green beans with cherry tomatoes

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 cups cherry tomato halves

Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Ready Time: 20 mins


• place beans and water in a large saucepan. cover, and bring to a boil. set heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. drain off water, and set aside.
• melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. stir in sugar, garlic salt, pepper and basil. add tomatoes, and cook stirring gently just until soft. pour the tomato mixture over the green beans, and toss gently to blend.

spinach and feta pita bake

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (6 ounce) tub sun-dried tomato pesto
• 6 (6 inch) whole wheat pita breads
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bunch spinach, rinsed and chopped
• 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ground black pepper to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 12 mins Ready Time: 22 mins


• preheat the oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• spread tomato pesto one side of each pita bread and place them pesto-side up on a baking sheet. top pitas with tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, feta cheese, and parmesan cheese; drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper.
• bake in the preheated oven until pita breads are crisp, about 12 minutes. cut pitas into quarters.

pumpkin cream cheese muffins

Ingredients

• Servings: 18
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe

• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.
• to make the filling: in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. beat until smooth, then set aside.
• for the streusel topping: in a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. set aside.
• for the muffin batter: in a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. beat together until smooth.
• place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. sprinkle on the streusel topping.
• bake at 375 degrees f (195 degrees c) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Baby Spinach Omelet

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup torn baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 6 mins Cook Time: 9 mins Ready Time: 15 mins


• in a bowl, beat the eggs, and stir in the baby spinach and parmesan cheese. season with onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• in a small skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat, cook the egg mixture about 3 minutes, until partially set. flip with a spatula, and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes. reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Dijon Garlic Salmon

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
• 1/3 cup dijon mustard
• 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 35 mins


• preheat oven to 400 degrees f (200 degrees c). spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
• arrange the salmon skin side down in the prepared pan, and lightly coat with the dijon mustard. place the garlic and onion slices on the salmon fillets. season with tarragon, salt, and pepper.
• bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 2 bunches green onions, diced
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Ready Time: 30 mins


• in a saucepan bring water to a boil. add quinoa and a pinch of salt. reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
• meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. stir in cooled quinoa.

low carb flavored meringue cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar-free strawberry jell-o® mix
• 1 cup granulated no-calorie sugar substitute (such as splenda®)
• 6 egg whites at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• preheat oven to 250 degrees f (120 degrees c). line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• cut about 1/4 inch off a corner of a heavy gallon-size resealable plastic bag, and push a large-size cake decorating tip (such as a star tip) into the opening. the fit should be tight.
• in a small bowl, stir the gelatin mix with the sugar substitute. in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until stiff peaks form. as you beat the egg whites, gradually add the gelatin mixture, about 1 tablespoon at a time. spoon the fluffy mixture into the prepared plastic bag, and gently squeeze and twist the bag to force the meringue mixture to the decorating tip. (do not seal bag, so that air can escape.)
• squeeze the bag to place golf-ball size dollops of meringue mixture the prepared baking sheets. for a decorative effect, twist and lift as you place the cookie on the sheet, to make a pretty shape.
• bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set and dry, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. do not open oven door while baking. at end of baking time, turn off oven, open oven door, and allow the cookies to slowly cool in the oven before removing from baking sheets. store in airtight container.