Low-fat Raspberry Summer Sensation

2 cups raspberry sorbet or sherbet
1 c. cold skim milk
1 pkg jello vanilla fat-free instant pudding
3 cups thawed Cool-Whip light whipped topping (could you use ultra-low-fat, I wonder...)
1 cup raspberries

1. Line 9x5 inch loaf pan with foil. Spoon sorbet into pan, freeze 10 mins (to initially soften sorbed, put in microwave on medium for 10-15 seconds).

2. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 mins or until well-blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread pudding mixture over sorbet in pan.

3. Freeze 3 hours or overnight. To unmould, invert pan onto plate; remove foil. Top with raspberries just before serving. Le stand 10-15 mins to soften before cutting into 12 slices.

Calories: 100, 18.6 g carbs, 1 g. protein.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

1 EACH red and yellow pepper, cut into large pieces
1 EACH zucchini and eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
12 cherry tomatoes
1/3 c Kraft Calorie-Wise Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing/marinade.

1. Place vegetables and tomatoes in large bowl. Add dressing, toss to coat. Let stand 20 min. to marinate. Remove vegetable mixture from marinade (keep marinade).

2. Preheat barbecue to medium heat. Place vegetable and tomato pieces on grate of barbecue.

3. Grill 8 mins until crisp-tender, turning occasionally.

4. Place vegetable mixture in large bowl. Add reserved marinade, toss lightly.

Makes 6 servings, a cup each.

Options:
Add grilled asparagus. Serve with crumbled goast cheese or freshly grated parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Garnish with lemon zest.

Spinach Linguini with Mussels and Leeks

"Most commercially-sold mussles are grown on farms, which means they rarely come with beards (the brown, hair-like filaments that enable the mollusks to cling to rocks). If there are some filaments, simply give the threads a good tuf and they should come right off. Be sure to discard any mussles that don't open during cooking." ***Also ones that don't close when you run them under cold water - throw those out too!

2 medium leeks (white and light green parts only), washed well and chopped (about 4 cups)
2 T olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves
2 bottles (8 oz) clam juice
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
4 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed, beards removed
1 pound spinach linguini, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup chopped fresh tarragon (ick...I hate tarragon...I would probably use basil)

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté leeks in hot oil 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When leeks are translucent, stir in garlic cloves, clam juice, white wine and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 mins. Add mussels and stir to coat with leek mixture. Increase heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 2 minutes, or until mussles open. Turn off heat. Divide pasta among 6 bowls. Top each serving with an equal portion of mussels and sauce. Garnish with tarragon.

Nutritional Info: 495 calories, 29 g protein, 71 g carbs, 9 g fat, 4 g fibre

Fast Lasagna with Fresh Herbs

Stolen from May 2005 Fitness, page 145

"This ingenious lasagne is simple to whip together, even for one person. The super-quick tomato and mushroom sauce is also delicious as a topping for meat loaf."

1 package of mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)
2.5 T chopped fresh oregano
2.5 t olive oil
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
9 lasagne noodles, split into squared and cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
6 T grated pecorino romano cheese (parmesan would work)

In a large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat, sauté mushrooms and oregano in hot oil, stirring occasionally, until tender. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, purée tomatoes until almost smooth. Add to mushrooms with garlic; simmer, covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper. IN a food processor or blender, purée ricotta 2 minutes, or until smooth and glossy. Using 1/2 cup of sauce per person, spread a bit of sauce in the bottom of a pasta bowl. Top wiht a pasta square and cover with a bit more sauce. Repeat twice. Add a dollop of whipped ricotta to the stack and sprinkle with basil and pecorino romano. repeat to make 6 more portions.

Nutritional Info: 285 calories, 16 g protein, 36 g carbs, 9 g fat, 2 g fibre

MBR's mods: This seriously needs some veggies - how about adding a layer of finely chopped, sautéed veggies (carrot, zucchini, broccoli) or some beans - like kidney beans to give it a bit more oomph.

Whole Wheat Penne with Asparagus, White Beans and Mint

Stolen from May 2005 Fitness, page 144

"The nutty flavour of whole-wheat pasta gives this dish more complexity than you'd get with regular penne. If you're really crunched for time, use frozen asparagus tips and cut the sautéeing time to two minutes."

1.5 pounds asparagus, cut and trimmed, 1 inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 t. olive oil
1 c. low-salt chicken broth
1 can (15 oz.) cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
1 pound whole-wheat penne, cooked according to package directions
1/2 c. packed fresh mint leaves, rinsed, patted dry and chopped (food processor, here I come!)
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, sauté asparagus, garlic and onion in hot oil for 10 minutes, or until crisp=tender. Stir in broth and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat; add pasta and toss well to coat. Sprinkled with mint and feta cheese before serving.

Makes 6 servings - 409 calories, 21 g protein, 72 g carbs, 6 g fat and 11 g fibre.

Quick & Easy Cornbread

Stolen from Kraft "What's Cooking Magazine" - Summer 2005, page 13

"A fast way to make warm, comforting cornbread that's a perfec complement to any meal"

1 cup EACH of cornmeal and flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t EACH of baking soda and salt
1 c. fresh corn kernels (thawed frozen would probably work...)
3/4 c. "Kraft Tex Mex shredded cheese"
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1 egg
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. buttermilk

1. Preheat Oven to 400F. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Stir in corn, cheese and red pepper.

2. Beat egg in small bowl. Add butter and buttermilk; stir into corn mixture just until combined. Pour into greased 8x8 baking pan.

3. Bake 25-30 min or until light golden brown and toothpick insreted in centre comes out clean.

***If you don't have buttermilk, you can use 1/2 c. plain yogourt and 1/2 c. milk instead.

ROASTED VEGETABLE LASAGNA

This recipe was stolen from saranate on the Babbling Bride forum. I haven't made it yet, but it looks really really good. :)

Lasagna is comfort food — a real PMS soother. But it's also loaded with symptom-fighting calcium.



1 lb plum tomatoes, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 lb zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 lb yellow squash, cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 red bell peppers, cut in 1-inch strips
2 green bell peppers, cut in 1-inch strips
1/2 lb mushroom caps, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 containers (15 oz each) "lite" ricotta
2 tbsp bottled pesto sauce
1/3cup grated Parmesan
3 cans (14 1/2 oz each) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles (1 package)
2cups shredded lowfat mozzarella


Preheat oven to 475°F. Toss plum tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers, mushrooms, salt, and oil in a bowl. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and place vegetables on it; roast 30 minutes. In a bowl, mix egg white, ricotta, pesto, and Parmesan. Coat a 9" x 12" baking pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 can tomatoes on the bottom. Top with 3 noodles. Spoon 1 1/4 cups ricotta mix over noodles, then a layer of 3 cups vegetables, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat this layer, starting with tomatoes. Add final can tomatoes, three noodles, remaining ricotta mix and vegetables. Top lasagna with last 3 noodles and 1 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 299 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein
Makes 12 servings

Creamy smoked salmon with Fettucine...

(Chatelaine, May 2005, page 230)

Of course, I only like the high-fat recipes. Yummy!

500 g package of linguine or fettucine
227 g pkg imitation crab
85 g pkg of smoked salmon (4-5 slices...I always buy a bigger package, so I think this means that I would get to enjoy the rest with pumpernikel, cream cheese, red onion, capers, pepper and fresh lemon...)
435 mL - jar of alfredo sauce (that's where the artery-clogging comes in)
1/3 c. vodka or white wine (that's like $6 worth of vodka...white wine it is!)
1/4 t nutmeg (blech!)
1/2 c. coarsely chopped dill (I think this would be too much dill, but whatever....)
1/2-1 c. milk

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (8-10 min). Meanwhile, slice crab into chunks and salmon into thick strips.
2. Pour alfredo sauce into a large saucepan set over medium heat. Stir frequently until sauce is hot. Stir in crab, vodka and nutmeg (yuck again...can you tell I would omit the nutmeg???). If noodles aren't ready yet, reduce heat on sauce to low and cover to keep warm.
3. When pasta is cooked, drain well, then add to sauce in pan. Stir in salmon and dill until evenly mixed. If sauce is to thick, gently stir in milk, 1/4 c. at a time. Stir until warmed through, 1-2 min.

Caloric sentence: (1/4 of recipe) 29.7 g protein, 22.1 g. fat, 104 g. carbs, 5.3 g fibre, 777 calories.

MBR's mods:
- whole wheat pasta,
-reduced fat alfredo sauce (olivieri makes some, if not, make your own alfredo with canned evaporated skim milk, lots of parmesan and some garlic)
- white wine instead of expensive vodka
- omit the nutmeg (ew!)
- halve the dill, if I use it at all...I think that is a LOT of spice, personally.
- add some veggies so you don't die from scurvy - snow peas or sugar snap peas would be good, as would some sauteed mushrooms, broccoli or asparagus.

Always take a good look at the ingredients in a recipe to see if there is any way to substitute healthier, multigrain or low fat ingredients. Recipes are more like guidelines....you can always change it up a bit.

Brie & Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

How good does that sound??????
(Chatelaine, May 2005, p.226)

6 oz brie
3 slices prosciutto
6 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
1 t dried tarragon (which I hate, so I'd probably use herbes de provence)
1 t paprika
1/2 t salt
2 T garlic butter (who buys that....2 T butter and 2 t. of freshly crushed garlic)
1/4 c. white wine or vermouth
3 T cognac or brandy

1. Leaving rind on cheese, slice into pieces about 6 cm long and 1 cm wide. Cut pros. in half, then wrap around brie. Working with one chicken breast at a time, make a horizontal slit about 6 cm long and 3.5 cm deep to form a pocket. Don't stress if you screw it up.
2. Gently open up the pocket and sprinkle with tarragon (gag), then tuck in pros.-wrapped cheese. Fold chicken over cheeze. It's ok if cheese pokes through a little. SPrinkle chicken all over with paprika and salt.
3. Melt 1 T butter in a alrge, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add half the chicken. Cook until lightly golden, about 3 min. per side. Remove to a large plate. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken. Return all chicken and any juices to the pan.
4. Pour wine and cognac into pan. Scrape up and stir in any brown bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until chicken is springy when pressed, 8-10 min, turning over half-way through cooking. REmove chicken to dinner plates or platter. Increase heat to high. Boil juices, uncovered and stirring often, about 1-2 mins, or until reduced by half. Drizzle over chicken.

MBR's proposed modifications:
- first, I have never seen garlic butter...use plain butter and real garlic. none of that dried shit.
- second, tarragon is gross. I would use herbes to provence, or something similar. Italian seasoning would probably work too.
- third, I would be tempted to flambée this sucker after the cognac has been added. It's just so much fun. Doesn't really do anything, but when you tell your guests they're eating flambéed brie & prosciutto-stuffed chicken breasts, they're bound to be impressed. (for the record, it's pronounced pro-shoe-toe)

The caloric low-down: 38.2 g protein, 14.7 fat, 300 calories.

Lemony Cupcakes

Stolen from Chatelaine, May 2005, page 202.

Birthday season is coming up. At least if you make it from scratch, you KNOW what goes in it.

Cupcakes:
1 2/3 c. flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 lemon
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/4 white sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2/3 c. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 cup muffin tin with paper. Stir flour, baking powder and salt with a fork. Grate peel from lemon, then stir into flour mixture.
2. Place butter in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in 1 c. of sugar until creamy. Scrape down side.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
4. Gradually beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 the milk. Repeat additions, ending with remaining third of flour mixture. Spoon into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full.
5. Bake in centre of oven about 25 mins (you know the drill - poke it and make sure it's done).
6. Meanwhile, squeeze 3 T of juice from the lemon into a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 c. of sugar (it won't completely dissolve). Remove cupcakes from oven, leave in pan and place on a rack.
7. Using a toothpick or skewer, poke several holes in top of each. Evenly brush 1/2 the lemon juice mixture over tops of cupcakes. Cool in pan 10 min, then bruch remaining lemon juice mixture over top. Let stand 10 min, then carefully turn out of pan and finish cooling on rack. When cupcakes are completely cool, spread frosting over top.

Makes 12.

MBR's modifications - obviously, for this amount of work, I would be making 24 cupcakes, not just 12. I would eat 12 and then there would be none left if I didn't double it!

Icing Recipe:

Place 200g cream cheese, at room temperature in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth, then gradually beat in 2 T each of freshly squeezed lemon juice, liquid honey, and 1 t of vanilla. Makes 1 cup.

*** double this sucker too!

Calories (if you really wanted to know): 3.4 g protein, 12.1 g fat, 48.2 carbs, 310 calories. Egads...better only eat one!

Instant Berry Brulée

This one I stole from Chatelaine, May 2005, page 201.

Place 4 custard dishes on a baking sheet.
Scatter 2 cups of sliced strawberries in bottoms.
Divide 1 c. sour cream stirred with 1 T brown sugar and 1 T of amaretto (or 1t of almond extract) among dishes. Sprinkle each with 1 t of brown sugar. Broil until sugar is bubbly, 2-3 mins.

MBRs imagined modifications (I haven't made it yet, but I would probably change these things....)
1. use some honey to sweeten the sour cream a bit...or maybe even use yogourt.
2. Sprinkle white sugar on top and use the blow torch to get it to crystallize (what could be more fun than that????)