June 26, 2008
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups mandarin orange or clementine segments
1/2 cup hot black tea
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of ground cardamom
Preparation
1. Place orange (or clementine) segments in a small bowl.
2. Pour tea over them and drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cardamom.
June 26, 2008
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
4 whole-wheat graham crackers
4 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese
8 teaspoons jam
Preparation
1. Spread each graham cracker with 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese and 2 teaspoons jam.
June 26, 2008
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
2 peaches, halved and pitted
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 scoops nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt or fruit sorbet
1 tablespoon toasted unsweetened coconut
Preparation
1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Brush peach halves with oil. Grill until tender.
3. Place 2 peach halves in each bowl and top with a scoop of frozen yogurt (or sorbet) and coconut.
June 26, 2008
1 Serving
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
3/4 cup frozen pitted cherries
2 tablespoons part-skim ricotta
1 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds
Preparation
1. Heat cherries in the microwave on High until warm, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Top the cherries with ricotta and almonds.
June 26, 2008
Serves: 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 slices thin whole-wheat or white sandwich bread
3 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)
Preparation
1. Heat evaporated milk just until boiling. Add chocolate, let stand for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly.
2. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Divide the chocolate mixture on the unbuttered side of 4 slices, leaving a little border. Press chocolate chips and nuts, if using, into the chocolate. Cover with the remaining slices of bread, buttered-side up, and press lightly.
3. Cook the sandwiches in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn over, press with a spatula, and cook until nicely browned and the chocolate is barely melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve warm.
June 26, 2008
Serves: 4 servings, 3/4 cup each
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation
1. Combine strawberries, sugar, Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Let stand, stirring once or twice, until the strawberries release their juice, about 10 minutes.
June 25, 2008
To cut a mango, slice both ends of the fruit off, and set it upright to remove the skin with a sharp knife. With the seed perpendicular to you, slice the fruit from both sides of the seed, yielding two large pieces. Next, turn the seed parallel to you and slice the two smaller pieces of fruit from each side. Last, cut the fruit into the desired shape.
Serves: 2 Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 mango, peeled and sliced
Lime wedges
Preparation
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.
3. Squeeze lime wedges over the broiled mango and serve.
June 25, 2008
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 to 6 oz. each
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
flour for dredging
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup apple cider
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup non-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Cooking Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet. While the oil is heating, season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge it in flour.
2. Sauté the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm.
3. Add the apples and apple cider, stir with a wooden spoon to release any caramelized bits that may be stuck to the pan and cook until the cider has reduced by half.
4. Add the chicken broth, chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken to a clean serving platter and keep warm. Simmer the broth mixture until it has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and stir until it is thoroughly combined. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
June 25, 2008
This recipe serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound fresh button mushrooms, cleaned with stems trimmed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Cooking Instructions
1. Put about 2 inches of water in a large pot, insert a rack or steamer basket into the pot and bring the water to a boil. Steam the mushrooms in the basket for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the basket and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar and lemon juice together. Add the shallots and slowly whisk in the olive oil and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Gently toss the mushrooms in the vinaigrette and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. After the mushrooms have marinated, gently toss in the cherry tomatoes. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.
June 25, 2008
1 lb. asparagus
1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (2 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 oz. penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1. Peel asparagus stems, if desired. Cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
2. In small bowl, stir ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, chives, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth.
3. Cook penne in large pot of boiling salted water 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain. Place in large bowl.
4. Meanwhile, place asparagus in steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 4 to 6 minutes or until just tender. Place asparagus on plate. Whisk 1/3 cup of the steaming liquid into ricotta mixture until smooth.
5. Toss penne with ricotta mixture and asparagus. Pass remaining Parmesan cheese.
4 (1 1/2-cup) servings
Tips for Asparagus:
Asparagus cooks faster and it’s more tender when it’s peeled. It’s not always necessary to peel it, but it’s a good technique when you’re adding asparagus to a dish with other delicate-flavored ingredients.
To remove the outer skin, lay the asparagus on the counter and trim the stem end. Then peel it with a vegetable peeler as you would a carrot, starting just below the tip.
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