Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. (Major yay!) Here are today's six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Quinoa-Stuffed Avocados and Chickless Pot Pie. Enjoy!

The first four recipes come from the January 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, in an article titled “5 Ingredients: Frozen Assets: Hot ideas for winter dishes - straight from your freezer.” The article begins, “If the pitiful-looking winter produce selection has you singing the “what can I make for dinner” blues, it’s time to steer your grocery cart over to the freezer aisle. There you’ll find everything you need to make wholesome dishes without spending a fortune. And when you stock up on these frozen goodies—vegetables, soy meatballs, sweet berries and a pint or two of ice cream—the fast, delectable recipes here mean you don’t have to go out in the cold to get a hot meal on the table.”

Now, I know, someone is bound to think, “Winter? Excuse me, but it’s only October! That hardly qualifies as winter.” That’s okay, these are still yummy recipes. So, give ‘em a try!

HEAVENLY ICE CREAM CAKE WITH RASPBERRY COULIS

This recipe begins, “Prepared angel food cakes from the supermarket bakery section are good items to have on hand for desserts. Before preparing this elaborate-looking recipe, freeze the cake completely. It slices easily with a serrated knife.” Serves 12.

You can also view this online, here.

1 16-oz. angel food cake, frozen

1 10-oz. jar raspberry preserves

1/4 cup raspberry liqueur or orange juice

2 pints low-fat vanilla ice cream, softened, divided

1 10-oz. pkg. frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed

Cut cake into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cover bottom of 9-inch springform pan with slices, cutting one or two slices as necessary to fill in gaps.

Combine raspberry preserves and liqueur in small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes. Brush half of raspberry mixture over cake in pan. Spread 1 pint ice cream over cake, and smooth top. Arrange more cake slices over ice cream to cover completely. Spread remaining raspberry mixture over cake. Smooth remaining pint of ice cream over cake. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight. (Can be prepared up to 3 days in advance up to this point.)

Purée thawed raspberries and syrup in food processor until smooth. Strain into bowl.

Run knife around sides of springform pan. Release sides from cake. Slice into wedges, and top with raspberry coulis.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 273; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 60 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 319 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 31 g

PENNE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PESTO

This recipe begins, “Cubed butternut squash is a recent addition to most frozen food sections—and a welcome one since it eliminates all the peeling, scraping and slicing that go with fresh squash. (Fresh butternut squash will also work, though.)” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

This can also be viewed this online here.

1/4 cup prepared pesto, divided

1 cup chopped frozen onions

1 1/4 lb. frozen diced butternut squash, about 4 cups

2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

3/4 lb. whole-wheat penne

Heat 1 Tbs. pesto in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in squash and broth. Cover, and cook over medium low 10 minutes, or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and divide among 4 bowls. Swirl remaining 1 Tbs. pesto into sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over pasta, and use remaining pesto to garnish each serving.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 489; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 87 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 332 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 7 g

GREEN COCONUT CURRY

This one begins, “Prepared Thai curry paste is available in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If you can’t find green, feel free to use red or yellow. Since the paste is quite spicy, taste a little before you add it and use more or less as preferred. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and cilantro if desired.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less. Vegan.

1 cup reduced-fat coconut milk

1 tsp. green curry paste

1 1/2 lb. frozen mixed Asian vegetables (mixes with peas are good here)

2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce

4 cups cooked brown rice

Combine coconut milk and curry paste in wok or large saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Stir in frozen vegetables. Simmer over medium heat 10 minutes. Stir in teriyaki sauce, and serve over rice.

PER SERVING: 376 CAL; 10G PROT; 7.5G TOTAL FAT (3G SAT. FAT); 66G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 889MG SOD; 6G FIBER; 8G SUGARS

“MEATBALLS” STROGANOFF

The recipe begins, “For a hot, filling dinner, this take on a traditional Hungarian dish can’t be beat. Frozen spinach lightens it up and makes for a well-balanced meal. Serve over long, wide pasta to soak up the sauce.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

2 tsp. garlic-flavored olive oil

2 cups frozen chopped onion

1 16-oz. bag frozen whole-leaf spinach

1 12-oz. pkg. frozen soy zesty Italian meatballs

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Heat oil in nonstick skillet on medium high. Add onion, and sauté 10 minutes, or until golden. Add 1/3 cup water, spinach and soy meatballs. Cover, and cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sour cream just before serving, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through, but without boiling. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over egg noodles, if desired.

PER SERVING: 269 CAL; 18G PROT; 14.5G TOTAL FAT (6G SAT. FAT); 20G CARB; 31MG CHOL; 622MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 5G SUGARS

QUINOA-STUFFED AVOCADOS

This comes from Delish, and starts off, “Taste the rainbow.” Total Time: 10 minutes; Prep: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: Makes 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 avocados, pitted

1 c. cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 scallions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 c. corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 2 limes

kosher salt

Directions

Scoop out avocados, leaving a small border. Dice avocado and set aside.

Make quinoa salad: In a large bowl, combine quinoa, beans, scallion, peppers, and corn. Add olive oil and lime juice and toss to combine. Season with salt.

Divide salad among 4 avocado halves.

CHICKLESS POT PIE

This comes from country star Trisha Yearwood, who also has her own show on The Food Network (called Trisha's Southern Kitchen). The recipe starts off, “Trisha Yearwood's vegetarian take on chicken pot pie is just as decadent without the meat. Although the luscious vegetable filling with peas, carrots and potatoes could be a meal on its own, wrapping it in premade pie dough seals in flavor with a crispy crust.” Total Time: 1 hr 25 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 10 min; Cook: 50 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: easy

Read more online at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/chickless-pot-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

1 cup small diced potatoes

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup butter substitute, such as Earth Balance

1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 3/4 cups vegetable broth

2/3 cup almond milk

Two 9-inch unbaked pie crusts, lard free

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil to place the pie on before cooking; it will keep any filling from dripping into the oven and burning.

In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter substitute until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, celery seed and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out. Slowly stir in the broth and then add the milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the drained vegetables.

Roll out one of the unbaked crusts to a 13-inch diameter and place in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top. Seal the edges and cut small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. If the top of the pie becomes too dark, loosely cover with foil and continue cooking. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta Party

I absolutely adore pasta in all its many forms. And if you love it as much as I do, today's post is for you. Here are six pasta recipes to help you through the day, including Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Penne and Roasted Squash Chili Mac. Enjoy!

ANGEL HAIR PASTA

I had something similar to this at a restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important—unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.

1/4 C water

3 medium to large tomatoes

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 T oregano

1 lb. angel hair pasta

Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.)

In veggie pot, heat 1/4 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.)

Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)

CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPER PENNE

This is from Lindsay Funston on Delish. Lindsay wrote, “With a super-light cream sauce, this spinach and roasted red pepper penne is addictive.”

Total Time: 20 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4

To view this online, click here.

Note: This recipe originally called for chicken broth, which I've exchanged for veggie broth. Also, if you can get hold of a veggie version of heavy cream – maybe soy? Whatever – go for it.

Ingredients

12 oz. penne

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 c. baby spinach

1 c. sliced jarred roasted red peppers

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add spinach and roasted red peppers. Cook until wilted and warmed through, 3 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, vegetable broth, and 1/4 cup pasta water and bring to a simmer.

Add cooked penne to pan and stir until coated, then season with crushed red pepper flakes.

Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

PENNE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PESTO

This recipe begins, “Cubed butternut squash is a recent addition to most frozen food sections—and a welcome one since it eliminates all the peeling, scraping and slicing that go with fresh squash. (Fresh butternut squash will also work, though.)” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

This can also be viewed this online here.

1/4 cup prepared pesto, divided

1 cup chopped frozen onions

1 1/4 lb. frozen diced butternut squash, about 4 cups

2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

3/4 lb. whole-wheat penne

Heat 1 Tbs. pesto in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in squash and broth. Cover, and cook over medium low 10 minutes, or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and divide among 4 bowls. Swirl remaining 1 Tbs. pesto into sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over pasta, and use remaining pesto to garnish each serving.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 489; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 87 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 332 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 7 g

ROASTED SQUASH CHILI MAC

This is from Rachael Ray of The Food Network show Rachael Ray’s Week in a Day.

Total: 1 hr 40 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter, plus more for the casserole dish

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced (or look for diced raw butternut squash in the produce department)

EVOO, for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 pound rigatoni, penne or macaroni with ridges

2 tablespoons chili powder, such as Gebhardt's, or a blend of ancho or chipotle

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, made into a paste

1 fresh chile pepper, such as Fresno or jalapeno, finely chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

One 14-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded pepper jack or other hot-pepper melting cheese

Ingredients

Watch how to make this recipe.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.

Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Roast until the edges are browned, 17 to 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to just shy of al dente, 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic and chile pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, then whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Add the Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted.

Combine the squash, chili-cheese sauce and beans, then transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the pepper jack cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is browned, 15 to 20 minutes more.

EXTRA-EASY SPINACH LASAGNA

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “No need to cook the lasagna noodles...just layer them right in the pan with the cheeses, spinach and tomato-mushroom sauce.”

Serves: 8 servings (1 cup each); Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes

View this online here.

Ingredients

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce

6 uncooked lasagna noodle

1/4 cup water

Directions

Stir the ricotta cheese, spinach and 1 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup sauce in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles and half the spinach mixture. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining sauce. Slowly pour water around the inside edges of the baking dish. Cover.

Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes. Uncover the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Tip: To thaw the spinach, microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, breaking apart with a fork halfway through heating.

SPAGHETTINI WITH MUSHROOMS, GARLIC & OIL

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “Regular white mushrooms are excellent here; portobellos or wild mushrooms would be great, too.”

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 9 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2/3 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound spaghettini

3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and the red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and the salt and cook until the mushrooms exude liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghettini until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain and toss with the mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the pepper.

Monday Recipes

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Here are today's six vegetarian recipes to start your week off. Enjoy!

LEMON CREAM TURNOVERS

This comes from Julie’s Eats & Treats’ e-newsletter. I recommend checking out Julie’s blog, and sign up for her e-newsletters. She has some really good recipes here!

Julie wrote, “This easy lemon cream turnover recipe uses only 6 ingredients, making them a quick and easy breakfast, snack or dessert!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 4 large turnovers.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (1 sheet equals 4 large turnovers)

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese

1/3 cup lemon curd (homemade or store-bought)

1 Tbsp lemon zest (about the zest of 1 large lemon)

3 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp sugar

1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (in case any of the filling leaks out of the turnovers, the parchment paper or foil will make for easy clean-up).

Unfold your thawed puff pastry dough. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into four equal squares. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix whipped cream cheese, lemon curd, lemon zest, and 3 Tbsp of sugar together until well combined.

Place about 2 Tbsp of filling into the corner of each square of puff pastry. Fold the pastry diagonally, and crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the tops and edges of each turnover with egg wash, and sprinkle each with the remaining 1 Tbsp of sugar.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.

Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

BROCCOLI AND BOW TIES

This is from Ina Garten star of The Food Network show Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 23 min; Prep: 15 min; Cook: 8 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/broccoli-and-bow-ties-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Kosher salt

8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)

1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 lemon, zested

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts

Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.

To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and cook, tossing often, for about 5 minutes, until light brown.

BUTTERNUT STEW WITH TOFU, CORN AND PINE NUTS

This is from the January 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “This stew may be served alone in a bowl like chili often is, or you may serve it on a plate with brown rice and black beans. If you like the flavors of the Southwest, add canned green chiles, hot chili powder or chipotle sauce to suit your taste.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

4 cups frozen Silver Queen or other sweet corn kernels, thawed

4 cups peeled and diced butternut squash

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. white pepper

4 cups water

2 Tbs. chicken-flavored broth powder

4 Tbs. olive oil

1 lb. firm tofu, diced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 scallions, minced, for garnish

Place corn in blender or food processor, and purée until coarse. Transfer corn to heavy saucepan, and add squash, garlic, salt, pepper, water and broth powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook until squash is tender.

Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat, and add oil. Toss diced tofu in flour, and sauté until browned on all sides. Add pine nuts, and sauté 1 minute more. When squash is tender, add tofu and pine nuts, stir and continue cooking 5 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with scallions and serve.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 260; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 580 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 4 g; Vegan

OVERNIGHT BERRY FRENCH TOAST

This is from the January 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “These cups are assembled a day ahead, so all you have to do is pop them in the oven. Raspberries, blackberries or peach slices all work well in this recipe.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

1 8-oz. whole-wheat baguette, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 large eggs

1 3/4 cups low-fat milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. grated orange zest

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cubed

Place bread cubes in medium storage container.

Whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, zests and cinnamon in large bowl. Pour or ladle mixture over bread cubes. Cover, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F. Fold berries into bread mixture. Coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray. Fill each ramekin with about 2/3 cup of mixture. Dot with butter. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes to set. Serve with maple syrup.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 222; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 153 mg; Sodium: 191 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 19 g

CRUSTLESS SOUTHWESTERN MINI-QUICHES

This also comes from the January 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Frozen hash browns act as a crust for these spicy entrées that can also be made in individual pie dishes for a more quiche-like appearance. Serve with prepared salsa and slices of avocado.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

6 large eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen

2 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup low-fat milk

2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained, rinsed and minced, 2 tsp. sauce reserved

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 6 6-oz. ramekins with cooking spray, and place on baking sheet. Whisk together 1 egg and 1/4 tsp. salt in medium bowl. Stir in shredded hash brown potatoes. Divide potato mixture evenly among prepared ramekins, pressing down to form crust. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle each ramekin with bell pepper, corn, green onions and cilantro. Top with cheese.

Whisk together remaining eggs, milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, chiles and adobo sauce in medium bowl. Pour mixture over vegetables in ramekins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 156; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Cholesterol: 223 mg; Sodium: 602 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 2 g

PENNE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PESTO

This comes from the January 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Cubed butternut squash is a recent addition to most frozen food sections—and a welcome one since it eliminates all the peeling, scraping and slicing that go with fresh squash. (Fresh butternut squash will also work, though.)” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

1/4 cup prepared pesto, divided

1 cup chopped frozen onions

1 1/4 lb. frozen diced butternut squash, about 4 cups

2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

3/4 lb. whole-wheat penne

Heat 1 Tbs. pesto in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in squash and broth. Cover, and cook over medium low 10 minutes, or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and divide among 4 bowls. Swirl remaining 1 Tbs. pesto into sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over pasta, and use remaining pesto to garnish each serving.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 489; Protein: 16 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 87 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 332 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 7 g