Cajun Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

Transcription

1 Cajun Green Beans with Caramelized Onions 2 tsp. butter 1 large onion, sliced ¼ inch thick and halved 2 tsp. light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning 1 1/2 pounds green beans, washed with tips and strings removed..leave beans whole. Stovetop Method 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Drain well, set aside. 2. While beans are cooking, melt butter on medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 7-10 min. 3. Add sugar, salt and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and golden brown, about 5 min 4. Add cooked green beans back into to pan with onions. Cook and stir mixture until heated through, about 1 min. Serve. Microwave Method: In microwave safe dish, cook onions on high for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, cook on high for 10 minutes or until desired doneness, stirring halfway through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Butter can be eliminated with this method. Per Serving: 53 calories, 2 gram Protein, 21 gram Fat,4 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 177 mg Sodium. Diabetic exchanges: 1 1/2 vegetables 1/2 Fat. This is a VCE Recipe.

2 Parsley New Potatoes 5-6 new, small medium sized red potatoes, washed, and cut in quarters 1 small bunch of parsley, leaves finely chopped finely about ¼ cup 2 tsp. unsalted butter or Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or both) Juice of medium 1 lemon (2 TB) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until tender. Drain well, place in a bowl and cover to keep warm. 2. In microwave or small pan, melt 1-2 tsp. unsalted butter (can use 1 tsp. of butter and 1 tsp. of olive oil). When melted, remove from heat and add lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 3. Pour melted butter mix over potatoes and stir gently. Add chopped parsley to potatoes and serve immediately.

3 One med onion Two TBS chopped parsley 1 cup chopped green onions 2 cloves garlic minced 1 15oz. can tomato sauce 1 TBS vegetable oil Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste Cajun Tomato Sauce In a 2 quart saucepan place the onion, then the green onion and parsley, then the minced garlic in layers. Pour the oil over the onion layers, then the tomato sauce, Season with salt and pepper and cayenne pepper. Place saucepan over high heat until it just begins to cook, then, reduce heat to low DO NOT STIR DO NOT STIR DO NOT STIR! The ingredients in the sauce will level out and the sauce will have reduced sufficiently in about twenty minutes. This sauce can be used on fish, chicken or pork. Cut a chicken into 8 pieces and bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 ½ hours turning once. When chicken is done, pour tomato sauce over and bake another ten minutes. Bake catfish filets in a glass baking dish creamed with butter for twenty minutes at 400 degrees. Pour sauce over fish and bake another ten minutes. Three large yellow, white, red or Vidalia onions ¼ cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Cut the peeled onions in half then slice very thin. Caramelized Onions In a large iron skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter and add olive oil and sliced onions. Cook over high heat for about five minutes then reduce heat to medium or medium high. Cook stirring continuously and do not allow the onion to burn. The onion will brown or caramelize evenly in about fifteen minutes. Season with salt and pepper. This can be served as a side or to garnish a meat, chicken or fish.

4 Cucumber Salad Two eight inch cucumbers Two TBS low fat or Greek yogurt ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. black peeper 2 tsp. vinegar 8 to 10 sprigs of chives, chopped Wash cucumbers thoroughly. Using a small zester, scrape the peel lengthwise over a bowl of slightly salted water reserving the strips of peel. Using a very sharp knife or a slicer/grater, slice the cucumbers into a mixing bowl. Add yogurt or sour cream, salt, pepper, vinegar, chopped chives. Mix through. Garnish with peel strips. 1 cup orange juice 4 fresh plums* 1/2 cup strawberries 1/2 cup blueberries 1 cup fresh spinach 3 basil leaves 1 tbsp. local honey 1/2 cup ice 1TSP cinnamon or cardamom Plum-berry Juice Add ice, juice, spinach, basil, strawberries, blueberries, plums, honey and spice. Blend until smooth. Makes approximately 5 cups. Enjoy! *other in-season fruits like peaches, nectarines or cherries can be used in place of plums.

5 Corn Soup with Summer Vegetables Ingredients: 5 ears of corn, husks and silks removed 1 cup yellow, green or red lentils 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 cup each of chopped vegetables: Zucchini, summer squash, red, yellow and green peppers, eggplant, yellow onion* 1 cup button or portabella mushrooms chopped 2 tsp. salt, paprika, pepper and turmeric 1 tbsp. garlic minced Directions: Wash and chop all ingredients. Fill large pot with 6 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and add lentils, salt, garlic and turmeric. After one minute add all vegetables and mushrooms. Cut kernels off the ears of corn and add to water. Let the water boil for 2 minutes and then reduce heat to medium. Add thyme, lemon juice and pepper Stir mixture often while cooking soup for another 5-6 minutes. Let soup cool on low and then enjoy. * Other vegetables may be used in place of the ones listed in the recipe. Servings: 7 Recipe adapted from Michelle Obama s American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America.