Food and Features

Ingredients:
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped into pieces about 3/4 inch square
1-2 tsp.olive oil, to saute mushrooms and green peppers
3 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
1 cup crumbled feta (or more, to taste)
18 eggs
ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 10 X 14 glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.
Heat non-stick frying pan, add small amount of olive oil, and saute mushrooms 4-5 minutes, until softened and partly cooked. Spread mushrooms in bottom of casserole dish. Add a bit more olive oil to frying pan if needed, and saute green peppers until softened and partly cooked. Layer peppers over mushrooms. Crumble feta cheese over top of mushroom-pepper mixture.

Beat eggs with black pepper. (Don't add salt because Feta cheese is salty enough.) Pour on mixture.Sprinkle onions on top. Bake about 45 minutes, or until casserole is firmly set and top is slightly browned. Serve hot. Goes nice with low-fat sour cream and salsa.
Breakfast casseroles like this reheat very well in the microwave. It can be frozen. but for best results, allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. [Full story »] 

Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes
1 cup shelled fresh peas
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.
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2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
6 cups water
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado - peeled, pitted and chopped

Directions:
Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired.

Bring 6 cups water and next 4 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan; add shrimp. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Drain shrimp, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.

Stir together reserved liquid, ketchup, and next 3 ingredients. Stir in shrimp, tomato, and cilantro. Chill. Serve with lime wedges, and saltines, if desired.
[Full story »] 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound wild salmon, skin removed, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Place salmon pieces on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper; roast for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, maple syrup, garlic and lemon juice. After the 10 minutes of cooking, brush salmon with mixture and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through.

[Full story »] 

Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 pinch salt (more as needed)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons fresh chives (or spring onions chopped)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated) (optional)


Directions:
*Pre-heat the oven to 350F (175C).
*Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use paper liners (preferably green or with shamrocks on them).
*In a small saucepan, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until just tender.
*Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside.
*In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder.
*In a large bowl, beat the egg, oil, buttermilk, chives or spring onion and parsley.
*Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture until nearly combined. Gently fold in potatoes. Add the cheese if using, note that you should reduce the added salt if using a salty cheese like parmesan or crumbled feta.
*Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes. You can top these with extra grated cheese, sesame seeds or even some flax seeds.
*Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove muffins and cool on rack.

[Full story »]