Lemon-Cranberry Muffins
From EatingWell: January/February 2011
These lemony cranberry-studded muffins crunch lightly with cornmeal and are topped with a kiss of sugared lemon zest. They’re great warm from the oven, but also keep well for a few days and freeze beautifully.
1 dozen muffins | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest, divided
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour (see Note)
- 1/2 cup cornmeal, preferably medium or fine stone-ground
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed), coarsely chopped (see Tip)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in cranberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins.
Bake the muffins until golden brown and they spring back lightly to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Salsa-Braised Kale
From EatingWell: September/October 2011
Braising kale in salsa and topping it with cheese makes a delightful side dish for your favorite Mexican meal. Different brands of salsa have varying amounts of sodium. Sometimes prepared fresh salsa is the lowest.
4 servings, about 1/2 cup each | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped (about 16 cups; see Notes)
- 1 cup store-bought salsa, preferably fresh
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup crumbled or shredded Cotija cheese (see Notes) or Mexican-style cheese
Preparation
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add kale and toss until bright green, about 1 minute. Stir in salsa and water. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with cheese.
Mixed Green Salad with Grapefruit & Cranberries
From EatingWell: November/December 2009
Grapefruit juice is the base for the tangy vinaigrette on this salad studded with grapefruit segments and dried cranberries. It serves 12 as a starter or about 6 if you’d like a large portion per person.
12 servings, about 1 cup each | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 red grapefruit
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced scallions
- 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 8 cups torn butter lettuce
- 6 cups baby spinach
- 1 14-ounce can hearts of palm (see Shopping Tip), drained and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (see Tip)
Preparation
Remove the skin and white pith from grapefruit with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes. Cut the segments in half on a cutting board and transfer to a large salad bowl. Squeeze the grapefruit peel and membranes over the original bowl to extract 1/4 cup grapefruit juice.
Whisk oil, scallions, vinegar, salt and pepper into the bowl with the grapefruit juice.
Add lettuce, spinach and hearts of palm to the salad bowl with the grapefruit segments. Just before serving, toss the salad with the dressing until well coated. Sprinkle cranberries and pine nuts on top.
Orange Polentina
From EatingWell: January/February 2010
Polentina is a creamier, porridge-like version, often served for breakfast. An orange-infused dollop of tangy mascarpone cheese and yogurt is a rich, delicious topping. But feel free to skip the mascarpone and double the yogurt to save calories. To keep it quick, we use instant polenta or regular fine cornmeal. If you have time, the recipe will work with stone-ground cornmeal. It will take longer to cook, 15 to 20 minutes, but will reward you with rich texture.
4 servings, about 3/4 cup each | Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 medium orange
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup instant polenta or fine cornmeal
- 1/4 cup mascarpone (Italian cream cheese)
- 1/4 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt
- 4 tablespoons honey, divided
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon (optional)
Preparation
Zest the orange to get 1 1/2 teaspoons; set the zest aside. Remove the rest of the peel and white pith with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes. Set aside for garnish.
Combine water, milk and salt in a large heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in polenta (or cornmeal) and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain an even bubble and whisk until the polentina thickens, 1 to 5 minutes (depending on what type you’re using). Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine mascarpone, yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon of the orange zest in a small bowl.
Whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons honey and the remaining 1 teaspoon zest into the polentina. Divide among 4 bowls and top with a dollop of the mascarpone topping. Garnish with the reserved orange segments and sprinkle with tarragon, if desired. Serve immediately.