Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese & Herbs

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Ingredients

Uncooked Pie Crust 9", refrigerated
Cherry Tomatoes, fresh, 3 cups whole
Olive Oil, 1-2 tsp
Thyme, fresh, 1 tsp (OR 1/4 tsp dry Thyme OR Herbs De Provence)
Salt & Black Pepper
Goat Cheese, 1/4 cup crumbled (2oz)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven 425F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spay it with a non-stick spray. Place the cool pie dough on the foil and unroll it.
2. Put tomatoes on dough in one layer leaving 1" on edges. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and goat cheese crumbles. Fold the edges covering tomatoes and folding the dough to hold together. Drizzle the whole pie with olive oil all over, including the edges, and smooth oil on edges with a brush or fingers. Sprinkle edges with coarse salt for decoration, if desired.
3. Bake the pie in the middle of the oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm.    

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Nutritional info per ¼ tart: makes 4 servings
    * Calories: 294
    * Fat: 17g    Carbs: 32g (fiber: 1g)    Protein: 4g

Puff Pastry Cheese Straws

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Ingredients: 
Puff Pastry, 1 sheet, thawed 
Egg, fresh, 1 large, beaten lightly 
Pecorino Romano Cheese, 6 tbsp grated (1.25 oz) 
Pepper, black, freshly ground 
Salt, coarse

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Beat egg slightly. Roll out pastry. Cut it in half. Brush one half of pastry with egg then sprinkle with cheese.
Place another half of pastry on top and seal it with rolling pan. But do not press too tight. Brush again with egg then sprinkle with cheese, pepper and salt on top. Roll with rolling pan to press the cheese into pastry.
3. Cut pastry sheet into 1/2" strips, width-ways. Twist each piece and place on baking tray covered with parchment paper.
4. Bake in oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is browned and puffed. Transfer to wire racks and cool.
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Nutritional info per 1 pastry: makes 12 servings
   * Calories: 98
   * Fat: 6.5 Carbs: 7g (fiber: 0g) Protein: 1g

Barley Soup with Turkey & Butternut Squash

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup barley, dry (+2 cups of water for cooking)
2 Turkey legs, cooked, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small butternut squash, fresh, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cans (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium beef broth
2-3 cups of water
2-3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preparation
1. In a small pot, put dry barley and water and cook it for 30 minutes. Drain the water, rinse barley.
2. Meanwhile, clean the turkey meat of bone, cut it into pieces. Clean and cut butternut squash. Chop onion and mince garlic.
3. In a pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add butternut squash and cook for 5 minutes stirring often. Add turkey, oregano, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Mix everything and cook for half a minute or so.
Add cooked barley, chicken broth and 2-3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add more water to thin soup, as needed. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
4. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with parsley or any fresh herbs.
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Nutritional info per 1.5 cup: makes 6 servings
    * Calories: 167
    * Fat: 5g Carbs: 17g (fiber: 3.6g) Protein: 13g

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Croissant, Goat Cheese & Chestnuts

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Ingredients
Croissant, 1 large (2.5 oz), cut into 1/4" pieces, lightly baked and cooled
Acorn Squash, small or medium (1.5 lbs), cut in half and seeded
Maple Syrup, 2 tsp, divided between squash halves
Unsalted Butter, 1/2 Tbsp, divided between squash halves
Egg, fresh, 1 extra large
Milk Goat Low Fat, 1/4 cup
Black Pepper, freshly ground
Cranberries, fresh or frozen, 1/4 cup, whole
Goat Cheese, 1 oz, crumbled
Chestnuts, 5 pieces (1.5oz = 40 grams), coarsely cut
Apple, fresh, 1/4 medium, cut into small cubes
Sage, fresh, 1 tsp, finely chopped  
Thyme, fresh, 1 tsp, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Heat the oven 350F. Cut croissant into 1/4" cubes, spread over baking sheet and toast slightly till dry, for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

2. Heat up the oven to 400F.

3. Cut acorn squash into half, take seeds out. Brush all the flesh with maple syrup. Put butter inside.

4. In a large bowl beat up egg, milk and pepper together.

5. Crumble goat cheese, cut apples and chestnuts, chop fresh herbs. Add them, toasted croissant pieces and cranberries to the egg mixture. Mix very well.

6. Divide the stuffing into two. Stuff each squash half, pressing the mixture tight, if necessary.

7. Arrange the stuffed halves in baking dish, cover loosely with aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 50 minutes at 400F. Then take the foil off squash, turn the oven off and leave the dish in hot oven for 10-15 more minutes or till ready to serve.

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Nutritional info per a stuffed half: makes 2 servings

    * Calories: 448

    * Fat: 15g Carbs: 68g (fiber: 13g) Protein: 13g

Roasted Apples & Onions

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Ingredients
1 large Apple, fresh, cored and cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 large Onion, raw, cut into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup fresh (or frozen) whole Cranberries
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Coriander seed
1/4 tsp Caraway Seed
freshly ground black Pepper

Preparation
1. Preheat oven F400.
2. Cut onions and apples. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with spices. Add fresh cranberries.
3. Bake for 30 minutes.

I'd recommend it served with shredded Pecorino Romano, Gruyere or Swiss cheese.    
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Nutritional info per 1 cup: makes 2 servings
    * Calories: 117
    * Fat: 4g Carbs: 22g (fiber: 4.6g) Protein: 1g

Sweet Potato & Bean Chili

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Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, fresh, seeded and diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (OR ground chipotle chile)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 15-ounce can beans (red, black, kidney or any other), drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (no salt added)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (OR cilantro)

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large pan (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add chopped jalapeno pepper, cook for 1 minute. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, curry (OR chipotle) and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is almost tender,  for about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley (or cilantro).

I'd recommend it served over baked spaghetti squash, cooked pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa or any other grains, in a corn taco shell, inside of cooked half of an acorn squash or with a piece of corn bread.                        
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Nutritional info per 1 cup: makes 4 servings
    * Calories: 202
    * Fat: 4g Carbs: 33g (fiber: 9g) Protein: 10g

Panini Ham & Cheese Sandwich with Pears

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Ingredients
Bread, Sourdough, 2 slices (2.5 oz)
Swiss cheese, 2 slices (1 oz)
Ham, 2 pieces (2 oz)
Pears, fresh, 1/4 pear (1.5oz) , thinly sliced
Pepper, black, freshly ground
Yellow Mustard, 1 tsp

Equipment:
panini press, non-stick cooking spray

Preparation
1. Heat the panini maker, spray it with non-stick spray if necessary.
2. Arrange a sandwich with all the ingredients and cook it pressed in the panini maker for 3-5 minutes.

Serve warm with fresh arugula.                        
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Nutritional info: makes 1 sandwich
    * Calories: 407
    * Fat: 13g Carbs: 49g (fiber: 2.6g) Protein: 27g

Sirniki (Farmer Cheese Pancakes)

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Ingredients:
Farmer Cheese, two 7.5oz-packages (450g total)
Granulated Sugar, 2 tbsp
Flour, white, all-purpose, 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup for dredging
Egg, 1 jumbo (or 1 large+1 egg white) raw
Vanilla Extract, 1 tsp
Oil for cooking (2-3 tbsp) 

Equipment: 
frying pan

Cooking Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients except oil. Put 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow dish. Form 8 cutlet-shape flat cakes (1/2"-thick) and dredge every one in flour.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook cakes at low-medium heat for 3 minutes on each side (just like pancakes) till golden brown.

Serve warm with Greek yogurt, honey, jams, sour cream, milk, sweetened condensed milk.
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Nutritional info per one cake: makes 8 cakes
    * Calories: 174
    * Fat: 9g Carbs: 12g (fiber: 0.3g) Protein: 10g

Mushroom Baked Risotto

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Ingredients:

Portabella Mushrooms, 1 large (130-150g), cut into 1/8"-pieces
Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Garlic, 1 clove (minced)
Rosemary, 1/4 tsp (chopped)
Onions, raw, 1/4 large (chopped)
White Wine, 2 fl oz (remove)
Arborio / Risotto Rice (uncooked), 1/2 cup
Water, tap, 1/2 cup (4 fl oz)
Chicken Broth 99% Fat Free, low sodium, 14oz can (2 cups)
Pecorino Romano Cheese, 2 tbsp (finely shredded)

Equipment: 1 or 2 clay pots with lids (or baking dish)

 

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Mince garlic clove through press. Chop rosemary and onion. Cut mushroom into small pieces.

3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add rosemary and mushrooms and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes till there is no liquid in frying pan and mushrooms got light brown.

4. Add white wine and cook for 30 seconds. Add uncooked arborio rice. Mix well.

5. Add rice-mushroom mixture into clay pot (or devide it between two) or any other kind of baking dish. Pour chicken broth and water. Cover with lid.

6. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven.

7. Take it out of the oven. Fluff with folk and add freshly grated cheese. Mix again and serve immediately.

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Nutritional info per 1 cup: Makes 2 cups

    * Calories: 293

    * Fat: 8g Carbs: 45g (fiber: 1.5g) Protein: 8g

Banana baked with Ham and Gruyere

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Ingredients:
Banana, ripen, 2 medium (80g each)
Ham, 4 thin slices, 2 oz (preferably low sodium)
Light Sour Cream, 4 tbsp
Gruyere Cheese, 1/3 cup, shredded
Black Pepper, ground
Paprika

Equipment:
2 baking dishes
cooking spray 

Cooking Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the baking dishes.
2. Peel bananas, cut them in half crosswise and cut each half lengthwise. Wrap each piece in slices of ham and arrange in two baking dishes. Grind some black pepper on top.
3. Add sour cream and spread it over the wrapped bananas. Put shredded cheese on top and sprinkle with paprika.
4.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm with a piece of toasted bread.

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Nutritional info: 1 dish
    * Calories: 248
    * Fat: 10g Carbs: 23g (fiber: 2g) Protein: 18g