Raphael Stevens

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    Chicken Tortilla Soup

    By The American Heart Association
    A garnish of avocado bits, thinly sliced red bell pepper, and crisp tortilla strips adds texture and color to this popular soup.
    Servings: 4 | Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
    Ingredients:
    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (all visible fat discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
    2 cups frozen whole kernel corn (thawed)
    2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth
    14.5 ounces canned, no-salt-added, diced tomatoes (undrained)
    1/4 cup finely chopped onion
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1 teaspoon ancho powder
    2 medium garlic cloves (minced)
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 6- inch corn tortillas (cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips, plus)
    1 6- inch corn tortilla (torn into pieces)
    2 to 4 tablespoon snipped, fresh cilantro
    1/4 cup finely chopped avocado
    1/4 medium red bell pepper (cut into matchstick-size strips)
    Directions:
    In a 3-4 1/2-quart round or oval slow cooker, stir together the chicken, corn, broth, tomatoes with liquid, onion, sugar, ancho powder, garlic, and salt. Cook, covered, on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
    Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Arrange the tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Let the strips stand for about 15 minutes, or until cool. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside.
    When the soup is ready, transfer 1 cup to a food processor or blender. Stir in the tortilla pieces. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute so the tortilla pieces soften. Process until smooth. Stir the mixture into the soup. Stir in the cilantro.
    Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the avocado, bell pepper, and reserved baked tortilla strips.
    Quick Tips:
    Cooking Tip: Adding the processed soup and tortilla mixture to the rest of the soup gives the finished product more body and distributes the tortilla flavor.
    Nutritional Information:
     Calories: 292 Per Serving
     Protein: 30g Per Serving
     Fiber: 5g Per Serving
    To learn more about the Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe from the American Heart Association, click here. More

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    Spinach Soufflés

    By The American Heart Association
    This classic French dish combines egg yolks and egg whites with savory spinach, herbs, and grated Parmesan. While baking, the egg mixture puffs up to form a golden crust on the outside, sealing in light, airy goodness.
    Servings: 4 | Serving Size: 1 soufflé
    Ingredients:
    Cooking spray
    1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons whole-wheat bread crumbs (lowest sodium available)
    4 large egg whites
    1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
    6 ounces baby spinach
    1 teaspoon minced garlic
    1 tablespoon chopped, fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley (crumbled)
    2/3 cup fat-free milk (cold)
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1/8 teaspoon black pepper
    2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
    2 large egg yolks
    Directions:
    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly spray four 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Lightly sprinkle the bread crumbs in each, spreading to coat the bottom and sides completely.
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and cream of tartar. Set aside.
    Lightly spray a small skillet with cooking spray. Cook the spinach and garlic over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted but still very green, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley. Set aside.
    In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, flour, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat. Let cool for 10 minutes.
    Meanwhile, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 20 to 30 seconds, or until medium peaks form.
    Stir the spinach mixture into the milk mixture. Stir in the Parmesan and egg yolks until well combined. Gently fold in one-third of the egg white mixture at a time until well combined.
    Spoon 1/2 cup of the soufflé mixture into each of the ramekins. Gently tap the ramekins on the counter 2 or 3 times to level the mixture. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
    Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the soufflés are puffy and golden brown. Serve immediately.
    Quick Tips:
    Cooking Tip: Don’t get excited and open the oven early to peek! Doing this may cause the soufflé fall.
    Nutritional Information:
     Calories: 144 Per Serving
     Protein: 14g Per Serving
     Fiber: 1g Per Serving
    To learn more about the Spinach Soufflés Recipe from the American Heart Association, click here. More

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    Meatloaf with Black-Eyed Peas

    By The American Heart Association
    Check out this Simple Cooking with Heart recipe featuring the ultimate American comfort food: meatloaf served with black-eyed peas — a hearty-healthy side from the South.
    Servings: 6  
    Ingredients:
    For the Black-Eyed Peas: 
    31 oz. canned, low-sodium black-eyed peas
    For the Meatloaf: 
    1 small onion (finely chopped)
    1 medium bell pepper (any color), finely chopped
    1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
    2 clove minced, fresh garlic OR 1 tsp. jarred, minced garlic
    2 Tbsp. fat-free, skim milk
    1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
    1.5 lb. extra-lean, fat-free ground turkey (95% or 99% lean) (can substitute extra lean ground beef or pork)
    2 eggs (beaten)
    1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
    8 oz. canned, no-salt-added tomato sauce (divided use)
    1/4 tsp. black pepper
    1 tsp. dried parsley
    1 tsp. cider vinegar
    non-stick Cooking spray
    Directions:
    For the Black-Eyed Peas:
    Heat (un-drained) in microwave-safe covered dish on high for 5 minutes, or until warm. 
    For the Meatloaf:
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Place onions and bell pepper in a glass 9×5 loaf pan, drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
    Cover loaf pan with a plate and microwave on high for 3 minutes (NOTE: if you are using a metal loaf pan do NOT put it in the microwave!). Allow vegetables to cool slightly.
    In a medium bowl, combine vegetables, minced garlic, milk, oats, turkey meat, eggs, mustard, 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, pepper and parsley – mix well with hands.
    Spray loaf pan with cooking spray. Shape meat mixture into loaf and place in loaf pan.
    In the medium bowl, mix remainder of tomato sauce and cider vinegar, pour over loaf.
    Bake for 50-60 minutes until internal thermometer reads 165 for poultry and 160 for beef or pork. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and slice.
    Quick Tips:
    Tip: Make mini-loaf by baking in muffin tins. These individual sized mini-loaves are great for freezing, fun for kids, or a great alternative if you’re in a rush because they only cook for half the time!
    Nutritional Information:
     Calories: 322 Per Serving
     Protein: 40g Per Serving
     Fiber: 7g Per Serving
     Cost Per Serving: $2.61
    To learn more about the Meatloaf with Black-Eyed Peas Recipe from the American Heart Association, click here. More

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    Hot Chocolate Bombs

    Ingredients:
    Chocolate chips (milk, dark, white, etc.)
    Hot cocoa mix
    Optional add-ins like mini marshmallows, sprinkles, or toffee pieces
    Instructions:
    Melt your chocolate chips by microwaving them in a bowl for 30 seconds, stirring, then continuing to heat at 15-second intervals, and stir until the chips are all melted.
    Use a spoon to dollop the melted chocolate into your molds, smoothing it around the edges until everything is covered.
    Set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is firm.
    Fill your mold three-fourths full with your hot cocoa mix and optional add-ins.
    Pour the remaining chocolate over top to seal the “back” of the bombs. Place mold in the fridge until the chocolate sets.
    Serve in a mug, pouring hot milk over the bomb and stirring until completely melted. More

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    Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole

    By The American Heart Association
    This Simple Cooking with Heart, heart-healthy twist on a classic American chicken dish will be devoured in minutes.
    Ingredients:

    Servings: 6

    Cooking spray
    2 lb. boneless, skinless, uncooked chicken breast cutletsOR
    4 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast
    10.75 oz. canned, low-sodium, condensed Cream of Mushroom soup (1 can 25% less sodium)
    14.5 oz. no-salt-added, diced tomatoes (1 can)
    15.25 oz. canned, no-salt-added corn kernels (1 can), drained, rinsed
    1 Tbsp. no-salt-added chili powder
    14.4 oz. packaged, frozen pepper stir-fry (onions and peppers), thawed and drained of any liquid (1 bag)
    8 6 – inch tortillas (cut into 1-inch strips)
    1/2 cup shredded, fat-free cheddar cheese
    4 oz. canned, diced green chiles (1 can), drained, rinsed, optional
    Directions:
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    Coat a large nonstick pan with cooking spray and warm to medium-high heat. Add chicken cutlets and sauté until fully-cooked, about 7 to 8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer chicken to a plate and cut chicken into a few pieces to cool quickly. When able to handle, cut chicken into cubes.
    In a large bowl, add condensed soup. Into the bowl, let kids add drained tomatoes, drained corn, and chile powder, along with thawed stir-fry vegetables (and drained green chiles if using). Add cooked chicken and let kids use a spoon to stir mixture until combined.
    Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch Pyrex or baking dish with cooking spray. Cut the corn tortillas into 1-inch strips. Pour 1/3 chicken mixture on the bottom of the dish, using a spatula to make into an even layer. Have kids layer half the tortillas strips on top of chicken mixture. Repeat once more with 1/3 chicken mixture in an even layer and remaining tortilla strips. Then, have kids top with remaining 1/3 chicken mixture in an even layer. Have kids sprinkle cheese on top.
    Bake in oven until warmed through and bubbly, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Then, cut and serve.
    Quick Tips:
    Keep it Healthy: Turn this recipe into a healthy dip for gatherings. Just omit the tortillas from the recipe. In a large bowl, add all the ingredients except cheese, plus 1 or 2 chopped fresh jalapenos (if you like it spicy) and 1 can rinsed and drained low-sodium black beans or pinto beans. Pour into the greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30 minutes. Top with avocado chunks and serve with whole-grain pita chips.
    Tip: No time to thaw the bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables? No problem. Just put them in a colander and rinse with cold water for a few minutes until thawed. Then, press vegetables down against the colander to squeeze liquid from them to use in recipe
    Nutritional Information:
     Calories: 401 Per Serving
     Protein: 41g Per Serving
     Fiber: 6g Per Serving
     Cost Per Serving: $3.35
    To learn more about the Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe from the American Heart Association, click here. More

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    Baked Apples and Pears with Almonds

    By The American Heart Association This delicious dessert uses a small amount honey and the natural flavors of seasonal apples and pears to satisfy any sweet craving without the guilt. Ingredients: 4 small Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples and/or pears (can also substitute any variety of apple as available or… More

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    Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

    Ingredients:
    1 pound broccoli florets
    3 Tbsp butter
    3 Tbsp flour
    2 cups whole or low-fat milk
    2 cups 8 ounces shredded cheese (I used an Italian cheese blend)
    2 large eggs whisked
    1 tsp salt
    lots of fresh cracked black pepper
    a good grating of fresh nutmeg about 1/8 ~ 1/4 tsp, to taste
    Instructions:
    Set oven to 325⁰F
    Lightly butter a casserole dish.
    Chop the broccoli, including the tender stems, into bite-sized pieces. Put in a glass bowl, add a tiny splash of water, and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and drain really well.
    Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the flour, stir for about a minute. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking or stirring continuously, until it thickens and just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat.
    Let it cool for a minute, and then stir in the cheese, then the eggs, and seasonings. (When I add the beaten eggs I stir or whisk briskly so they don’t scramble). Fold in the broccoli and turn into the casserole.
    Bake for about 1 hour, or until browned and bubbly. You can run it under the broiler for the last minute or two to brown it if you like. More

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    Mushroom Risotto

    Mushroom risotto is a wonderful and sumptuous dish that can be made in less than an hour, provided that you already have the mushrooms prepped. The taste of the risotto is seriously enhanced by porcini or other European wild mushrooms such as trumpets or chanterelles. These can be purchased at a rational price wholesale in one-pound portions. Fresh wild mushrooms sautéed in butter are wonderful but probably too costly for most and seriously limited seasonally. Truly wild mushrooms add incredible flavor. Portobello, cremini, shiitake, or other cultivated mushrooms (Oriental or European), however exotic, are not “wild,” even though they may be so described on many menus. Cooking any risotto does require careful attention at the stove for about twenty to twenty-five minutes until the risotto is cooked.
    Ingredients
    This recipe is flexible – while it calls for 2 cups of rice, you can use 1 cup of rice and scale the other ingredients proportionally. The full recipe will make 8 generous appetizer servings.
    1–2 ounces dried porcini (also known as cèpes) or other dried wild European mushrooms
    unsalted butter and olive oil for sautéing, plus a couple tablespoons for service
    1 cup water, heated to reconstitute the dried mushrooms, then reserved
    2 large shallots or ½ large sweet onion, finely chopped
    3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    2 cups short-grain rice (arborio or carnaroli)
    1 cup drinkable dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc, but not chardonnay)
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    pepper
    2 teaspoons dried thyme
    5–7 cups or so of hot water or low-sodium vegetable stock (not chicken)
    1–2 cups fresh mushrooms, sautéed until the liquid is evaporated and the mushrooms browned (these would include, for example, cremini, portobello, or white button mushrooms, but not any Asian variety such as shiitake)
    1 cup or more parmigiano-reggiano cheese, generously and freshly grated
    Prepare all of the ingredients, including the hot stock and the sautéed mushrooms. Do not use a domestic or other nontraditional cheese unless needed for kosher compliance. Soak the dried European wild mushroom (porcini, trumpets, and/or chanterelles) in the hot water until they are softened. Lift them out of the liquid carefully, leaving any sand and reserving the liquid. Let the reserved soaking liquid rest so that the dirt can settle to the bottom. Chop the reconstituted mushrooms roughly and reserve.
    In about 2 tablespoons total of butter and olive oil, sauté the onion and garlic lightly with the rice. Sauté the rice until it is sort of translucent and is fully coated with the oil and butter. Then deglaze with the cup of white wine before adding any other liquid, letting the wine evaporate and absorb. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each cup of rice. Add the thyme. Add pepper to taste.
    Stir the rice frequently, simmering slowly, and do not abandon it at the stove. As the wine in the pot is absorbed, add another cup or so of liquid, starting with the mushroom-reconstituting liquid-but toss the dregs from the reconstituting liquid. Add the chopped, reconstituted mushrooms. Continue stirring and adding vegetable stock until the rice is fully cooked. You can tell when the rice is fully cooked by tasting it; it should be creamy and not crunchy. As you near the completion of the cooking process, add the previously sautéed fresh mushrooms. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, and add grated parmesan cheese to taste (at least 1 cup or more) and a couple tablespoons of butter. The rice mixture should not be completely stiff before you finish cooking but should be slightly soupy.
    An additional idea, perhaps less traditional but nonetheless delicious, is to mix in snow peas, sugar snap peas, or asparagus (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces) a few minutes before turning off the heat. These vegetables should be served bright green and somewhat crisp. None should be cooked long.
    Serve promptly and hot with a salad.
    Editor’s Note: Recipe courtesy of Kenneth M. Horwitz, author of Deep Flavors: A Celebration of Recipes for Foodies in a Kosher Style. The book is available for purchase at www.deepflavorscookbook.com or on Amazon or Kindle. More