Sunday, June 6, 2010

Spinach-Black Bean Lasagna

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, divided
2 (16-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (2-pound, 13-ounce) jar pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
9 precooked lasagna noodles


Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; set aside.

Mash beans with a potato masher or fork in a large bowl; stir in pasta sauce and cumin. Spread one-third of bean mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Layer with 3 noodles, half of spinach mixture, and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; repeat layers. Spread with one-third bean mixture; top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining bean mixture.

Bake, covered, at 350° for 1 hour; uncover and top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.




--Adapted from Southern Living magazine

Sweet Pepper and Green Bean Risotto

3 1/2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans (about 3/4 pound)
2 quarts water
3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups red bell pepper strips (about 2 peppers)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Cook beans in boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water until cool; drain.

Combine broth and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, thyme, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until wine is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup of broth mixture; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in beans; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, juice, salt, and black pepper. Serve immediately.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Sauteed Tilapia with Summer Vegetables

4 (6-ounce) striped tilapia fillets, skinned
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1 cup (2 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut yellow squash
1 cup (2 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut zucchini
1 cup (2 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut carrot
1 /4 cup sliced green onion
3/4 cup julienne-cut fennel stalks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
Basil sprigs (optional)



Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add fish; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons oil, squash, and next 8 ingredients (squash through garlic), and toss well. Wipe skillet with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Add vegetable mixture, and saute 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Serve fish over vegetables; garnish with basil, if desired.





--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Rosemary Chicken Salad

3 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken (1 rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped smoked almonds
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Combine ingedients.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Marinated Mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds medium-size fresh mushrooms
Vegetable cooking spray
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Clean mushrooms with damp paper towels; trim ends from stems. Set mushrooms aside.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add water and remaining 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Add mushrooms. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.

Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl; let cool. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Drain mushroom mixture, discarding marinade.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Grilled Asparagus Rafts

16 thick asparagus spears (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of salt


Prepare grill to high heat.

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Arrange 4 asparagus spears on a flat surface. Thread 2 (3-inch) skewers or toothpicks horizontally through spears 1 inch from each end to form a raft. Repeat procedure with remaining asparagus spears.Combine soy sauce, oil, and garlic; brush evenly over asparagus rafts. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds, pepper, and salt.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Marinated Green Bean and Potato Salad

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar, divided
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled


1. Cook beans in boiling water 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain.

2. Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until tender; drain. Return potatoes to pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to pan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle beans with vinegar mixture; toss well to coat. Place beans on a serving platter; arrange potatoes over beans. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, parsley, and bacon. Serve at room temperature.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Rock Salt Roasted Potatoes

1 (4-pound) box coarse food-grade rock salt
3 pounds small potatoes (about 24)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350°.

Place 1/2-inch layer of rock salt in bottom of a shallow roasting pan. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on top of salt; pour remaining rock salt around and over potatoes. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Rub excess salt from potatoes. Combine thyme, oil, and pepper in a bowl. Add potatoes; toss gently to coat.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Peas and Pods

3/4 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
2 cups fresh or frozen petite green peas, thawed
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint


Steam snap peas, covered, 2 minutes. Add green peas to pan; steam 2 minutes.

Combine peas, butter, and salt in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with mint.





--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Peachy Barbecue Sauce

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup bottled chili sauce
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


Combine broth, preserves, chili sauce, shallots, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Cinnamon-Apple Cake

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled Rome apple (about 2 large)
Cooking spray



Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Black Bean, Corn, and Zucchini Enchiladas

1 teaspoon canola oil
2 cups diced zucchini
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large can enchilada sauce, divided
Cooking spray
8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided


Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups zucchini and corn; sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in beans.

Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/2 cup zucchini mixture down center of 1 tortilla; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, zucchini mixture, and 14 tablespoons cheese. Spread remaining 2 cups sauce evenly over enchiladas.

Cover with foil; bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine