Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Makes 25 cookies, 150cal each

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ¾ cup quick cooking oats
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips




Directions

With a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and honey and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the olive oil and stir by hand.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat just until incorporated, adding the chocolate chips about half way through and mixing them in by hand. Be careful not to over-work the batter. Cover and refrigerate until firmer (about 20 minutes). Bake at 375F for 9-12 minutes.

Curried squash and red lentil soup

Makes 5 ½ cups

Eggplant "meat"balls

These are a popular Italian appetizer that is usually served with warm marinara sauce for dipping. Adapted from http://chichoskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/02/eggplant-balls-polpette-di-melanzane.html

Makes about 24 balls, 50cal each
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped basil
(you can also add a little oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, or marjoram)
1- 1 ½ cups untoasted bread crumbs (I use whole wheat)
2 beaten eggs
2 garlic cloves crushed
½ small onion finely minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly spray 2 oven trays. Peel the eggplants and slice them into 1/4” disks (cut them all the same width so they cook evenly). Lightly brush them with olive oil and bake them for 30 - 45 min until golden, turning every 15 minutes. Let them cool. In a food processor, finely chop the eggplant, onion and garlic. Combine this mixture with the basil, parsley, eggs and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and lastly add breadcrumbs until the desired consistency is reached.

Wet your hands with a little water and shape the eggplant mixture into balls, then bake them for 25 - 30 minutes until deep golden brown and slightly crusty. Do not over-bake or they will be dry. Remove tray from oven and cover with foil to let the meatballs steam until ready to serve.

Notes:

• I have assembled them on a baking tray the day before baking, and they turned out just fine. Bring to room temperature before baking, and may need to bake a little longer.
• These freeze well. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, and then re-heat in the oven for about ten minutes, turning halfway (don’t forget to spray your baking sheet).

Veggie stir-fry

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped vegetables (snow peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, red pepper, mushrooms, celery and cabbage or bok choy, etc.)
• 2 tbsp broth or water
• 2 cups cooked brown rice or noodles

• Sauce
o 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
o 2 tbsp chopped scallions
o 1 tsp olive oil
o 1 tsp minced garlic (about 2 small cloves)
o 1.5 tsp minced ginger
o 1 tsp honey
o A few dashes pepper
o 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
o 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (add at the end), optional
o Sesame seeds, to garnish, optional
o Optional add-ins: shrimp, tofu, chicken, and either ½ tsp Chinese five spice or 1 tbsp oyster sauce

Directions:
o Slice all vegetables about the same size. If using cabbage or bok choy blanch it and place it in cool water. Note that the inner cabbage leaves take longer to cook than the outer leaves, so cut the inner leaves thinner so they will cook at the same rate.

Prepare sauce: In a nonstick pan heat olive oil over medium heat and cook garlic and ginger, stirring constantly, until the garlic just starts to brown. Add a few tablespoons of water and continue to cook for several minutes until the ginger is well cooked. Combine the remainder of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and add the cooked garlic and ginger.

In a non-stick pan, cook carrots and cauliflower over high heat in chicken broth for several minutes until they begin to soften, but still retain some of their crunch. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed, add the broccoli and cook until it is almost done, but also retains a little crunch. When broccoli is almost done remove veggies from the pan and put in a bowl.

Add the rest of the vegetables, half the sauce, and cook in the same manner, making sure not to let the vegetables completely soften. Add the reserved broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage, along with the rest of the sauce and any cooked protein you wish to add and cook for a few minutes to heat everything through and distribute the sauce evenly. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Garnish lightly with sesame seeds, if desired.

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies

Makes 25 cookies, 135 cal each

Ingredients
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ¾ cup quick cooking oats
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ chopped pecans
• ½ cup raisins

Directions

With a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and honey and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the olive oil and stir by hand.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat just until incorporated, adding the pecans and raisins about half way through and mixing them in by hand. Be careful not to over-work the batter. Cover and refrigerate until firmer (about 20 minutes). Bake at 375F for 9-12 minutes.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
• 1 cup uncooked elbow or shell pasta (I use whole wheat)
• 1 ½ cups low fat milk
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup packed grated reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup grated regular sharp cheddar
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp salt
• Optional topping – 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tbsp parmesan & 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Optional – chopped broccoli, salsa, tuna, etc.


Directions:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a saucepan combine 1 cup milk and a bit of flour at a time, stirring over low heat until the flour is dissolved. Add the rest of the milk and stir until it forms a smooth gravy-like consistency. Add parmesan cheese. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove from heat and add cheese (either reserve ¼ cup for the top or use it all here), dijon, salt and pepper.

Fill a large saucepan with salted water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2-3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. If using fresh broccoli add with pasta 2-3 minutes before you are going to take it off the heat. If using frozen broccoli, thaw it and squeeze out the excess water, then add to the pasta when assembling the casserole. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well (it is important to get rid of the starch so the cheese sauce can absorb better and won’t get clumpy). Stir macaroni into the cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into a sprayed casserole dish. Sprinkle reserved ¼ cup cheese (if using) and scatter breadcrumb mixture or parmesan cheese over the top. Bake until cheese is bubbly, about 20 minutes, and then broil for 3 minutes to nicely brown the top. The pasta will continue cooking while it bakes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, medium chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Chili powder or cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 400 g (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 x 420 g (15 oz) cans chickpeas
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, to garnish
• Optional – add spinach or diced carrot, squash or celery

Directions:

Cook the onion (and celery and carrot, if using) in a non-stick pan with the oil over medium heat until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, until it is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, honey and spices, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the drained chickpeas, cover and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes. Add more water if necessary. If adding spinach, add it near the end of cooking. Garnish with parsley and/or cilantro.

Optional step (I skip this) - drain the chickpeas and put them in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover them. Lift up handfuls of chickpeas and rub them between your hands to loosen the skins. Run more water into the bowl, stir well and let the skins float to the top, then skim them off. Repeat until all the skins have been removed.

Serve with crusty bread, rice or couscous.

Egg Fried Rice

Makes 2 cups, 220 calories each
*My photo*

Ingredients:
o 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
o 1 cup cold cooked brown rice
o 2 tsp soy sauce
o 1 green onion, sliced including green tops
o 1 large egg
o 3/4 cup frozen mixed diced vegetables, thawed and drained (I use peas, green beans, diced carrots and corn)


Directions:
Heat a NON-STICK pan over medium heat for about a minute, then add sesame oil, rice, soy sauce and pepper. Work quickly, otherwise the sesame oil will burn. The whole process only takes about 1-2 minutes and is just enough time to cook the egg and heat all the ingredients thoroughly. If you prefer, you can cook everything in vegetable oil, adding 1 tsp sesame oil at the end so it doesn't burn. Don't omit the sesame oil, though, as it is important for flavor. Once the rice is thoroughly mixed with the oil and soy sauce, push it to one side of the pan and pour the egg into the other side. Let the egg cook for about 30 seconds, until it is almost, but not completely, set. Then mix the rice in so that it gets a bit coated by the uncooked egg. Add all the vegetables and continue cooking until the egg is just set.

Notes:
• You can make the rice just before using, but it is better if it is made ahead and cooled so you don’t end up with mushy fried rice.
• This is also great with other veggies such as mushrooms, celery, red pepper, and onions, as well as garlic, but I use the frozen veggies because it saves a lot of time and tastes just as good. Feel free to add whatever you like, including diced chicken or shrimp. Great topped with sriracha.

Peanut Noodles

Ingredients (serves 2):
• ¼ cup water
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 large clove minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• Optional - 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 6 oz whole wheat spaghetti noodles, soba noodles, linguine, or rice vermicelli • 1 cup vegetables (julienne carrots, red peppers, broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, etc.)
• 1 cup cooked tofu cubes, shrimp or chicken strips
• Chopped peanuts, to garnish
• Chopped fresh scallions, to garnish

Directions:
Cook noodles of choice al dente, and store in cold water until ready to use. Blanch or steam vegetables, keeping in mind that they will be cooked for another several minutes, so cook them until they are softened but still retain some crunch. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a blender to make the sauce (mince the garlic and ginger first or you may end up with large chunks). Cook the tofu, shrimp or chicken strips, then lower the heat to medium and add the sauce. Once the sauce thickens, add the vegetables and noodles and cook another 1-2 minutes, until the vegetables are warmed through. Garnish each bowl with roasted peanuts and chopped scallions.

Hummus

Nutrition per ½ cup: 190 calories

Ingredients:
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained (also great with half edamame)
• 3/4 cup low fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp paprika (hot, if you like)
• Dash pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• Brine or water, as needed

Directions:
Blend everything and serve! Add brine or water as needed to help blending and reach desired consistency. To serve, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or garnish with paprika and parsley. Serve with pita wedges or vegetable sticks, or use as a sandwich spread.

Cheesecake

This cheesecake is a bit lighter than the regular version, but without sacrificing taste or texture. It's still incredibly rich and nobody knows the difference!

• For Crust
o 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp oil
o 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs or finely crushed digestive biscuits
o 1 tbsp sugar & 2 tbsp honey

• For Filling
o 1 1/2 cups regular bar cream cheese
o 1 3/4 cups low fat bar cream cheese
o 1 cup sugar
o 1/8 tsp salt
o 3 eggs
o 2/3 cup sour cream
o 3 tbsp all purpose flour
o 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375F.

Make crust: Spray a 8” X 2.75” springform pan. In a food processor, pulse digestive until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, oil, sugar, honey and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, about 10 to 14 minutes, then let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, flour and salt, beating until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Turn off mixer and gently fold in sour cream and vanilla.

Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Gently tap to release any air bubbles. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 1/2 hours (the key to perfect texture is to take it out when it looks still a little wet in the center - it will continue to cook as it cools). Remove pan from water; let cool 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around edge to release it and prevent the filling from pulling away from the crust as it cools. Let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.

Cranberry Oat Scones

Nutrition per scone (10 scones): 155 calories

Ingredients:
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ cup kamut flour (or whole wheat or all purpose flour)
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats – not instant
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup plain yogurt (I use low fat) or buttermilk
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
• 2 tbsp honey
• Optional - 1 tsp cinnamon

Cranberry Orange Oat Scones – add 1 tsp orange juice & 2 tsp orange zest (no cinnamon)

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix yogurt, oil, honey, cranberries and orange juice and zest, if using. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with a fork quickly until it is just blended – do not overmix. Pat it out gently in a ¼” circle on a floured surface. Don’t knead. Cut into 8-12 wedges and bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes until they begin to brown. Tap them on the bottom to see if they are done – it will sound hollow.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Makes 12 muffins, 195 cal each

Ingredients
• 1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• 2 tbsp canola or olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk (to make yourself: 2/3 c milk + 2/3 tbsp vinegar - let sit 5 minutes)
• Optional - chopped pecans, to garnish
• Optional - honey cream cheese frosting (2 oz cream cheese + 1 tbsp honey + 1/8 tsp vanilla)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, honey, oil, and eggs until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla.
4. Stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each one about two-thirds full (not more), and sprinkle the surface of each with chopped pecans, if desired. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Enjoy warm or let cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Pastry Crust

Ingredients (single crust)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces and frozen for 20 minutes)
• ½ cup all purpose or whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
(use up to 2 tbsp for a sweet crust)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5-6 tablespoons cold low-fat milk (more, if needed)


Directions
1. Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor or bowl. Pour the oil and butter in and pulse until you've got pea-sized clumps of butter (you can also do this by cutting the oil and butter in with a fork). A light touch is important here and you want clumps of fat, which is what makes the crust flaky - the final blending will happen during rolling.
2. Distribute the milk over the mixture and pulse until it just begins to form a ball (again, use a light touch). It should just stick together if you squeeze a piece between your fingers, but not crumble apart. The mixture should still look crumbly.
3. Decant the loose dough onto a floured surface and lightly form a round disk using the back of your hands, so as not to melt the butter.
4. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour to hydrate the bran and let the dough relax. This will make it easier to roll, prevent shrinkage during baking, and make a more tender crust.
5. To roll, flour surface and rolling pin. Let the dough rest at room temperature for five minutes. Roll center out and don’t roll over the edges, turning ¼ turn each few rolls until it is 1/8” thick. Check your pan to make sure the crust is big enough to fit in shell and hang over the edges. It may crack on the edges when rolling - just smoosh it back together.
6. Roll onto rolling pin and into pan – brush away excess flour as you roll onto pin.
7. Pack it in to the pan nicely, but don’t stretch it or it will shrink during baking. Flute by pushing finger of opposite hand between two mid-finger knuckles, or use fork tines.
9. To prevent a soggy bottom blind-bake the crust: cut a square of foil about 4 inches larger than pie plate. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake in a 425°F oven for 10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven. Gently remove foil lining and beans. Prick all over lightly with a fork, return crust to oven and bake 5 minutes or until very light brown.
10. Cool completely before filling, then bake as directed according to recipe.
NOTE: Because this pastry dough is made with oil, it must be used right away. After a day in the refrigerator, the oil will start to separate and seep out.

Almond pastry crust

This is a great crust for no-bake pies and tarts. However, nuts burn easily, so take care if using it for pumpkin or fruit pies, which need to cook for longer periods of time. I have had success with pumpkin pie by skipping the first high temperature step and cooking the pie at no higher than 350 for 50 minutes. However, I have also cooked the filling separately and then smoothed it into the pre-baked crust, and it worked beautifully. Similarly, for fruit pies you can partially cook the filling in a saucepan on the stove to reduce the baking time. Always use a crust protector to avoid burning the exposed edges of the crust.

Version 1 Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups finely ground almonds/almond meal (can sub. flour or oats for some of the meal)
• 1 tbsp unsalted melted butter
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp honey & 1 tbsp sugar (omit for savory pies like quiche, etc.)
• Cold water



Version 2 Ingredients

• 2/3 cups graham crackers, finely ground (use a blender to prevent hard lumps)
• 1 cup finely ground almonds/almond meal (I sometimes substitute ¼ c oats)
• 1 tbsp unsalted melted butter
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Version 3 Ingredients

• 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 1/4 cup finely ground almonds/almond meal
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions
1. Mix dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
2. Blend oil, water and honey in measuring cup with fork or small wire whisk until emulsified.
3. Add oil mixture to dry ingredients and mix well. If needed, add a small amount of water to hold mixture together. Not too much, though, because you don't want it to be soggy.
4. Press firmly and evenly into a well-sprayed 9-inch pie pan so that the bottom is completely sealed.
5. Chill 30 minutes, to prevent crumbling after baking.
6. For pies that call for a pre-baked shell, bake at 350°F for 8-12 minutes on a cookie pan until lightly golden (use a crust protector if it starts to get dark). A few minutes after removing from the oven, brush the bottom and sides with egg white to seal the crust and prevent a soggy bottom. Cool completely before filling.
7. For baking pies directly in this crust pre-bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes, until just set but not brown (use a crust protector the entire time). A few minutes after removing from the oven, brush the bottom and sides with egg white to seal the crust. Cool completely before filling and baking. Adjust crust protector before filling so that the pie can go directly into the oven as soon as it is filled, which will help prevent a soggy bottom. Bake as directed in recipe, but don't use temperatures higher than 350 and don't bake on a cookie sheet, which conducts heat to the bottom of the pie and could cause it to burn.

No-Bake Apple Walnut Tart

I got the recipe for this tart from the world's healthiest foods website, which is one of my favorite websites (www.whfoods.com). It's rich in both nutrients and omega-3 fats.

Calories per 1/8 of tart using oats: 375 calories
Calories per mini tart using oats (makes 16 tarts in a muffin tin): 185 calories

Crust
• 2 ½ cups walnut halves (I substitute 1/2 cup with rolled oats)
• 1 ½ cup pitted dates (not date paste)
• Pinch of salt

Filling
• 3 green apples, peeled and sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon in 2 cups water
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ cup apple juice
• ¼ cup raisins

Directions:

1. Combine walnuts and dates in food processor or blender. Make sure you remove pits and cut off end where stem was. Process until well mixed and ground, but not smooth (about 40 seconds). It should be a coarse texture when done. This crust is fantastic if prepared correctly. First of all, it is important to choose dates that are firm and not too gooey. Process well, but do not make the mixture too smooth. You want to have a coarse texture that is ground enough to hold together when pressed. Take a pinch of crust between your fingers and press it together. If it is over processed the crust will end up pasty and will not be good. If it is not quite ground enough it won't hold together.

2. Press evenly into a 9-inch tart pan, pie plate, or individual muffin cups. Set in refrigerator while making the filling.

3. Slice apples by cutting into quarters. Cut out core and slice crosswise in ¼ inch thick slices. Put into lemon water while you finish cutting apples. Drain well in a colander when done.

4. Place apples in a large skillet with rest of the ingredients cook for about 10 minutes, until softened, stirring frequently on medium heat and adding water as necessary so the apples soften, but don’t brown.

5. Remove apples with a slotted spoon from hot pan to a bowl and cool completely.

6. Spread apples evenly over crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for one hour before serving.

Green Morning Boost Smoothie

Makes 2 large smoothies, 150 cal each


Ingredients
• ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 medium ripe banana
• ½ cup frozen berries of choice
• ½ carrot
• 1 cup packed fresh spinach
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla

Berry Smoothies

Make 2 large smoothies, 150 cal each


Recipe 1: berry smoothie
• ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
• ½ cup skim milk
• 2 cups frozen mixed berries of choice
• ½ tsp vanilla


Recipe 2: strawberry-banana smoothie
• ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt
• ¼ cup skim milk
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 medium ripe banana
• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ tsp vanilla

Mango or Banana Lassi

These are so simple and soooooo good! Makes 1 serving, 150 cal.


Ingredients
• 1 medium ripe banana or 1/2 ripe mango
• 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• Optional (I omit)– 1-2 tsp honey

Directions:

Combine everything in a blender and serve. I let mine chill in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour before serving, but you can serve immediately.

Chocolate chip cookies

Makes 25 medium-sized cookies = 150 cal, 2.1 g saturated fat, 5.6 g refined sugar

Ingredients
• 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¾ cup honey
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions:

With a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla and honey and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the olive oil and stir by hand.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat just until incorporated, adding the chocolate chips about half way through and mixing them in by hand. If you like flat, chewy cookies bake right away, but if you like firmer more cakey cookies, cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes before baking.
Bake at 375F for 7-10 minutes.

Low-Fat Cheese Scones

Nutrition 12 scones: 120 calories

Chocolate Pudding

Nutrition per serving (4 servings): 190calories


Ingredients

• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp cornstarch (=corn flour in England & KSA)
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups low fat milk
• 1 oz good quality dark chocolate
• 2/3 tsp vanilla

• Optional garnishes - fresh mint sprigs, toasted sliced almonds, dark chocolate shavings





Directions:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium, heavy saucepan; stir with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick. Remove from heat; add chocolate and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. If the mixture has any lumps that won’t dissolve strain through a fine mesh strainer or pulse it a few times in a food processor. Divide evenly into ramekins; cover surface of each serving with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it cools. Remove plastic wrap; serve. Garnish, if desired. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to five days.

Crepes

Banana-Bran Muffins

Nutrition per 18 muffins (basic recipe): 140 calories

Bran Muffins

Nutrition 12 muffins: 135 calories each

Dinner rolls

Makes 16 small rolls, 110 calories each

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour, including 1 tbsp wheat gluten (optional)
• 1.5 tsp yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• ¾ cup warm nonfat or low fat milk
• 3 tbsp honey
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter


Directions

• Combine yeast with ¼ cup warm water and let sit until frothy, 5-10 minutes.
• Combine milk, butter and honey in a small bowl and heat in microwave until warm (not hot or you will kill your yeast).
• In bowl of mixer combine warm milk mixture and 1/2 cup flour and mix until incorporated (this will dilute the salt and oil, which can reduce yeast activity).
• Now add in yeast and water mixture.
• Add additional flour a few tbsp at a time, allowing time to mix in between, until a soft dough forms. It should be soft, gooey and just sticky enough to knead.
• Knead by hand 8-10 minutes (12-15 minutes of using whole wheat), or 2-4 minutes in a kitchen aid mixer.
• To knead, stretch it out or fold and flip. Use balls of wrists to push and stretch (you will feel it rolling), then fold it back on itself. Add flour as needed. You can tell if your dough is under-kneaded if it's floppy and loose, tears easily, and still looks shaggy. Over-kneading is only a concern in a stand mixer. If the dough feels very dense and tough when you knead it against the counter, that is a sign that it's starting to become over-kneaded.
• Place dough in a oiled bowl, flip it, cover it with plastic wrap and a towel, and let rise 1 hour in a warm place, until dough has doubled.
• Punch down. Divide and roll into 16 balls (do this by cutting the dough into 16 pieces – for each fold over and pinch tightly at the bottom, turn 90 degrees, fold, and pinch tighly at the bottom again- continue until a nice ball has formed).
• Shape into greased 16x16 pan (leave space in between, as they will expand), let rise another 45 minutes (longer if using more whole wheat) in a warm place.
• Bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes (the whole wheat rolls don’t brown much on the top, so take them out and check the bottom to see how they are doing).
• When they are done, they will be golden and the bottom will sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the pan immediately to prevent them from going soggy, and let cool on a rack.

Notes:
• Depending on humidity and temperature, the amount of flour needed in a recipe may vary by as much as a cup or two. Therefore, the amount of flour called for in a recipe is always approximate.
• Always start with the full amount of liquid, adding a bit of flour at a time until the proper consistency is reached. You may not need all of the flour, and that’s fine. Dry dough will yield dry bread.

Cinnamon rolls

Apple Crumble with Almond and Oat Topping

Filling:
• 3 granny smith apples, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 firm sweet apples, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sugar or honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• Optional – fresh raspberries or blackberries, chopped dried cranberries or chopped dried figs

Topping:
• 1/3 cup almonds
• 1/3 cup oatmeal (not instant)
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup honey (if you like use 1-2 tbsp brown sugar in place of honey)
• 1 tsp melted butter
• Optional - chopped, toasted pecans

Place apples in the bottom of a casserole dish with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and berries (if using). For the topping, grind the almonds in a food processor until it is like flour and some almond ‘butter’ is starting to form. Combine it with oatmeal, flour and cinnamon. Combine honey and butter and mix in slowly until crumbly. Bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Cover with foil halfway to avoid burning the top. Drizzle with honey before serving (optional).
Can make the topping ahead of time and freeze it, or bake the entire thing and freeze it. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge. Then heat in oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes, covered in foil.

Whole Wheat & Honey Brownies

Spiced Nuts

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Nutrition 12 muffins: 125 calories

Date and Cinnamon Scones

This recipe was given to me by my friends Nasra and Jacob. You can use unbleached white or whole wheat pastry flour in place of kamut flour, but I really recommend trying it for it's soft texture and sweet, buttery flavor (in addition to it's health benefits). I buy it at the GNC.

Nutrition per 12 scones: 115 cal

Savory Scones

This recipe was given to me by my friends Nasra and Jacob. You can use unbleached white or whole wheat pastry flour in place of kamut flour, but I really recommend trying it for it's soft texture and sweet, buttery flavor (in addition to it's health benefits). I buy it at the GNC.

Nutrition per scones (12 scones): 100 cal