Ramblings of an amateur enthusiast

A collection of recipes from all over the place jumbled together in one place

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Ginger-Miso Yam Wraps




2 small yams or sweet potatoes (1 lb.)
2 Tbs. white miso paste
1 Tbs. smooth peanut butter
2 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
6 oz. firm silken tofu, crumbled (1 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
8 collard green leaves, stems removed

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut thin slice off both ends of yams, and poke skins with knife in several places. Bake 50 minutes, or until soft, turning once. Halve yams, and scoop flesh into bowl. Mash in miso and peanut butter.

2. Meanwhile, coat skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Sauté shallot, ginger, and garlic 3 minutes, or until soft. Add edamame, 1/4 cup water, and cayenne; cook 3 minutes more. Remove from heat, and stir in tofu,cilantro, and yam mixture. Cool.

3. Place 1 collard green leaf on work surface. Spoon 1/3 cup yam mixture in center of leaf. Roll bottom edge over mixture; tuck in sides. Roll up to top edge. Place, seam-side down, and repeat with remaining ingredients.

Serves: 4 (2 rolls)

Calories: 179
Fat: 5g
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 25g

**** (out of 5-star rating)

I made these for lunch: be warned- they do NOT look pretty, but after convincing several of my co-workers to try them anyway we all agreed they were really good!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Apple Salsa Salad

  • 1/4 cup lime juice




1/4 cup lime juice
2 tsp. agave nectar
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 small jalapeño chile, seeded and finely minced
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
2 red-skinned apples, julienned (2 cups)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 cups mâche
1 cup crushed blue corn chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together lime juice and agave nectar in large salad bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Stir in green onions, jalapeño, and garlic. Fold in apples and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Fold mâche bouquets into apple mixture, making sure leaves are coated with lime juice mixture. Divide among serving plates, and top with crushed corn chips.

Serves: 8
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 98
Fat: 4g
Protein: 1g
Carbs: 15g

***** (out of 5-star rating)

I LOVE this salad. I made it for 2 different potlucks and got such good reviews and almost everyone asked me for the recipe. I found the mache lettuce at Trader Joes...and, yes, it does make a difference!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Classic Hummus




3 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained twice,
hot or warmed in microwave
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup tahini

DIRECTIONS

Purée warm chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and 2/3 cup water in food processor 3 to 4 minutes, or until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add tahini, and purée 2 minutes, or until mixture has consistency of soft cream cheese, adding 1 to 2 Tbs. water, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Serves: 8
Serving size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 189
Fat: 10g
Protein: 8g
Carbs: 20g

Hummus with Tomato-Mint Salsa



2 medium tomatoes, diced (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup diced white onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 recipe Classic Hummus (click here)

DIRECTIONS

Stir together tomatoes, diced onion, oil, mint, and lemon juice in small bowl; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread Classic Hummus in shallow dish, and mound salsa in center.

Serves: 8
Serving: 1/4 cup hummus & 3 Tbs. salsa
Calories: 228
Fat: 13g
Protein: 8g
Carbs: 23g

***** (out of 5-star rating)

I packed this for my lunch and threw in a whole-wheat pita bread for dipping to round out the meal. Sooooooo good!

Fusilli Bucati Lunghi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce



2 Tbs. garlic-flavored olive oil
1 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 large carrot, finely diced (1/2 cup)
8 oz. dry fusilli bucati lunghi

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add roasted peppers, onion, and carrot; sauté 5 minutes, or until onion begins to brown. Add 3/4 cup water, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water according to package directions.

3. Remove roasted pepper mixture from heat, and purée in blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

4. Drain pasta, and return to pot. Stir in red pepper sauce.

Serves: 4
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 295
Fat: 8g
Protein: 8g
Carbs: 49g

*** (out of 5-star rating)

Basic pasta dinner recipe.

Farfalle with Caramelized Onions and Broccoli



1 large onion
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling, optional
1 tsp. dried tarragon
8 oz. dry farfalle pasta (2 cups)
3 cups small broccoli florets

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut onion into 8 wedges. Cut each wedge into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 10 minutes, or until browned. Add 1 cup water and tarragon, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain broccoli and pasta, and add to onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and drizzle with olive oil, if using.

Serves: 4
Serving size: 1-1/2 cups
Calories: 296
Fat: 8g
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 49g

*** (out of 5-star rating)

This was a simple dinner- nothing special- just good ingredients and it was a hearty meal. Husband approved.

Stanford Inn Enchilada



This recipe makes an extra 1 1/2 cups of Salsa Cruda; try it on tempeh or polenta.

Chipotle Salsa
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 tsp.)
1 Tbs. dried oregano, chopped
2 tsp. ground chipotle chile powder
1 1/2 tsp. Sucanat natural cane sugar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes

Salsa Cruda
1 1/2 lb. Roma tomatoes, diced (4 cups)
1 small red onion, diced (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeño chile

Enchiladas
2/3 cup quinoa
12 oz. fresh spinach leaves, rinsed
8 6-inch corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS

1. To make Chipotle Salsa: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add oregano, chipotle chile powder, sugar, and pepper; sauté 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and 3/4 cup water; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and purée until smooth in blender or food processor.

2. To make Salsa Cruda: Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside.

3. To make Enchiladas: Bring quinoa and 1 1/3 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

4. Steam spinach in large skillet 3 to 4 minutes, or until wilted but still bright green. Drain excess liquid; keep warm.

5. Bring Chipotle Salsa to a simmer in skillet over medium-low heat. Dip tortillas, one at time, into Chipotle Salsa, turning to coat. Leave in skillet 3 minutes to soak. Cool slightly.

6. Set 1 tortilla on work surface; fill with 1/4 cup each quinoa and spinach; roll up. Repeat with remaining tortillas, quinoa, and spinach. To serve, place 2 Enchiladas on each plate; top with 1/4 cup Chipotle Salsa and 1/4 cup Salsa Cruda.

Serves: 4
Serving size: 2 enchiladas with 1/4 cup chipotle salsa and 1/4 cup salsa cruda.

**** WARNING!!!! *****

This recipe took me almost TWO HOURS to make!!! It was delicious, but very loooooooong. I would make it again but maybe starting on a Saturday afternoon instead of a weeknight!

Mini Loaded Red Potatoes



10 red potatoes (2 inches in diameter)
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
3 pieces vegetarian bacon
5 tsp. Greek yogurt
10 tsp. shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
6 chives, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice off small portion from one side of each potato to create flat base. Toss potatoes in bowl with oil and salt. Arrange potatoes, cut-side down, on baking sheet. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon according to package directions, then chop.
3. Allow potatoes to cool slightly, then slice top off each potato and scoop out 1 Tbs. flesh. Stuff each potato with 1/2 tsp. sour cream and 1 tsp. cheese, then sprinkle with bacon, chives, and paprika.

Serves: 10
Serving: 1 stuffed potato
Calories: 140
Fat: 3g
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 24g

**** (out of 5-star rating)

I made these for my lunch- I actually heated them up in the microwave and it was delicious! They tasted like the potato-skins that you would find at an Applebees. I packed 3 of them for my lunch and was satisfied. I am planning on making them again for an appetizer to bring to a party.

Tomato-Mozzarella Packets









1 16-oz. tube prepared polenta, cut into 16 slices
2 large tomatoes, each cut into 8 slices
16 green olives, halved, optional
4 tsp. garlic olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dried Italian herbs
4 oz. (1 cup) shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular “bowl” with 1/2-inch sides. Coat insides of foil with cooking spray.
2. Place 4 polenta slices, slightly overlapping, in each foil semicircle. Arrange 4 tomato slices over polenta. Scatter 8 olive halves (if using) over tomatoes. Drizzle each serving with 1 tsp. garlic olive oil and 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. Italian herbs; season with salt and pepper (if desired), and top with 1/4 cup mozzarella. Fold other half of foil over ingredients, and seal edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer to baking sheet, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Remove baking sheet from oven, and transfer packets to serving plates. Let each person open packet slowly and carefully—escaping air will be hot. Garnish with basil.

Serves: 4
Serving size: One packet
Calories: 216
Fat: 9g
Protein: 11g
Carbs: 23g

***** (out of 5-star rating)

I made these for dinner- so good! They tasted like pizza when you combined everything. I will most definitely be making these again. They went over very well with the husband as well!

Jamaican-style Black Bean and Coconut Cornbread Bake





2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
2 15-oz. cans black beans,rinsed and drained
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, juices included
1 1/2 cups frozen yellow corn, thawed
1/2 tsp. jerk seasoning, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbs. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup light coconut milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 8-inch-square baking dish with olive oil.
2. Stir together beans, tomatoes and juices, corn, jerk seasoning, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Adjust seasonings with more jerk seasoning, if desired. Spread in prepared baking dish.
3. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in separate bowl. Add coconut milk and 2 Tbs. oil, and stir until just combined—do not overmix. Spread batter over bean mixture with spatula. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center of topping comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 6
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 346
Fat: 9g
Protein: 13g
Carb: 57g

*** (out of 5-star rating)

I made this for dinner- I couldn't taste the coconut very much (which may be good for those who don't favor the coconut so much) but all in all this was pretty good and definitely filling!

Hawaiian-Style Sweet-and-Sour Roasted Pineapple and Bell Peppers



  • 3 cups cubed fresh pineapple
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cubed (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbs. dark or light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbs. sweetened coconut flakes, optional
  • 1 Tbs. lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange pineapple cubes, red bell pepper cubes, and red onion wedges on ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and vegetable oil, sprinkle with brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss to coat.
2. Roast pineapple mixture on center oven rack 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning once. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sweetened coconut flakes, if using, then drizzle with lime juice. Remove to serving bowl and toss well to combine. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6
Serving size: 1-cup
Calories: 108
Protein: <1g
Fat: 5g
Carbs: 17g

**** (out of 5-star rating)

Yum! All I have to say. I made this for my lunch and threw it over warmed brown rice to make it a complete meal.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Crustless Leek, Greens, and Herb Quiche

  • 2 Tbs. fine dry breadcrumbs
  • 2 small leeks, white and light green parts halved and sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 2 cups chopped Swiss chard, kale, collard greens, or mustard greens
  • 4 egg whites
  • 3 whole eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup low-fat milk
  • 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
  • 2 oz. soft goat cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat bottom and sides of 9-inch glass pie dish with olive oil cooking spray. Scatter breadcrumbs over bottom of pie dish.
2. Bring 4 cups salted water to a boil in large pot. Add leeks; boil 3 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add Swiss chard, and let stand 30 to 45 seconds, or until greens are wilted. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again, squeezing out excess water with hands. Set aside.
3. Whisk egg whites until frothy. Whisk in eggs. Whisk in milk and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Whisk in tarragon and basil.
4. Scatter leeks and Swiss chard over breadcrumbs in prepared pie dish. Dot cheese on top. Pour egg mixture into pie pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves: 4
Serving: 1 wedge
Calories: 159
Fat: 7g
Protein: 13g
Carbs: 11g

*** (Star-rating out of 5) from the not-a-huge-goat-cheese-fan husband
**** (Star-rating out of 5) from me, who is a fan of the goat cheese

I made this for lunch for myself, knowing the husband probably wouldn't enjoy the goat cheese, however, after smelling it come out of the oven he actually asked if he could pack a piece for his lunch the next day. The verdict was favorable. He states he would eat it again, but did admit to dumping hot sauce over the top of it. I snuck some on mine the following day at lunch and have to admit, it did add a nice zing!

Black Bean & Toasted Corn Tacos

  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 1/2 cup prepared salsa
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, divided
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 4 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 12 baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper strips
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 2 small green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
  • 1/4 cup crumbled cotija

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring beans, salsa, garlic, and 1 tsp. cumin to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Remove from heat, and mash with fork to crush beans for creamier filling, if desired.
2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with olive oil cooking spray. Wrap corn in paper towels, and squeeze out excess water. Add corn to skillet in single layer, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy, stirring frequently.
3. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Toast tortillas in toaster oven 1 minute to soften. Alternately, bake tortillas on taco baking rack in oven 7 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup beans, 1/4 cup corn, 3 spinach leaves, red pepper strips, cilantro, and green onions. Top each taco with 1 Tbs. cheese.

Serves: 4
Serving: 2 Tacos
Calories: 362
Fat: 4g
Protein: 14g
Carbs: 74g

****1/2 (Star-rating out of 5)

The husband really liked these and said he would most certainly eat them again! Hooray! A winner. I found the cotija cheese at Trader Joes. Warning: These are really cumin-y (I like to make up words) so if you don't favor cumin so much maybe cut it in half. Fresh cilantro is a must- dried just won't cut it in these.

Artichoke and New Potato Packets with Pesto

  • 8 oz. new potatoes, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 12-oz. pkg. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (2 cups)
  • 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen baby peas
  • 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts chopped (1 cup)
  • 3 Tbs. prepared pesto
  • 3 Tbs. grated Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of aluminum foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular “bowl” with 1/2-inch sides. Coat insides of foil with cooking spray.
2. Arrange overlapping slices of potatoes in oval shape over bottom of each packet. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and drizzle each with 2 Tbs. broth.
3. Combine artichoke hearts, peas, leeks, and pesto in medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide artichoke mixture among packets. Fold other half of foil over ingredients, and seal edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer to baking sheet, and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Transfer packets to serving plates. Let each person open packet slowly and carefully—escaping air will be hot. Sprinkle with Romano cheese and basil.

Serves: 4
Serving: 1 packet
Calories: 237
Fat: 8g
Protein: 11g
Carbs: 31g

***1/2 (Star-rating out of 5)

I recently read somewhere that artichokes are a "miracle food", chock full of good stuff for our bodies, so with that in mind I decided to try adding some more artichokes into my diet. This recipe was good, however, I have decided that I personally like artichokes either cut up very small or mixed in with other things. I think that when I make this again I will substitute asparagus for the artichokes and try it that way. I think I'll save my artichokes for spinach-artichoke dip! The potatoes, however, with the pesto were delicious and the packets of tinfoil cooked them very nicely!

Jewel-Tone Pancakes with Creamy Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Yogurt-Dill Sauce
  • 6 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
  • 2 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 1 small clove garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Pancakes

  • 3 medium beets (1 lb.), trimmed and scrubbed
  • 2 medium carrots (6 oz.)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 large egg plus 2 large egg whites, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. To make Yogurt-Dill Sauce: Whisk together yogurt, dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.

2. To make Pancakes: Preheat oven to 250°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside. Shred beets and carrots in food processor fitted with grating blade, or grate with box grater. Place beet-carrot mixture in large bowl, and toss with garlic and salt. Add egg and egg whites, and mix well.

3. Lightly spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Drop 1/4 cup beet mixture into skillet, and flatten slightly to form 3-inch-diameter pancake. Repeat, forming 3 other pancakes in pan. Cook 4 minutes, or until undersides are golden brown. Flip pancakes, and cook 3 minutes more. Respray pan, and repeat process with remaining batter, keeping prepared pancakes warm in oven. Drizzle with Yogurt-Dill Sauce, and serve immediately.

Serves 8
Serving: 1 pancake and 2 Tbs. sauce
Calories: 44
Fat: 1g
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 6g

** (Star-rating out of 5)

I have never really eaten or cooked with beets before so I've been trying out different recipes with beets trying to decide if I like them. I wasn't too crazy about these. They smelled really good and, truth be told, I didn't hate them but I definitely put less than the 2 tablespoons of dill sauce on them. I like dill, but this was really dill-y. Surprisingly my co-workers really liked theses and I was able to get rid of the rest of them. A few asked for the recipe which is I why I'm posting it here even though I probably wouldn't make them again. I'll have to keep trying out the beet-thing until I find one I like.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Baked Ziti with Zucchini, Chickpeas, and Olives



  • 8 oz. whole wheat ziti, rigatoni, or penne pasta
  • 1/2 lb. zucchini, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or
  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, juices included
  • 1 cup tomato purée
  • 1/4 cup chopped green olives, divided
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
  • 2 Tbs. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 11- x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Cook ziti according to package directions for al dente in large pot of boiling salted water. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Return ziti to pot, and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, combine zucchini, chickpeas, tomatoes and juices, tomato purée, 2 Tbs. olives, oil, tomato paste, and garlic in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir zucchini mixture into ziti, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
4. Transfer ziti mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining 2 Tbs. olives. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until pasta is heated through and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Serves: 6
Serving: 1/6 of casserole dish
Calories: 349
Fat: 9g
Protein: 14.5g
Carb: 53g

***1/2 (Star-rating out of 5) From the meat-eating, fast-food-loving husband
****1/2 (Star-rating out of 5) From me

I made this for dinner tonight. The husband actually said it was pretty good. I think he gave it 3-1/2 stars because he's not a big fan of beans with pasta but he knows I always like to throw in protein with each meal so he's trying to get used to it. I thought it was delicious! I love, love, love green olives and think they give everything a nice flavor but you can substitute black olives if you prefer.

Roasted Vegetable Wrap


  • 12 thin asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips (1 cup)
  • 1 small yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips (1 cup)
  • 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (1 cup)
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white beans
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced (1/2 tsp.)
  • 1/2 tsp. red chile sauce, such as sriracha
  • 2 8-inch whole-grain tortillas
  • 6 small whole basil leaves
  • 8 thin slices red onion
  • 1 cup baby arugula leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss together asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, onions and oil in a large bowl and then spread evenly on large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook for 15 minutes and then check- vegetables should start looking brown or caramelized. If not done- keep cooking and checking veggies every 5 minutes until done.
2. Mash together beans, garlic, and chile sauce in small bowl until smooth.
3. Spread half of bean mixture over each tortilla. Top each with 3 basil leaves, 1/2 cup roasted vegetables, and 1/2 cup arugula. Fold bottom third of tortillas over vegetables, and roll up tightly, tucking in sides as you go. Cut wraps in half on diagonal. Serve immediately, or wrap each half in foil or wax paper, and chill until ready to eat.

Serves 2
Serving: One whole wrap
Calories: 228
Fat: 3g
Protein: 11g
Carb: 51g

**** (Star-rating out of 5)

Made this for dinner- husband liked, but didn't love, but said he would eat it again. When I asked why he didn't love it his answer was "it's not Chipotle". Oh well- can't win em all!!!

Hominy Salad with Basil-Shallot Vinaigrette on Arugula



  • 1 small shallot, minced (2 Tbs.)
  • 2 Tbs. white wine or champagne vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 1 15-oz. can white hominy, rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen soybeans, thawed
  • 1 cup halved grape or teardrop tomatoes
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese or shaved Asiago cheese
  • Arugula

  • DiRECTIONS

1. Whisk together shallot and
vinegar in small bowl. Whisk in
oil until emulsified, then whisk
in basil. Add white pepper and salt,
if desired.

2. Toss together hominy, soybeans, tomatoes, and bell pepper in serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing, and toss again to coat. Sprinkle with cheese,
and serve over arugula.

Serves: 6
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 200
Fat: 12g
Protein: 6g
Carb: 18g

***** (star-rating out of five)

I made this for my lunch today, last night, and I threw all the veggies in with the dressing and left in a tupperware overnight. This afternoon I emptied out veggies onto arugula and topped with goat cheese. Everything stayed crisp and wasn't soggy at all!