Roasted Red Pepper Puree

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

5 red bell peppers

3 T olive oil

1 large yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

3 c vegetable stock

2 t ancho chili powder

1 c greek yogurt

1/2 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper

1/2 c fresh basil, chiffonade

feta cheese

1. Cut the bell peppers in half. Remove the stems, seeds, and membranes. Place the pepper halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Flatten the peppers with your hand. Broil the peppers for 10 minutes or until the tops are lightly blackened. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, sauté the onion with the garlic until onions start to soften. 

3. Add the peppers, vegetable stock and ancho chili powder to the pot. Bring to a boil then turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. 

4. Puree in a blender in batches. Return to pot. 

5. Whisk in the greek yogurt, lemon, salt and pepper. 

6. Serve topped with basil and a generous amount of crumbled feta cheese. 

(To make this vegan, substitute the greek yogurt for 1 large boiled russet potato or 1 c vegan cream cheese, blended with other ingredients. Omit the feta or replace with a cheese substitute.)

Curry Chicken Salad

This recipe is great for using up leftover cooked chicken. It doesn't matter if its grilled, baked or poached- it's perfect for chicken salad. Make this ahead of time for a picnic, as an hors d'oeuvre or for lunch.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 c cooked chicken, lightly shredded or cubed

2 stalks celery, diced or cut into 1/4 in. thick slices

1/2 c red grapes, halved

1/4 c sweet onion, diced

1/4 c sunflower seeds

1 T curry powder

1 t cayenne

1/3 c mayonaise

2/3 c plain Greek yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix everything together in a large bowl. Chicken salad can be made to taste so adjust any of the ingredients as you please. 

2. Serve cold with crackers, in a lettuce wrap, or on a sandwich. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Skinny Cheesy Potatoes

These were super flavorful, and although they still have a few naughty ingredients, they're healthier than Grandma's recipe. I served these with Sticky Peppers and Sausage.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS
8 medium potatoes cut into matchsticks (or 32 oz bag shredded hash browns)
1 1/2 c plain greek yogurt 
1/2 c veggie broth
1/2 c milk (at least 2%)
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1 t season salt
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t pepper
1 t salt
1 c shredded sharp cheddar*

PreHeat Oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl.  Grease a 9 X 13 glass or ceramic baking pan with cooking spray.  Pour potato mixture into baking pan and spread evenly.  Bake uncovered for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

*Although this recipe is much lower in fat/calories than the traditional, it still needs some fat to make sure the ingredients bind while cooking. That is why it is suggested to use 2% milk and regular (not non-fat) cheese. If you were to use all low fat ingredients, it will turn out watery.

*I have never encountered this, but if you are worried about the yogurt curdling, try mixing in 1 1/2T of flour to the potato mixture before pouring into the baking pan