White and Wild Rice Pilaf

White and Wild Rice Pilaf
From Allrecipes.com
Serves 8

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 C Swanson Vegetable Broth
1/2 C uncooked wild rice
1 C uncooked regular long-grain white rice
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Heal oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in broth and wild rice. Heat to a boil. cover and cook over low heat 25 minutes.

Stir in white rice. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes or until rice is done. Stir in parsley.  Serve hot.

Italian Herb and Cheese Baguettes

This recipe comes from my Sister-in-Law Krystal. It's amazing. Hopefully you're accustomed to bread making, cuz the directions here are as good as they're going to get, considering this was originally a bread machine recipe.

Italian Herb and Cheese Baguettes

Makes 2 

 1 1/4 C water (roughly 105-110 F)
2 t active dry yeast
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 t salt
3 1/2 C flour
2 t sugar
1 T dried parsley
1 t dried basil
1/2 t garlic powder
1 C colby jack cheese (or choose a different one)

In a large bowl combine the water and yeast. Let sit for about 10 minutes. It should get frothy.

Add remaining ingredients, knead until dough is soft and springy. cover lightly and let rise in a warm area until doubled, 1-1 1/2 hrs. Punch dough down, cut in half, and shape into two baguettes. Let rise a little more, then bake at 360 for 15-20 minutes.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

From Eating for Life
Makes 1 smoothie

12 oz cold water
1 packet vanilla Myoplex Lite
1 small banana
6 frozen strawberries

Pour old water in b lender. Add myoplex powder and blend on medium speed for 15 seconds.

Add banana; blend for 30 more seconds. Add frozen strawberries and blend on high speed until smooth, about 30 more seconds.

Pour into a tall glass, serve and enjoy.

**Notes from Em**
This smoothie comes out only "cool" in temperature, so you might want to throw in a few ice cubes and decrease the water amount, that or stick it in the fridge/freezer for a while, then re-blend it for a sec before drinking it.

Bananas Foster Style

Bananas Foster Style

From Eating for Life

Serves 1

1 banana, sliced
2 T sugar-free maple syrup
1 portion low-fat cottage cheese (about 1/2 C)

Lightly coat a small nonstick skillet with butter-flavored cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add sliced bananas and fry for about 1 minute.

Add maple syrup to the skillet and gently stir to coat the banana slices; continue to cook for another minute.

Place cottage cheese on a small serving plate and microwave on high until heated through, about 20 seconds.

Top cottage cheese with maple-glazed banana slices. Serve and enjoy!

Brie, Rosemary and Garlic Fondue

This recipe comes from Stephanie. I don't know where she got it, but it's AMAZING.

1 cup Chardonnay
2 shallots, minced
Rosemary stem, leaves removed and minced, stem reserved
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 Oz butter
3 Oz Brie, rind removed and cubed into small cubes
1 Oz Parmigiana-Reggiano, shredded

In a medium saucepan, combine the chardonnay, shallots, rosemary stem and minced garlic and reduce by half. Add the cream and reduce by 1/3. Whisk in the butter and the Brie and the Parmigiana-Reggiano. Cook until the cheeses are melted. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and add the chopped rosemary (I actually didn't strain it). Transfer to a fondue pot and keep warm on medium heat.

Use fresh baguette slices or chunks of flavorful artisan breads, lightly blanched vegetables, fruit (i.e. green apples and purple seedless grapes), cooked and sliced flavored sausages or chicken.

Golden Pancakes

Ok, I know that these sound really weird, but they're actually REALLY good, and by far, more healthy for you than regular pancakes. Not to mention a lot more filling.

Serves 2
From Eating for Life

1 C uncooked whole-grain oats (non-instant)
6 egg whites
1 C fat-free cottage cheese
1/4 t vanilla extract
1/4 t ground cinnamon
2 packets sugar substitute
1/2 C sugar-free maple syrup
1/4 C mixed berries

Lightly coat a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray; place over medium heat.

In a blender, combine oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar substitute. Blend on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time, onto hot skillet. Cook pancake until bubbly on top an ddry around edges, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook other side until golden brown, about 2 more minutes.

While pancakes are cooking, microwave maple syrup until warm, about 20 seconds.

Place a portion of pancakes on 2 separate plates. Top with warm maple syrup and mixed berries. Serve and enjoy!

**Notes from Em**
I used 3 whole eggs instead of 6 egg whites. Sure it changes the nutritional content a little bit, but the texture was still what I imagine it needed to be.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

This is one of those really yummy appetizer type dinners. It's also a little sketchy on the measurements (like cheese and toppings) cuz those are really up to personal preference. If you make your dough from the recipe linked here, you'll want twice as many toppings. It makes a TON. I'll give you different baking instructions at the bottom for that as well.

Stuffed Pizza Rolls

From Our Best Bites

Via The Girl Who Ate Everything

Makes about 24

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough (or make your own)
pizza sauce
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t dried Italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese
Pizza toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package, usually 400.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12"x8". you're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square. You're not putting the marinara sauce on the dough, it's for dipping after. When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully life up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings. Pinch to make sure each ball is sealed shut and then place them seam side down in a lightly sprayed pie pan (or similar sized dish).


Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil or melted butter and then sprinkle with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.


Cook them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Dough's vary so make sure you check them after 10 minutes. Serve with warmed marinara/pizza sauce on the side for dipping.


**Notes from Em**
If you're using the home made pizza crust recipe that I linked, it's going to give you two full pans of these tasty rolls, so be prepared with lots of extra topping supplies, and double the amount of the herb mixture for the top. Let's face it, that stuff is good and you don't want to be stingy with it. I baked them at 425 for 13-15 minutes. Personally I really hate the taste of store-bought pizza doughs. As far as the sauce goes, I've tasted a bunch of brands of pizza sauce and have found Contadina to be the best.