Sesame-Almond Romaine Salad

Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon sugar
2 packages (3 ounces each) ramen noodles, crushed
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup slivered almonds
2 bunches romaine, torn
4 green onions, thinly sliced
DRESSING
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

In a large skillet, melt butter and sugar over medium heat. Add the noodles, sesame seeds and almonds. (Discard seasoning packets from noodles or save for another use.) Cook and stir for 6-8 minutes or until browned; set aside. In a large salad bowl, toss the romaine and onions.

Combine the dressing ingredients and mix well. Just before serving, drizzle over romaine mixture; top with noodle mixture. Toss the coat.

Tips and Tricks
Buy bagged romaine to save time. I am allergic to tree nuts, so I omit the almonds. Cut the green onions with kitchen shears. Find sesame seeds in the Asian foods section of the grocery store.
Make It Healthier
Use low-sodium soy sauce. Use trans-fat free spread in place of butter.
How Kids Can Help
Tear lettuce. Measure dry ingredients. Stir dressing to mix.

Italian Grilled Veggies

Prep: 10 minutes + marinating

Grill: 20 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

3 medium fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup fresh broccoli florets

1/2 cup fresh cauliflowerets

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing

3 cherry tomatoes, halved

Place first 5 ingredients into a resealable plastic bag. Add salad dressing; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for one hour, turning at least once.

Transfer vegetables to a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18x12). Fold foil around vegetables and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. Spoon into a serving bowl, stir in tomatoes.

Tips and Tricks

This recipe is designed to serve two people, but can be easily doubled or tripled for a larger family. I don't keep Italian dressing, so I make just enough of my own from scratch to marinate the veggies in. This is a make-ahead dish, you can put the vegetables in the refrigerator in the morning. This recipe goes well with Veggie Pizza Squares. Use half the cauliflower and broccoli on the grill and the other half for the appetizer.

Make It Healthier

Use light or fat-free salad dressing.

How Kids Can Help

Place veggies in bag. Turn to coat.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup (prepared with fat-free dressing) equals 58 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 446 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein

Fruity Punch

Prep/Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: about 2 quarts

2 cups orange juice, chilled

2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice, chilled

2 cups sweetened pink grapefruit juice drink, chilled

3 cans (12 ounces each) ginger ale, chilled

Combine the first three ingredients. Refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale. Serve over ice.

Make It Healthier

Use diet ginger ale.

How Kids Can Help

Pour liquids into pitcher. Stir.

Stuffed Grilled Zucchini

Prep: 25 minutes
Grill: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

4 medium zucchini
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-in. shells. Brush with 2 teaspoons oil; set aside. Chop pulp. In a large skillet, saute pulp and onion in remaining oil. Add garlic; cook one minute longer. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, mint and salt. Spoon into zucchini shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Tips and Tricks
Buy preshredded cheese to save time. Try different flavors of bread crumbs. Use food chopper to chop onion.
Make It Healthier
Use reduced-fat cheese. Omit salt. Make sure grill is not too hot to prevent scorching.
How Kids Can Help
Chop onions with food chopper. Spoon filling into shells.

Nutrition Facts
2 stuffed zucchini halves (prepared with part-skin mozzarella cheese) equals 186 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 553 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein
Diabetic Exchanges
1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat, 1/2 starch

Firecracker Burgers

Prep: 20 minutes
Grill: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 chunky salsa
4 frozen breaded cheddar cheese jalapeno peppers, thawed
1/4 cup guacamole
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
4 lettuce leaves
1/4 cup salsa con queso dip
1/4 cup sliced plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
4 thin slices sweet onion

In a bowl, combine the beef and salsa. Shape into four patties. Place a jalapeno in the center of each wrap beef around jalapeno, forming a ball. Reshape into patties, about 3 1/2 in. to 4 in. in diameter and 1 in. thick.

Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink. Spread guacamole over toasted side of bun tops. On each bun bottom, layer lettuce, a burger, con queso dip, tomatoes, olives and onion; replace tops.

Tips and Tricks
I don't care for jalapeno peppers, so I omit them. In place of frozen, breaded peppers use fresh peppers, finely diced, and shredded cheddar cheese. In place of con queso dip, use slices of American cheese. Buy pre-made guacamole or make Light Guacamole yourself. Make smaller burgers for a larger yield.
Make It Healthier
Serve on whole wheat rolls. Use the leanest meat available. Use dark green leafy lettuce, such as romaine. Substitute fresh peppers and cheese for processed foods.
How Kids Can Help
Measure ingredients. Layer vegetables and cheese on buns.

Dark Chocolate Fondue

Prep/Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 cups

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
2 dark chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each), chopped
3 squares (1 ounce each) milk chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
cubed angel food cake and assorted fresh fruit

In a small saucepan, combine flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Stir in chocolate and corn syrup. Cook and stir until melted.

Transfer to a small fondue pot and keep warm. Serve with cake cubes and fruit.

Tips and Tricks
Try using the microwave to melt the chocolate. If you don't have a fondue pot, serve in a miniature crockpot.
How Kids Can Help
Break up chocolate pieces. Stir chocolate mixture.

Nutrition Facts
1/4 cup (calculated without cake and fruit) equals 154 calories, 7 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 29 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein
Diabetic Exchanges
1 1/2 fat, 1 starch

Veggie Pizza Squares

Prep:30 minutes + chilling
Yield: 2 dozen

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated reduced-fat crescent rolls
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup fresh cauliflowerets, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, chopped
1 cup julienned green pepper
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cans (2 1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

Unroll both tubes of crescent dough and pat into an ungreased 15-in by 10-in by 1-in baking pan; seal seams and perforations. bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheeses, yogurt, mayonnaise, milk, dill and garlic salt until smooth. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, mushrooms, olives and onion. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Cut into squares. Refrigerate leftovers.

Tips and Tricks
Store brand crescent rolls are often cheaper while maintaining quality. Use Pampered Chef food chopper (see sidebar) to chop veggies. Buy presliced mushrooms to save time.
Make It Healthier
This recipe is a lightened up version of a favorite appetizer. The makeover recipe contains 61% less fat overall and almost 100 calories less per square.
How Kids Can Help
Roll out crescent rolls. Top crust with veggies.

Nutrition Facts
1 piece equals 128 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 365 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein
Diabetic Exchanges
1 starch, 1 fat

Fruit Salsa With Cinnamon Chips

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 cups salsa/80 chips

1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
1 medium navel orange, peeled and finely chopped
3 medium kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped
1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
CINNAMON CHIPS
10 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. over; refrigerate until serving.

For chips, brush tortillas with butter; cut each into 8 wedges. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over tortillas. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until just crisp. Serve with fruit salsa.

Tips and Tricks
Use a vegetable peeler to peel the kiwi fruit. Vary the salsa by using different types of fruit. To save time, buy premixed cinnamon sugar.
Make It Healthier
Use trans-fat free whole wheat tortillas. Substitute trans-fat free spread for the butter.
How Kids Can Help
Older kids can help slice the fruit. Mix fruit in bowl. Sprinkle sugar over tortillas.