Recipes

Have a recipe you’d like to see slenderized? Send it to us and watch this space for "before" and "after" results. These recipes were favorites gathered by our trainer, Jen from Cooking Light.

FAVORITES

The temptation to overeat when entertaining is there for all of us but if you are careful with your portions and focus on enjoying time with family or friends, then you can avoid some weight gain. Here are a few slimmed down recipes to offer guests in place of cookies or candy. These recipes are lightened versions for your enjoyment:

Cranberry-Orange Ginger Chutney

This can be served as a condiment with roast turkey, chicken, or pork or on toast. 1 t olive oil
1/2 c minced shallots
1 T finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 c fresh orange juice
2 c fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
1/2 c sugar
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 t kosher salt
1/4 t ground allspice

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and ginger; cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add juice; scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add cranberries and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Cover and chill 2 hours. Yield: 6 servings (serving size ¼ cup).

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories 102, Fat .8g, Protein .6g, Carb 24.1g, Fiber 1.6g, Chol 0mg, Sodium 81mg

Brown Sugar-Glazed Sweet Potato Wedges

This dish can be made up to two days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator covered. You just need to reheat it at 350, covered, for 20 minutes or until it is heated through.
1/4 c unsalted butter
3/4 c packed dark brown sugar
1/4 c water
1 t salt
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground ginger
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in half crosswise, and cut into ½ inch wedges

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, water, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon; bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Discard cinnamon stick. Combine sugar mixture and potato wedges in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange potato mixture on a large jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes or until tender, stirring after 20 minutes. Yield: 12 servings (serving size (2/3 cup).

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories 182, Fat 3.9g, Protein 1.7g, Carb 36.1g, Fiber 3g, Chol 10mg, Sodium 211mg

Roasted Sweet Onion Dip

Make this recipe a day ahead to allow the flavors to combine thoroughly.
2 large Vidalia or other sweet onions, peeled and quartered
1 T olive oil
1 t salt, divided
1 whole garlic head
1/3 c low fat sour cream
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1 T fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425. 2. Place onion in a large bowl; drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with ½ t salt; toss to coat. Remove white papery skin from garlic head but do not peel or separate cloves. Wrap in foil. Place onion and foil wrapped garlic on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Chop onion. Separate garlic cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. 3. Combine onion, garlic, ½ t salt, sour cream, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour. Yield 8 servings (serving size ¼ cup).

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories66, Fat 2.5g, Protein 1.7g, Carb 10.3g, Fiber 1.5g Chol 3.3mg, Sodium 308mg

Glazed Honey Nuts

Serve this as a snack or toss with a mixed greens salad. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet before they’re completely cooled to prevent them from clumping.
1 t salt
1/4 t curry powder
1/4 t ground red pepper
Cooking spray
1 c unsalted pecan halves
1 c unsalted walnut halves
2 T honey

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine salt, curry, and ground red pepper. 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pecans, walnuts, and honey. Cook 4 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring constantly. Sprinkle nuts evenly with spice mixture, tossing well to coat. 3. Spread nut mixture onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Yield 16 servings (serving size 2 tablespoons).

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories 96, Fat 8.9g, Protein 1.6g, Carb 4g, Fiber 1.1g, Chol 0mg, Sodium 146mg

Ginger-Hazelnut Pumpkin Tart

Cooking spray
1/2 (15 oz) pkg refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
2/3 c granulated sugar
1/2 c part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 c fat free milk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
1/4 t salt
1 (15oz can) pumpkin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 T chopped hazelnuts, toasted
2 T chopped crystallized ginger
2 T brown sugar
3 1/3 c vanilla low fat ice cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375. 2. Coat bottom only of a 9-inch round removable bottom tart pan with cooking spray. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan. Pierce bottom and sides of dough with fork. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. 3. Combine granulated sugar, cheese, milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, pumpkin, and eg in a food processor; process until well blended. Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the prepared crust. Combine hazelnuts, ginger, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over pumpkin mixture. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until set. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack. Serve with low fat vanilla ice cream. Yield 10 servings (serving size 1 tart slice and 1/3 cup ice cream).

NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories 294, Fat 9.8g, Protein 6g, Carb 45.6g Fiber 2.1g, Chol 33mg, Sodium 200mg

Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large button mushrooms (about 1 ¾ pounds)
Cooking spray
3 T chopped green onions
1 garlic clove, minced
4 oz 50%-less-fat pork sausage
1/2 t crushed red pepper
1/4 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/4 c (2oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 c dry breadcrumbs
3 T grated fresh Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. Clean mushrooms, and remove stems; finely chop stems 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add sausage, and cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the reserved mushroom stems, red pepper, salt, and black pepper; sauté 2 minutes or until stems are tender. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and breadcrumbs. Stuff 1 T sausage mushroom mixture into each mushroom cap. Arrange mushroom caps in a 13x9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkled evenly with Parmesan. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and thoroughly heated. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed mushrooms).

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories 64, Fat 3.3g, Protein 4g, Carb 4.5g Fiber 0.2g, Chol 11mg, Sodium 159mg