Vegetarian

Fresh Fruit with Lemon Cream

On / Dessert, No Artificial Sweeteners, Recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese ¾ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 tsp. honey 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest 2 cups fresh blueberries or mixed berries 4 tsp. granola Using a fork, break up cream cheese in a medium bowl. Drain off any liquid from the yogurt; add yogurt to the bowl along with honey. Using an electric mixer, beat at high speed until light and creamy. Stir in lemon zest. Layer the lemon cream and berries in dessert dishes or wineglasses. Sprinkle with granola. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Serves 4 NUTRITION: 148 calories; 6g fat (34.0% calories from fat); 6g protein; 20g carbohydrates; 2g dietary fiber; 18mg cholesterol; 192mg sodium. LIVE IT TRACKER: ½ cup milk, ½ cup fruit This recipe is taken from Healthy Happy Cooking, available now in our online store. Lisa Lewis is the author of

Summer Veggie Rice Bowl

On / Entree, Recipes, Vegetarian

HEALTHY HACK: Forget the powdered stuff in the can they call parmesan. For better flavor, always grate fresh parmesan in your recipes. 1 1/3 cups cooked brown rice, cooled to room temperature 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1 cup corn ½ cup torn fresh basil ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted 2 tsp. grated lemon rind 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided 2 cups chopped zucchini ½ oz. fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl, and toss until well blended. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add zucchini; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to rice mixture; toss. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese NUTRITION: 371 calories; 23g fat

Goat Cheese Panini

On / Entree, Recipes, Vegetarian

HEALTHY HACK: You don’t need to spend money on single-use kitchen equipment like a Panini maker. A hot pan and something heavy to weight down the sandwich is all you need. Double healthy hack: Frozen bread works well for Paninis and is a great way to always have fresh bread on hand. 1 cup Kalamata olives, chopped ¼ cup finely chopped red onion 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp. dried basil ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 12-oz whole grain loaf bread, halved lengthwise 2 cups baby spinach leaves 2½ oz. goat cheese, crumbled 1 large tomato, sliced olive oil cooking spray In a medium bowl, combine olives, onion, garlic, basil, pepper flakes, and vinegar. Place the bread halves on a cutting board, cut side up and spoon olive mixture onto the bottom half of bread. Top with spinach, cheese, and tomato. Top with other half

Green Salad with Apples & Walnut Dressing

On / Recipes, Salad, Side dish, Vegetarian

One of my favorite ways to use quart-sized canning jars is to pack them with salads. I can make them on Sunday night and just grab and go all week. There are a few keys to layering your salad so that it is fresh and crispy when you are ready to eat it. Dressing first! —This keeps everything from getting soggy. Hardier ingredients next—onions, carrots, beans, peas, bell pepper, olives, etc. These will get great flavor from sitting in the dressing, too! Apples will work in this layer too. Be sure to give them a little lemon juice/water bath before adding to keep them from browning. Keep layering—Pack your layers tightly. The less air between layers, the longer it will stay fresh. Last layer—Your healthy extras and/or cheeses. HEALTHY HACK: Freshen up your limp kale or other vegetables by dropping them into ice water. Plants wilt due to water loss.

Berry Dessert Nachos

On / Dessert, No Artificial Sweeteners, Recipes, Snack, Vegetarian

3/4 cup fat-free or light dairy sour cream 3/4 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed 1 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 3 8-inch plain or whole wheat flour tortillas 1 tbsp melted butter 2 tsp sugar 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 3 cups fresh raspberries and/or blackberries 2 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted 1 tbsp grated semisweet chocolate Preheat oven to 400° F. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, whipped dessert topping, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cover and chill. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter. In a small bowl, stir sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the tortillas. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and arrange on two ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely. When ready to serve, divide the tortilla wedges among six dessert plates and top with raspberries and/or blackberries and sour cream

Southern Black-eyed Pea Salad

On / Entree, Recipes, Salad, Side dish, Snack, Vegetarian

2 tbsp cooking oil 4 cups yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin 2 to 4 fresh chopped jalapeno peppers, seeded if desired 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed 2 15-oz cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup sliced green onions 2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro or parsley 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups chopped tomatoes In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add squash, peppers, garlic, and cumin; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until squash is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool. In a large bowl, combine squash mixture, black-eyed peas, green onions, cilantro or parsley, and salt. Cover and chill. When you are ready to serve, toss the pea mixture together with the 2 cups chopped tomatoes. Serve with whole-wheat crackers or pita bread. Serves 8 (3/4-cup servings). Nutritional Information: 205 calories; (18.2% calories from fat); 4g fat;

Baked Polenta & Tomato Salad

On / Appetizer, Recipes, Salad, Side dish, Snack, Vegetarian

TOMATOES They have something hard to get in any other food–lycopene. And, because of this, tomatoes can help protect skin from UV rays, lower cholesterol, and even prevent some cancers. 1 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon honey 2-3 bay leaves 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 3 ripe tomatoes 18 ounces packaged of prepared polenta 2 tablespoons olive oil salt & pepper fresh basil leaves In a small pot, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Stir until honey is dissolved into the vinegar. Over medium heat, allow the vinegar to reach a low boil. Cook for about 10 minutes until it has reduced by half and the consistency of honey. Allow to cool, remove bay leaves. Slice the polenta into thin (1/4 inch) slices. Brush each side with a very light covering of olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet lined with

Spinach Shakshuka

On / Breakfast, Vegetarian

SPINACH Spinach has the power to form healthy new cells and is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon kosher salt 10 ounces baby spinach 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 4 eggs Freshly ground black pepper Feta cheese and roughly chopped fresh cilantro, for sprinkling Heat the olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cinnamon, and salt, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and lemon juice to the pan, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

On / Recipes, Side dish, Snack, Vegetarian

BROCCOLI This green vegetable is packed with bone-healthy vitamins like C, A, and K and can reduce the overall risk of cancer. Roasting is the key here. Roasting sweetens the broccoli and you great caramelization with crunchy edges. It soaks up all that great lemon flavor. 4 to 5 pounds broccoli 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the broccoli florets from the stalks, leaving an inch or so of stalk attached to the florets. Discard the stalks. Cut the larger pieces of broccoli floret in half. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet

Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

On / Recipes, Side dish, Snack, Vegetarian

SWEET POTATOES They are rich in vitamin A, strengthening the immune system, eye, and bone health. 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch wedges 2 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt 1 teaspoon spicy chili sauce, such as Sriracha 1 garlic clove, grated Preheat oven to 425°. Toss sweet potatoes with oil on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer; season with ½ tsp salt. Roast until tender and browned in spots, 35–40 minutes. Remove from oven; while still hot, toss potatoes with spicy chili sauce and garlic. Season with salt. Lisa Lewis is the author of Healthy Happy Cooking. Her cooking skills have been a part of First Place for Health wellness weeks and other events for many years. She provided recipes for 14 of the First Place for Health Bible studies and is a contributing author in Better Together and Healthy Holiday

Vegetarian

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