Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup Recipe with Chicken-Garlic Sausage and Bell Peppers

A quick and tasty Black-Eyed Pea Soup for good luck on New Year's Day, and it's Phase One!

I need to give Meatless Monday fans a raincheck this week so I can share this Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Chicken Garlic Soup and Bell Peppers before New Year's Day.  I've been cooking black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for several years now, usually my favorite Hopping John Soup or Black-Eyed Pea Hummus, and I can promise you, it has definitely brought me good luck.  And if you use portion control, this new lucky soup is even good for Phase One (which I'm guessing some of you may have on your mind!)  If you're cooking black-eyed peas for New Year's Day, let us know in the comments how you're fixing them this year.

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The Top Ten Recipes of 2012 from Kalyn's Kitchen (plus Ten Honorable Mentions)

Narrowing it down is tough, but here are my Top Ten Recipes for 2012 and ten more Honorable Mentions!

I love those end-of-year lists that pop up between Christmas and New Year's Day, so each December I scan through the monthly archives and save recipes that were my personal favorites from the past year.  Sounds easy enough, but then every year I have a hard time narrowing it down, even though three years ago I started allowing myself to expand the top ten list with ten honorable mentions!

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Red and Green Christmas Rice with Bell Peppers, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts (and Happy Holidays!)

Christmas Rice is loaded with flavor from red and green bell pepper, Parmesan, and pine nuts.

I want to share one more recipe before I take most of next week off the enjoy the holidays with my family, and if you're making any kind of formal dinner this week, I recommend this Christmas Rice with Bell Peppers, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts as the perfect holiday side dish.  The rice is loaded with flavor from red and green peppers, thinly sliced green onions, Parmesan, pine nuts, and just the right seasonings.  It cooks in the oven (along with your main dish if you'd like) and doesn't require much watching.   And of course it's red and green, which is always fun for this time of year.   And before I talk more about the recipe, let me wish all my readers and friends a great holiday season, plenty of time with those you love, and lots of delicious food in 2013!

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Navy Bean and Refried Bean Stew Recipe with Ham, Leeks, and Tomatoes

This Phase One Navy Bean and Refried Bean Stew with Ham, Leeks, and Tomatoes would be a great use for leftover holiday ham.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  If you're having ham during the holidays, this is a great phase one soup to make with the leftover ham.  If you wanted to try this in the slow cooker, I would reduce the amount of ham stock to about 2 cups.)

When it's winter in Utah we often have a short little taste of warm weather, and then the lawn is covered with snow again and it seems like soup or stew is back on the menu. I created this recipe for a bean stew with leeks, ham, and tomatoes on a winter day when I was having guests for a soup and stew lunch. The recipe was partly inspired by an abundance of leeks and leftover ham, and the photo (which I was not crazy about) might have kept it from making an appearance on the blog, but when my nephew Jake and my brother Rand (two confirmed foodies) both raved about the flavors in this stew, I knew I should post it even if the photos didn't really show off its inner beauty.

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Fifteen Delicious Low-Sugar or Sugar-Free Cookies to Bake for the Holidays (many are gluten-free)

Fifteen low-sugar (or sugar-free) cookies to bake for the holidays, and many are gluten-free as well!

In more than eight years of food blogging I've probably tried about 50 different variations for low-sugar or sugar-free cookies, and yet only 15 cookie recipes have been posted on Kalyn's Kitchen.  That might be partly due to my poor baking skills, but it's also because I feel there's not much sense in making a low-sugar or sugar-free cookie if it doesn't really taste good.  Admittedly, nothing tastes quite like real sugar, which I'm sure is why so many people have a hard time avoiding it.  But these fifteen cookies are all delicious, and all of them can be made with either Stevia-in-the-Raw Granulated Sweetener or Splenda (or sugar, if you don't care about the whole low-sugar thing.)  Many of the cookies are also flourless, which makes them gluten-free as well.  Of course making a cookie that's low-calorie is another matter indeed, so use portion control when indulging if you're trying to avoid holiday weight gain!

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Spicy Vegetarian Butternut Squash Soup Recipe with Black Beans, Red Bell Pepper, and Cilantro

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Black Beans, Red Bell Pepper, and Cilantro is a great meatless meal.

I'm a well-documented fan of butternut squash, so you might be surprised to hear this is only the second time I've made a soup using my favorite winter squash.   I love savory squash dishes, but I don't really understand the appeal of those sweet butternut squash soups that many people like.  No surprise then that this Butternut Squash Soup with Black Beans, Red Bell Pepper, and Cilantro is savory and slightly spicy from the Green Tabasco Sauce that's stirred in at the end.  I ate my soup with a generous dollop of low-fat sour cream, but if you skip the sour cream this meatless soup is vegan.

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Low-Sugar and Flourless Chocolate Coconut Drops with Almonds (Gluten-Free)

These Low-Sugar and Flourless Chocolate Coconut Drops are also gluten-free!

In December many food blogs are featuring an ongoing series of sugary treats, and I've been resisting the Christmas cookie baking fever for a few weeks now.  But every year at Christmas I try a few new recipes to add to my collection of Low Sugar Desserts for those of you who have a sweet tooth but are trying to limit sugar in your diet.  These Low-Sugar and Flourless Chocolate Coconut Drops do have a small amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips that keeps them from being sugar-free, but I switched out the powdered sugar for Stevia In the Raw Granulated Sweetener and used unsweetened coconut to create a chocolate cookie with less than 4 grams of sugar each.  These cookies were easy to throw together, and if you're a chocolate fan I think you'll enjoy them for a holiday treat.

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Recipe for Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp

Extra-large shrimp, simply sauteed with garlic and lemon.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.   This Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp couldn't be more simple to make, but the taste is special enough that you can serve it for any kind of occasion.)

I grew up in a family where my father loved shrimp and my mother hated them, and it was a sign of how much my mom loved my dad that periodically she would heat up a big pot of oil and make deep-fried shrimp for Dad and the other family members who liked it.  I was always daddy's girl, so I loved everything my father ate, including rare steak, Roquefort dressing on salad, onion sandwiches, and shrimp of any kind.  When you splurge on big shrimp like these (called prawns in many places) there are many good ways to serve them, but I loved this simple recipe of shrimp sauteed with minced fresh garlic and then served with lemon juice and lemon zest added at the very end.

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Easy Recipe for Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chicken-Garlic Sausage

Easy and delicious Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Low-Fat and Gluten-Free Chicken Sausage!

Do you like sweet potatoes?  My nephew and cooking assistant Jake has never really been a fan, but when we made this simple recipe for Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes and Chicken Sausage, he loved it just as much as I did.  This no-fuss recipe was inspired by my love of Sweet Potato Fries, plus a really delicious new low-fat chicken sausage from Costco (with no nitrates!)  Every cook needs some quick and easy dinner ideas for this time of year, and this is pure comfort food without much effort.

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Vegetarian Curried Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce

A layered casserole with curried brown rice, broccoli, a creamy curry sauce, and just enough low-fat cheese!

Now that I have officially been given the title of Casserole Queen, it seemed fun to challenge myself with creating more meatless casseroles.  This Vegetarian Curried Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce is an idea that just popped into my head one day, although it's definitely a riff on the Better-than-Mom's Chicken, Broccoli, and Quinoa Casserole with Creamy Curry Sauce that I made nearly two years ago.  Once I had the idea in mind, it actually took Jake and I three tries to get this one just right (although we happily gobbled up the first  two tries as well.) 

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Recipe for Easy Brown Rice Casserole with Turkey Italian Sausage and Green Bell Pepper

This casserole with brown rice, turkey Italian sausage, and green bell pepper was one of the Ziplist Best of 2012 Recipes!

(Updated December 2012) Today's my birthday, which makes it even more fun that Ziplist has named me Casserole Queen for this recipe, which received one of the Ziplist Best of 2012 Recipe Awards!  Everyone should be Queen for the Day on their birthday, don't you agree?  I hope everyone will enjoy seeing this recipe from the past while I spend some birthday-celebrating time with family and friends.  And if you're not already one of the many people using Ziplist, I recommend you check out the Ziplist Recipe Box, Shopping List, and Grocery Deals features, which you can use on thousands of blogs and other food sites.  (On Kalyn's Kitchen those Ziplist links are located at the top of the left sidebar where it says Save Your Recipes.)  I'll be back tomorrow with another new recipe.

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Recipe for Chicken Egg Foo Yung with Mushrooms and Green Onions

If you like Egg Foo Yung in restaurants, this is a delicious version to make at home.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  If you've never thought of making Egg Foo Yung at home, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this recipe.)

In 2001 I went to Hong Kong and Beijing with my brother Rand, and it didn't take long to realize that most of what we consider to be "Chinese food" in the U.S. is definitely Chinese-American food. I know Egg Foo Yung is one of those dishes that falls in the Chinese-American category, and although it doesn't get much respect compared to more exotic items you find on menus, it can be one of my favorites when it's made well. I learned to love Egg Foo Yung at The Pagoda, a Chinese American Restaurant in Salt Lake (with a Japanese name!) My family went there for special occasions, and I remember eating Egg Foo Yung at the Pagoda as a reward for making the honor roll in high school. In all the years since then, I don't think I've thought of making Egg Foo Yung myself until I saw this recipe from Fine Cooking. Their version was a little different than the dish I learned to like as a teenager but equally delicious, and if you like Egg Foo Yung, you should try this recipe right away!

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Slow Cooker Lentil Soup Recipe with Turkey Bratwurst, Leeks, and Sherry Vinegar

A delicious Slow Cooker Lentil Soup with Turkey Bratwurst, Leeks, and Sherry Vinegar.

If I had to narrow down my pantry to only ten ingredients, one thing that would definitely make the cut is lentils.  There are so many interesting ways to cook this humble little legume; in fact you could probably built an entire blog around lentil soup recipes.   I've posted my share of lentils soups in the past, but this version of lentil soup that's adapted from a recipe in The French Slow Cookerhas the interesting combination of turkey bratwurst and leeks.  This is a tummy-warming soup that could cook all day on low while you're at work.

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Kalyn's Kitchen Picks: Anchor Hocking 12 Cup Bake-and-Store Glass Casserole Dish

This little square dish I found at Home Goods has become my favorite baking dish for casseroles!

This week my nephew and cooking assistant Jake were working on a new vegetarian casserole when Jake remarked again how much he liked the new square casserole dish I bought a few months ago.  And since I am also crazy over this handy glass baking dish, I decided it was worthy to be recommended as a Kalyn's Kitchen Pick (and even as a possible holiday gift for any foodies you might have on your list.)  I originally got the dish with a certain recipe in mind, but since then it's almost the only casserole dish I've used, and I like it so much I recently bought a second one!

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Recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Wedges with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Sumac, and Aleppo Pepper

Roasted Butternut Squash Wedges with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Sumac, and Aleppo Pepper is a satisfying meatless dish.

Raise your hand if you're a member of the Roasted Butternut Squash Fan Club.  Of course my own hand is wildly waving in the air, which is pretty obvious if you check the Vegetables archive page for the blog.  I don't think I've ever had roasted butternut squash that wasn't good, but this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce, Sumac, and Aleppo Pepper has to be the most unusual butternut squash dish I've made.  I would love this as a Meatless Monday main dish, but it would also make a nice side dish if you're not quite sure about roasted squash as a main dish.

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South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-up for November 2012 (Low-Glycemic Recipes)

Phase One Recipes from Kalyn's Kitchen or other blogs during November 2012!

Let's all wave goodbye to November.  And since another month has ended, it's time for another round-up of South Beach Diet Phase One recipes I've posted during the month or found on other blogs.  Since it's the month with a holiday where overindulging in food is part of the tradition, you might think November would be slim pickings when it comes to South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes, but this round-up has surprisingly good assortment of dishes.  And just in time, since my normal December plan is to be ultra disciplined the first three weeks of the month (since I know the days from Christmas to New Year's will be pretty indulgent.)  For anyone else who's doing a little pre-holiday dieting, I hope these recipes will be useful. 

(You can use the label Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups to see all the posts like this one.)

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Recipe for Arugula Chickpea Salad with Feta and Balsamic-Tahini Vinaigrette

I love this Arugula Chickpea Salad with Feta and Balsamic-Tahini Vinaigrette.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  This recipe from 2010 has arugula, chickpeas, feta, balsamic vinegar, and Tahini, all ingredients that I never get tired of!)

I love quick recipes with interesting ingredients and lots of flavor, and this salad I made for lunch recently turned out to be a winner with the spicy flavor of arugula, creamy chickpeas and feta, and an interesting vinaigrette combination with balsamic vinegar, tahini, and a touch of lemon. If you're not as crazy about arugula or chickpeas as I am, you could make a milder version of this salad using spinach or regular white beans if you prefer. Adding a touch of tahini to the dressing was just an impulse for me, but I loved the richness of flavor it provided. If you don't have tahini, try adding a little almond butter or peanut butter instead.

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Baked Mini-Frittata Recipe with Mushrooms, Cottage Cheese, and Feta (Phase One, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Baked Mini-Frittatas with Mushrooms, Cottage Cheese, and Feta are great for Meatless Monday.

I often make Egg Muffins, but this recipe for Baked Mini-Frittatas with Mushrooms, Cottage Cheese, and Feta is different, something I'd eat with a fork, maybe with a dollop of light sour cream.  For the mini-frittatas I used Jumbo Muffin Cups, and the recipe has lots of mushrooms and cheese, for a baked egg dish that's a fairly dense in texture.  I love starting the week out with Meatless Monday for so many reasons, and one of them is how it encourages simple meals when you've had a weekend that was slightly indulgent, and I'd love this for a meatless breakfast, lunch of dinner.

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Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Recipe for Pot Roast with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce

Pot Roast with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce, made in the slow cooker.

(Updated with improved photos and step-by-step instructions, November 2012.)  I know some people are still looking for leftover turkey recipes, but if your turkey is gone and you're looking for something comforting but still pretty healthy to make in the slow cooker this weekend, this Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce makes great leftovers too.  I love those two-in-a-pack chuck roasts they sell at Costco, and this recipe from 2007 is one of my favorite ways to use them.  The sauce is a little chunky, but if you'd like a smoother sauce use onion powder instead of the chopped onion.  Here's How to Make Pot Roast in the Crockpot which you might want to read before you make this.

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Recipe for Leftover Turkey (or chicken) Salad with Indian Spices, Lemon, and Cilantro

Here's a Phase One turkey salad to get you back to reality after Thanksgiving!

You can't go wrong with any of my leftover turkey ideas, but this delicious salad with leftover turkey (or chicken) is an especially good option for anyone who wants to get right back on the healthy eating plan after the big day of indulgence.  This Phase One salad features leftover chunks of turkey with a dressing that's partly made with non-fat Greek yogurt and seasoned with Indian spices.  The finishing touch is chopped cilantro, but if you're not a cilantro fan I would just use more green onion.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe with Moroccan Spices (and 10 More Tasty Ideas for Roasted Vegetables!)

I'd eat this Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices for a Meatless Monday option any time of year!

(Updated with better photos, November 2012.)  Although I'm still mostly focused on Thanksgiving Recipes around here, since it's Monday I want to share something that would make a wonderful Meatless Monday option any time of year when you don't mind using the oven.  I love all things butternut squash, but since I first made it in 2007, this Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices is one of my very favorite ways to cook it.  If you have a toaster oven, that's a great way to cook a small batch, but it also reheats well, so go ahead and make a big batch.  And if you're trying to avoid those sugary sweet potatoes that often show up at Thanksgiving, I think this would make a wonderful holiday side dish as well.

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Recipe for Leftover Turkey (or chicken) Shepherd's Pie Casserole with Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower Topping

This Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping is a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers.

Yes, I realize a lot of you are still looking for Thanksgiving Recipes, but in the weird world of food blogging I've already tested a few recipe for leftover turkey and fallen in love with this Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie Casserole with Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower Topping.  The days we sampled this recipe my nephew and cooking assistant Jake kept saying "This is really good" every time he took a bite.  The recipe uses turkey gravy, but if you don't have any leftover gravy from Thanksgiving, you really should buy some gravy (like we did!) and give this recipe a try.

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Pureed Cauliflower Recipe with Garlic, Parmesan, and Goat Cheese (Plus 10 More Yummy Cauliflower Ideas!)

Delicious Pureed Cauliflower that's a healthy dish with no desired to act like potatoes!

(Updated with new photos and better instructions, November 2012. While we're spotlighting Thanksgiving Recipes I thought I'd mention this lovely mashed cauliflower, which would taste great with a spoonful of turkey gravy over it if you're avoiding potatoes because they're so high on the glycemic index.)  

Before I ever thought seriously about going on the South Beach Diet, I heard about their now-famous recipe for "Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes" and the idea of cauliflower masquerading as mashed potatoes struck me as a little strange. I've since seen many recipes comparing pureed cauliflower to potatoes, but this pureed cauliflower is perfectly happy about being cauliflower, and thrilled to be flavored with garlic, goat cheese, and Parmesan.  If you like cauliflower, this is good stuff.  If I was seriously dieting at the time, I'd be happy to have this cauliflower on my plate at Thanksgiving Dinner, next to some Whole Wheat Stuffing or Stuffing Muffins topped with gravy. 

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Recipe for Broccoli Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan (plus 10 More Broccoli Recipes for Thanksgiving)

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  This Broccoli Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan is one of the ways I regularly cook broccoli for a special occasion, and it's always a hit.)

It's November, so the focus is on Thanksgiving Recipes.  Today's recipe is adapted from one I saw in A Pinch of Salt Lake, a book published by the Junior League of Salt Lake. For years my family wanted Broccoli with Cheese Sauce for Thanksgiving. It's definitely tasty, but nowdays I rarely cook with canned soup and this Broccoli Gratin recipe is fresher-tasting and a bit lighter. This is still probably a "once in a while treat" for South Beach dieters, but for Thanksgiving dinner, it's a perfect vegetable option.

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Low-Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie Recipe for a Thanksgiving Dessert

I think this Low-Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is officially my favorite Thanksgiving Dessert.

(Updated November 2012.  As we count down to turkey day, I'm going to highlight some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes.  This Low-Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie has been my favorite for several years now, and I'm making it again for this Thanksgiving.)

I never was a fan of pumpkin pie, and back in the days when I wasn't watching my sugar intake I'd always pick banana cream for my Thanksgiving pie. Then I started eating the South Beach Diet way, and discovered a recipe for Reduced Sugar Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake that I really liked, and I made that a few years for Thanksgiving. This year I got the urge to try something slightly different, and this pumpkin cheesecake pie is halfway between pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake. It has more pumpkin than the cheesecake, and the texture is a little closer to pumpkin pie, while still having that creamy mouth feel of cheesecake. How did I like it? I just gobbled up the piece you see in this photo for breakfast! I'm adding this recipe to our list of Thanksgiving Recipes, and I highly recommend it for a slightly different bake on Thanksgiving pie.

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Recipe for Arugula, Red Grape, and Shaved Manchego Salad (and 10 More Salad Ideas for Thanksgiving)

I'd love this flavorful salad with arugula, red grapes, Manchego cheese, and almonds for Thanksgiving!

I've been talking with my sister Val about Thanksgiving dinner plans, so I think the countdown to Thanksgiving has officially begun, and this amazing Arugula Salad with Red Grapes, Manchego, and Almonds is something that might become one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes.  The slightly bitter and spicy flavor of arugula is tamed in a delicious way by the grapes and the grape-infused dressing, and the Manchego adds the perfect touch of savoriness to the salad.  And if you don't have time to make the grape-infused dressing on Thanksgiving, I think this salad would still be wonderful with a simple balsamic vinaigrette.  Manchego is an amazingly delicious nutty-flavored cheese from Spain, but if it's not in the budget or you don't want to buy cheese just for one salad, any type of dry cheese that can be shaved with a vegetable peeler could be substituted.

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Savory Roasted White Sweet Potatoes Recipe with Red Onions, Rosemary, and Parmesan

Savory Roasted White Sweet Potatoes with Red Onion, Rosemary, and Parmesan.

(Updated with step-by-step photos, better instructions, and a PSA about sweet potatoes in November 2012.)  Through the years I've added a lot of ideas for roasted vegetables to my collection of healthier Thanksgiving recipes, and this favorite recipe for roasted white sweet potatoes is something that's a great alternative to the overly-sweet orange sweet potatoes you often see this time of year.  In case you need help with the mental image, think golden roasted white sweet potatoes, crispy carmelized red onions, a hint of rosemary,  and a little Parmesan cheese tossed with the sweet potatoes when they come out of the oven.  This is something many people will enjoy if they aren't fans of the sweeter orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.

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Recipe for Vegan Farro and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Pine Nuts and Tahini-Sumac Vinaigrette

Farro and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad for a Thanksgiving recipe or a Meatless Monday idea.

Recipe ideas are constantly popping into my head, and every once in a while I get one that ends up being a complete winner like this Vegan Farro and Roasted Sweet Potato Vegan Salad with Pine Nuts and Tahini-Sumac Vinaigrette.  This salad has so many of my favorite flavors that anyone who knows my taste preferences won't be surprised that I like it, but even my nephew Jake (who's a tiny bit averse to sweet potatoes ) gobbled this up and pronounced it "very good."  And when I ate the leftovers a couple of days later, I was pleasantly surprised how good the salad was after being in the fridge.  Even if you're not sure how much you like sweet potatoes, if you like the other flavors here I'm betting you'll like this salad.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts was the recipe that turned me into a Brussels Sprouts fan!

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  It's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving Recipes, and this recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts from Thanksgiving 2007 is not only the first brussels sprouts recipe I ever posted on Kalyn's Kitchen, but it's the recipe that turned me into a lover of brussels sprouts.)

This recipe is worthy of a big drum roll, not only because it was so delicious, but also because this is the very first time I've posted a brussels sprouts recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen. Yes, I confess that I've been a little slow to warm up to the idea of brussels sprouts, but that was before I tried roasting them. This version of crispy golden brussels sprouts, tossed with Parmesan cheese and just a smattering of pine nuts is something that will be on my table again soon.  It's also perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish; just put the brussels sprouts in to roast when you take out the turkey.

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Recipe for Apple-Jicama Slaw with Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Dressing

This Apple-Jicama Slaw with Spicy Sriracha Dressing is a fall salad that would be great on the Thanksgiving table.

Over the weekend I spent a couple of hours updating my index page for Thanksgiving Recipes, a great collection of lower-glycemic holiday options that I've been adding to for the last seven years.  Even though that page has quite a few of my personal favorites for turkey day, every year I try some new ideas that might be fun for the Thanksgiving table, and the first new one I've tried this year is this delicious Apple-Jicama Slaw with Spicy Sriracha Dressing that my friend Bonnie sent me.  Bonnie knows my love for cabbage, cilantro, and Sriracha Sauce and she was sure I'd love this slaw that combined those flavors with slivered apples and jicama.  Thanks Bonnie; I definitely loved this salad!

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Recipe for Meatless Penne Pasta with White Beans, Roasted Tomatoes, and Herbs

A delicious meatless sauce for penne pasta with white beans, roasted tomatoes, and herbs.

(Updated with new photos and better instructions, November 2012.)  The longer you've been food blogging, the more certain it is is that you have some wonderful recipes back in the archives with really ghastly photos.  When I spotted this recipe from 2007 for Penne Pasta with White Beans, Roasted Tomatoes, and Rosemary, I remembered it had been good, but I knew I had to take new photos if I was going to entice anyone to try this for a Meatless Monday dinner.  Luckily,  I had slow roasted tomatoes in the freezer and fresh rosemary and basil in the garden, and although re-taking old photos can sometimes seem like an endless job, eating the food again is definitely one of the best perks of blogging.  (Scroll down past the step-by-step photos to see the picture from 2007.)

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Recipe for Baked Whole Wheat Spaghetti Casserole with Turkey Italian Sausage and Mozzarella

My lighter version of Baked Whole Wheat Spaghetti Casserole with Turkey Italian Sausage and Mozzarella.

Even when you're committed to healthy eating, once in a while you want something that's pure comfort food, so when I saw the Baked Spaghetti on Budget Bytes, I decided to try creating a South Beach Diet friendly version of this classic recipe.  My recipe uses whole wheat spaghetti, with less spaghetti in proportion to the other ingredients.  I use low-fat Turkey Italian sausage, which still has plenty of flavor. and a pasta sauce with the least amount of sugar I can find.  And I use low-fat cottage cheese and mozzarella, which allows the casserole to have enough cheese to make it really good.  Jake and I tested this recipe twice to get it just right, and we preferred it with Sweet Turkey Italian Sausage, but you can use the hot sausage if you'd like a bit more spice.   Even with all my adjustments, this is probably still a "once in a while treat" if you're actively losing weight, but on a night when you need some comfort food, this will really seem like a treat. 

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Recipe for Onion Gratin with Rosemary and Thyme

This Onion Gratin with Rosemary and Thyme is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  It's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving Recipes, and this Onion Gratin with Rosemary and Thyme is a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.) 

Creamed Onions was one of the dishes my family used to consider a "must have" for Thanksgiving dinner, and I started thinking about them recently when it rained for days and I had a ten pound sack of Vidalia onions to use up. I knew I'd have to get creative, since the old family version had butter, cream, and lots of full-fat cheese. Then I remembered the Broccoli Gratin I made for Thanksgiving this year, and I experimented using that topping on roasted onions. When I shared it with the guys working on my house and my contractor's teenage son Scott said, "I don't like onions, but that was good!" I knew we had a winner.

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South Beach Diet Phase One Recipes Round-Up for October 2012 (Low-Glycemic Recipes)

Kalyn's favorite Phase One Recipes for October 2012 were Layered Mexican Casserole, Spicy Asian Stir-Fried Swiss Chard, Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes, and Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu with Sriracha.

The extended Denny family has quite a few people who've lost weight using principles from the South Beach Diet, and one of them is my niece Emily.  She's now a complete fitness success story and fully embraces low-glycemic eating and exercise as a lifestyle, but in her early days of doing South Beach I remember her telling me, "Some days I feel like all I can eat is meat and salad."  Lately I've been reflecting on how much that simple comment Emily made a few years ago impacted what I'm trying to do here on Kalyn's Kitchen.   Anyone can lose weight eating grilled chicken and salad, but I hope my creative efforts are helping provide other low-glycemic eating choices to make it easier to stay on plan.  Lately I've been trying to get creative with Phase One Casseroles and Slow Cooker Dishes, and  with that in mind, I'm adding another category for those dishes to the monthly South Beach Diet Phase One Recipe Round-ups, starting with this month.

(You can use the label Low-Glycemic Recipe Round-Ups to see all the posts like this one.)

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Slow Cooker Vegetarian Cannellini Bean and Kale Soup Recipe with Shaved Parmesan

A Meatless Monday Slow Cooker Soup with Cannellini Beans, Kale, and slivers of freshly-grated Parmesan!

As much as I whine about the cold weather, when you look at the Soup, Stew, and Chili section of my recipe archives you can tell I love cold-weather dishes, especially soup.  Some of my favorite soups are the ones where I start with an idea and add things until it tastes good, but even when I have a recipe to start with like I did this time, I tend to improvise with most of the soups I make.  This slow cooker soup that can cook all day while you're at work was adapted from one I saw in The Italian Slow Cooker, a book that's loaded with good ideas.  I increased the amount of stock (and might use even more next time), added some dried Italian herbs, and served the soup with shaved Parmesan Cheese instead of croutons, for a Phase One soup that was warm and filling, and loaded with flavor.

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Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes with Sriracha-Ranch Dipping Sauce (Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Phase One)

Baked green tomatoes, coated with seasoned almond flour and served with a spicy Sriracha-Ranch sauce!

I wasn't sure if it was too late in the year to post a recipe using green tomatoes, but when I did a little internet research, lots of people told me they still had green tomatoes.  And if you still have green tomatoes, do I dare to say that you *must* make these Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes with Sriracha-Ranch dipping sauce.  Seriously, they were so good that I wondered why it has taken me so long to try a healthier riff on fried green tomatoes, and I'm sure I'll make them every year now when I have green tomatoes.

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Recipe for Spicy Asian Stir-Fried Swiss Chard

This tasty stir-fried swiss chard has just enough heat to get your attention!

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and this Spicy Asian Stir-Fried Swiss Chard is a perfect side dish to serve with tofu or great by itself for a meatless meal!)

I started growing swiss chard in my garden about five years ago when my good friend Pat told me how you could cut the chard leaves and the plant would produce new ones over and over.  That sounded good to me, and for several years now I've made tasty dishes using these easy-to-grow greens.  This year I've neglected the swiss chard recipes, but I think I'm making up for it with this Spicy Asian Stir-Fried Swiss Chard.  This could easily become my favorite way to cook swiss chard, it was that good. 

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Recipe for Chicken Soup with Farro, Kale, and Turmeric

This tummy-warming chicken soup has farro, kale, and turmeric to brighten the flavors.

I love chicken soup, but without enough spices to bring out flavor it can sometimes be a bit ho-hum, which is why I used generous amounts of dried thyme, dried sage, and ground turmeric in this Chicken Soup with Farro, Kale, and Turmeric.  If you're not familiar with turmeric, it's the spice that gives curry powder the bright yellow color and it goes well with many savory flavors.  Farro is an ingredient I fell in love with a few years ago, but you could substitute barley, or even brown rice for a gluten-free version.  This is a relatively quick soup that would be easy to make when you get home from work, especially if you have some leftover cooked chicken, and if you're lucky you'll have enough to take for your lunch the next day!

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Recipe for Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu with Sriracha

Strips of firm tofu are browned and served with a peanut-butter Sriracha sauce!

I've been on a tofu kick lately, but this Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu with Sriracha might be my favorite tofu recipe yet.  Jake and I made this a few times to get the flavors just right, and the recipe we ended up with features browned strips of firm tofu finished off with a sauce made of soy sauce, rice vinegar, smooth peanut butter, raw agave nectar, Sriracha, and a little vegetable stock or water.  One secret to success with this recipe is to barely simmer the sauce before you plate the tofu pieces, which makes it a super-fast recipe for Meatless Monday.

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The 2012 Garden is Winding Down (Final Garden Update for 2012)

When the garden is winding down each fall, I freeze fresh herbs to use all through the winter.  In this photo sage leaves, rosemary, and thyme are ready to go into the freezer.

It's been a while since I've posted a garden update, but this year's garden has been one of my most productive ever.  Now fall is here and the garden is definitely winding down.  I'm always sad to see the garden produce come to an end, so this time of year I'm busy freezing things from the garden. (See  My Favorite Tips for Freezing Garden Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs, and Vegetables if you have garden stuff you're trying to preserve.)  I've started freezing herbs for winter, made tomato sauce, and frozen pesto.  I've pulled out the green beans, peppers, and eggplant, but my garden still has plenty of greens flourishing, so I'm trying to think of new recipe ideas for using them. 

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Recipe for Broccoli, Mushrooms, Ham, and Cheddar Baked with Eggs

This breakfast dish has broccoli, mushrooms, ham, and cheddar baked with just enough eggs to hold it together, and it's low-carb, gluten-free, and Phase One.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and I love this breakfast casserole with lots of broccoli, mushrooms, ham, and cheese, and just enough eggs to keep it together.)

Recently on Twitter a blogging friend called me "the queen of the breakfast casserole."  It made me smile, because I've posted a lot of breakfast casseroles through the years, and they're something I still enjoy having in the fridge for breakfasts throughout the week.  Recently though, I've been making a version that's slightly different from my basic breakfast casserole recipe.  These new baked egg dishes (like Sausage, Mushrooms, and Feta Baked with Eggs) have a lot of veggies, meat, or cheese with just enough egg to hold it together, so on the archives page for breakfast recipes I've decided I'm going to call them "Egg Bakes" so people realize they're just a little different from my other breakfast casseroles.  In the version I'm posting here I used a lot of ingredients I had in the fridge to create a flavor combination that really worked.

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How to Make Minced Garlic for the Freezer and Stop Paying High Prices for Minced Garlic in a Jar

Make your own minced garlic and freeze, then thaw in the fridge when you need minced garlic.

I know some of you are total garlic purists who'd never use anything but freshly peeled and minced garlic, and those people won't need this tip.  I do use fresh garlic for any dish where I want that sharp garlic flavor, and love my little garlic chopper when I need to chop a lot quickly.  But for lots of recipes, especially when the garlic is going to be simmered in a sauce, soup, or stew, I like the convenience of pre-peeled garlic cloves, or (gasp) even minced garlic in a jar.  What I don't like is paying too much money for little jars of minced garlic that only last a week or two, so I started making my own pre-minced garlic for the freezer.  Here's how I do it.

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Recipe for Macaroni with Greens, Lemon, and Parmesan

I could make a meal out of this Macaroni with Greens, Lemon, and Parmesan!

(First posted in 2006; updated with better photos and instructions in October 2012.)  Through the years I've tried quite a few recipes that featured some combination of pasta and greens, and I don't think it's any secret that kale has become the variety of greens I'm most fond of.  So while I was a little ambivalent about the mustard greens I used when I first created this recipe, this time I absolutely swooned over the dish with Ready-to-use Organic Mixed Baby Kale. This recipe is a different take on the usual pasta/greens combo, in particular because of the way the generous amount of lemon zest accents the flavor of the kale.  If you're not a fan of kale, collard greens or swiss chard would also taste good in this dish.

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Double Mushroom Soup Recipe (Inspired by Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup)

This delicious mushroom soup has two kinds of mushrooms and extra flavor from balsamic vinegar.

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and this Double Mushroom Soup from 2009 is one of the best mushroom soups I've ever tasted!)

Not only is this the best-tasting dish I've ever made out of old mushrooms in the fridge that were close to past-their-prime status, but it's also the best mushroom soup I've ever made, and it's a phase one soup for the South Beach Diet! This is also the soup that will make you remember how much you love your immersion blender, if you have one. If not, you can puree the soup in a food processor or regular blender; it's just a bit easier with the immersion blender.

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