I managed to get a little of this before my DH finished it off. It's fabulous!

Avocado-Cucumber Toss

1 tbs plus 1 tsp cider vinegar
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 diced, peeled, avocado (about 1 cup)
2 cups chopped cucumber

Combine first 4 ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Place tomato, avocado and cucumber in a bowl; add vinegar mixture, and toss gently to coat.

Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

-- Terry

You'll be tempted to eat the whole thing!

Braised Red Cabbage And Pears

Recipe By : Cooking Light Magazine, December 1999, page 102
Serving Size : 8 Preparation

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
separated into rings
6 cups sliced red cabbage
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Splenda
2 bay leaves
1 3 inch cinnamon stick
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced peeled Anjou pear -- (about 2 pears)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Strong-flavored cabbage and onions can overwhelm any dish; here they're subdued by the sweetness of the pears and cinnamon.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 5 minutes. Stir in cabbage, vinegar, Splenda, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Stir in pear, salt, and pepper; cover and cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup).

CALORIES 59 (13% from fat); FAT 0.9g; PROTEIN 1.1g; CARB 13.2g; FIBER 2.2g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.4mg; SODIUM 153mg; CALC 35mg

Sweet and spicy - a hit at my house.

Cajun Baked Sweet Potatoes
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon brown sugar twin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large sweet potatoes
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
3. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise; rub the halves with olive oil, then rub the seasoning mix over the open half of each potato.
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

If you love garlic, you will love these.

Garlic-Sizzled Mushrooms

When the mushrooms are added to the olive oil, they sizzle. These garlic-and-red pepper infused mushrooms have a feisty flavor.

1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
5 cups quartered mushrooms (about 1 pound)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup no-salt-added beef broth
Dash of black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms, crushed red pepper, salt, and garlic to skillet, and sauté for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add broth and black pepper, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with parsley.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)
CALORIES 48 (32% from fat); FAT 1.7g (satfat 0.2g, monofat 0.8g, polyfat 0.3g); PROTEIN 2.4g; CARBOHYDRATE 7g; FIBER 1.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; IRON 1.3mg; SODIUM 81mg; CALCIUM 21mg;

I love hummus. This version is slightly different in consistency than the hummus you can buy in the store, but it is very tasty and all core. I thought it was a little too lemony - next time I'd use half of the lemon juice it calls for; you can add more after you've blended everything.

Hummus
One 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 ½ tbs fresh lemon juice
3 medium garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
In a food processor or blender, puree all the ingredients with 1 tbs water.
91 calories, 2 g fat, 13 g carb, 1 g fiber

This is a great side dish for any Asian-type meal.

Noodles in Sesame-Soy Sauce
1 tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ tbs sesame oil
½ tsp Splenda
½ tsp white-wine vinegar
2 cucumbers, peeled and julienned
1 ½ cups hot cooked whole wheat vermicelli (I used linguine)
3 scallions, green part only, chopped
To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, Splenda and vinegar.
In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, vermicelli and the sauce; toss to coat. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with scallions.
Serves 3. 140 cal, 3 g fat, 25 g carb, 2 g fiber

Mexican Rice

Serving Size : 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic -- minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup uncooked brown rice -- NOT INSTANT
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper or chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion

Heat oil. Add rice and cook until golden and toasted. Add and lightly saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

Put salt, 1/2 cup of tomatoes (undrained) and broth in a blender. Process till smooth.

Add liquid from blender to the rice mixture slowly. You can drain the rest of the tomatoes and add them to the rice at this point if you want extra tomato.

Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. (Or however long brown rice needs to simmer - my package says 1 hour.)

Don't remove the lid during the cooking process.

NOTES : This recipe calls for quite a bit of oil. If you want to use less, try cooking spray and a nonstick pan. But I think it's the oil that gives it that yummy flavor. Might be worth any points you'd have to count.

If you don't have fresh garlic, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the blender.

fruit salad with sf/ff pudding glaze

this is one of those recipes that you can tweak all you want. basically, you use fresh, frozen, and even canned fruits. and dry sf/ff pudding mix. i usually use vanilla, but i've also used pistachio or banana cream.

this weekend i'm making the salad using the following:

bananas
fresh strawberries
2 apples
can of pears (drained)
can of chunk pineapple (reserve the liquid)
seedless grapes
a few frozen peaches

stir about half a box (small box) dry pudding mix into pineapple juice. prepare fruit the way you like (chop or whole). pour pudding/pineapple juice over fruit and stir till coated. refridgerate till ready to serve. it's better after being refridgerated overnight so i'm making mine saturday afternoon for our mother's day lunch sunday. if there are leftovers, i continue to add fruit.

this is wonderful and helps satisfy your sweet tooth. i got this recipe somewhere on the net but i can't remember where so i can't give credit to the originator.

Black Bean Cornmeal Cakes (Polenta)

Serving Size : 13

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup dry black beans
3 cups water
1 small onion -- chopped
3 tablespoons water
5 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cornmeal

Sort and wash beans.

In a med saucepan, cover and boil beans in 3 cups water for 2 min.

Remove from heat and soak 1 hour.

Return to boil, reduce heat and simmer till beans are tender, about 1 hour.

Cool, drain and chop, set aside.

In saucepan, saute onion in 3 T. water till onion is transparent.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Slowly add the cornmeal, stirring constantly.

Stir in the black beans and mix well.

cook over low heat till liquid is absorbed.

Pour into sprayed shallow baking pan and allow to cool before refrigerating for 3-4 hours till firm.

To serve, cut into squares or desired shapes and brown in a skillet or grill which has been lightly sprayed with nonstick spray.

Notes: I think this would work with canned black beans too, which would cut down on preparation time dramatically. I bet you could also broil the squares in your oven, which might make them crispier.

Not sure where I found this recipe.

This cornbread is moist and delicious, almost cake-like - and totally core.

Jalapeno Cornbread

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 - 1/2 cup Splenda (according to taste ~ I used 1/3 cup)
1 cup plain fat free yogurt
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 Tbsp Olive oil
3 eggs
1 can drained corn
1 cup fat free cheddar cheese (grated)
2 finely chopped jalapeno's

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix yogurt, sour cream, olive oil and eggs in a medium bowl. Add to dry mixture. Add rest of ingredients and stir until well blended.

Pour into an 8 inch square pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cut into 9 wedges

These are crispy and so good. I cut them into smaller strips so they were about the size of McDonald's fries. If you do this, you need to check on them frequently, 'cuz they will bake faster than thicker fries.

Oven Fries
1 ¼ lbs (about 2 large) baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” strips
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp Splenda
4 tsp oil
1 tsp paprika

Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, ¼ tsp of the salt and the Splenda with cold water to cover. Soak 15 minutes, drain and blot dry.
In another large bowl, toss the potatoes with the oil and paprika. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake, turning the potatoes over as they brown, until cooked through and crisp, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. (I sprinkled mine with garlic salt instead of regular.)
Serves 4. 159 cal, 28 g carb, 5 g fat, 3 g fiber

Pepper-Potato Hash

Description:
"Red and yellow bell peppers, coupled with fennel seeds, add a subtle
sweet flavor to these easy skillet potatoes."

NOTES : While not as crisp as when freshly prepared, this potato hash makes great leftovers. Place in a microwaveable bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, prick a few holes in the plastic wrap and microwave on High until hot, about 2 minutes.

Recipe By : WW Slow Good Cookbook
Serving Size : 6

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion -- chopped
1 red bell pepper -- seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper -- seeded and diced
1 clove garlic -- minced
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds -- crushed
1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes -- peeled and diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red and yellow bell peppers, garlic, and fennel seeds; cook, stirring occasionally, until the bell peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, broth, salt, and pepper; cover and cook about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated and the potatoes are browned, about 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle with the parsley.

I don't use measuring cups, so adjust to your taste.

1 bag of shelled edamame
1 can of corn
1 small red onion
1 small yellow bell pepper
1 small orange bell pepper
1 bunch of cilantro (optional)
a couple splashes of white balsamic vinegar
a couple splashes of olive oil or flaxseed oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and enjoy.

You can use regular or red bell pepper, if you like. I used yellow and orange to make it more colorful. Use other veggies and/or beans if you like - tomatoes, black beans, cannellini.

White wine vinegar if you can't find white balsamic vinegar (available at Trader Joes). Not a fan of vinegar? Use lemon juice instead.

Provolone Polenta with Red Pepper Sauce

Serving Size : 9

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded fat free provolone cheese (or you can use mozzarella if you can't find provolone)
2 medium red sweet peppers -- halved and seeded
2 teaspoons Splenda
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
olive oil
curly endive (optional)

For polenta, in a 3-quart saucepan bring the 3 cups water to boiling. In a medium bowl combine cornmeal, the 1 1/2 cups cold water, and the 1 teaspoon salt. Slowly add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir until mixture returns to boiling. Reduce heat to very low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese into the hot polenta.

Turn the mixture into an ungreased 13X9X2 inch pan. (I would use a larger pan so your polenta shapes are not so thick.) Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or till firm.

Meanwhile, for sauce, place sweet pepper halves, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or till skin is brown. Immediately place hot peppers in a clean paper bag; seal. Let stand for 10 minutes.

When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off skins, using a sharp knife. In a blender container, combine peppers, Splenda, vinegar, and the 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cover and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan; heat through.

Cut chilled polenta into 18 triangles. Arrange triangles on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Broil 4-5" from heat for 4 minutes. Turn over triangles. Brush with additional oil. Broil for 4 minutes more or until golden brown. Sprinkle remaining cheese over polenta. Let stand 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

To serve, line individual plates with endive. Arrange polenta triangles on plates and spoon warm sauce over.

NOTES : To get 18 triangles, cut the chilled polenta crosswise into thirds, then cut lengthwise into thirds. Cut each polenta rectangle into half diagonally.

POLENTA CAKES (CORN PONES)

a simple way to make it is to use 3 parts water to 1 part cornmeal plus a dash of salt. bring the water to a boil. add the cornmeal and stir. remove from stove. add salt. i next pour about 1/4 cup's worth size corncakes onto the pancake griddle and cook. (i've sprayed the griddle with butter flavored pam.) i use a spatula sprayed with pam to flatten each cake. i cook them till they are crispy.

i eat them like bread. they are especially good with pinto beans, pot roast, just about anything.

you can also put finely chopped onion in them before griddling. other herbs, etc.... can be added, too, to give them some pizzazz.