Meal Planning - Getting started for 2009

I'm determined to figure out how to make meal planning for 2009 easier while finding new recipes to try that are delicious and healthy. Starting now.

The following websites have a good collection of recipes to try:

Eating Well - I like the 'Healthy Cooking for Two' page, it includes recipes and menus. Recipes looks easy to follow with prep time, nutritional information, tips, and nice photos. There's also a menu planner... not signing up now.

Mayo Clinic - Healthy recipes that serve two. When I saw 'Berries marinated in Balsamic vinegar' I just knew I had to add this site!

Kalyn's Kitchen - There are so many food blog it's hard to pick just one but Kalyn offers a monthly recipe round-up summary that highlight recipes from around the blogworld.

Some gluten free recipes and insight from Karin's Kitchen - she has links to many other gluten free blogs.

When it comes to quick meals (and lots of them), Mark Bittman's 101 and the Urban Vegan's 101. I'm going to go through both of these and see which ones I can turn into pantry meals - including the freezer? maybe.

Soups, especially during the winter months, are very satisfying. Found 36 quick soups at the Washington Post. Yummy!

...and only because I like the BBC website, but I always forget to go there, these soup recipes and the rest of the swift suppers.

Stop. Really, that's enough.

Chipotle Chicken Soup

Poach a whole chicken breast in 1/4 cup chicken broth with 1T of butter for about twenty minutes. Cool and cube (about 3 cups), placing any liquid in crock pot. Sauté half a large diced onion in 1T olive oil on low heat for 7 to 10 minutes until wilted. Put in crockpot along with the chicken.

Open, drain and rinse cans of kidney and black beans, and white hominy - put in crockpot. Open and add cans of diced tomatoes, mild enchilada sauce, and chicken broth.

Season with 3 finely chopped chipotle chilis, 1T adobe sauce, 1T cumin and 1/2T chili powder.

Simmer on low heat in crockpot for 2 or so hours. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with diced avocado and a lime wedge.

Spinach Ricotta Pie

Makes a 10" quiche.

Preheat oven to 375
Prepared pie crust in refrigerator - store bought or homemade...

Chop an onion and green pepper, saute in large wide pan in 1 tablespoon of butter or oil over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Add a teaspoon each of salt and basil. For spice add half teaspoon each pepper and cayenne. Add about 10 oz of spinach - fresh or frozen (be sure to thaw in advance.) Sometimes I add as much as a pound of spinach. Cook for about 5 more minutes, spinach wilted with very little excess moisture.

In a large bowl combine 15 oz ricotta cheese, 3 eggs, 3 tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 3/4 cup Gruyere or Emmenthaler. Mix well. Add spinach mixture. Spread the filling evenly into the pie crust and top with 3 tablespoons of grated parmigiano-reggiano.

Bake for an hour, maybe a little longer, until the quiche is a golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool about ten minutes before serving.

This quiche keeps nicely for several days and makes great leftovers.

Sopa de Lentejas al Estilo de Puerto Rico

Crockpot Lentil Soup (Puerto Rican Style) - Serves 8

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 ounces chorizo sausage, peeled and chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup (1/4-inch pieces) yam
3 cloves garlic, or to taste, well crushed in a mortar
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 celery rib with leaves,
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin or well chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro,
2 bay leaves, (optional)
6 cups or more water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Add the oil to the crockpot. Add the chorizos, onion, bell pepper, yam, celery, carrot, potatoes, garlic, tomato, lentils and the herbs.

Add enough water to cover the lentils by at least 2 inches; add the seasonings, cover and put the crockpot on high. Cook until all the vegetables and grains are soft (at least 3 hours). If necessary, add more water.

Before serving, discard the bay leaves, and taste for seasoning. Serve the soup piping hot, garnished with some additional chopped cilantro.