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.