Tree-Trimming Buffet

december 97

White Chili

(makes 12 servings)

(Adapted from Diane's White Chili, The Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook by Bonnie Sanders Polin, Ph.D. and Frances Towner Giedt, Bantam Books 1994)

1	pound (450 g) dried Great Northern beans, rinsed and picked over
7	cups (1.75 l) fat-free low-sodium canned chicken broth
2	medium onions, about 1/2 pound (225 g), chopped
3	garlic cloves, minced
2	tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
2	tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh mint
2	tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1	bay leaf (optional)
1	tablespoon (15 ml) ground cumin
1	teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried oregano
1	teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried thyme
1 to 2	small jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced
2	pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Condiments:
	chopped red onion
	chopped fresh cilantro
	plain nonfat yogurt

1.	Place the beans in a 5-quart (5 l) crockery slow cooker. Add cold water to cover beans by at least 4 inches (8 cm). Soak overnight or for at least 6 hours. Or put beans and water in a large pot and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Boil for 2 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and place in slow cooker.
2.	Add 5 cups of the broth to the slow cooker, along with the onion, garlic, cilantro, mint, parsley, bay leaf (if using), oregano, thyme, and chile peppers. Stir well.
3.	Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. If cooking on HIGH, stir after 2 hours of cooking time.
4.	About 30 minutes before chili will be done, in a large skillet, poach chicken breast in the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth until just tender, about 15 minutes. Cool and cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Reserve chicken and broth.
5.	When beans are tender, remove about 3 cups of the beans and mash with a potato masher or in the food processor. Return mashed beans to the cooker and add the chicken pieces. Stir well. If cooking on LOW, change setting to HIGH. Add some of the reserved broth as needed to thin the chili to desired consistency (chili should be thick). Cook, uncovered, until chicken is heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
6.	Place condiments in individual serving bowls. To serve, ladle chili into soup bowls, offering condiments to spoon onto each serving.

Per 1-cup serving (without condiments):	219 calories (15% calories from fat), 31 g protein, 4 g total fat (0.8 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 72 mg cholesterol, 72 mg sodium
Exchanges:	4 lean meat, 1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch)

Steak and Mushroom Beef Soup

(makes 12 servings)

2	medium onions, about 1/2 pound (240 g), coarsely chopped
3	garlic cloves, minced
2	carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2	ribs celery, finely chopped
3	tablespoons (27 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried thyme
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) lemon pepper seasoning
1 1/2	pounds (720 g) lean beef top round steak, trimmed of all fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1	14 1/2-ounce (435 g) can low-sodium diced tomatoes
1	pound (480 g) button mushrooms, cleaned and thickly sliced
7	cups (1.7 l) fat-free low-sodium canned beef broth
1	large bay leaf
1	pound (480 g) Swiss chard, coarsely chopped

1.	Put onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in a 5-quart or larger crockery slow cooker.
2.	In a large self-sealing plastic bag, combine flour, lemon pepper seasoning and thyme. Add beef cubes and toss to coat evenly. Place meat on top of the onion mixture. Cover the meat with the tomatoes and their juice. Top with the mushrooms. Pour beef broth into slow cooker. Add the bay leaf. Do not stir.
3.	Cover and cook on LOW for 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 hours or on HIGH for 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours.
4.	Add the chard and stir the soup, removing and discarding the bay leaf.. Cover and cook on LOW for 30 minutes or on HIGH for 15 minutes.
5.	To serve, ladle soup into bowls.

Per 1-cup serving:	139 calories (17% calories from fat), 19 g protein, 3 g total fat (1.0 g saturated fat), 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 38 mg cholesterol, 158 mg sodium
Exchanges:	2 lean meat, 2 vegetable

Caesar Salad

(makes 16 servings)

1/4	cup (60 ml) olive oil
4	teaspoons (20 ml) red wine vinegar
3	anchovy fillets, blotted with paper towels and minced
2	garlic cloves, minced
1	tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
3/4	teaspoon (3.75 ml) Dijon mustard
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
3	tablespoons (27 g) grated Parmesan cheese
	salt (optional) and freshly ground pepper
3	heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
2	cups (90 g) fat-free croutons

1.	In a food processor or blender, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Process until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmesan; process for another 5 seconds. Set aside.
2.	Place the romaine in a large salad bowl. Season with salt (if using) and pepper. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the greens; toss to evenly coat.
3.	Add the croutons and toss again. Divide the salad between 12 salad plates; sprinkle each with some of the remaining Parmesan cheese. Serve at once.

Per serving:	60 calories (58% calories from fat), 2 g protein, 4 g total fat (0.7 g saturated fat), 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 mg cholesterol, 2 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 vegetable, 1 fat

Christmas Fruit Platter

(makes 12 servings)

2 1/4	cups (280 g) fresh or frozen raspberries, rinsed or partially thawed, if frozen
2	tablespoons (30 ml) orange liqueur or fresh orange juice
1	3-pound (1.4 kg) fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin slices
2	navel oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise into thin slices
6	kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced

1.	In a food process or blender, combine raspberries and orange liqueur. Puree until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
2.	On a large platter, overlap slices of each fruit, starting with pineapple at each end of the platter and orange slices down the middle. Fill in the remaining area with kiwi slices. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
3.	To serve, drizzle raspberry sauce over fruit.

Per serving:	83 calories (6% calories from fat), 1 g protein, 1 g total fat (0 saturated fat), 20 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 3 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 fruit)

Lemon Biscotti

(makes 36 biscotti)

1 1/4	cups (175 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2	cup spoonable sugar substitute
1	teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
3	tablespoons (37.5 g) reduced-fat cold stick margarine, cut into bits
1	large egg or 1/4 cup (60 ml) liquid egg substitute
3	tablespoons (45 ml) grated lemon zest
3	tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice

1.	Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.	In a food processor or in a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar substitute, and baking powder. Add the margarine and pulse until mixture forms fine crumbs (if working in a bowl, cut in margarine with a pastry blender or two knives). Add egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pulse until mixture forms a dough around the blade (mixing in a bowl, stir until moistened and gathers into dough).
3.	Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead 2 or 3 times, adding additional flour if needed (dough should be sticky). Form dough into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Transfer log to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.
4.	Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet, set on a rack for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 275°F (135°C).
5.	With a sharp knife, cut the log diagonally into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) slices. Then cut each slice in half. Arrange the half slices, standing upright on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes.
6.	Transfer biscotti to wire racks to cool. Once cool, store in airtight containers until ready to serve.

Per 4 biscotti:	93 calories (32% calories from fat), 3 g protein, 3 g total fat (0.6 g saturated fat), 13 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 24 mg cholesterol, 85 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 carbohydrate (1 bread/starch), 1/2 fat

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