Lemon Chicken Pita Burger | Pulled Chicken Sandwiches | Chicken Strawberry Salad | Fried Rice
BBQ Portobello Quesadilla | Turkey Burgers | Pizza Bianca | Pan-Grilled Chicken
Pumpkin Ravioli | Apple Cider Muffins | Szechuan-Style Tofu with Peanuts
Cucumber Chiller | Chicken & Couscous Salad | Garden Pasta Salad | Grilled Shrimp, Mango & Avocado
Buffalo Chicken Wrap | Baked Pork Chops | Whole-Wheat Linguine | Turkey Burgers

September

Tabbouleh with Chicken & Red Pepper

August

Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon Moroccan or Greek seasoning blend
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup diced tomato

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients; add 1 teaspoon rind, stirring well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into 1/4-inch-thick oval patties
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes.
3. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon rind, yogurt, and oregano, stirring well. Fill each pita half with 1 patty, 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture, 1/4 cup lettuce, and 1 tablespoon tomato.

July

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• Cooking spray

Salad

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon molasses

Other

• 8 (2-ounce) sandwich rolls, toasted
• 16 hamburger dill chips

Directions

1. Prepare grill.
2. To prepare chicken, combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over chicken. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 180°, turning occasionally. Let stand for 5 minutes. Shred with 2 forks.
3. To prepare sauce, heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and next 5 ingredients (through pepper); cook 30 seconds. Stir in ketchup, vinegar, and molasses; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
4. Place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on bottom halves of sandwich rolls; top each serving with 2 pickle chips and top roll half.

June

Chicken Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad

• 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 4 cups arugula
• 2 cups quartered strawberries
• 1/3 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, sliced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, halved
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.
2. To prepare salad, combine romaine and next 4 ingredients (through chicken) in a bowl; toss gently. Place about 2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cashews and 2 tablespoons cheese. Drizzle about 4 teaspoons dressing over each serving.

May

Southeast Asian Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
  (ground fresh chile paste), divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
• 2 1/2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice
• 1/4 cup vertically sliced shallots
• 2 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Cooking spray
• 2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
• 4 lime wedges

Directions

1. Combine first 4 ingredients, 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine eggs and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek in a different bowl. Separate green tops from green onions, and diagonally chop; set aside. Cut green onion bottoms into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan, swirling pan to coat evenly. Add rice; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer rice mixture to a large bowl. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in pan. Add shallots to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds or until tender. Add chicken; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add brown sugar mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until liquid thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. Add chicken mixture to rice mixture.
3. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel; return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add broccoli and bell pepper; stir-fry 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, green onion bottoms, and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute or until fragrant. Add chicken mixture to pan, cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated; return chicken mixture to large bowl.
4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add egg mixture to pan, swirling to coat pan; cook 30 seconds or just until egg is set. Transfer egg to a cutting board; chop. Stir egg and bacon into rice mixture. Top with green onion tops; garnish with lime wedges.

April

Szechuan-Style Tofu with Peanuts

Ingredients

• 2 (3 1/2-ounce) bags boil-in-bag jasmine rice
• 1 (14-ounce) package water-packed firm tofu,
  
  drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
• 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons black bean garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat broiler
2. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat
3. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray; broil 14 minutes or until golden
4. While tofu cooks, combine broth and next 4 ingredients (through black bean sauce), stirring with a whisk; set aside
5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salt and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms begin to release liquid, stirring occasionally. Stir in carrots and ginger; cook 1 minute. Add broth mixture; cook 30 seconds or until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat; stir in tofu and onions. Serve over rice; sprinkle with peanuts

March

Barbecue Portobello Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar/li>
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, (see Note), minced
  or 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 pound portobello mushroom caps, (about 5 medium),
  gills removed, diced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 4 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. Combine barbecue sauce, tomato paste, vinegar and chipotle in a medium bowl
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until the onion and mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the barbecue sauce; stir to combine. Wipe out the pan
3. Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese on half of each tortilla and top with one-fourth (about 1/2 cup) of the filling. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten
4. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 2 quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve.

Ingredient note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they’ll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Ground chipotle, made from dried smoked jalapeños, can be found in the specialty-spice section of most supermarkets or online at penzeys.com.

February

Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus 1 teaspoon
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 14 ounces lean 93% ground turkey meat
• 6 ounces lean ground sirloin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 whole-wheat buns or pita bread, toasted

Garnishes

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Ketchup
• Mustard

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with some salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Whisk the garlic with the balsamic, Worcestershire, and hot sauce in a small bowl.

Crumble the turkey and beef into a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic mixture over the meat and form into 4 (5-ounce) burgers. Cover and set aside while you cook the onions.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Season the onions with the remaining teaspoon of balsamic and salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for a minute. Brush 1 side of the burgers with the oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook seasoned side down until browned, about 2 minutes. Brush and season the top of the burgers, flip and cook until other side is brown, about 2 minutes more.

Transfer burgers to a baking dish and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted side ways into the burgers registers 160 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Place the burgers on the buns or in pita and let rest for a few minutes. Serve with the caramelized onions and garnishes of your choice.

January

Pizza Bianca with Arugula, Bacon and Mushrooms

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces), divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal

Toppings

• 2 slices center-cut bacon
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
• 1 (8-ounce) package whole button mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions

DOUGH: In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Stir 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt into yeast mixture to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes); add remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough does nor stick to hands.

Coat large bown wil cooking spray, turn dough to coat. Cover; let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a pizza pan or baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim.

Preheat oven to 450°.

TOPPINGS: Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove from skillet, reserving 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add onion and mushrooms to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender and moisture evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Drizzle oil over dough; sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Bake at 450° on lowest oven rack for 10 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove from oven; spread ricotta evenly over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch rim. Arrange onion mixture and arugula evenly. Sprinkle with bacon, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges.

December

Pan-Grilled Chicken with Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup minced green onions
• 1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeño peppers
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 (12-ounce) container cranberry-orange sauce (such as Ocean Spray)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, divided
• 2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

Directions

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to a 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat; cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until done. Keep warm.

Combine onions, jalapeños, vinegar, and cranberry sauce in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice.

Combine 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, and cream cheese in a small bowl; stir well to combine. Spoon salsa evenly onto individual plates. Place chicken on top of salsa; top with a dollop of cilantro cream. Serve immediately.

November

Pumpkin Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 30 round wonton wrappers
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Directions

Spoon pumpkin onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, minced sage, pepper, and nutmeg.

Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon 2 teaspoons pumpkin mixture into the center of wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water and fold in half, pressing edges firmly with fingers to form a half-moon. Place on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch. Repeat procedure with remaining wonton wrappers and pumpkin mixture.

Fill a large Dutch oven with water; bring to a simmer. Add half of ravioli to pan (cover remaining ravioli with a damp towel to keep from drying). Cook 4 minutes or until done (do not boil), stirring gently. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon; lightly coat with cooking spray, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli.

Combine milk and flour in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Gently stir in Gorgonzola.

Place 5 ravioli in each of 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons Gorgonzola mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

October

Spiced Apple Cider Muffins

Ingredients

Streusel

• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Muffins

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple butter, such as Smucker’s
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup apple cider
• 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

To prepare streusel: Mix brown sugar, whole-wheat flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts, if using.

To prepare muffins: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk egg and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in apple butter, syrup, cider, yogurt and oil. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with the streusel.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

September

Cucumber-Lemonade Chiller

Ingredients

• 3 large cucumbers
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
• 1 cup water
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) gin
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons agave syrup (see Note)

Directions

1. Cut 12 thin slices of cucumber for garnish.
2. Peel and chop the rest of the cucumber; transfer to a food processor, add rosemary and puree. Pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl or large measuring cup.
3. Press on the solids to extract all the juice.
4. Add water, gin, lemon juice and agave syrup to the cucumber juice; stir until the agave is dissolved.
5. Garnish with cucumber slices and rosemary sprigs.

Note: Agave syrup or nectar is the naturally sweet juice extracted from the agave plant. It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, but is even sweeter. Use it in moderation when substituting for table sugar. Look for it near other sweeteners in natural-foods stores.

August

Chicken and Couscous Salad

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (5.7-ounce) box uncooked couscous
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup diced radishes (about 3 large)
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

To prepare salad, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon couscous into a large bowl; cool slightly. Add chicken, onions, radishes, cucumber, parsley, and pine nuts; toss gently to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to combine.

Note: You can toast nuts quickly in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir frequently, and as soon as they become fragrant, remove the nuts from the pan.

July

Garden Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-wheat rotini (6 ounces)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup diced yellow or red bell pepper (1 small)
• 1 cup grated carrots (2-4 carrots)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (4 scallions)
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/3 cup slivered fresh basil

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, olives and basil; toss to coat well.

June

Grilled Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado

This dish features a Vietnamese-style sauce known as "nuoc cham" [noo-ahk CHAHM] that traditionally includes fish sauce, lime juice, chiles, and sugar. Your avocados should be ripe but still slightly firm so they’ll slice easily and not break apart as they grill. Leaving the skin on helps them maintain their shape—remove skin before serving, if you like.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated carrot
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced serrano chile (about 1 chile)
• 36 large shrimp (about 2 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 2 ripe unpeeled avocados, halved
• 2 peeled mangoes, each cut into 6 wedges
• 12 lime wedges
• 6 large Bibb lettuce leaves
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 3/4 cup juice mixture. Stir carrot and chile into remaining 1/2 cup juice mixture, and set aside.
2. Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Starting at tail end, butterfly each shrimp, cutting to, but not through, backside of shrimp. Combine reserved 3/4 cup juice mixture and shrimp in a large bowl, tossing to coat; cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Remove shrimp from bowl, reserving marinade.
3. Prepare grill for medium-high heat.
4. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
5. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 12 (10-inch) skewers. Place shrimp on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill shrimp 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until done, basting frequently with cooked marinade.
6. Cut 3 avocado halves in half lengthwise; peel and dice remaining avocado half. Brush cooked marinade over mango and avocado wedges; coat with cooking spray. Arrange in a single layer on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Coat lime wedges with cooking spray; place on grill rack. Grill fruit 2 minutes on each side or until marked but not soft, basting frequently with marinade.
7. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 6 salad plates; top each leaf with 2 mango slices, 2 lime wedges, and 1 avocado wedge. Place 2 skewers on each plate; sprinkle evenly with diced avocado. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired. Serve with carrot mixture.

May

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
• 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

Directions

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

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.

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

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.

April

Baked Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing

Ingredients

• 4 pork loin chops
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups bread cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown them on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
3. Transfer the pork chops to a baking dish, turn the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add the apple and cook for 5 minutes more.
4. Add the bread cubes and parsley and remove from heat. Stir in just enough cider to moisten the mixture and season with salt and pepper.
5. Spread the mustard on top of each chop. Divide the stuffing mixture among the chops and pat it onto the mustard.
6. Bake the chops until they are fully cooked and the stuffing is nicely browned, about 20 minues.

March

Whole-Wheat Linguine with Cherry-Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

The sauce isn’t cooked, so it has a fresher flavor than jarred versions. Use the sweetest cherry tomatoes you can find.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes quartered
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 pound whole-wheat linguine
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• coarsely chopped Salt, to taste

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, add tomatoes, ¼ cup of the olive oil, garlic, olives, salt, and crushed pepper. Let mixture sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain into a large colander, then transfer to a large bowl.

Toss linguine with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Place the tomato mixture in a sieve over a bowl to drain excess liquid, then lightly toss the mixture with the pasta. Add the basil, toss again, and serve.