Healthy Recipes

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• Breaded Eggplant
• Cantaloupe and Prosciutto
• Corn, Green Bean and Tomato Salad
• Easy Freezer Pickles
• Freezer Peach Jam
• Greek Cucumber Dip
• Grilled Chicken Kebobs
• Grilled Corn Mexican Style
• Grilled Sausage Packets
• Indian Summer Bake
• Jerk Pork Chops with Melon Compote
• Lemon Basil Sorbet
• Light Pesto
• Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables
• Peach and Berry Cobbler
• Persian Beef and Green Beans
• Pickled Green Beans
• Plum Tomato and Fresh Dill Relish
• Summer Squash Casserole
• Watermelon Lemonade
• Yellow Squash with Sundried Tomatoes
• Zucchini Bites
• Zucchini Frittata

Serve as a side dish or see Recipe Note. 1 medium eggplant

• 1 1/2 cups homemade bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 cup flour
• No stick cooking spray

Peel eggplant. Cut into slices 3/4 inch thick. Lay on paper towels. Salt lightly. Place paper towels on top and weight with a plate. Let stand 30 minutes.

Place bread crumbs on a plate. Season with pepper and your favorite Italian seasoning, if desired. Beat egg and egg substitute together in a shallow bowl. Place flour on a plate. Place a rack on a large cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dip eggplant slices in flour, shake off excess then in egg and finally in bread crumbs. Pat to coat well. Place on rack on cookie sheet. Spray eggplant slices with no stick spray. Bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes or until eggplant is tender. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 121 calories. Fat: 2.5 grams. Sodium: 203 milligrams. Fiber: 2.2 grams.

• 1/2 of a medium cantaloupe
• 1 (3 ounce) package prosciutto

Wash cantaloupe well before cutting in half. Scoop out seeds. Cut into 9 thin wedges. Peel Wrap each wedge with 1 slice of prosciutto. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all ingredients have been used. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve as an appetizer.
Makes 4 to 5 servings. Per 2 wedges: 68 calories. Fat: 3.5 grams. Sodium: 325 milligrams. Fiber: .6 grams.

To complete the meal, serve with grilled pork chops, baked beans and fresh berries for dessert.

• 2 cobs white corn
• 2 1/2 cups fresh green beans, washed, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup slivered red onion
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup light vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, slivered

Remove husks from corn and remove silk. Wash well. Place in a microwave safe loaf pan. Add 1 Tbsp. of water and cover with plastic wrap. Turn up one corner of plastic wrap to vent. Cook on High 3 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes. Uncover and cool. Put beans in a microwave safe dish. Add 1 Tbsp. water, cover and cook on High for 3 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes and drain. Cut corn from cob. Combine corn, beans and remaining ingredients and stir well. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving to develop flavors.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 92 calories. Fat: 3 grams. Sodium: 145 milligrams. Fiber: 4.7 grams.

Delicious with sandwiches or your favorite summer dinner.

• 7 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 3 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp. celery seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seed
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 cloves garlic, halved

Place cucumbers, onion and salt in a large glass bowl. Mix well. Let stand several hours. Rinse in cold water and drain well.

Combine sugar, vinegar and spices. Stir until sugar dissolves. Put cucumbers and onions in freezer containers or heavy duty plastic freezer bags. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Seal plastic containers. If using plastic bags, squeeze the air out and seal bags. Freeze. Keep in the freezer for at least a week before serving. Thaw in the refrigerator for several hours before use.
Makes 7 cups. Per serving (2 Tbsp.): 16 calories. Fat: Trace. Sodium: 67 milligrams. Fiber: .2 grams.

• 10 medium peaches (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 (1.59 ounce) package freezer jam pectin

Wash and dry 5 (8 ounce) freezer jars or plastic freezer containers. Set aside. Wash, peel and slice peaches. Mash peaches with a potato masher 2 cups at a time until you have 3 1/2 cups of mashed peaches.

In a large glass or plastic mixing bowl, combine sugar and pectin; mix well. Stir in peaches and mix with a wooden spoon for 3 minutes. Ladle into jars or containers. Leave 1/2 inch head space and cover. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.
Makes 4 1/2 cups of jam. Per Tablespoon: 23 calories. Fat: 0 grams. Sodium: 6 milligrams. Fiber: .4 grams.

• 1/2 of a medium cucumber
• 1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. light sour cream
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or mint

Peel cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Grate cucumber and measure 1/2 cup. Squeeze dry in paper towels. In a bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, light sour cream, garlic and oregano. Mix well. Refrigerate several hours to develop flavor.

Serve with baked pita chips or with Grilled Chicken Kebobs.
Makes 2 cups. Per 2 Tablespoons serving: 18 calories. Fat: .5 grams Sodium: 65 milligrams. Fiber: .1 gram.

Baked Pita Chips: Cut large pita bread pockets into 8 wedges. Pull each wedge in half. Place on a cookie sheet. Spray with no stick spray; bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes or until golden.

Serve with Greek Cucumber sauce (see recipes), rice pilaf, toasted pita bread and lemon sorbet with fresh blueberries for dessert.

• 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup fat free red wine vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 of a large red onion
• 1 (8 ounce) box of whole fresh mushrooms
• 16 cherry tomatoes
• Bamboo skewers
• 4 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a self sealing plastic bag. Add salad dressing. Mix well and seal bag. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Two hours before cooking, soak skewers in water. Core peppers and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Cut onion into 4 wedges. Separate wedges into sections. Wash mushrooms, pat dry and cut off stems.

To make skewers. Drain bamboo skewers and pat dry. Thread 1 pepper wedge, 1 onion section and 1 piece of chicken on a skewer. Repeat until skewer is full. End with pepper. Thread remaining peppers and mushrooms alternately on skewers. Thread cherry tomatoes on a separate skewer (they cook very quickly and drop off the skewer if not carefully watched). Next, make the baste. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and oregano. Mix well.

Spray grill rack with no stick cooking spray. Light fire. When fire is ready (medium high heat), brush kebobs with baste and grill over direct heat, turning occasionally until cooked through (about 10 minutes). Grill the tomatoes last. They will take only 3 minutes.

Serve immediately with Greek Cucumber Sauce.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 266 calories. Fat: 10 grams. Sodium: 188 milligrams. Fiber: 3 grams.

Serve with barbecued chicken, warm corn tortillas, sliced tomato and cucumber salad and fresh cantaloupe for dessert.

• 6 cobs of fresh corn with husks
• No stick cooking spray
• 1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• Powdered chipotle pepper or hot red pepper sauce to taste
• 6 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

To make the husk your handle for turning the corn, peel back the husks on the corn. Do not rip them off. Remove silk and tie husk together with string or wire, leaving corn cob totally exposed. Wash corn cob. Use a vegetable brush to get all of the silk off. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice and hot pepper and mix well.

Set up charcoal fire for direct heat and light fire. Grill your main course first. When fire has died down to low, spray corn with no stick cooking spray. Grill corn 6 to 10 minutes, turning frequently until kernels are browned. Take care that husks do not burn. Remove from grill. Brush with mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 112 calories. Fat: 3 grams. Sodium: 173 milligrams. Fiber: 2.4 grams.

To complete the meal serve with bread, light coleslaw and Peach and Berry Cobbler (see recipes) for dessert.

• 4 medium red potatoes (about 1 1/4 lbs.)
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 of a large red onion
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. light smoked sausage

Cut 4 sheets of heavy duty foil. Spray dull side of foil with no stick cooking spray. Wash potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch chunks. Cut peppers in half. Remove seeds and ribs and cut into 1 inch chunks. Peel and slice onion. Place 1/4 of potatoes, peppers and onions in the center of each piece of foil (dull side up). Season with salt and pepper. Slice sausage into 1 inch chunks and place 1/4 of sausage on top of potatoes in each packet. Fold foil to form a packet, leaving room for steam, and seal.

Preheat gas grill or light charcoal fire. When ready (medium high heat), grill 15 minutes over direct heat. Then, move packets to the side of the grill (indirect heat), cover grill and cook 15 more minutes. Potatoes should be tender. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 330 calories. Fat: 8 grams. Sodium: 867 milligrams. Fiber: 5.6 grams.

This side dish is great with chicken or fish. Add crusty whole grain bread, green salad and have some sliced white peaches for dessert.

• 2 large russet potatoes (1 1/2 lbs.)
• 2 medium zucchini
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme or basil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest of one lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes and thinly slice. Slice zucchini and tomatoes. Spray a 2 quart casserole with no stick cooking spray. Combine thyme, garlic and lemon zest. Toss potatoes with 1 Tbsp. oil and 1/3 of thyme mixture and salt and pepper; layer in prepared casserole. Toss zucchini with 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/3 of thyme mixture and salt and pepper. Layer in casserole over potatoes. Lay tomato slices over vegetables and season with remaining thyme mixture and salt and pepper. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 166 calories. Fat: 5.5 grams. Sodium: 208 milligrams. Fiber: 1.4 grams.

To make a meal, add yellow rice (packaged mix), blackbeans and fresh pineapple for dessert.

• 4 (about 1 lb. total) boneless loin pork chops
• Caribbean Jerk seasoning

• 1 cup diced cantaloupe
• 1 cup diced honeydew melon
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Rub pork chops with Jerk seasoning to taste. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Combine cantaloupe, honeydew, honey, lime juice and mint. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat grill or light charcoal. Grill chops over medium high direct heat for 5 to 6 minutes turning once. Serve topped with melon compote.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 239 calories. Fat: 9 grams. Sodium: 58 milligrams. Fiber: .8 grams.

• 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water (divided)
• 1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup

Wash basil well and pat dry. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, 1 cup water and basil. Bring to a boil over moderate heat.

Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, cool and strain. Combine basil syrup, lemon juice, water and corn syrup. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.

Pour mixture into freezer can of an ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturers directions. Spoon sorbet into a plastic container. Freeze solid.
Makes 1 quart (8 servings). Per serving: 139 calories. Fat: 0 grams. Sodium: 9 milligrams. Fiber: .2 grams.

Pesto is a tasty addition to any plain cooked pasta or serve on grilled chicken.

• 1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 head roasted garlic
• 3 Tbsp. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Refrigerate for several hours to develop flavors.

Makes 1/2 cup (about 4 servings). Per serving: 40 calories. Fat: 2 grams. Sodium 81 milligrams. Fiber: .3 grams.

This salad is great with chicken or fish. Add a cooked green vegetable and fruit for dessert to make a meal. Try Shiro plums or fresh figs for something new and different.

• 1 small regular eggplant or 2 Japanese eggplants
• 1 red pepper
• 3 Tbsp. light Italian salad dressing
• 8 ounces rotini pasta (pasta twists)
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green olives
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, basil and olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut eggplant into 1 inch cubes. Cut stem from pepper, remove seeds and ribs and cut into 1 inch chunks. Place vegetables in a bowl and toss with salad dressing. Place vegetables on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn with a spatula and cook 15 minutes more. Vegetables should be tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool in a bowl. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

Combine vegetables, pasta, celery, olive, tomatoes, vinegar, basil and pepper. Mix well and chill.

• 4 cups peeled, sliced fresh peaches
• 2 cups blackberries or blueberries, washed and drained
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 (7.75 ounce) bag honey-butter flavored biscuit mix
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 10 by 7 inch (2 quart) glass baking dish with no stick spray. In a glass or plastic bowl, combine peaches, berries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix gently. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Prepare biscuit mix according to package directions. Drop dough by tablespoons on top of fruit mixture. Sprinkle biscuits with cinnamon sugar. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuits are browned.
Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 282 calories. Fat: 6 grams. Sodium: 312 milligrams. Fiber: 3 grams.

To complete the meal, serve over Basmati rice with a crisp green salad, pita bread and fresh nectarines for dessert.

• 1 lb. fresh green beans
• 3/4 lb. extra lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 (28 ounce) can peeled tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Fresh ground black pepper

Wash green beans. Pinch off the ends of beans and remove strings as needed. Place beans in a large microwave safe casserole dish. Add 2 Tbsp. water, cover and microwave on High 4 minutes, stirring once. Let stand 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Place a large no stick skillet over moderate heat. Add ground beef and onion; cook until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper. Stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Add green beans; simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until beans are tender. Serve over steamed rice.

Serve as a side dish with your favorite summer food.

• 1 lb. green beans
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. dill seed, crushed
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Wash beans, trim ends and remove strings. Bring a large pan of water to a boil over high heat. Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Drop beans into boiling water. Cook 5 minutes. Immediately, drop beans into ice water to stop cooking. Drain well. Pack beans into a large jar (24 ounces) with a tight fitting lid.

In a large glass measuring cup, combine remaining ingredients. Microwave on "High" 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Pour hot mixture over green beans. Cover and marinate at least 8 hours. Keeps 1 week.

Serve with grilled or broiled fish.

• 5 ripe plum tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill weed
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• Fresh ground pepper

Cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds. Finely chop and combine with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 hour to develop flavors.

This is an old fashioned casserole with a lighter touch. Serve with grilled meat, sliced tomatoes and watermelon for dessert for the ultimate summer meal.

• 4 cups sliced yellow squash
• 2 Tbsp. chopped onion
• 1/2 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix
• 1 Tbsp. light margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine squash and onion in a 1 1/2 quart microwave safe casserole. Add 2 Tbsp. water, cover and microwave on High 3 minutes. Stir; microwave on High 2 more minutes. Drain and uncover.

In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream and carrot. Mix well. Fold in squash and onion. Wipe out casserole dish with a paper towel. Spray with nonstick spray. Add squash to soup mixture and stir gently. Turn into casserole.

Melt margarine. Add stuffing, stir to combine. Sprinkle evenly over squash mixture. Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes.

When you have more melon than you need, cube it, freeze it and store in a heavy plastic bag and save it for this drink.

• 1 1/2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• 2 Tbsp. frozen lemonade concentrate
• 1/4 cup unflavored seltzer

Arrange watermelon on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm. Combine watermelon, lemonade concentrate and seltzer in a blender container. Blend until thick and smooth. Pour into a chilled glass and serve. Makes 1 serving. Per serving: 148 calories. Fat: 1 gram. Sodium 5 milligrams. Fiber: 1 gram.

Try this tasty side dish with grilled fish, steamed red potatoes, green salad and grapes.

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 4 cups sliced yellow squash (about 1 pound)
• 2 Tbsp. sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Place a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add oil and tilt pan to coat. Add shallot and squash. Saute, stirring constantly until squash is tender. Add sundried tomatoes, basil and salt and pepper. Mix gently and serve. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 76 calories. Fat: 4 grams. Sodium: 8 milligrams. Fiber: 1.5 grams.

• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• 16 slices snack size rye bread

Place zucchini between paper towels and squeeze dry. Combine with sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan, green onions and seasonings; stir until well combined. Spread a scant tablespoon of zucchini mixture on each slice of rye bread. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot. Makes 8 appetizer servings. Per serving: 79 calories. Fat: 3 grams. Sodium: 310 milligrams. Fiber: 1.1 grams.

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup slivered onion
• 1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
• 4 leaves fresh basil, slivered
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 cup egg substitute
• 1/2 cup part skim milk mozzarella

Place a 9 inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add oil to pan; tilt to coat. Add onion and zucchini; saute for 5 to 6 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Add basil and lemon pepper seasoning; mix gently. Spread zucchini evenly in bottom of skillet. Add egg substitute to pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle frittata with cheese; place under broiler until cheese melts. Cut into wedges and serve. Makes 2 servings. Per serviing: 168 calories. Fat: 7 grams. Sodium: 291 milligrams. Fiber: 1.2 grams.