[CalypsoZ]

This is absolutely delicious and a fantastic way to get your veggies. Even my kids love this. (And I can put in vegetables I don't like -- such as broccoli -- and not taste them.) No exact measurements, you don't need them.

Roasting pan full of veggies: basically, whatever you have in your fridge, but make sure you have some --
Yellow squash/zucchini (for texture)
garlic
onion
carrot (for sweetness)

Mine is usually the above, plus broccoli, cauliflower. Whatever! (Tomatoes are coming later in the process.)

Put your roasting pan in the oven and roast til the veggies are golden. (You can also skip this step and just cook them on the stove top, but I like the taste roasting gives them.)

Dump the roasted veggies in a big stewpot, along with chicken or vegetable broth and a couple of cans of tomatoes. (I like the Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes.) Simmer until veggies are soft.

Working in batches, run the soup through your blender.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you can, wait til the soup cools before blenderizing. You *can* put it in the blender hot, but be very careful. Put a towel over the blender top and "vent" one corner, because the heat creates a vacuum effect and you're liable to explode soup all over you and your kitchen.

Are you still with me? I promise, it's worth it!

I wish I could say you could just use a stick blender in the pot ... and you can, but the texture isn't going to be the same. Running it through the blender, it's just velvety.

In one of the batches you run through the blender, put in a bunch of cumin and oregano. If you're making a giant pot of this soup, then you'll want a lot of spice. Think tablespoons, not teaspoons.

After it's all blended, dump it all back in your stewpot. Stir and heat. Taste for seasoning. You'll probably need a good amount of salt, unless you used a salty broth. If it's not "tomatoey" enough, add in some tomato paste. Lycoprene! If it's not thin enough, add water or more broth. Add in more cumin and oregano if doesn't taste "Mexican" enough.

To serve: Top with some crema, or plain yogurt, a crumbling of queso fresca, or monterrey jack, some crumbled baked tortilla chips and cilantro. You can also top with diced chicken. And avocado. Use your own judgement. My friends call this "The Magic Soup" because even with toppings, they lose weight. But YMMV!

It freezes beautifully and is obviously flexible to your taste. If you like spicy, add a fresh jalapeno to your roasting pan. Yum. Or add a dried pepper like ancho (soaked in water and stems/seeds removed) to your stewpot before you puree.

[slimmingsi]

Heartwarming stew!

1lb of mince (beef preferably although lamb is ok just very fatty)
2 leeks, chop the tops down and roots off. then dice and add
2 whole onions diced
1 whole thingy (bulb) of garlic crushed and peeled
1/2 a white cabbage
peppers i like 1 of each colour. seeded and stalked
3 whole choped diced carrots
Gravey.

separate up the mince dice and peel all veg and mix well add to a big pot with around 1.5 to 2 pints of gravey( i use granulated)

bring to the boil add a lid and leave to simmer, i usually leave it for around 45mins

i do like warming! stews so i add 1 table spoon of ground black pepper to the gravey and mix it in. i also like to add chillies to the stew to perk it up.


very simple rustic and tastey served with potates will easily get 4 good portions, i freeze mine and reheat keeps me going for about a week lol

[Runundefined]

Scallop Stuffed Portobello:

Ingredients - serves two – can double or triple…
2 t butter
1/2 pound sea scallops – can use shrimp also
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup fat free cottage cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
4 Portobello mushrooms (large)
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Preheat broiler.
With a spoon, scoup out as much of the inside of the mushroom as you can. Be careful not to break thru to the other side. – chop – spray mushrooms with pam, and place right side up on pan – broil 5 minutes, remove from broiler and set aside.

Combine chicken broth, milk, fat free cottege cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, flour, salt, paprika, black pepper, and nutmeg in a blender, blend till cottage cheese is smooth. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Set aside..

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Onions, green bell pepper and mushroom insides, sautee 5-8 minutes. stir in scallops and diced pimiento cook two more minutes, (can cover at this point to steam scallops a bit). Add breadcrumbs, stir and remove from heat.

In a 8 x 8 casserole (larger if making more than four), spray pam and set in mushrooms, right side down, evenly distribute scallop mixture, spoon white sauce over, sprinkle with rest of parmesan and bake in 350 oven for 25-30 min…

I served with a side of Dreamfield’s pasta (1/2) with a little basil and butter… (I use Land o Lakes Whipped butter.. it’s only 50 cal a T).. I like real butter and using it has really helped me stay on my diet

Yield
2 servings (serving size: 2)
CALORIES 300(26% from fat).

[walking2lose]

Thanks for this thread... I'll be trying several!

[aleeeeshajayne]

Thanks for all of these recipes they look really great

[Sea]

I would like to try to make a version of my own Vita-tops (Those diet muffin tops $1 each) treats. I know the biggest thing I need to figure out is what would be the best thing to use for all the fiber. Any suggestions?