Katherine’s Weekly Batch Recipe: Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta & Roasted Eggplant
Enjoying Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta & Roasted Eggplant featured in my book, Diet Simple
My third weekly batch recipe, based on what you can find at your Farmers Market this weekend (Tomatoes, Eggplant, Garlic, maybe Basil, the Ricotta cheese, and something comparable to Parmesan – do some tastings!), is Roberto Donna’s Baked Shells with Ricotta and Eggplant. It is featured in my book, Diet Simple, and a gift from Washington’s most famous, James Beard Award-winning, Italian chef, Roberto Donna, currently Executive Chef at Al Dente Restaurant.
Batches are all about making the most of the time you spend in the kitchen and easing some stress from your life. I feature batch recipes in my books, Diet Simple and Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes. Batches are your favorite delicious, quick and easy meals made ahead of time so that you always have something in the freezer or refrigerator, ready to eat, or serve for guests, on a moment’s notice. And, believe it or not, though it may take a little extra time to prepare the batches on the weekends, it actually saves time overall and calms the daily whirlwind of your life.
Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Roasted Eggplant
excerpted from “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations”
This elegant dish, always a crowd pleaser, comes together quickly. Though it may be a little more complex than some of my other batches, it’s worth it! Using canned tomatoes and roasted peppers is perfectly fine in this recipe instead of using fresh, to save time. This unique Italian fare makes for an exquisite meal, or appetizer, minus loads of calories. And it can be refrigerated for use later, then re-heated easily with your microwave.
Katherine baking Roberto Donna’s Stuffed Shells with Ricotta & Roasted Eggplant, featured in her book, “Diet Simple”
Serves 4
8 oz. peeled and cubed eggplant, sprinkled with 1 Tbs. olive oil
8 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
2 Tbs. capers, drained (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (place the basil leaves on top of each other so they’re in a pile, then slice diagonally in thin strips)
12 jumbo shells, cooked, drained and cooled (you may want to boil more than 12, as some fall apart)
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 Tbs. grated Parmesan, optional
Italian parsley leaves for garnish
Olive Oil Spray (optional)
Tomato Sauce (as an option, you can use a favorite commercial sauce):
1 1/2 cups canned plum tomatoes, or an equivalent amount of cooked fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup pureed tomatoes from a can, or an equivalent amount of cooked, pureed tomatoes
1/4 cup roasted, peeled, seeded red peppers (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, or an equivalent amount of a comparable cheese from the Farmers Market
Italian parsley leaves for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 450F,
2. Place eggplant cubes on nonstick baking sheet – if you use parchment paper on the pan, the eggplant will not stick. Roast about 15 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove from oven,
3. Mix Ricotta with the Parmesan cheese, capers, the and eggplant cubes in mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and 4 chiffonade basil leaves. Set aside,
4. Reduce oven temperature to 400F,
5. Cover baking dish with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick vegetable spray. Fill each shell with about 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese mixture, filling evenly among shells until used up. Place the shells on the baking dish. Brush tops of shells with 1 tablespoon olive oil (or spray with olive oil spray). Bake 10 minutes, or until crisped and golden brown at the edges,
6. Meanwhile, to make tomato sauce, purée tomatoes, remaining basil, rest of olive oil and garlic (or use your favorite commercial sauce). Season with salt and pepper,
7. Heat sauce over low heat, just until warm (Roberto says a simple sauce, without overcooking, is the best),
8. Remove and set aside,
9. To serve, spoon one-quarter of the sauce on the dish (use a heated dish, if possible), and place 3 stuffed shells on top. Drizzle a little extra sauce over each top and garnish with parsley leaf and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired. Repeat with remaining shells and sauce. Refrigerate if not using immediately,
10. To re-heat, place 3 shells on top of sauce on microwavable plate or a shallow bowl, cover with a glass bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes,
11. If you are serving the stuffed shells as an appetizer, just one shell per plate will do.
Per serving, approximately (depending on the type of Ricotta cheese you use):
360 calories
total fat 17 grams
saturated fat 6 grams
Fiber 4 grams
Protein 12 grams
This Week’s Batch Recipe: Cauliflower Vichyssoise
Cauliflower Vichyssoise
My second weekly batch recipe, based on what you can find at your Farmers Market this weekend is Cauliflower Vichyssoise. It is a take on the French Classic Vichyssoise – leak and potato soup – substituting most of the potatoes for cauliflower. Even though Vichyssoise is usally served cold, in the winter I serve my Cauliflower Vichyssoise warm.
Batches are all about making the most of the time you spend in the kitchen and easing some stress from your life. I feature batch recipes in my books, Diet Simple and Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes. Batches are your favorite delicious, quick and easy meals made ahead of time so that you always have something in the freezer or refrigerator, ready to eat on a moment’s notice. And, believe it or not, even though you’re spending time putting the batch together, overall, it actually saves time.
Soups are some of the best “batches” in the cold dark days of winter. They’re warm, filling, psychologically satisfying and sate the natural urge for comfort food in the winter. Eating soup also makes it easier to lose weight. How?
Classic studies have found that soups are effective weight loss foods. As long as the volume of a food is high (when water or air are incorporated into the food), people can feel full with fewer calories. In one study, researchers varied the water content in three different first courses to see how it would affect peoples’ intake at the main course. The study subjects were fed either 1) chicken rice casserole, 2) chicken rice casserole served with a glass of water, or 3) chicken rice soup – basically the casserole with water/broth added. The researchers found the subjects who ate the soup consumed 26 percent less, about 100 calories fewer, at the main course, compared to the other conditions, even though all three conditions provided the same amount of calories. As I always say, “A calorie isn’t always a calorie!”
Researchers surmise that a large food volume caused by water, even without added calories, helps us feel more satisfied for several reasons. It causes stomach stretching and slows stomach emptying, stimulating the nerves and hormones that signal feelings of fullness. Also, visually seeing a large volume of food can increase your ability to feel satisfied by it, even though the calories are relatively low. Finally, the larger a meal and the longer a meal goes on, studies show, your satisfaction declines and you lose interest in completing it. Water is the component in food which has the largest influence on how much you eat. This study, and many others like it, find eating a high-water-content, low-calorie first course, such as soup, enhances satisfaction and reduces overall calorie intake.
Cauliflower “Vichyssoise”
excerpted from Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season
Cauliflower is in the species of foods called “brassica.” The brassica family of foods has extremely high nutritional values and contain high levels of antioxidants and nutrients such as vitamin C, selenium, calcium, potassium, folic acid and choline – important for the brain, as well as soluble fiber, which reduces cholesterol and helps level blood sugar. Brassica, a huge category of foods including broccoli, cabbages, mustard seeds and greens, also contain potent anti-cancer compounds which help detoxify carcinogens in the liver before they continue to circulate in your bloodstream. These compounds also aid your immune response with anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
4 to 8 Servings
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Leeks
1 Head Cauliflower
1 Medium Potato
6 Cups Chicken Stock (or vegetable stock), fat removed
1 Cup 1% Milk
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
8 leaves Fresh Parsley, Chopped
Blending the cauliflower, leaks and potatoes with my favorite “Cuisinart Smart Stick”
Slice the white part of the leeks, cut the cauliflower into florets and set aside. Heat canola oil in an iron skillet over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, stirring frequently for about ten minutes until soft. Stir in the stock, cauliflower and potato. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about twenty minutes or until vegetables are soft. When mixture has cooled a bit, puree with the The Cuisinart Smart Stick… No mess, no fuss! (or blender or food processor), add the milk. Serve hot in the cool weather, cold in the hot weather. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley.
700 calories in the entire pot of soup
This Week’s Seasonal Batch Recipe: Thanksgiving Turkey, Veggie & Barley Soup
Turkey, Veggie & Barley Soup, an adaptation of Michel Richard’s Chicken, Mushroom & Barley Soup in my book, “Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations”
The second best part of Thanksgiving is leftovers! I try to encourage my clients to focus on healthy leftovers, of course, but perfection is never possible or even a healthy objective. One Thanksgiving, I saved the French Apple Cake dessert for breakfast the next morning (It’s better for your weight and health to eat the most fattening food earlier in the day – Sometimes, it’s all about STRATEGY!). It was one of the best breakfasts of my life!
This is the first recipe in my “Seasonal Batch Recipe” series. My advice: Make the most of the time you spend in the kitchen and ease some stress from your life by batch cooking. I feature batch recipes in my books, Diet Simple and Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes. Batches are your favorite delicious, quick and easy meals made ahead of time so that you always have something in the freezer or refrigerator, ready to eat on a moment’s notice. And it actually saves time. When you get home from work in the evening, just zap the batch in the microwave and Voilà! Instant delicious, nutritious dinner.
Studies show you’re more likely to eat whatever is in your environment. If you surround yourself with yummy, healthy, wholesome foods, that’s what you’ll end up eating. It’s simple physics: You naturally take the path of least resistance. So why not make things easy on yourself? Plan to make a few batch meals, or even just one, this weekend so you and your family will have their home-made favorites at your fingertips all week long.
Let’s take advantage and start batching with America’s favorite holiday-for-leftovers!
Thanksgiving Turkey, Vegetable and Barley Soup
Adapted from Michel Richard’s Chicken, Mushroom and Barley Soup, excerpted from Diet Simple: 195 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits & Inspirations
4 servings
Nothing could be simpler or more delicate than this dish. The flavors are rich and earthy. It contains all the elements of a complete meal. It’s nutritious and filling to boot. I feel honored that Michel Richard provided this recipe for Diet Simple. It fits perfectly as something you can cook, store in the refrigerator and eat for several meals and is a wonderfully delicious addition.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Small Onions, Peeled and Diced
1 Pound Thinly Sliced Mushrooms, or other Vegetables
2 Quarts Unsalted Turkey Stock (defatted)
2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
6 Tbsp Pearl Barley
4 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
About 1 pound, boned, skinned and sliced Turkey into bite-size pieces or small slices
About 1-1/2 Cup (about 3 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until translucent, for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms – and/or other leftover vegetables. Increase heat to medium-high and cook uncovered until lightly browned, for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the turkey stock, soy sauce, barley and garlic. Simmer gently for 45 minutes to cook barley and blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be prepared ahead, cooled, covered and set aside at cool room temperature for up to four hours or refrigerated for several days.)
To serve, bring the soup to a light simmer, add turkey, reduce heat and simmer just until the turkey becomes warm, for about two to three minutes. Ladle into four soup plates. Pass Parmesan, if desired.
Nutritional Analysis:
Calories320
Total Fat5g
Saturated Fat2g
Cholesterol70mg
Sodium1,100 mg
Total Carbohydrate26g
Dietary Fiber6g
Soluble Fiber 1.20 g
Omega 3 Fatty Acids 0.1 g
Sugars1g
Protein 34g
Nutritional Analysis with Parmesan
Calories500
Calories from Fat 200
Total Fat22g
Saturated Fat9g
Cholesterol100mg
Sodium 1800mg
Total Carbohydrate28g
Today’s Lunch: My Take on the All American Hot Dog
Katherine’s take on the all-American hot dog!
Hot dogs! The all-American classic. My favorite version is a hot dog with mustard & onions. How in the world did I come up with that as a go-to meal (besides it being fast and easy)? Who knows! I never liked hot dogs, or mustard, or onions growing up. But, my tastes changed as I grew up. Children have a natural “neofoodphobia,” that is, they’re afraid of new food. But we grow out of it and experimenting with new foods can become a pleasure (uh, well, with most adults anyway!).
I still don’t really care for hot dogs, but I’ve discovered chicken sausages that are lighter and even tastier. They come in all kinds of different flavors: sweet italian, spicy italian, sun-dried tomato and basil, and more. I’ve never liked regular yellow mustard, but when I tried honey mustard, I was hooked. My Swedish mother swears by Swedish mustard, and I like its mild and slightly sweet flavor, too.
So, this has become my “take” on the All (~90%)-American hot dog with mustard & onions. I start with a chicken sausage, which I heat in the microwave.
My “bun” is usually a toasted 100% whole wheat English muffin, because that is what I keep on hand for everything, from creating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (the peanut butter melts in the nooks and crannies!) to fried or scrambled eggs. Of course, to fit on the english muffin, I slice the chicken sausage/hot dog.
I discovered these wonderfully succulent and sweet mini onions at Quaker Valley Orchards found at either Rose Park’s or Dupont Circle’s Farmers Market. They get chopped and tossed on…
Next, I squirt some swirls of Swedish mustard (I believe it was bought at Ikea) over the top of everything…
I slice up some fresh tomatoes. The Japanese Kumato tomatoes from the grocery store are great this time of year. Add some fresh rosemary from my garden… And Voila!
Bon Appetit!
Healthy Peach Cheesecake Parfait
“Healthy Peach Cheesecake Parfaits” made by my Salvation Army “Nutrition, Health & Wellness” class
Two weeks ago, I bought a huge bushel of peaches from my Farmers’ Market, and they were perfectly fresh today! I gave away as many peaches as I could to friends and neighbors when I got home from the market, but there were still some left. To save as many as possible, as soon as I brought them home from the market, I put them gently into my refrigerator, and in a glass bowl, to protect them from bruising, completely unsure as to the outcome.
As soon as I got home from the Farmers Market, I carefully placed the ripe peaches in a glass bowl in the refrigerator
I cautiously tried one this weekend for a recipe I was hoping to make, and I was completely surprised at how perfect, sweet, and juicy they still were.
I highly recommend popping by your Farmers Market soon to get what may be some of the last of this season’s peaches.
Healthy Peach Cheesecake Parfait
This is an outrageously delicious dessert, especially because the main ingredient is sweet, tender, locally grown peaches (It was yummy with strawberries, too).
My Salvation Army Addiction Recovery class made this recipe this weekend, and it was a huge hit. My “Nutrition, Health & Wellness” classes include recipes and tastings designed to demonstrate how eating more fruits and vegetables can be deliciously fun. The recipes we make must be healthy, simple, inexpensive, quick, and with no cooking necessary.
For 10 Servings or More
Ingredients:
Use 3 medium bowls, one for each layer:
1 bowl:
Crush in Large Chunks: 9 Graham Crackers or 1-1/2 Cups Granola or Vanilla Wafers
Add Chopped Nuts, if desired
In 1 bowl, toss:
3 Cups sliced peaches
1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
In 1 bowl, Blend, then refrigerate until set, if desired:
8 Ounces Low Fat Cream Cheese
1 Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Garnish with extra peaches, granola, and/or chopped nuts on top
Optional: Place a Sprig of Mint on Top
In a wine glass, martini glass, or clear cup, place a layer of the crushed graham crackers, a layer of the cheesecake mixture, then a layer of the sliced peaches. Repeat.
This recipe is adapted from “Life Made Sweeter.” More peach recipes…
The Sweetest Surprise … Yellow Watermelon!
Yellow Watermelon from Quaker Valley Orchards
The sweetest watermelon at the moment is yellow, according to moi after tasting every darn watermelon at Sunday’s Farmers’ Market. I’ve always avoided the yellow watermelon; I guess you could say I’ve been kinda prejudiced against a watermelon colored … yellow! But with fruit tasting so bland and mushy this year because of excessive rain, I was desperate to find something sweet. So I reluctantly tried a yellow one at a familiar farm stand. I was surprised by its sweet juicy-ness; the best at the market! Give up any watermelon biases you may have, and just try it 🙂
A yellow watermelon is a natural variety of watermelon hailing from Africa. It’s high in beta-carotene – which provides its yellow color – and vitamin C.
“To broaden the narrow watermelon gene pool, US Department of Agriculture researchers went back to wild watermelon relatives in Africa to find genes resistant to problems like watermelon vine decline, root-knot nematodes, zucchini yellow mosaic virus, and wilting diseases,” According to USDA’s monthly Agriculture Research Magazine.
What to do with yellow watermelon? Of course, any watermelon (even the yellow kind) is great completely naked, cubed in any salad, crushed into popsicle molds or a margarita. Its watery and slightly crunchy sweetness perfectly complements heat or salt in many recipes. Here are just a few of my favorites…
Katherine’s Fresh Summer Salsa with Watermelon
excerpted from Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!
Melon Chunks with Crumbled Feta and Fresh Mint
excerpted from Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!
Nora Pouillon’s Watermelon Gazpacho with Lime and Mint
excerpted from Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!
Nora Pouillon’s Watermelon Gazpacho with Lime and Mint
Watermelon Gazpacho with Lime and Mint (photo from “Cooking with Nora” by Nora Pouillon)
Nora Pouillon’s Watermelon Gazpacho with Lime and Mint
6 lbs seedless watermelon, cut up, rind removed
2 Tbs lime juice
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 jalapeno (or to taste)
1/2 c chopped red onion
2 minced garlic cloves (optional)
1/3 c packed, minced mint
1 diced zucchini
1 seeded and chopped green bell pepper
salt & pepper
cubed watermelon & fresh mint for garnish
Puree watermelon in batches until smooth. Leave some puree in the blender and add juices, jalepeno, onion and garlic. Puree again till smooth. Add mint and buzz till it’s just chopped.
In a large bowl, mix both purees. Stir in zucchini, green pepper, and watermelon cubes. Add salt & pepper to taste.
serves 4
Adapted from “Cooking with Nora” by Nora Pouillon
Peaches! Peaches! More Peaches!
“A Still Life Painting of Peaches” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Peaches are so abundant right now, our local Farmers Market is practically giving them away. What to do with all those peaches? Freeze slices for peach smoothies all year long. And lots, lots more!
Katherine’s Summertime Peach Crisp with Roasted Nuts, Dried Fruit & Ginger
Fresh Kale and Summer Peach Salad with Toasted Almonds and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Creamy Summer Peach Fruit Smoothie
Swedish Waffles with Vanilla Bean Yogurt and Fresh Summertime Peaches
Nora Pouillon’s Chilled Cucumber Soup with Yogurt & Cilantro
Excerpted from “Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!“
If you’re not sure you’ll like the idea of cold cucumber soup, you will! Give it a try, you won’t be sorry…
4 Servings
3 Cups Lowfat Yogurt
3 Medium Cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 Medium Green Pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into chunks
4 – 6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
Juice of 1 Lemon
Peel of 1 Lemon
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Cilantro Leaves
1 Jalepeno Chili Pepper with seeds, stemmed
1 teaspoon sea salt
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Put the yogurt, cucumbers, green pepper, garlic, lemon juice and lemon peel, olive oil, cilantro, and jalapeno in a blender. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and refrigerate.
ASSEMBLY: Pour the chilled soup into 4 bowls, garnish with cilantro.
Calories: 128
Note from Nora: “Since the fruit I use is organic, I always use the skins. I zest or peel my lemons or limes with a vegetables peeler. Then I peel off the white pith from the fruit (you need a sharp paring knife) and put the whole lemon or lime and its peeled skin into the blender.”
Kjerstin’s Swedish Cucumber Salad with Fresh Dill
Excerpted from “Diet Simple Farm to Table Recipes: 50 New Reasons to Cook in Season!“
This recipe from my mother is a typical Swedish side dish (though I substituted yogurt for sour cream). When she (and I) serves it at parties, it is always a huge hit. It’s especially delicious using locally grown, just picked cucumbers. It’s great served alongside smoked salmon, but also any spicy dish, such as an Indian Curry.
1 English Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced (any seasonal cucumber will do)
1 Cup White Wine Vinegar
1 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Dill
1/2 Cup Low Fat or Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Dash Pepper
Mix water, vinegar and salt. Add cucumber slices and let sit for about an hour. Drain well. In clean bowl, mix together yogurt, dill, sugar and pepper. Mix cucumber slices in the yogurt mixture. Let sit in refrigerator for at least one hour to blend flavors. Will last several days in the refrigerator.
