Beef Stew

1 lb of beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
vegetable oil
garlic salt and pepper to taste
water
1/3 cup red wine
1/4 cup ketchup
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large onion
1 cup or so frozen peas (optional)
cornstarch or flour and water to thicken

Brown the meat over medium high heat in a small amount of oil. Brown on all sides. Add some garlic salt and pepper. Add water just enough to cover; stir in red wine and ketchup. Cook over low heat for an hour or so until the meat is tender. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion and cook for another 45 minutes; you might have to add a little more water when you add the vegetables. If you add peas, do that just a few minutes at the end. Mix up cornstarch or flour and water and add to thicken; bring the stew to a low boil so it will thicken.

Serve with cottage cheese and sourdough bread.

6 servings

Beef, Barley & Mushroom Soup

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
One 1- 1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds beef shin on the bone, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 cup chopped canned tomato
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 pound medium-sized button mushrooms, brushed, trimmed, and quartered
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add 2 tablespoons of the oil.

2. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat on all sides until well browned; this will take about 15 minutes. Set the meat aside and wipe the pan out with a paper towel. Lower the heat to medium, add the oil to the pan. Add the carrot, onion, and celery to the pan and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pan with the water. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is just tender. Add the thyme, barley, and tomato, continue to simmer the soup, covered, for 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste, and add them to the soup, and simmer for 15 minutes more. Remove the meat from the soup; cut the meat from the bone and dice. Skim any fat from the surface of the soup with a ladle or large spoon. Return the meat to the soup with the parsley. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in warm bowls.

6 - 8 servings

Cook's Note: If making the soup in advance, adjust the consistency of the soup when re-heating with water, since the barley has a tendency to absorb the broth.

Quick Avgolemono, Orzo & Chicken Soup

6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup uncooked orzo
4 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, vut into bite-sized pieces

1. Bring broth and dill to boil in large saucepan. Add orzo. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until orzo is slightly tender. Remove pan from heat.

2. Place eggs and juice in blender; process until smooth. Remove one cup of broth from pan with ladle, making sure to leave out orzo. With blender on, slowly add broth; process until smooth.

3. Add carrot, salt, pepper, and chicken to pan. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat and cook 5 minutes, or until chicken and orzo are done. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in egg mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly (do not boil).

4 servings

228 calories; 6.3 g fat (1.9 g saturated fat); 25.3 g protein; 16.6 g carbs; 2.9 g carbs; 244 mg cholesterol; 2.6 mg iron; 855 mg sodium; 68 mg calcium.

from Cooking Light: The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook

Split Pea Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bag of split peas
1 meaty ham bone
3 cups water
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup sherry or white wine
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute until softened, 3 - 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots and saute until carrots are tender, 2 - 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

2. Add split peas, ham, water, chicken broth and bay leaf, raise heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, until the peas are soft, about 1 hour. Add salt and pepper and sherry or wine.

3. Remove the ham bone and bay leaf. Discard the bay leaf. Let ham cool slightly, then cut meat off bone into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

4. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth and creamy.

5. Reheat soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very hot. Adjust seasonings. Stir in chopped ham. Sprinkle parsley over top of soup when serving.

4 - 6 servings

adapted from Diner: The Best of Casual American Cooking by Diane Rossen Worthington (out of print)

Spicy Coconut Shrimp Soup

3 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 - 1 tsp red curry paste
1 cup light coconut milk
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine first 7 ingredients in large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk; cook 2 minutes or until hot. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove pan from heat; stir in onions, basil, and juice.

4 servings

Per serving: 194 calories; 5.3 g fat (3.3 g saturated fat); 26.9 g protein; 99 g carbs; 14 g fiber; 172 mg cholesterol; 3.8 mg iron; 878 mg sodium; 85 mg calcium.

from Cooking Light Recipe Makeovers: 74 New Twists on Your Favorite Dishes (periodical)

Easy Chili Mole

1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package chili seasoning mix
1 can (28 oz) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can beans, undrained
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned; drain.

2. Stir in seasoning mix, both tomatoes, and beans. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors. Stir in chocolate just until melted.

8 servings

Per serving: 270 calories (70 calories from fat); 8 g total fat (3 g saturated fat; 0 g trans fat); 35mg cholesterol; 830 mg sodium; 32 g total carbs (7 g dietary fiber; 7 g sugars); 18 g protein.

% daily value: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 10%; Iron 110%

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 other carbs, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 lean meat, 1/2 fat

from Betty Crocker 30 Minute Meals for Diabetes