Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Tuna Salad Monterey

  • 2 Tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp mustard dressing (see notes, below)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3.25 oz canned water-packed tuna
  • 1/2 C diced celery
  • 1/4 C diced cucumbers
  • 1/4 C diced sweet red peppers
  • 1 Tbsp finely diced red onions
  • 3 Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered (optional)
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard dressing and lemon juice.
2. Drain the tuna and add it to the bowl. Stir in the celery, cucumbers, peppers, onions and olives (if using). Serve immediately.

Robyn's notes: if you don't have mustard dressing (I didn't), substitute equal parts nonfat plain yogurt and prepared Dijon mustard.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

  • 1 large onion
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large potato
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 2 C water
  • 1 (15oz) can ready-cut tomatoes
  • 10 strands uncooked spaghetti
  • 1/4 C fresh or frozen (not thawed) peas
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • dash salt
  • 1 large egg
  • grated parmesan cheese

1. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Heat the oil in a medium-size pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften. While it is cooking, peel the potato and cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Add the potato to the pot and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potato will begin to soften, and the onion will be very soft. While the potato is cooking, wash the zucchini, trim and discard the ends and thinly slice.
3. When the onion/potato mixture has cooked for 10 minutes, add the zucchini, water and all but 4 chunks of the tomatoes, leaving these pieces and the juice in the can for use later in the recipe.
4. Break the spaghetti into 2 inch pieces, add to the pot and stir. Return the soup to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. While the peas are heating, peel and finely chop the garlic and add to the tomato chunks and juice in the can. Add the basil, black pepper, salt and egg to the can, beat thoroughly and set aside.
6. When the soup has finished cooking, add 3 Tbsp of hot soup to the can containing the tomato mixture and stir. Add the can contents to the soup. Heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until the soup thickens. Remove from the heat, ladle into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Robyn's notes: I had tomato soup today, but he really liked this. He doesn't like his potatoes peeled, so I left the skin on when I cut it up.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Chicken Couscous with Vegetables

I spent a day in the Emergency Room this week, with him alternating between sitting next to the bed holding my hand and draping himself across the top of the gurney with a protective arm around me while he tried to get some sleep. So some meals that were planned for this week got scratched, and this meal got turned into something really simple.
  • 1 package Near East Parmesan couscous
  • 1 package diced cooked chicken
  • 1/4 C frozen peas
  • 1/4 C frozen corn
Robyn's notes: instead of proper instructions, just notes for this one, because I rarely make my parmesan couscous "as directed on package". Couscous is the one and only food item I can always eat, no matter how sick I am, but standing over a stove or doing more than one step of preparation when I've just gotten out of the hospital just won't work. So, long ago I discovered that I can do it an easier way. I can only say that this works with Near East brand Parmesan couscous. When I'm making any other kind or brand, I follow the instructions.

In 2quart microwave safe dish with lid, combine couscous, contents of seasoning package, 2 tsp butter, and 1 1/4 C water. Add chicken. Cover, microwave on high for 6 minutes. Let stand for 2-3 minutes, fluff with a fork. For this recipe, since it was going to be reheated after sitting in a fridge for a couple hours, I added the frozen peas and corn to the prepared couscous and chicken, covered, and placed in the fridge.

I didn't have veggies in mine, and he and I love couscous with or without chicken. He thought it was kinda blah with the veggies, though.



** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Baked Potato Soup w/ Broccoli & Cheddar

  • 1 baked russet potato
  • 1 1/2 C low-fat milk
  • 1 C chopped broccoli, cooked or frozen
  • 1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks and combine them with the milk in a blender. Process the mixture until smooth. Add the broccoli and process, pulsing the motor on and off, until the broccoli is coarsely pureed. You should still be able to see tiny broccoli buds.
2. Transfer the mixture to a heavy 2quart saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the soup from the heat, then stir in the Cheddar, salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Robyn's notes: this looked really nasty because it was kept in fridge overnight and reheated. So it had turned a murky purplish black colour across the top. But once stirred up that was no longer visible and he said it was really good, "make again" good. So I guess it must've been! For myself, I made Potato and Cheddar Soup, see August 16th entry, although this time I left out the onion. Only 3 stars because I have to make a whole separate version for myself, which is time-consuming.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Monday, September 24, 2007

Smoked Turkey & Fruit Salad

  • 2 Tbsp slivered almonds
  • 1/4 C nonfat plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp prepared mustard
  • 1/4 tsp dried tarragon (optional)
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 C diced smoked or roast turkey breast
  • 1/2 C diced celery
  • 1 C seedless red or green grapes
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Place the almonds in a microwave safe custard cup or small bowl. Microwave on high power for 1 minute, stir, then cook for another minute on high. Set the almonds aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard, tarragon (if using) and pepper. Add the turkey, celery, grapes, and parsley; toss well. Sprinkle with the almonds.
3. Cover the salad and chill for several hours to blend the flavors.

Robyn's notes: I didn't use tarragon or parsley, and since I'm not fond of the taste of mustard I got French's honey flavoured mustard. Not honey-mustard, but a slightly better taste just for me. For the turkey, I went to the grocery deli counter and asked for a thick cut of turkey. The girl asked how thick, I said approx 1/4 inch, and she took care of the rest. He really liked this one, and it was fast.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Zesty Turkey Tomato Soup

  • 1/4 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 C Mexican diced tomatoes
  • 1/3 C uncooked whole wheat spiral pasta
  • 1/2 tsp minced fresh basil
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1 Tbsp chopped jalapeno pepper, optional
  • shredded cheddar cheese, optional

1. In a large saucepan, cook the turkey, zucchini and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
2. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, pasta, basil, cumin, pepper and jalapeno if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 13-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Robyn's notes: I left the jalapeno pepper out because he and I are both of the opinion that too much spice in foods is just a way of covering up bad cooking. This was really spicy even without the pepper, so we were both glad I didn't use it. I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta because it was what I had in the house. There wasn't much liquid in the soup, but it was good anyway. And the liquid was the spiciest part.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Lazy Lasagna


  • 1 C spaghetti sauce
  • 1/2 C cottage cheese
  • 3/4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 1/2 C cooked wide noodles
  • 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Warm spaghetti sauce; stir in cottage cheese and mozzarella. Fold in the noodles. Pour into two greased 2-cup casserole dishes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Robyn's notes: sooo easy! I used lasagna noodles broken in half before cooking them. Added: I've made this any number of times over about 13 years. It holds up. Mostly I use egg noodles, because I tend to have them on hand.

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Friday, September 14, 2007

Ravioli with 3 Sauces

  • refrigerated spinach and cheese ravioli
  • 1 C marinara sauce
  • 1 C alfredo sauce
  • 1 C pesto sauce

1. Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain, cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat marinara and alfredo sauces separately.
3. Serve pasta with three sauces (2 warm, 1 cold) on the side.

Robyn's notes: we had a busy week, he threw his back out, etc. So this is a simple way to make an attractive dish that looks more intricate than it is. Plus it uses up sauces that I had in the house already.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Monterey Chicken

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 4 tsp barbecue sauce
  • 2 cooked bacon strips (see notes below)
  • 1/4 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 C chopped tomato
  • 1 tsp minced chives (if desired)
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Transfer to a baking sheet. 2. Top each with barbecue sauce, bacon and cheese. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with tomato and chives. Robyn's notes: for some reason, I'm not skilled at bacon in strips. So I used diced cooked bacon, and it worked fine. I didn't use chives, because it was just one more item to purchase that I wouldn't use in another recipe later. Photo from making this another day, when I didn't put tomatoes on it. I served this with Mashed Potatoes.
*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Mashed Potatoes

  • 1 large russet potato
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp cream cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
1. Peel potato and chop into 1/2 inch pieces (see notes below). Place in large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes can be broken up with a fork.
2. Drain, return to saucepan, and shake over low heat for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mash in remaining ingredients, leaving some potato chunks if desired.

Robyn's notes: he likes potato skin in his mashed potatoes, I can't have the skins, so I sometimes make two versions, peeling half the potato for mine and leaving the other half unpeeled for his. I make this regularly, and make it sized up a lot for large family get-togethers during the holidays (using 10-12 potatoes).

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Spinach Pasta Salad

  • 1 1/2 C uncooked farfalle (bowtie) pasta
  • 1 small tomato, cut into quarters
  • 1/4 C basil pesto
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 2 C bite-size pieces spinach leaves
  • 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced (1/2 C)
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 jar (6-7oz) quartered artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, place tomato, pesto, salt and pepper. Cover; process 30 seconds.
3. Toss pasta, pesto mixture and remaining ingredients.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Asparagus Chicken Stir-Fry

  • 1/2 C cut fresh asparagus (1 inch pieces)
  • 2 tsp cornstarch, divided
  • 1 egg white
  • 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
  • 2 tsp canola oil
  • 1/4 C chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted cashews
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 C hot cooked rice

1. Place the asparagus in a steamer basket; place in a saucepan over 1 in of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and keep warm.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp cornstarch and egg white until smooth; add chicken and toss to coat. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in oil for 4-5 minutes or until no longer pink.
3. Place the remaining cornstarch in a small bowl, stir in the broth, soy sauce and sugar until smooth. Gradually add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in the cashews, onions and asparagus. Serve over rice.

Robyn's notes: I didn't have cashews in the house (and besides, I'm not able to have them), so I substituted peanuts. He loves cashews, so I'd prefer to use them, but it was totally fine with peanuts instead. This went very quickly and was easy.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Mushroom Chicken with Rice


Most families know this dish, easy easy...
  • 2/3 C condensed cream of mushroom soup (from a 10.75 oz can)
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1/3 C uncooked regular long-grain white rice
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • dash ground black pepper
  • 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1. Mix soup, water, rice, paprika, and black pepper in shallow baking dish. Top with chicken. Sprinkle with additional paprika and pepper.
2. Cover and bake at 375°F for 28-33 min. or until juices are clear and chicken shows no pink in the center.

Robyn's notes: This will never be the most exciting dish you eat in a given week (at least, it really shouldn't be), but it is a good way to deal with the second half of a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup (see "Using Up Ingredients" at the top of the blog).  This is a reduction of an old Campbell's recipe, and it works perfectly well for my somewhat lazy nights.  When I made this June 23, 2012, my chicken hadn't completely thawed, so it needed a full 33 minutes.  The real problem with this dish is that the rice tends to cook unevenly.  Some of the rice that's been fully covered in sauce will cook through to perfect tenderness, some will have a bit of a bite to it, some will be mushy.  I don't know if Campbell's ever found a solution for that, but since I only make this when I'm not feeling great and need something simple and edible, I'm not willing to put a lot of effort into resolving it myself.  As Campbell's COM soup contains wheat flour, this is not a G-F recipe.  


*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Nutritional Information: Calories 312, Total Fat 5g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 75mg, Sodium 583mg, Carbohydrates 33g, Fiber 1g, Protein 30g

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Cheddar Artichoke Red Onion Pizza

  • 1 tsp butter or margarine
  • 1 small red onion, sliced (1 C)
  • small pre-baked pizza crust (see notes below)
  • 1/4 C marinated artichoke hearts (from 6oz jar) drained, sliced
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp sliced drained roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)
  • 1/2 C shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In 8-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
2. Spread onion over pizza crust. Top with artichokes, roasted peppers and cheese.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges to serve.

Robyn's notes: since I can't have most of the ingredients, I was making a second small pizza for myself. I wasn't able to find small pre-baked crusts, so I got Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough, and after rolling it out, cut it into two rectangles. Follow directions on the container, prebaking first, then applying toppings and baking further. I had a "mexican pizza", bean dip spread on the crust, topped with red enchilada sauce and mexican cheese blend.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Salsa Rice Enchiladas

  • 1 1/2 C chunky style salsa
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 C uncooked instant rice
  • 1 can (7 or 8oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
  • 1 can (5oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
  • 1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • additional salsa, if desired

1. In 10-inch skillet, heat 1 1/2 C salsa and the chili powder to boiling. Stir in rice. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in beans, corn and cheese.
2. Spoon about 1/2 C rice mixture onto center of each tortilla. Fold up bottom of each tortilla; fold over sides. Secure with toothpick if necessary. Serve with salsa if desired.

Robyn's notes: I can't have salsa, black beans, or corn, so I made the above for him and for myself I stuffed my tortillas with rice, enchilada sauce, and cheese.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Homemade Mac n Cheese

  • 4oz whole wheat elbow noodles (1 C)
  • 1 C frozen broccoli
  • 1 C low-fat milk, divided
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1/2 C shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook noodles for 4 minutes. Add frozen broccoli and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3/4 C milk in another large saucepan over medium-high heat until just simmering. Whisk the remaining 1/4 C milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture to the simmering milk. Return to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in cheddar, parmesan and mustard until the cheeses are melted.
3. Drain the pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, over medium-low, until heated through, about 1 minute.


Robyn's notes: I used frozen peas because it's what I had in the house, whole wheat flour, and regular black pepper. It came out fine with those changes.  Since I can't eat peas, I just picked them out of my serving, but it still tasted quite a bit of the missing peas, since they'd cooked in it.  I made the recipe again in early October 2007, in two separate dishes, using broccoli in his (he liked it) and no veggies in mine (I liked it).

Monday, August 27, 2007

Pasta Skillet Dinner



  • 1 C uncooked ziti (penne or rigatoni ok)
  • 1/2 lb lean ground turkey
  • 7oz spaghetti sauce
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1/4 C sour cream
  • 2oz (1/2 C) shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook ziti to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, brown ground turkey over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes.
3. Add cooked ziti; mix well. In small bowl, combine sour cream and cheese; mix well. Spoon over ziti mixture. Cover; cook over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


Nutritional Information: Calories 630; Calories from Fat 300; Total Fat 33g; Saturated Fat 16g; Cholesterol 115mg; Sodium 670mg; Total Carbohydrate 47g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Sugars 3g; Protein 36g

Robyn's notes: I found this recipe to be fast and easy. The end result was good but not exciting, which may have been partly because it was reheated in the microwave for our lunch at work. I made this again June 11, 2011, and it was better than it had been when reheated. *** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Tortellini Toss Salad

  • 6oz (1 1/4 C) frozen uncooked tortellini
  • 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 C sliced green onions
  • 1 (6oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained cut up
  • 1/4 C purchased creamy Italian dressing

1. Cook tortellini as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water until cool.
2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onions and artichoke hearts. Add cooked tortellini and dressing; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.


Nutritional Information: Calories 430; Total Fat 20g; Saturated Fat 5g; Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 630mg; Total Carbohydrate 47g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Sugars 9g; Protein 15g

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Robyn's Taco Cups


  • 1/2 pound ground turkey (originally ground beef)
  • 1 C taco sauce, divided
  • 3 Tbsp cornmeal
  • 2 biscuits from Pillsbury Grands! frozen biscuits
  • 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray individual ovenproof casserole cups with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In large skillet, cook ground turkey over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in 1/3 C taco sauce and set aside, covering to keep warm.
3. Spoon cornmeal into each casserole cup. Place 1 biscuit into each cup; firmly press in bottom and up sides.
4. Divide meat mixture evenly into dough-lined cups. Top each with cheese.
5. Arrange cups on baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 12-14 minutes or until biscuit is golden. Let cool 3 minutes. Carefully remove from casserole cups.
6. While baking, heat remaining taco sauce in small saucepan. Serve sauce with individual taco cups.

Robyn's notes: I wrote this recipe when I was 19, so it's not the most sophisticated, but it's still good

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Spaghetti and Spicy Rice Balls

  • 1 pkg (8oz) uncooked spaghetti
  • 1 C cooked white rice
  • 1/4 C quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped (1/4 C)
  • 2 Tbsp unseasoned dry bread crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten
  • 1/4 C wheat germ
  • 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 C tomato pasta sauce
  • finely shredded parmesan cheese, if desired
1. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix rice, oats, onion, bread crumbs, milk, basil, oregano, red pepper, and egg. Shape mixture into 10 balls; roll in wheat germ to coat.
3. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add rice balls; cook about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until light golden brown.
4. Heat pasta sauce until hot. Serve sauce and rice balls over spaghetti; sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

Yield: 3 servings

Robyn's notes: this dish was ok, but not exciting for either of us. For me, it just wasn't worth the trouble that it took to make. When a recipe calls for "unseasoned dry bread crumbs", I often end up using "Italian bread crumbs" because I always have them in the house, and it rarely makes even the slightest difference.

** 2 Stars: Acceptable. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, if I make changes