Italian Veggie Stew

I was watching food network yesterday. Our heater was broken and I was waiting for the electrician, it was super cold in the house and I saw Rachael Ray making this stew. I was freezing and it looked awesome. This is technically my recipe, being added and subtracted ingredients to make it WLS friendly. I made this tonight, my "I'm not picky, as long as it's meat" husband ate 2 bowls. I consider it a success

• about 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 large parsnips OR carrots, peeled and chopped (the original recipe called for potatoes)
  
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, rosemary, and parsley each

Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, bay, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies. Drop in this order: parsnips/carrots, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper after you add each ingredient, cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add tomatoes and stock and herbs and cook 15 minutes more, to heat through. Add parm cheese on top. This is soooo good with so little calories and fill you up. Add as a side to your protein!

Spicy Summer Sausage Stew

I am in a soup mood. I swore off soup after my liquid diet almost 3 years ago, but it really is one of my favorite foods. I got some spicy sausage after moving into my new place yesterday. If you're kinda bored of sausage peppers and onions, this is a great recipe for you.

• 1lb hot Italian sausage
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
  
• 1/2 chopped zucchini
• 1/2 chopped yellow squash
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced fine
• 2 bell peppers, chopped fine
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown sausage in a skillet with a little cooking spray. Add sausage to crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. This is spicy and super delicious! You can also do this in a large soup pot and simmer for 1-2 hours.

Thai Curry Lentil Soup

I love lentils and I've been in the mood for a summery soup. The weather is sooo nice I decided I did not want to slave over a pot for hours, so I will let my crock pot do half the work.

• 2 can lentils, drained well




• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained




• 2 cups chicken broth or I used College Inn culinary Thai coconut curry broth http://www.collegeinn.com/products/culinary-thai-curry.aspx




• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic




• 1 medium onion diced fine




• 2 small zucchini's chopped fine




• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots




• 1 teaspoon curry powder




• 1 teaspoon cumin powder




• 1 teaspoon dried parsley




• salt and pepper to taste




• cooking spray
  

Add the first 4 ingredients in the crock pot on high. Then in a large pot over medium heat sprayed with cooking spray, soften onion, carrots and zucchini. Add salt and pepper to the veggies. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. Add to crock pot. Add spices. Cook for an hour and a half on high heat. Just before eating take a cup or 2 of the mixture and blend it up and add it back to the crock pot for a thicker broth. Top with greek yogurt or sour cream! *Hint, if you do not want to cook all of the veggies you can throw all the ingredient in the crock for 8 hours on low.* Enjoy!

Ratatouille Casserole

Ratatouille sounds like something we never want to make, let alone eat. I have been trying to venture out of my poultry comfort zone. This recipe is very good, and different. I got a huge eggplant and zucchini at a farmers market, and wanted to do something different, thus this recipe.

• 1 eggplant, peeled and chopped in cubes


• 1 zucchini, also peeled and chopped in cubes


• boiling water and salt


• 1 large yellow onion, diced


• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic


• 1 carton chopped mushrooms


• 4 tomatoes, chopped and skin and seeds removed


• 2 green peppers, chopped


• 1 small can tomato paste


• 1 block firm tofu, cubed


• 2 Tablespoons fresh Basil, chopped


• 2 Tablespoons fresh Oregeno, chopped


• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs


• salt and pepper
  

Preheat oven to 275*. Peel and chop eggplant and zucchini, and boil for 10 minutes in salted water. Remove from water and set aside. In a large skillet spray with cooking spray and add in diced onions and peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes, add in mushrooms, tomatoes and tomato paste, cook for another 5 minutes and stir together well. At the very end of the cooking add in garlic and mix well. Put mixture into a casserole dish, and add in eggplant and zucchini, basil, oregeno, tofu and some more salt and pepper and mix. On top sprinkle on panko bread crumbs and some dried parsley if desired. Bake at 275 for 1 1/2 hours. This tastes so fresh and delicious, and a good recipe to try if you want to try tofu!

Vegetable Fritters

These veggie fritters are soo yummy! They are a good alternative to plain vegetable sides.

• 2 zucchini, grated and drained


• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated


• 1/2 sweet onion, grated


• 3 cloves garlic, grated


• 2 eggs


• 1/2 cup bisquick


• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese


• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese


• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley


• ground black pepper


• Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grate all vegetables in magic bullet, or food processor, make sure to drain zucchini. Add all ingredients together (except cooking spray) in a bowl and mix well. Line 2 baking sheets with tin foil. Spray well with cooking spray. Spoon 6 onto each baking sheet and spread out with spoon. Bake for 25-30 minutes. These are delicious with sour cream!!

Crustless Zucchini and Bacon Quiche

I love quiche, and if you haven't noticed I've been on quite a zucchini kick. This is perfect for all of us because it is crust less. And your non WLS family members will love it! My DH loved it! It actually reminds me of a Spanish tortilla (omelet). So good.

• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped fine



• 8 slices turkey bacon



• 1/2 Tablespoon butter (it needs a little bit of fat because I cut out the half and half and subbed it for skim milk)



• 3 cups shredded zucchini (drained well)



• 2 cups low fat cheddar cheese, grated



• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated



• 4 eggs, beaten



• 1/2 cup skim milk



• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese



• 1 tablespoon flour



• 1/4 teaspoon salt



• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg



• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder



• black pepper



• cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the diced onion and bacon, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are clear and turkey bacon is browned. Add to bowl. Add zucchini, cheddar and mozzarella and mix well. In a separate bowl beat eggs. Then whisk in milk, parm cheese, flour, salt, nutmeg, garlic powder and pepper. Add to zucchini mixture. Pour into a well greased pie pan. Bake for about an hour or until center is set. This is phenomenal.

Wheat Zucchini Bread

Who says we cannot have a healthy bread? My Dr. encourages me to eat whole wheat, low cal breads, and that's what I've made. And it is awesome. Seriously.

• 3 eggs



• 3/4 cup apple sauce made with splenda
• 1/4 cup vegatable oil
  
  
• 3 cups raw zucchini, Shredded (about 3 small-med zucchini)



• 1 cup splenda for baking



• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder



• 2 teaspoons baking soda



• 2 teaspoons cinnamon



• 1 teaspoon salt



• 2 teaspoons vanilla



• 1 cup nuts, Chopped (optional, I did not use these)



• 2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350. Shred zucchini and strain in a strainer until most of the liquid is out. Beat eggs, sugar, applesauce and oil together. Mix. In a separate bowl add wheat flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and nuts if you're using them. Add dry mixture to wet mixture. Mix. Add zucchini. Mix well. Pour into 2 medium sized, well greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. This is a great way to get your veggies in when you need a little bread!