Recipe: Easy Super Bowl Veggie Dip

• Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
• 2 containers (160z) of Greek 0 or 2% yogurt

Combine both ingredients in a medium bowl. A great treat to dip your favorite veggies in.

Spring Pilaf with Salmon and Asparagus

Ingredients

4 cups water
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a large skillet; add salmon (skin side up). Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and discard water; cool fish slightly. Remove and discard skin; break fish into large pieces.

Return pan to heat; melt butter over medium-high heat. Add asparagus; cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in rice, peas, and broth; cook 1 minute. Add salmon, parsley, and remaining ingredients; stir well to combine. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 391(29% from fat); FAT 12.8g (sat 3.4g,mono 4.3g,poly 4g); PROTEIN 24.7g; CHOLESTEROL 61mg; CALCIUM 43mg; SODIUM 385mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.9g

From Cooking Light, APRIL 2003

Honey Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients
¾ cup rolled oats
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup honey
½ cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil

Directions
Combine oats, flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and soda; mix well. Beat eggs, honey, milk and oil together; mix well. Pour honey mixture over dry ingredients; mix only until moistened. Spoon into oiled muffin tins. Bake at 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.

Nutrition Information
179 calories
32% of calories from fat
6.5g fat
36mg cholesterol
26 g carbohydrate
2.5 g dietary fiber
5 g protein
178mg sodium

Source: National Honey Board www.honey.com

Oriental Clementine Spinach

In the winter, it may feel like fresh fruit and vegetables are missing. However, clementines are prominent in the supermarkets this time of year. Moreover, clementines are a great source of fiber and vitamin C. This recipe is low in calories and full of flavor. It is a great way to include more fruits and vegetables and get started on some wonderful eating habits.

Serves 6

2 packages (10 oz. each) fresh spinach
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. sugar
3 clementines, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1. Remove stems and wash spinach. Place spinach and ¼ cup of water in a large saucepan. Cook covered over medium-heat for 4 to 5 minutes until leaves are just wilted, stirring occasionally. Drain well.
2. Combine vegetable broth, soy sauce, and sugar in a saucepot. Bring to a boil. Stir in spinach and Clementine pieces and heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

**The above recipe was adapted from The Produce For Better Health Foundation

Turkey Cutlets with Cranberries

Though there are no magic foods that erase stress and immediately induce sleep, there are components of foods that may help. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, which naturally enhances sleep. In addition, vitamin C has been found to help reduce both the physical and psychological effects of stress on the body. This recipe, which is perfect for the holidays, contains both of these components. The turkey contains tryptophan, and the cranberries and orange juice contain vitamin C. Plus, the recipe is delicious, easy, and quick!

Serves 4

4 Turkey Cutlets (approximately 4-5 ounces each)
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup sliced onions
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray. Place the cutlets in the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Top with onions, cranberries, orange juice, and vinegar.
3. Bake for 25 minutes, or until no longer pink.

Calories per serving: ~275

Greek Pasta with White Beans and Spinach

This recipe is quick, easy, and a perfect way to increase carbohydrate consumption prior to The Big Day. Using beans not only provides protein, but they also provide approximately 15-20 grams of carbohydrate per ½ cup serving.

Serves 8 regularly or 4 when training

Ingredients:
1 lb. box penne
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini or White Beans
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
10 ounces fresh Spinach, chopped
½ cup low-fat feta cheese, crumbled

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water as directed on the package.
2. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large non-stick skillet until translucent.
3. Add tomatoes, beans, and seasonings to the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
4. Add spinach to the sauce and cook until spinach wilts, stirring constantly.
5. Serve sauce over pasta, and sprinkle with feta.

	Serves 4	Serves 8
Calories	440	220
Carbohydrates	76 g	38 g
Fat	7 g	3.5 g
Protein	16 g	8 g

Homemade Snack Bar

Though there are definitely snack bars out there that taste good and are fairly balanced, sometimes you like to know exactly what’s going in your bar. This recipe is easy and fits all of our requirements for being a balanced snack bar. Best of all, it tastes good!

Serves 10

3 ½ cups quick oats
1 ½ cups powdered non-fat milk
4 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup sugar-free maple syrup
2 egg whites
¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp Vanilla
¼ cup natural applesauce

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and blend well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, egg whites, orange juice, vanilla, and applesauce.
4. Stir wet mixture (step 3) into dry mixture (step 2).
5. Spread mixture evenly onto a sprayed baking sheet.
6. Bake until edges are crisp and brown.
7. Cut into 10 bars.

Calories: ~185
Fat: 2g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Protein: 15g
Total Carbohydrates: 27g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 18g

Gazpacho with Chickpeas

Low calorie soups and salads are invaluable as natural appetite suppressants. Since soups and salads are full of water (or watery ingredients), they help to fill you up before you indulge in a big lunch or dinner. Moreover, if you add extra fiber to your meal, you will also feel fuller sooner. This recipe combines all of these aspects in one easy, refreshing, and tasty dish. No need for diet pills when you can fill up on veggies!

Serves 6

2 – 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
½ cup tomato juice
2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
1 seedless cucumber, cut into a ¼-inch dice
1 small onion, cut into a ¼-inch dice
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (can leave in seeds for spicier soup)
1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsps lime juice
¼ - ½ teaspoon cumin (to taste)
2 Tbsps chopped fresh cilantro (can substitute flat-leaf parsley if prefer)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. In a food processor or blender, blend a ½ cup of the diced tomatoes with the tomato juice and olive oil. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Calories: ~140
Fiber: 6

Red, White, and Blue Trifle

It’s summertime, and though we all may “scream for ice cream”, our waistlines are begging us to lighten up. Luckily, summertime is also chock full of fresh fruit, a naturally sweet dessert, which provide us with many important vitamins, minerals, fiber and water.
In fact, we need at least 2-4 servings of fruit per day. The following recipe combines 2 of these delicious fruits in a satisfying and low-calorie dessert.

Serves 15

1 package prepared low-calorie instant vanilla pudding
1- 8-ounce container fat-free or light whipped topping, ½ cup divided
2 ¼ cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided (2 cups & ¼ cup)
2 ¼ cups blueberries, divided (2 cups & ¼ cup)
1 prepared (10 ounces) angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Fold the vanilla pudding into the whipping topping (minus the reserved ½ cup of whipped cream).
2. Combine the 2 cups of strawberries and 2 cups of blueberries.
3. Place half the cake cubes in the bottom of a 2- to 3- quart trifle dish or straight-sided glass serving bowl. Top with half of the fruit mixture and then half of the whipped cream mixture. Repeat layers with remaining cake and fruit mixture. Spoon remaining whipped cream mixture over the fruit mixture. Place reserved ½ cup of whipped cream on top.
4. Arrange reserved strawberry slices and blueberries over the whipped cream.
5. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Calories per serving: ~170

Fiber One Breaded Chicken

Cereal doesn’t have to just be for breakfast anymore. By crushing whole-grain, high-fiber cereals, and using them in recipes, you can add great taste, and lots of fiber to your meals.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 oz container non-fat plain yogurt, drained
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsps honey
1 Tbsp orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c Fiber One cereal, finely crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine yogurt, ginger, mustard, honey, orange juice, salt and pepper.
3. Dip each chicken breast into the yogurt mixture, then dredge each coated piece into the Fiber One breadcrumbs.
4. Place the coated chicken into a baking dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until done.

Calories per serving: ~215

Rainbow Salad

This recipe packs in so many different fruits and vegetables, that you’ll be sure to hit all the color categories. With such a sweet and delicious salad, you’ll be shocked that it’s actually good for you!

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
Salad:
2- 10 oz packages baby spinach
1 pint grape tomatoes
½ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup corn (preferably fresh)
1 can mandarin oranges
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 can hearts of palm
1 large cucumber, peeled and seeded, in a medium dice
½ cup sunflower seeds

Dressing:
4 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon honey mustard
Salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste

1. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
3. Dress the salad immediately before serving and toss to coat.

Calories: 160/ serving for 8 servings
200/ serving for 6 servings

2 Great Parfait Recipes

Valentine’s Day Breakfast Parfait

Serves 2

Ingredients:
¾ cup non-fat strawberry yogurt
¼ cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup sliced strawberries + 2 whole strawberries
¾ cup low-fat granola type cereal, such as Kashi Go-lean crunch or Grape Nuts

1. In a clear dessert, parfait, or champagne glass, spoon 3 tablespoons strawberry yogurt into the bottom of each glass. Top with 1-2 tablespoons sliced strawberries. Layer 2 tablespoons cereal on top of the strawberries.
2. For the next set of layers, spoon 2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt on top of the cereal. Repeat the strawberry and cereal layer.
3. For the final layers, spoon 3 tablespoons strawberry yogurt on top of the cereal. Repeat the strawberry and cereal layer.
4. Top each glass with a whole strawberry.

Calories per serving: ~160

Banana Pudding Parfait

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 ¼ cups skim milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 large ripe banana, thinly sliced
½ cup low-fat vanilla wafers, crushed
¼ cup non-fat whipped topping

1. Mix yogurt, milk, vanilla, pudding, and nutmeg together, until well blended.
2. Evenly divide mixture into the bottom of 4 wine goblets or parfait glasses.
3. Top each glass with banana slices.
4. Layer 1/8 cup of crushed wafers across the top of each glass. Try to evenly cover the bananas to prevent discoloration.
5. Top with 1 tablespoon of whipped topping.

Calories per serving: ~125

Touchdown Turkey Chili

In order to not penalize your waistline this Super Bowl Sunday (and your New Year’s resolution for that matter), try this healthy chili recipe. In this chili recipe we bench the fattier sausage or ground beef and send in the lean ground turkey instead. The result is sure to score a touchdown with any crowd!

Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1.5 pounds lean ground turkey (97% fat-free)*
1- 1 ounce package taco mix seasoning
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 – 14.5 ounce can fat-free beef broth*
1- 7 ounce jar salsa
1- 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1- 7 ounce can chopped green chile peppers
1- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained
1- 15 ounce can black beans, drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
Fat-free sour cream (optional)
Low-fat shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large stock-pot over medium-high heat. Crumble turkey into the pot and break apart as much as possible.
2. Season with taco mix, coriander, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Continue cooking until turkey is well browned.
3. Pour in beef broth and simmer about 5 minutes.
4. Add salsa, tomatoes, green chiles, chickpeas, and black beans, and continue cooking at a simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust thickness as necessary by adding water.
5. While chili is cooking, heat one teaspoon of oil in a skillet. Cook onion and green bell pepper until onion is translucent and pepper is slightly browned. Add onion and pepper to the chili pot and continue to simmer.
6. Heat the third teaspoon of oil in the same skillet and add the zucchini. Cook until lightly browned. Add the zucchini to the chili and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.
7. Ladle chili into bowls. Top with a dollop of fat-free sour cream or low-fat shredded cheese if desired.

Calories per serving (without cheese or sour cream): ~350

*To make this a vegetarian recipe, you can substitute 2 Lightlife Gimme Lean, Ground Beef Style packages for the ground turkey and mushroom or vegetable stock for the beef stock.

Nutritious Eggnog Recipe

With the holiday season comes traditions, family gatherings, and of course, lots of eating and drinking. It’s no wonder that we tend to put on weight during the holidays. Though rich foods like sweet potato casserole and stuffing pack on the calories, we oftentimes forget that our beverages may be sabotaging our weight management efforts as well. One such figure predator is eggnog. Though this creamy beverage is delicious and comforting, one cup can add an additional 350 calories, and who can stop at one? This holiday season let’s make eggnog a friend, not a foe, and trim down the calories.

Serves 6.

Ingredients:
5 cups skim milk
8 oz evaporated skim milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk)
1 cup egg substitute
Sweetener to taste*
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp rum extract
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon

1. In a saucepan, gently heat the skim milk, evaporated milk, egg substitute and sweetener over a low flame, stirring regularly until the mixture has thickened.
2. Remove the pan from the heat. Add in the vanilla, rum, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours.
4. Pour into 6 cups and sprinkle on additional nutmeg and cinnamon.

Calories: ~130 (You save 220 calories)!

*If you prefer real sugar to artificial sweetener, measure carefully how much sugar you are adding. Each additional teaspoon of sugar adds 15 calories.

Not much of a cook? Try a ready-prepared light eggnog. Vitasoy’s Holly Nog is just 120 calories and Silk Nog is 180 calories per cup.