Flaky Spinach Pies
Makes 40 Appetizers
Ingredients:
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded nonfat or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated nonfat or reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
20 sheets phyllo dough (1 pound)
Olive oil cooking spray
Combine the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella,
Parmesan, and oregano in a medium-sized bowl, and stir to mix
well. Set
aside. Spread the phyllo dough out on a clean dry surface. You should
have a 14x18 inch
sheet that is 20 layers thick. Cut the phyllo dough
lengthwise into 4 long strips. Cover the phyllo
dough with plastic wrap
to prevent it from drying out as you work. (Remove strips as you need
them,
being sure to re-cover the remaining dough.) Remove 1 strip of phyllo
dough, and lay it flat on a
clean dry surface. Spray the strip lightly with
cooking spray. Top with another phyllo strip, and spray
lightly with cooking
spray. Spread 2 teaspoons of filling over the bottom right-hand corner
of the double phyllo
strip. Fold the filled corner up and over to the
left, so that the corner meets the left side of the strip. Continue folding
in this manner until you form a triangle of dough. Repeat with the remaining
dough and filling to make 40 triangles.
Coat a baking sheet with nonstick
cooking spray. Place the appetizers seam side down on the sheet
, and bake
at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Transfer to a serving platter, and serve hot.
Time Saving
Tip: To speed last-minute party preparations, prepare the pies
in advance to the point of baking,
and arrange them in single layers in airtight
plastic containers, separating the layers with sheets
of waxed paper. Freeze
until the day of the party. Then arrange the frozen pies on a coated baking
sheet, and allow them to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before baking.
POINTS: 1
SERVING
SIZE: 1 Appetizer
PER SERVING: 43 Calories, 0.3 g Fat, 0.4 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 2.8 g Protein,
69 mg Sodium
Spicy Gazpacho
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients:
5 cups diced ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 cups peeled, diced cucumber
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2/3 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup nonfat sour cream or plain nonfat yogurt (optional)
Garlic & Herb Croutons (below)
Combine the vegetables in a large
bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients, except for the sour cream
and
croutons, in a medium-sized bowl, and pour over the vegetables. Toss to
mix well. Cover the soup and
chill for several hours or overnight. Ladle
the soup into individual serving bowls, and garnish each
serving with a tablespoonful
of sour cream, if desired and the Garlic and Herb Croutons. Serve Cold.
POINTS: 0.5 (without Croutons or Sour Cream)
SERVING
SIZE: 3/4 cup, soup only
PER SERVING: 34 Calories, 0.3 g Fat, 1.9 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 1.3 g Protein,
100 mg Sodium
Garlic & Herb Croutons
Makes 4 Cups
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
6 cups French bread cubes
Olive oil cooking spray
2 Tbsp grated nonfat parmesan cheese
Rub the inside of a large bowl with
the garlic, and sprinkle with the oregano. Place the bread cubes
in the
bowl, and spray lightly with the cooking spray. Toss gently, and spray
again. Sprinkle
with the Parmesan, and toss to coat. Coat a large
baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on the sheet, and bake at 350 degrees
for about 10 minutes, or until the croutons are lightly browned and crisp.
POINTS: 1
SERVING
SIZE: 3 tablespoons
PER SERVING: 32 Calories, 0.3 g Fat, 0.2 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 1 g Protein, 67
mg Sodium
Italian Eggplant Spread
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound
each)
2 heads garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil (optional)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, or 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise.
Cut 2 deep slits down the length of each half, and insert
the garlic cloves
and dried tomatoes in the slits. Place the eggplants in a baking pan.
Cover and bake
at 450 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until very tender.
Cool to room temperature. Scoop out
the eggplant flesh, along with
the garlic and tomatoes, and place in a food processor or blender with
the remaining
ingredients. Process until smooth. Transfer the spread to a serving
dish, and
serve at room temperature with crusty French bread slices or raw vegetables.
POINTS: 0.5
SERVING
SIZE: 1 tablespoon
PER SERVING: 12 Calories, 0 g Fat, 1.2 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 0.5 g Protein, 24
mg Sodium
Florentine Pasta Salad
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
(not packed in oil)
1 cup water
1 pound bow tie pasta
8 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 can (1 pound) cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup fat-free Italian dressing
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
If using a microwave oven, place
the sun-dried tomatoes and water in a glass bowl, and
microwave uncovered at
high power for 2 minutes. If using a conventional stove top, place
tomatoes
and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil for 20 seconds. Set
the cooked
tomatoes aside for about 20 minutes, or until they have absorbed
the water and cooled. Cook the
pasta al dente according to package directions.
Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
Place the pasta in
a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the cooled tomatoes,
and mix well. Cover the salad and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
POINTS: 3
SERVING
SIZE: 1 1/3 cup
PER SERVING: 200 Calories, 0.9 g Fat, 5.7 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 8.8 g Protein,
269 mg Sodium
Neptune Pasta Salad
For variety, substitute fresh
asparagus pieces for the broccoli.
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients
12 ounces tricolor rotini pasta
2 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1/2 pound)
3 cups cooked crab meat or shrimp (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Dressing
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp nonfat or reduced-fat
mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat-free Italian dressing
1 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 1/2 tsp dried
Cook the pasta until barely al dente
according to package directions. Add the broccoli, and cook for
another
30 seconds, or just until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. Drain,
rinse
with cold water, and drain again. place the pasta mixture in a large
bowl. Add the crab meat or shrimp,
pepper, and scallions, and toss to
mix. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, and stir to mix.
Pour the dressing over the pasta, and toss to mix.
Cover the salad and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
POINTS: 3.5
SERVING
SIZE: 1 cup
PER SERVING: 175 Calories, 1.2 g Fat, 1.8 g Fiber, 30 mg Cholesterol, 13 g Protein,
316 mg Sodium
Italian Ham & Cheese Salad
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients
12 ounces penne pasta
1 1/2 cups diced lean ham
1 1/2 cups diced nonfat or reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Dressing
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp nonfat or reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Cook the pasta al dente according
to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
Place
the pasta in a large bowl. Add the ham, mozzarella, peppers, and scallions,
and toss to mix. In a
small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients, and
stir to mix well. Pour the dressing over the pasta
mixture, and toss to
mix. Cover the salad and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
POINTS: 3.5
SERVING
SIZE: 1 cup
PER SERVING: 171 Calories, 1 g Fat, 1.5 g Fiber, 13 mg Cholesterol, 15 g Protein, 435
mg Sodium
Mediterranean White Bean Salad
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients
2 cups bulgur wheat
4 cups boiling water
3 cans (1 pound each) white beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 1/2 cups chopped red onion
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Dressing
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
or lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp crushed fresh garlic
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Place the bulgur wheat in a large
heat-proof bowl. Add the boiling water, stir, and set aside for 30 minutes.
Combine the beans, celery, onion, and parsley in a large bowl, and stir
to mix. Combine the dressing
ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting
lid, and shake to mix well. pour the dressing over the bean mixture,
and
toss to mix. Drain the bulgur of any excess water, and add the bulgur
to the bean mixture.
Toss well. Cover the salad and chill for at
least 2 hours before serving.
POINTS: 2
SERVING
SIZE: 1 cup
PER SERVING: 196 Calories, 0.9 g Fat, 11 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 9 g Protein, 115
mg Sodium
Lemon Blitz Cake
Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients
1 angel food cake (1 pound)
Filling
1/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
1 2/3 cups skim milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon rind
Topping
3/4 cup nonfat lemon yogurt
1 1/2 cups light whipped topping
To make the filling, combine the
cornstarch and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan, and stir to mix well.
use a
wire whisk to slowly whisk in the milk. Place over medium heat, and bring
to a boil,
stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir for 1 minute,
or until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Remove the milk mixture
from the heat, and whisk in the lemon juice and rind. Cover and chill
for several
hours or overnight to thicken. Just before assembling the
cake, make the topping by gently folding
the yogurt into the whipped topping.
Set aside. To assemble the cake, use a bread knife to cut the
cake
lengthwise into 3 layers. Stir the filling. Place the bottom
cake layer on a serving platter, and spread
with half of the filling. Repeat
with the second layer. Top with the third cake layer, and spread the topping
over the top and sides of the cake. Chill the cake for 1 to 2 hours, slice,
and serve.
POINTS: 3.5
PER SERVING: 174 Calories, 1.3 g Fat, 0.8 g Fiber, 0 mg Cholesterol, 4.9 g Protein,
238 mg Sodium
|