Broccoli and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns, trimmed and finely chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1 7-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

Preparation:

1. Whisk feta, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and pepper in a medium bowl until combined.

2. Add broccoli, chickpeas and bell pepper; toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled

Make Ahead Tip:

Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 122 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 260 mg sodium; 324 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus:

Vitamin C (140% daily value), Vitamin A (50% dv), Folate (22% dv), Calcium (15% dv).

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 large tomato, diced

Preparation:

1. Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.

3. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.

4. To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 275 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 4 g fiber; 756 mg sodium.

Nutrition Bonus:

Vitamin A (35% daily value), Selenium (28% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv).

Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces beef or lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 4 14-ounce cans beef broth
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, un-drained
• 1 cup 1/2-inch slices peeled parsnip, or 1/2-inch cubes peeled potato
• 2/3 cup quick-cooking barley

Preparation:

1. In a Dutch oven brown meat in hot oil. Stir in broth, onion, celery, oregano, pepper, garlic, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours for beef (45 minutes for lamb).

2. Stir in frozen vegetables, un-drained tomatoes, parsnip, and barley. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes more or until meat and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

3. Makes 8 servings (11 cups)

4. Slow-cooker directions: Substitute regular barley for quick-cooking barley. In a large skillet brown cubed beef in hot oil. Drain off fat. In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker combine beef and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Nutrition Information:

Per Serving: Calories 171, Total Fat (g) 4, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 25, Sodium (mg) 865, Carbohydrate (g) 20, Total Sugar (g) 3, Fiber (g) 4, Protein (g) 13, Calcium (DV%) 5, Iron (DV%) 11, Starch (d.e.) 1, Vegetables (d.e.) 1, Very Lean Meat (d.e.) 1.5

Nutrition bonus:

Vitamin C (20% daily value)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 14-ounce cans chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles or medium noodles

Preparation:

1. In a 3-1/2- to 6-quart crockery cooker, combine chicken, carrots, sherry (if desired), the 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the vinegar, ginger, and pepper. Stir in chicken broth and the water. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Stir in noodles and pea pods. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes more or until noodles are tender. Serve with additional soy sauce. Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Information:

Calories 174, Total Fat (g) 3, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 44, Sodium (mg) 1050, Carbohydrate (g) 13, Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 21

Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
• 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced\
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Roll out or stretch dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 16-inch oval. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk peanut butter, water, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl until well combined.

4. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, scallions and 1 tablespoon of the peanut sauce to the chicken; toss to combine.

5. Remove the crust from the oven; spread evenly with the remaining peanut sauce. Top with the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese. Return the pizza to the oven and bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 355 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 29 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrate; 20 g protein; 3 g fiber; 447 mg sodium; 151 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus:

Vitamin C (45% daily value), Vitamin A (15% dv).

Steak Salad Pita

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 pound top round steak, 1 1/2 inches thick, trimmed
• 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 8 4-inch whole-wheat pitas or four 8-inch pitas, split open

Preparation:

1. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

2. Whisk lemon juice, oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Place steak in a shallow dish and pour half the dressing over it. Let marinate at room temperature, turning once, for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the salad by adding lettuce, cucumber and tomato to the remaining dressing in the bowl; toss to coat.

4. Transfer the meat to a broiling pan. Broil for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until it reaches desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for 3 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain. Mix the meat with the salad and fill each pita. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 410 calories; 15 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 33 g protein; 6 g fiber; 529 mg sodium.

Nutrition Bonus:

Vitamin A (70% daily value), Selenium (66% dv), Vitamin C (45% dv), Folate (29% dv), Iron (25% dv), Magnesium (20% dv).

Southwestern Cheese Panini

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup prepared salsa
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño pepper (optional)
• 8 slices whole-wheat bread
• 2 teaspoons canola oil

Preparation:

1. Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.

2. Combine Cheddar, zucchini, carrot, onion, salsa and jalapeño (if using) in a medium bowl. Divide among 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining bread.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 331 calories; 14 g fat (5 g sat, 2 g mono); 30 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 5 g fiber; 523 mg sodium; 163 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus:

Vitamin A (50% daily value), Calcium (30% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Chicken Parmesan Sub

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 6-ounce bags baby spinach
• 1 cup marinara sauce, preferably low-sodium
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 4 soft whole-wheat sandwich rolls, toasted

Preparation:

1. Position oven rack in top position; preheat broiler.

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan until the chicken is an even 1/4-inch thickness. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add half the chicken and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken; transfer to the baking sheet.

5. Top each piece of chicken with the wilted spinach, marinara sauce and Parmesan. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve on rolls.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 467 calories; 13 g fat (4 g sat, 5 g mono); 78 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrate; 42 g protein; 5 g fiber; 762 mg sodium; 791 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus

Vitamin A (160% daily value), Vitamin C (46% dv) Folate (43% dv), Magnesium (26% dv).

CrabCake Burger

Ingredients:

• 1 pound crabmeat
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Preparation:

1. Mix crab, egg, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, chives, mustard, lemon juice, celery seed, onion powder, pepper and hot sauce in a large bowl. Form into 6 patties.

2. Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the butter stops foaming. Cook the patties until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 163 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 86 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 0 g fiber; 350 mg sodium; 293 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus:

Selenium (44% daily value), Zinc (20% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv)