Italian Sausage and Spinach Soup

I've got a great recipe for you today that is just perfect for the cold weather we've been enjoying. It's a hot savory soup, thick with sausage, tomatoes, chickpeas and bold flavors, and surprisingly low in calories and fat. It's also inexpensive to make and freezes very well.

Actually, the inspiration for this recipe was a result of my first visit with Lenny Turi, the owner and one of the personal trainers of Fitness Together Waxhaw. I decided that I really needed to get serious about taking control of my health, so I'm getting a jump on my 2009 New Year's resolutions by starting now with an exercise and nutrition evaluation at FTWaxhaw. Wednesday was my first session with Lenny, and I can't wait for the second. I already feel healthier!

Here's the recipe I promised, and stay tuned because The Hungry Fox Personal Chef Service is going to be collaborating with Fitness Together Waxhaw to bring you great values in exercise, nutrition, and motivation to help YOU reach your goals in 2009!

Italian Sausage and Spinach Soup

1 large onion, chopped
2 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1 1/2 teaspoons dry sage leaves, crumbled
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
16 ounces Italian Sausage made with chicken, removed from casing if in links
2 1/2 quarts (2 1/2 32-oz.boxes) low sodium chicken broth or stock
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 ounces low-sodium tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
9 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Spray olive oil cooking spray in a heavy nonstick frying pan and heat over medium heat, then add chopped onion and saute quickly until onion is soft. Add the minced garlic and crumbled sage, and saute one minute more. Scrape onion-herb mixture into large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

Spray the same frying pan with cooking oil spray and heat over medium heat. Add sausage and brown, stirring to break apart. Add sausage to soup pot along with canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

Stir in spinach and garbanzo beans; simmer for 10 minutes longer until everything is hot. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

Nutritional Detail Per Serving (Approx.): 364 calories, 5 gr. fat (12%) 38 gr. carbs, 6 gr. dietary fiber, 45 gr. protein. 100% DELICIOUS!

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

Recipe for Country Apple Tart

I woke up this morning and it was so cool in the house...fall is really in the air today! When the weather turns cool like this it makes me want to bake, and I couldn't wait to get in the kitchen, but I didn't have a lot of time so I threw together this rustic version of apple pie. It takes little effort to make and only one pound of apples and will serve 6-8 dinner guests easily. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you wish, or accompany it with a glass of very cold Sauternes or Muscat. Here it is:


Country Apple Tart

Pastry
1 1/2 cups flour, chilled
1/2 cup butter cold
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar

Apples
1 pound apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoon butter diced
1/4 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Have all pastry ingredients very cold. (This is extremely important!)
• Place flour, salt and butter in food processor bowl. Pulse until texture of rice.
• Add the oil and water and pulse just until dough starts to come together.
• Turn out onto plastic wrap and quickly form into disk; wrap tightly and return to refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine apples, butter, walnuts, cinnamon, and honey in a large bowl; stir to combine. Set aside.
• On parchment paper, roll out chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. (Trim edges to neaten.)
• Spoon apple mixture onto center of disk and spread evenly to within 1 1/2 inches of edge.
• Fold edges toward center.
• Sprinkle all with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Slide parchment paper with tart onto a sheet pan and place in hot oven for 40 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are tender and bubbling.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

9 Fail-Proof Tips for Eating Healthy at Social Gatherings

I love reading Zen Habits every day and, since we are on the very cusp of the holiday season, I thought it would be a good idea to share these ideas from today's Zen Habits blog post.

We are already filling in our calendar with all the parties that are coming up, and we're also dreading the extra pounds the holidays bring. Planning ahead (for me) is the key. Setting limits once I get there doesn't work at all. I love the wine and the food and so I think that my game plan this year will be to eat before I go to each party. Party foods tend to be very high in calories, so I'll fill up on a healthy meal first, then it won't be so difficult to stay away from the party fixins', or just try a single bite here and there.

Do you have a game plan that has worked for you in the past? If not, maybe you'll find a tip here that will work for you!

1. Eat before you go. This was by far the most popular tip, and probably the most useful. Fill up on healthy foods at home.
2. Place limits. Try a 2 plate limit, and a 2 drink limit.
3. Plan ahead. Find out the menu ahead of time and make healthy choices, before you go.
4. Drink lots of water and eat fruits and veggies. You can eat as many veggies as you want without consuming many calories. Just avoid dipping sauces and dressings.
5. Have a big salad before the main course. Again, avoid too much dressing, and go for the lighter dressings.
6. Log what you eat, so you’ll be more aware of it.
7. Avoid alcohol. It’s just empty calories. You can have fun without alcohol — I do it all the time.
8. Bring your own. If it’s a potluck-style gathering, cook something healthy and bring it with you.
9. Just try to eat healthy most of the week, and relax when you are at social gatherings. This is one of my favorite tips. :) You don’t need to eat healthy all the time. This is the tip I usually follow, but you’ve got to come up with other strategies when you’re going to social gatherings almost every night of the week.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

Recipe for Butternut Squash Gratin

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes for winter squash, and I think of it every year at the first hint of fall's chill in the air. Yesterday I made it for a wonderful woman who was craving butternut squash while she is recovering from surgery and trying to juggle a busy household. She definitely needs comforting!

The ingredients given here are approximate, as this is really a dish that you can adjust easily to the amount of squash you have. I love the Parmesan topping so tend to really pile that on.

Serve this with roasted turkey breast and the Warm Salad of Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette for a perfectly healthy and delicious fall meal.

Butternut Squash Gratin
Serves 4-6 as a side dish

8 c. butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
Drizzle of olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
Coarse salt freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, or more to your preference

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl stir together squash, bell pepper, oil, garlic, herbs, black pepper, and salt to taste. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.
Bake casserole in middle of oven until squash is tender and top is golden, about 1 hour.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

Important Correction to Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe!

Thanks so much to my colleague, Lisa Brisch of Dinner Thyme Personal Chef Services in Wilmington, Delaware, for catching my mistake! Here is the correct, and very simple, recipe!

Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 c. good Vermont amber maple syrup
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette)
1/4 c. neutral vegetable oil, such as Canola or light olive oil

Whisk or blend all ingredients together until emulsified.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

A Warm Salad of Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

We love love love Brussels sprouts, but I've discovered from my client food questionnaires that these little "Barbie cabbages" are one of the least popular of vegetables. I imagine that is because they are often overcooked and end up pale gray-green and mushy.

Brussels sprouts are available year-round in the frozen vegetable section of your local supermarket, and practically year-round in the fresh produce aisle.

I love it when I find them still on the stalk, as if they were just cut fresh from the garden. If you are lucky enough to find them this way in the late fall or early winter (when they are in season) just slice each sprout from the stalk, peel away any loose leaves, rinse well and steam in a bit of salted water in a saucepan or in the microwave until just barely tender when you pierce the stem end. They will continue cooking a bit after removing from the heat so don't cook them too long or they will end up that mushy texture that none of us likes. Then proceed with the following recipe. You can start with frozen sprouts, too...just cook them on high power in the microwave for 4 minutes and then continue with this recipe.

A Warm Salad of Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

For Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette*:

1/4 c. Vermont amber maple syrup

1/4 c. good quality balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. Canola or other neutral vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in mini-blender or small bowl and whisk until emulsified. Reserve.

For Brussels Sprouts:

1 lb. steamed Brussels sprouts, cooked till barely tender

3 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

3 T. Vermont amber maple syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut each sprout in half and place on layered paper towels, cut side down, to drain. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, cook bacon till crisp. Remove to paper towels and drain. Strain bacon fat to remove solids and return 2 T. of the fat to the skillet. Heat over medium-high heat and add sprouts, cut side down. Cook till golden brown and then add maple syrup. Stir to coat and cook a bit longer until glazed. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on individual salad plates, garnish with crumbled bacon and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

*This recipe for Maple-Balsamic vinaigrette was shared with me by my friend and colleague Kim Onstott, of Your Place Gourmet personal chef service in Estrella Mountain Ranch, Arizona.

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie

Back from a Foodie Road Trip!

We pulled into our garage Sunday night, clocking 3, 925 miles in two weeks on my Subaru Forester! Since this was most definitely a "food" trip, my little Subaru had to work harder on the way home because not only had hubby and I packed on some pounds, but we also had the back of the car packed tight with all that we had collected along the way: gallons of Vermont maple syrups, Quoddy Bay sea salt, Finger Lakes wines, a Vermont maple salad bowl, boxes of Bell's seasoning, jars of Raye's mustards, story books and shirts for the grandchildren, and (even though I told hubby that I wasn't going to buy any cookbooks) a bag full of cookbooks!

Of course, I'll be sharing recipes that I picked up along the way from some of the many warm and friendly folks we met. I'm just now sorting out all the pictures we took and labeling them so I don't forget who/what/where, but I promise some great recipes and dishes to come!



One of the highlights of our trip was meeting Chef Ming Tsai at his restaurant, Blue Ginger, in Wellesley, Mass. We were thrilled that he was there and discovered that he is as warm and friendly as he seems on his TV show, East Meets West. Hubby remembered him from Iron Chef America and that he beat Bobby Flay!

Ming's dishes are truly a fusion of cuisines and I found the wine pairing a challenge, so asked our capable server (most have been with Ming for almost 10 years) to do the pairings for us. It was interesting. The wine was delicious and so was the food, but is there a perfect pairing for smoked salmon and beef carpaccio with a tart lime-cilantro avocado salad garnish? The Pinot Noir that was served was great with the salmon and beef, but throwing the salsa into the mix made the wine disappear. The combined flavors of the smoked salmon and beef and the salsa were a party in the mouth, so I just saved the delicious Pinot to enjoy with the cracker basket. THAT was a perfect pairing!

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie