Dorothy's Delicious Dinings

Stuffed Mini Peppers

While cutting up a giant bag of mini peppers last night, I realized I had some ingredients that could possibly create delicious Stuffed Mini Peppers!  I think this recipe could be easily adapted to include whatever ingredients you have on hand!

Stuffed Mini Peppers

Makes 20 mini peppers

Ingredients:

• 20 mini peppers (shorter peppers were easiest to stuff), stem end cut off and seeds removed
• 4 oz. softened fat free cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp. pico de gallo (storebought or homemade)
• 1 avocado
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• Smoked Chipotle sauce (Buffalo is our favorite), Siracha, or other hot sauce as desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with aluminum foil. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese & pico de gallo.  Taste and add chipotle sauce as desired.  Using a spoon, stuff 1/2 of the peppers with mixture.  Place 2-3 peppers, stuffing side up, in prepared muffin tin.  Set aside.
3. Remove Pit from avocado and scoop flesh from skin.  Place in a bowl and mash with a fork.  Add lime juice, a pinch of salt and chipotle or hot sauce as desired.  Using a spoon, stuff the remaining peppers with mixture.  Place 2-3 peppers, stuffing side up, in prepared muffin tin.
4. Bake peppers in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until peppers are slightly softened.

These are delicious and easy.  My favorite were the avocado and chipotle flavor.  They were a bit difficult to eat, though.

Appetizer Plate:  Oliver series from CB2

These Cheesy Spicy Corn Muffins would go wonderfully with chili

I had a few random ingredients in my kitchen, and desperately wanted to make a spinach and tofu stuffed mushroom dish to go with grilled chicken for dinner.  I searched high and low, but then remembered a Dairy-free Spinach Stuffed Shells recipes from Jenna at Eat, Live, Run, and decided that would be the perfect base for this creation.

Vegan Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Based on recipe from Eat, Live Run and fANNEtastic food

Serves 2 as a side dish, or 16 as an appetizer

Ingredients

• 8 oz. container of baby portabellas, washed and stems removed
• 1/2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 4 oz. tofu, drained and patted dry with paper towels
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 tsp. nutritional yeast (may sub 2 tsp. Parmesan for non-vegan version)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Place mushroom tops in baking dish, set aside.
4. In medium skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp. olive oil.  Add chopped onions and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.  Add spinach and cook down, about 3-5 minutes more.  Remove from heat.
5. Once cooled slightly, chop spinach mixture and return to pan off heat.
6. In food processor or blender, mix remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, oregano, tofu, garlic and nutritional yeast (or parmesan) until mostly smooth
7. Add tofu mixture to chopped spinach mixture and stir to combine.
8. Spoon tofu and spinach mixture into portabella caps.  (At this point, the dish can be covered and refrigerated for several hours if prepping dish ahead of time)
9. Bake until mushrooms are cooked and mixture is heated through, about 10 minutes.
10. Serve immediately!

This dish may be grilled, by simply placing stuffed mushroom caps on aluminum foil on the hot grill until cooked & heated through, approx. 15-25 minutes, depending on the heat of the grill.

You may also wish to use full size portabellas or white button mushrooms if baby bellas are unavailable.

Nutritionals for Side Dish (1/2 of full recipe):  150 cals, 9.6g fat, 10.5g carbs, 3.6g fiber, 9.4g protein

I made this healthier seven layer dip from fANNEtastic food to take to a friend’s Super Bowl Party.  It’s made healthier using vegetarian refried beans as well as subbing non-fat plain Greek yogurt for the typical sour cream & mayonnaise.  I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

Healthier Seven Layer Dip

Serves 25

Ingredients:

• 3 medium ripe avocados
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 tsp. each salt & pepper
• 1 c. non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 cans Vegetarian Refried Beans
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 6 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Peel, pit and mash avocados with lime juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl (or yogurt container) mix yogurt with taco seasoning.
3. Assemble in large glass container in the following order:

• Refried Beans
• Avocado mixture
• Taco seasoned yogurt mixture
• Chopped Green Onions
• Diced Tomatoes
• Sliced Black Olives (I put these on just half, assuming that several people might not want them)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese

    4.  Serve chilled with pita chips and crudites.

Nutritionals for 1/25th of the recipe:  143 cals, 8.7g fat, 10.6g carbs, 4g fiber, 6.7g protein

Iowa Girl Eats Mini Corn Dog Muffins are so cute and tasty looking.  Can’t wait to try making these!  Kristin has so many great ideas.

imgoingtobeacook:

Whole-Wheat Shrimp Flatbreads

click image for recipe

My friend, Jen, made some AMAZING Bruschetta last weekend at our annual (though late) Holiday Party!  I’m pretty sure it was almost exactly this recipe from PioneerWoman.com  MUST TRY!

These Thai Red Curry Fish Cakes look delicious from carascravings.com

Can’t wait to try these at my first sushi night!

Thai Red Curry Fish Cakes
Printable Recipe
Adapted from Moosewood Lowfat Favorites

Ingredients
10 oz tilapia filets
3 tbsp minced onion or scallion
2 tbsp egg substitute (or 1 egg white)
1 tbsp prepared red curry paste
freshly ground salt
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Cut the fish into chunks and place in the food processor along with the onion, egg substitute, curry paste, salt and pepper. Pulse to chop the fish and combine the ingredients. Add the red pepper and cornstarch and pulse a few more times.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Use a scoop to drop equal portions of the fish mixture into the skillet, and flatten with the back of a spatula. Cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 242.3
Total Fat: 9.3 g
Cholesterol: 62.5 mg
Sodium: 330.0 mg
Total Carbs: 8.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 31.2 g