Sitting in my front room, I was recently leafing through Michele Scicolone’s cookbook “The Antipasto Table”.

I came across a recipe that I tried over seven years ago - Tomatoes with Grapes. It sounds like a bizarre combo, but it’s really tart and tasty and totally simple to prepare. Think of a sweet and sour - this would be great sliced up and served with grilled chicken. I orginally served it for a warm-weather brunch table that I had for my professor friends from NYU’s Stern School of Business - way back when I worked there.

Now I’ve added fresh thyme because I just love fresh herbs.

Ingredients

2 medium ripe tomatoes
2 cups seedless green grapes
1 tablespoon tomato paste blended with 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Oil a 9-inch square baking pan.

Cut the tomtoes in half crosswise. Arrange them cut sides up in the pan. Scatter the grapes around the tomatoes. Pour the tomato paste over all.

Combine the bread crumbs, salt, pepper to taste, and the oliove oil. Spoon the mixture over the tomatoes. Bake for 1 hour or until the tomatoes and grapes are very tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2009 Jennifer Iserloh

This flavorful shredded beef can be cooked ahead and added to your favorite dish. I like to use it for burritos, tacos, and enchiladas.

Makes 3 cups of shredded beef

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed of fat
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 star anise pod
1 (15 ounce) can fat free, reduced sodium beef broth

Directions

Warm the oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Brown the beef 5 to 6 minutes turning once or twice. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin, chili, paprika, and star anise. Cook an additional minute until the spices become fragrant. Add the beef broth and bring to a slow boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover.

Cook 1 to 1/2 hours until the beef is tender, adding a little water if the beef starts to stick. Cool slightly then shred with your fingers or two forks.

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Make It A Meal

Serve with tacos, black bean soup or refried beans.

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2009 Jennifer Iserloh

Sweet, salty, and spicy, this pineapple salsa is a great way to dress up any plain-jane dish. If you prefer more heat in your salsa, you can add one chopped jalapeño.

Makes 2 cups of salsa

Ingredients

1 cup cubed pineapple, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper or poblano chili, diced
1/4 red onion, diced (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
zest and juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss well to combine. Store in an air-tight container, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

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Make It A Meal

Serve with tacos or tofu bean quesadilla.

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2009 Jennifer Iserloh

Nut butters are great for making baked goods and sauces. I love the sweet, mellow taste of cashews, but if cashew butter is not in your budget, replace it with peanut butter instead.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray
3/4 cup cashew butter or smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup ground golden flax meal
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne chili powder
48 whole cashews (about 1/4 pound)
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat three large cookie sheets with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the cashew or peanut butter, brown sugar, and margarine. Mash them together with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the eggs whites and vanilla extract.

Sprinkle the flour, flax, oats, baking soda, salt, allspice, and ground cayenne over the egg mixture. Stir well, until a firm dough starts to form and the flax and oats are incorporated.

Coat a melon baler or small teaspoon with cooking spray. Spoon out the dough and place 1/2 inch a part on the cookies sheets. Press one of the cashews into the top of each cookie. Bake 5 to 6 minutes, until the nuts begin to brown and the cookies are still soft to the touch. Cool on cookie sheets 1 to 2 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled, dust with powder sugar. Store in an air-tight container for up to three days.

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Other Sweet Recipes

Serve with Rich Sour Cream Cookies or Granny’s Texas Sheet Cake or Buttermilk Ice Cream.

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2009 Jennifer Iserloh

Smoothies can be a no-mess way to get in vital nutrients that you may be lacking in your everyday diet, like vitamin C and calcium. They are superfast to whip up and the creamy texture can help fight cravings for sweets and frozen treats.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat kefir (any flavor) or vanilla low-fat yogurt
1 cup pink grapefruit sections
1 cup orange sections
1 tablespoon agave
2 sprigs of fresh mint

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and pour over ice. Serve with a sprig of mint if using.

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Make It A Brunch

Serve with Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins or make it a salsa party.

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2009 Jennifer Iserloh

I wrote this recipe for my good friend Phil who enjoyed it during Tammi’s wonderful Christmas dinner shared in Vermont. Anyone who has minimal cooking experience will like this recipe and even my husband, the reluctant cook, prepared it for us all. Just be sure not to overcook the snow peas.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon trans-fat free margarine
1 medium orange, zested
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
1 pound fresh snow peas

Directions

Combine the garlic, margarine, orange zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. With the back of a metal teaspoon mash the margarine until the garlic and zest are well combined. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Coat with a thin layer of cooking spray. Add the snow peas and margarine at once. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the margarine coats the peas and they begin to turn a shade darker green. Transfer to a medium bowl and serve immediately.

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Make It A Meal

Serve with Roasted Lemon Chicken or a Baked Sweet Potato.

Wine Pairings

Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

Christmas fruitcakes are heavy and dense, but this tender lemon pound cake can be part of your new holiday tradition. It has the candied fruit that makes it festive without using red and green food coloring.

Makes 16 slices of fruit cake

Ingredients

non-stick cooking spray
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
¾ cup spelt or white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoon trans-fat free, soft tub margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon finely grated, the zest of about 1 medium lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup fat-free, plain yogurt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, the juice from about 1 medium lemon
¼ cup raisins or dried cherries
¼ cup chopped dates

Directions

Coat a 1-pound loaf pan with cooking spray. Add 2 tablespoons of the all purpose flour. Shake and turn the pan until the interior is well coated with flour. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350º F.
In a large bowl or zipper lock bag, mix remaining all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. In another large bowl add margarine and sugar. Mash the sugar into the margarine with a wooden spoon until just incorporated.

Stir in egg whites, lemon zest, vanilla. Stir in half the flour mixture, until just incorporated, do not over mix, there will be some dry spots. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, raisins, cherries, and dates. Add the remaining flour on top and mix until just combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and transfer batter to the loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes until the edges of the cake are golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a rack to cool completely. Pound cake will keep 3 days tightly wrapped in aluminum foil.




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Complete Your Holiday Feast!

Here’s brand-new recipes - healthier versions of your favorite classics, along with simple tips and do ahead ideas. And yes, please share these with your friends & families…

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Cranberry Sauce
• Butternut Squash Risotto
• Herbed Leg of Lamb

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

Sesame seeds add a delicate crunch to these spicy treats. I like it when the cookies soften up as they are stored, but my husband is a crisp cookie fan, so I reheat them for a few minutes in a warm oven before serving the second day.

Makes 48 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup white sesame seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup trans-fat free, margarine
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 egg whites
¼ cup unsulfured dark molasses

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Coat 3 large cookie sheets with non-stick spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sesame seeds, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cocoa powder, clove, and salt. Set aside. 

 In another large bowl, with a wooden spoon mash the margarine, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy and well combined. 



Add the egg and molasses and stir until blended. Stir in the flour until a smooth soft dough forms. Drop by tablespoons onto the cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies have puffed and are firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.



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Complete Your Thanksgiving Feast!

Here’s brand-new recipes - healthier versions of your favorite Thanksgiving classics, along with simple tips and do ahead ideas. And yes, please share these with your friends & families…

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Cranberry Sauce
• Thanksgiving Stuffing
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Get Ready for Thanksgiving! - With just a bit of planning and thinking ahead you can cook a huge feast for 20 or more guests all by yourself - here are simple tips and do ahead ideas that even beginning cooks can use.

Recipe and Image Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

For this whole grain stuffing with walnuts, I grate or chop my veggies ahead of time to speed up the prep time on busy holiday mornings. You can even assemble this entire dish the night before cold and just pop it into the oven as your guests arrive.

Serves 6 to 8, makes 7 cups of stuffing

Ingredients

5 whole grain or whole wheat English muffins
3 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, grated
1 large onion chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 8-ounce package Cremini or white button mushrooms
½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Cut or tear the English muffins into 1×1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the chicken broth, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper and stir well. Set aside while you cook the vegetables.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms and salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to soften but do not brown. Reduce the heat and add 1 tablespoon of water if they start to brown.

Add the vegetables to the bread mixture along with the walnuts. Stir well and transfer to a 8×8-inch baking dish and bake 25 to 30 minutes until stuffing is hot and most of the liquid is absorbed by the bread. Serve immediately.

Download Recipe

Complete Your Thanksgiving Feast!

Here’s brand-new recipes - healthier versions of your favorite Thanksgiving classics, along with simple tips and do ahead ideas. And yes, please share these with your friends & families…

• Scalloped Potatoes
• Cranberry Sauce
• Thanksgiving Stuffing
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Get Ready for Thanksgiving! - With just a bit of planning and thinking ahead you can cook a huge feast for 20 or more guests all by yourself - here are simple tips and do ahead ideas that even beginning cooks can use.