Tasty and Nutritious Recipes Glorious Macaroni & Cheese Number of Servings: 4 Ingredients: 4 cups macaroni-shaped whole grain pasta 1 1/3 cup water or liquid from canned tomatoes 6-10 drops olive oil 16-24 oz. cheese, sliced or grated 4 carrots, sliced 2 Tbsp. oregano, fresh chopped, or 1 tsp. dried salt and pepper to taste 1 cup broccoli florets, halved 1-2 cups spinach, roughly chopped 4-6 tomatoes, chopped, or two 14 oz. cans, drained Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of 3 1/2 or 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with olive oil, taking care to fully coat all interior surfaces. Place dry noodles in pot. If using canned tomatoes, drain and reserve the liquid and use to make the 1 1/3 cup of liquid, adding water as needed. If using fresh tomatoes, use all water. Add olive oil to liquid, stir and pour over pasta. Mix gently and spread pasta evenly across bottom of pot. Place a layer of cheese over pasta. Add carrots. Sprinkle with half of the garlic and half of the oregano. Lightly salt and pepper. Layer in broccoli and cover with a blanket of cheese. Sprinkle rest of spices and lightly salt and pepper. Top with spinach and fresh or drained canned tomatoes. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes, or about 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Tips: Overcooking this recipe may cause the noodles to clump and a crusty layer to form along the bottom and lower sides of the pot. While these tasty strips are fun to crunch, you can avoid this effect by paying careful attention to when the aroma first escapes the oven and announces that the meal is ready. Broccoli & Mushroom Dip A low-calorie, high-fiber dip for veggies; also good as a topping for baked potatoes. Number of Servings: 12 Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Ingredients 2 cups chopped broccoli 1 garlic clove, minced 1 chopped onion 1/4 lb chopped mushrooms 2 tsp canola or corn oil 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese 1 pinch pepper Instructions: Cook broccoli until tender-crisp (2 minutes in the microwave). Drain. In a small skillet, cook garlic, onions, and mushrooms in oil for about 5 minutes, until onion is tender (or 2-3 minutes in the microwave oven). In food processor or blender, process cottage cheese until smooth. Add pepper and vegetables. Process until mixed. Cover and refrigerate. Will keep for 2 days. Vegetable Frittata Serve a whole frittata as an entree or half portions as side dishes or appetizers. Frittatas are just as delicious chilled or at room temperature, as they are hot. Number of Servings: 4 Serving Size: 1 slice Ingredients: 1 tsp margarine 1 small onion thinly sliced 1 small red pepper, sliced into thin strips 1 boiled red potato, peeled, sliced 1 cup broccoli florets 1/4 cup shredded light Swiss cheese such as Jarlsberg or Lorraine 3 whole large eggs, lightly beaten 3 egg whites, lightly beaten 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 pinch of paprika Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the margarine in an 8-inch pie plate or quiche pan; place in the oven to melt. Arrange the onion slices on the margarine; cook in the hot oven for 5 minutes. Remove the pan form the oven; arrange the red pepper, potato, and broccoli on top of the onion. Sprinkle on the cheese. In a medium bowl, combine the whole eggs, egg whites, salt, and pepper; pour over the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the eggs are set in the middle. Slice into 4 equal portions and serve hot or cooled to room temperature. Cream of Broccoli Soup Number of Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1 cup Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups water 3 cups chopped broccoli 2 tsp canola or corn oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp flour 3 cups fat-free milk 1/2 tsp celery seeds 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Combine the water and the broccoli and boil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the flour to the skillet, stirring constantly to mix. Add the liquid from the broccoli and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the milk, broccoli, and spices and stir well (omit the salt if you need to reduce total sodium). Cook until hot, but do not allow the milk to boil. Top each serving with 1 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese. Broccoli Slaw Often just tossed away, nutrition-providing broccoli stems are put to good use in this slaw. Number of Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1/2 cup Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups shredded broccoli stems (peel the broccoli stems until smooth; shred by hand or in a food processor with a shredder or julienne blade) 1 cup shredded carrot 1/2 cup diced red bell and yellow pepper 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp minced, fresh basil 1/2 Tbsp minced, fresh oregano 1 Tbsp minced scallions 2 Tbsp lemon juice Instructions: In a large bowl, combine the first three ingredients. In a blender, combine all remaining ingredients for the dressing. Blend until smooth. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss well. Serve immediately, or refrigerate before serving.
Veggie Pizza Eating pizza can be a great way to sneak more vegetables into your meal plan. Number of Servings: 4 Serving Size: 2 slices Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil I cup broccoli florets 1 yellow squash, sliced (about 1 cup) 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 pinch red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 12-inch prepackaged pizza crust ½ cup shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese ¼ tsp ground black pepper ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli, squash, mushrooms, and red bell pepper; sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 more seconds. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread the veggie mixture evenly over the pizza. Sprinkle with cheese, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bake pizza in oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese begins to lightly brown. Spinach and Artichoke Dip A captivating blend of artichokes, spinach, sour cream, and aromatic flavorings makes every bite of this dip memorable. Number of Servings: 26 Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons Ingredients: 14 oz. artichoke hearts, canned, drained and chopped 10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained 1 ½ cups sour cream, low fat ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped ½ cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes or onion powder ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp hot pepper sauce Instructions: In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the onion flakes have softened.
Spinach Dip This mild, herby vegetable dip is especially delicious with sweet sliced jicama, endive spears, carrot sticks, and trimmed stalks of celery, or served with Italian pita crisp or Italian bread. Number of Servings: 16 Serving Size: 2 ½ tablespoons Ingredients: 10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained ½ cup late mayonnaise 8 oz. plain low-fat yogurt ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup onion, finely chopped ½ tsp dill weed ¼ tsp salt Instructions: Pat the spinach with paper towels to remove excess liquid. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour for the flavors to blend. Oriental Chicken and Spinach Salad Recipe provided by Equal® Number of Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe Ingredients: ¼ cup vegetable oil 3 Tbsp rice vinegar 1 ½ Tbsp Equal® spoonful or 2 ½ packets Equal® sweetener 1 Tbsp light soy sauce 1 tsp dark sesame oil ¾ tsp grated gingerroot 1 bag baby spinach leaves 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast 1 cup mandarin oranges, drained ½ cup water chestnuts, sliced ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced ¼ cup toasted slivered almonds Instructions: For dressing, whisk first 6 ingredients until combined. Refrigerate, covered, 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. For salad, gently toss last 6 ingredients in large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to combine. Spinach and Mushroom Pizza Serve this pizza with a fresh green salad.
Number of Servings: 4 Serving Size: 2 slices Ingredients: 4 cups fresh spinach, washed, steamed and coarsely chopped 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil, divided ½ tsp salt (optional) ½ tsp pepper, ground black ½ Tbsp dried basil ½ Tbsp dried oregano 1 pizza crust, prepackaged 3 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup mozzarella cheese, part skim, shredded Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium nonstick skillet, sauté spinach and mushrooms in ½ tablespoon olive oil. Add salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Sauté until all the moisture is evaporated (about 10 minutes). Rub pizza crust with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle minced garlic on top. Spread the spinach and mushroom mixture evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Creamy Spinach Penne Recipe provided by Kraft® Number of Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup Ingredients: 12 oz. spinach leaves, well washed, stems removed 12 oz. uncooked penne pasta 1 med garlic clove, minced 1 cup Breakstone’s or Knudsen low-fat cottage cheese ¼ cup milk ¼ cup Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp dried basil leaves ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper 12 oz. Jarred Roasted Red Peppers, drained and chopped Instructions: Spoon spinach into large pot of boiling water. Cook 1 minute. Remove spinach from water with slotted spoon, reserving water in pot for cooking pasta. Rinse spinach with cold water; drain well. Chop spinach; set aside. Return water to boil. Add pasta to boiling water; cook 10 minutes or just until tender. Drain well. Place garlic in food processor or blender; cover. Process until minced. Add chopped spinach, cottage cheese and milk; cover. Process
until well blended. Add Parmesan cheese and seasonings; mix well. Toss with pasta and red peppers. Serve warm. Spinach Pasta Shells Number of Servings: 5 Serving Size: 1 cup Ingredients: Uncooked medium shell pasta (about 2 cups) 9 oz. frozen, chopped spinach 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided 4 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. While pasta is cooking, defrost spinach in microwave. Squeeze all liquid from spinach. In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté spinach in 1 tablespoon olive oil over mediumhigh heat for approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and Parmesan cheese; sauté 1 minute. Drain pasta. Add spinach mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pasta and toss. Three Bean Salad This recipe is provided by Equal® Number of Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe Ingredients: ¼ cup red wine vinegar 3 Tbsp Equal® spoonful or 4 ½ packets Equal® sweetener 1 Tbsp olive oil ¾ tsp Italian seasoning 1 small clove garlic minced 1/8 tsp salt 1 can (14.5 oz.) cut green beans, drained 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained ¼ cup green onions Instructions: Combine vinegar, Equal®, olive oil and seasonings; mix well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally. Green Beans with Sunflower Seeds Number of Servings: 6 Serving Size: ½ cup
Ingredients: 1 lb. fresh green beans ¼ cup chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp salt 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds, shelled 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano Instructions: Snap the ends off the beans. If they are very young, leave the beans whole; if large, break the beans into 2-inch lengths. Place the beans in a saucepan; add 1 cup of water and the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook about 8 minutes, until the beans are crisp-tender; drain. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds and oregano over the bean. Toss lightly to mix. Zesty Zucchini Quesadillas Number of Servings: 12 Ingredients: 2 cups zucchini - grated 3/4 tsp. salt 4 flour tortillas - 10-inch 1 cup carrots – grated 1/4 cup onions – chopped 2 tbsp. chili peppers - mild, canned, diced, drained 2 tbsp. pimentos - diced, drained 3 tsp. italian seasoning 1 cup pepper jack cheese – shredded 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese – shredded 2/3 cup bacon bits - real Instructions: Preheat over to 450ºF. Mix zucchini and salt together and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain well. Spray 1.2 sheet baking tray with vegetable cooking spray. Lay two tortillas on sheet. Spread each tortilla with zucchini, carrots, onions, chili peppers, pimentos, italian seasoning, cheese and bacon bits. Top each with another tortilla and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Bake at 450ºF for about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cut each into 6 pieces. Put on a tray and garnish with parsley, zucchini stars and cherry tomatoes. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Can also use an electric quesadilla maker. Preheat for 5 minutes. Place tortilla sandwich in the machine. Cook 4 minutes or until lightly brown.