One Teaspoon From Disaster

If you know nothing about Italian cuisine, you definitely know Alfredo sauce, while so tasty, is just not good for you.

Here’s an alternative that, really, tastes nothing like Alfredo, but serves as a decent alternative and makes for an overall pretty good yet healthy dish. It also nicely features fresh spinach, which I think deserves a little positive attention after all that sick-ness inducing unpleasantness earlier this year.

Using non-fat plain yogurt as the base, you can whip up this sauce in about 15 minutes and toss with the pasta of your choice. I like bowties because they are cute. Maybe sauté some fresh mushroom slices or sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic to add to the “Alfredo.�

Pasta with spinach and lemon
Ingredients:
12 ounces pasta
1 ½ C. plain, non-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic, minced
10 ounces fresh spinach
1 tsp. lemon juice
fresh ground pepper, to taste
mozzarella cheese, shredded, to taste

Directions:
In a bowl, combine yogurt and flour until smooth. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook garlic for about two minutes. Add yogurt mixture, stirring constantly. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add lemon juice and pepper. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Toss pasta with sauce and stir in desired (but modest) amount of cheese.

Here is the most unique yet perfect summer-time dessert.

Two things I’ll tell you upfront: there are several steps involved in baking this pear cake, but they’re not hard, and you need a bunt pan.

If you’re still with me on this one, you’ll be glad you stuck it out once you serve this deliciously moist (thanks to the sour cream) cake, especially if you drizzle warm caramel sauce on top along with a scoop or two of vanilla bean ice cream.

Some pointers: Definitely grease your bunt pan well, using a paper towel to get into all the crevices. Use canned pears rather than fresh—they seem to bake better. Go ahead and use fat-free sour cream—moisture is what we’re getting out of this ingredient, not necessarily a certain taste. However, use real butter. And did I mention be sure to serve with warm caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream?

Enjoy!

Sour cream pear cake
Cake ingredients: 1 ¼ C. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ C. butter
½ C. white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 C. sour cream
1 lg. can pears, chopped
Crumble topping:
¼ C. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/3 C. walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1. Cake: Cream butter and white sugar, adding eggs. Mix well. Add vanilla and sour cream; don’t over beat. Gradually add flour, baking soda and baking powder. Fold in pears.
2. Crumble: Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and walnuts.
3. Generously grease a 9-inch bunt pan and then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
4. Pour half of the batter evenly in the bunt. Add half of the crumble topping. Pour remaining batter on top and then add the remaining crumble topping.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or so. Cool the cake in its pan for about 20 minutes before turning upside down to remove and serve.

Around Cinco de Mayo time, whether or not you’re celebrating (and by celebrating, I mean drinking tequila), it’s hard not to crave Mexican food with thoughts of this holiday on the brain.

Enchiladas, burritos, tacos, yawn. Been there done that. That could practically be any dinner served at my house on any ol day. So here’s a recipe that gives your Mexican dinner a little twist. Try stuffing your quesadillas with black beans and either shrimp or cooked zucchini and squash.

Now before you turn your nose up at either, there are two things to keep in mind: cook ‘em spicy and cover them with cheese. How could that not be tasty? Plus with the zucchini, you’re getting several servings of veggies, the shrimp is a good source of protein, as are those black beans, not to mention fiber.

Add fresh salsa, fat-free sour cream, and a little guac, and you’ve got a fast, healthy Mexican dinner.

Note: You can grill your shrimp and veggies, and bake your quesadillas for greater calorie-reduction. This may help compensate (albeit just a little) for all those tortilla chips with queso dip.

Nontraditional quesadillas
Ingredients:
1 lb. medium-sized shrimp, no tail and deveined OR zucchini and squash, sliced and quartered
6 large four or corn tortillas
15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 C. shredded cheese, flavor your choice
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
crushed red peppers flakes to taste
cumin to taste
fat-free sour cream
salsa
guacamole

Directions:
In a large pan, heat half of your oil over medium heat. Sprinkle shrimp or veggies with desired amount of crushed red pepper flakes until done, about 5 minutes or so. Meanwhile, cover half of each tortilla with beans sprinkled with cumin on top, and then cheese. Add shrimp or veggies. Fold tortilla in half. In the pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add quesadillas, cooking about 30 seconds per side. Serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

Whether or not you worry about 1. getting your daily allotment of fruits and vegetables, and 2. just what side dishes other than a garden salad are quick and easy, I’m assuming you do and can quell your angst right now.

These side dishes both take less than 10 minutes to prepare, go with just about any entrée and, most importantly, are fresh and healthy.

First up: fresh green beans or asparagus, lightly cooked in a little bit of olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Make sure you don’t over-cook, keep these greens crunchy. It’s delicious.

Second: fresh fruit salad topped with a light and refreshing citrus, ginger and honey mixture. Pick your favorite fresh fruits (canned fruit packed in that yucky syrup won’t work). I used a few different types of apples and a banana and a pear. Chop into bit sized pieces and toss in this mixture. Quick and easy. (Warning: it may seem like a good idea to warm up the honey in microwave so it will squeeze out faster, but too long results in a melted honey bear face and a sticky explosion. Or so I would imagine. OK, I know it to be true.)

Easy!

Garlic green beans or asparagus
Ingredients:
1 lb. green beans or asparagus, trimmed and cut in half
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for just a few minutes. Add the greens and stir frequently, cooking for about 10 minutes until they are bright in color but still crunchy. Add a little black pepper, if desired, and serve.

Ginger citrus fruit salad
Ingredients:
Fresh fruit, diced or small slices
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
dash of cinnamon
Directions:
Stir ingredients together and pour over fruit, tossing to lightly coat each piece.