Patti Labelle's Lite Cuisine Page 4
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, skimming the surface regularly to remove any fat and foam, until the carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the garlic clove and herb sprigs. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth (in batches if necessary). Strain the pureed soup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Cover and refrigerate the soup base until well chilled.
Once the soup base is cold, stir in the carrot juice. Finely grate the zest from the lime and set aside. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the soup. (Save the other half for another use.) Stir in a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add the lobster tails and boil until just firm and opaque throughout, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and rinse the tails under cold water (it’s easiest to do this with tongs). Cut each tail in half lengthwise right through the shell (if the meat is not opaque all the way through, boil the halved shells for another minute or so).
Scoop the lobster meat from the shells with your fingers. Cut into ½-inch chunks. In a medium bowl, add the chopped cilantro to the half-and-half and set aside. To serve: ladle the soup into shallow soup bowls and swirl some of the half-and-half mixture into each serving. Place some lobster chunks in the center and sprinkle with the reserved zest.
Patti’s Pointers: If you don’t have a juicer or can’t buy fresh carrot juice at a local juice bar, use canned carrot juice instead. You’ll find it near the tomato juice in most supermarkets. And let me tell you about the leeks: They are the queens of the allium world. More subtle than onion, more refined than shallots, leeks have a sweetly gentle onion flavor that is perfect for delicate soups. That’s the good news. The bad news is that they also have a tendency to harbor grit in their layers. And I don’t do grit. So to make sure you get all of it out, slice them first and place the slices in a bowl of water. Swish the slices around in the water, then let any dirt settle to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the leeks out with a slotted spoon and pat dry before using.
Per Serving: 110 calories, 16 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, less than 1 g dietary fiber, 480 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 2 very lean meats, 1 vegetable, or ½ carbohydrate choice
Shrimp and Salmon Melts
Makes 8 servings
One 12-ounce package frozen baby shrimp, thawed
One 10-ounce can sockeye or pink salmon, packed in water, drained and flaked
¾ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¾ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s Just 2 Good!
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced into 8 slices each
8 English muffins, split in half
6 ounces reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, grated (1½ cups)
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, salmon, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, celery, parsley, horseradish, and black pepper.
Lay one tomato slice on each English muffin slice. Equally divide the seafood mixture among the English muffins. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Place in a shallow roasting pan and bake until heated through and the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
Patti’s Pointers: Not all low-fat cheeses are created equal. I like to use Cracker Barrel 2 percent sharp white cheddar cheese, which comes in block form. It melts well and has a bolder flavor than some of the milder pre-shredded varieties.
Per Serving: 290 calories, 24 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 550 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 5½ meats, 2 fats, 2 starches, or 2 carbohydrate choices
Warm Tuna Wraps
This recipe takes the stress and the mess out of getting lunch on the table. Not only is it ready in a flash, it gives you all the flavor of a tuna melt with a fraction of the fat and calories.
Makes 6 servings
1½ cups frozen corn, rinsed in cold water and patted dry
One 12.5-ounce can reduced-sodium solid white tuna in water, drained and
flaked
1½ cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar-jack cheese
¾ cup chunky salsa (you choose mild, medium, or the way I like it—hot, hot,
hot!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional)
6 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
In a medium bowl, mix together the corn, tuna, cheese, salsa, and chives or parsley (if using).
Spoon one-sixth of the mixture into the middle of a tortilla. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high until heated through and cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Roll the tortilla closed and serve immediately.
Per Serving: 340 calories, 31 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 570 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 4 meats, 3 starches, 1 fat, or 3 carbohydrate choices
I can’t so much as smell a cheesesteak without thinking about my homegirl, Llona Gullette. When we were teenagers, we used to eat them like they were going out of style. Philly is the home of the original cheesesteak, so the city is packed with places that sell them. When we were growing up, Llona and I always went to the same little shop to get ours—this twenty-four-hour hole-in-the-wall that made the best ones in Philly. Come to think of it, the best ones I’ve ever tasted anywhere. Sometimes, between the two of us, Llona and I only had enough money for one cheesesteak, so we’d beg the owner for extra meat and share it. Sharing was the backbone of our thirty-plus-year friendship. If I was sick, Llona would show up at my door with a bag of groceries and cook me enough meals to last a week. If I was scared or lonely, she’d stay on the phone with me until I fell asleep. When my sister Barbara got married, Llona stayed up all night helping me cook Barbara’s favorite dishes for her two hundred wedding guests. And it was Llona’s parents who helped my father get a job at Baldwin Locomotive when he and Chubby decided they wanted to move to Philly. Like I said, Llona and I were as close as two peas in a pod.
Llona, her son, Carl, and me hanging out in our favorite place—my kitchen. (Photo by Roosevelt Sharpe)
Several years ago, when Llona was diagnosed with breast cancer and called to tell me the news, I told her it was my turn to be there for her. “Anything you want, Girlfriend, just ask.”
Llona hesitated. “Just one thing, Patsy,” she finally said. “I want you to sing.”
I didn’t get it at first. “Sing?” I said. “Girl, you should be sick of hearing me sing by now. You’ve been to more concerts than I have.”
“Not at a concert,” she said quietly. “When the time comes.”
We never spoke of it again. Not once. But we didn’t need to. Both of us knew what had been asked—and promised.
New Year’s Day, when Llona’s son Carl called to tell me Llona was gone, he asked me to sing at his mother’s funeral. He didn’t know that if he hadn’t asked me, I would have asked him.
The one thing I did ask Carl was this: “Don’t list me in the program as Patti LaBelle. List me as Patsy Holte.” That’s who I was to Llona. That’s who she loved.
At her funeral, when we sent Llona home, I sang “You Are My Friend.” All I can tell you is that truer words were never spoken. Since I learned I have diabetes, my late night cheesesteak runs are a thing of the past. They were never as much fun without Llona, anyway.
Makes 4 servings
1 small red onion, sliced
⅓ cup fat-free low-sodium beef broth
½ teaspoon broiled steak seasoning, such as McCormick’s
1 tablespoon steak sauce, such as A1
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
12 ounces paper-thin beef round sandwich steaks
4 steak sandwich rolls, split
4 romaine lettuce leaves
1 tomato, thinly sliced
Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, steak seasoning, steak sauce, hot pepper sauce, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add the steak and cook, stirring frequently and separating the slices until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining black pepper.
Line the rolls with the lettuce and tomato slices. Spoon the steak on top and serve immediately.
Option: If you like a wet steak sandwich, top these with low-sodium tomato sauce, ketchup, or your favorite steak sauce.
Per Serving: 320 calories, 26 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 520 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 2 medium-fat meats, 2 starches, or 2½ carbohydrate choices
Serious Sloppy Joes
These taste even better after a day or two of “marinating” in the fridge. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, then reheat in the microwave and serve on the buns. Be sure, however, to use regular ground turkey (which usually includes some leg meat), not 99 percent lean ground turkey breast meat. I won’t lie: The breast meat is just too lean to make a good juicy gyro. Worse, it dries out if cooked too long.
Makes 8 servings
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound 95 percent lean ground turkey (not 99 percent lean ground turkey
breast)
One 8-ounce can low-sodium tomato sauce
One 6-ounce can low-sodium tomato paste
½ cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar substitute, such as Diabetisweet or Splenda
1 teaspoon seasoning salt, such as Lawry’s
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon black pepper
8 whole-wheat hamburger buns
Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili sauce, white wine vinegar, chili powder, sugar substitute, seasoning salt, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes to blend the flavors.
Divide the mixture equally among the hamburger buns to make sandwiches.
Per Serving: 330 calories, 19 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 4 g dietary fiber, 610 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 2 starches, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, or 3 carbohydrate choices
Lemon-Basil Chicken Pitas
Makes 2 servings
⅓ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s Just 2 Good! ⅓ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
One 5-ounce can chunk chicken breast in water, drained
2 cups arugula or other lettuce leaves
2 rounds pita bread, cut in half (right across the diameter of the circle)
In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, onion, celery, basil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Fold in the chicken, leaving as many large chunks as possible.
Divide the arugula or other lettuce among the pita halves. Spoon one-fourth of the chicken mixture into each pita half.
Patti’s Pointers: If you can find small tender arugula greens at the market, buy them. Arugula has a delicious peppery bite that complements this creamy chicken salad better than plain ol’ iceberg lettuce ever will. If you can’t find arugula, go for romaine lettuce, which has better flavor, six times as much vitamin C, and up to ten times as much beta-carotene as iceberg lettuce.
Per Serving: 200 calories, 14 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 1 g dietary fiber, 730 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 3 very lean meats, 2 starches, 1 fat, ½ vegetable, or 1½ carbohydrate choices
Fabulous French Onion and Mushroom Turkey Burgers
Don’t let the lean ground turkey fool you. When it comes to taste, these burgers give Big Macs a run for their money!
Makes 4 servings
8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound 95 percent lean ground turkey (not 99 percent lean ground turkey
breast; see headnote on Serious Sloppy Joes, page 28)
1 can condensed French onion soup, such as Campbell’s
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, split in half
Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, celery, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the egg, poultry seasoning, and black pepper. Stir in the mushroom mixture.
Using your hands, mix in the turkey, handling the meat as little as possible. Shape into 4 patties.
Add the patties to the skillet used to cook the mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until just slightly pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side. Drain off any excess fat.
Pour the soup over the burgers in the skillet (be careful, as it may spatter). Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the burgers and cook the remaining soup in the skillet until thickened. Serve the thickened sauce over the burgers on the buns.
Option: These burgers are plenty moist and tasty! But, if you feel the need to dress them up with something, low-fat ranch dressing makes these burgers off the hook.
Per Serving: 390 calories, 26 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 120 mg cholesterol, 3 g dietary fiber, 930 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 2 lean meats, 2 starches, 1 fat, 1 vegetable, or 3 carbohydrate choices
Great Greek Gyros
I know most people prepare gyros with ground beef, but I use ground turkey in mine. It’s the perfect alternative to ground chuck because it doesn’t damage the flavor but it does ditch lots of the fat.
Makes 4 servings
1 pound 95 percent lean ground turkey (not 99 percent lean ground turkey
breast; see headnote on Serious Sloppy joes, page 28)
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 rounds pita bread, lightly toasted
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 large tomato, thickly sliced
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the turkey and garlic and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
Remove from the heat and stir in the feta, oregano, and black pepper.
Cut off about 2 inches from the tops of each pita round and discard. Open the pita to make a large pocket. Equally divide the shredded lettuce, tomato, and onion among the pita pockets. Equally divide the turkey among the pockets and top with equal amounts of the sour cream.
Patti’s Pointers: Reduced-fat feta cheese is available in tubs in the refrigerated cheese case of most grocery stores. Athenos brand makes a good-tasting version that has ⅓ less fat than regular feta cheese.
Per Serving: 470 calories, 29 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 760 mg sodium
Diet Exchanges: 3 lean meats, 2 fats, or 3 carbohydrate choices
Fabulous Fish and Seafood
Crabmeat Quiche
This dish is a natural for Sunday brunch. Serve it with fresh fruit and the watercress salad on page 2 for a simple yet elegant meal.
Makes 8 servings