Kristen's Recipes

1 T. vegetable oil
2 carrots, peeled and cut into strips
1 C. cauliflower florets
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and cut into strips
2 tsp. black bean sauce
2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 T. dry Sherry
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 T. water or chicken stock

In a large, deep nonstick frying pan or wok over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil, swirling it around in the pan. When it is hot, add the carrots, cauliflower, garlic and ginger and cook, tossing occasionally, until coated with the oil and lightly glazed, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper and bean sauce and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until all the vegetables are beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, Sherry, and cornstarch mixture, stir to mix well and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 minute longer. To serve, transfer to a serving bowl.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 89
Fat: 4g
Fiber: 3g

3 T. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 C. cooked spaghetti squash
2 C. chopped tomato
1 C. diced cucumber
1/2 C. (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C. diced green bell pepper
1/4 C. diced red onion
2 T. chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 (15.5-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine squash and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add vinegar mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

Yield: 8 servings
Servign Size: 1 cup

Calories: 125
Fat: 4.1g
Fiber: 3.1g

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lg. onion, sliced as thin as possible (2 c.)
Pastry for 9″ pie crust
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled (1 c.)
2 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
3 med. tomatoes, cut into 1/4″ thick slices

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until golden brown. Remove from heat. Lay pastry dough flat on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread onion evenly on top, leaving a 1″ border. Dot with goat cheese, sprinkle with thyme and some pepper. Place tomato slices on top overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold pastry over topping crimping the edges. Bake until crust is golden, 18 to 20 min.

Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 163
Fat: 9g
Fiber: 3g

2 T. plus 2 tsp. Olive oil
4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 C. Sliced Green Onions
1 C. Shopped Shallots
2 1/4 C. Sliced Red Onion
2 1/4 C. Sliced Brown Onion
1 3/4 C. Cottage Cheese
4oz. Feta Cheese
1 tsp. Oregano
2 C. Leeks, sliced (white only)
1 1/2 C. Sifted Flour
1 T. Baking Poder
2 T. Finely chopped Chives
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/3 C. Butter, wrapped in plastic and frozen
1/2 C. Evaporated Milk
1 C. Shredded Mozzarella

Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet and sauté garlic, green onion, shallot, red onion, and brown onion over medium low heat about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. While onions are cooking, combine cottage and feta cheese and 1/2 tsp. Oregano in food processor and whirl until smooth. Wash leeks carefully and steam until tender. Drain on paper towels. Preheat oven to 425. To make crust combine flour, baking powder, chives, remaining oregano and salt in medium bowl. Grate frozen butter into flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to mix until the flour is the constancy of oatmeal. Make a well and pour in all milk at once. Mix dough with knife. It will be moist. Knead dough on lightly floured surface 8 to 10 times. Press dough into 10-12” pie plate. Cover with half the mozzarella. Pour in half the cottage/Feta mixture and remaining mozzarella. Spread cooked onions in the pie pan next. Cover with remaining cheese mixture. Arrange drained leeks over cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

12 pieces lasagne, uncooked
1/2 T. Olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, drained well
15 oz. lowfat ricotta cheese
1/2 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 dash ground nutmeg
30 oz. meatless spaghetti sauce
4 oz. lowfat mozzarella cheese, shredded, (optional)

Drain spinach well, squeezing out excess juice. Prepare lasagna according to package directions. Rinse and drain. Place vegetable oil in a medium-sized nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Mix in spinach. Set aside and cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach mixture, ricotta and Parmesan cheese, egg and spices. Spread spinach mixture equally on lasagna and roll up each piece jelly-roll style. Place half of the spaghetti sauce in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish. Place pasta spinach spirals, seam side down, in dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese, if desired. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven until heated, about 25 minutes.

1 whole garlic head
Cooking spray
1 T. dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup (about 1-1/2 oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350`. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap garlic head in foil. Bake at 350` for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves, and squeeze to extract the garlic pulp. Discard the skins. Coat a 1-quart soufflé dish with cooking spray; sprinkle bottom of dish with breadcrumbs. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Spoon the flour and salt into a large saucepan, and gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook milk mixture over medium heat until thick (about 6 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in the garlic pulp, cheese, rosemary, and egg yolks.Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of the egg white mixture into garlic mixture; gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture. Spoon into prepared soufflé dish. Bake at 350` for 50 minutes or until puffy and set.

Yield: 6 servings

Calories: 111
Fat: 3.7g
Fiber: 0.4g

8 6” fat free corn Tortillas 1 C. Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
2 Green Onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
¾ tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 C. Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in the oven for 10 minutes or until warm, soft, and pliable. Remove from oven and set aside; raise oven temperature to 375. In small bowl mix all remaining ingredients except mozzarella. To assemble the enchiladas, spread 2 T. of the ricotta mixture in the center of a tortilla and fold one side over the filling. Fill remaining tortillas. Gently transfer to a lightly greased 9×9 pan, making two slightly overlapped rows. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the mozzarella, and bake an additional five minutes, or until cheese melts.

Test your springform pan with water for leakage before getting started. If it leaks, tightly wrap the bottom and halfway up the side of the pan with two layers of foil before filling it.

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. unsalted butter
20 oz baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 T. water
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups skim (fat-free) milk
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2 oz)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Accompaniment: frico

Cook onion in butter, covered, in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and water and cook, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Drain in a large sieve set over a bowl, pressing on spinach. (Discard liquid.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil springform pan. Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl, then stir in spinach. Spoon into springform pan, spreading evenly, and bake until custard is set and no longer wet in center, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a rack, then run a sharp knife around edge to loosen and remove side of pan. Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. You can top the spinach parmesan custard with some broken-up frico for added crunch or simply enjoy them on the side.

1/8 147 calories

Parmesan Crisps (Frico)

1 (3-oz) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 T. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Special equipment: a nonstick bakeware liner such as a Silpat pad
Preheat oven to 375°F. Using largest holes on a 4-sided grater, coarsely shred enough cheese to measure 1 cup. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick liner. Stir together cheese, flour, and pepper. Arrange T. of cheese 4 inches apart on liner, stirring cheese in bowl between T. to keep flour evenly distributed. Flatten each mound slightly with a metal spatula to form a 3-inch round. Bake frico in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on sheet on a rack, then carefully transfer each crisp (they are very delicate) with metal spatula to rack to cool completely. Cooks’ note: Crisps can be made 3 days ahead and kept, layered between wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 12 crisps Each (1 1/2-frico) serving about 32 calories and 2 grams fat

Stretch 1/4 pound fresh pizza dough into a 6-8 inch circle. On one half of the dough, spread to within 1/2 inch of the edge 1/2 cup pizza or marinara sauce, 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms, and 1/2 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and with the moisture squeezed out. Mix 1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese with 2 T. of part skim mozzarella cheese. Dot the top of the spinach with the cheese mixture. Fold dough over to enclose filling and crimp edges. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray or line with parchment paper and sprinkle on cornmeal. Bake calzone in 400 degree preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Cooking spray
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
10 oz. baby spinach (about 8 cups)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 cups low-fat milk
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill
6 large egg whites
Dash of cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart soufflé dish with cooking spray; sprinkle breadcrumbs over bottom and sides of dish. Cook spinach in boiling water 15 seconds or until wilted, and drain in a sieve, pressing until barely moist. Finely chop; place in a large bowl. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place the flour, salt, ground nutmeg, ground red pepper, and black pepper in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thick. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot milk mixture into egg yolk, stirring constantly with a whisk, and add to remaining hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Stir in spinach, cheese, and dill. Cool slightly. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into spinach mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon into prepared soufflé dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until puffed, golden, and set. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings. Calories 143

4 C. Cooked Rigatoni Pasta
2 T. All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 C. Skim Milk
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 T. garlic powder
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed & drained
1/2 C. grated light cheddar cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese

Add all ingredients except rigatoni in a saucepan. Cook at medium heat until cheddar cheese is melted. Pour over pasta and toss to combine

1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach
Olive oil flavored cooking spray
2 tsp. olive oil
2/3 C. finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz) carton light ricotta cheese (or half yogurt cheese)
1/2 C. parmesan cheese, divided
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg (omit if desired)
8 manicotti shells*
2 C. fat free spaghetti sauce

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well, and press gently between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set spinach aside. Coat a medium saucepan with cooking spray; add oil. Place over medium high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; sauté 8 minutes. transfer onion mixture to a bowl. Add spinach, ricotta cheese, 1/4 C. parmesan cheese, egg whites, crushed red pepper, and nutmeg; stir well. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions, omitting salt and oil; drain well. Stuff spinach mixture evenly into cooked shells. Spread 1/2 C. spaghetti sauce over bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Place filled shells over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over shells. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 C. parmesan cheese. *Fill uncooked manicotti shells and add a little water to the sauce. They will be easier to fill, and the final texture will be al dente.

1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped eggplant
1 can (28 oz.) unsalted diced tomatoes (drain tomatoes and reserve 1 1/2 cups juice)
6 Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 T. capers, drained
12 oz. penne or other pasta, uncooked
3 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In large heavy skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and eggplant. Sauté until garlic is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add drained, diced tomatoes. Cover and simmer until mixture is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved tomato juice, olives and capers. Remove sauce from heat. (Sauce can be prepared a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate). Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Add sauce to pasta and toss. Place freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Yield: 5 servings
Serving Size: 2 cups

Calories: 330
Fat: 3g
Fiber: 5g

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly brush with vegetable oil a 9-inch heat-proof glass pie dish. From a 14-oz. can of roasted whole green chilies (or 2, 7-oz. cans) chop 2 chilies. Combine with 1 C. diced fresh tomatoes, 1/2 C. chopped green onions, and large pinch cayenne pepper. In a large bowl whisk 7 egg whites, 2/3 C. nonfat yogurt, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder. Slit remaining chilies lengthwise; open flat; arrange 4 over base and sides of pie dish. Spoon 1/2 tomato mixture over chilies. Sprinkle with 1/3 C. grated low sodium, low-fat cheddar cheese, and pour over 2/3 C. egg mixture. For final layer repeat: remaining chilies, tomato mix, another 1/3 C. grated low-sodium, low-fat cheddar cheese, and egg mix. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned, puffed, and set at center. Let sit 10 minutes; serve.

Note: I don’t like runny eggs, and had to cook this about 45 minutes to have it be as fully set as I preferred it. Also, the tomatoes and chilies release a LOT of liquid, and if you don’t let your slice drain a bit first, its gonna leak out all over your plate, soaking whatever else is there. I took out a wedge, then tilted the pan and let it rest on a wadded kitchen towel to drain towards the missing wedge spot, and probably poured out nearly half cup. If you dried the chilies between some paper towels and seeded the tomatoes before assembling the pie, it would probably be less watery (the dish itself wasn’t runny or watery, it just releases a lot of liquid to the pan). 1/8 of the pie pan only has 85 calories (using Kraft Naturally Reduced Fat Cheddar), so this makes an excellent low-calorie lunch, or even a light dinner with a breadstick and a hearty salad. It is a little high in sodium, however, because of the canned chilies. It has a good portion of calcium, vitamin C and vitamin A though. I think next time I might chop some baby spinach and mix that in with the tomato layer for more vitamins, fiber, and flavor.

8 oz. dried uncooked penne pasta
3 T. margarine
2 tsp. minced garlic
12 oz. sliced Portobello mushrooms
1/2 C. white wine (or substitute with broth)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. chives

Cook pasta, drain and keep warm. In non-stick skillet heat 1/2 of margarine and add garlic and mushrooms. Cook until browned. Place pasta in dish and top with mushrooms. In the same skillet add wine, and bring to a light boil while scraping pan. Add remaining margarine and pepper. Pour sauce over pasta and mushrooms and sprinkle with chives.

Mayonnaise:

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. capers
2 tsp. anchovy paste or
4 anchovy fillets, mashed

Ravioli:

4 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 pound)
4 cups sliced button mushrooms (about 1 pound)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry sherry
2 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
Cooking spray
48 wonton wrappers

To prepare mayonnaise, combine first 4 ingredients, stirring until smooth; cover and chill. To prepare ravioli, place shiitake mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until finely chopped. Remove from processor. Place button mushrooms in food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, thyme, and garlic; sauté 15 minutes or until tender. Add sherry; bring to a boil. Cook 8 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Place mushroom mixture in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers to prevent drying), spoon 2 tsp. mushroom mixture into center of wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with water; bring 2 opposite corners together. Press edges with a fork to seal, forming a triangle. Place ravioli in a single layer on prepared baking sheets; spray tops lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 14 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Serve with mayonnaise. Mushroom types can be varied.

Yield: 16 servings
Serving size: 3 ravioli and about 1 T. mayonnaise

Calories: 136
Fat: 4g
FIber: 1g

2 cups carrots, shredded
2 cups yellow squash, shredded
2 cups zucchini, shredded
2 cups plain yogurt cheese
1 tsp. each oregano and basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
12 lasagna noodles, cooked
32oz. jar Spaghetti Sauce (Or make your own)

Using a yogurt cheese maker or layered cheese cloth, strain the whey from 1 quart of yogurt overnight to make yogurt cheese. Preheat oven to 375oF. Using a large mixing bowl, fold the vegetables, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, herbs, pepper and eggs into the yogurt cheese. In a 9″x13″ pan place a couple of T. of sauce on bottom, spreading evenly. Place a layer of noodles in the pan, top with half of the vegetable filling, then half of the sauce. Repeat for the second layer. Finish with the remaining noodles and cheese. Bake covered with foil for 1 hour. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes for cheese to brown.

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Coarse grained salt
1 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can peeled and crushed, or diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. sugar, optional
Coarsely ground fresh black pepper
1/4 cup basil (about 10 leaves), torn
8 oz. bow tie pasta (farfalle), cooked al dente

Place eggplant in a colander and season generously with salt. Fill a 1-gallon plastic bag with water, seal tightly and place over eggplant to weigh down. Let stand for 40 minutes. Rinse the salt off the eggplant, and pat dry. (This step shouldn’t be skipped, even if you are on a reduced sodium diet. The eggplant will be too watery otherwise. If you are cutting back on salt for a medical condition, skip this recipe.) Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add eggplant and cook, stirring often, until golden brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes and their juice to the pan. Stir in the sugar and salt. Simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes or longer depending on how juicy your tomatoes are. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the basil and cook 1 minute more. Serve over pasta.

4 oz. lowfat cheddar cheese, cut in 1″ strips
4 whole green chilies, seeded
2 egg whites
1 egg
1/4 cup nonfat milk
2 T. whole wheat flour
1/4 cup salsa
2 T. tomato puree

Stuff cheese into chilies and place two each in individual nonstick sprayed baking dishes. Beat egg, milk and flour mixture and pour over chilies. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes and serve immediately with the following sauce. Combine your favorite salsa with tomato puree to taste, heat and serve on the side or spooned over the Chili Relleno.

2 Servings, 186 Calories per serving

1 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 T. honey
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste
5 cups hot cooked linguine (about 10 oz. uncooked pasta)

Use an equal measure of red grape juice or cranberry juice for the red wine, if you prefer.Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add wine and the next 7 ingredients (wine through tomato paste). Bring to a simmer; cook 20 minutes or until thick. Serve over linguine.

Yield: 5 servings
Serving size: 1 cup sauce and 1 cup pasta

Calories: 327
Fat: 4.1g
Fiber: 3.7g

1/2 C. water
1/4 C. sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 pound asparagus (about 2 C. chopped) or broccoli florets
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 T. olive oil
1 carrot cut in small cubes (about 1 C.)
5 mushrooms, sliced
1 T. chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. chili flakes
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 small red potatoes, washed and thinly sliced
1/2 C. grated reduced fat cheese
1/4 C. Skim milk
1/2 C. low-fat sour cream or Yogurt Cheese
1 1/2 C. Egg Beaters
1 medium tomato, sliced (seeds squeezed out)
3 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Boil the water, pour over the sun-dried tomatoes, and allow to soak for about 15 minutes until they become soft and plump. Strain off any remaining liquid, and coarsely chop. Cut off about 1 inch of the coarse ends of the asparagus stalks and discard or save them for soup. Cut the remaining stalks into about 6 pieces or chop coarsely. If you are using broccoli, cut into florets. Blanch the asparagus by boiling it in a medium pot of water for 2 minutes or less. Asparagus should be bright green and firm to the bite. Drain, rinse the asparagus in cold water, and drain again in a colander. Sauté the onions and the garlic in the olive oil over low heat until the onions are transparent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, basil, parsley, chili flakes, nutmeg and pepper and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Line the bottom with the potato slices, overlapping them slightly. Whisk together the cheese, milk, sun-dried tomatoes, sour cream, and the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the sautéed vegetables and the blanched asparagus, coating everything with the cheese, milk, and egg liquid, then pour into the potato-lined pie pan. Arrange the tomato slices on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 1 hour, covering after 45 minutes if top browns. Completely baked quiche should be very firm. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Leftovers can be wrapped and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

8 oz. uncooked gigli or radiatore pasta
2 tsp. butter
1/4 C. sliced shallots
8 oz. sliced shiitake mushroom caps
4 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1 T. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. dry sherry
1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 C. 2% reduced-fat milk
1 C. (4 oz.) grated Asiago cheese, divided
Cooking spray
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well. Set cooked pasta aside. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1 T. thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Place flour in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring mixture to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add 1/2 C. cheese, stirring until melted. Add pasta and mushroom mixture to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 C. cheese. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 474
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 3.3g

6 dried black shiitake mushrooms
3 C. green cabbage
1 C. purple cabbage
1 large carrot, shredded
4 medium green onions, chopped
1 tsp. grated gingerroot
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
30 wonton wrappers
Horseradish Dipping Sauce
1/4 C. soy sauce
2 T. prepared horseradish
2 tsp. grated gingerroot
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

Mix all dipping sauce ingredients together, cover and put in the refrigerator. Soak mushrooms in hot water about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain, rinse and squeeze out excess water. Remove and discard stems, and dice caps. Spray nonstick skillet or wok with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, green and purple cabbage, carrots, green onions, gingerroot and garlic and stir-fry about 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce and cool. Brush edges of 1 wonton wrapper with water (keep remaining wonton wrappers covered to keep moist). Place 1-T. vegetable mixture on center of skin, fold bottom corner of wrapper of wonton over filling to form a triangle. Pinch folded edges together. Keep filled wontons covered to keep moist. Repeat with remaining wontons and vegetable filling. Place potstickers on heatproof plate and place plate on a rack in steamer. Cover and steam over boiling water for 15 minutes.

Makes 10 Servings
Serving Size: 3 potstickers

Calories: 93
Fat: 1g
Fiber: 2g

4 quarts water
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. uncooked linguine
1 1/2 T. extravirgin olive oil
1 T. minced fresh garlic
2 (3.5-oz.) cans anchovies, drained and chopped
1/2 C. chopped walnuts, toasted
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a stockpot. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 C. cooking liquid. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add anchovies, and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Combine anchovy mixture, pasta, and reserved liquid; toss well to coat. Stir in walnuts; sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 1/3 C.

Calories: 413
Fat: 12.8g
Fiber: 3.1g

4 C. chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 C. (4 oz.) very thin slices prosciutto or ham, chopped
1/3 C. water
2 1/2 C. fat-free milk
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 (8-oz.) carton egg substitute
8 C. (1/2-inch) cubed French bread (about 9 oz.)
1 C. (4 oz.) shredded Gruyère, Jarlsberg, or Swiss cheese

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and prosciutto, and sauté 5 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add water; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Cool. Combine the milk, mustard, pepper, and egg substitute in a large bowl, and stir with a whisk until mixture is well-blended. Stir in the onion mixture. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Arrange half of the bread mixture in a single layer in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 C. cheese, and top with remaining bread mixture. Cover strata, and chill 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350°. Uncover strata. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 C. cheese; bake an additional 20 minutes or until set.

Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 245
Fat: 7.1g
Fiber: 2.5g