Thanks for all of the great recipes! I see some new veggie sides I will definitely try.
I made a delicious Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart Sat. evening, with tomatoes, basil, and eggplant from my garden. It's slightly high-cal for me to have so many leftover (serves 8), but is delicious, and I think very elegant looking, so I would absolutely make it again if I had company to serve.
I posted the link above but will copy & paste it here. I got it from Ellie Krieger on Food Network.
Cornmeal-Crusted Roasted Ratatouille Tart
Crust:
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons water
Filling:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
Cooking spray
1/2 pound thinly sliced eggplant rounds (about 1/3 medium eggplant)
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (about 8 ounces)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine cornmeal, pastry flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add water and pulse until mixture forms a loose dough. Remove dough from processor and press into bottom and about 1/8-inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim. Press aluminum foil into the bottom and sides of the pan on top of the dough and weigh down with uncooked rice or pie weights. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and remove rice and foil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until no longer shiny and wet. Remove from oven and let cool.
For the filling: Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat; saute shallots until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spray 2 baking trays with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini and tomato slices on the trays in a single layer and brush with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from oven and cool.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the eggplant slices in 2 layers on the bottom of tart; cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and basil, then the tomatoes. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Calories 220
Carbohydrates 18 g Total Fat 14 g
Saturated Fat 3.5 g Protein 6 g
Fiber 3 g Sodium 240 mg
Thanks, Barbara! I actually bought a bag of shredded carrot (since I am lazy) and only 1 jalepeno (for fear of spicy). Do you simmer the fish with a lid on the skillet?
A fabulous Fall cake with healthy fruit and whole wheat flour. The caramel drizzle, though fairly high on the calorie scale, elevates this from your standard lowfat fare to something spectacular.
For the Cake:
2½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar (a sugar substitute may be used to replace ⅔ of the sugar in this recipe)
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
3 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups diced tart apple (such as Granny Smith)
For the Caramel Drizzle:
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup butter or margarine
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the pastry flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the applesauce and vanilla extract, and mix until barely combined. Fold in the diced apple and oats. Spray a 9 inch round cake pan with cooking spray, and spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the batter comes out cleanly. Cool on a wire rack.
While the cake cools, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue stirring for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture is visibly thickened and starts to string slightly on the bottom of the pan. Immediately remove from heat and drizzle over the cake.
Yields: 12 slices
Arborio Rice Pudding
½ cup arborio rice
3 cups filtered water
Zest of one orange, peeled in wide strips
½ cup fat free half and half, plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 vanilla bean, split, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup Splenda or other sugar substitute (note: real sugar may be used if desired, but the dish will be higher calorie)
¼ cup raisins
In a large saucepan, bring the three cups of water to a boil. Add the orange peel and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer at least 5-10 minutes before proceeding.
In a small measuring cup, warm the fat free half and half in the microwave until nearly simmering. Scrape the vanilla bean. Add the seeds to the warmed half and half, along with the scraped pods, and allow to sit while you prepare the rice.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the rice and 1 cup of the simmering orange water. Stir. Cook the rice, stirring constantly, until all of the liquid is absorbed. Add an additional ¾ cup of the liquid and continue to cook. Repeat with additional liquid until rice is cooked and liquid is thick and starchy.
Stir in the half and half with vanilla, sugar substitute, cinnamon, and raisins. Bring back to a simmer and stir constantly until the liquid is once again absorbed. Remove to a serving dish, cover, and chill at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
The pudding may be served warm or cold.
Yields: 4 generous servings
Pumpkin Chocolate Spice Cake
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup sugar, plus 2 tsp
½ cup canned pumpkin (not pie mix)
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and ¼ cup of the sugar (sugar substitute may be used to replace the ¼ cup of sugar as desired). Stir to combine.
Add the canned pumpkin and vanilla extract and stir until just mixed. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spray two 8-10 oz ramekins with cooking spray, and divide the batter equally between them. Sprinkle the top of each with a tsp of granulated sugar (optional).
Bake at 375 degrees 15-18 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from ramekin and serve warm.
Yields: 2 individual cakes
Peach Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
This frozen yogurt is adaptable to all kinds of fruits. Our favorite combinations are blueberry lemon, raspberry-apricot, and blackberry. Just use about 2 cups of fruit (to equal about 1½ cups fruit puree).
1½ cups strawberries
4 small peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced
2 tsp good quality vanilla extract
2 cups reduced fat greek-style yogurt
½ cup fat free half and half
⅛ cup white sugar
¼ cup Splenda (or equivalent)
Thoroughly puree the peaches and 1 cup of the strawberries in a food processor. Press the mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps, and pour the puree into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the fat free half and half, sugar, splenda, and vanilla and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the yogurt and stir until all lumps have been removed. Mix the yogurt/half and half mixture with the fruit puree and stir to combine.
Finely chop the remaining half cup of strawberries and fold into the mixture. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours or until very cold, then freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer directions.
Stuffed Baked Peaches
2 peaches, washed and cut in half lengthwise, pits removed
⅓ cup quick cooking oats
2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp white sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
Pinch of salt
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the oats, sugars, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
Pack ¼ of the oat mixture into the top of each peach, filling the cavity that used to hold the pit. Press down lightly.
Place each peach half, skin side down, in a glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake until the stuffing is crisp on top and the peach is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.
Yields: 4 Peach Halves
This pineapple is almost too good to be true - decadent and caramelized, but with no more calories than the fruit itself. The foil packet can also be cooked on the grill, making this great for summer cookouts. Served warm or cold, it’s great with ice cream, with cheeses, or as an unusual component to a fruit salad. As an added bonus, the leftover vanilla beans pieces can be placed in a small jar of sugar, and in a few weeks, you’ll get vanilla-pineapple flavored sugar.
Roasted Vanilla Cinnamon Pineapple
1 large pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 vanilla bean, split (if you don’t have vanilla beans, use 1 tbsp vanilla bean extract)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
Pinch salt
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Place the pineapple chunks on a piece of foil, large enough to create a packet that will completely enclose the fruit. Scrape the seeds from inside the vanilla bean and toss well with the pineapple chunks, making sure the specks are evenly distributed. Scatter the cinnamon stick pieces over the pineapple, sprinkle with the pinch of salt, and toss to combine.
Seal the foil packet tightly (you may want to add another layer of foil to keep the packet from leaking into your oven). Place the packet on a baking sheet and in the preheated oven.
Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the pineapple smells caramelized. Allow packet to sit at least 10 minutes, then open the packet and serve, or allow to cool and chill.
Thanks, Barbara! I actually bought a bag of shredded carrot (since I am lazy) and only 1 jalepeno (for fear of spicy). Do you simmer the fish with a lid on the skillet?
Yes. I'll edit the recipe to add that instruction. I also flip the fish halfway through.
Thanks, Barbara, I'd be a lot more easy going with it if I were making it for just us, but added guests ratchet up my angst level! And I know this is probably basic stuff - but you serve the carrots and the fish and then drizzle the bean stuff on top? I am planning on serving it over the couscous (I love the big pearly couscous!!!) with a salad on the side.
With Trader Joe's cheesecake and fresh berries for dessert. And bruschetta for an appetizer!!!
I don't do much entertaining at all, so I'm overly stressed over something that shouldn't be this stressful.
NP, Glory, I totally understand. I'm always nervous about entertaining too. The bean puree is more the consistency of mashed potatoes, so you can't really drizzle it. If I'm trying to make a presentation of it, I put the bean puree on the plate first, then top with the snapper, then top that with the carrots. I'm going for the stacking effect that is the rage these days in chic restaurants. But you could also just serve the bean puree on the side.
It sounds like you've put together a great menu! Let me know how it works out!
Last edited by BlueToBlue; 07-08-2008 at 03:32 AM.
Robin was talking about cabbage noodles recently, which was always one of my favorite meals as a kid. On our birthdays, we got to decide what the family ate for dinner and I ALWAYS (for something like ten years in a row) picked cabbage noodles. My mom made them with bacon and I'm sure lots of butter but I thought I could come up with a healthier version that would still taste good. Here's the final recipe and it was very reminiscent of my mom's recipe. I really liked it and it was also very filling.
Cook pasta, drain, and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking further. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over med-high. Add cabbage, onion, ham, salt, and pepper. Saute until cabbage and onions are almost cooked. Add pasta and cook another minute or so longer. Toss with light butter.
This makes 1 serving at about 265 calories. If you use a different kind of whole wheat or high fiber pasta, that will increase the calories to 290 to 300, depending on the calories in the pasta (Fiber Gourmet has 130 calories per 2 oz serving).
Last edited by BlueToBlue; 07-09-2008 at 04:22 AM.
This is a great, low calorie, special occasion meal. The mix of flavors is perfect and the figs really make it something out of the ordinary. It would be great served with polenta or cous cous (and is low enough in calories that you absolutely could serve it that way). It's based on a Cooking Light recipe that I modified.
Chicken with Figs, Fennel, and Bacon
2 slices center cut bacon (about 35 calories per slice)
6 oz vertically sliced red onion (about 1 cup)
8 oz diced fennel (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb chicken breasts diced
1/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1-2 tsp dried thyme
12 oz fresh figs (about 8 figs), cut in large pieces
3 tbsp fresh parsley (don't use dried and I highly recommend not leaving this out)
Cook bacon in a large, non-stick skillet. Drain fat, but leave a small amount to coat the pan.
Add onions, fennel, and garlic to skillet and saute over med-high heat until tender. Remove from skillet.
Mix together garam masala, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Add chicken to skillet and sprinkle with about half the spice mixture. Saute until chicken is beginning to brown and is cooked on all sides. Add remaining spice mixture, red wine, and red wine vinegar. Simmer for 30 seconds or so, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add chicken broth and thyme. Simmer until liquid is reduced by about half (10 min or so).
Carefully stir in figs (you want the fig pieces to remain as whole as possible, don't mash them all up). Simmer for another minute or so until figs are heated. Toss with fresh parsley.
This makes four servings at about 250 calories each.
Last edited by BlueToBlue; 07-09-2008 at 04:23 AM.
This is one of my go-to, low calorie meals (another CL recipe that I modified). I love the spices in this and I love that it has two (that's right, count 'em, two) cans of chickpeas. I also love that it makes enough for two of us to eat it for three nights. And that it is a mere 245 calories.
Moroccan Chickpea Chili with Chicken
2 tsp olive oil, divided
16 oz chicken breast, diced
6 oz diced onions (about 1 cup)
6 oz diced red pepper (about 1 cup)
8 oz diced celery (a little over 2 cups)
5 oz diced carrots (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (less if you aren't a big fan of cinnamon in savory dishes)
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
Heat 1 tsp olive oil in large (5 qt) saucepan over med-high. Add chicken and saute until cooked on all sides and beginning to brown.
Add remaining 1 tsp olive and veggies (onion, pepper, celery, carrots, and garlic). Cook until veggies are just tender.
Add spices and remaining ingredients through canned tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 min.
Add chickpeas and simmer for a few minutes more, until chickpeas are heated. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro.
Makes six servings at about 245 calories each. Each serving is about 2 cups, maybe just a smidge less.
NP, Glory, I totally understand. I'm always nervous about entertaining too. The bean puree is more the consistency of mashed potatoes, so you can't really drizzle it. If I'm trying to make a presentation of it, I put the bean puree on the plate first, then top with the snapper, then top that with the carrots. I'm going for the stacking effect that is the rage these days in chic restaurants. But you could also just serve the bean puree on the side.
It sounds like you've put together a great menu! Let me know how it works out!
Hey B, it turned out pretty good! I did put the puree on top and I would definitely put in on the bottom next time. It turned out great, I would probably bump up the spicey and the lime for me next time, but it was a great "company" dish!! Thanks so much.
Separate the green leafy parts of the chard from the stems. Tear the leafy parts into big pieces and dice the stems into 1/2 inch pieces.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add chard stems and onions and saute until tender.
Add garlic, chard leaves, salt, peppe, and red wine vinegar. Saute until leaves are wilted and vinegar is absorbed. Add more vinegar if the pan dries out before the leaves are cooked enough.
Makes two side-dish servings at about 90 calories each.
Apple-Chard Chicken
8 oz chard
1 tsp olive oil
1 pound chicken breast, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup apple cider
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced (about 4 oz)
Separate the green leafy parts of the chard from the stems. Dice stems and tear or chop leaves into big pieces.
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over med-high. Add chicken, chard stems, salt, and pepper to skillet. Saute until chicken is cooked on all sides and beginning to brown.
Add garlic to skillet and saute a minute or so more.
Add mustard, cider, and apple slices to pan. Simmer for about five min or until liquid is reduced. Stir in chard leaves and simmer until wilted.
Makes 4 main-dish servings at about 185 calories each.
Baked Cheese Polenta with Swiss Chard
12 oz swiss chard
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fat free chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup polenta
1 oz goat cheese
1 1/2 tbsp parmesan cheese
2 tbsp nonfat yogurt
Separate the green leafy parts of the chard from the stems. Dice stems and tear or chop leaves into big pieces.
Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over med-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add chard stems and 2 tbsp water, cover and cook for 5 min. Add chard leaves, cover and cook for 5 min more. Remove from heat.
Place chicken broth, salt, and polenta in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 min, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add cheeses.
Spoon half the polenta into a 1 qt casserole dish, spreading evenly. Top with chard mixture. Spoon yogurt over chard and top with remaining polenta. Bake at 400 for 20 min.
Makes 4 side-dish servings at about 130 calories each.
Chard-Wrapped Chicken
2 tbsp fresh dill, oregano, or sage
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
2 oz nonfat cream cheese
1/2 cup (2 oz) light feta cheese, crumbled
6 chicken breasts, about 6 oz each
6 swiss chard leaves
Mix herbs, garlic, pepper, cream cheese, and feta cheese.
Top each chicken breast with a little of the feta mixture. Wrap in a chard leaf and place in a casserole dish. Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked. The chard will get a little crispy.
Makes 6 main-dish servings at about 150 calories each.
This is my modified version of a Cooking Light recipe. Read the original here.
2 turkey bacon slices
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound ground chicken
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 golden delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into slices
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls
Preheat broiler.
Cook turkey bacon in a large nonstick skillet (sprayed with PAM) over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, and crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan, and saute 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.
Combine chicken, bacon, onion, sage, and pepper. Divide chicken mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
Place patties on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes on each side or until done. Place apple slices on broiler pan; broil 1 minute on each side. Toast rolls. Place patties on bottom halves of rolls; top each serving with 2 apple slices and top half of roll.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Original nutritional info from CL (using regular bacon and added salt):
CALORIES 341 (27% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 2g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 70mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.4g; SODIUM 740mg; PROTEIN 26.4g; FIBER 2g
I also added a slice of muenster cheese to each patty at the end when I put the apples on the rack, and pulled out the tray when the apples were hot and the cheese was melted. SO YUMMY. You could probably cut down cals some with a whole wheat roll instead.
This is sort of a "found" salad. I had some leftover cooked pasta in the fridge that I needed to find a use for, so I looked around for whatever else I could find in the cupboard/fridge to go with it and came up with this salad. It came out great; really a great blend of flavors.
7 sundried tomatoes, reconstituted in water and chopped
5 olives (about 25 calories worth), sliced
1 oz red onion, sliced
2 oz celery (2 large stalks or 4 small ones), diced
1 oz light feta, crumbled
1 tbsp vinaigrette dressing (I used TJ's Fat Free Vinaigrette, which is 13 calories per tbsp)
Mix it all up and eat it. This is one serving and it comes in at around 300 calories. (Add about 50 calories if you use regular whole wheat pasta instead of Fiber Gourmet. You may also need to adjust the calories for the dressing you use.)
It would also be good with fennel subbed for the celery. I might try throwing in some chopped spinach, radicchio, or argula next time. And an ounce of avocado might also but good in it (but would add 50 calories).
This is a recipe that I've had sitting in my recipe box for probably 20 years. I picked it up at a grocery store back when I lived in Chicago, carted it through at least one move in Chicago, then all the way to California, then through another move in California. It's amazing I hung onto it for so long but I'm glad I did because I finally made it for the first time and it was fabulous. The sauce is so simple, just lemon juice, cornstarch, and water, but yet has a great flavor. It's also very light and summery.
Lemony Scallops and Cucumbers
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp corn starch
1 tsp olive oil
12 oz cucumber, sliced (about 2 cups)
6 oz yellow pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (or red pepper flakes)
1 lb scallops (halved or quartered, if large)
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved (a little over a cup)
Mix water, lemon juice, and cornstarch together. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add cucumber, yellow peppers, salt, and pepper and saute until just tender (maybe 5 min).
Move veggies to outside of pan and add scallops. Cook until they've just turned opaque. The scallops will cook very fast, so don't neglect them. Overcooked scallops are not very good.
Toss in the herbs and tomatoes and cook for a minute or so more.
This makes four servings at about 155 calories each. I ate it with brown rice, but it would also be good over polenta or even by itself.
Summer Squash Ribbons with Oregano, Basil, and Lemon
You can also toss the ribbons with wide flat pasta, such as pappardelle, for a delicious entrée. While we recommend basil and oregano, use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Serve with a crisp sauvignon blanc and crusty bread.
3 small zucchini (about 1 pound)
3 small yellow squash (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
1. Shave zucchini and yellow squash into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, stopping at the seeds; place ribbons in a large bowl. Discard seed cores.
2. Combine oil, rind, juice, salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Drizzle oil mixture over vegetable ribbons; sprinkle with basil and oregano. Toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup vegetable mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)
CALORIES 50 (52% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 62mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.4g; SODIUM 207mg; PROTEIN 2.8g; FIBER 1.3g
Cooking Light, JULY 2008
This is really good! I made it using only one of each kind of squash, and about 1/2 the oil and lemon juice. I didn't have fresh basil, so instead I stirred in about a tablespoon of my homemade pesto, used the salt and pepper, and about 2 TBSP of parmesean on top.
