#243 - Meals in Minutes

Carol Ritchie doubles as the National Volunteer Spokesperson for the American Heart Association's "Meals in Minutes Cookbook" during this show. She shows how to make four terrific, tasty, healthful recipes with very quick preparation and cooking time. If you would like more information about the American Heart Association or the AHA cookbooks, please visit their website at: www.americanheart.org.

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6; 3/4 cup per serving

1 teaspoon light margarine

2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup frozen chopped onion or 1/2 medium onion, diced

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup frozen no-salt-added whole-kernel corn

1/2 cup frozen butternut squash, thawed

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon snipped fresh dillweed or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook margarine, carrots, onion, and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add broth, corn, and squash. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, stir together water and flour. Add to soup and cook over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add dillweed and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring occasionally.

Salmon Sorrento

Serves 4; 3 ounces fish per serving

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

5 medium Italian plum tomatoes, diced

6 medium black olives, coarsely chopped

6 medium green olives, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons coarsely or finely chopped fresh parsley (Italian, or flat-leaf, preferred)

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic or 3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Pepper to taste

1-pound salmon fillet

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat bottom of skillet. Add tomatoes, black and green olives, lemon juice, parsley, capers, garlic, and pepper; stir to mix. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture is reduced by about one third, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, rinse salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Using a spoon, push reduced sauce to one side and place salmon in skillet. Spoon sauce over salmon. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 15 to 17 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Broccoli Potato Frittata

Serves 4; 1 wedge per serving

3 cups fat-free frozen shredded hash browns

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup frozen chopped onion or 1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 cups broccoli florets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 8 ounces)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Egg substitute equivalent to 4 eggs

1/4 cup reduced-fat grated Cheddar cheese (about 1 ounce)

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

2 medium Italian plum tomatoes, sliced (optional)

Put potatoes in a colander and rinse with warm water for 1 to 2 minutes to partially thaw. Set aside to drain. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat bottom of skillet. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broccoli and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in potatoes, mixing well; sprinkle with pepper. Pour egg substitute over all; sprinkle with cheeses. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until eggs are set. To serve, cut into wedges and garnish with tomato slices.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Serves 24; 1 square per serving

Vegetable oil spray

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pudding:

2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in remaining cake ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour into baking pan, spreading evenly. In a large bowl, whisk together pudding ingredients until sugar and cocoa are dissolved. Pour carefully over batter. (Pudding layer will be thin and runny.) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is firm to the touch. (A toothpick inserted in center of cake won't be an accurate test for doneness.) Let cake rest for 15 minutes before cutting. To serve, slice cake and top with sauce, or pool sauce on plate and top with cake. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 7 days or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.

>Recipes from Meals in Minutes Cookbook by the American Heart Association (Clarkson Potter/Publishers)

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