Italian Potato Dumplings

Italian Potato Dumplings

Servings: Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes
1 egg
1 teas. olive oil
Pinch of salt
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 c. grated cheese
Tomato sauce, pesto sauce, ratatoulle

Directions:
Boil potatoes in their skins until tender. Drain, peel and put through a ricer (or mash until smooth). When cool, combine with the egg, olive oil, grated cheese and salt. Gradually add flour, then knead thoroughly until very smooth. Take pieces of dough and roll into rope-like strips. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Thin each piece by pressing with the thumb in a flipping motion away from you. Drop gnocchi into boiling salted water. After gnocchi rise to the surface, cook for 3 minutes longer. Drain. Transfer to platter and serve with tomato sauce and grated cheese.

Peach-Mango Popsicles

Peach-Mango Popsicles
Ingredients:
1 cup puréed mango (from peeled fruit)
1 cup puréed ripe peaches (from peeled fruit)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
Lime or lemon juice to taste
6 to 8 popsicle sticks

Directions:
Combine fruit purées in a medium bowl. Heat water and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add to purées with lime or lemon juice to taste. If you have popsicle molds, fill them, leaving some room at the top to allow for expansion, set the lids in place and insert the sticks through the holes. If you don’t have popsicle molds, fill small cups or empty yogurt tubs about 3/4 full, stretch plastic or foil across the top and make a small slit to insert sticks. Freeze until firmly set, 3 to 4 hours. To remove the pops, first remove the lids or wrap, then squeeze the sides of the molds, twisting them slightly, to dislodge the pop. If necessary, rinse the outside of the molds under hot water first.

Roma Latte' Slush

Roma Latte'

1 8oz c soy milk
2 tsp Torani's hazelnut syrup
2 heaping tsps Roma (coffee substitute)

Heat soy milk (do not boil) Mix remaining ingredients w milk. You could stop here and just have it warm and toasty or you could cover and freeze 8 hours.

Let thaw slightly in refrigerator; add remaining 1 cup milk. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

Jiggle Fluff Pie

Strawberry and chocolate jiggle-fluff pie
Sunny Anderson

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups salted pretzels, lightly broken
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 4 cups heavy cream, chilled and divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Salt
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1 6-ounce box strawberry-flavored powdered gelatin mix
• 2 cups frozen chopped strawberries, thawed
• 1-ounce piece semisweet chocolate bar, for shaving

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a 13-by-9 inch pan, add the pretzels, butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir to combine. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake eight to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a stand mixer or a medium bowl, add the cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar, powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and beat until well blended. In a clean bowl, combine 2 cups of the heavy cream, vanilla, 1 tablespoon sugar, and a pinch of salt and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and spread it evenly over the cooled pretzel crust.

Add the pineapple juice to a small pot over medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the gelatin powder and stir to dissolve. Add the strawberries and let mixture come to room temperature or quick chill it over a bowl filled with ice water while whisking. Pour the gelatin mixture over cream cheese layer and refrigerate until set, which takes about one hour.

Whip the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. When the strawberry gelatin layer is set, smooth the whipped cream over the top and sprinkle evenly with chocolate shavings.

Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

BBQ Tofu Sandwiches

This one's definitely a keeper!


BBQ Tofu Sandwich

Makes: 4 servings
Active time: 25 minutes | Total: 25 minutes

Though vegetarian BBQ may be an oxymoron, once you take a bite of this delicious tofu sandwich topped with coleslaw and dill pickles you will love the contradiction. Serve with: Baked beans and corn on the cob.

1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1 14-ounce package extra-firm or firm water-packed tofu, drained
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups coleslaw mix or finely shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
4 dill pickle sandwich slices

1. Place onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water and set aside. Stand tofu on its long narrow side. Cut lengthwise into 4 rectangular slabs, each about 1/2 inch thick, and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu slabs (depending on the size of your pan, the tofu may slope up the sides a little). Cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low. Add barbecue sauce and carefully turn the tofu to coat with the sauce. Cover and cook for 3 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, combine coleslaw (or cabbage), mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic powder and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain the onion.
4. To assemble sandwiches, place about 1/3 cup of the coleslaw (or cabbage) mixture on each bun and top with a tofu slab, a pickle slice and a few onion slices. Spread any sauce remaining in the pan on the top buns.

Veggie Souvlaki

Chicken Souvlaki goes veggie :)

This quick-cooking Mediterranean-style chicken & simple homemade yogurt sauce make this a perfect dish for a busy weeknight.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 mins.
Cook time: 20 -25 mins.
Total time: 30 mins.


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 pound gluten style chicken, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper (about 1)
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup grated English cucumber
1/4 cup 2% Greek-style yogurt (such as Fage)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 (6-inch) whole-wheat soft pitas, cut in half
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions:
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until done. Remove from pan.

Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes. Add chicken, garlic, and oregano; cook 30 seconds.

Combine cucumber and next 6 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt). Serve chicken mixture with yogurt sauce, warmed pita, and tomato slices.

For Simple Salad:
Combine 5 cups torn romaine lettuce,
1/3 cup sliced red onion, and 3 sliced pepperoncini peppers. Combine 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss with salad. Top with 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese and 3 tablespoons halved kalamata olives.

**Yield: 4 servings
(serving size: 1 cup chicken mixture, 1/4 cup sauce, 1 pita, and about 1/4 cup tomatoes)

Onion Cakes

Onion Cakes

1 tsp. Thai seasoning
1 bunch green onions (7 or 8), chopped (may subsitute w red onion and chives)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, lightly beaten

For cakes, combine onions, flour, baking powder, 1/2 cup water, egg, and 1 tsp of the Thai seasoning. In 12-inch skillet heat 2 tsp. vegetable oil over medium-high. Spread batter in skillet; cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Cut in wedges.

How to make self-rising flour

How To Make Self-Rising Flour

If your recipe calls for self-rising flour and you only have all-purpose, here's how you can adapt.

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1 minute
Here's How:

1. Using a dry measure, measure desired amount of flour into a separate container.
2. For each cup all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
3. Mix to combine.

Tips:

1. You can use self-rising flour in yeast bread recipes, but you'll need to omit the salt.
2. If you use self-rising flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour in a quick bread, omit salt and baking powder.

What You Need:

* all-purpose flour
* salt

Black Bean Brownies

Brownies
Ingredients

1, 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup agave syrup
½ cup self-rising flour
½ cup egg whites
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp mini semisweet chocolate chips



Directions

In a food processor, mix all brownie ingredients (except chips) together. Chop on high, until smooth. Clean off sides and blend for another 20 seconds. Add the chips in and stir well. Spread into the 8x8 baking dish. Cook for 20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for about 1 hour in dish at room temperature.

Frosting
Ingredients

6 oz fat-free cream cheese
¼ cup agave syrup
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp semisweet mini chocolate chips, melted.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly spray a 8x8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. With a whisk attachment on an electric beater and blend all ingredients until light and fluffy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled brownies. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the 2 tbsp of chips with a 2 second spray of nonstick cooking oil. Using a spoon, swirl the chocolate on top. Allow it to set in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy. Don't forget to have seconds!

Healthy Rice Pudding

LOW-CALORIE GLORIFIED RICE

Only 98 calories per serving

Servings: 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. uncooked Minute rice
1/4 teas. salt
20 oz. can crushed pineapple,drained
1 medium banana,sliced
2 teas. lemon juice
1/2 c. yogurt,
1 Tlb. sugar
1 teas. vanilla

NOTE: Any flavor yogurt may be used-just remember the calorie count may vary with each flavor.


Directions:
Combine water,rice and salt in saucepan. Stir, bring to a boil.cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes then stir in pineapple. Cool. Sprinkle banana slices with lemon juice. Add bananas to cooled pineapple mixture. Combine yogurt,sugar and vanilla- fold into rice. A touch of coconut would be wonderful in this, also. Chill. Serves 8. 98 calories per serving.