RECIPE #51: BLUEBERRY ALMOND FRENCH TOAST BAKE

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 whole-wheat baguette (about 18 inches long, 8 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
8 large eggs
8 large egg whites
2 cups 1 percent lowfat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Directions

Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the baking pan. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan, spreading it around so the liquid saturates the bread. Scatter the blueberries evenly on top and sprinkle with the almonds and brown sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the baking pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.

Per Serving:
Calories 270

Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 2.5 g, Mono Fat 2 g, Poly Fat 0.75 g) ; Protein 16 g; Carb 35 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 220 mg; Sodium 280 mg

RECIPE #50: CHILI CUMIN STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Ingredients
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
toothpicks

Directions
In a bowl, mix the shredded Cheddar cheese, green pepper, red pepper, cilantro, and tomatoes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cover one side of the chicken breasts with enough cheese mixture to coat. Roll breasts over mixture, and secure with toothpicks.
Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Pour in the remaining cheese mixture. Cover, and cook 3 hours on High.

RECIPE #49: GRILLED PIZZA MARGHERITA

Ingredients
1 (24 ounce) jar Bertolli® Olive Oil & Garlic Sauce
1 (12 inch) prebaked pizza crust
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions
Evenly spread sauce on pizza crust, then top with cheese. Grill covered over medium heat, rotating pizza occasionally, 10 minutes or until sauce is hot and cheese is melted. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

RECIPE #48: BROCCOLI WITH RIGATONI

Ingredients
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound fresh broccoli florets
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 pound rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
In large skillet heat oil and butter. Gently brown garlic, add broccoli and saute gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth; cover and simmer until broccoli is tender.
Toss the broccoli mixture with the basil and cooked pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

RECIPE #47: CHEESY CORNED BEEF HASH CASSEROLE

Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk
1 (15 ounce) can corned beef hash
1 small onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pound processed cheese, cubed

Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x8 inch casserole dish.
In a large bowl, mix together soup, milk, corned beef hash, onion, salt, pepper and noodles. Spoon into prepared casserole and sprinkle with cubed cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

RECIPE #46: MEXICAN TURKEY BURGERS

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup salsa
1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 pound ground turkey
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
6 tablespoons sour cream
2 cups shredded lettuce

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Coat a medium baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion, green pepper, and garlic 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.
In a small bowl, mix the salsa and 1/2 the corn. In a large bowl, mix the onion mixture with the turkey, taco seasoning, and 2 tablespoons of the salsa mixture. Divide into 6 patties, and press into the breadcrumbs to lightly coat on all sides. Arrange coated patties in the prepared baking dish.
Bake the patties 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Drain any liquid from the dish, turn patties, and spread with the remaining salsa mixture. Continue baking 10 minutes, to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).
Warm the tortillas in the microwave, about 30 seconds on High. Wrap the cooked turkey patties in the warmed tortillas with sour cream and lettuce. Sprinkle with remaining corn to serve.

RECIPE #45: HAM AND PEAR PANINI

Ingredients
4 slices bread
1 tablespoon mustard
6 slices ham
1 pear, peeled and thinly sliced
2 dashes ground black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon light margarine (such as I Can't Believe It's Not Butter - Light ®)

Directions
Spread 2 slices of bread with the mustard. Layer each with 3 slices of ham, half of the pear slices, a dash of pepper, and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining bread. Lightly spread margarine on the outer sides of each sandwich.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grill the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Cut each sandwich in half to serve.

RECIPE #44 BROCCOLI CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups chopped chicken breast meat
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl combine the chicken, soup, milk, cheese, broccoli, green onion, basil and pepper. Mix well and spread mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes, until bubbly.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 208 Total Fat: 8.6g Cholesterol: 63mg

RECIPE #43 SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA

Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed
2 cups cooked rice

Directions
In a slow cooker, combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and chicken broth. Stir in oregano, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves, and thyme.
Cover, and cook on LOW for 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Stir in the thawed shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over cooked rice.

RECIPE #42 ZUCCHINI PARMESAN CRISPS

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (3/4-ounce)
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and a few turns of pepper. Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating it evenly on both sides, pressing the coating on to stick, and place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove with spatula. Serve immediately.

Per Serving:
(serving size, 1/2 cup)
Calories 105; Total Fat 6g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 2g, Poly Fat 0g); Protein 5g; Carb 8.5g; Fiber 1.5g; Cholesterol 1mg; Sodium 222mg

RECIPE #41 TURKISH DUMPLINGS

Ingredients
2 1-ounce packets plain instant oatmeal(about 2/3 cup)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Kosher salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces ground beef
1 small white onion, grated and squeezed dry
Freshly ground pepper

For the Toppings:
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, grated
Kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS

Make the dumplings: Cook the oatmeal as the label directs, then let cool. Combine the oatmeal, flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the egg and olive oil to the well and mix with a fork. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Cover with a towel and let rest 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the beef, onion, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the toppings: Whisk the yogurt, garlic, cup water, and salt to taste in a bowl. Heat the olive oil in a small skilletover medium heat. Add the pepper flakes and paprika and cook 1 minute. Set the yogurt sauce and spiced oil aside.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a 20-by-4-inch rectangle, then cut into 2-inch squares. Place 1 teaspoon beef filling in the center of each square, fold over into a triangle and press the edges to seal.
Boil the dumplings in batches, stirring occasionally, until they float, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to bowls. Top with the yogurt sauce and spiced oil.

RECIPE #40 CABBAGE ROLLS

Ingredients
12 leaves cabbage
1 cup cooked white rice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced onion
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbage leaves 2 minutes; drain.
In large bowl, combine 1 cup cooked rice, egg, milk, onion, ground beef, salt, and pepper. Place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking in ends. Place rolls in slow cooker.
In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls.
Cover, and cook on Low 8 to 9 hours.

RECIPE #39 SKILLET CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Ingredients
4 cups 1-inch cauliflower florets (about 1/2 large head)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

DIRECTIONS
Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
Bring cauliflower, 1 1/4 cups milk and salt to a boil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup cheese and oil in a small bowl. Whisk flour and the remaining 1/4 cup milk in another small bowl until smooth; stir the mixture into the pan and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, chives, mustard and pepper. Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Broil until the top is crispy and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 185 calories; 8 g fat (5 g sat, 2 g mono); 24 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 2 g fiber; 366 mg sodium; 314 mg potassium.

RECIPE #38 GNOCCHI WITH CHERRY TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 minced red chile pepper
2 pints cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh basil
2/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1 (16 ounce) package fresh gnocchi
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and chile pepper; cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, and stir in the cherry tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have lost their form and are beginning to make a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fresh gnocchi, and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently strain out the gnocchi and place into a serving dish.
Stir the basil and olives into the simmering sauce, and cook for one minute. Pour the sauce over the drained gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

RECIPE #37 SLOW COOKER MONGOLIAN BEEF

Ingredients
1 pound flank steak, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 large green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Directions
Place flank steak and cornstarch into a resealable plastic bag. Shake the bag to evenly coat the flank steak with the cornstarch. Allow to steak rest for 10 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir steak until evenly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Place onion, garlic, flank steak, green onions, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, and hoisin sauce in a slow cooker. Cook on Low setting for about 4 hours.

RECIPE #36 BLACK BEAN SMOTHERED SWEET POTATOES

Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 medium tomato, diced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425ºF until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.)
Meanwhile, combine beans, tomato, oil, cumin, coriander and salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave on High until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.)
When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Nutrition
Per serving: 351 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 61 g carbohydrates; 11 g protein; 12 g fiber; 468 mg sodium; 541 mg potassium.

RECIPE #35 HAM & SWISS ROSTI

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 cup diced ham, (about 5 ounces)
1 cup shredded part-skim Jarlsberg, or Swiss cheese, divided
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Preparation
Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in ham, 1/2 cup cheese, shallot, rosemary, pepper and salt. Add frozen potatoes and stir to combine.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pat the potato mixture into an even round in the pan. Cover and cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Place a rimless baking sheet on top. Wearing oven mitts, grasp the pan and baking sheet together and carefully invert, unmolding the rösti onto the baking sheet. Wipe out any browned bits from the pan. Return it to the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Slide the rösti back into the pan. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, cover and cook the second side until crispy and browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Slide onto a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving: 262 calories; 13 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 94 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 2 g fiber; 276 mg sodium; 174 mg potassium.