You are what you eat
By: Abby Lucas
Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
This classic combo is tasty, simple and satisfying. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top for extra flavor.
Ingredients
6 pounds tomatoes, cut in half
Cooking spray
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 yellow onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped
3-4 cups water
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Croutons
2 slices 2% cheddar cheese
2 slices whole grain bread
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Mist tomatoes with cooking spray, arrange on baking sheet skin side down, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes.
- In large pot, sauté onions, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper and olive oil for 5 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, water, salt and pepper to the pot. Puree the mixture with a hand blender until semi-smooth.
- Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Place cheese on bread, put on baking sheet, broil for 5 minutes until cheese bubbles/bread is toasted and cut into 1-inch bites.
- Serve soup with drizzle of balsamic vinegar and cheese croutons on top.
Optional topping: fresh chopped basil
cereal-coated French toast bites with yogurt dipping sauce
These bite-sized pieces of French toast are the perfect size for little fingers to pick up and dunk into the fruity yogurt sauce. This recipe is extremely versatile, so have fun in the kitchen experimenting with various flavors of bread, cereal and all-fruit spread.
Ingredients
½ cup 0% plain Greek yogurt2 tablespoons strawberry all-fruit spread
2 large eggs
3 large egg whites
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup crushed multigrain flakes cereal (about 2 cups uncrushed)
2 teaspoon butter
4 (2-ounce) slices whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread
Directions
- Whisk together yogurt and fruit spread. Set aside.
- Whisk together eggs, eggs whiles, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a shallow dish. Transfer cereal to a separate shallow dish.
- Melt butter in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip 1 bread slice in egg mixture coating both sides. Let excess drip off. Dredge slice in crushed cereal coating both sides. Shake off any excess. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until cereal is golden brown and egg is set. Repeat steps with remaining bread slices.
- Cut each slice into 8 bite-sized pieces. Serve with yogurt sauce
Tuna-Apple sandwhich
Ingredients
5- to 6-ounce can tuna, packed in water1 small apple, peeled and sliced in chunks
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
6 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread
Directions
- In small bowl, combine tuna, apple chunks, and mayonnaise.
- Mix well.
- Spread mixture on bread
California BBQ veggie slidders
These mini veggie burgers are fun and nutritious.
Ingredients
2 cans (15.5 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 green onions, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
⅓ cup whole wheat flour (can also use garbanzo bean flour)
Toppings
Avocado
Tomato
Barbecue sauce
Mini whole grain hamburger buns, toasted
Directions
- In food processor or with a hand blender, puree beans and oil until smooth.
- Stir in onions, carrots, salt and pepper. Add in flour until mixture comes together.
- Form 12 mini patties. Cook in skillet or on grill until each side is browned (about 4 minutes per side).
- Assemble burger on bun with avocado, tomato and BBQ sauce.
Ono Mango Macadamia Nut Bread
Ingredients
vegetable oil cooking spray½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
1¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 eggs
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cubed ripe mangoes (about 2 medium-size mangoes)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Coat a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with the cooking spray.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl; add the oil, applesauce, and vanilla and beat vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry; stir just until the mixture is blended.
- Fold in the mangoes; some will break up, which is okay.
- Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake it for 1 hour.
Hawaiian Pork and Peas
Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil1 pound lean pork, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 14 ½-ounce can spicy stewed tomatoes
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers in brine, drained and chopped
1 4-ounce jar chopped pimientos with juice
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10-ounce package frozen petite peas
3 cups cooked white or brown rice
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet.
- Sauté the pork and garlic for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle the soy sauce over the pork.
- Stir in the tomatoes, red peppers, pimientos, cinnamon (or cinnamon stick), black pepper and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice as directed on the package.
- Add the peas to the pork mixture. Return to a simmer.
- Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf. Serve the meat over rice.
Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Corn
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa2 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3 green onions, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small red pepper seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice from one lime
2 teaspoons cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
- Cook quinoa in boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the little "tails" appear.
- Place the warm quinoa in a large bowl. Add the beans, corn, onion, red pepper and tomato. Mix olive oil, lime juice, garlic, black pepper and cumin, and stir into quinoa mixture.
- Salad can be served warm or at room temperature.
Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 16-ounce container fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 10 large lemons)
- 3 cups naturally-flavored strawberry sparkling water*
Directions
- Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Combine strawberries and half of cooled sugar-water mixture in a blender. Cover and process until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a 2-quart pitcher.
- Stir in remaining sugar mixture and lemon juice. Add sparkling water just before serving.
Banana Cream Smoothie
Ingredients
6 ice cubes1 banana (sliced and frozen if possible)
1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
½ cup low-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon flaxseeds, ground
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 tablespoon non-fat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs (about 2 squares)
Directions
- Place ice cubes into blender and crush ice.
- Place remaining ingredients into blender, except for graham crackers.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into cups.
- Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and extra cinnamon (optional).
- Enjoy!
Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup zucchini, grated1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar, divided
¼ cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all purpose, unbleached flour
¼ cup flaxseed, ground
½ teaspoon baking powder, low sodium
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
½ teaspoon ginger, ground
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
½ cup cocoa, unsweetened
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin cups with paper liners.
- Put grated zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out as much water as possible. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, add applesauce, vanilla extract, ¼ cup agave and mix thoroughly.
- Add flours, baking soda, baking powder, flaxseeds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and other spices, and mix well. Add cocoa and mix thoroughly.
- Add zucchini mixture and stir thoroughly.
- Fill paper liners with chocolate zucchini batter to ¾ full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of cupcake.
- Mix ¼ cup agave with ½ teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Before serving, drizzle agave mixture over cupcakes as icing and enjoy!