Prevention Food of the Week

This high protein, fresh tasting, vegetarian salad is very quick and easy to prepare. In fact it can be made in just 15 minutes from start to finish, and can be kept for a few days in the refrigerator, getting more flavorful as it marinates longer. Using fresh herbs and a small amount extra virgin olive oil makes this a healthier salad than many of those with high fat dressings without losing flavor. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes.

1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup minced scallion
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 medium ripe tomato, seeds removed and chopped
3 medium ribs celery diced about 1/2 inch pieces
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 TBS chopped fresh mint
3 TBS chopped fresh parsley
extra virgin olive oil to taste
*(optional) 1/4 cup feta cheese
1 small head chopped romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed, and discarded
salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except lettuce and cheese in a bowl and season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve on bed of chopped romaine lettuce and sprinkle with feta cheese. Serves 4.

September 30th - BASIL

Mushroom, Tomato, Basil Frittata
This quick and easy frittata gives you a healthy breakfast in very little time, with minimal effort. The basil adds a delicious flavor, and contributes to the nutritional benefits of the tasty vegetables and eggs. This is one of those dishes you will want often. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes.

1/2 medium onion, minced
1+1 TBS chicken broth
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 cup thinly sliced crimini mushrooms
1/2 medium tomato, seeds removed, and diced
3 large eggs
3 TBS chopped fresh basil
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet. Saute onion ever medium low heat 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, mushrooms and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. Add 1 TBS broth, tomato, salt, pepper and cook for another minute. Stir well, and gently scrape pan with a wooden spoon to remove any slight burning. Beat eggs well, and season with salt and pepper. Mix in chopped basil. Pour eggs over vegetables evenly and turn heat to low. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until firm. Cut into wedges and serve. Serves 2.

September 16th - OLIVES

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Olive tapenade is a delicious and easy-to-make spread that you can use as a dip, sandwich spread, or topping for fish and poultry. To make it, put pitted olives in a food processor with olive oil, garlic, and your favorite seasonings.
• Toss pasta with chopped olives, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs of your choice.
• Marinate olives in olive oil, lemon zest, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
• Add chopped olives to your favorite tuna or chicken salad recipe.
• Set out a small plate of olives on the dinner table along with some vegetable crudite�Ls for your family to enjoy with the meal.

September 2nd - BRUSSELS SPROUTS

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Braise Brussels sprouts in liquid infused with your favorite herbs and spices.
• Since cooked Brussels sprouts are small and compact, they make a great snack food that can be simply eaten as is or seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine quartered cooked Brussels sprouts with sliced red onions, walnuts and your favorite mild tasting cheese such as a goat cheese or feta. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for an exceptionally healthy, delicious side dish.

August 26th - PEARS

Pear Crisp
A perfect dessert as the weather begins to cool as we approach the winter months. The ginger gives this crisp a special zest. Prep and Cook Time: 17 minutes to prep; 35 minutes to bake.

4 d'anjou pears
3 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup apple juice, divided in half
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 TBS chopped fresh ginger
1 TBS honey

Preheat oven to 350. Place water and lemon juice in bowl. Cut pears into quarters, cut out core and slice 1/4 inch thick. As you do this place the pear slices in water with lemon juice to keep from turning brown. Drain and toss pears with cinnamon and 1/4 cup of the apple juice. Place almonds, oats, raisins and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well ground and mixed. Place in a bowl and add honey and rest of apple juice. Mix well. Place pears in an 8x8 baking dish and cover with topping. Bake for about 35 minutes until pears are bubbling. Serves 4.

August 19th - ROSEMARY

A few quick serving ideas:

• Add fresh rosemary to omelets and frittatas.
• Rosemary is a wonderful herb for seasoning chicken and lamb dishes.
• Add rosemary to tomato sauces and soups.
• Even better than butter--puree fresh rosemary leaves with olive oil and use as a dipping sauce for bread.

August 12th - BLUEBERRIES

A few quick serving ideas:

• Add frozen blueberries to your breakfast shake. If the blender container is plastic, allow berries a few minutes to soften, so they will not damage the blender.
• Fresh or dried blueberries add a colorful punch to cold breakfast cereals.
• For a deliciously elegant dessert, layer yogurt and blueberries in wine glasses and top with crystallized ginger.
• Blueberry pie, cobbler and muffins are classic favorites that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

August 5th - CORN

Steamed Mexican Corn on the Cob
This quick and easy to prepare recipe adds a healthy and great tasting lift to a meal without any saturated fats from butter. The spicy chili powder is a very tasty complement to the sweet corn. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes.

4 ears fresh corn on the cob
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red chili powder
salt and black pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid. Do not salt water. Remove husks and corn silk from corn cobs. Place the corn in the steamer basket, cover, and steam over high heat until it is just hot, 10 minutes or less. While corn is steaming mix together olive oil, chili powder, salt and pepper. Remove corn from steamer, brush with oil mixture and serve hot. Serves 4.

July 29th - PLUMS

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Make pizza with a twist by broiling sliced plums, goat cheese, walnuts and sage on top of a whole wheat pita bread or pizza crust.
• For a delightful dessert, poach plums in a red wine and serve with lemon zest.
• Bake pitted plum halves in a 200 degree oven until they are wrinkled. Then mix them into a rye bread recipe for a scrumptiously sweet and hardy bread.
• Blend stewed plums and combine with yogurt and honey for wonderful cold soup.
• Add plum slices to cold cereal.

July 22nd - GREEN BEANS

Marinated Bean Salad
This is a healthy, fresh tasting bean salad that will give you an easy way to enjoy the many nutritional benefits of beans with little effort. The fresh herbs make it very flavorful, and it will keep in your refrigerator up to for 3-4 days. In fact, it actually gets better as it marinates. The lima beans and fresh herbs add a nice twist to the more traditional version.

2 cups fresh green beans cut into 1inch lengths
1 15 oz can lima beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBS minced onion
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 large ripe fresh tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, diced
2 TBS chopped fresh basil
1 TBS chopped fresh oregano
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Bring lightly salted water to a boil. Cut green beans by cutting ends off a handful at once. This saves time. Cook green beans in lightly salted boiling water for just about 3-5 minutes, or until tender. Drain well in colander. Dry with paper towels so they don't dilute flavor with excess water.
Drain and rinse canned beans. Let beans sit in colander for another couple of minutes to drain excess water.
Mix all ingredients together. If you have the time, let it marinate for at least 15 minutes. It can keep in the refrigerator for a few days. Keep on hand for a quick meal. Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes, serves 4.

July 15th - DILL

Tips for Cooking with Dill:

• Combine dill weed with plain yogurt and chopped cucumber for a delicious cooling dip.
• Use dill when cooking fish, especially salmon and trout, as the flavors complement one another very well.
• Use dill weed as a garnish for sandwiches.
• Since dill seeds were traditionally used to soothe the stomach after meals, place some seeds in a small dish and place it on the dinner table for all to enjoy.
• Add dill to your favorite egg salad recipe.
• Mix together chopped potatoes, green beans, and plain yogurt, then season with both dill seeds and chopped dill weed.

July 8th - SUMMER SQUASH

Summer Frittata
This is the perfect healthy frittata to serve in the summer months when these nutritious vegetables are at the peak of their season. It is fast, easy and delicious tasting. If you happen to have fresh green chilies, feel free to use them instead of the canned. Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes.

2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
pinch of turmeric
1/2 medium onion chopped fine
1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 4oz can diced green chili
1 small tomato chopped and excess pulp removed
2 TBS chopped cilantro
salt and black pepper to taste

Beat together eggs, egg whites, turmeric, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat 1 TBS broth in 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Saute onion, garlic zucchini, and green chili for about 3 minutes stirring frequently. After 3 minutes add tomato, cilantro salt and pepper to zucchini mixture. Pour egg mixture over vegetables. Turn heat to low and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes checking periodically to see if eggs are firm. When done, run a rubber spatula around edge of frittata, cut into four wedges and serve. Serves 4.

July 1st - WATERMELON

Grape and Melon Salad
Enjoy the flavors of summer fruits in this refreshing summer salad that only takes minutes to prepare. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 lb seedless grapes, whatever is in season
1 cantaloupe scooped out with melon baller
2 cups worth of seedless watermelon scooped out with melon baller
1/2 cup whole peppermint leaves
2 TBS lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and serve. Toss with whole peppermint leaves and refrigerate for a couple hours. Remove leaves and serve.

June 24th - CUCUMBERS

• Use half-inch thick cucumber slices as petite serving "dishes" for chopped vegetable salads.
• Mix diced cucumbers with sugar snap peas and mint leaves and toss with rice wine vinaigrette.
• For refreshing cold gazpacho soup that takes five minutes or less to make, simply puree cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers and onions, then add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add diced cucumber to tuna fish or chicken salad recipes.

Enjoy other wonderful cucumber recipes at www.cooks.com

June 17th - STRAWBERRIES

10 Minute Fresh Berry Dessert with Yogurt & Chocolate

This 10 minute dessert combines our favorite flavors in a quick and easy way that is rich tasting, yet healthier than many desserts. The chocolate is a great complement to berries and yogurt. It is perfect for those moments when you want to enjoy this wonderful combination of flavors. Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes

1 basket fresh strawberries or raspberries
8oz low fat vanilla yogurt
2 oz melted dark chocolate

Fold together yogurt and berries. Melt chocolate in a double boiler with heat on medium. Place berries and yogurt in individual bowls and drizzle with melted chocolate. * For a more formal presentation you may want to pour a pool of yogurt on a plate and place berries on top of pool. Drizzle chocolate over berries. Serves 2.

June 3rd - SALMON

Steamed Salmon and Asparagus with Mustard Dill Sauce

This is a quick and easy way to have a nutritious meal in minutes and gives you another way to enjoy the benefits of salmon with this great tasting, healthy sauce. The recipe for the mustard dill sauce will most likely exceed your need for this particular meal. However, it stores for several days and can be used on many dishes. You will find it a favorite staple in the refrigerator. Prep and Cook Time is 20 minutes.

1 1/2 lb salmon filet, skin and bones removed and cut into 4 pieces
1 + 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 bunches asparagus, bottom fourth removed
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt & white pepper to taste

Mustard Dill Sauce:
4 oz silken tofu
1 TBS prepared mustard such as Dijon
4 TBS fresh dill chopped
1 TBS honey
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid. While water is coming to a boil, put all sauce ingredients except olive oil in a blender and begin to blend on high speed for about a minute. While blender is running drizzle olive oil in a little at a time. Set aside. Rub salmon with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Cut ends off asparagus. When water is at a full boil place asparagus in steamer basket, cover, and cook until asparagus is tender, about 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from steamer, toss with 1 TBS lemon juice, 1 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub salmon with 1 TBS lemon juice and season with a little salt and pepper. Place salmon in the same steamer basket and steam until pink inside, about 3-4 minutes. Place salmon on a plate and pour desired amount of sauce over it and the asparagus. Serves 4.

May 27th - CELERY

• Add chopped celery to your favorite tuna fish or chicken salad recipe.
• Enjoy the delicious tradition of eating peanut butter on celery stalks.
• Use celery leaves in salads.
• Braise chopped celery, radicchio and onions and serve topped with walnuts and your favorite soft cheese.
• Next time you are making fresh squeezed carrot juice give it a unique taste dimension by adding some celery to it.
• Add celery leaves and sliced celery stalks to soups, stews, casseroles, and healthy stir fries.

May 20th - SOYBEANS

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Replace some of the wheat flour in your favorite baked goods recipe with soybean flour and increase the protein content of your cookies, cakes, muffins and breads.
• Mix sprouted soybeans into salads or use as toppings for sandwiches.
• Frozen edamame is simple to prepare and makes a great snack or appetizer. Just add the soybean pods to slightly salted water and boil for approximately 10 minutes.
• Add soybeans to vegetable stews and soups.
• Use soymilk in place of cow's milk as a beverage and cereal topper.

April 29th - ALMONDS

Orange and Coconut Salad

4 oranges peeled and cut into segments
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 TBS sliced, toasted almonds

Prepare fruit and toss with coconut and almonds. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes, serves 4.

April 22nd - GREEN PEAS

Minted Green Peas & Carrots

Peas are a wonderful addition to just about any meal. This colorful, fresh tasting recipe we have created is a quick and easy way to enjoy the flavor of peas and carrots and their many benefits in just 15 minutes. Try serving them with our 10 Minute Lamb Chops, Broiled Lemon Chicken Breast for a complete and satisfying meal in less than 30 minutes.

10 oz package of frozen peas, thawed
2 medium size carrots, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
½ medium onion, minced
1 medium clove garlic, pressed
2 tsp fresh chopped mint
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Peel and dice carrots into ½ inch cubes. Bring water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid. Place carrots in steamer basket, cover and steam just about 5 minutes and add peas. Continue to steam for another minute. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat 1 TBS broth in a 10 inch non-stick skillet. Healthy Sauté onion over medium heat in broth for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add steamed carrots and peas along with mint, salt and pepper. Mix well. Remove from heat and toss with lemon juice, and olive oil. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes.

April 15th - ASPARAGUS

15 Minute Stir Fried Chicken & Asparagus

This recipe gives you a quick and easy way to enjoy the delicious tastes of chicken and asparagus. It has a lot of flavor, especially for so few ingredients, and can be made in just 15 minutes from start to finish. Our Healthy Stir-Fry cooking method makes this dish even healthier because it uses no heated oils. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes.

1 medium onion cut in half and sliced medium thick
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1 inch lengths (about 2 cups when cut) discard bottom fourth
1 TBS chicken broth
1 TBS minced fresh ginger
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1inch pieces
2 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS rice vinegar
pinch red chili flakes
salt and white pepper to taste

Heat 1 TBS broth in a stainless steel wok or 12-inch skillet. Healthy Stir Fry onion and asparagus in broth for about 3 minutes over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add ginger, garlic, chicken, and continue to stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes stirring constantly. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and red chili flakes. Stir together and cover. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. This may have to cook for an extra couple minutes if the asparagus is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

April 8th - EGGS

Poached Eggs over Spinach & Mushrooms

This healthy breakfast gives you a delicious way to enjoy the nutritional benefits of vegetables with your poached eggs in the morning. Using frozen spinach makes this recipe quick and easy to do with minimal effort. Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes.

4 large free-range chicken eggs
1 tsp light vinegar, (rice, white wine, or apple cider)
1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1 medium tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
10oz package frozen spinach, thawed and excess water removed
salt and black pepper to taste

Bring water to a high simmer in a 10-inch skillet with 1 tsp of vinegar. In a separate skillet heat 1 TBS broth. Healthy Saute�L onion and mushrooms in broth for 5 minutes over medium heat stirring frequently. Add tomato, garlic, spinach, salt and pepper and saute�L for another 2-3 minutes. When water comes to a high simmer poach eggs for about 5 minutes, or until whites are firm. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and place over spinach mixture. Serves 4.

April 1st - LAMB

15 Minute Rosemary Lamb Chops

There is just no better complement than rosemary to lamb. It is delicious. This recipe will give you a way to enjoy the healthy benefits of lamb and rosemary in just 15 minutes with very little effort. The quick broil method makes this dish very fast and easy. If you like lamb, you will love this dish. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes.

12 lamb chops
6 TBS fresh lemon juice
3 TBS chopped fresh rosemary,
3 medium cloves garlic pressed, ¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Mix together lemon juice, rosemary, pressed garlic, salt and pepper. Rub lamb chops with mixture. Set aside on plate. (you might want to prepare the rest of your meal at this point). Preheat broiler on high heat, and place a metal oven-proof pan big enough to hold lamb chops under heat to get hot, about 5-7 inches from the heat source. Heat pan for about 10 minutes. Once pan is hot, place lamb chops in pan, and return to broiler for about 4-5 minutes, depending on thickness of lamb. Lamb is cooked quickly as it is cooking on both sides at the same time. Serves 4.

March 25th - FLAXSEEDS

The warm, earthy and subtly nutty flavor of flaxseeds combined with an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids makes them an increasingly popular addition to the diets of many a health conscious consumer.

Tips for Preparing Flaxseeds:

Grind flaxseeds in a coffee or seed grinder in order to enhance their digestibility and therefore their nutritional value. If adding ground flaxseeds to a cooked cereal or grain dish, do so at the end of cooking since the soluble fiber in the flaxseeds can thicken liquids if left too long.

• Sprinkle ground flaxseeds onto your hot or cold cereal.
• Add flaxseeds to your homemade muffin, cookie or bread recipe.
• To pump up the nutritional volume of your breakfast shake, add ground flaxseeds.
• To give cooked vegetables a nuttier flavor, sprinkle some ground flaxseeds on top of them.
• Add a tablespoon of flaxseed oil to smoothies.

March 18th - MAPLE SYRUP

Baked Apple

If you like apples, and who doesn't, you will love this baked apple recipe. It is so easy and effortless to prepare, giving you another delicious way to enjoy all the benefits of apples. This recipe is good enough to serve to company. Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour

4 crisp red apples
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 cups water
Filling
½ cup honey or maple syrup
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Core apples using a melon baller leaving the bottom of apple so they hold the stuffing. Combine lemon juice and water, and place apples in it as you complete coring them. Mix stuffing ingredients together and fill cavity of apples. Place apples in a baking dish with about 1 cup of the lemon water in the bottom of the dish. Bake uncovered for about 50-60 minutes depending on size of apples, until they are tender. Drizzle juice from bottom of pan over apples and serve hot.

March 11th - ORANGES

Orange, Pineapple, Papaya Salad

This is a beautiful refreshing fruit dessert that is so easy to prepare. When these fruits are in season, there is nothing more satisfying. The natural sweetness of the fruit needs no extra sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth. For an extra special taste, try using mangoes in place of the papaya when they are in season.

1 medium sized pineapple cut into 1 inch pieces
4 oranges, segments cut out from membrane
1 large papaya, cut into pieces
2 TBS sliced almonds

Directions: Cut fruit and mix together, and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serves 4. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Healthy Cooking Tips: Because of the simplicity of this recipe it is important to start with fresh, ripe ingredients. It is worth taking the time to check our animation of cutting orange segments if you haven't done this before. Cut correctly, you will eliminate the bitterness and rough texture of the membrane without the segments falling apart.

March 4th - SPINACH

Mediterranean Spinach
This spinach recipe helps you to get this super food into your diet very easily. The simple dressing is the perfect complement. You will find that it doesn’t need anything else to be great tasting and satisfying. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

4 medium bunches fresh spinach
1/2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 medium cloves fresh garlic, pressed
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Bring lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Cut stems off spinach leaves and clean well. This can be done easily by leaving spinach bundled and cutting off stems all at once. Rinse spinach leaves very well as they often contain a lot of soil. Cook spinach in simmering water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and press out excess water. Toss in rest of ingredients and serve. Make sure you don't toss spinach with dressing until you are ready to serve. Otherwise the flavor will become diluted. Serves four.

February 25th -TUNA

Learn more about this nutrient-dense food at The World's Healthiest Foods website, and enjoy some of their favorite tuna recipes.

February 18th - CHILI PEPPERS

Visit The World's Healthiest Foods to learn how red chili peppers add zest to flavorful dishes around the world and health to those brave enough to risk their fiery heat.

February 11th - HONEY RECIPES

Visit The World's Healthiest Foods to read about this wonderfully rich golden liquid that is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar.

February 4th - FRUITY PEANUT BUTTER DIP

This great dip for fresh fruit, celery and baby carrots can also be used as a tasty spread.

1 medium apple, cored and quartered but not peeled
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup all natural peanut butter
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups of fresh fruit and vegetables such as apple slices, celery sticks and baby carrots

In a food processor, chop one apple and cranberries. In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, orange juice and cinnamon. Stir apple/cranberry mixture into peanut butter mixture until combined. Cover and refrigerate. Serves: 14

January 28th - ONION RECIPES

Learn the health benefits of onions, selection and storage tips, and recipes from www.whfoods.com.

January 21st - GINGERED CABBAGE

This quick and easy recipe is a great way to enjoy cabbage in just 15 minutes. It is flavorful and a great complement to dishes such as Asian Broiled Tuna. If you can’t find Savoy cabbage, green cabbage is a fine substitute. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

6 cups chopped Savoy cabbage
½ cup chopped scallion
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS minced fresh ginger
1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
1 ½ TBS soy sauce
½ TBS rice vinegar
salt and white pepper to taste

January 14th - VENISON RECIPES

Venison World.com

Hunting PA.com

Backwoods Bound.com

January 7, 2007 - GREEN TEA

Learn about the health benefits of green tea at www.whfoods.com.

December 31st - BLACK-EYED PEAS AND SPINACH

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 whole cloves
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz. can low-sodium black-eyed peas
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoons chili powder

In a medium saucepan heat the oil and add the cloves. When the cloves start to swell, add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is slightly golden brown. Add the black-eyed peas with their liquid. Squeeze the spinach dry then add it, the water, and chili powder to the black-eyed peas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until the spinach is done, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the cloves. Serve the spinach and its broth hot in individual bowls.

December 10th - YOGURT WITH FRUIT

1 apple chopped
½ cup raisins
1 cup seedless grapes
2 sliced bananas
1 cup berries, whatever is in season
2 cups plain or vanilla low fat yogurt

Mix all the fruit together and either top with yogurt, or mix all together. Prep and cook time is 15 minutes.

December 3rd - SAGE BISCUITS

These tender biscuits are lovely with just about any soup or stew you care to name. With their hint of sage and the ease of their preparation, Sage Biscuits make a welcome addition to any autumn or winter meal.

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil or butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh sage, minced

Preheat oven to 475F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and place in mixing bowl. Combine oil, egg, milk, and sage in a separate bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ones. Combine with a fork, just until mixed.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment or grease it lightly. Spoon dough onto baking sheet or roll out on a lightly floured countertop and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or floured glass.

Bake 8 to 12 minutes on top rack of even, until the bottoms are nicely browned. Makes 12 modest-sized biscuits.

November 26th - BAKED SWEET POTATO THINS

canola oil cooking spray
2 8-ounce (240 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a non stick cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place the thin potato slices in a single layer on the sheet and spray with the cooking spray. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Bake, turning once if necessary, until the potatoes are cooked through. The time will depend on the thickness. Makes 4 servings.

November 19th - TURKEY

There is probably no other food that evokes images of celebration, family, friends and giving thanks than turkey. Visit The World's Healthiest Foods website for the health benefits of turkey and links to many delicious recipes.

November 12th - CRANBERRY SAUCE

Cranberry Sauce is a favorite dish to serve with holiday meals. This very quick recipe will make it easy for you to add this delicious accompaniment to your meal without much effort.

1 12oz bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced orange zest
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ cup crushed pineapple
½ cup honey

Bring orange juice, ginger, zest and cinnamon to a boil on high heat in a medium saucepan. Rinse cranberries and add once liquid is boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Add crushed pineapple and honey. Remove from heat and cool. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes. Yields 2 cups.

November 5th - PEAR CRISP

A perfect dessert as the weather begins to cool as we approach the winter months. The ginger gives this crisp a special zest. Prep and Cook Time: 17 minutes to prep; 35 minutes to bake

4 d'anjou pears
3 cups water
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup apple juice, divided in half
1 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup almonds
½ cup raisins
½ cup rolled oats
1½ TBS chopped fresh ginger
1 TBS honey

Preheat oven to 350. Place water and lemon juice in bowl. Cut pears into quarters, cut out core and slice ¼ inch thick. As you do this place the pear slices in water with lemon juice to keep from turning brown. Drain and toss pears with cinnamon and ¼ cup of the apple juice. Place almonds, oats, raisins and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well ground and mixed. Place in a bowl and add honey and rest of apple juice. Mix well. Place pears in an 8x8 baking dish and cover with topping. Bake for about 35 minutes until pears are bubbling.

October 29th - TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds
Cooking spray, olive oil, or butter
Optional: Salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, or other seasoning of choice

Rinse pumpkin seeds. Use your fingers to remove all the pulp. Drain pumpkin seeds and discard pulp. Spread out on paper towels on a cookie sheet to dry overnight.

Preheat oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil. Toss pumpkin seeds in olive oil, butter, or spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, or your choice of seasonings. Toss to coat. Bake about 1 hour, tossing every 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool pumpkin seeds before eating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 months or refrigerate up to 1 year. If you like your toasted pumpkin seeds extra-salty, soak overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup salt to 2 cups of water. Dry an additional day, then proceed as above.

October 22nd - CINNAMON SWEET POTATO SLICES

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange sweet potato slices on the baking sheet. Brush with 1/2 the butter. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle 1/2 over the potatoes. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn, brush with remaining butter, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar. Continue baking 15 minutes, or until tender. Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 30 minutes.

October 15th - RED ONION AND ALMOND-STUFFED WINTER SQUASH

4 small winter squashes (carnival, acorn, golden acorn, delicata, or other)
1 tablespoon no hydrogenated margarine or butter
1 large red onion, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted almonds
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

If using an oven, preheat to 375. Cut the squashes in half lengthwise and place halves in a baking dish, cut side up, with about 1/2 inch of water, and cover with foil. Bake until easily pierced with a knife but still holding their shape, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size and type of squash used. Or microwave, using as a rule of thumb 4 to 7 minutes for each squash. Test occasionally to be sure they don't get overcooked.

When the squashes are cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds. Scoop out the pulp and transfer to a mixing bowl, leaving a sturdy shell of about 1/4 inch think all around. Heat the margarine or butter in a medium skillet. Add onion and saute over medium heat until golden. Add the almond and continue to saute until they give off a toasty aroma. Combine the onion mixture with the squash pulp. Add ginger, season with salt and pepper, and stir together. Stuff back in to the squash shells. Reheat in the microwave or oven, just until heated through, and serve. Serves 4.

October 8th - SWISS BREAKFAST

This Swiss Breakfast recipe has a great tasting combination of flavors that give you both natural sweetness and tartness. It is good served hot or cold, making it a good, comforting meal all year round. It’s worth making a big batch to have on hand.

4 cups oats
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup raisins
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup dried apricots chopped
½ cup sunflower seeds
4 chopped dates
¼ cup dried cranberries

Mix all ingredients together - yields 8 servings - mixure can be kept so it's ready for future use.

For 2 servings: bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1 ¼ cups Swiss Breakfast. Turn heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until water is absorbed, about 7 minutes. Cover, and set for about 2 minutes before serving. Serve with a touch of low fat milk or unsweetened soy milk.

Prep and cook time is 10 minutes, yields 8 servings. Cooking tip: for best consistency, use rolled oats for this recipe.

October 1st - APPLE AND THYME CHICKEN

2 whole boneless and skinless chicken breasts, about 1/2 pound each, halved and all traces of fat removed
butter flavored cooking spray
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 medium Granny Smith or other tart green apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F. Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Arrange apple slices over and around chicken breasts. Sprinkle with shallot and thyme leaves; pour on the balsamic vinegar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until chicken is opaque throughout. Arrange cooked breasts on a platter and spoon apples and cooking juices on top. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve at once. 4 servings.

Per Serving: 163 calories (9% calories from fat), 27 g protein, 2 g total fat (0.4 g saturated fat), 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 66 mg cholesterol, 78 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 1 carbohydrate (1 fruit)

September 24th - SOYBEANS

Soybeans' key benefits are related to its excellent protein content, its high levels of essential fatty acids, numerous vitamins and minerals, its isoflavones, and its fiber.

September 17th - BELL PEPPER DELIGHT WITH GREEN TOMATOES

2 tbsp. olive oil
4 green tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, green onions and apple cider vinegar. Saut? until tender crisp, for 5 to 10 minutes.

September 10th - HONEY GLAZED PEA PODS AND CARROTS

2 cups sliced carrots
1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons honey

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Add pea pods and cook until tender crisp; drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in the same pan and stir in cornstarch. Return carrots and peas to pan and stir in honey. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Yields 6 servings.

September 3rd - ROASTED GARLIC

August 27th - WATERMELON SPRITZER

August 20th - GUACAMOLE DIP

Mash avocados in bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Cover and chill.

August 13th - CANTALOUPE SALSA

Here's a great salsa to serve with grilled chicken, fish or pork.

1/2 large ripe cantaloupe
3/4 cup finely diced red and or yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
juice of 1 lime
salt and crushed pepper flakes to taste

Remove seeds and rind from cantaloupe. Chop cantaloupe into very small cubes. Add remaining ingredients. Chill.

August 6th - MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER TOMATOES

5 fresh tomatoes
5 shallots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 loaf French bread, for dipping (optional)

July 30th - BLUEBERRY-APPLE FROSTY from the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association

• 2 cups fresh or slightly thawed frozen blueberries
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup frozen vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a food processor or blender, place blueberries, apple juice, yogurt, milk and cinnamon; whirl until smooth. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings; about 4 cups

July 16th - ASIAN GRILLED SALMON

Make a marinade of:

• 1 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of red wine
• 1 teaspoon of ginger
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Pour the marinade into a large, resealable plastic bag, seal and shake to mix it all together. Add four 6-ounce salmon pieces and shake so all sides of the fish get coated with the marinade, and refrigerate for one hour. Grill salmon pieces on each side for 3 - 5 minutes, remove from grill and serve.

July 2nd - PEPPERMINT THAI DUMPLINGS

Yield: 5 servings

This is much easier than it sounds. These days you can buy wonton skins in the produce department of your supermarket. You can also buy wonton makers in Asian grocery stores; they make perfect wontons with no effort.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups (1L) water
6 peppermint tea bags
1 pound (455g) ground pork or turkey
2 Tbsp (25g) diced scallions 2 Tbsp (30mL) wok oil
20 wonton skins 1/4 cup (60mL)

Apricot-Ginger wonton dipping sauce:
3 Tbsp (45mL) water
1/2 cup (120mL) light soy sauce
1 Apricot Ginger tea bag

Directions: Bring 1/2 cup (120mL) of water to a boil and add 2 of the tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes and remove the tea bags, squeezing excess liquid into the tea; then discard the bags. Combine the tea, ground pork or turkey, scallions, and wok oil, and blend well. Place 2 Tbsp (30mL) of the mixture on each wonton skin and fold up the sides. Place the remaining 4 tea bags in the 4 cups (.95L) water, and bring to a boil in the bottom part of a steamer. Place the wonton on the top of the steamer and steam for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.

To make dipping sauce: Combine the water, soy sauce, and tea bag, and let steep for 20 minutes. Remove the tea bag, squeezing excess liquid into the sauce; then discard the bag. Serve as a dipping sauce for Peppermint Thai Dumplings.

Nutrition Facts: Calories: 33 Fat: 0g % fat calories: 4% Cholesterol: 0mg Carbohydrate: 6g Fiber: 0g

Courtesy of Celestial Seasonings (from Cooking with Tea, by Jennifer and Mo Siegal)

June 25th - GRILLED ASPARAGUS: