veryone these days
has jumped aboard the health bandwagon, and there's a conscious
effort to "eat and live healthy." More often than not, however,
this is easier said than done, especially when it comes to food.
We have been stuck with that belief that anything that tastes
good couldn't be all that good for us, and that there is no
middle ground in that - one has to choose between being healthy
and eating food that tastes like cardboard, or munch on the food
that makes us happy at the risk of blocked arteries and waging
the battle of the bulge.
Thus, food experts and chefs are constantly looking for ways
to improve both the taste and quality of food while getting the
full health benefit of every dish and snack.
Maya Kitchen presents the following recipes that make eating
a healthy exercise and a pleasure at the same time.
Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Crust
Ingredients:
6 tbsps butter, room temperature
˝ kilo fresh broccoli stems and florets separated and chopped
into bite size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon or
˝ tsp dried tarragon
6 ˝ cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
3 tbsps all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheese
Procedures:
Melt three tablespoons of butter in a heavy sauce pot over
medium heat. Add the broccoli stems and onion, sauté until onion
is translucent for about six minutes. Add the garlic and
tarragon and sauté it for a minute. Add the chicken stock and
bring to a boil. Simmer it uncovered until broccoli is tender
for about 15 minutes. Stir in cream.
Mix the remaining three tablespoons of butter with flour in a
small bowl to make a paste. Whisk the paste into soup. Add the
broccoli florets. Simmer until the soup thickens and the florets
are tender, stirring frequently for five minutes. Cool slightly
and season with salt and pepper to serve.
Preheat broiler. Place oven proof soup bowls on baking sheet.
Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle one-third cup cheese over
each. Broil until cheese melts and bubbles are around edges.
This takes about four minutes.
Lemon Bread
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
˝ tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsps gtated lemon peel
˝ cup fresh milk
Procedures:
Preheat oven to 350° F. lightly butter 8 ˝ x 4 ˝ x 2 ˝ "loaf
pan. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to
blend. Set it aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and
sugar in large bowl until it is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs
one at a time. Add grated lemon peel. Mix in flour mixture
ingredients alternately with milk. Pour batter into prepared
loaf pan. Bake until tester inserted into center of bread comes
out clean, this takes about an hour.
Transfer lemon bread to rack. Cool lemon bread completely in
pan on rack. Wrap with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Wrap
and chill until ready to serve. To serve, reheat it in the oven.
Cottage Cheese Quiche
Ingredients:
Crust
˝ c. butter
1˝ cup all-purpose flour
4-5 tbsps cold water
Filling
1 pint cottage cheese
˝ c. diced ham
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
Procedures:
Using a pastry blender, cut in butter into flour until it
resembles a coarse meal. Add in cold water. Form dough and roll
approximately one-fourth inch thickness, to the size of a
six-inch pie plate. Prick crust with fork and bake until half
cooked at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Cream cottage cheese and
add diced ham and eggs and mix well. Pour filling unto crust and
bake until toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Garnish with parsley and tomatoes if desired.
