The Good Plate

Archive for the ‘Diet’ Category

Veal Marsala Meatballs atop Tomato Basil Cream Sauce with Mushrooms

Recipes in this Post

• Veal Marsala Meatballs
• Tomato Basil Cream Sauce with Mushrooms

I love to find things on sale, especially things that would usually be expensive, like ground veal.

I love cream. Why do I love cream? I love cream because you only need a little, and it stays fresh in the refrigerator for quite a long time. I also like it for those occasions when I have run out of milk for my coffee. I prefer milk.

That’s what happened to me this morning, I ran out of milk last night, and not wanting to the store unwashed, I used a little cream in my coffee. I’ve had that cream in my house for quite a while, and I knew today was the very last day to use it.

When we were at the supermarket today, someone was buying red sauce for spaghetti. That almost sounded good, but I wanted to use up what I had in my refrigerator. No problem, I thought, I can make spaghetti and meatballs, but use the veal, and make the sauce with the cream.

Veal has very little fat, so these meatballs are a good choice for those watching their weight. Omitting the cream makes the sauce another good low calorie choice. If you have vegetarian friends, serve the meatballs separately.

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Mexican Feast

Recipes in this Post

• Mexican Coleslaw
• Black Bean Dip
• White Sauce for Taquitos

This afternoon when I was at the local store, I had a taste for Mexican food. I already had frozen taquitos in my freezer (I’m too lazy to make them myself), so all I needed was avocado. Well, surprise, surprise my little store didn’t have any, so I decided to make the white sauce similar to the fish taco white sauce at Rubio’s.

I also had some cabbage in the refrigerator. I love cabbage and it’s very good with Mexican food. I picked up a can of black beans so I could make the same black bean dip I used for my Black Bean Tacos.

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There is a wonderful restaurant in Glendale, California, called Elena’s Greek Armenian Cuisine that we go to quite frequently. The rice pilaf is just the best, I could eat it every day. Dinners are usually served with a tomato and green Anaheim chili that have been grilled on the barbecue. Often, we don’t finish everything, so I wind up packing up the rice, tomato and chili pepper in a to go box.

In 2010, I threw together a dish for Teacher Appreciation Day at my son, Spane’s elementary school. I was in a rush, and when I was asked later how I made it, I didn’t even remember. In 2012, the PTA is now putting out a cookbook, and I was again asked about that recipe, so I started wracking my brain to figure out what it was.

Tonight, being a Friday, and wanting to use up left overs, but not eat meat, I remembered there was a box from Elena’s in the refrigerator. I also had some corn tortillas, some cheddar cheese, and a half full jar of green enchilada sauce. Serendipitously, while making this, I rediscovered that old recipe!

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So, Monday I am going on a diet. This is a diet that has worked for me in the past, and it worked for my father, too.

When my father’s friends heard that he had gone on a bean diet, they thought he was crazy. How could anyone lose weight eating beans? Well, it all depends on what you put IN the beans, and what you serve with the beans.

A lot of people when they think of beans, they think of chili – which may include meat, and may include fat in the meat, or used for cooking the vegetables that went into the chili. Then there might be cheese, and sour cream to top the chili. You might have cornbread, which could have additional fat, and sugar as well. Don’t even think about adding a beer – you were already out of the ball park!

Well, I’m not doing that. When I did this diet before, there was a wonderful black bean dip from Senor Pepe, that is no longer around. I think that’s what made it difficult for me to even think about going on a diet – my “food” was gone.

Now, I have discovered how to make my “food” and I am all thrilled. Spane may not be as happy as I am, and I will make him some other things. I will also have to not indulge in that Midnight Snack!
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