ASPARAGUS-ROMANO FRITTATA

From Good Housekeeping Drop 5 lbs


12 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, Romano, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper with a whisk.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet with an oven-safe handle, melt the butter on medium-high heat.  Stir in the asparagus and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook 4 minutes.  Add the green onions, and cook 2 minutes, stirring often.  Spread the vegetable mixture evenly in the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook without stirring until the mixture starts to set around the edge, 4 to 5 minutes.  Place the skillet in the oven and bake until set, about 10 minutes. Invert the frittata onto a serving plate and cut into wedges.  YIELD:  6 servings

MANGO GREEN TEA SMOOTHIE

From www.thegraciouspantry.com


1 cup mango
2 cups spinach
1 cup brewed and cooled green tea
1 medium banana
1 cup fresh pineapple

Blend and serve.

FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

From Ellie Krieger


one 8-ounce whole grain French baguette (about 12 inches long)
1 cup marinara sauce
2 cups lightly packed arugula leaves, coarsely chopped (I'm sure you could use spinach or any green)
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3/4 ounce)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.

Cut the bread in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 4 pieces.  Scoop out the soft center of the bread and discard.

Place the bread, scooped side up, onto the prepared baking sheet.  Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on each piece.  Top with the arugula, then the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Bake until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 12 minutes.  YIELD:  4 servings

**You could use the bread you scooped out for whole wheat bread crumbs.

MOCHA JAVA SMOOTHIE

From Ellie Krieger SO EASY


1 tablespoon sugar
2 rounded teaspoons instant espresso or 2 shots of espresso
2 teaspoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups nonfat milk
2 ripe bananas, peeled, cut into chunks, frozen
1 cup ice

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, instant espresso, if using and cocoa powder.  Add the boiling water and stir until dissolved.  (If using regular espresso, stir the sugar and cocoa into the coffee until dissolved.)

Combine the coffee mixture in a blender with the milk, bananas, and ice and blend on high until smooth. YIELD:  2 servings

**To help your morning go more smoothly, put all the smoothie ingredients, except the frozen bananas and ice, in the blender jug the night before.  Cover and stash in the fridge.  In the morning just add the frozen ingredients and whir.

CHEDDAR-APPLE QUESADILLA

From Ellie Krieger SO EASY


1 granny smith apple, cored, thinly sliced
4 whole-wheat flour tortillas (9 inches in diameter)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Fan out the apple slices over the bottom half of each tortilla and top with the cheddar cheese.  Fold the tortillas in half.  Working in batches, place the quesadillas in the skillet and weigh them down with a smaller heavy skillet or an ovenproof plate topped with a heavy can.  Cook until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Cut in half and eat warm.  YIELD:  4 servings

STEAK TACOS w/ CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALSA

From Ellie Krieger


1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/4 pounds top sirloin steaks (about 1 1/4 inches thick)
twelve 6-inch diameter corn tortillas
3 cups shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cucumber-Avocado Salsa (recipe follows)

Preheat the grill.

In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, garlic, cinnamon, salt and cayenne.  Rub the spice mixture into both sides of the steak.

Grill or broil the steaks for 5 minutes per side, turning once, for medium rare or to your desired degree of doneness.  Remove from the grill and let the meat sit for 5 minutes.  Carve into thin slices.

Warm the tortillas by placing them on the grill for 30 seconds, turning once.  Or place 6 tortillas at a time between two moist paper towels and microwave for 45 seconds.  Wrap in a cloth napkin or place in a tortilla warmer to keep warm.

Place the carved steak, warm tortillas, cabbage, cilantro, lime wedges and salsa in serving dishes and make your tacos.  YIELD:  6 servings

CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALSA

1 medium English cucumber, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
2 medium firm-ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently to combine.  YIELD:  2 cups

SLOW-ROASTED TOMATOES with GARLIC & HERBS

cooking spray
10 large plum tomatoes, washed, dried, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Place tomatoes, cut side up, on lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle garlic and thyme evenly over each tomato half.  Season with salt and pepper, then spray with more cooking spray.

Place in oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until tomatoes are wrinkled and starting to blacken.  Turn once during baking.

Serve while hot.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.  YIELD:  4 servings

CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRY STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

From Ellie Krieger's SO EASY


1 1/4 cups nonfat milk
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
8 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed
1 8-ounce container fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
4 teaspoons bittersweet chocolate chips
cooking spray
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla.  Set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon of the ricotta cheese in the center of 4 of the slices of bread and spread around slightly.  Top each with about 6 slices of strawberries and 1 teaspoon of the chocolate chips.  Cover each with another piece of bread to make a sandwich.

Spray a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat.  Carefully dip each of the sandwiches into the egg mixture until completely moistened.  Then place on the skillet and cook until the outside is golden brown, the center is warm and the chocolate is melted, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer to serving dishes.  Top with the remaining strawberries and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar.  YIELD:  4 servings

TOASTED TOMATO & FRESH BASIL ON SOURDOUGH

From The Food & Mood Cookbook


2 tablespoons fat-free or reduced-fat mayo
4 thick slices sourdough bread, toasted
2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and cut into 4 slices each
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed, dried with stems removed
1 teaspoon olive oil mixed with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Spread 1 tablespoon mayo on 2 slices toasted bread.  Place 4 slices tomatoes and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves on each slice of bread with mayo.  Drizzle with olive oil-balsamic mixture.  Season with salt and pepper.

Top with remaining slices of toasted bread, cut in half, and serve.  YIELD:  2 sandwiches

ORANGE-CHIPOTLE CHICKEN

2 teaspoons minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
3/4 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
cooking spray
salt and pepper
4 4-ounce chicken breast halves
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

In a small bowl, mix first 4 ingredients until thoroughly blended.  Set aside for flavors to blend.

Spray a nonstick frying pan with cooking spray.  Heat over medium-high heat.  Salt and pepper both sides of chicken, place chicken in pan, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook, turning once, until done, approximately 7 minutes per side.

About 4 minutes before done, spoon 1 tablespoon of orange-chipotle mixture on top of each breast.  Cover and finish cooking.  Remove from heat.

Place approximately 2/3 cup brown rice on each of 4 plates.  Top with a chicken breast and the remaining orange-chipotle mixture.  YIELD:  4 servings.