Fruits and Veggies
Try these health conscious fruit and vegetable recipes
Veggie Lasagna
2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped yellow squash
2 cups thinly sliced carrot
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 tsp salt
4 cups marinara sauce
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
12 pre-cooked lasagna noodle
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Spoon mixture into large bowl.
Heat 1 tsp oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash and sauté 4 minutes until tender. Add to onion mixture.
Heat 1 tsp oil in pan over medium heat. Add sliced carrots and sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add chopped broccoli and sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add to onion mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.
Place marinara sauce in a medium saucepan and heat through. Stir in spinach and remove from heat.
Combine ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach/sauce mixture in bottom of 9x13 baking pan coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture. Top with half the ricotta cheese mixture and then half the veggie mixture. Repeat layers, ending with spinach mixture over the top of last layer of noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan and remaining mozzarella.
Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 12 servings
Fruit Salad with Citrus-Mint Dressing
Can be served with breakfast or as a light dessert
6 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
2 cups honeydew cubes
2 cups cantaloupe cubes
1 medium papaya, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp mint
1/2 tsp finely grated fresh orange peel
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp fresh lime juice
Directions:
Combine kiwifruit, honeydew, cantaloupe and papaya in a medium bowl.
Combine sugar and remaining ingredients in a food processor, pulsing until mint is finely chopped. Gently toss the sugar mixture with the fruit.
Makes 6 servings. Serving size: 1 1/3 cups
Roasted Vegetable Wraps with Garlic Mayonnaise
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 pound mushrooms, cut into fourths
3 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
6 whole wheat tortillas (8-10 inches in diameter)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
Directions:
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Spread bell pepper, onion, zucchini and mushrooms in ungreased pan. Mix oil, basil, salt and pepper, and brush mixture over vegetables. Bake uncovered 12-15 minutes or until crisptender. Spread about 2 teaspoons garlic mayonnaise (see below) down center of each tortilla. Top with 1/6 vegetable mixture. Top with 1/4 cup lettuce. Fold one end of tortilla up about 1 inch over filling, and then fold right and left sides over the folded end, overlapping. Serve.
Garlic mayonnaise:
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp chopped garlic or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Hand mix all ingredients.
Yield: 6 sandwiches
Braised Kale With Bacon and Cider
2 turkey bacon slices
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 (1-pound) bag chopped kale (this will wilt down to a more manageable amount as it cooks)
1/3 cup apple cider
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups diced Granny Smith apple (about 10 ounces)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Place a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon; cook 5 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, leaving 1 teaspoon of the drippings in pan. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add onion to pan and saute 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add kale and cook 5 minutes until wilted, stirring frequently. Add cider and vinegar; cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add apple, salt and pepper; cook 5 minutes or until apple is tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon.
Makes 6 servings—2/3 cup each
75 calories per serving
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
40 asparagus spears, about 2 pounds
cooking spray
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Arrange asparagus in single layer on baking sheet; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until tender—about 12 minutes.
Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat; cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
45 calories per serving
Edamame Dip
A hearty, nutty dip. Serve with a variety of crisp vegetables such as jicama, bell pepper strips, steamed sugar snap peas and carrot sticks.
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed and cooked
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped red onion or sweet onion
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil (can be omitted)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce or cocktail sauce
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Serve immediately, or cover and chill.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Serving size: about 3 Tbsp
Calories: 50
Total fat: 1 gram
Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Total carbohydrates: 7 grams
Dietary fiber: 2 grams
Herbed Veggie Burgers
Vegetable cooking spray
3/4 cup finely chopped broccoflower florets
3/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves (divided)
1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
2/3 cup cooked wild or brown rice
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg white
1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
4 multigrain or whole-wheat buns, toasted
Directions:
Spray medium skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Sauté broccoflower, mushrooms, onion and garlic until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon basil, marjoram and thyme and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Stir rice, oats and cheeses into vegetable mixture; season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in egg white. Form mixture into 4 burgers.
Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Add burgers and cook over medium to medium-low heat until browned on the bottoms, 3 to 4 minutes. Spray tops of burgers with cooking spray and turn; cook until browned on other side, 3 to 4 minutes.
Mix mayonnaise and remaining 1 teaspoon basil and use as a spread on the buns.
Servings: 4
Calories: 140
Fat: 1.5 grams
Cholesterol: 5 milligrams
Carbohydrates: 21 grams
Protein: 12 grams
Sodium: 440 milligrams
This page last updated 12/22/08 10:19 PM
