10 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
2 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions:

Fill a saucepan 2/3 full of water.  Place on high heat and bring to a rapid boil.  Add the broccoli and steam for 3 minutes or until broccoli is crisp tender.  Cool under cold tap water and drain well.  Place the butter in a skillet over low heat and allow the butter to completely melt.  Add the shallot and garlic.  Cook 2 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add the bread crumbs and continue cooking 2 minutes or until the bread crumbs begin to brown.  Remove from the mixture from the skillet and place in a mixing bowl.  Add the lemon peel and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.  Stir to combine well.  Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the steamed broccoli to the oil and cook 4 minutes until slightly brown and heated through.  Sprinkle the other 1/8 teaspoon of pepper over the cooked broccoli and stir to cover.  Pour in the lemon juice and sprinkle the top with the bread crumb mixture.  Serve hot.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

75 calories
3.5 g total fat
1 g saturated fat
3 g protein
9.5 g carbohydrates
5 mg cholesterol
215 mg sodium
2.5 g fiber

1 cup boiling Water
4 Green Tea with Mandarin Orange Flavor Tea Bags
1/2 teaspoon sugar substitute
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup ice cubes

Instructions:

Plate the tea bags in the boiling water and allow steeping for 2 minutes.   Remove the tea bags and squeeze out any tea remaining.  Add the sugar substitute and stir to dissolve.  Place in the refrigerator and allow chilling about 30 minutes.  Place the chilled tea in the blender.  Add the banana and ice cubes.  Blend until smooth and creamy.

Serves 2

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

80 calories
0 g fat
0 g saturated fat
1 g protein
18 g carbohydrate
0 mg cholesterol
100 mg sodium
2 g fiber

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Instructions:

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl.  Whisk together being sure all the ingredients are blended together well.  Place the egg yolks in a separate bowl.  Pour in the buttermilk.  Add the ricotta cheese and lemon peel and whisk until completely blended.  Place the egg whites in a separate bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until soft peaks begin forming.  Add the ricotta cheese mixture to the flour mixture and blend until just combined.  Carefully fold in the egg whites.  Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot.  Coat the skillet with oil.  Pour a 1/4 cup of batter onto the prepared skillet.  Cook 2 minutes or until bubbles appear around the edge.  Flip and continue cooking 1 minute or until a light brown.  Continue until all the batter has been used.  Heat the oven to 200 degrees and place cooked flapjacks on an oven safe platter in the heated oven to keep them warm until ready to serve.

Makes 15 flapjacks

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

75 calories
2.5 g fat
1 g saturated fat
3.5 g protein
9.5 g carbohydrates
35 mg cholesterol
160 mg sodium
.5 g fiber

2 pounds ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, undrained
1 (28 oz.) can unsalted tomatoes, diced
1 (8 oz) pkg. mushrooms, sliced
6 ribs celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Place the turkey in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Brown the turkey being sure to break up with a fork as it browns.  When the turkey begins to brown add the onion.  Continue cooking until the turkey is not longer pink and the onion begins to tender about 20 minutes.  Add in the beans, tomatoes and mushrooms stirring lightly to combine.  Add the celery and peppers being sure to stir well to combine all the ingredients.  Sprinkle in the chili powder and cayenne pepper.  Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 3 hours.  Chili will thicken slightly while cooking.  Be sure to stir often to keep the flavors incorporated together.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

325 calories
7.5 g total fat
2 g saturated fat
34.5 g protein
32.5 g carbohydrate
75 mg cholesterol
510 mg sodium
9.5 g fiber

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 pink grapefruit, in segments
1 orange, in segments
1 pear, sliced
1 cup grapes, seedless
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

Pour the olive oil, orange juice and vinegar into a small bowl.  Whisk slightly to combine.  Add the honey and whisk briskly until the honey is completed blended in.  Sprinkle in the pepper and stir to incorporate the ingredients together.  Place the salad greens on a plate.  Top the greens with the grapefruit segments, orange segments, pear slices, grapes and cranberries.  Drizzle the dressing over the entire salad.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

150 calories
7 g total fat
1 g saturated fat
1.5 g protein
23 g carbohydrates
0 mg cholesterol
90 mg sodium
3.5 g fiber

1/2 cup mango, pitted, peeled and diced
1 green onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 (8 ounce) container pineapple cream cheese spread
32 slices baguette French bread

Instructions:

Place the mango, green onion, pepper, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice in a tightly sealed container.  Turn to coat ingredients with the juice.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours so all the flavors can blend together.  Spread each slice of baguette bread with the cream cheese.  Use a slotted spoon to top each of bread with the salsa.

Serves 16

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

50 calories
2.5 g fat
1.5 g saturated fat
1 g protein
0 g sugar
6 g carbohydrates
5 mg cholesterol
110 mg sodium
0 g fiber

4 pork loin chops, boneless and 3/4 inch thick
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons lime peel, grated
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 lime wedges

Instructions:

Sprinkle the chops on both sides with the pepper.  Place the lime peel, lime juice and honey in a small mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine together well.  Pour over the chops.  Press the garlic into both sides of the chops.  Place the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Heat the oil until hot but not smoking.  Place the prepared chops into the hot oil.  Cook 5 minutes.  Turn and continue cooking 3 minutes or until nicely browned.  Serve each a wedge of lime.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

225 calories
11.5 g fat
3.5 g saturated fat
23 g protein
6.5 g carbohydrate
65 mg cholesterol
190 mg sodium
.5 g fiber

3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown mustard
1 pound fresh spinach
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon sage
1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated

Instructions:

Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with a non stick cooking spray.  Coat the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle the squash with 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.  Place the squash on the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake 25 minutes or until fork tender.  Place the 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the vinegar into a mixing bowl.  Whisk to combine.  Add the brown mustard and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.  Whisk to incorporate the ingredients together.  Place the remaining olive oil into a skillet over medium heat.  Heat the oil to hot but not smoking.  Add the spinach and cook until wilted.  Sprinkle on the remaining pepper.  Remove the spinach from the heat and set aside.  Place the beans in a microwave safe bowl.  Add the squash, vinegar mixture, garlic and sage.  Stir gently to combine.  Microwave on high 1 minute or until warm. If not warm enough after 1 minute microwave at 30 second intervals until to your liking.
Serve over the wilted lettuce and sprinkle with the cheese.

Serves 5

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values)

330 calories
12 g fat
2.5 g saturated fat
17 g protein
41.5 g carbohydrates
4 mg cholesterol
770 mg sodium
10.5 g fiber

1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 (6 ounce) containers vanilla yogurt
2 1/2 cups honeydew melon, cubed
2 cuts red raspberries

Instructions:

Place the honey in a mixing bowl.  Sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add the yogurt and blend ingredients together well with a rubber spatula.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.  Serve with the fruit when chilled.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information (Approximate Value)

70 calories
0.5 g fat
0 g saturated fat
2 g protein
13 g carbohydrates
0 mg cholesterol
10 g sugar
30 g sodium
2 g fiber