Diet right: delicious weight-loss recipes - food: easy and healthful recipes - Cover Story

Better Nutrition, Jan, 2004

Nicoise Pita Pizza

SERVES 4

A high-fiber, nutrient-dense food,
broccoli is a good source of folate,
riboflavin, vitamin C, vitamin [B.sub.6]
and potassium. High in phytochemicals,
broccoli is a good source of sulforaphane,
a compound that helps
prevent cell damage associated with
aging, cancer and other illnesses.

2   cups broccoli florets
1   cup canned cannellini beans,
    rinsed and drained
1   can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1   Tbs. olive nil
3   cloves garlic, minced
4   whole-wheat pitas (6 inches)
1   large red onion, halved and
    thinly sliced
2   cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup kalamata or other brine-cured
    black olives, pitted and
    coarsely chopped
1   can (6 oz.) water-packed tuna

1. Preheat oven to 450F. In a vegetable
steamer, cook the broccoli
until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, mash the
beans with the tomato paste, oil
and garlic using a potato masher.
Spread the mixture over the pitas.
Scatter the onion on top, and
bake for 10 minutes.

3. Scatter the broccoli, cherry
tomatoes, olives and tuna on top,
and bake for 10 minutes or until the
tomatoes have begun to collapse
and the tuna is hot.

PER SERVING: 415 CAL; 25G PROT; 9.1G TOTAL
FAT (1.4G SAT. FAT); 64G; 18MG CHOL;
764MG SOD; 12G FIBER

Roasted Pepper & Black
Bean Soup

SERVES 6

Red bell peppers provide more than
twice the amount of vitamin C and
11 times more beta carotene than
green peppers. One large bell pepper
has only 44 calories.

  1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
  1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
5     large red bell peppers
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
2     large onions, thinly sliced
3     cloves garlic, minced
  3/4 tsp. salt
  1/4 tsp. black pepper
  1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups water
1     can (10.5 oz.) black beans,
      rinsed and drained

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir
together the cilantro and sour
cream. Transfer to a bowl, and chill
until serving time.

3. Cut bell pepper lengthwise,
and place skin side up on a broiler
pan. Broil 4 inches from the heat
for approximately 12 minutes, or
until the skin is blackened. When
fire peppers are cool enough to
handle, peel them.

4. In a nonstick Dutch oven, heat
the oil over medium-high heat.
Stir in the onions, garlic, salt,
black pepper and cayenne, aim
saute until the onions are softened
slightly, about 2 minutes.

5. Add the bell peppers and water to
the pan. Cover, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low,
and cook until the peppers and
onions are very, tender, about 10
minutes.

6. In a food processor or blender,
puree the soup. Return the puree to
the saucepan. Add the beans, and
cook over medium heat until
warmed through. Serve the soup
bopped with the cilantro cream.

PER SERVING: 121 Cal; 5G PROT; 2.8G TOTAL
FAT (1.1c; SAT. FAT); 21G CARB; 5MG CHOL;
358MG SOD; 6G FIBER

Hot Berry Sundaes

SERVES 4

Low-fat or fat-free yogurt provides
high-quality protein, calcium, B
vitamins (especially vitamin B12),
and minerals--without the added
saturated fat.

1/3 cup raspberry fruit spread
2   Tbs. pure maple syrup
1   Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2   cups fresh or unsweetened frozen
    blueberries
1   cup fresh or unsweetened frozen
    raspberries
1   pint low-fat frozen vanilla yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together
the fruit spread, maple syrup and
lemon juice. Add the berries, and
mix gently. Scrape the mixture into
a 9-inch pie plate.

3. Bake the berries for 15 minutes,
or until hot and bubbly (frozen
berries will take a few minutes
longer). Scoop the frozen yogurt
into dessert dishes, and top with
the hot berry mixture.

PER SERVING: 246 CAL; 5G PROT; 2G TOTAL
FAT (0.5G SAT. FAT); 55G CARB; 20MG CHOL;
34MG SOD; 6G FIBER

Adapted from Recipes for Weight Loss (Rebus) with permission from The Johns Hopkins Cookbook Library,