Health Elf: Former Recipes of the Week (Archives)

Falafel

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1/2 onion, chopped a little
2 TBL flour (I used GF All Purpose Flour, but you could use whole wheat)
2 TBL bread crumbs (I just put a slice of GF bread in the food processor, but you

could also you panko if you like)
2 TBL chopped parsley (I use flat leaf parsley and honestly don't measure!)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2-4 cloves garlic, depending on your personal taste
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directons:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put all ingredients in food processor and pulse until you see a chunky paste.
DO NOT over blend. Make about 12-14 (we usually get 14) golfball sized
balls. Place on Large Bar Pan or other stoneware and flatten the falafel

balls slightly. Brush each side of the falafel with a little vegetable oil using a
Silicone Basting Brush.

Bake 20 minutes, then turn over. Bake another 20 minutes or until golden
brown. Serve with pita pockets, pickles, tomatoes, hot sauce or tahini sauce.

The Pampered Chef ^®
Creamy Broccoli & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzotto
Recipe

1 medium onion

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) uncooked orzo pasta

3 1/4 cups (800 mL) chicken broth

3/4 cup (175 mL) dry white wine such as Chardonnay

1 jar (8 oz or 210 mL) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and patted dry

1 head broccoli (about 2 cups/500 mL florets)

2 oz (60 g) Parmesan cheese

6 oz (175 g) mascarpone cheese

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Finely chop onion using Food Chopper. Combine onion, garlic pressed with, Garlic Press and oil in Deep Covered Baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 2 minutes. Stir in orzo, broth and wine. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 14–16 minutes or until orzo is tender.
Meanwhile, thinly slice tomatoes using Santoku Knife; set aside. Cut broccoli into small florets. Grate Parmesan cheese using Microplane® Adjustable Grater; set aside. Carefully remove baker from microwave using Oven Mitts. Stir in tomatoes and broccoli. Cover; let stand 5 minutes.
Add cheeses to baker; mix well. Let stand, covered, 2–3 minutes or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 350, Total Fat 17 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Carbohydrate 36 g, Protein 11 g, Sodium 550 mg, Fiber 3 g

Cook's Tip: To prepare on stovetop, heat oil in (12-in./30-cm) Skillet over medium-high heat 1–3 minutes or until shimmering. Add onion and garlic; cook 30–45 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in orzo, 3 3/4 cups (925 mL) chicken broth and wine; cook, uncovered, 14–16 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender. Remove Skillet from heat. Add tomatoes and broccoli. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Add cheeses; mix well.

If desired, an additional 3/4 cup (175 mL) chicken broth can be substituted for the wine.

If desired, 4 oz (125 g) cream cheese can be substituted for the mascarpone cheese.

The Pampered Chef ^®
Grilled Chicken Penne al Fresco
Recipe

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes

3 cups uncooked mezze penne pasta

3 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup dry white wine such as Chardonnay

1/2 tsp each salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, divided

1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup packed)

2 cups diced grilled chicken breasts

Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese and coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

Spray Deep Covered Baker with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Slice garlic into baker using Garlic Slicer. Add tomatoes. Cover; microwave on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burst, stirring after 2 minutes. Crush tomatoes using Mix ‘N Chop. Add pasta, broth, wine, salt and black pepper.
Return baker to microwave; cover and microwave on HIGH 16-18 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring after 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop basil with Chef's Knife. Reserve 2 tbsp for garnish. Grate cheese using Rotary Grater.
Carefully remove baker from microwave and remove lid, lifting away from you. Add remaining basil, cheese and chicken to baker; mix well. Garnish with reserved 2 tbsp basil, additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrients per serving: Light (about 1 cup): Calories 240, Total Fat 2.5 g, Saturated Fat .5 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Protein 17 g, Sodium 450 mg, Fiber 2 g

Cook's Tip: An additional 3/4 cup chicken broth can be substituted for the wine, if desired.

Any tube-shaped pasta requiring 9-11 minutes cook time, such as penne or rigatoni, can be substituted for the mezze penne pasta.

To grill chicken in the Grill Pan, season 2 chicken breasts, about 6 oz each, with salt and black pepper. Heat Grill Pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Spray pan with oil. Cook chicken 4-6 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn chicken over; cook 4-6 minutes or until center of chicken is no longer pink and Digital Pocket Thermometer registers 170°F.