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

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

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.

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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

Tart and sweet cranberry sauce adds color to any holiday meal. This mess-free recipe is a cinch to make and can be made up to three days in advance. Just refrigerate in an air-tight container.

Makes 4 cups of cranberry sauce

Ingredients

2 12–ounce bags of fresh cranberries
1 cup water
2/3 cup granulated sugar or agave
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 oranges, zest and juiced

Directions

Mix cranberries, water, sugar or agave, cinnamon, clove, and ginger in microwave-safe container. Cover with a paper towel and heat on high for 4 to 5 minutes until the cranberries pop. Add orange zest and juice. Stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to one week. Remove and discard the ginger slices before serving.

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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

Creamy refried beans are a perfect side dish for any Mexican main course. Beans and smoky bacon are a delectable combo but I use turkey bacon to keep them light and low-fat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
5 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1 small white onion or 1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 15-ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon dried or fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, bacon, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally until the bacon becomes fragrant and the onions soften. Add the beans, oregano, and 1/2 cup of water.

Occasionally stir and mash the beans with the back of a wooden spoon as they cook 15-20 minutes more. Add an additional 1/4 cup water if the beans mixture becomes too dry. Stir in salt if needed and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.

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Make It A Meal

• Guacamole
• Jalapeno flank steak
• Cinnamon Rice Pudding

Wine Pairings

Gewürztraminer, Rose

Image Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh
Recipe Copyright © 2003-2008 Jennifer Iserloh

Asparagus is the quintessential spring vegetable but is easy to find year-round. Balsamic mixed with chicken broth and cornstarch adds a sweet-and-sour flavor to this dish. Top with grilled, sliced chicken to make it a meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
1 bunch green asparagus, trimmed, cut in half
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup cubed fresh mozzarella

Directions

In a small bowl combine vinegar and cornstarch. Set aside. Warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant. Add the asparagus and cook 2-3 minutes until it begins to brown. Add salt and pepper.

Add the chicken stock and cover. Cook 3-4 minutes until the asparagus is crisp tender. Stir in the balsamic mixture and reduce the heat to low. Stir until a thick sauce forms. Off the heat stir in the mozzarella and basil. 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

Image and Recipe Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

Try this elegant and low-fat party appetizer in place of the usual, calorie-rich fare you’ll find at most gatherings. Apples and onion can be made up to one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Makes 2 dozen crostini

Ingredients

Topping
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Gala or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
non-stick cooking spray

24, 1/2-inch-thick slices of whole-wheat baguette, cut on the diagonal
1 8-ounce package reduced- fat Cabot white cheddar cheese, cut into 24 slices
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Directions

Warm half the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, salt, and vinegar. Cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden brown. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water as the onions cook if they begin to burn or stick.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium heat. Add the apples and remaining olive oil to the skillet with the onions and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples soften but do not become mushy.

Preheat oven 400° F. Cover two large cookies sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Arrange the bread slices and distribute the onion and apple mixture evenly over the bread slices. Top with cheese slices. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese melts. Transfer to a large platter and garnish with fresh thyme.

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Make It A Brunch

Serve with Bloody Mary or Cherry Almond Muffins .

Image and Recipe Copyright © 2008 Jennifer Iserloh

Butternut squash adds flavor and color to this classic fall recipe. Since butternut squash is naturally creamy and non-fat, it creates the “risotto” texture without relying on Mascarpone that is extremely high in saturated fat. Frozen butternut squash puree can be found in most freezer sections of your local grocery store.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced (about 1/2 pound)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cups reduced sodium vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups butternut squash puree
2 cups Arborio rice
8 fresh sage leaves, finely sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
½ -1 teaspoon salt
¼ freshly ground pepper, optional

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the stock and squash puree. Bring just to a simmer, 8 to 10 minutes, keep over low heat.

In a large saucepan or large skillet with sides, warm half the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cook 6-8 minutes until the shallots begin to turn golden and soften. Add the additional olive oil, rice, sage, and rosemary. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the grains are well coated with the oil and are nearly translucent with a white dot in the center.

Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed. 

Add the simmering stock mixture a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more. 

When the rice is tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 25-30 minutes, stir in half the cheese, salt and pepper if using. Serve immediately with the remaining cheese.

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Make It A Meal

Serve with Herbed Leg of Lamb and Roasted Lemon Asparagus.

Wine Pairing

Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Image and Recipe Copyright © 2003-2008 Jennifer Iserloh

Sweet potatoes have a naturally creamy texture. They also happen to have over 200% of your daily vitamin A per serving. Lower in carbs than white potatoes, they make sense for a lower carb diet and I added Cabot cheese, my favorite reduced fat cheese.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 ounces pickled jalapenos, diced
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
5 tablespoons reduced-fat Cabot Munster cheese, shredded & divided
2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

Pierce the skin of the potatoes with a fork several times. To microwave, place on a paper towel or paper plate. Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, turning the potatoes once as they cook. To cook in the oven, wrap the pierced potatoes in aluminum foil and bake in a 350° preheated oven for 55-60 minutes. Potatoes should be soft to the touch. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-1/2 inch thick shell, so that the potato shell retains its shape.

Preheat oven to 350°. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mash the pulp with the sour cream, jalapeno, two tablespoons of cheese and scallions, if using. Spoon mixture back into the shells and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

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Make It A Meal

Serve with Hell’s Kitchen Chili or Chicken Caesar.

Wine Pairing

Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling