The Kitchen

Appetizer

Party Pita Wedges

Makes 16 wedges

Ingredients:
4 pita breads

Topping
1 cup seeded, chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzerella cheese

1 In 3 small bowls, combine topping ingredients. Mix well.
2 Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice each pita bread into 4 equal wedges on a non-stick baking sheet. Spoon topping onto each wedge.
3 Bake until cheese melts and pita is crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a flat spatula, place wedges on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Per Serving: Calories 64 (10% from fat) Carbohydrates 10 g
Protein 4 g Sodium 381 mg Fat 1 g Cholesteral 3 mg

Salad

Greek Goddess Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 head romaine orgreen-leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
1/4 cup piited, sliced olives, Kalamata or another oil-cured variety (optinal)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the dressing
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, oregano, and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
2 Dry lettuce thoroughly in a salad spinner or with a double layer of paper towels. Place in a large salad bowl. Add bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, and feta.

3 Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss gently to coat. Divide the salad among serving plates and serve immediately.

Per Serving: Calories 88 (43% from fat) Carbohydrates 9 g
Protein 4 g Sodium 112 mg Fat 5 g Cholesteral 8 mg

Soup

Tomato Soup with Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 medium carrot, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup chopped celery
4 ounces pasta shells or elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1 Drain tomatoes in a strainer set over a small bowl. Set aside. In a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade, process tomatoes until smooth.
2 In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring ocasionally, for 10 minutes.
3 Stir in reserved tomato juice, broth, carrot, celery, pasta, parsley, and pepper. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes to 30 minutes. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Per Serving: Calories 223 (18% from fat) Carbohydrates 40 g
Protein 7 g Sodium 374 mg Fat 5 g Cholesteral 0 mg

Main Course

Triple-Cheese Lasagna

Serves 8

Ingredients:
12 ounces ground turkey
1 jar (26 to 30 ounces) reduced-sodium spaghetti sauce
16 ounces lasagna noodles
1 container (15 to 16 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large non-stick skillet, cook turkey until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain off fat. Add sauce; simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions, but do not add salt.
3 In a medium bowl, combine ricoota, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella, egg white, and parsley. Drain noodles.
4 Spread 1/2 cup of meat sauce on bottom of prepared pan. Cover with a layer of noodles. Spread with 1/4 of mozzarella mixture; top with 1/2 cup of sauce. Continue layering with the remaining noodles, mozzarella mixture, and ending with sauce.
5 Cover pan with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: Calories 385 (36% from fat) Carbohydrates 31 g
Protein 32 g Sodium 912 mg Fat 15 g Cholesteral 61 mg

Bread Sticks

Pizza-Pizzazz Bread Sticks

Makes 12 bread sticks

Ingredients:
12 plain prepared bread sticks
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium tomato paste
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with foil; spray with vegetable cooking spray. Arrange bread sticks on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Set aside.
2 In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste, water, oil, and pepper. Mix well. Brush tops of the bread sticks with tomato paste mixture. Sprinkle with basil and oregano, and then with the mozzarella. Bake until bread sticks are heated through and cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3 Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for1 minute. Place bread sticks in a basket or on a serving plate; serve warm.

Per Serving: Calories 52 (26% from fat) Carbohydrates 8 g
Protein 2 g Sodium 95 mg Fat 1 g Cholesteral 1 mg

Desert

Chocolate Mousse

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon dark rum or strong brewed coffee
3 egg whites
1/2 container (8 ounces) light frozen whipped topping, thawed
Additional light frozen whipped topping, fresh raspberries, and chopped walnuts for garnish

1 In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of sugar and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
2 Add the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in the rum. Pour into a large bowl and set aside.
3 In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks from. Gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff, but not dry, peaks form.
4 Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites, then the whipped topping.
5 Pour mousse into desert dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. Garnish with additional whipped topping, berries, and walnuts.

Per Serving: Calories 278 (38% from fat) Carbohydrates 43 g
Protein 4 g Sodium 30 mg Fat 13 g Cholesteral 0 mg

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