BAKED ZITI WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

 

BAKED ZITI WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Ingredients:

1 pound eggplant; cut in 1 inch cubes
1 large red onion; cut in 1 inch cubes
2 yellow peppers; chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Tomato sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup onions; finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic; minced
1/4  teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4  teaspoon fennel seed -- crushed
28 ounces canned tomatoes, crushed
1/4  teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4  teaspoon sugar
pinch thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley; chopped

16 ounces ziti pasta
10 ounces spinach; chopped
1 cup lowfat mozzarella cheese; shredded

Directions:

Heat oven to 450F.  Toss eggplant, red onion, peppers, oil, nd salt in jellypoll pan.  Roast 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables begin to brown. Make sauce: Heat oil in saucepan.  Add onions and cook covered over med- low heat 10 minutes.  Stir in garlic, red pepper, and fennel; cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, and thyme.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in parsley. Reduce oven heat to 400F. Toss ziti with vegetables, sauce and spinach in bowl. Spread in shallow 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella over top. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Chevre-Filled Mushrooms

Chevre-Filled Mushrooms

Ingredients:

24 large fresh mushrooms, caps reserved, stems minced
1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced onion
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 ounces chevre, crumbled (3/4 cup)
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Place mushroom caps, hollow side up, in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add minced stems and onion. Saute over medium heat until soft. Remove from heat and add bread crumbs, parsley, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well, then cool to room temperature. Stir in cheeses until combined.
Preheat over to 450 degrees. Spoon cheese mixture into mushroom caps. Brush with melted butter. Bake 5 to 7 minutes until lightly browned.

Yields: 24 mushroom caps

Zucchini Cakes

Zucchini Cakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
3/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

In a bowl, combine the zucchini, bread crumbs, egg, onion, butter, mustard and seafood seasoning; mix well. Shape into five patties. Dip in cracker crumbs. Heat oil in a large skillet; fry patties for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

SIMPLE SPINACH PIE

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SIMPLE SPINACH PIE

Ingredients:

Canola cooking oil spray
3 packages (10 oz. each) frozen spinach
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 cup (1 oz.) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped dill (4 tsp. crumbled dried)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8-inch spring-form pan with spray. Set aside. Cook spinach according to package directions. When cool enough to handle, squeeze spinach out to remove most of the water. Coarsely chop spinach. Transfer to a bowl and toss with olive oil. In medium bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Mix in feta cheese, flour, salt and pepper to make a sticky dough.
Stir in chicken broth and dill. Add spinach and mix well to combine. Spread mixture in prepared pan into an even layer. Bake 15 minutes, until set. Cool in pan. Release spring-lock and carefully remove sides of pan. Cut into
8 slices. With wide metal spatula, transfer slices to serving plate, arranging them in a circular pattern, pointed ends facing inward. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 Servings

Per serving: 75 calories, 2 g. total fat (less than 1 g.
saturated fat), 10 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. protein, 4 g.
dietary fiber, 205 mg. sodium.

Category: Vegetables, Pies, Side Dishes, Vegetarian