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Toasted Barley, Green Bean, and Shiitake Salad with Tofu

6 points

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

Tofu:
1 (12-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 5 (1-inch-thick) slices
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 garlic clove, grated
Cooking spray
Salad:
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil, divided
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
5 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounce large shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

1. To prepare tofu, place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Top with a cutting board; place a heavy skillet on top of cutting board. Let stand 45 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Cut each tofu slice into 10 cubes; arrange in a single layer in a shallow dish.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Pour sugar mixture over tofu in dish, and turn to coat. Let stand for 25 minutes. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. Cool completely.

4. To prepare salad, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add barley to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Add 5 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain; cool completely. Place barley in a large bowl.

5. Cook green beans in boiling water for 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge green beans into ice water. Drain well; pat dry. Add beans to barley.

6. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush tops of mushrooms with 2 teaspoons oil. Add mushrooms to pan, oiled side down. Cook 5 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cool slightly; slice mushrooms thinly. Add tofu, mushrooms, and green onions to barley mixture.

7. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, agave nectar or honey, grated ginger, and minced garlic in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over barley mixture in bowl; stir well to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.


CALORIES 304 ; FAT 9.7g (sat 1.5g,mono 3.2g,poly 4.7g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 123mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.4g; SODIUM 628mg; PROTEIN 13.1g; FIBER 9.6g; IRON 4.1mg

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Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto+

7 points

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

2 quarts plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons preshredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add gnocchi to pan; cook 4 minutes or until done (gnocchi will rise to surface). Remove with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Add asparagus and shrimp to pan; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain. Add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.

2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon water, basil, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides. Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended. Add basil mixture to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.


CALORIES 355 ; FAT 9.3g (sat 1.6g,mono 4.5g,poly 2.5g); CHOLESTEROL 170mg; CALCIUM 108mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.7g; SODIUM 747mg; PROTEIN 26.5g; FIBER 3g; IRON 5.7mg

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Caribbean Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans+

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup sweet potato mixture and 1/2 cup rice)

8 points

1 (5-ounce) package yellow rice mix
3 (4-ounce) links hot Italian turkey sausage (subbed with a spicy chicken sausage)
2 teaspoons butter or stick margarine
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes (below)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Remove seasoning packet from rice mix; discard. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting fat. Keep warm.

Crumble the sausage into a large nonstick skillet, and stir over medium-high heat until browned (about 8 minutes). Drain sausage, and set aside.

Melt the butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in the Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes and the next 4 ingredients (potatoes through cinnamon), and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in sausage, green onions, and beans; cover and cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.


CALORIES 406 (22% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 3.9g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.4g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 52mg; CARBOHYDRATE 60.1g; SODIUM 637mg; PROTEIN 20.2g; FIBER 5.4g

Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
(I didn’t use the lemon as directed – just added a little lemon juice)

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

8 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 3 pounds)
4 cups water
1/4 cup lemon sections (about 1 large lemon)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Dash of salt

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to boil. Cook 20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove sweet potatoes from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid. Bring cooking liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 12 minutes). Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients. Stir in sweet potatoes; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

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Crustless Smoked Turkey and Spinach Quiche

Sprinkle some of the Swiss cheese in the pie plate first before adding the ham and egg mixture. The thin layer on the bottom gives you another hit of flavor when you bite into a piece.—Wendy McMillan, Longmont, CO

Ingredients
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (4 ounces) cubed smoked turkey ham (such as Jennie-0)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup evaporated fat-free milk
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add ham, onion, and pepper to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until ham is lightly browned.
3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese in a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Top with ham mixture.
4. Combine remaining 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, spinach, and next 5 ingredients (through egg whites) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
5. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring with a whisk until blended. Pour egg mixture over ham mixture. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of quiche comes out clean.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

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Breakfast Sausage Casserole

Cooking spray
1  (16-ounce) package frozen turkey sausage, thawed (such as Louis Rich)
8  (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
2/3  cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3  cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1  cup egg substitute
1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
1  (10.75-ounce) can condensed 30% reduced-sodium, 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring well to crumble.
Arrange bread in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top evenly with cooked turkey sausage and cheddar cheese. Combine 2 1/2 cups milk, egg substitute, and Dijon mustard, stirring with a whisk. Pour over bread mixture in dish. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Uncover casserole. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and cream of mushroom soup, stirring with a whisk. Pour over bread mixture. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

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Asian Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Salad

Ingredients
6 ounces uncooked rice noodles
2 cups cubed skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onions (about 3)
1/4 cup canned sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce (such as Mae Ploy)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Preparation
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and cool. Combine noodles, chicken, and next 4 ingredients (through water chestnuts) in a large bowl; toss well.
Combine chili sauce and next 5 ingredients (through ginger) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle chili sauce mixture over noodle mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

Wonton Crisps:
Stack 12 wonton wrappers, cut in half diagonally.  Arrange halves in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Coat wonton halves with cooking spray, sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

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Spicy Turkey Chili+

5 points – includes cheese

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 1 cup chili, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped onion)

1 1/4 cups green bell pepper strips
1 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup (1/4-inch-thick) sliced carrot
1/2 cup (1/4-inch-thick) sliced zucchini
1 pound ground turkey – I used left over turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano – I added garlic and cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add first 5 ingredients; cook 5 minutes or until turkey is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder and the next 8 ingredients (chili powder through tomato sauce), and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese and chopped onion.

CALORIES 272 (26% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 1.8g); IRON 4.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 136mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.2g; SODIUM 398mg; PROTEIN 20.3g; FIBER 6.2g

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Greek Style Leg of Lamb with Yogurt Sauce+

7 points

I make this as a smaller portion with lamb leg steaks in a skillet on the stovetop.  Don’t overcook!

·    2 large garlic clove(s), chopped (about 1 1/2 Tbsp)
·    1 tbsp lemon zest, freshly grated
·    2 tsp dried oregano
·    2 tsp olive oil
·    1 tsp table salt, or to taste
·    1/2 tsp black pepper
·    3 1/2 pound(s) lean leg of lamb, boneless, rolled and tied

Sauce
·    1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat plain yogurt
·    2 tbsp red onion(s), finely chopped
·    2 tbsp mint leaves, or fresh dill, chopped
·    2 tsp dried oregano
·    1 1/2 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated
·    1/2 tsp ground cumin
·    1/2 tsp table salt
·    1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 375ºF. In a small cup, combine garlic, lemon zest, oregano, oil, salt and pepper; rub mixture all over lamb.

Place lamb in a roasting pan and roast until medium-rare and a meat thermometer inserted in center reads 140ºF, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove lamb to a cutting board; let rest 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients.

Slice lamb into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve with sauce.

Yields about 2 slices of lamb and 3 tablespoons of sauce per serving – 8 servings.