Cherry Margarita

Sipping Saturday

A bulging  bag of ruby jewels arrived home with me on each of  3 trips to the grocery store this week.   My intentions for the first bag were to whip up my Saturday Margarita, that didn’t happen.

Half -way into the second bag I felt another trip to the grocery store was in my future.  By the third bag we had lost all control.  Cherries rock!

We didn’t even bother to mix a batch of pancake batter or cream butter for a cake.

Fresh over ice.

These cherries stood no chance,  as juice ran down our cheeks we sat barefoot in our small backyard throwing back pound after pound of cherries.  No conversation, no interruptions, just cherries.  When I finally awoke from my cherry laced dream I sent hubby to the store for another pound.  Lucky me.  Cherry Margarita.

This margarita is my new favorite, well at least for this week.  The color is mind blowing beautiful, but the taste is crazy good.  It is a little more work only in regard to pitting the cherries, but man is it worth the effort.  The lime juice and salt rim really add another flavor dimension to this ruby red liquid happiness. Give it a try. Enjoy! Sweet Life

A wonderful reader recently wrote asking why some of my margaritas have a thin foam.    In all my margaritas, I only use fresh juice.  I run my fresh fruit through my trusty juicer to extract the most flavor.  This produces a tiny amount of foam from the juicing process.  Feel free to strain for a clearer juice.  I kinda enjoy the earthy look.   Thanks for your email Judy.  Enjoy this Cherry margarita.

Cherry Margarita

makes 4 margaritas

salt

lime wedges

1 cup tequila

1 cup fresh cherry juice, about  1   1/2 cups of fresh cherries

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup Cointreau

ice cubes

On a small plate spread salt.  With lime wedges moisten rim of 6 ounce glasses.  Dip glasses into salt.   Place glasses into freezer to chill.

In a pitcher combine tequila, cherry juice, lime juice and Cointreau.  Remove glasses from freezer and serve margarita mixture over ice. Garnish with lime slices.

Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe

Every Sunday, our Mom would make some sort of jello as a side dish to our delicious dinner.  It was usually my favorite part of the meal!  This recipe was one of our favorites growing up, and now my little family eats it right up.  Plus, it makes a lot so it is a great side dish for parties or big dinners!

This dish is tasty enough to be a side dish or dessert!

Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 large package Cook and Serve vanilla pudding
1 large package orange jell-o
2 cups water
1 16 oz Cool-Whip (lite or fat-free is fine)
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
1 can pineapple tidbits (Any size, depending on your preference)
1 can mandarin oranges (Any size, depending on your preference)
2 bananas, sliced (Optional, put in before serving so they don’t turn brown in the fridge)

Directions:

Mix together pudding, Jell-o, and water over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened (about an hour). Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip, marshmallows, and fruit. Chill about an hour before serving.

Carrot Kohlrabi Juice

Kohlrabi belongs to the cabbage family of vegetables, is high in vitamin C and contains a good amount of B vitamins as well.

Ingredients

• 6 carrots, scrubbed
• 2 small or 1 large kohlrabi, scrubbed and peeled

Instructions

• Chop everything into chunks that fit into the juicer chute.
• Pass all the ingredients through the juicer, alternating ingredients.
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove foam if desired.
• Pour juice into ice-filled glasses and serve immediately.

Notes

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Vegan, Raw

TURKEY QUINOA TACO WRAPS

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Serves 4
Calories 353
Fat 13.4 grams
Carbs 40 grams
Dietary Fiber 8.6 grams
Protein 23.4 grams

Ingredients

1/2 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1/2 cup dry quinoa
8 oz black beans
8 oz corn
1 bunch cilantro
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tomatoes
2 limes
1 head romaine lettuce
Salt & pepper

Let's Get Cooking!

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Add olive oil to deep saute pan and heat to medium high heat.  Add ground turkey to pan and saute until browned.
3. Stir in cooked quinoa, corn and black beans.
4. Add cumin, chili pepper & cayenne and stir to combine.  Mix in half your cilantro, season with salt & pepper and add in juice of one lime.
5. Dice tomatoes and mix with remaining cilantro.  Stir in juice & zest of remaining lime.
6. Serve up taco filling in romaine lettuce leaf and top with tomato salsa.

Make 4 healthy servings, enjoy!

Cauli “Mac” N’ Cheez

Comfort food is always welcomed, especially when it’s chilly outside! Unfortunately, our favorite comfort foods can be bad for our waistline so it’s always fun to have hints of comfort food in dishes that are a tad bit healthier. I love my cauliflower mac n’ cheese as the cauliflower is used in place of pasta, making it naturally gluten free and sneaking in a great veggie!  You can also mix in brocoli or even some smoky vegan tempeh bacon for added lean protein with a flavorful kick! I hope you enjoy it!

• Salt, for water
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• vegan butter or high heat oil, to coat the pan
• 1 cup vegan heavy cream (dairy free heavy cream = 1 block of silken tofu (12-ounces) and 1/2 cup of plain soy milk. Blend in blender until thick and creamy and there are no more lumps )
• 2 ounces vegan cream cheese, cut into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups shredded vegan cheddar
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
• Bread crumbs, for topping (gluten free if desired)

Optional add ins (1/2 cup to 1 cup of any of these):

• Tempeh bacon
• Vegan chicken
• Seitan
• Marinated tofu
• Brocoli

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt.

Coat the baking dish well with vegan butter or high heat oil.

Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pat between several layers of paper towels to dry. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking dish and set aside.


Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, and whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast and garlic and whisk just until the cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour over the cauliflower, and stir to combine. Add any add ins you would like, mixing well to fully coat and incorporate.

Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and sprinkle bread crumbs, then bake until browned and bubbly hot, about 15 minutes.

Broccoli Cheese Bites

Broccoli Cheese Bites:

16 oz. package of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained of liquid (I used fresh steamed broccoli)
1 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs
salt & pepper
1 cup of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

With your hands, form small patties and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet.


Bake at 375F for 25 minutes, turning the patties after the first 15 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Super easy to make and ridiculously delicious!

INGREDIENTS

 Print This Recipe

• 10-12 oz penne pasta
• 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
• 3/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups heavy cream (milk would be fine, too)
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/3 cup ranch dressing I used Lite House
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cook pasta according to its package's directions. Drain. I always add a little olive oil after I drain it and stir in around so the pasta noodles don't stick together or the pot.
• Toss in cooked and chopped chicken as well as cooked and crumbled bacon into the pasta.
• TO MAKE RANCH ALFREDO SAUCE: Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and stir to combine. Once you have your roux, add heavy cream (or milk) stir constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in Garlic salt, onion powder and ranch dressing until well combined.
• Pour ranch alfredo over pasta, chicken and bacon. Stir to evenly combine.
• Add in shredded cheddar cheese and stir to combine.
• Pour into a casserole pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Mexican Grilled Corn

Street vendors across Mexico sell this style of roasted or grilled corn — topped with mayonnaise, chili powder, and Cotija cheese. You can serve the unadorned corn on a platter with small bowls of the sauce, cheese, and lime on the side so everyone can make their own.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon(s) low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoon(s) nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon(s) chili powder
4 ear(s) corn, husked
4 tablespoon(s) finely shredded Cotija (see Shopping Tip) or Parmesan cheese
1 lime, quartered

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine mayonnaise, yogurt and chili powder in a small bowl.
Grill corn, turning occasionally, until marked and tender, 8 to 12 minutes total. Spread each ear with 1 tablespoon of the sauce and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Cotija (or Parmesan). Serve with lime wedges.

Tips & Techniques

Shopping tip: Cotija cheese, also called queso añejo or queso añejado, is an aged Mexican cheese similar in texture and flavor to Parmesan. Find it near other specialty cheeses or in Mexican grocery stores.

Nutritional Information

(per serving)

Calories         98
Total Fat         3g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 2mg
Sodium        108mg
Total Carbohydrate 16g
Dietary Fiber --
Sugars        --
Protein      3g
Calcium      0

Healthy Diabetes Recipes for Dinner 

Ravioli with Arugula & Pecorino

Elevate frozen ravioli with sizzled garlic and shallots, shaved pecorino and fresh arugula. Serve with: Whole-grain baguette and a light-bodied red wine, such as pinot noir.

Makes: 4 servings, 1 1/4 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh or frozen cheese ravioli, preferably whole-wheat
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, sliced
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper to taste
6 cups arugula
1/2 cup shaved Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (see Tip)

PREPARATION

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook ravioli until tender, 7 to 9 minutes or according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, mash garlic and salt into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife or back of a spoon. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic paste and shallots and cook, stirring often, until just starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar, mustard and pepper; remove from the heat.
• Drain the ravioli well. Place in a large bowl and toss with arugula and the dressing. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

TIPS & NOTES

Tip: Use a vegetable peeler to shave curls off a block of hard cheese.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 413 calories; 24 g fat ( 8 g sat , 11 g mono ); 57 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 16 g protein; 2 g fiber; 585 mg sodium; 156 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium (25% daily value), Vitamin A (19% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 3 fat

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Make sure your berries are ripe and sweet. That goes for your bananas, too. You want them fragrant and soft, as they provide much of the sweetness in this low sugar treat. (Note- these are egg-free and vegan- more akin to a whole grain muffin than a cakey white flour and sugar cupcake- just sayin'.)

Ingredients:

1 cup banana puree (3 medium bananas)
1/3 cup organic coconut or canola oil or grapeseed oil
1/3 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 cup packed organic light brown sugar
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
Ener-G Egg Replacer for 2 eggs mixed (or use two free-range organic eggs)
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour or buckwheat flour
1/2 cup almond flour or brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch (not potato flour) or tapioca starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh organic strawberries, rinsed and patted dry

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-muffin pan with paper liners.

In a mixing bowl beat together the banana puree, oil, rice milk, brown sugar, vanilla and egg replacer (or eggs).

Add the flours, starch, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until well combined. If the batter is stiff add a tablespoon of rice milk at a time to achieve a lighter, somewhat sticky batter.

Add in the strawberries by hand and stir gently.

Drop by spoonfuls into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven until they are done in the center- roughly 22 to 25 minutes. Test for wetness with a wooden pick. Muffins should be domed and firm to a light touch.

The most important tip I've found when baking gluten-free muffins and cupcakes is to remove them from the pan to cool, as soon as you can. The longer they stay in the muffin pan the longer they steam. And we know what steam does to bottoms. That's right. And we hate our soggy bottoms, now, don't we?

Cool on a wire rack. Eat warm or cool, or whichever way warms the cockles of your sweet little heart.

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories 180     Calories from Fat 80
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g     14%
Saturated Fat 1.5g     8%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 30mg     10%
Sodium 110mg     5%
Potassium 230mg     7%
Total Carbohydrate 27g     9%
Dietary Fiber 3g     12%
Sugars 10g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A     2%
Vitamin C     20%
Calcium     4%
Iron     10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

frozen strawberry lemonade

Although you can use fresh strawberries, the best slushee effect is achieved by blending frozen strawberries with crushed ice. If you use frozen strawberries, let them thaw a tiny bit before blending so that they are easier to crush in your blender. Also, it's best to use precrushed ice; if using ice cubes, choose the smallest ones to avoid harming the blades of your blender. The length of time you blend the drink will determine its thickness. More blending time equals more liquid. Less time gives you a drink you can eat with a spoon!

ingredients

2 cups frozen (or fresh) strawberries (about 24 strawberries)

1/2 cup crushed ice (or smallest cubes possible)

1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

3 packets of sugar substitute or 2 Tablespoons of sugar (or to taste)

3/4 cup water

Optional

1/4 lemon, sliced, for garnish

1 Tablespoon of ginger, fresh or dried (finely chopped)

A few mint leaves

directions

step 1 Allow frozen strawberries to thaw slightly.

step 2 Before placing ice cubes in blender, crush large chunks by sealing securely inside a Ziploc® Brand   Storage Bag and rolling over the bag firmly with a rolling pin.

step 3 Combine lemon juice, strawberries, sugar substitute or sugar, crushed ice and water in blender jar. If blades get stuck, add more water.

step 4 Blend on high with lid tightly secured until smooth and thick.

step 5 Pour into glasses and serve immediately. Garnish with a slice of lemon, if desired.

Pizza Logs

Ingredients:

8 egg roll wrappers (larger than wonton wrappers)

8 teaspoons store-bought pizza sauce

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

24 turkey pepperoni slice (I used Hormel)

4 light Mozzarella string cheese sticks, each cut in half horizontally to make two shorter sticks (I used Weight Watchers brand – recommended!)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly mist a large baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
• Pour some water into a small dish and set aside. On a flat surface, place an egg roll wrapper, corner facing toward you (like a diamond) and spread a teaspoon of pizza sauce horizontally across the center of the wrapper, leaving ½ inch or so of space on each side. Sprinkle a pinch of Italian seasoning across the sauce and add a row of 3 pepperoni slices over the sauce. Place half a cheese stick on top of the pepperoni. Fold the bottom corner closest to you up over the ingredients and give it a 90 degree roll. Fold the side corners in and tuck them as you give the filled section another 90 degree roll. Dip your finger in the dish or reserved water and lightly wet the edges of the remaining top corner of the wrapper. Finish rolling the filled pizza log over the wet corner so that it adheres. Place wrapped pizza log onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• When all of the pizza logs are wrapped and on the baking sheets, mist the tops with cooking spray. Bake for 10-14 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the wrappers are golden brown. 

Serving suggestion: Serve with additional pizza sauce for dipping if desired (not included in nutrition calculations)

Yields 8 pizza logs. WW P+:  2 per pizza log (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)

Nutrition Information per egg roll from myfitnesspal.com: 97 calories, 13 g carbs, 2 g fat, 7 g protein, 1 g fiber

Oreo Cheesecake Bites

INGREDIENTS

36 Oreo Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
4 packages (8-ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 ounces white chocolate

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Finely crush 24 Oreo cookies. Melt 1/4 cup butter; mix with crumbs. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each just until blended. Chop remaining cookies. Gently stir into batter; pour over crust.
• Bake the cheesecake for about 35-40 minutes or until the sides are set and the center is almost set. Cool completely on a wire rack in the pan.
• When the cheesecake is completely cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When chilled, remove the cheesecake using the foil overhang and cut the cheesecake into bite-sized pieces. Place the cheesecake bites on a wax or parchment paper-lined baking tray. Melt the semisweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate bowls (I use the microwave on 50% power, stirring frequently). Pour the melted chocolate into a ziploc bag, one for the semisweet chocolate, one for the white chocolate. Snip a small corner off the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cheesecake bars. Chill the bars until ready to serve. Alternately, the drizzled bites can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Let them defrost in the refrigerator and serve chilled.

BLT ROLL UPS

Whipped Cream Cheese

3 to 4 Tablespoons Mayo

Tomato Diced

Bacon Crumbled

... Deseeded Cucumber diced

Romaine Lettuce

Finely Shredded Cheddar or Jack Cheese 

Tortillas or Sandwich Roll ups ( I have used both and they work either way)

Great for just a yummy snack around the house, a potluck or watching a game. This is a family favorite. You mix the cream cheese mayo tomato and bacon together. Spread on to the tortilla then sprinkle the cucumber, romaine and cheese and roll it up. Make all of them then slice them about an inch and a half to 2 inches each and enjoy. I recommend letting them set about 20 minutes if you can before cutting them it works better when cutting them but you don't have to.   

GUACAMOLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 avocados – peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl.
Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in pepper.
Refrigerate 1-2 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Oven-baked fish & chips 

Give this classic combination a healthy makeover by oven cooking the ingredients instead of frying

Ingredients

880g/ 1lb 12 oz floury potato , scrubbed and cut into chips

2 tbsp olive oil

50g fresh breadcrumbs

zest 1 lemon

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

4 x 140g/5oz thick sustainable white fish fillets

200g/ 7oz cherry tomato

·          Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Pat chips dry on kitchen paper, then lay in a single layer on a large baking tray. Drizzle with half the olive oil and season with salt. Cook for 40 mins, turning after 20 mins, so they cook evenly.

·          Mix the breadcrumbs with the lemon zest and parsley, then season well. Top the cod evenly with the breadcrumb mixture, then drizzle .0with the remaining oil. Put in a roasting tin with the cherry tomatoes, then bake in the oven for the final 10 mins of the chips' cooking time.

HEALTHY BENEFITS

We've halved the fat and calories of this traditional favourite by cooking it in the oven instead of frying. Although potatoes don't count towards your 5-a-day, they're a useful source of vitamin C as well as B6, potassium and manganese.

PER SERVING

366 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 43g, fat 7 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 4g, sugar 3g, salt 0.5 g

INDIAN EGG BIRYANI RECIPE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ghee / oil
8 large eggs (hard boiled)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2 flakes garlic (curshed)
2 bay leaves
1-inch cinnamon stick
1 brown Cardamom (badi elaichi)
4 green cardamom pods (chhoti elaichi)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder or to taste
2 cups Basmati (long grain) Rice
21/2 cups warm water
Salt To Taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
3-4 tomatoes (thickly sliced) to garnish

Preparation:

·         Heat the oil / ghee in a deep sauce pan and fry onions and garlic together with the bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms, until golden.

·         Carefully prick the eggs with a fork and add to the pan.

·         Stir in turmeric, chili powder and fry for about 5 minutes.

·         Add pre-soaked rice and stir slowly and carefully for 2 minutes.

·         Pour in water and salt to taste, and cook over a modeate heat until the rice is tender and water is absorbed.

·         Sprinkle garam masala powder over it.

·         Garnish egg biryani with chopped coriander and tomato slices, serve hot.

Pollo en Fricase, the Fresh Way

Pollo en Fricase

• 3-4 lbs. chicken pieces
• Adobo seasoning
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 1/2 c. sofrito
• 1/4 c. recaito
• 2/3 c. tomato sauce
• salt to taste

-In a wide pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it’s hot. While waiting for the oil to cool, liberally season the chicken with the Adobo seasoning. Brown the seasoned chicken in the hot pan on both sides.

-When all the chicken is brown, remove it to a plate. Lower the heat to medium.

-Pour the sofrito and recaito into the hot pan (careful, it will steam up a lot). Stir around to cook for about 5 minutes.

-Stir in the tomato sauce and add the chicken back into the pot. Stir to coat all the chicken with sauce. Cover and let stew for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

-Add salt to taste, if desired. Makes 6 entree servings.

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• Taco Pizza

  MAKES: 8 servings

  SERVING SIZE: 1 slice
  

  CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 34

  
  

  

  
  
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• Nonstick cooking spray
• 11 pound loaf frozen whole wheat bread dough, thawed
• 12ounces  lean ground beef
• 1/2cup  chopped onion
• 1/2cup  bottled salsa
• 1 1/2cups  chopped tomatoes
• 1/2cup  shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/2 - 1cup  shredded lettuce and/or spinach
• 1cup  baked tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
• 1/4cup  light sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a 12- to 13-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Pat dough evenly into prepared pan, building up edges slightly. (If dough is hard to pat out, allow to rest for 10 minutes.) Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake for 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the ground beef and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat. Stir in the salsa. Top partially baked crust with meat mixture. Bake for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until cheese melts.

3. To serve, top with lettuce and tortilla chips. Serve with sour cream. Makes 8 servings (1 slice each)

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• cal.(kcal): 281
• Fat, total(g): 9
• chol.(mg): 35
• sat. fat(g): 3
• carb.(g): 34
• Monosaturated fat(g): 2
• Polyunsaturated fat(g): 0
• Trans fatty acid(g): 0
• fiber(g): 3
• sugar(g): 2
• pro.(g): 18
• vit. A(IU): 680
• vit. C(mg): 6
• Thiamin(mg): 0
• Riboflavin(mg): 0
• Niacin(mg): 2
• Pyridoxine (Vit. B6)(mg): 0
• Folate(µg): 16
• Cobalamin (Vit. B12)(µg): 1
• sodium(mg): 531
• Potassium(mg): 316
• calcium(mg): 81
• iron(mg): 1
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Diabetic Exchanges

• Vegetables(d.e): 0.5
• Starch(d.e): 2
• Lean Meat(d.e): 1.5
• Fat(d.e): 1
• Carb Choice(d.e): 2

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (so there’s no lumps)

½ cup sour cream

½ cup good mayonnaise (such as Hellman’s Real)

10 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts), plus a bit more for garnishing if desired

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Blitz to blend well. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let dip come to room temperature, garnish with sliced scallions if desired, then serve with flat bread, fresh vegetables, crackers, chips or all of the above.