Comfort Recipes Comfort foods are familiar dishes to turn to when you are not feeling well. Eat them when your appetite is poor and every bite counts. Egg Dishes Baked Eggs...2 Egg Omelet with Cottage Cheese...3 Quick Deviled Egg Salad...4 Sauce and Soups Basic Sauce...5 Blender Cream Soups...6 Gazpacho...7 Potato Soup...8 Turkey Vegetable Soup...9 Baked Entrées Cheese Strata...10 Cheesy Baked Potato...11 Creamy Macaroni and Cheese... 12 Tuna Casserole... 13 Sweets Ginger Snap Cookies... 14 High-Protein Gelatin... 15 1
Baked Eggs 1½ teaspoons butter ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon half-and-half Salt and pepper to taste Chopped fresh chives or salsa (optional) Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a small shallow baking dish or oven-safe cup with the butter. Mound the cheese in the dish and make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the well. Pour half-and-half over the eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the dish or cup into an oven-safe pan and carefully pour hot water into the outer pan until it is about half full. Bake in oven until cheese has melted and eggs are almost done (about 15 to 20 minutes or until eggs slightly jiggle). Cover the baking pan loosely with foil and bake for 5 more minutes or until eggs no longer jiggle when shaken lightly. Garnish baked eggs with chives or salsa, if desired, before serving. Yield: One serving. Nutrition information per serving: 370 calories and 22 grams protein. 2
Egg Omelet with Cottage Cheese 2 large eggs ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese Dash of pepper (as tolerated) ½ tablespoon dried parsley 1 tablespoon butter or margarine Preheat oven to 350 F. Separate egg whites from yolks. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff but not dry. Beat the yolks in a separate bowl until lemon-colored and thick. Add the cottage cheese and pepper to the beaten yolks and beat until smooth. Fold (gently mix) the egg whites and parsley into the yolk mixture. Melt the margarine in an oven-safe small (6-inch) skillet over medium heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook over medium heat until omelet is lightly browned on the bottom and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes). Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove skillet from oven and make a crease down the center of the omelet with a knife and fold omelet over. Serve immediately. Yield: One omelet. Nutrition information per omelet: 240 calories and 20 grams protein. 3
Quick Deviled Egg Salad 2 hard-cooked large eggs 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1 dash onion powder or onion salt 1 dash lemon juice 1 dash pepper 1 teaspoon spicy mustard (optional) 2 tablespoons salad dressing or mayonnaise Chop eggs with a fork or hand chopper and place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix together and serve on toast or crackers or with taco chips or bread sticks. Yield: One serving. Nutrition information per serving: 290 calories and 13 grams protein. 4
Basic Sauce 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or margarine 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup broth, water, or milk ⅛ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, grated lemon rind, salt, or soy sauce (optional; nutmeg or lemon rind will add a sweet or fruity flavor; salt or soy sauce provides a salty flavor) Heat vegetable oil or margarine in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add broth, water, or milk to flour mixture in saucepan. Whisk briskly until sauce is smooth. Return saucepan to the stove set to medium-high. Stir in seasonings of choice. Bring sauce almost to a boil, stirring occasionally so sauce does not stick to pan. Turn heat to low and simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Use the sauce to moisten foods and to add calories and protein to dishes. Yield: 1 cup of sauce. Nutrition information per cup: 444 calories and 9.5 grams protein. 5
Blender Cream Soups 2 cups reduced-fat milk, whole milk, or half-and-half 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 1 teaspoon salt Dash of pepper (as tolerated) 1 cup cooked vegetables (such as asparagus, broccoli, mashed potatoes, peas, or carrots) 1 tablespoon diced cooked onion (optional) ¾ teaspoon sugar (for asparagus soup) Mix milk or half-and-half, flour, melted butter or margarine, salt, and pepper in a blender. This is the base for all variations of the soup. Then blend in cooked vegetables and onion (optional). Add sugar if making asparagus soup. Heat soup in a saucepan over medium heat until thickened and serve. Yield: Four servings. Nutrition information per serving: 130 calories and 5 grams protein. (Calculated with reduced-fat milk. To increase calories, use whole milk or half-and-half.) 6
Gazpacho Two 10½-ounce cans of condensed tomato soup 2 soup cans of water 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Dash hot sauce (as tolerated) Dash garlic powder 1 medium chopped onion 1 peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumber 1 peeled, seeded, and chopped green pepper One 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes or 2 peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes In a large bowl, mix together tomato soup, water, olive oil, salt, hot sauce, and garlic powder. Stir in the onion, cucumber, green pepper, and tomatoes. Chill and serve with chips or crackers. Yield: Eight 1-cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 90 calories and 2 grams protein. 7
Potato Soup 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 2 stalks celery, chopped ½ small onion, peeled and diced 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 cups reduced-fat milk 2 large eggs, hard-cooked and chopped Salt and pepper to taste In a large pot over high heat, cook potatoes in chicken broth with celery and onion until potatoes are tender. Transfer contents of the pot to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt butter or margarine and stir in flour to make a paste. Slowly add milk, stirring or whisking continuously until mixture is thoroughly blended and heated through. Add pureed potato mixture. Push chopped eggs through a sieve or a ricer. Add eggs to the saucepan. Mix well and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve soup hot or cold. (This soup thickens when chilled and may need to be thinned with additional chicken broth or milk.) Yield: Four 1-cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 240 calories and 12 grams protein. 8
Turkey Vegetable Soup 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey 1 cup onion, diced 1 large clove garlic, minced 2 cups water 1½ cups potato, diced ½ cup carrots, chopped Two 15-ounce cans of chopped tomatoes (no salt added) One 10-ounce package of frozen mixed vegetables 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon dried marjoram Add oil to a large pot over low heat. Add ground turkey, onion, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Carefully drain fat from pot. Add water and potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 10 minutes. Add carrots and tomatoes and cook 10 minutes more. Add mixed vegetables and chili powder, oregano, and marjoram. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: Eight 1½-cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 190 calories and 21 grams protein. 9
Cheese Strata Nonstick cooking spray 6 slices cheese (cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, or cheese of your choosing) 12 slices bread, crusts trimmed 4 large eggs 2½ cups whole milk Salt and pepper to taste ¼ teaspoon dry mustard Spray a shallow 9-inch 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Use the cheese and bread to make six simple cheese sandwiches. Place sandwiches evenly in the baking dish. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard and pour over sandwiches. Cover dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is better). Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Yield: Six servings. Nutrition information per serving: 350 calories and 18 grams protein. 10
Cheesy Baked Potato 1 medium baking potato 2 tablespoons grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, mozzarella, or cheese of your choice) Margarine or butter (optional) Sour cream, yogurt, or cottage cheese (optional) Preheat oven to 350 F. Scrub potato and then bake for about 60 minutes or until soft. Remove potato from oven and place on plate. Sprinkle potato with grated cheese and, if desired, top with margarine or butter and sour cream, yogurt, or cottage cheese. Yield: One serving. Nutrition information per serving: 218 calories, 8 grams protein. (Calculated for potato and cheese only. 1 tablespoon margarine or butter adds 100 calories; 1 tablespoon sour cream adds 26 calories; 1 tablespoon low-fat yogurt adds 10 calories and 1 gram protein; 1 tablespoon low-fat cottage cheese adds 13 calories and 2 grams protein.) 11
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese 1¾ cups uncooked macaroni ½ cup mayonnaise One 10½-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup 2 cups grated cheddar cheese ¾ cup evaporated whole milk 1 small jar of pimientos or chopped roasted red pepper (optional) ¼ cup chopped onion (optional) Preheat oven to 325 F. Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain. Combine all ingredients in a 2-quart casserole dish, sprinkling some of the shredded cheese on top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Yield: Six 1-cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 460 calories and 20 grams protein. 12
Tuna Casserole 1 tablespoon butter or margarine ⅓ cup chopped celery ¼ cup chopped onion One 9-ounce can of tuna, drained One 10½-ounce can of condensed cream of mushroom soup ½ soup can of water 1 small can (approximately 2 ounces) of chow mein noodles Nonstick cooking spray Preheat oven to 350 F. In a sauté pan, melt butter or margarine. Add celery and onions and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are tender. Transfer celery and onions to a mixing bowl. Stir in tuna, soup, water, and half the chow mein noodles. Place mixture in a 1-quart casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with remaining noodles and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot. Yield: Four ½-cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 300 calories and 20 grams protein. 13
Ginger Snap Cookies 1 cup packed brown sugar ¾ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup molasses 1 large egg 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger ⅓ cup white sugar for topping Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oil, molasses, and egg. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture to make a dough. Roll dough into 1¼-inch balls. Roll each ball in white sugar before placing them 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until centers of cookies are firm. Cool cookies on wire racks before eating. Yield: 24 cookies. Nutrition information per cookie: 144 calories and 1.3 grams protein. 14
High-Protein Gelatin One 3-ounce package of regular (not sugar-free) flavored gelatin (any flavor) ⅓ cup dried (powdered) egg whites (you can find dried egg whites in the baking supply area of the grocery store or order them online) Prepare gelatin in a bowl according to package directions. Add egg whites to warm gelatin mixture. Whisk mixture gently for 2 minutes, until egg whites are completely dissolved. Cool gelatin mixture in the refrigerator. Yield: Four ½-cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 115 calories and 8.8 grams protein. 15