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Mocha Pudding Cake

4/5*

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1 [3-inch] square and 2 tablespoons ice cream)

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vanilla low-fat ice cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, coffee granules, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Combine milk, oil, and vanilla in a bowl; add to flour mixture, and stir well. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa. Sprinkle over batter. Pour 1 cup boiling water over batter (do not stir). Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center (cake will not test clean when a wooden pick is inserted in center). Serve warm with ice cream.

Note: This recipe is easy to double. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; bake at the same temperature and time.

Lemon-Dill Bulgur Salad with Scallops

5/5*

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked bulgur
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
• 2 cups chopped seeded cucumber
• 1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups trimmed watercress (about 2 bunches) or baby spinach

Preparation

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add bulgur; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain; cool.

While the bulgur cooks, heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add scallops, and cook 3 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat; place scallops in a large bowl.

Add bulgur, cucumber, and next 9 ingredients (cucumber through pepper) to scallops in bowl; toss well to coat. Place 1 cup watercress on each of 6 plates; top each serving with 1 cup scallop mixture.

Spinach and Feta-Stuffed Focaccia

4/5*

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (6-ounce) packages baby spinach
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
• 2/3 cup golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add half of spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Add remaining spinach; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts. Remove from heat; stir in feta and next 6 ingredients (through pepper).

Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread spinach mixture lengthwise over half of dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold other half of dough over filling; press edges together with a fork. Cut 5 (1-inch) diagonal slits in top of dough.

Combine milk and water; brush evenly over dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until golden.

Pizza Olympia

4/5*

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 pizza)

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) focaccia, cut in half horizontally
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place focaccia halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Combine minced garlic, tomato paste, and dried oregano in a small bowl; spread evenly over focaccia halves. Top evenly with roasted peppers, onion, and capers; sprinkle with feta cheese. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until focaccia is golden. Cut each pizza in half.

Portobello Cheeseburgers

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 burger)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 (4-inch) portobello caps
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 4 (2-ounce) sandwich rolls
• 2 cups trimmed arugula
• 1/2 cup sliced bottled roasted red bell peppers

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender, turning once. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Combine cheese and mayonnaise, stirring well. Spread about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture over bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1/2 cup arugula and 2 tablespoons peppers. Place 1 mushroom on each serving, and top with top halves of rolls.

Salad Niçoise in Pita Pockets

2/5*

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pita half)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (1-inch) cut fresh green beans (about 4 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup niçoise olives, pitted and chopped (about 18 olives)
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 (12-ounce) can solid white tuna in water, drained
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 (6-inch) whole wheat pita rounds, cut in half
• 4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

Preparation

Combine beans and water in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 1 1/2 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain well; cool. Combine beans, olives, capers, and tuna.

Combine oil, juice, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Pour oil mixture over tuna mixture; toss gently to coat.

Line each pita half with 1 lettuce leaf; spoon about 1/2 cup tuna mixture into each lettuce-lined pita half.