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Level Two Vegetable Recipes

Craisin Pecan Chicken Salad

4 ounce Tyson frozen, precooked grilled chicken strips, per person
2 cups Romaine Lettuce per person
¼ cup pecans (15 Nut meats) per person
2 Tbs. dried craisins per person
2 ounces feta cheese per person, crumbled on salad
2 Tbs. Balsamic dressing per salad, add Splenda

Prepare each salad individually; mix salad greens, craisins, pecans and feta cheese. Add warm chicken and salad dressing.

Faux Mashed Potato Pancakes
Level Two

2 cups faux mashed potatoes
2 eggs
2 Tbs. white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 grated onion, optional
Butter Flavored PAM

Combine ingredients and fry in Butter Flavored PAM

Green Bean Casserole with Onion Topping

1 bag frozen green beans - about 14 oz
(can use canned or fresh if preferred), thawed
8 oz mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 large onion
Salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and ½ tsp. dried thyme
cooking oil or butter, about a Tablespoon
5½ tsp. white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup Calorie Countdown Milk
1/4 cup fat free half and Half
1/4 cup almond meal
(almonds may be blended in a mini food processor)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Topping: (can be done before, after, or simultaneously with other steps). Slice the large onion into thin slices. Put a small amount of oil or butter in a skillet and let about 3/4 of the slices slowly cook. When they start to get soft, add some seasoned salt or some other salty spice mixture. You want them to get soft and sweet, but if you let them cook down for a very long time they will start to lose too much volume. When they are soft, remove from heat and toss with ¼ cup almond meal. Taste and adjust seasonings.

The Rest: Chop up the rest of the onion and sauté it with the mushrooms in olive oil or butter. Add salt, pepper, and seasonings, stir, and add the thickener. If flour, stir for a minute or two. Add liquid, and bring to a simmer for one minute. Mix with beans and put in casserole dish. Bake for half and hour. Spread the topping on top, and cook for 5 more minutes or until topping begins to brown.

Baked Tomatoes with Basil and Parmesan
Level Two

3 large vine ripened tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds) cut in half
¼ cup minced fresh herbs (basil, parsley, marjoram)
½ cup dry grated bread crumbs
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Pinch Salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the tomatoes in a nonstick baking dish, cut sides up. Combine the herbs, bread crumbs, cheese garlic, salt pepper, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle each tomato with and equal portion of the mixture.Bake for 30 minutes or until crusty. Tomatoes will be soft yet hold their shape.

Home Style Green Bean Casserole
Level Two

½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs
¼ cup ground walnuts
1 onion, cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices and separated into rings
½ pound baby Bella or Cremini mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
½ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup whole wheat flour
3 cups milk
1 bag (16 ounce) frozen French-cut green beans thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Coat a medium baking sheet and a 13” X 9” baking dish with cooking spray. Place buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs and walnuts in another shallow bowl; stir to combine. Dip the onion rings into the buttermilk. Then dredge in the bred crumbs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Coat the onion rings lightly with cooking spray.Bake for 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, chopped onion, thyme, and salt. Coat mushrooms release their liquid. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Add green beans and stir to combine. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Pour bean mixture into a prepared baking dish, Scatter the onion rings over the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Sweet Potato Salad
Level Two

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 apple peeled, cored and cubed
1 large rib celery, chopped
1 Tbs. Orange Juice
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar substitute

Salt Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool. Peel and cut into cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, apple, and celery.
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, oil, vinegar, Splenda and salt. Pour mixture over the potato mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Fries
Level Two

2 large sweet potatoes
1 Tbs. olive oil
¼ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut potatoes into ½ inch strips or wedges and toss in oil and salt. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Level Two

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed
Salt and pepper
Maple flavored sugar free pancake syrup
1 Tbs. Orange Juice Peel and dice sweet potatoes into 2 inch pieces.

Pre-heat a steamer pot with 1 inch of water. Steam potatoes until they are fork tender. Transfer sweet potatoes to an different bowl, Use a potato masher and break down the potatoes into a mashed state. Add orange juice and Maple flavored syrup to help smooth the potatoes. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Sweet Potato Casserole
Level Two

4 medium sweet potatoes
¾ cup granular Splenda
½ cup Calorie Countdown skim milk
2 tsp. orange peal zest
¼ cup orange juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tsp salt
4 Tbs. eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbs. butter or Butter Buds
1 cup crushed pecans
½ cup chopped pecans
3 Tbs. Sugar Free Pancake Syrup

Pour enough water into the bottom of a large spaghetti pot. Begin to boil water while you prepare the potatoes. Peal sweet potatoes and cut into 2 inch cubes. Place in a steamer basket of your spaghetti pot. Steam until soft. Remove basket from the pot and drain away the water. Pour potatoes into spaghetti pot and mash potatoes with a hand potato masher. Add Splenda, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla, eggs, butter and 1 cup of crushed pecans.  Pour mixture into a 9” x 13 inch Pyrex baking dish. Top with mixture of pecans and syrup. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes
(Level Two vegetable)

1 ½ to 3 pounds sweet potatoes
Vegetable cooking spray

Peal potatoes. In a dutch oven, cover potatoes with water and bring  to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or just until slightly tender. Drain. Plunge potatoes into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and let potatoes rest for 10 minutes. Peal and cut into wedges. Coat with cooking spray and place on a grill over medium high heat. Cover potatoes with aluminum foil tent or grill lid and cook for 6 to 7 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear.

Hot German “Faux” Potato Salad
Level Two

1 1/2 pounds cubed cauliflower
8 slices lean turkey bacon
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
3 tablespoons SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Wash and cup cauliflower into cubes. Place in steamer liner in a large spaghetti pot filled with water. Bring water to a boil and boil cauliflower until slightly tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside. Chop bacon into strips. Place oil in a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until lightly browned. Add onion and cook approximately 5 more minutes or until onions are translucent.

Blend SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener, flour and salt together in a small bowl. Stir into pan and cook briefly (approximate. 1 min.). Add water and vinegar while stirring constantly. Add cauliflower and stir well. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Waldorf Salad
Level Two

1 cup walnut pieces
1 93/4 POUND) HEAD ROMAIN LETTUCE, CUT INTO BIT SIZE PIECES (8 – 10 CUPS)
2 SMALL Granny Smith apples, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 Tbs. mayonnaise, 2 Tbs. reduced fat sour cream
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper.

Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool briefly and chop

Toss lettuce, apples, celery, and walnuts together in a large serving bowl. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Pour dressing over lettuce mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baked Tomatoes with Basil and Parmesan
Level Two

3 large vine ripened tomatoes (about 1 ½ pounds) cut in half
¼ cup minced fresh herbs (basil, parsley, marjoram)
½ cup dry grated whole wheat bread crumbs
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Pinch Salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the tomatoes in a nonstick baking dish, cut sides up. Combine the herbs, bread crumbs, cheese garlic, salt pepper, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle each tomato with and equal portion of the mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until crusty. Tomatoes will be soft yet hold their shape.

The Big Salad
Level Two, Serves 6

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts
1 15-1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup cauliflower florets, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons vinaigrette
12 cups mixed salad greens
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

In a small, heavy, dry skillet, toast walnuts over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, onion, bell pepper, carrots and cauliflower. Add 2 tablespoons vinaigrette; toss to coat.

In a large bowl, toss greens with remaining 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Divide among 6 dinner plates and top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and feta. Serve immediately.

Boston Lettuce and Pecan Salad
Level Two, Serves 2

1 head Boston Lettuce
1/4 cup Pecans
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Lightly chop pecans. In un greased skillet over medium heat, toast nuts, stirring often, until golden; set aside. (Or, toast in 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.) Rinse and rip lettuce into bite-size pieces. Spin dry in a salad spinner or press gently between paper towels to remove excess moisture. In large bowl, toss lettuce with pecans, blueberries, cheese, lettuce, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve.

Batter Fried Veggies
Level Two

1/4 cup King Arthur white whole wheat flour
1 egg, beaten well
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs. heavy cream
1 tsp lemon juice
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp Mrs. Dash
very cold water
Sliced eggplant, zucchini, veggies of your choice vegetable oil for frying.

Slice, rinse and blot dry the veggies you'll be frying. If you're using eggplant, try soaking the slices in a bowl of buttermilk for 15 minutes beforehand; then blot dry but don't rinse.
Heat vegetable oil in large skillet to about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. While it heats, mix first seven (7) ingredients in a deep bowl. This will make a pasty mixture. Then begin adding COLD water very slowly and mixing after each little bit until you get the consistency of thin pancake batter. This usually takes a bit less than 1/2 cup water.

Toss a snippet of batter into the skillet or fryer to test the heat of the oil. If it sizzles, you're ready. Dip each vegetable slice into the batter to evenly coat and then place directly into the hot oil. Work quickly and in batches, turning as needed. Have paper towels at the ready for draining each batch. You can keep batches warm in a 250°F oven if you like.
When done, serve veggies ringed around the outside edges of pretty salad plates with a small dipping cup in the center filled with bleu cheese, ranch dressing, sour cream, or your favorite low-carb dip. For extra prettiness, sprinkle each 'round' with paprika as they first come out of the skillet. Makes 8 Servings.   4-7 carbs per serving depending on veggie type. (Dip not included) 

Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe
Level Two

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 small red onion,
coarsely chopped 2 cloves garlic,
coarsely chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon simple faux syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper
1 /2 head red cabbage, finely shredded

Combine all ingredients, except cabbage, in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place cabbage in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and let sit 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.