for a short time makes forming the patties a little easier. If you just can't spare the time, flour your hands before forming the patties, so they don't stick.
