Nectarine Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or lime peel

2 teaspoons fresh lemon or lime juice

1/3 cup ginger ale

2 nectarines, pitted and sliced

1 cup seedless green grapes

1 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries

Directions

In a large bowl, combine peel, juice, honey and ginger ale. Add fruit and toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Save Money, Make Your Own Fruit Smoothies

Ingredients

4 cups low fat vanilla yogurt

4 medium bananas

2 cups frozen strawberries

2 cups orange juice

Directions

If using fresh strawberries freeze strawberries the day before. Place 1/2 of each amount into blender. Blend on high for 30 minutes. Place other half of ingredients in blender and repeat. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Bran Muffins Made with Skim Milk

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unprocessed oat bran

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin

1/2 cup skim milk

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cooking oil spray

Directions

Combine bran, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large bowl and stir well. Make a small well in center of mixture. In a second bowl, combine pumpkin, milk, beaten egg whites and vegetable oil. Stir until well mixed. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spray 2 muffin tins with cooking oil spray or use paper liners. Spoon into the muffin tins until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately; serve warm or at room temperature.

Make a Roasted Pepper & Turkey Sandwich

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise

1 tablespoon brown spicy mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers

2 tablespoon chopped green onions (including tops)

8 – 1 ounce slices of pumpernickel bread

3/4 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey breast

1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

4 leaves of green leaf lettuce

Directions

Combine first four ingredients and stir until smooth. Stir in red bell peppers and green onions. Spread 1 slide of each bread slice evenly with cream cheese mixture. Top 4 bread slices evenly with turkey, sprouts and lettuce. Top with remaining bread slices. Cut in half and serve with pickle spears.

Cantaloupe Salsa

Ingredients

2 cups diced (1/4 inch) cantaloupe

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion such as Vidalia

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1 (2-inch-long) fresh Serrano pepper, minced (including some seeds)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Toss together all ingredients in a bowl and let stand, covered and chilled, 10 minutes.

Blue Cheese Baguette Spread

Ingredients

8 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened

2 ounces Bleu cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

pinch of salt

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together and chill. Spread on thin slices of baguette or party rye bread.

Sun Dried Tomato Dip

Ingredients

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 cup non-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup non-fat sour cream

basil leaves, for garnishing

Directions

Puree the sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar in the food processor. Add the cream cheese and process until the mixture is smooth.

Add the sour cream and pulse until combined. (Be careful not to over process or the mixture will liquify.)

Transfer the spread to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh basil.

(Makes 10 Servings)

How to Make a Vegetable Smoothie

Ingredients

4 cups water

3 Tbsp hemp hearts

1 apple (core removed)

1 medium-sized carrot

1/4 lemon wedge (skin & seeds removed)

2 large kale leaves (stalks removed)

2 Tbsp maple syrup

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a high powered blender and blend on juice mode.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 tbsp honey

Directions

Whisk whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and honey.

Make a well in dry ingredients and stir in egg and buttermilk mixture. Allow batter to rest for a few minutes.

Set a nonstick frying pan to medium-high heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls on to griddle or pan. Cook until the edges begin to dry and bubbles appear in the pancakes. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

(Makes 8 pancakes)

Diet Friendly Watermelon Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups watermelon chunks

1 small banana, chopped

1 cup ice

1 1/2 cups 0fat vanilla yogurt

Directions

Put watermelon chunks, chopped banana, ice and yogurt in a blender. Blend until desired smoothness.

(Serving Size 12 oz)