The addition of beans makes this salad filling and add extra fiber to your meal. This is a great summer side that hits the spot.
White Bean and Tomato Salad
4 servings
167 calories per serving
1 T white vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 drop Tabasco sauce
2 t oil
16 oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 T chopped basil
1 T chopped parsley
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ large red bell pepper, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and Tabasco and whisk while adding the oil. Combine beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, basil, parsley, scallions and garlic. Add the dressing and toss well to coat the cover and refrigerate ½ hour. Just before serving add salt and pepper to taste.
This one is as versatile as it gets – take any veggies, steam them, and then add the sauce ! The mustard and scallions add a nice dimension to the cheese sauce too 🙂
Veggies in Cheese Sauce
6 servings
80 calories per serving
1 lb. broccoli separated into florets
4 thin carrots peeled and cut lengthwise in half
4 oz. Velveeta cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 T water
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 t dijon mustard
Place carrots and broccoli in a steamer basket and steam 5 minutes. Mix water and velveeta and microwave 1- 2 minutes or until well blended then add scallions and mustard. Drizzle sauce over vegetables.
This is very different from your typical mac salad ! Instead of pasta, this recipe uses rice and adds some nice fresh Spring veggies. What a great dish to serve at your next barbecue !
Spring Rice and Veggie Salad
8 servings
150 calories per serving
4 c cooked minute rice (white or brown) – after cooking , cool to room temperature
1 c halved grape tomatoes
1 c fresh asparagus spears (cut into 1 inch pieces), boiled 3 minutes then rinsed in cold water
3/4 cup light mayo
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T chopped parsley
Juice of one lemon
Grated zest of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients well and serve. (you could also chill this and then serve – but I like it best room temperature)
This makes a great side dish or a perfect appetizer served with Crostini bread or crackers. Every caponata you find is a little different – there are so many components that it is easy to get different versions. This one uses very little oil and is my absolute favorite. By pre-cooking the eggplant in the oven, you use much less oil and you won’t even miss it ! It has all my favorite things and has a great depth of flavor.
Eggplant Caponata
6 servings
149 calories per serving
1 large eggplant, trimmed, but not peeled and then cut into 1 inch cubes
½ t salt
2 t oil
2 c chopped celery
¼ c celery leaves, chopped
1 c chopped onions
½ c water
2 t minced garlic
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (including the juice)
2 T tomato paste
20 small black olives, chopped (you can use green if you prefer)
2 T white wine vinegar
1 t unsweetened cocoa
½ t black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
¼ c chopped basil
¼ c toasted pine nuts
2 t oil
Pam
To toast pine nuts, sauté in a hot, dry skillet for a few moments – until golden and aromatic. Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with ½ t salt. Mix well so that all eggplant is salted. Then place a small plate or bowl on top of the eggplant and weight it by placed a canned product or some other heavy object. The salt and the weight will draw some of the bitter liquid from the eggplant and you will end up with a much sweeter tasting caponata. Let sit for an hour then rinse eggplant and pat dry. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with Pam, and place eggplant on sheet in a single layer. Cook for 20 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a skillet and add 2 t of oil. Also spray with a bit of pan and then sauté onions and celery on medium high heat until partially softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté a minute longer. Add ½ c water and continue cooking another 10 minutes. If the mix gets dry, add up to ¼ c more water to keep it moist. Add tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste and olives and cook on medium for 10 minutes until sauce thickens a bit. Add eggplant, vinegar, salt, pepper and cocoa and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted nuts and 2 t oil. Serve room temperature or chilled.
I’m always looking for new ways to serve up green beans – the family loves them but it gets a little boring. Sprinkling with parm just before serving is a great way to prepare them !
Check out the online cookbook, Keep the Beat ™ (available in pdf format) for some great ideas for healthful food that kids will eat and they will enjoy preparing with you. Kids learn by example – show them how good healthy food can be !!!
Parmesan Green Beans
4 servings
95 calories per serving
1 T olive oil
1 t garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 bag (16 oz) frozen green beans
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
¼ t ground black pepper
Combine olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook until garlic is soft, but not browned (about 30 seconds). Add onion, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until soft. Add green beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, until the beans are heated through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pepper, and serve.
Green Goddess dressing was invented in the 20’s at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco and was quite popular for many years. You don’t see it too often anymore, but it’s a great change from the typical ranch dressing and is a snap to make. This one is lightened up using low fat mayo and rich, thick Greek yogurt and I find it perfect on a crispy lettuce such as iceberg.
Green Goddess Dressing
2 ½ T = 1 serving
36 calories per serving
Makes 1 ½ cups
1 c plain fat free Greek yogurt
½ c low fat mayonnaise
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t lemon juice
½ t Tabasco
3 canned anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 c parsley
¼ c tarragon
¼ c chives
¼ c chervil
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend well.
Serve these next to just about any chicken, beef or pork dinner for a great zesty side.
Grilled Onions
4 servings
100 calories per serving
2 large onions, cut into ½ inch slices
2 T oil
2 T Dijon mustard
1 t chili powder
Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
Pam
Preheat grill. Mix mustard and chili powder. Toss onions with oil then place onion slices in a grill basket or on a grill plate sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill 5 minutes or so per side basting with the sauce along the way.
This dish is worthy of any Mexican restaurant out there ! The salsas give the beans a subtle flavor and the velvety consistency of the refried beans is a perfect side to all Mexican fare. Try serving with Mini Chile Rellenos for a great Mexican inspired night.
Jazzed Up Refried Beans
6 servings
159 calories per serving
16 oz. can nonfat refried beans
15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
¼ c prepared salsa
¼ c prepared salsa verde
2/3 c shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
4 scallions, sliced
Pam
Preheat broiler. Mix Beans, refried beans, salsas and 1/3 c of cheese in a pan and cook until hot throughout and the cheese has melted. Turn into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and the scallions and broil 2 minutes or until cheese is brown.
So different from your typical stuffed pepper – this is a great vegetarian recipe. These make a great dinner with a side salad. Or serve half a portion (1/2 a pepper) as a side.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
4 servings
324 calories per serving
4 yellow bell peppers
1/2 c orzo
15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Pam
1 large shallot, chopped
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped coarsely
1 t oregano flakes
1 t garlic powder
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
½ c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 c sun dried tomatoes, (dehydrated, not the ones in oil), chopped
1 T sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Leave the stems on. Clean out the insides (seeds and membranes) and set aside. Cook orzo according to package instructions. Heat a skillet and spray with Pam. Saute shallot for 3 minutes adding a tablespoon or 2 of water if they start to dry out. Take ¾’s of the chickpeas and roughly mash them. Add spinach to shallots and cook another minute. Add orzo, chickpeas, oregano, garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper and heat through. Add cheese and vinegar and stir well. Spoon mix into the pepper shells. Spray a baking dish with Pam and place peppers in pan. Sprinkle with mozzarella, cover and bake 30 minutes.
Perfect next to grilled fish, grilled chicken, burgers – – this corn salsa is so easy to put together and so refreshing on a hot summer night.
Corn Salsa
4 servings
105 calories per serving
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 c frozen corn kernels, thawed (you can use canned, but the frozen tastes fresher)
½ can diced tomatoes, drained
2 T chopped cilantro
3 T lime juice
1/2 t cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
