Vegan & Vegetarian Core

Curried Okra with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

2009-09-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

yield: Makes 4 main-course or 6 side-dish servings
active time: 20 min
total time: 35 min

Ingredients
1 1/4 lb small fresh okra, left untrimmed, or 2 (10-oz) packages frozen whole okra (not thawed)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 teaspoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 (14- to 15-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, tomatoes chopped, reserving juice
1 (19-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (2 cups)
2/3 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Accompaniment: cinnamon-spiced rice or basmati rice

Preparation

If using fresh okra, trim, leaving tops intact, being careful not to cut into pods.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and garlic with ginger and curry powder, stirring, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, chickpeas, and water and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in okra, salt, and pepper and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until okra is tender, about 10 minutes.

Epicurious

Cinnamon Oranges

2008-11-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
4 navel oranges
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar replacement
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
With a sharp knife, remove rind and white pith from oranges. Cut each into 5 or 6 slices and arrange on 4 plates. Whisk together orange juice and lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Spoon over the orange slices.

Cherries with Ricotta & Toasted Almonds

2008-11-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
3/4 cup frozen pitted cherries
2 tablespoons fat free ricotta
1 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds (count points)

Directions:
Heat cherries in the microwave on High until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Top the cherries with ricotta and almonds.

Broiled Mango

2008-11-12T10:54:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled and sliced
Lime wedges

Directions:
1. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil.

2. Arrange mango slices in a single layer in the prepared pan. Broil until browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Squeeze lime wedges over the broiled mango and serve.

Balsamic Vinegar Strawberries

2008-11-12T10:52:00.000-08:00

1/2 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar replacement, or to taste
1-1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic or red-wine vinegar

Place strawberries in a bowl and toss with sugar to taste. Sprinkle with vinegar to taste. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Summer Blackberries

2008-11-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar or replacement
3 cups fresh blackberries

Combine orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a medium serving bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add blackberries and toss to combine.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 65 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 6 g fiber; 1 mg sodium; 204 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (51% daily value).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Orange Slices with Warm Raspberries

2008-11-12T10:48:00.001-08:00

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 seedless oranges, such as navel oranges
2 tablespoons sugar or Splenda Granular
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries (not thawed)

1. With a sharp knife, remove and discard the skin and white pith from oranges; slice the oranges crosswise and arrange on 4 dessert plates.
2. Combine sugar (or Splenda), lemon juice and cinnamon in a small saucepan; stir over low heat until bubbling. Add raspberries and stir gently until the berries are just thawed. Spoon over the orange slices and serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 122 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 5 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 237 mg potassium.

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings

Per serving with Splenda: 1 Carbohydrate Serving; 100 calories; 25 g carbohydrate.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (157% daily value), Fiber (20% dv).

Exchanges: 2 fruit

Fast Strawberry Yogurt

2008-11-12T10:45:00.000-08:00

Makes 4 servings, 3/4 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 16-ounce package frozen unsweetened strawberries (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar replacement
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine strawberries and sugar in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Combine yogurt and lemon juice in a measuring cup; with the machine on, gradually pour the mixture through the feed tube. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the workbowl once or twice. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 150 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 19 mg sodium; 173 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (83% daily value).
2 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 1/2 other carbohydrate

Butternut Fries

2008-11-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

1 medium butternut squash cut in long strips (about 670 g)
Non stick cooking spray (preferably olive oil)
Kosher Salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange the butternut squash pieces in the sheet leaving some room in between.

Spray tops with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 40-45 minutes turning at least once for soft sweet fries

Bake for 15-20 minutes turning at least once for firmer fries

Note: Cinnamin and Nutmeg for sweet variation

http://greenlitebites.com/2007/11/30/butternut-squash-fries/

Bissara - African Split Pea Soup (some points)

2008-11-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups water
1/3 cup olive oil (count points, reduce as you see fit)
3 cups dry green split peas
3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 dried red chile pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Fry garlic in the vegetable oil in a large pot over low heat until lightly browned. Pour in water and olive oil; stir in split peas, parsley, chili pepper, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 55 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the peas do not stick to the bottom of the pot. When the peas are tender, mash them with a wooden spoon until smooth; stir in additional water to reach desired consistency.

Bulgur and Tomatoes

2008-11-04T15:05:00.000-08:00

1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bulgur
1 1/3 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 teaspoons salt

over medium heat saute onions in olive oil until they are translucent. add garlic and bulgur.. cook for about 2-3 minutes. add chicken broth and diced tomatoes. bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is mostly absorbed.

Note: Add spinach and FF Feta for a nice flavor change.

Spicy Oven-Roasted Plums

2008-11-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
4 plums, halved and pitted
1/2 cup orange juice (count points)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar replacement
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place the plums, cut-side up, in a single layer in the baking dish.

3. Whisk together the orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and cardamom in a bowl; drizzle over the plums.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until plums are hot and the sauce is bubbly.

Pineapple Orange Sorbet (1pt)

2008-11-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar replacement
2 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a simmer over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved.

2. In a food processor, puree pineapple with its juice until smooth. Transfer to a metal bowl, and stir in lemon juice, orange juice, and orange zest. Freeze until slightly firm, but not frozen.

3. Process mixture again in the food processor or beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Citrus Salad

2008-11-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 lime - zested, peeled, and sliced
1 mandarin orange (tangerine) - zested, peeled, and sectioned
1 navel orange, peeled and sectioned
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 bulb shallots, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 head romaine lettuce, torn

DIRECTIONS
Place lime slices, tangerine sections, navel orange, and grapefruit in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the lime zest, mandarin orange zest, shallots, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Pour over the fruit. Arrange dressed fruit atop romaine lettuce to serve.

Serves 4

Cold Cherry Soup

2008-11-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) can pitted red pie cherries (in it's own juice)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon sugar replacement
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup fat free sour cream (sub: fat free yogurt)

DIRECTIONS
1. Drain the canned cherries; place liquid in medium sauce pan and set cherries aside.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine cornstarch and cold water. Mix well and add to saucepan. Heat to boiling point and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Add sugar and lemon juice. Stir and remove from heat and chill. When this syrup is cool, blend in the sour cream and add the drained cherries. Chill well and serve in chilled cups.

Vegetable Mu Shu

2008-11-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large eggs, beaten
2 green onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1/4 lb shiitake mushroom, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced
2 cups coleslaw mix
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional, count points)
4 whole wheat tortillas, heated (count points or use lettuce)

Directions
1. In a large skillet heat half of the oil over med heat.

2. In a bowl, combine the eggs, green onions, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add to skillet and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until eggs are scrambled.

4. Turn eggs onto a plate; set aside.
5. Add remaining oil to skillet and increase the heat to med-high.

6. Sauté mushrooms 3 minutes, or until tender and any liquid evaporates.

7. Add coleslaw mix and bell pepper; sauté 2 minutes or until cabbage is tender crisp.

8. Stir in Teriyaki sauce and peanuts.

9. Remove from heat and stir in eggs.

10. Spoon mixture onto tortillas and roll up.

Asparagus Soup

2008-11-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 (15 ounce) can asparagus
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat free milk (optional)
1 tablespoon fat free margarine (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Blend the asparagus, with liquid, in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.

2. Heat asparagus and broth together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in milk, if using, and bring to a low simmer. Stir in butter to finish, if using, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

New England Bean Dip

2008-11-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1 pinch dry mustard
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon white horseradish
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Rinse the kidney beans, and set aside to drain. In a medium bowl, stir together the onion, mayonnaise, relish, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Gently mix in kidney beans until coated with dressing. Refrigerate until serving.

Spinach Cheese Manicotti

2008-11-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS
1 (15 ounce) container fat free ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup minced onion
1 egg
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded fat free mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated fat free Parmesan cheese, divided
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (make your own core version)
1 1/2 cups water
1 (8 ounce) package whole wheat manicotti shells

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, onion and egg. Season with parsley, pepper and garlic powder. Mix in 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. In a separate bowl, stir together spaghetti sauce and water.

3. Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture, and arrange in a single layer in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until noodles are soft.

FOOTNOTE
If refrigerating overnight, do so after step 3. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Butternut Soup

2008-11-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds butternut squash, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fat free margarine
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (possible sub: ff milk or ff yogurt)
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 dash ground cloves
1 dash ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a large microwave safe dish combine squash, onions and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Peel squash. Stir in broth and cook on high for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until squash is tender. Puree squash, onions and broth in a food processor or blender. Add cream, salt and pepper, and microwave on high for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Flavor with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon to taste.

Brown Bag Menu

2008-11-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

Sandwiches (most will have lettuce & tomato):
Egg Salad Sandwich (2pts for Bread)
Pimento Cheese Sandwich (2pts for bread)
Tuna Salad Sandwich (2pts for bread)
PB&SFJ (2pts for bead and PB)
2 FF Cheese Quesadillas w/Black Beans, Salsa (2pts for corn tortillas)
Grilled FF Cheese (2pts for bread)
Grilled FF Feta (2 pts for bread)

Baked Potato:
Baked Potato w/FF Sour Cream, FF Cheese, Green Onions
Baked Potato w/Grilled Veggies & FF Ranch (onions, peppers, mushrooms)
Baked Potato w/Black Beans, FF Cheese, and Salsa
Baked Potato w/Core Chili and FF Cheese
Baked Potato w/FF Feta, Red Onions, and Olives
Baked Potato w/Broccoli, FF Cheese

Tomato Soup:
Tomato Soup w/FF Cheese
Tomato Soup w/WW Couscous & FF Cheese
Tomato Soup w/Spinach & FF Feta
Tomato Soup w/Mixed Veggies & FF Sour Cream
Tomato Soup w/Black Beans, Salsa, FF Sour Cream, and Green Onions
Tomato Soup w/Grilled Veggies, WW Couscous, and FF Feta

Etc:
Chopped Raw Veggies & Core Hummus
LF Cheese Cubes w/Veggies and Fruit (count pts for cheese)
Salads to your hearts content w/FF Dressings
--Wrap in a WW Tortilla for variation (count pts)

Pasta:
WW Linguine w/Creamy Pesto (http://www.dwlz2.com/forum/showpost....35&postcount=1)
WW Elbow w/1 or 2 FF American Slices Melted
WW Penne w/Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion, Basil, FF Feta, and 2tsp Olive Oil

Baked Figs

2008-11-01T07:46:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

6 ripe figs (fresh), ends cut off & split in quarters
1/4 - 1/2 cup crushed pineapple with juice
handful of broken walnuts (count points)
cinnamon

Directions:

Place figs in a shallow pan, close together. Top with the pineapple. Sprinkle on the nuts, then some cinnamon. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees

Serves: 4

100% Fruit Grape Popsicles

2008-11-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 parts grapes
1 part water
1 part of: either more grapes, strawberries, bananas, or citrus fruit
optional sweetener of choice: agave, sugar, rice syrup, etc.
popsicle molds

Directions:

Blend grapes in food processor or blender, adding water as you blend.

Add in extra fruits and continue blending.

Taste your concoction, and if so desired, sweeten accordingly with agave, sugar, rice syrup, etc.

Pour into popsicle molds and wait at put in freezer for at least 2 hours, then enjoy!

Note: Easy to use seasonal fruit.

Fresh Fruit with Poppy Seed Dressing

2008-10-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup raspberries
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup seedless red grapes
1 cup cubed watermelon
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
1 cup cubed cantaloupe
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sliced plums

DIRECTIONS
In a blender or food processor, combine banana, orange juice, lime juice, poppy seeds, raspberry vinegar, olive oil, raspberries, salt and cayenne pepper, and puree until smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine grapes, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, blueberries and plums in a large bowl. Pour dressing over fruit and toss to coat.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2008-10-31T13:34:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Fluff

2008-10-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

1 box butterscotch SF/FF instant pudding
1 box vanilla SF/FF instant pudding
2 cups FF milk
Blend with mixer
Add in a can of 100% pumpkin
Use pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to taste

Best when chilled for a couple of hours but also really good right away.

Candy Apple Salad

2008-10-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

32 oz fat free plain yogurt
20 oz crushed pineapple, drained
1 box sugar free/fat free butterscotch pudding mix (not prepared)
4 small apples, chopped

Mix all ingredients together. Makes 8-10 cups.

Cheese Topped Grilled Tomatoes

2008-10-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

4 plum or small vine-ripe tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
1/4 cup Fat Free Italian Dressing
1/2 cup Shredded Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. Grated Fat Free Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh herbs (basil, chives and/or parsley)

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Place tomatoes, cut-sides up, in greased 8-inch square foil pan. Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle evenly with cheeses. Place pan on grate of grill; close lid.

GRILL 10 to 12 min. or until cheeses are melted and bottoms of tomatoes are browned.

SPRINKLE with herbs just before serving.

Cherry Berry Jam

2008-10-31T13:21:00.001-07:00

2 cups fresh pitted cherries(about 12 oz)
1 1/2 cups blackberries
1 1/2 cups raspberries
3/4 cups splenda(original recipe calls for sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat until boils.Reduce heat & simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

Spiced Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

2008-10-31T13:18:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4 medium apples cored (use Granny Smith for tart flavor; use Gala for sweet flavor)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
12 tsp No Calorie Sweetener
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 oz fat-free sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 cup fat-free skim milk

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using a vegetable peeler, peel a 1/2-inch horizontal strip around apples to help release juices during baking. Place apples in a 9 X 9-inch baking dish.

Combine cinnamon, ginger and Splenda in a small bowl. Place 1 tablespoon of cinnamon mixture in cored-out center of each apple, then sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture. Combine water and lemon juice in a cup. Pour liquid around apples.

Bake until apples are soft when pierced with a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Pour pudding mix into a medium bowl. Whisk in milk to make a fairly thin sauce. Place one apple on a plate and drizzle with sauce. Yields 1 apple and about a scant 1/2 cup of sauce per serving

Fruit-Crusted Strawberry-Kiwi Banana Cream Pie

2008-10-31T13:16:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 oz fat-free sugar-free instant banana pudding and pie filling mix
2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 cups strawberries, thinly sliced
2 medium kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

Instructions

Prepare pudding according to package directions but use fat-free evaporated milk instead of regular skim milk.

Cover bottom of a 9-inch glass pie plate with a layer of sliced strawberries.

Pour pudding on top of strawberries. Smooth pudding surface with a wooden spoon and garnish with remaining strawberries and with kiwi slices. Refrigerate pie for at least 2 hours. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Tex Mex Chilli

2008-10-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

2 tbsp olive oil
6 bay leaves
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2-1 tsp crushed dried red chilies
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp vinegar
1 5 1/2 oz can of tomato paste
1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and sauté for 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, dried chilies, salt, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in vinegar, tomato paste and 3-4 cups of water, depending on how thick you want the chili. Add tomato, green pepper, zucchini and corn and cook, uncovered, for an hour. Add the kidney beans and mushrooms and cook for 1/2 hour longer. If the chili is too thick, add a bit more water.

Chickpea Curry

2008-10-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seed
1 dried chili, or 1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tbsp salt, or to taste
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 cup canned tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a large pot and add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

If you are an exacting cook like Hugh, prepare the chili as above, adding the mustard seeds to the mortar and pestle as well. If you are a lazy cook like me add all the spices to the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the chickpeas and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Serve with bread or rice. Add cilantro garnish if using.

Four Cheese Lasagna

2008-10-28T13:36:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin
1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
5 tomatoes
1 pint fat free ricotta cheese
9 ounces crumbled fat free feta cheese
2/3 cup pesto
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
fresh whole wheat pasta sheets
1 1/3 cups shredded fat free mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated fat free Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grill eggplant on a charcoal grill or fry in a skillet, turning once, until charred and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for last 15 minutes of pumpkin time; cook until tender and wrinkly.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, eggs, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold roasted pumpkin into ricotta mixture.

4. Spoon half of the tomato sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Lay two pasta sheets over the sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over pasta and top with half the ricotta mixture. Cover with two more pasta sheets. Arrange the roasted tomatoes evenly over the sheets and spoon the remaining half the ricotta mixture over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Top with remaining two sheets of pasta. Pour remaining tomato sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

5. Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly.

Egg Drop Soup

2008-10-28T13:32:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS
In a medium stock pot, slowly heat broth and cornstarch. Stir constantly until thickened.
Pour beaten egg into soup and stir once around stock pot very gently, in order to break up egg.
Remove soup from heat immediately, divide into four portions and garnish with green onions.

Cheese Soup

2008-10-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
3 cups vegetable broth
3 potatoes, cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
5 slices fat-free American cheese
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the broth, potatoes, onions, carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Mash lightly with a potato masher.
Add American cheese, milk and hot sauce and continue cooking over low heat until cheese melts, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Tomato Curry Lentil Stew

2008-10-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup dry lentils
1 cup water
5 ounces stewed tomatoes
1/8 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped, with leaves
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine lentils and water, bring to a boil.

2. Lower heat to simmer, add tomatoes, onion, and celery. Cover and let simmer 45 minutes. Check every 15 minutes to stir, and add water if necessary. Add spices last 15 minutes to taste. Taste and re-spice if necessary before serving.

Peppers Roasted with Garlic, Basil and Tomatoes

2008-10-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
olive oil-flavored cooking spray
1 green bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon herb vinegar, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with olive oil flavored cooking spray.

2. Place the bell pepper halves open side up in the prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, basil and garlic. Fill each pepper half with a handful of this mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.

3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil, and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with herb vinegar. These are equally good served hot or cold.

Roasted Garlic Bean Dip

2008-10-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
4 medium heads garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
1 (15 ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Leaving the cloves intact, remove the outer skin from the garlic. Wrap heads in aluminum foil with 2 tablespoons olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

3. Bake garlic approximately 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the skins are easily removed.

4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir sweet onion with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and lightly browned.

5. Remove garlic cloves from their skin, and place in a blender or food processor with the sweet onion, navy beans, cumin and nonfat sour cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Blend to desired consistency. Refrigerate until serving. Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

2008-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/3 cup grated fat free Parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.
Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley, and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.

Roasted Garlic

2008-10-23T21:25:00.001-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 medium head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Method 1: Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (125 degrees C). Slice 1/4 inch off top of garlic bulb. Place in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until outside is lightly browned and garlic cloves are soft. When cool enough to touch, squeeze each clove to extract softened garlic.

Method 2: Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (125 degrees C). Peel each garlic clove. Place in a single layer in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, until garlic is soft.

Note: Cut oil as you see fit. Great on crusty bread, with apples and cheese, blended in potatoes or sauces. I love garlic!

Marinated Mushrooms

2008-10-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1 1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, thyme, salt, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, parsley and onion powder. Add mushrooms and toss until coated. Chill in marinade overnight, and reheat to serve.

Yields: 6 Servings

Asparagus Sandwhich

2008-10-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 hoagie rolls
6 ounces shredded fat free Swiss cheese
1 ripe tomato, sliced
3 tablespoons fat free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Toss asparagus and red pepper with olive oil. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake until tender, about 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove skin from the pepper and slice into strips.

3. Cut hoagie rolls in half, place on a baking sheet, and toast lightly in the oven. Remove rolls from the oven and sprinkle each half with cheese. Place 4 to 5 asparagus spears and a few strips of pepper on one side. Place slices of tomato on the other side of the roll. Place the hoagies back in the oven until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic together. Spread the dressing on one side of the roll and close sandwich.

Note: Count points for the bread you use.

Slow Cooker Refried Beans

2008-10-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
9 cups water

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

2. Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

Apple Cheddar Quesadillas

2008-10-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

Serves 6
The classic combo of apples and sharp cheddar cheese is right at home inside wheat tortillas.

Ingredients
1 large or 2 small apples, cored and thinly sliced
6 whole wheat tortillas (must count points)
1 1/2 cups fat free shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons fat free margarine

Method
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over one half of each tortilla. Arrange apple slices, barely overlapping, on top of each pile of cheese. Sprinkle 2 more tablespoons cheese on top of apples, then fold each tortilla in half. Heat 1 tablespoon margarine in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 of the quesadillas and cook, turning once, until cheese is melted and tortillas are golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates and repeat process with the remaining margarine and quesadillas.

Pimento Cheese

2008-10-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 (4 ounce) jar chopped pimento peppers
1 pound fat free shredded Cheddar cheese
1 large onion, grated
1 pinch garlic powder
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fat free mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, mash the pimentos using a fork. Mix in cheese, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and mayonnaise. Season to taste with garlic powder and black pepper. Spoon mixture into a container large enough to hold the pimento spread, and store in the refrigerator.

Creamy Pumpkin Brown Rice

2008-10-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Serves 8 to 10
This brown rice dish, cooked with puréed pumpkin and vegetable broth, yields creamy, risotto-like results.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
2 cups uncooked brown basmati rice
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
6 cups vegetable broth
3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with oil. Toast rice, stirring often, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes more. Meanwhile, whisk together pumpkin purée and broth in a large bowl.

Stir broth mixture and bay leaves into pot, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through and creamy, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Pasta and Lentils

2008-10-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (19 ounce) can lentil soup
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat ditalini pasta
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons fat free grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Brown onion and garlic in oil over medium heat. Stir in lentil soup and tomatoes. Bring to boil. Stir in spinach and spices. Simmer.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until almost done. Drain. Mix pasta into lentil sauce. Cover, and keep warm for 20 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Shepherd's Pie

2008-10-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
8 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 carrots, sliced
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons fat free margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons milk
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 (19 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup shredded fat free Cheddar cheese or soy Cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cook potatoes, covered, in a small amount of boiling water until tender. Drain and mash.

3. While potatoes are cooking, steam or boil carrots and mixed vegetables until near tender. Drain and set aside.

4. In a small saucepan, cook garlic powder, basil and parsley in butter or margarine for about 20 seconds (or microwave for 10 seconds). Stir into mashed potatoes along with salt and pepper. Gradually beat in enough milk to make potatoes light and fluffy, add a little more milk if necessary. Set aside

5. In a medium saucepan, cook onion in oil until tender but not brown. Stir in kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, soy sauce, sugar and vegetable/carrot mixture. Heat through until bubbly.

6. Transfer vegetable mixture to a 8x8x2 inch baking dish. Drop mashed potatoes in mounds over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

Southwestern Pasta

2008-10-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (12 ounce) package uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 cup shredded fat free Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Saute onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and corn. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and heated through.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Combine pasta and sauce. Sprinkle each serving with Monterey Jack cheese.

Chickpea Macaroni Salad

2008-10-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole wheat macaroni
1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 ounces fat free feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup pitted black olives
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil (you may want to cut this down)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse under cold water to chill, and drain.

2. Meanwhile, combine the chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, garlic, feta cheese, olives, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside to marinate while the pasta is cooking.

3. Mix macaroni with chickpea mixture. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Tex-Mex Potatoes

2008-10-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
4 baking potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans in spicy sauce, undrained or FF refried beans
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers
1 cup shredded fat free Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Scrub potatoes and prick in several places with toothpick or sharp knife. Place on paper towel in microwave and cook at high power for 8 minutes Turn and rotate potatoes and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Alternately you can bake potatoes in a 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for about 1 hour or until tender

2. Over medium high, heat oil in a medium skillet. Saute onions and bell peppersuntil softened. Stir in beans, Worcestershire sauce, and jalapeno peppers. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Split potatoes and top with bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Saucy Chickpeas

2008-10-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
4 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
salt, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a microwave-safe dish, mix together the chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, curry powder, and garlic. Cook in microwave on High for 5 minutes, or until hot.

Note: Serve over couscous or brown rice.

Mock Tuna Salad

2008-10-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 (19 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
2 tablespoons fat free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
2 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine garbanzo beans, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, chopped green onions, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Roasted Pumpkins

2008-10-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
4 small sugar pumpkins, seeded
2 cups applesauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.

2. In a small bowl, mix applesauce, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Spoon 1/2 cup mixture into each pumpkin.

3. Place pumpkins in the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake in the preheated oven 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until pumpkins are tender.

Note: Something interesting to serve at thanksgiving!

Stuffed Butternut Squash

2008-10-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1/2 cup brown rice
6 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
1 medium carrot, peeled, sliced and julienned
1/3 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup soy milk (or ff milk)
3 tablespoons tamari
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place squash in a baking dish with one inch of water, and cover with foil.

2. Bake squash in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until flesh is fork-tender. Keep warm.

3. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place Brussels sprouts, carrots, and garbanzo beans in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir together soy milk, tamari, turmeric, and garlic, and add to the skillet, tossing to coat. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Add a small amount of water or more soy-tamari mixture, as needed, to prevent drying out. Combine rice with vegetable mixture, and scoop into squash. Serve with additional tamari and season to taste. Enjoy!

Pineapple Cinnamon Stuffed Acorn Squash

2008-10-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 large acorn squash
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground allspice
pinch ground ginger

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cut the squash in half, and remove the seeds and any excess membrane. Place cut side up in a baking dish. Cover the dish and bake for 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the cinnamon, pineapple, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. When squash has been cooked, remove from oven. Let cool down for 10 minutes.

4. Carefully scoop out the pulp from both halves and combine with the pineapple and cinnamon mixture. Replace mixture into shells and return to the oven and bake for 7 minutes until pineapple is hot and bubbly.

Refried Bean Soup

2008-10-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cans of fat free refried beans
3 cups of veggie broth

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, garlic, onion and 1 cup of broth in a large pan. Boil for five minutes, stirring often. Stir in beans and remaining broth. Simmer over low heat for twenty minutes, stirring often.

Serves 10
1 cup each

Split Pea Soup

2008-10-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dried split peas
1/2 cup barley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
7 1/2 cups water
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 potatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot over medium high heat, saute the oil, onion, bay leaf and garlic for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the peas, barley, salt and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley, basil, thyme and ground black pepper. Simmer for another hour, or until the peas and vegetables are tender.

Egg Salad

2008-10-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
8 eggs
1 tablespoon fat free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 red onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, onion and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon.
Serve on bread as a sandwich or over crisp lettuce as a salad.

Yields: 4 Servings

Notes: You can add enough FF Mayo as you feel it needs, and I'll personally be leaving out the dill.

Zuni Stew

2008-10-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
2 large bell peppers (1 red, 1 green is nice and colorful)
1 large Anahiem chili
1 jalepeno chili
5 cups broth
1 zuchinni, sliced thin
1 yellow crook-neck squash, sliced thin
1 to 2 cups winter squash, cubed
1 can corn (no-salt, or drain and rinse)
1 can pinto beans (no-salt, or drain and rinse)

Directions:
Saute the first 5 ingredients in a large pot for 15-20 minutes, or until all
peppers and chilis are soft. Saute in a little broth to keep from sticking.
Do not short change this step! Sauteing the chilis makes them release their
volitile oils (do I sould like Graham Kerr? ;). This makes the both nice
and spicy. It also keeps you from burning the #@%*&! out of your mouth when
you eat a spoonful of the chilis.

Add the broth and the winter squash. Cover and cook 5-10 minutes, until squash
starts to get tender. Add zuchinni and crook-neck. Simmer 5. Add corn and
beans and heat through.

This stew is nice to look at (red, yellow, green, brown) and it reheats well.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes (1.5pts)

2008-10-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

2. In a small bowl combine the soy milk and water.

3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the soy milk mixture just until combined. Fold in the blueberries and let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

4. Lightly oil a skillet or griddle and heat over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot griddle and cook until pancakes are bubbly on top and edges are slightly dry looking. Turn and cook until pancakes are browned. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batter. Serve warm with syrup or jam.

Yields: 6 Servings

Note: I could only find the points for regular white flour, and it rounded up to 9 points. So I divided by 6. I feel that whole wheat flour might be less points, but not sure. And if you increase the cornmeal and decrease the flour - you could even reduce the points more.

Greek Penne

2008-10-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 lb. whole wheat penne
1/2 - 1 bag baby spinach
2 tomatoes
1/2 - 3/4 cup crumbled fat free feta cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup kalamata olives
basil or mint leaves - to taste
1 t. balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
While cooking one pound of pasta, wash, drain and tear spinach into pieces. Mix with chopped tomato, crumbled feta, kalamata olives and torn mint or basil leaves. When pasta is done, toss with spinach mixture, and coat with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. S & P to taste.

Ratatouille

2008-10-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 onion, sliced into thin rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium eggplant, cubed
2 zucchini, cubed
2 medium yellow squash, cubed
2 green bell peppers, seeded and cubed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 chopped red bell pepper
4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the zucchini in batches until slightly browned on all sides. Remove the zucchini and place in the pot with the onions and garlic.
3. Saute all the remaining vegetables one batch at a time, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet each time you add a new set of vegetables. Once each batch has been sauteed add them to the large pot as was done in step 2.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf and thyme and cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley to the large pot, cook another 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

6. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning.

Note: Count the oil, or cut down as you see fit. You can also change up the vegetables seasonally.

Sloppy Joes

2008-10-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 kaiser rolls

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, green pepper, and garlic: saute until tender. Stir in tomatoes, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Stir in kidney beans, and cook an additional 5 minutes.

3. Cut a 1/4 inch slice off the top of each kaiser roll; set aside. Hollow out the center of each roll, leaving about 1/2 inch thick shells; reserve the inside of rolls for other uses.

4. Spoon bean mixture evenly into rolls and replace tops. Serve immediately.

Note: Count for the roll (or bread of your choice).

Shepards Pie

2008-10-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
5 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thirds
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 cups fat free milk
3 cups water
1/2 cup kasha (toasted buckwheat groats)
2/3 cup bulgur
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole corn kernels, blanched
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
1. Gently boil potatoes in a large pot of water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and return to the pot. Mash potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup milk until fairly smooth. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water with 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in kasha. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups more water, and bring to a boil. Add bulgur, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes.

2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and carrots; saute until the onions soften. Add mushrooms; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables; stir constantly for 2 minutes, or until flour starts to brown. Pour remaining 1 1/2 cups milk over the vegetables, and increase heat to high. Stir with a whisk until sauce is smooth. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in corn, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste.

3. Mix together vegetable mixture and kasha mixture in a large bowl. Spoon into a buttered 10 inch pie pan, and smooth with a spatula. Spread mashed potatoes over top, leaving an uneven surface.

4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 30 minutes. Garnish with the chopped parsley, and serve.

Yields: 5 Servings

Marrakesh Vegetable Curry

2008-10-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium eggplant, cubed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 tablespoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup blanched almonds
1 zucchini, sliced
2 tablespoons raisins
1 cup orange juice
10 ounces spinach

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large Dutch oven place sweet potato, eggplant, peppers, carrots, onion, and three tablespoons oil. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan place 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.

3. Pour garlic and spice mixture into the Dutch oven with vegetables in it. Add the garbanzo beans, almonds, zucchini, raisins, and orange juice. Simmer 20 minutes, covered.

4. Add spinach to pot and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve!

FOOTNOTES
Wine Tip: Try with a Gewurztraminer.

Yields: 6 Servings

Note: Count the oil (or cut down), orange juice, and peanuts.

Mediterranean Stew

2008-10-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 cups cubed eggplant, with peel
2 cups cubed zucchini
1 (10 ounce) package frozen okra, thawed
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 carrot, sliced thin
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup raisins
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS
1. In a slow cooker, combine butternut squash, eggplant, zucchini, okra, tomato sauce, onion, tomato, carrot, broth, raisins, and garlic. Season with cumin, turmeric, red pepper, cinnamon, and paprika.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

Yields: 10 Servings

Note: Count points for raisins.

Black Bean Soup

2008-10-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 pound dry black beans
1 1/2 quarts water
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup dry lentils
1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, place the beans in three times their volume of water. Bring to a boil, and let boil 10 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain, and rinse.

2. In a slow cooker, combine soaked beans and 1 1/2 quarts fresh water. Cover, and cook for 3 hours on High.

3. Stir in carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, lentils, and tomatoes. Season with chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and salt. Cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir the rice into the slow cooker in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

4. Puree about half of the soup with a blender or food processor, then pour back into the pot before serving.

Classic Minestrone

2008-10-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
4 ounces green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 quarts vegetable stock
1 pound chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, with liquid
1/4 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni
salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Add leek, carrots, zucchini, green beans and celery. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

2. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and thyme. Bring to a boil, then replace the lid, and reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 30 minutes.

3. Stir in the cannellini beans with liquid and pasta. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Sweet Potato Burritos

2008-10-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans, drained (variation: black beans)
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded FF Cheddar or Soy Cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.

3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.

4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve.

Note: Count points for tortillas.

Hearty Chili

2008-10-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped white onion
1 lb. defrosted veggie burger crumbles (optional)
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 bay leaf
28-oz. can diced Mexican-style tomatoes
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
6 oz. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
16-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
28-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
FF Cheese or Soy cheese (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the veggie burger crumbles, if using, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and cumin and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant.

3. Add the oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, soy sauce, stock, tomato paste, and vinegar, then bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the beans and simmer 15 minutes longer to heat through and blend flavors. Add more water, if necessary, or cook longer to reach desired consistency. Top with shredded cheese if desired and serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Calzones (6pts)

2008-10-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Warm Water (105F-115F)
1 tsp Sugar
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole-Wheat Flour
3/4 tstp Salt
1 Large Egg
1 Cup Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
3/4 Cup Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
2 Plum Toatoes, chopped
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
3 Scallions, thinly sliced
2 tbs Chopped Fresh Basil
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions:
1. Combine the water and sugar in a small bowl. Springle in the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt in a food processed. With the machine running, scape the yeast mixture and the egg through the feed tube; pulse until the dough forms into a smooth ball, about 1 minute.

3. Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray; put the dough in the bowl. cover tight with palstic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions, basil, and pepper in a medium bowl.

5. Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.

6. Punch down the dough. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface and cut into 6 pieces. Knead each peice lightly, then with a lightly flour rolling pin, roll each into a 6-inch circle. Mound one sixth of the cheese mixture on half of each circle, then brush the edges lightly with water. Fold the dough over the filling; crimpe edges to seal. Transfer the calsones to the baking sheet; make three 1-inch slashes on top of each with a sharp knife. Bake until golden brown, 20-23minutes.

Yields: 6 Servings, 6pts each.

Per Serving (1 calsone): 304 cal 7g Fat, 4g Sat Fat, 56mg Chol, 432mg Sod, 45g Carb, 3g Fib, 16g Prot, 228 mg Calc.

Note: I plan to add some cooked portabella mushrooms, garlic, and white/yellow onions instead of scallions.

Winter Solstice Soup

2008-10-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, shredded
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups fat free milk
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and saute the onions for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the carrots, potatoes, water, salt, parsley, thyme and bay leaf.

2, Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf.

3. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor in small batches and return to the pot. Stir in the milk, mixing well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Yields: 4 Servings

Hummus Club Sandwiches (2pts)

2008-10-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
½ (15 ½ oz) Can Cannellini (white kidney) Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbs minced red onion
1 ½ tsp tahini (or natural peanut butter)
1 ½ tsp water
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
Pinch Freshly Ground Pepper
6 Slices Whole-Grain Bread
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
2 Boston Lettuce Leaves
½ cup thinly sliced cucumbers
1 cup alfalfa spouts
2 tbs fat free mayonnaise

Directions:
1. To prepare the hummus, combine the beans, garlic, onion, tahini, water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor; process to the consistency of a spread.

2. Spread the hummus on 2 slices of bead. Layer with tomato and lettuce. Top each with another slice of bread. Layer with cucumber and sprouts. Spread mayonnaise on the remaining bread, and top each sandwich with the bread. Cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters.

Makes 4 2-quarter Servings: 2pts Each

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwhiches (5pts)

2008-10-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Large Red Bell Pepper, seeded and halved (or as many as you think you’d need)
1/4 lbs Goat Cheese, Softened
4 Whole-Wheat English Muffins, Split and Toasted
Arugula Leaves

Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil; place the bell pepper pieces, cut side don on a baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from eat, turning occasionally with tongs, until lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Wrap the pieces in the foil and let steam for 20 minutes. When the pieces are cool enough to handle, peel and cut each piece in half.

2. Spread about 2 tablespoons goat cheese on the bottom half of each muffin. Top cheese with one piece of roasted pepper and several arugula leaves, cover sandwiches with muffin tops.

Makes 4 Servings – 5pts Each

Veggieloaf

2008-10-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen Meatless Ground Burger
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (or quick oats)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg product (or 2 lightly beaten eggs)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS:
1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Microwave ground burger in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup; mix lightly. Let stand 5 min.

2. SHAPE into loaf in 8-inch pie plate or into 2 smaller loaves in 2 miniature loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray. Spread top evenly with ketchup.

3. BAKE 35 min. or until cooked through.

Makes: 6 servings

Brown Bag Special Menu #1

2008-10-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

I am trying to get myself pumped to pack my own lunch, so I am going to include little brown bag menus that I plan to use. You might find them helpful as well!

1 Small Baked Potato w/grilled veggies and salsa (dairy products optional)
1 cup Black Bean and Corn Salad
1 Orange

Variation:
You can also roll the salad in a tortilla or lettuce to make it feel more sandwhichy.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

2008-10-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar (or splenda)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together black beans and corn. Toss with vinegar and oil dressing, and garnish with cilantro. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Yields: 4 Servings

Au Natural Popcorn

2008-10-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3tbs Popcorn Kernals
2tsp Vegetable Oil
Salt (optional)

1. In a skillet, heat up the oil with one kernal (lid on). I do it on med to high heat.

2. When the kernal pops, put the rest in.

3. This requires a bit of practice, but you'll learn. Once the kernals start popping, you are going to need to shake the pan often. Letting it just sit on the element will burn the popcorn, so I basically shake it for a bit until the poppin slows, put it back down on the heating element and let it start popping alot, and repeat until there is just not much popping going on.

3. Season as you like (I like salt, packaged popcorn toppers, and just green can parmesan).

This sounds like a lot of work, but I made my popcorn in about the same time my friend made hers in the microwave. I can't eat popcorn out of the bag anymore, the fake butter weirds me out.

Grilled Eggplant and Feta Farfalle

2008-10-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (16 ounce) package whole wehat farfalle pasta
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/8 teaspoon dried mint
1 pinch dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated fat free Parmesan cheese
8 ounces fat free feta cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
1 Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate. Rub eggplant with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until each side has golden brown grill marks and is fragrant. Let cool, then cut into cubes. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute bell pepper, carrot, onion, and garlic until the onions are translucent. Stir in eggplant, and saute until it is tender. Add the diced tomatoes. Season with oregano, basil, marjoram, mint, dill, celery salt, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Mix in Parmesan cheese. In a large bowl, combine pasta with vegetable mixture. Spoon into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with feta cheese.

4. Cover, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 10 minutes.

Yields: 8 Servings

Tortilla Soup

2008-10-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (1 pound) package frozen pepper and onion stir fry mix
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
4 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn
12 ounces tortilla chips (optional)
1 cup shredded FF or Soy Cheddar cheese
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the pepper and onion stir fry mix, garlic, and cumin, and cook 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Mix in the tomatoes and chile peppers. Pour in the broth, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.
Mix corn into the soup, and continue cooking 5 minutes. Serve in bowls over equal amounts of tortilla chips. Top with cheese and avocado.

Yields: 12 Servings

Cal - 318 Fat - 17 Fib - 6

Notes: Must count points for chips - I'd go with baked (even better, make your own). You could even do some brown rice instead of chips.

Enchiladas (4pts)

2008-10-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Some of the recipes I post will not be just core ingredients, I don't think anyone should feel as if points are evil. We have the points for a reason, and so... I post one of my favorite flex recipes. This is how the whole thing calculates (4pts), but it may even be less if you just count the points for the tortillas and enchilada sauce. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tsp Canola Oil
2 (4oz) Portobello Mushrooms, coursely chopped
1 c. white mushrooms, coursely chopped
1 zucchini, diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp adobo seasoning
1 (19oz) can enchilada sauce
6 (8in) fat free flour tortillas
6 tbs fat-free sour cream
1/2 c. shredded reduced fat (or fat free for core) cheddar cheese
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 9x13in baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the portobello and white mushrooms, the zucchini, scallions, garlic, and seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until any liquid had evaporated and the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce - heat through.

3. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the ocen to warm, about 10 minutes.

4. Top each tortillas with one sixth of the mushroom mixture, then with 1 tbs of the sour cream. Roll up and place, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Spook the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and olives. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes. Uncover an dbake until the edges of the enchiladas just begin to brown, and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings - 4pts each
Per Serving (1 enchilada): 221 Cal, 7g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 8mg Chol, 800mg Sod, 31g Carb, 4g Fib, 7g Prot, 111mg Calc

Sweet Potato Fries

2008-10-11T19:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Large Sweet Potato
2tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice potatoes into strips (it takes practice).

2. Coat the fries in the oil and spread on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt.

3. Bake in the oven for 15-20min, flip, then cook for an additional 15-20min.

Yield: 1 Serving

You can double, tripple, etc etc as needed. Experiment with seasonings, but I like them just with salt.

Potato Salad

2008-10-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup green onion
5 large red potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, wine vinegar, oregano, parsley, and onion. Mix and set aside.
2. Add potatoes to a large pot of boiling, lightly salted water. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain water and let cool.

3. When cooled, peel and dice. Place in a large bowl, add dressing and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat, cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Yields: 5 Servings

Bright Red Pepper Pesto Linguine

2008-10-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
4 Red Peppers
2 Red Chili Peppers*
1/2 cup (2.5oz) Hazelnuts*
Large Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons EVOO*
12oz Whole Wheat Linguine
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves, Roughly Torn

* I used green because red chili weren't available; I also used pine nuts instead of hazel because they were also not available. And I used very little EVOO.

1. Preheat grill or broiler to high. Put the red peppers and chili peppers under the flame source, and cook, turning until they are black and charred all over. Put them immediately into a plastic bag. Seal and let sit for 5 minutes - the steam will help loosen the skins.

**I just put mine in the oven, and didn't bother peeling the skins**

2. Peel the peppers and the chilies, and remove their seeds with a teaspoon. Dry fry the hazelnuts over moderate heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until golden. Allow the nuts to cool a little, then chop roughly. Put the basil, garlic, and nuts in a food processor, and process to a course paste. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil (skipped this). Add the peppers and chilies and process against until the sauce is smooth.

3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, return linguine to saucepan and add pesto and a little olive oil. Toss well, season with salt & pepper, and scatter fresh basil over the top.
Yields: 4 very large servings, could make 6-8 servings out of it really.
Note: You must count the points for the nuts.

Lentil Soup

2008-10-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups dry lentils
8 cups water
1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vinegar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2 minutes.

2. Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.

Yields: 8 Servings

Eggplant and Tomato Bake

2008-10-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS
3 large eggplants
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (10.75 ounce) can tomato puree
1/4 cup water 1 pinch ground black pepper
2 (8 ounce) containers plain fat free yogurt
1/4 cup wheat germ or whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Slice the eggplants into 1/4 inch slices and lightly salt them. Leave them to sweat for 30 minutes. While the eggplant are set aside, saute the onions, garlic, and olive oil in a large skillet over a low heat, covering the pan with a lid to keep them moist. Saute the onions until they are soft and turning gold in color.

2. Mix the basil, oregano, tomato puree, water, salt and pepper into the pan of onions and simmer for ten minutes. While the mixture is simmering, rinse off the eggplant slices and steam them either in a microwave steamer basket (in two batches at 10 minutes each) or in a steamer over the stove.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-aerosol cooking spray.

4. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce-mixture over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange one layer of the eggplants on the bottom of the dish. Pour one third of the tomato sauce over the eggplant.

5. Pour one container of yogurt over the tomato sauce. Repeat the eggplant layer, tomato sauce, yogurt, eggplants, and top the dish with the remaining tomato sauce.

6. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the wheat germ or breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole, followed by the Parmesan cheese. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes; until topping is golden brown.

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 147 Total Fat: 3.6g Cholesterol: 4mg Sodium: 677mg Total Carbs: 24.8g Dietary Fiber: 6.8g Protein: 7g

To Make Core: Leave out wheat germ/bread crumps and cheese. Or just count the points.

Notes:
I only used two eggplants and it ended up being just enough. So, clearly the recipe was thinking that eggplants weren't ginormous. One more would have been too much. I've seen those really skinny eggplants - so if that's what you find, you'll need three.

Read this recipe carefully - and you'll realize it takes some time to make this. 30 minutes to sweat the eggplant, 20-30 minutes of steaming the eggplant, and the making of the tomato sauce (you could totally cheat and buy a jar - but for core folks, that isn't an option). Not to mention chopping and assembling - I started this recipe around 12 and didn't eat until 2. However - the recipe was totally worth it, and I will make this a lot in the future.

This is what I did: Cut the eggplant, let it sweat for 30 minutes. While eggplant sweated, chopped up the onions for tomato sauce - made the sauce. By the time I was finished with that -it was time to steam the eggplant.

If you don't feel like waiting this long for a dinner to get ready - I would suggest doing the sweating and steaming and saucemaking the night before - then just assemble it the day you want it. If you hate that idea more - then cube the eggplant and saute it with salt (you'll still probably have to do it in rounds).

Creamy Corn Chowder

2008-10-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 ear of corn
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup onion, diced
3 tbs corn grits, (yellow)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon yellow or white miso paste
3/4 cup fat free plain yogurt

In case you can not find miso paste you can substitute with the following:
1/4 - 1/2 cup of soft or silken tofu, pureed
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

Topping:
Garnish with chives

Directions
Grate corn off half ear of corn, and then slice kernels from other half. Add diced onions and corn to water over medium-low heat. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Add corn grits and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Dilute miso paste with liquid from soup and add mixture to soup and simmer over low heat for another 2- 3 minutes. Allow soup to cool a bit and add yogurt to desired consistency. Garnish and serve.Optional Tofu Directions:Grate corn off half ear of corn, and then slice kernels from other half. In a medium saucepan place the tofu and mash with a spatula. Add fresh corn, salt, onions and water over medium-low heat. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Add corn grits and simmer another 10 minutes. Allow soup to cool a bit and add yogurt 1 tablespoon at a time while whisking and blending until reaching desired consistency. Garnish and serve.

Yields: 2 servings

Nutrition Facts
Calories 150; Total fat 1.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Total Carbohydrates 29g; Protein 7g; Fiber 3g

Middle Eastern Green Beans

2008-10-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice, cooked according to package directions
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 large tomatoes, chopped or 28 ounces canned chopped tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup parsley (optional)

Directions
1 Begin cooking rice.

2 Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions about 5 minutes.

3 Add green beans and saute about 8-10 minutes.

4 Add garlic and saute 1 minute.

5 Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, allspice and sugar and bring to boil. At this point if you feel the mixture is too dry you can add up to 1/4 cup of water.

6 Cover and cook 15-20 minutes.

7 Serve over warm rice with parsley sprinkled on top if desired.

Yields: 4 Servings

To Make Core: Sub Brown Rice or some other whole grain of your choice, and I am not certain there is enough sugar in the recipe to count, but you can use splenda if that makes you feel better. Same with the oil, I think it falls within the serving ratio, but cut down as you see fit.

Cuban Beans and Rice

2008-09-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15.25 ounce) can kidney beans, drained with liquid reserved
1 cup uncooked brown rice

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic. When onion is translucent add salt and tomato paste.

2.Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and rice.

3. Pour the liquid from the beans into a large measuring cup and add enough water to reach a volume of 2 1/2 cups; pour into beans. Cover and cook on low for 45 to 50 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

Serves 6

Notes: Serve with sweet potatoes and roasted corn. Also great wrapped in a tortilla with ff sour cream and ff cheese.

Roasted Chickpeas

2008-09-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained 2 tablespoons
olive oil
salt (optional)
garlic salt (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until browned and crunchy. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.

4 servings

Notes: I took these out after 20min and let them cool and shook them around. Then put them back in for about 15 minutes. Some started to burn, so I just never put them back in. Most of them are really crunchy, but some of them seem to be 95% crunchy. Also, it comes out to be 1/2tbs per serving. Which is more than the 2tsp allotment for core. I kind of cover my eyes and plug up my ears. But you could easily cut the olive oil in half - you'd probably have to be a little more concerned about burning though.

Rating: ROCKING! I will make these again and again, I plan to experiment with other beans.