Nectarine Fruit Salad as Dessert or Side Dish

Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or lime peel

2 teaspoons fresh lemon or lime juice

1/3 cup ginger ale

2 nectarines, pitted and sliced

1 cup seedless green grapes

1 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries

Directions

In a large bowl, combine peel, juice, honey and ginger ale. Add fruit and toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Super Charged Oatmeal Breakfast

Ingredients

1/3 cup oat bran

1/3 cup steel-cut oats

1/2 cup blueberries

1 scoop protein powder (vanilla)

1 tbsp whole flax seed

1/3 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt (if desired)

Preparation

Add oats and 3 cups of water to a large pot. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and keep covered for 15 minutes. Next, add bran and flax seed. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Add berries, cinnamon and protein powder. Stir and let stand for 3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant Spread

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant

1 large sweet red bell pepper

1 small sweet red onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of fresh ground black pepper

Minced fresh Italian parsley leaves for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Stab eggplant all over with the tines of a fork. Place on a rack in roasting pan and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes.

Prick onion and pepper all over with the fork as well and place on rack beside the eggplant. Continue roasting for 30 more minutes until vegetables are very soft. Let cool until you can handle.

Remove stem of eggplant, cut in half. Remove as many seeds as possible, then chop. Remove from skin and chop eggplant coarsely and place in a food processor. Cut pepper in half, remove skin, seeds, stem and membranes. Chop and add to the food processor. Coarsely chop onion and add to processor.

Add garlic, lemon juice, oil, black pepper and process until mixture is somewhat chunky. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes to one hour before serving. Garnish with minced parsley.

Vegetarian Grilled Eggplant & Portobello Sandwich

Ingredients

1 small clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1 tsp lemon juice

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

2 large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed

Canola or olive oil cooking spray

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

8 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread, lightly grilled or toasted

2 cups arugula, or spinach, stemmed and chopped if large

1 large tomato, sliced

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Mash garlic into a paste on a cutting board with the back of a spoon. Combine with mayonnaise and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Spray both sides of eggplant rounds and mushroom caps with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables, turning once, until tender and browned on both sides. When cool enough to handle, slice the mushrooms.

Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the garlic mayonnaise on each piece of bread. Layer the eggplant, mushrooms, arugula (or spinach) and tomato slices onto 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining bread.

(Makes 4 Servings)

Lime Sherbet Cooler

Ingredients

1 cup skim milk

1 cup lime sherbet

1/4 cup limeade concentrate, frozen

Directions

Put the mugs in freezer to chill. Place milk, sherbet and limeade concentrate in blender. Blend mixture until smooth. Pour into frosted glasses; garnish with lime slices or umbrellas, if desired.

Indian-Styled Chicken Served on Roti

Ingredients

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp each coriander, cinnamon and turmeric

1/2 tsp hot sauce

1 cup canned chickpeas

1/4 cup coconut milk

2-3 large roti or wheat flour tortillas

Directions

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onion; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in broth, sweet potato, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and turmeric.

Cover and cook, stirring ever so often for 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Season with hot sauce.

Stir in chick-peas and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until chick-peas are heated through. Divide mixture between two roti shells. Roll to make a wrap.

(Makes 2 to 3 servings.)

Cucumber Salad Picnic Side Dish

Ingredients

2 large cucumbers

2 large tomato

2 tbsp olive oil

dash of fresh oregano

dash of fresh parsley

Preparation

Wash and skin the cucumbers. Cut the cucumber into 1 inch slices. Cut the tomato’s into 4 quarters. Add to bowl and add olive oil, fresh oregano, and fresh parsley. Chill before serving for best flavor!

Fruit Salad with Yogurt Recipe

Ingredients

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 pound seedless green grapes, halved

3 bananas, peeled and sliced

1 – 8 ounce container nonfat strawberry or lemon yogurt

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together strawberries, grapes, bananas, and strawberry yogurt. Serve immediately.

Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons margarine

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans

1/2 cup shredded cabbage

1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes

1 quart vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup elbow macaroni

Directions

Melt margarine in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots; saute for a few minutes.

Add beans, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato paste, potato, stock, garlic, parsley, and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for approximately 1 hour until vegetables are barely tender.

Add pasta, and simmer for 30 minutes more. Correct seasoning, and serve hot.

Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons sherry

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 2 inch pieces

1 – 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

Directions

In a shallow glass dish, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Stir the chicken pieces and pineapple into the marinade until well coated. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until chicken juices run clear.