Meatless Antipasto Salad

It's not that I'm anti-pasta...or anti-meat for that matter. It's just that this is a deliciously easy way to pack in your 5-a-day (that's veggies). I've been known to throw in any or all of the following:

• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• Black Olives (any size will do...Booger)
• Cucumbers
• Canned Garbanzo Beans (rinsed and drained)
• Artichoke Hearts
• Hearts of Palm
• Mushrooms
• Perlini (those cute little fresh mozzarella balls)
• ...or add your own ingredient...but I won't be responsible for what happens when the meats and pastas move into the neighborhood.

Drizzle with your favorite Italian style vinaigrette (no milk-based dressings here...the Perlini controls the dairy district in this town). I like to make a big bowl and serve it with dinner for a few nights in a row, but take it to a potluck, or scale it down for all I care!

Famous Dave's (semi) Cajun Rub

I made a quarter recipe and still had lots left. Lisa will attest to the tastiness of this rub! I used it on ribs, but would be great for fish as well.

1/2 C paprika

6T kosher salt

1/4 C coarsely ground black pepper

3 T basil

3 T filé powder (semi Cajun because I didn't have this, but still delish!)

2 T garlic powder

2 T dry mustard

2 T onion powder

2 T dried oregano

2 T cayenne (reduce by 1/2 if you want it mild)

2 T white pepper (I also didn't have this)

2 T dried thyme
Makes 2 1/2 Cups Seasoning Mix
Mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Spunky Pasta Salad

This is a li'l something that I borrowed from Katherine Fulkerson, and I would claim it as my own, but Wombat is part of our blog!

Spunky Pasta Salad
1/2 box/bag of orzo, farfalle, campenelle or some fun sort of pasta that you like!
1 can black olives
1/2 jar capers and juice
1 can garbanzo beans (a.k.a. butt beans)
2-4 stalks of green onion (depending on how much you want...I usually do 2)
Tons of cilantro or to your liking
1 large lemon
red wine vinegar and olive oil to taste
salt and pepper to taste
red pepper flakes if you want a kick in the arse :)

Boil your pasta and coat it with olive oil so that it doesn't stick together once cooked and drained. Drain garbanzos and add all for protein. Drain olives and halve or quarter them (Mom you might want to consider cherry tomatoes). Toss in capers and some juice. Squeeze as much lemon juice in as you want as well as red wine vinegar. Don't be shy on the seasonings either. Cilantro is awesome, pepper rules, and a little green onion goes a long way (in my humble opinion). Add a dash of salt too!

lowfat risotto

Thought this sounded yummy!

THE SKINNY
488 calories per serving14 g fat (3.5 g saturated)68.5 g carbs3 g fiber16 g protein
Want even more healthy recipes?
Visit Self.com's recipe database, or try these delightful dishes: Vegetable Lasagna Shrimp and Penne Primavera Grilled Vegetable Panini
Find out how to snack like the stars in the June issue of SELF, on sale now!
June 16, 2008
Who says the English can't cook? Chef Todd English proves otherwise with this healthy but creamy risotto. English (OK, he's American!) uses fresh vegetables to enhance flavor and texture. And the low-cal, protein-heavy scallops add a smooth richness, booting out much of the butterfat that's traditionally stirred into this Italian favorite. Mix it up for a light supper alfresco or a July Fourth fête.
Summertime Risotto
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS1 pint cherry tomatoes1/4 cup olive oil1 tsp minced garlic1 small onion, diced2 cups diced zucchini1/4 cup fresh lemon juice1 lb arborio rice1 cup dry white wine2 to 3 cups nonfat chicken broth2 tbsp light butter6 tbsp grated Parmesan18 sea scallops1 bunch parsley, chopped (optional
PREPARATIONTomatoes Heat oven to 250°. Gently toss tomatoes in 2 tsp oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake on a nonstick baking sheet 1 hour.Zucchini Heat 1 tsp oil on medium heat in a medium pan. Cook garlic and half the onion until translucent; add zucchini and cook 5 minutes. Puree zucchini mixture in a blender with lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.Risotto Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium pot on medium heat and sauté remaining onion until translucent. Add rice and cook 2 minutes. Gradually pour in wine, stirring until rice absorbs wine. Add broth 1 cup at a time until absorbed, stirring continually for 20 minutes or until rice is tender (add more broth if necessary). Once rice is cooked, stir in zucchini puree, butter and cheese. Set aside.Scallops Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Salt and pepper scallops and cook both sides until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Spoon risotto on plate and top with scallops, tomatoes and parsley.

My New Kitchen

Better late than never! Here are a couple of pictures of my new kitchen, which inspires my latest culinary creations.

Bucca di Bepsy's Gnocchi a la Caprese

I had a dish like this at Bucca di Beppo (remember, Booger?). I thought it quite tasty, and it appeared that it would be easy to replicate so I gave it a whirl, with great success if I do say so myself! As I recreated it from scratch (relatively speaking of course), I do not have exact proportions.

Ingredients

Gnocchi

"Pink" Tomato Sauce (a vodka sauce works well)

Perlini (small fresh mozarella balls)

Chopped Basil

Capers

Parmesan Cheese (if desired)

Instructions

Cook and drain gnocchi as directed. Meanwhile, heat--or prepare (for those ambitious types) the sauce. When gnocchi and sauce are done, stir together gently. Add perlini, basil and capers to your liking and stir gently into the gnocchi/sauce mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

White Bean Salad

The last one was the wrong name for that recipe. Here's the other one I wanted to share. Think I'll try it tonight.

White Bean Salad

1 tsp fresh black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 (19-ounce) can beans, rinsed and drained
Prep & Cooking Time: 15 min.
Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 0.500 cup
Directions:In a medium bowl combine beans, celery, red pepper, vinegar and oil. Mix well until all ingredients combined. Add hand-torn basil and fresh ground pepper and serve.
Each serving provides:
Total Calories:
97
Carbohydrates:
15.61 g
Total Fat:
1.96 g
Protein:
4.99 g
Sat Fat:
0.29 g
Fiber:
3.61 g
Cholesterol:
0 mg
Sodium:
135 mg
Diabetic exchange:
Starch: 1.000
Meat: 1.000