Recipes and Video

Maintain Don’t Gain This Holiday Season: Appetizers, Sides, Salads and Desserts to Save Loads of Calories

Roasted Pine Nut Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or soaked if using dried
• 3 tablespoons of tahini
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon parsley or cilantro, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons water

Preparation:

In a blender or food processor, blend the chickpeas. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and water until the ingredients form a paste-like consistency. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Garnish with any remaining parsley or cilantro. Cover and refrigerate about an hour.

Chick Pea and Arugula Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 15 oz cans of garbanzo beans
• ½ cups of cubed provolone cheese
• ½ cups of scallions chopped
• ½ cup of golden raisins
• 1 container of fresh arugula
• ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon of minced garlic
• ½ cup of balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of pepper

Preparation:

1.  Place garbanzo beans, scallions, cheese, golden raisins and a arugula into a mixing bowl.  Place olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk to combine.  Toss over salad and toss to coat.  Serve room temperature or chilled.

Green Beans Almondine

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb green beans
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Slice fresh beans French style and cook, covered in a small amount of boiling salted water until crisp-tender.

2 Drain.

3. Cook almonds in butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden.

4. Remove from heat and add a squeeze of lemon juice.

5. Pour over beans.

Cauliflower Mash

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.

In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth.

Garnish with chives.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 cups quick oatmeal, uncooked
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup coconut

Directions:

1. Measure oatmeal, peanut butter and coconut into a large bowl and set aside.

2. Boil butter, sugar, cocoa and milk together for 1 minute.

3. Pour onto oatmeal, peanut butter coconut mixture.

4. Mix thoroughly making sure to moisten all the ingredients.

5. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto waxed paper.