30-minute recipes

Avocado and Feta Cheese Salad Wraps

SERVES 4 30 MINUTES OR LESS

As wrappers for this savory mixture, this colorful luncheon or supper dish borrows flour tortillas from Tex-Mex cooking. Present the tortillas open, and let guests or family members do the wrapping up themselves. Offer corn or tortilla soup to start, and a butterscotch pudding or flan for dessert.

1 ripe avocado, seeded and diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced scallions
2 Tbs. soy "bacon" bits
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, preferably
  toasted
2 Tbs. fat-free soy mayonnaise
16 grape tomatoes
1 cup shredded leaf lettuce plus half
  head for garnish
4 8-inch low-fat plain or flavored
  flour tortillas

1. Preheat oven to broil.

2. Put diced avocado into a mixing bowl,
and stir in feta cheese, lime juice and black
pepper. Add scallions, "bacon" bits, sunflower
seeds and soy mayonnaise, stirring
gently to combine. Stir in grape tomatoes
and shredded lettuce.

3. Spray tortillas lightly with nonstick cooking
spray, and heat in oven until softened,
for about 30 seconds. Remove from oven,
and place each tortilla on individual plates.

4. To serve, line each tortilla with whole lettuce
leaf, and mound salad mixture on top.

PER SERVING: 350 CAL; 12G PROT; 17G TOTAL FAT (4G SAE FAT); 40G CARB; 10MG CHOL; 540MG SOD; 9G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

Tangy feta cheese and tart lime juice give these wraps a little attitude, so you'll want a wine that will balance these flavors but will also go nicely with the rich silkiness of the avocado. A chilled Barboursville Sauvignon Blanc from Virginia would be a good choice.

Baked Hawaii

SERVES 6 30 MINUTES OR LESS

With a blending of coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts, this pie takes its cues from the tropics. Be sure to squeeze out any excess juice from the pineapple shreds, or it may dilute the filling. A quick freezing of the filling mix firms it up fast.

1 pkg. instant coconut-flavored
  pudding mix
1 3/4 cups nonfat milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 prepared crumb pie shell
1 3/4 cups canned shredded pineapple
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts
  as garnish
1/4 cup shredded coconut as garnish
2 Tbs. diced crystallized ginger, or
  more as desired, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450F.

2. Mix instant pudding with milk and
vanilla extract, and pour into prepared pie
shell. Put in freezer immediately.

3. Drain pineapple, and reserve juice for
another use. Squeeze excess juice from
shreds, and put shreds in baking dish.
Sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake for 15
minutes, or until sugar bubbles. Remove
from oven.

4. Take firmed pudding mixture from
freezer, spoon pineapple mixture over top
and garnish with macadamia nuts, coconut
shreds and crystallized ginger.

PER SERVING: 310 CAL; 4G PROT; IIG TOTAL FAT (3G SAT. FAT); 5lG CARB; 0MG CHOL; 450MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 3SG SUGARS

Swiss Rarebit

SERVES 6 30 MINUTES OR LESS

Inspired by the cheese-based Welsh Rarebit, this suppertime offering calls for an accompanying mesclun salad tossed with crunchy croutons and a bowl fresh whole apples and pears for dessert.

3 whole wheat English muffins,
  sliced in half crosswise
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and
  drained
1 Tbs. soy margarine
3/4 cup beer or ale
1 tsp. Vegetarian Worcestershire
  sauce
1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard, or more
  to taste
Salt and freshly ground black
  Pepper to taste
3/4 lb. low-fat Swiss-style cheese, such
  as Jarlsbery, diced
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbs. soy "bacon" bits
1/2 tsp. paprika

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking pan
with foil.

2. Place muffin halves in baking pan. Toast
for 2 to 3 minutes, or until crisp. Place
equal portions of sauerkraut on top of
muffin halves, and put pan in broiler. Cook
until sauerkraut is heated through. Remove
from oven, and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, melt margarine in top
half of double boiler over boiling water
and medium heat. Stir together beer,
Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and
pepper, and add to margarine. Toss
cheese cubes with cornstarch. As beer
heats, add cubes a few at a time, and stir
often until cheese melts.

4. Remove 1/4 cup hot mixture, and beat
into egg to temper it. Cook for 3 to 4
minutes more, stirring constantly. Stir egg
immediately into melted cheese, and
whisk to combine.

5. Spoon equal portions of hot cheese over
muffin halves, sprinkle with "bacon" bits and
paprika and serve.

PER SERVING: 280 CAL; 24G PROT; 12G TOTAL FAT (5G SAT. FAT); 18G CARB; 55MG CHOL; 710MG SOD: 3G FIBER; 1G SUGARS

"Chicken" Tarragon Pizza

SERVES 6 30 MINUTES

These flavorful pizzaz partner well with an arugula salad and perhaps spumoni, tiramisu or gelato for dessert.

3 7-inch pizza shells
1 Tbs. olive oil
6 oz. pkg. Soy "chicken" strips
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 roasted red pepper, cut into strips
2 cups quartered artichoke hearts
1/4 cup oil-packed, sun-dried
  tomatoes, well drained
3 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves
  removed
2 cups grated low-fat mozzarella
  cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Spray each pizza
shell with nonstick cooking spray, and put
on baking sheet.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium
heat. Saute "chicken" strips for 2 minutes,
and season with garlic powder. Add red
pepper strips and artichoke hearts to skillet,
and saute for 2 minutes more.

3. Divide sun-dried tomatoes and
"chicken" mixture evenly among pizza
shells, and sprinkle with tarragon, mozzarella
cheese and Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese
melts. Remove from oven, and serve hot