Flatbread recipes

Per the request of a dear friend ... here is the recipe (early) before I share the pictures of my littlest "master chef" and his creations.

Low-Fat Flatbread Dough (makes 4 small single servings - 110 calories each- or a large 12" pizza)
1 cup bread flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup warm water, plus extra if necessary
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Mix flour and salt together in a food processor. Mix water and oil and pour over mixture until a soft dough ball forms. If the dough is too stiff, process in about another Tablespoon of warm water. Continue to process until the dough is well-kneaded.

Break the dough into four pieces. Roll out thinly into a rectangle, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and top flatbreads with desired toppings and bake.


A favorite variation:

Mexican Chicken Flatbread recipe courtesy of Pam Anderson's The Perfect Recipe
415 calories per serving

1 recipe flatbread, prepared
1 cup rinsed and drained white beans, mashed
1 cup salsa verde
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
3 medium green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place flatbread dough on cookie sheet. Combine mashed beans with 1/2 cup of salsa. Spread bean-salsa mixture over dough. Toss remaining 1/2 cup salsa with chicken and corn. Top pizza with chicken mixture.

Bake until spotty brown, about 10-14 minutes. Top hot pizza with cheese, scallions, and cilantro. Return to oven and bake just until the cheese melts. Serves 5

What's for Supper? Winter Meal #3

This week is just filled with favorites. Favorite desserts, favorite breakfasts (especially that granola), favorite restaurant-inspired meals. As a mother to at least one budding chef, I selected some meals that he loves to help me prepare, and even one where he gets full creative license to create his own recipe. We are in for a fun week ... and very much looking forward to what is on our plate.

Baking: Fresh out of my oven...
White Chocolate Chip and Raspberry Fudge Brownies
Triple Berry Granola
Flatbread (for Menu #3)

Menu #1: My Take on Take-out
Gingered Beef Lo-Mein with Snow Peas and Spinach
Mandarin Oranges

Menu #2: Comfort Food
Brown Sugar Lemon Chicken
Rice
Spinach Salad

Menu #3: Everyone is the Chef Night
Individual Flatbread Bakes
Spinach Tortellini Soup

Menu #4: Breakfast for Supper
Omelets
Home-made Italian Sausage Patties
Yogurt and Granola


Enjoy!

Fish Tacos

Typically, the "new year" inspires me to focus on bringing a new, fresh taste to our menus - and being sure to include meals that are full of flavor, but low in calories. This is one of our favorites. It is only 310 calories for 2 fish tacos ... but you would never know it because there is so much flavor packed into this dish that you will never miss those extra calories. I hope that your family will enjoy this meal as much as our family does.

Fish Tacos
310 calories for 2 tacos - Serves 5

4 cups of broccoli slaw or coleslaw mix
1/2 cup of fat-free tartar sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 pounds of tilapia filets
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
10 corn tortillas

Combine broccoli slaw, tartar sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Cook the tilapia about 5-6 minutes on each side, until the outside of the fish flakes easily. Remove fish from pan, flake it and toss it with more lemon juice (to taste). Warm up the tortillas. Add fish and broccoli slaw mixture. Top with 2 Tablespoons of low-fat cheese (We use Monterrey Jack). Serve.

***Additional garnishes we enjoy: Avocado, tomatoes, salsa, or peppers. Get creative. There are so many options that you can do to make this recipe your own.



Enjoy!

What's for Supper? Winter Menu #2

Another week, another menu. I realize that as I am working on formulating my menu for the week, we have "themes" that are pretty much repeated throughout the winter months. For example, I always am sure to include a soup (the best type of comfort food is soup, people!) and I always love to try to have a menu that is reminiscent of something we have tried and loved at a restaurant. So, keeping with that "trend" ... here is what is on our plate for this upcoming week.

Baker's Corner:
Pear Granola with Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Multi-Grain Bread
Pretzels

Meal #1:
Tomato-Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Flatbread d'Alsace

Meal #2:
Seafood Crab Stir-fry
Mandarin Slaw
Egg Rolls

Meal #3:
Sour Cream and Beef Turnovers
Garlicky Green Beans
Fruit

Meal #4:
Honey-Lime Roasted Chicken
Sweet Potato Fries
Southern Coleslaw

Have a great week, stay warm, and enjoy what is on your plates!

Beef and Spinach Lo-Mein

Our family loves eating Asian cuisine. When we go out to a restaurant, it is typically for either Chinese food or seafood. So, when we are craving something a little out of the ordinary at home, we typically turn to fare with a flair from the Orient.

This dish satisfied every picky eater at our house. It was flavorful as well as lower in fat and higher in flavor than what we would get at a restaurant.



Beef and Spinach Lo-Mein
363 Calories per 1 1/3 cup serving. Adapted from the New Taste of Home cookbook

To make the marinade:
1/4 cup hoisin
2 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 T. water
2 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you like it!)

Combine these ingredients in a small bowl and set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade to marinate the meat.

For the Lo-Mein:
1 pound lean steak, thinly sliced
6 oz uncooked spaghetti
4 tsp canola oil, divided
8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 green onion, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
10 oz fresh spinach, chopped

Marinate the meat for about 10 minutes or so. Cook the spaghetti and drain it. Stir fry the meat in 2 tsp oil until it reaches the doneness that you like. We like ours to be medium. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add remaining 2 tsp oil and stir fry the water chestnuts and green onions until tender and fragrant. Stir in the cooked spaghetti and chopped spinach and toss well to combine. Stir in the meat and the remaining marinade and cook until spinach is wilted.

Enjoy!